What a weird sports year. No NHL. Mickleson wins. US basketball sucked at the Olympics. Greece wins. The Olympics are about athletes. Europe beats the USA in the Ryder.
And now the team I have loved since a kid, who has found a way to blow it every year, who describe themselves as "idiots", whose General Manager said on national radio after the win "go get drunk"...won.
I think of walking around Portland with portland on a cold opening day a few years ago pushing the kids in strollers, he on a walkman and everyone passing asking how the game was going. I think of the great Yaz, and how happy he must be, the old fans who have prayed a lifetime and have seen this day come. I remember the feeling of being nine, even then having hundreds of hockey and baseball cards, opening a pack and getting a Yaz and a Red Sox team card. And the game against the Yankees I saw from top of the bleachers in 1973 or so when the Sox won in extra innings with a homer over the big green monster and out into the street and through that car's window. All good. All so good. It's like Jesus dropped by for a beer.
I'm starting a list of this day's Sox stories:
Comments
SayNay? - October 28, 2004 11:09 AM
...you should add: "HELL FREEZES OVER"
Nils Ling - October 28, 2004 11:28 AM
None of us Bosox fans got much sleep, what with all the pigs flying, hell freezing over, and monkeys flying out our butts. Still, it's nice, for once, to know how a Yankees fan feels, without having to actually become an arrogant jerk ...
Nils Ling - October 28, 2004 11:32 AM
Mind you ... I'm still just "cautiously optimistic" that they actually won ...
Alan - October 28, 2004 12:02 PM
I was going to say all those things but then realized this is an irreparable crease in my life. They never won in 86 years before. They have never not won in 86 years now.
SayNay? - October 28, 2004 12:47 PM
All kidding aside, this is really is one for the ages - not just the fact that they won, but the way that they won; the comeback against the Yankees and sweep of the Cards : "8 Straight" will be the way I remember the 2004 Boston win. Baseball may have needed this win for Boston, but I don't think I'll be watching or paying to see any more regular season games because of it - others may disagree.
Alan - October 28, 2004 1:04 PM
I will. I miss the Boston Fox on Sox broadcast of local games I used to be able to get on Bell ExpressVu satillite dish in PEI. I have to use Cogeco here and do not have that option. Next year if it costs 20 bucks a month to get a zillion baseball games, I may go for it as a great big present to me.
portland - October 29, 2004 12:58 AM
i'm happy and all but baseball is over until late feb. what am i supposed to do now? damn.
Wayne - October 29, 2004 12:05 PM
I am especially happy for two acquaintences of mine, one a golf buddy and friend, Billy Smith, and the other, Dr. Bobby Lund. Both have attended BoSox Club events for years, including fine dining in right field each spring with players and owners. Bright white linen, wine, waiters in bow ties, the works. I have a pic somewhere of Billy with Mrs. Yawkee. Very exclusive club...only several members in Canada and two are Islanders! What a dinner they will have next spring! Billy's life has gone through many big changes over the years(come to think of it, whose hasn't)but one constant was his love of the Red Sox.
I ran the Boston Marathon in '89 and we run right by Fenway during an afternoon game, and they put us on the scoreboard, and could hear the cheers from the Mass Pike. We stayed at Howard Johnsons Fenway every time we were in town, and I had the fortune of seeing Craig Nettles and Thurman Munsen booed big time under the Citgo sign. Boy, you really don't know how hated the Yankees are in Boston until you see them play in Fenway. I wonder who will sign back for another run?