gearing up for the big showdown Like most true Americans, I'm anxiously awaiting the outcome of our country's heated race, when Americans must choose sides. Both sides have strong leadership, unwavering supporters, and staunch critics. There are even a few Americans who are indifferent to the whole matter. Eventually one side will emerge victorious and the other will be sent home in bitter defeat. No, I'm not talking about Bush vs. Kerry. I'm talking Red Sox vs. Yankees, man!

I've been a Red Sox fan my entire life. I was born in Greenfield, Massachusetts and spent the first eight years of my life in the home state of one of the presidential candidates (it's Kerry, right?). When you grow up in New England, being a Red Sox fan is not a choice, it's a God given right, a requirement, a responsibility. Like a bad relationship, no matter how many times they break your heart, you just can't stop coming back. Maybe it's because, even though they never quite make it all the way, they always give it 110%. You just have to respect a team that can come so close to winning it all almost every year (but don't) and still return to claw their way back the following year. They never lose hope, never give up, never stop dreaming. To me, that defines a champion more than the number of trophies in the trophy case. And let's not forget that it's done with a fraction of the payroll of that team from New York ($183 million vs. $125 million at last count).

This year's American League Championship Series, regardless of the outcome of tonight's deciding game, will go down as one of the great series in baseball history. Hands down. After falling behind 3-0, no Major League team has ever come back to win the next three games. The Red Sox are going for their fourth. So all you Red Sox faithful out there, let's "Reverse the Curse!"
  ¶ monger187 wrote this on 10/20/2004