Do you believe in Dog?

RIP Ruby 2/2/94-10/18/04

Everyone knows that sports is ripe with superstition. Players have unique routines to prepare for games, good luck charms that they can't play without. Some have specific dining rituals, others spiritual practices that they feel are integral to their performance. Perhaps in no other arena is there such devout adherence to superstition and ritual as there is in sports, at least with such little cynicism. We are perfectly willing to accept our players foibles, actually just as willing to buy right into them. I wonder how many necklaces Phiten has sold to non-athletes over the past 5 years? I'm guessing it is an impressive figure.

Fans are no different though. We have our own rituals and superstitions that we adamantly defend in the belief that we can influence the outcome of a game or series through our devotion to these odd behaviors. Mid-summer I was on the lawn tractor mowing the yard, and as I passed under a low tree, my beloved Red Sox cap was snagged by a branch and before I could dis-engage the blades, swallowed up in a cruel fashion, rendered to shards of fabric strewn across the lawn. This cap saw me through the 2004 World Series, was worn proudly at Opening Day at Fenway in 2006, and witnessed many, many other games along the way. The Red Sox promptly lost 3 games. Riddled with guilt, I bought a new cap and hoped it would be imbued with the same powers of the old one. The Sox won again that night. Phew.

It goes beyond me. My friend Don ate shrimp 7 times this post season. It was what he had for dinner before Game 5 of the ALCS, and you don't mess with what works. I myself wore the same Red Sox red jersey (and the new cap, of course) for those 7 games. You all know the results, feel free to thank us for our efforts. I'll wear my Paul Pierce jersey Friday night when the C's tip off for the 2007-2008 season, and you can bet I'll be sporting the Brady top for the Showdown In Indy on Sunday. These things work, for reasons that are as mystical and unexplainable as anything in the universe. We don't question them, we just Believe.

See, here's the thing. On the afternoon of October 18th, 2004, we were forced to make what may have been the hardest decision of my life, emotionally. My beloved companion Ruby had been ravaged by cancer, and it was time to let her go. We ventured to Springfield, Massachusetts and said good-bye, holding her as she was put down. In deep sorrow, we wandered over to The Student Prince for a couple of steins of Spaten Oktoberfest to ease the pain. The Boston Red Sox were down 3-0 to the dread New York Yankees, our chances looked bleak. I remember as we prepared to leave the bar, the teams were just taking the field. I looked over at the TV as we walked out and said "Come on guys, Rally For Ruby". They never lost again and under that blood-red moon captured their first World Championship in 86 years. Thanks Ruby.

Fast forward to 2007. With the Sox down 3-1 to Cleveland, I called my buddy Chomper, trying to remain positive. When I got him on the phone, he told me the bad news. His dog Cleetus, suffering with cancer himself, had to be put down the day before. I consoled him, having been there myself not so long ago. And then I reminded him of 2004, of Ruby, and of the Red Sox. I told him then it was time for the boys to Rally For Cleetus. And as fate would have it, the Red Sox won 7 straight, and here we are, celebrating another Red Sox World Championship. As any good dog owner can tell you, our dogs know us better than we know them. They feel our joy, our anger, our pain. And in our hours of longing and loss, they knew to give our team a boost, and us along with them.

So I guess all I'm saying is...Do YOU believe in Dog?











Rolling Rally starts at noon. That's right, they are Your 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox. That never gets old.

Your 2007 World Champion Boston Red Sox!!!!!!!!

Wow. It happened again. I thought hard about a creative title for today's column, but I just like the ring of what's above better than anything else I could come up with. Now we know what it is like to have the Red Sox win TWO World Championships in our lifetime. It feels a lot different than 2004. It doesn't have the drama of 2004, with a comback against the Yankees for the ages to set up the sweep. It doesn't have the history of 2004, wiping away 86 years of heartbreak. 2004 was about Faith Rewarded. But 2007? 2007 was all about vindication.

As Jonathan Papelbon's final pitch crossed for a strike, every thing changed forever. This 2007 World Championship vindicates everything that the '04 team represented to Red Sox Nation. The 2007 team vindicates the ownership and its devotion to investing in fielding a winning team. 2007 vindicates the entire 2004 squad, showing they were not a fluke, that the Red Sox are loveable losers no more, no longer the team that couldn't get it done on the biggest of stages. 2007 vindicates a strong minor league program, say hello to Pap, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Jon Lester, Jacoby Ellsbury (do you think Manny would have caught that ball in the ninth?). It vindicates front office moves that sometimes drew the consternation of the Nation...Beckett, Lowell, Matsuzaka, Okajima...hell, even J.D. Drew came through. But more than anything else, it vindicates the Boston Red Sox. We are fully immersed in what will be the Greatest Era In Sox History since we won 4 Championships in 7 seasons...yeah, that would have been from 1912-1918. They had Tris Speaker and Smokey Joe Wood, we've got David Ortiz and Curt Schilling. They had Babe Ruth (it's OK, we can say that name now), we've got Manny Being Manny and Josh Beckett being Josh Beckett.

Your World Champion Boston Red Sox. I like that way that sounds. I like the fact that our kids have no idea what it has been like to be a Sox fan for the better part of the last century. I know that in the eyes of many people, this victory brings us into Evil Empire territory, but I'm good with that. It comes with winning. The Celtics had it in the '80s (ok, the Celtics pretty much had it from '57 through '88, 30 years of domination, we'll never see anything like that again), the Patriots have it, and now the Red Sox have it. Everybody hates a Winner, except the winners fans. I like being a fan of Winners. I've tried the other side, and trust me, this is better.

There are a lot of great stories that will float around Red Sox Nation in the wake of this Championship. There is the story of two cancer survivors...one (Jon Lester) getting the win in the decisive Game 4, the other (Mike Lowell) is the World Series MVP. There is the story of two guys from Japan, Daisuke and Hideki, making their MLB debuts and ending up coming up big in October. There is Curt Schilling re-inventing himself and becoming the aging warrior who must win with guile, not with gas. There's the rookie who's head was being called for in April who went on to become a force at the plate as well as at second base. There's the story of the ailing Big Papi fighting through the pain. There is Manny and his hair, secondary to his bat. There is the September call up of the Native American rookie Jacoby Ellsbury, who gets inserted into the line-up only to see the Sox win 7 straight by the largest combined margin of victory in history. There is the story of shutting down a Colorado Rockies team that came into the Series having won 21 of 22, only to fall flat after an 8 day lay-off.

2004 ended an era, an era of heartbreak, of curses, of 86 years of frustration. 2007 ushers in a new era, hopefully like the one that started back in 1912.

It is a great time to be a part of Red Sox Nation. Enjoy the bubbly, we've earned it.

We're Cancelling Barstool Friday This Week...

That's right, you read correctly. We're cancelling Barstool Friday this week in favor of Catch Up On Your Sleep Friday. I'm recommending everyone leave work early today, go to the nearest pub and have a couple of pints and then go home and get some sleep. We've got Saturday, Sunday and (possibly) Monday night games that are going to cut right into your beauty sleep, so rest up while you can. So here are a few thoughts for you to contemplate as you drift off into La-La Land.

• Josh Beckett has been unbelievable. Clearly destined to be seen as one of the greatest Big Game pitchers not only of this era, but of all time. He's the reason this thing doesn't go past Monday night.

• Thank you, Curt Schilling. Who knows what will become of #38, but you can't say Schill hasn't given his all this post-season. I've noted before that his amazing re-invention of himself deserves a lot of credit, and he's riding it right on through. You can disagree with his politics, you can wish he'd just shut up, but you can't complain about what he brings to this team. He knows where his place is, and he loves it. He also knew that this might be the last time he suits up before the Fenway Faithful, and he gave us every thing he had. Regardless of where Curt ends up this winter, his Red Sox legacy is secure. The picture above tells you all you need to know.

• Hideki Okajima. 7 batters, 4 strike-outs to good-night. Pap picks off Holliday (the only runner he's picked off in his major league career) to end the 8th and then gets it done once again. So much for scouting reports! I doubt there's a scarier 1-2 punch to close out games in all of baseball.

• My biggest concern heading to Colorado isn't the thin air in Denver, the balls in the humidor, or the Rockies home-field advantage. It is how long Matsuzaka and Lester can stay in the game. At least one of them needs to take his game into the seventh to keep the guys in the 'pen fresh.

• I do wonder though, if the Red Sox go up 3-0, will Tito juggle the rotation and let Beckett go in Game 4? Do you give your ace the chance to close it out, and all but guarantee himself the World Series MVP? It will be very interesting to see what would happen here. History tells us that Francona will stick with the plan and pitch Lester, but the temptation to pitch Beckett in Game 4 will be strong. First of all, he's obviously our best shot to close out the sweep. Second, if he were to pitch Game 4 and lose, he's on track for a potential Game 7 start should the Rockies watch video of the 2004 ALCS and decide that they have a chance. I predicted elsewhere that Beckett would get the ball in this situation, but I only did so to stir up controversy. I'm not a believer in that scenario. I can see it happening, but it seems unlikely to me. But tell me you wouldn't like to see that!

• As such, I'm still saying Sox in 5. Matsuzaka wins a tight one courtesy of the Boston bats, Lester goes in Game 4 and gets rocked for 3 or 4 runs in the 3rd or 4th, the bullpen holds on and the Sox lose, something like 5-4. Beckett goes in Game 5, pitches 8 strong and gives it over to Papelbon to clinch the World Series. As usual, remember you read it here first.

• Getting away from baseball for a minute, because even though this isn't officially Barstool Friday, I know that at least one of you (Chomper, I'm lookin' at you here) won't take my advice and rest up tonight. Let's talk about the undefeated New England Patriots. The Washington Redskins are the only team that Tom Brady has never beaten. While you'll never hear Tom or Belichick say it, you know the guys in the locker room are fully aware of this. Look, he has to win this game. Before I realized this little bit of NFL trivia, I said it would be OK for the Pats to actually lose this game. Not that I expected it, mind you, but it is a non-conference game and a loss gets the "undefeated" monkey off your back. But get this, Peyton Manning goes for the same honor on Sunday and Brett Favre does the same next week. I don't need Tom Brady to be the only guy in league history to have defeated all 31 other teams, in fact, I hope Favre succeeds when he faces KC next week, the guy deserves it. But the Patriots (barring a serious reversal of fortune in D.C.) won't meet up with the 'Skins for another 4 years. If Manning and the Colts beat Carolina on Sunday, he becomes the first guy to beat all 31 teams (Colts play at 1, Pats not till 4). Can you really handle 4 years of listening to the Peyton ass-kissers saying "well Peyton has beaten all 31 other teams and Brady hasn't"? I can't. Patriots 42-17.

• The New Three, GPA, The GAP Band, The PGA Tour. They all suck, but I'll give people credit for trying. When Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen take to the parquet tonight for their pre-season tilt against the Cleveland LeBrons, it will be the final warm-up before the regular season tips off next Friday against the Bullet..er, Wizards. In the quest for Green 17, I don't really care what you want to call them, I'm planning on calling them Winners.

• Good news from UMass: Liam Coen is expected to start in this week's game against William & Mary. The Minutemen look to move to 7-1, 7-0 in 1-AA (yes, I refuse to call it the "Football Championship Subdivision").

• Bad news from UMass: The Minutemen hoops squad was picked to finish 8th in the A-10 pre-season coaches poll released yesterday. While it is probably a reasonable placement given the loss of Rashaun Freeman and Stephane Lasme, I think it is fair to say expectations amongst the faithful are a bit higher. It is going to be an up and down season for a young team running a new system, I'm hoping Travis Ford can bring them up to speed quickly and Gary Forbes can display the skills he exhibited in the Tourney of the Americas and emerge as a vocal leader for the team. It's going to be an interesting season, that's for sure.

• And back to baseball, the Boston Herald is reporting that the Sox are planning to Keep Mikey Lowell around for a while. GM Theo Epstein has said re-signing Lowell is "a priority for the off-season, and I'm sure we'll be able to get something done." That's the way it should be. Lowell is the perfect combination of defense, offense, maturity and leadership for this team. What do you think A-Rod thought when he heard that news?

Well, that's a wrap for today folks. It is going to be another stretch of late nights as the Red Sox prepare to claim the 2007 World Series trophy. Enjoy every minute of it and ready the victory cigars. I can't wait to know what it feels like to watch your favorite team win another World Series in your lifetime.


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Tonight's The Night

I wonder if Neil Young is a baseball fan? If he is, I'm sure he's looking forward to tonight's World Series Game 1 at Fenway. The Boston Red Sox square off against the Colorado Rockies for the right to be called World Champions. New England is electric right now. As I noted on Monday, Red Sox Nation is a different place after 2004, and that spells trouble for the Rockies. As Bill Simmons points out, moments like Lofton's double in Game 7 used to deflate the Fenway Faithful. Today, they ignite us. I'm not saying that these games don't leave me on the edge of my seat (and not only because it helps me stay awake), but the feeling of dread has gone away. I don't expect a collapse the way I used to.

I'm calling this one Sox in 5. Between Josh Beckett and Fenway Park, Games 1 and 2 go decidedly to the Sox. Beckett has shown himself to be one of the most dominant play-off pitchers of this generation, if not all-time. Add to that quirky Fenway and a "this could be my last game in Fenway as a Red Sox player" Curt Schilling, and it is hard to make a solid argument against the Sox taking a quick 2-0 lead in the Series. This kills the Rockies for Game 3. The Rocks were the hottest team in baseball over the last 3 weeks of the regular season and that carried over into the NL playoffs. But these guys just sat for 8 days. The last time they had this much time off was last February. The flight from Boston to Denver will be the longest of these players lives, they will start to believe that the lay-off sapped their momentum. This sets up a Daisuke-Okie-Papelbon Game 3 W in Coors Field. The Rockies have enough talent that they won't get swept though, especially with a projected Game 4 start for Jon Lester. Lester is going to be a good pitcher, but he's almost a place holder in this game. Which brings us to Game 5, and back to Josh Beckett. I don't think I need to expand upon this. So when you are celebrating another Red Sox World Championship on Monday night (or more likely for those of us on the East Coast, early Tuesday morning), take a moment to reflect upon the fact that I told you so.

Speaking of taking moments, I'd like to take a moment here to thank Tim Wakefield. The longest tenured Red Sox player, Wake took one for the team and announced yesterday that he will not be on the World Series roster. This has to be a tough pill to swallow for the knuckle-baller, watching from the sidelines, unable to contribute. Wake once again shows us what a class act and consumate professional he is, feeling that his taking up a roster spot is "unfair to the 24 guys" on the card. Who knows what will come of Wakefield, the team option for next year is there, but will he choose to shut it down or not? Only time will tell, but no matter what happens, thanks Wake, for everything.

Now, with Tim not on the roster, we'll see Kyle Snyder take up a spot in the bullpen. I wasn't surprised by this, but I was a bit surprised to see Eric Gagne on there. I don't know to many of the denizens of Red Sox Nation who wouldn't have preferred to see the smiling face of Julian Tavarez out there, for comedic effect if nothing else. Whatever, as long as we don't actually need him to pitch.

There you have it. Tonight's The Night. The Red Sox are about to win the World Series...for the second time in our lifetimes. Did you ever think you'd be able to say that?

The 2007 American League Champs? OUR Boston Red Sox!!!!!

It is a glorious, glorious morning in New England. The trees are ablaze with color, the farm stands full with apples and pumpkins, the skies bright and clear. Of course, no one noticed that this morning because the Boston Red Sox are the 2007 American League Champions!!!!!!!!!!! True to form, the Red Sox once again proved that you can never count them out. Matsuzaka to Okajima to Papelbon to the World Series. Schilling was Schilling, 10-2 lifetime in the playoffs now. J.D. Drew...J.D. DREW!?!?!!!!!!! Pedroia, Youk, Jacoby. Manny, Papi, Mikey Lowell. And of course, Josh Beckett, the deserving MVP of the ALCS. All of a sudden, every thing is clicking, every piston firing, and not unlike 2004, it all suddenly feels like our destination.

I could run down the statistics from the series and bore you with analysis but you could find that on any number of other websites with bigger budgets and more geeks to pull that stuff together. I could comment on how I so accurately predicted how the AL playoffs would come down (which, I will point out, came down just as I had said except the Yankees were even worse than I had expected). These are things I could write about, but I won't. No, today is all about Our Boston Red Sox, and the Faith of the Nation.

I was speaking to my buddy JO early this morning, regaling in our Pennant victory, and he noted that our kids won't understand what it was like to be a Red Sox fan in our lifetime, or the lifetimes of our parents and grandparents. Most anyone under 25 can't really understand what it was like. 2004 changed everything, and if you aren't old enough to remember '75 or '86 or '95 or even 2003, you won't get it. You don't understand the desperate hope to win masking the sickening expectation of loss. And I'm happy for you. Red Sox Nation doesn't feel like that anymore. Today, we feel like our team can win anytime it matters most and as a result, the Red Sox are headed to their second World Series in 4 years.

I'll have a complete World Series preview later this week. Right now I'm just going to sit back and enjoy this feeling that was rarely known in these parts for so many years. Victory.

It is that time again...

That's right, Barstool Friday!!!!!! Now, let me assure you, my lack of commentary this week has not come because I haven't had anything to say. Quite the contrary, I'm sure I could have written volumes this week, but alas, I've been on the road working and not in front of a computer. And as I'm about to head out again, a few parting shots to get you through the weekend.

• Becks was fabulous last night. The Sox WILL take this.

• However, if they don't, I've got a few bleeps to add to Bucky Bleepin' Dent and Aaron Bleepin' Boone.

• Start Jacoby Ellsbury tomorrw night in place of Coco. Please.

• Did you see the Celtics-Knicks game the other night? OK, it was pre-season, but it felt more like the Harlem Globetrotters versus the Washington Generals. Learned two things, the Celtics will be a lot of fun to watch this year, and the Knicks are awful.

• The Patriots stuck it to the Cowgirls on Sunday. That was beautiful. Anybody think the Dolphins will be withing 3 touchdowns on Sunday? Yeah, me neither.

See you Monday for a World Series preview. Have a pint for me. And finally...

R.I.P. Cleetus. You, Ruby and the Creed rally the Sox for us, OK?





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And So It Begins...the LCS Edition of Barstool Friday

This is what it is all about, right? The Red Sox playing for the American League pennant (we still call it that, don't we?). The culmination of six months of watching, cheering, swearing, cheering, looking over our shoulders, cheering, blasting J.D. Drew, and more cheering. Scratch that, let's make that eleven months. This might have been the longest stretch of non-stop baseball talk in this history of The Nation. From the first rumblings over Daisuke Matsuzaka last November until today, there has been a continuous buzz around the Boston Red Sox. I can't remember anything quite like it. And tonight at 7 o'clock, it is Faith Rewarded. Our Red Sox take the field at Fenway to face the Cleveland Indians for the right to go to the World Series. And as such, I'm going to pass on talking football (Patriots over Cowboys, 38-24), basketball (Celtics looked good in EuroLive games, Midnight Madness at UMass tonight) or anything else today. Barstool Friday is all Red Sox this week, as it should be. But before I continue, I'd just like to point out the my predictions for the ALDS were exactly correct, although even I didn't foresee Beckett's complete game. That was masterful. I didn't do so well with the NL, but since I might have seen one or two NL games all season, I was working from a disadvantage. Oh well.

Let's get on to this series. First of all, this is once again the real World Series. Both Cleveland and Boston have the pitching to dominate whoever comes out of the National League. Don't dwell on this, just accept it. Josh Beckett takes the mound tonight agains CC Sabathia. It should be a pitchers' duel. It should go down as a fantastic battle between two Cy Young candidates. Don't count on it though. These things never go as scripted. I'm thinking 9-6 Red Sox victory with neither starter going more than 5, maybe 6 innings. The game will be decided with bats and bullpens, both of which go in favor of the Sox.

Tomorrow night's game will be really interesting. Curt Schilling, 9-2 lifetime in October, faces Fausto Carmona, the young stud. Schill looked brilliant against the Angels. He's an amazing story, the aging ace who re-invents himself, mid-season no less, and comes back to give his team a boost when it matters most. I had been calling this game a coin toss up until last night, and then I got a feeling. I was stacking wood in the rain, you know, getting it done despite the challenges, just because it HAS to be done. That's Schilling. When you have to win, he does it. It doesn't matter what stacks up against him, when it is win or go home, Curt wins. So there you have it, Red Sox lead 2-0 by Sunday. I'm not even going to argue the point.

Of course, I'm also going to stop making predictions on the games now. Look, Boston is not sweeping this series. The Indians are too strong of a club, but they can't stay with the Sox over a 7 game series. Even if they battle valiantly, they cannot win this series. There are many reasons, but ultimately, there are only two words that need to be said so you can understand why a Red Sox trip to the World Series is inevitable. Those two words?

Joe Borowski.


This guy SUCKS. Look at the Boston line-up. Manny. Papi. Mikey Lowell. Captain 'Tek (yeah, he may not have the best batting average, but look at his late game with runners on numbers...unbelievable). The speed of Coco, Lugo and Ellsbury. Tell me what you see when you look at all that and then look at a closer with an ERA over 5. Destination, as Manny would say. Destination. Seriously, even if you consider the Red Sox and Indians dead even in every other category (which, by the way, I do not), there is simply no way you can look at this guy and think he presents a chance for an Indians victory. And his counter part on the Red Sox staff? Jonathan Papelbon. Need I say more?

Well that's my take on it all heading into the weekend. Colorado will win the NL, whatever that's worth, setting up Manny & Papi for something like a combined 200 home runs before the series is over. Enjoy it all folks, this is what we've been waiting eleven months for, and it will have been worth every minute. Remember, always have a pint for me...I'll be enjoying mine on Cape Cod this weekend. Adios!

It's an LDS Barstool Friday!!!!!!

Good morning, we'll get right to it to prepare you for a weekend of beer-swilling, pretzel chomping, and baseball arguing. Without further ado, here's your Barstool Friday!!!!!

• Man, did Josh Beckett look amazing on Wednesday night. The Sox totally dominated the Angels, as The Ace worked a magical outing. The fact that Becks set up a rested bullpen to back up Matsuzaka tonight is huge. This means that Tito doesn't have to debate yanking Dike-K if he struggles. Especially with another off day tomorrow. I think we are going to see a great performance from Matsuzaka tonight though. First, he has not faced the Angels this season, which certainly is more to his advantange than theirs, given that Varitek calls a masterful game. Second, the Sox offense has been hot lately and putting up runs early. If we can give him a lead to pitch with, he can settle in and just pitch his game. I'm sticking with my original prediction, this series is over come Sunday night. Schilling will be his October self and put up a performance that will keep the Angles bats in check long enough for the Boys to pull this one out.

• I'd said earlier in the week that Cleveland was a tough team, and would take out the Yankees in 4. But if the Indians play like they did last night, they may even be able to weather the Yankees offensive onslaught I predicted for Game 3 and take a broom to this one. They quickly negated Johnny Damon's first inning dinger and kept piling it on, raising doubts again as to Chien Ming Wang's qualifications as the squad's "ace". The Yanks put Pettitte on the mound this afternoon against the dangerous Fausto Carmona. By the time the Sox take the field tonight, Cleveland will have a 2-0 lead on the Bronx Bummers. This will lead to Cleveland's chance to sweep at House That Ruth Built against a questionable Roger Clemens. Ask yourself, based on what you've seen this season, would you put money on Clemens going more than 4 innings? Yeah, didn't think so.

• Over on the Senior Circuit, the Colorado Rockies look like world beaters so far against the Phillies. I predicted a Rocks victory in this series, but I didn't see the thorough dominance of the Rockies' offense over the Phillies pitching. And that has been IN Philly! If the Rockies keep this up, they might score 20 runs on Saturday when they return to the thin atmosphere of Coors Field. Could we see sweeps in 3 of the Division Series?

• Or maybe even all 4? The D-backs have looked similarly dominant over the Cubbies. I really wanted to see the Cubs make some noise this post-season and they have sorely disappointed. Now normally, one might cling to the hope that your team is about to come home. Home to storied Wrigley Field. Except for one thing. Cubs fans don't seem to care. They expect to lose. I haven't seen or heard any rallying cry eminating from the Windy City, its denizens reclusive as Steve Bartman. It is as if they have resigned themselves to this being their fate. Of course, as Sox fans, we can relate (a little) to low expectations. But the thing about Sox fans is that we are capable of mustering every ounce of team loyalty to rise to the occasion, we can temporarily forget the past and live in the moment (at least until the moment is over, then we can go back to self-doubt). So come on Cubs fans, feed this team, it will be an uphill battle, but your team still has a chance. Believe...miracles happen, just ask any Red Sox fan.

• Final thought on the weekend's baseball. At least 2 series are going to end in sweeps, and I'm picking the broom-wielders to be Boston and Colorado. I won't be surprised though if there is at least one other series that ends in 3. So what does this really mean for baseball? Nothing. It just goes to show, in my opinion, that the Wild Card works. Yes, it may have somewhat diminished the significance of being divisional champs but it is further proof that in most years, there are 4 teams in each league that can legitimately compete to be World Champions. While I can still make a legit argument for contraction, I like the Wild Card. And no, not just because it helped the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series. I swear.

• By the way, the New England Patriots play the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. The Pats average margin of victory this season is 25 points. TWENTY FIVE POINTS!!!!! Somehow, I don't see this average droppin come Monday. Sorry Browns fans...you've still got the Indians and the Cavs...

• Which, however deliberately, brings me to basketball. I'm sure I'm not the only one who is excited to see KG, The Truth and Ray Allen don the Green for their first game together this afternoon in Rome, right? Right? Helloooooooooooo?

Well that's it for this Friday folks. It's all baseball, with some football and hoops tossed in for good measure. As always, Keep The Faith, Red Sox Nation...

(...and yes, I know I failed to mention that the Bruins open their season tonight)

Have a great weekend folks, throw back a pint for me.

Less than 2 1/2 Hours...

The Rockies are already cruising over the Phillies. We're less than two and a half hours from the first pitch of the Red Sox 2007 Quest For The Championship. I'm already on the edge of my seat. I remain confident in my predictions, but I've got that playoffs chill going. It is a strange feeling. Not so much nervous, just anxious. It is almost like you just want it to be over with already, except even that doesn't help, because there is another game on Friday. It's a viscious cycle. I'm only typing this right now because there isn't anything else I can do. If you are a player, you can go through your pre-game routine, keep your mind on that. I'm not a player. I don't have a pre-game routine. I just turn on the TV a few minutes before the game starts and watch. That's fine over 143 games of the regular season (yes, I know there are 162 regular season games, but we have 19 against the Yankees, and there is nothing regular about a Sox / Yankees game). But this is the play-offs. This is what we trudged through the last 6 months for.

The Ride is about to begin, o' Fenway Faithful. Say it with me now...LET'S GO RED SOX...LET'S GO RED SOX...LET'S GO RED SOX...

Looking Forward...It's Sox-tober!!!!!

Usually, you all are privileged to read it here first, but today you'll have to read it here second. I've already made these predictions elsewhere this morning, but just for you, I'll fill them in a little more, just because I can. So, here's the It Takes Balls 2007 MLB Playoff Predictions Show!!!!!!!

~National League~

Colorado is going to beat the Phillies in 4 games. As much as my unfortunate Philly fan friends refuse to admit it, the Phills edged into the playoffs on the back of the Mets historic collapse (let's take a moment here to thank the Mets for taking on a dubious honor and relieving the '78 Sox of the burden). I am well aware of the Phillies excellent run to finish out the season, but don't discount the fact that 3 of those games were against the dying Mets, and 7 of your last 10 were against the Nats. Look fans of Philadelphia sports, I feel for you, I really do. I understand the suffering. I wish I could offer you hope for this series. But the Rockies are hot, and they are taking you down.

Anyhow, the Cubbies will take care of the Diamondbacks, also in 4 games. This sets up the NLCS between the Rockies and the Cubs, a series that the Cubs will win for one simple reason. You can only ride a wave for so long before it peters out or you end up crashing on the beach. The Rockies have been ridiculously hot. It can't last, that's just the way it is.

~American League~

Well Red Sox Nation, here we go. The Sox break out the brooms for the first series, dismissing the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in quick fashion. I actually was figuring on the Angels taking one game in this series until I heard that Daisuke was pitching Game 2 and Schilling getting Game 3. We know the Sox won't lose at Fenway, and Schilling is one of the greatest Big Game pitchers of all time. So this is a fait accompli.

Moving on, the Evil Empire faces the scary dangerous Cleveland Indians. And they lose. It will be a 4 game series, because you know that the Yankees will put up something like 11 runs in Game 3 after being dominated by Sabathia and Carmona. But despite a strong second half, the Yankees pitching remains suspect and I can't see them being able to take the Indians. And there you have it.

The ALCS is going to be interesting...really interesting. Cleveland is a strong team. A team that will battle the Red Sox mightly. The Sox WILL prevail, but it is going to take 6 or 7 games. I can't even predict exactly how it is going to go, because the pitching match-ups are tough to argue definitively one way or the other. This is a series where offense will end up winning it, and that's how the Sox get the nod. This all sets up...

~The 2007 World Series~

It comes down like a fairy tale. The Once Cursed versus The Still Cursed. The Boston Red Sox against the Chicago Cubs for the honor of hoisting that World Series trophy. The Cubs are standing on the brink, the Cubs can get the goat off of their collective backs. History will be re-written.

Except, there is no fairy tale ending. The Red Sox sweep the Cubs, Steve Bartman must continue to be a recluse and goats all over the mid-west fear for their lives. Meanwhile, here in New England, we notch title #1 in the quest for the Greatest Year In Boston Sports History.







I'll quickly cap this column with a note about that last phrase. The Patriots once again looked like they are in their own league last night, prohibitive favorites to win it all (again). And Friday at 2:30, Live From Rome!, your 2007-2008 Boston Celtics take the court together for the first time. Yeah, it is pre-season, yeah, it's the Raptors...but I'm setting the DVR. Some things need to be seen.

Enjoy the ride folks, this maybe something very, very special.