How's that champagne tasting, Donnie Garko?

Mike:
Unbelievable. Yet anothah down 1 games to 3 come from behind trip to the World Series. 1986, 2004, and now, 2007.

 

---

Doug:
What a friggin game last night. Ellsbury? Youkilis? Pedroia!?!!? Wow. Wow and wow.

 

---

Mike:
Bob Ryan sums up last night perfectly: "It was just about the most tension-filled rout I've ever seen."

 

---

Doug:
I can't stop repeating this: The Sox, who became the 11th team to rally from a 3-1 deficit and win a postseason series, humiliated the Indians in every sense to earn the right to host the Colorado Rockies in Game 1 on Wednesday.

 

---

Al:
A tip o' the cap to Cleveland, though. They put up a good fight.

 

---

Doug:
Did they? Really? I mean sure it's the gentlemanly thing to say, but seriously, how is getting outscored 30-5 in the 3 games you had a chance to clinch a World Series birth somehow a noble rah-rah good fight kinda thing?

 

---

Mike:
Someone should have known bettah about those white hankies. You knew no good would come of it.

 

---

Doug:
White hankies aside, you know what Cleveland's real problem is?

 

---

Doug:
Too many ridiculous beards, that's what.

 

---

Doug:
Oh, sure, some of the Sox have facial hair, but it's cool, like Youks Moses-meets-Paul-Bunyan thing and Beckett's mini-vag soul patch …

 

---

Doug:
But Cleveland's beards? Gimme a break. If you show up at Fenway looking like you took a wrong turn on the way to a Mt. Holyoke faculty council meeting, then, yeah, you're gonna face "The Collapse".

 

---

Al:
I hope the Rockies fans have enjoyed that streak, because it's gonna be a memory come Wednesday night.

 

---

Mike:
You know I hope the Sox sweep this thing in 4 for the simple reason that I do not think I can enduah anothah 7 games with Joe Buck and Tim McCahvah.

 

---

Doug:
Are you kidding me? I lost a good 10 points off my IQ from last night's game alone.

 

---

Doug:
Another 7 game series and it's gonna be fucking Flowers for Algernon.

 

---

Comments

[COD]

Tim McCarver would like you all to know that the team that scores 6 runs in the 8th inning wins over 50% of the time.

However, I already had a run in with a bandwagon fan this morning on my weekly trip to the landfill. One of the old guys that works there wanted to talk baseball, since he is a big Sox fan. Too bad he thought the Sox were playing Arizona in the Word Series.

[vermonter]

The Rox come off an 8-day layoff for two-in-a-row at the Fens? I like.

[Rock]

"Oh, sure, some of the Sox have facial hair, but it's cool, like Youks Moses-meets-Paul-Bunyan thing and Beckett's mini-vag soul patch …"

As though my morning wasn't already bright enough, now I can think that the Indians lost because of their anti-Sampson beards.

My co-workers have no idea why I'm grinning ear-to-ear.

[Youk Rules]

Momentous. This team is built for comebacks.

Bring on the Rox. Their days are numbered.

[louclinton]

Well, hot dog.
This whole peacefulness thing is both unsettling and wonderful.

In re: McCarver/Buck/Fox. Only the existence of Geffner on the radio, operating on a one-second pre-delay (no other word to describe it) kept me watching that nonsense. For one thing, I think that tarring & feathering Joel Skinner so mercilessly for his choice goes down as one of the most evil things I have ever seen.

Do not go gently, indeed.

Your pal,

lc

[Bob]

So, I guess we DO have something fun to yak about today.

My last Berocca fizzed and settled my hangover early this morning (ask SDU about it's magical powers).

Now it's the seemingly undefeatable Rockies, who took 2 out of 3 in Fenway in May.

Bring it on, you high-altitude mouth-breathers.

[MattOfCT]

Tim McCarver would also like to tell you that when a team scores in the top of the first inning, they are effectivly giving their pitcher a lead before he takes the mound.

This and a Gyroball is like a screwball, like a doorknob turning to the left.

[Genghis Ortiz]

And with all this good karma and happiness floating around, of course it takes the NY media to try and bring us down...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/22/sports/baseball/
22roberts.html

Questioning the Red Sox excellence and creating a diversion while the Sox are basking in glory...just bring the MFY's down even more. Keep it coming, it's all good...

[dustysglove2007]

Maybe I should have called myself dusty's_bat when I first started posting here? Little guy was big last night!

Don't worry about the towels HB...the Indian fans can use em to cry into.

Oh yeah...funny thing about "gamesmanship" in this series. Indians haul out Beckett's old gal to sing at the Jake. Meanwhile, the Sox haul out Senator Michell to lay the beat down on Bryd with the HGH rumor.

Next time....someones got to tell the Indians to never bring a knife to a gun fight.

[Natalie]

Flowers for Algernon? Christ, that's funny.

I am utter jello today, an invertebrate in blue jeans. What a series! Now if only we can avoid the fucking snow that Selig has doomed us to with his stupid-ass playoff schedule (no, I will not get tired of bitching about this ;) Bring on the Rox!

[jamesfrmmaine]

lol one of the best strips in a while. I love the extended dialog.

[thompson]

What these other teams need to figure out is how to beat the Sox in a best of seven series without taking the lead.

[Billy Mahty]

At least there's a reason to watch the WS.

[illegitimate son of dwight evans]

Like the kid's sign said: champagne tastes better at home. I always believed, but it was a monumental task to climb out of a 3-1 hole. The Indians collapsed, that's for sure, but they had the Sox on the ropes. Nice to see Dice-K lock down and throw strikes. Nice to go shopping for my AL championship gear today!

[buckner was framed]

No call from Mahty "Hank" Steinbrenner to congratulate us- I mean, Bill?
I'm already speculating about knucklers in mile high air- sweetness. There will be more than just snowflakes fluttering out there
Excuse me, I have to make an appointment with my endocrinologist to get a cavity filled

[Scott]

All I can say is "wow". I moved to Denver 3-years ago and now it's Sox v Rox. I still can't believe this. Of course I will be in Mass. for a family event next weekend so I will miss the Sox while they are here.

Funny how the bandwagon works. I couldn't pay people to go to a baseball game here and now they are lining up for tickets and talking smack at the bar last night.

[jdog71]

I was fairly pissed at McCarver and Buck's inability to give any credit to DiceK, not to mention the unforgivable "I'd take him out right now" jabs they threw at both teams. Hey McCarver, theres a job opening in NY...send your resume, I'm sure they'll love you and we'll love you when you finish in last place. Oh yeah, congrats to the Sox and "The Destroyah" Pedroia.

[NolaSox]

I "watched" game 4 in a drug induced stupor in the ER. My recap is as follows:
is it the second inning? Good lord, this barium stuff is gonna make me vomit

woken up to be taken for CT scan I say it can't be time yet it's only the 5th inning (thinking can that have been two hours ago?)

??? inning woken up by phone - I think I was talking to my sister

woken up by some random medical staff - I ask him if it says 9th inning on the TV - his lack of response irritates me - perhaps he didn't understand "ssssdatsssay8errrrr9"
I manage to focus enough to see Paps get the last out then pass out again.

Moral of the story "avoid the chorizo burrito at Felipe's"

[maggietozier]

Hey Rock.

Your ex-coworker knows why you're grinning ear to ear. I shouldn't have even come to work today. The Ellsbury Hustle always puts me in a good mood.

[pudge]

Youk shoulda been MVP.

[vermonter]

How about this expert analysis to begin the game: the team that is able to "breathe easier" will win. Maybe they'll be breathing easier because they are winning? What a couple of dolts. I'm waiting for one of them to say that really, the team that has more runs at the end of the game will be the winner...in that real slow, dramatic tone.

Really makes me miss people like Howard Cosell. He knew how to ADD to the drama CREATED BY THE GAME.

[Natalie]

Yeesh, NoLaSox, that sounds painful. Hope you are on the mend... Any chance you were at Tulane U Hospital? I spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning there 3 years ago for the same thing you are describing. Awesome.

God, I am dragging can today. Bedtime wasn't until after 2am, as I had to see every second of the postgame on-field shenanigans. I could watch players celebrating championships (and Papelbon's Riverdance) all day.

[jamesfrmmaine]

Youk for MVP I agree. Beckett was awesome, but youk was a steady stream of big hits and solid play.

Just putting him in the lineup automatically adds 20 pitches to the opposing pitchers count. Its awesome.

[meredith]

Tim McCarver would also like you to know that the Red Sox hit into a lot of double plays. A lot. Of Double Plays.

And did he mention that they hit into a lot of double plays?

What really got my goat about the Buckarver commentary was how transparently they were both desperately rooting for the Indians to win. That made zero sense to me ... FOX has to be happy with the Sox victory, since a Rockies/Indians WS would have been the lowest-rated in history.

[yazbread]

I am excited about a return to the WS, but it doesn't quite have the charm of 2004. I know - I'm spoiled or jaded. Might also be a function of emotionally divesting during August and September. On the other hand, a return to the series in 3 years. Wow. In my lifetime, the returns have been 8 years, 11 years, and 18 years, respectively. I figured 2004 was good for another 10 years at least (8 on the Theo schedule). I am hoping for a sweep of the Rockies - I can't handle the games running late and sitting on the edge of the couch for 4 hours. Any thoughts on Ortiz's fate in the games in Colorado? Youk's glove or Big Papi's bat? Describe in 25 words or less.

[NolaSox]

Natalie, actually I was at Touro. But my sister's inlaws in North Carolina gave me food poisoning for Christmas one year so we can add that to our list of coincidences along with Chico Hot Springs and teal bridesmaid dresses.

[kjc]

You guys gotta visit and become contributing members to shutuptimmccarver.com. The guy is an exponential horse's ass. My fave last night was when Tek pushed one (foul) down the 3rd base line and he called it a drag bunt. He is an epic douche.

His inane blathering aside, what a series. This team is a team of game-ahs. Those 7th and 8th innings were epic. Who among is honest enough to admit Bill Buckner was whispering in your ear?

[Griffin]

I spent half of last night's game saying "Will you please shut UP?" as Buck was constantly bleating: "A Garko home run and we're all tied up," "Blake gets hold of one here and it's a new ballgame," and on an on ad nauseum.

Beckett was the proper MVP as he was the stopper, but he made a great point by crediting everyone else too. I love that guy.

[Youk Rules]

Yaz,

For the away games, you'll see two each of Ortiz, Youk, and Lowell. That's how Tito's played it before in the NL parks.

Too bad Pedroia can't play shortstop and Lowell 2nd. It would mean no Lugo.

[ettubloge]

The timing is perfect. Not only do we win but the NY Yankee house is a mess. Their management looks like fools. They fire a very competent manager without a viable replacement. The franchise is now not a shoe-in for a WS ring. Media juice is running in fly-over zone locations. And, damn, its fun to play on teams with great pitching.

[yazbread]

I think it was 5-2 late in the game and I asked my wife if we could pen in the 'W'. Her response was 'these are the Red Sox, let's not get too excited quite yet' Buckner remains strong in our memories.

[Harwich Rich]

Our Yankee bloggers seem strangely subdued today :D

[Youk Rules]

Yaz, you should know better. The score was 5-2 for less than an inning.

At the top of the 8th, Okajima allowed the first two men to reach with 0 outs.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one fearing a 3-run homer and having to leave the room.

[vermonter]

Yaz. I was feeling the same way last night. AWESOME that they won, but I'm not sure I'll ever be part of a sports victory as special as '04.

BTW-that Paul Byrd thing was garbage. I believe the guy. Cheap timing (whoever let the rumor out) and a low-blow for someone who seems like a pretty decent guy. As far as I can tell, it was much ado about nothing. Cheap and ugly...leave him alone.

[lc]

I apologize in advance, but I am moved to song today:

All this energy calling me
Back from Fenway Park
Its such a cool attitude
World Series back where it belongs
All Sox fans running in the streets are goin
Cleveland lost, cleveland lost
Jumpin (jean) gene genies, moody james deanies goin

Cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost
Cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost

Manny knows but he dont care
He’s got his thing to do
JD Drew and Varitek
And the Wrecking Crew
And the girls with the dumb pink hats go
Cleveland lost, cleveland lost
We live the dream with our baseball team
We’re goin cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost

Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost

I got more dreams to make the Rockies scream
Ill get back for ‘86 just like me daddy do
He was a fan and I am too
Oh cleveland lost, yeah cleveland lost
So find a place
Grab a space
And yell and scream for more

Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost
Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost, Cleveland lost
Cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost
Cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost
Cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost
Cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost, cleveland lost

(bunch of ah-ah-ahs here)

Game! Five!
Game! Six !
Game! Over!
Ohio Ohio Ohio Ohio Ohio Ohio Ohio Ohio Ohio

[Matty]

Wrangled a ticket to the game. A great one, too-- 8 rows off field midway between 3rd and home. Dude to my left, businessman from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada who claims to be a Sox fan, turns to me in the first as Youk steps into the box and says (I shit you not): "Why are they booing Youkilis?" Guy. Are you f'ing kidding me? Go back to your hotel and listen to some Rush or something, but certainly get the F out of here. I'd always hesitated to identify with the "The REAL fans don't sit in the good seats!" crowd, but I can't imagine a better recruiting tool (yes, pun intended) that Darren MacFairweather. Let's hope he stays home for the Series, eh?

Go Sox!

[buckner was framed]

lc-
nicely done. our own LCS mvp

Vermonter-
I agree Byrd seems like a stand up guy, and you hafta question the timing, but c'mon- getting Rxs from a DENTIST for a pituitary condition? You got to admit that seems a bit questionable, especially since the DMD in question has since been removed of his license due to fraudulent prescribing. After all, Byrd didn't go to a podiatrist when he had shoulder issues, now, did he? OTOH, maybe it sheds new light on Dr Charles Steinberg's role with the Sox (tongue firmly planted in cheek here)

[buckner was framed]

and yes, kjc, Buckner was screaming in my ear in the top of the 8th... but I thought I was just biased ;-)

[yazbread]

Assuming the team goes on to beat the Rockies, I think we are talking
'dynasty' here. (If that doesn't bring some Yankee bloggers out, nothing will).

[Griffin]

//I think it was 5-2 late in the game and I asked my wife if we could pen in the 'W'. Her response was 'these are the Red Sox, let's not get too excited quite yet' Buckner remains strong in our memories.//

These are not your father's Red Sox.

Guys like Pedroia, Papelbon and Beckett have made this team into the "backs-against-the-wall-no-problem" Red Sox. Buckner who?

[Vivo]

Pedroia is a motherfucking assassin. Can't wait to see what he (and Ellsbury) come up with in the WS. Two rooks with icewater in their veins- nice.

[pinstripe thunder]

Harwich Rich -- just letting you all enjoy the moment without my usual wiseass comments. That plus a Charlie-esque lack of smartass thingz to say.

P.S.

Please if you get the chanse put some flowers on my Yankis grave in the bak yard.

[Jackie]

I think it was 5-2 late in the game and I asked my wife if we could pen in the 'W'. Her response was 'these are the Red Sox, let's not get too excited quite yet'

In the bottom of the 9th I asked a couple friends whether they thought Sox/Rox was likely to go to six games (looking at plane tickets to Boston, you see) and they yelled at me for potentially jinxing it.

[pinstripe thunder]

Yazbread -- Dynasty. Heh. 25 and counting... I love being predictable.

[yazbread]

PT - surprized that you bit. 2 WS victories would put the team in the same category as the Marlins (97, 03), BlueJays (92,93), and Twins (87,91). Nice company but hardly elite. The Yankees dynastic reign is a record for the ages. It is the equivalent of Cy Young's career wins.

[Bob]

Actually, Yazbread, a WS victory would make it 7 championships, not 2.

[pinstripe thunder]

Yazbread -- of course I bit. It's not like I had a choice. It's a strictly Pavlovian thang -- we're genetically encoded to believe in mystique and awe. It carries us through our doldrums, which I suspect are about to become myriad and manifest.

NOW do you see why I hadn't posted today? Not good company for sharing a swig of champagne...

[NolaSox]

Ooops, drugs must still be in my system, I obviously meant game 5

[Rooster]

Yazbread - Everyone has to admit the Yankees' 26 WS victories is amazing. But, you are showing your ignorance. There are only TWO teams with more WS victories than the Red Sox...The Yankees with 26 and the Cardinals with 10. The Sox have 6 - this could make it 7.

If you meant in recent years only, then you'd have to knowck the Yankees total down to ZERO for the 21st century.

Sorry, just need to get your facts straight.

[pinstripe thunder]

Yazbread -- of course I will concede you the number 6 (minus the 2 in the tens column).

And you certainly know how to turn a phrase -- "the Yankees' dynastic reign is a record for the ages." I couldn't have put it better myself. I have leavened my crow with those words, and it tastes better already.

[vermonter]

The dynasty seems headed for the toilet. Not hatin', just seems like the truth. The whole Torre thing was bizarre. Wait 'til next year when Torre, Posada, A-Rod, and the Fruit Bat are gone.

Cue cartoon music: Waa waa waa waaaahh...

[soxdownunder]

//My last Berocca fizzed and settled my hangover early this morning (ask SDU about it's magical powers).//

The advertising slogan used to go:

Berocca gives you back your b-b-bounce!

[Bob]

//...b-b-bounce//

Heh. Cool play on words (besides literally giving you back your bounce, Berocca has an overload of B vitamins in it).

It sure came in handy this morning, but it was my last one, so now I have to make a new order from my Australian catalog.

[jen in HI]

"looking like you took a wrong turn on the way to a Mt. Holyoke faculty council meeting". LOL.
The Cleveland beards- very Jake Gyllenhaalish...and he's a Red Sox fan.

[mikeya2k1]

ok ok i was wrong i admit it .... i didnt believe and now we're going to the world series. GO SOX!!! and props to the those who didnt give up.

[soxdownunder]

Hey B-B-Bob, send me your address by email and I'll send you a truckload in grateful consideration for all the laughs we get from your posts and those fine b-b beers, sausages AND ONIONS and 'that hot sriracha' sauce we shared back in back in July.

[NYSoxfan]

NolaSox, get well soon. Natalie, I hear you, sitting at work today like an utter zombie with a shiteating grin Yazbread, this one may not be as sweet as '04, but goddam, I'll take it. And Pinstripe Thunder, blow it out your Bosshole. I'll be in Beantown for Game 2 as an hour in the virtual waiting room finally paid off. This is our century, dammit.

[scottwichmann]

Talk about Bandwagon fans-- This guy I've known professionally for a few years comes up to me at a wedding on saturday talking about "How 'bout those Red Sox?? Do ya think we can do it??" I'm thinking... "Okay, WE?? You've never ever been remotely interested in the Sox before, but whatever, I'll humor you..." I smile cordially, then he starts spouting off to a mutual friend about how he was "At the Stadium in Boston when the ball went through Buckner's legs." I nod and smile and resist the urge to publicly eviscerate him for falsifying his fanhood right there next to the buffet. Maybe next time I'll just hand him a pink Sox hat. Loser. The Dane Cooks of the world are multiplying. Great win last night. I like my champagne on the Rocks. Let's do this thing.

[Mike]

"Oh, sure, some of the Sox have facial hair, but it's cool... But Cleveland's beards? Gimme a break."

Y'know, this is true. I had been growing a full beard, but my girlfriend dared me to shave the beard but keep the moustache just before the ALDS started. Not being one to turn down a dare, particularly from my girlfriend, and double-particularly about hilarious facial hair, I shaved it into a moustache. Obviously, they swept the Angels. Now, by the time Game 1 of the ALCS had begun, I was scruffy to the point of almost-beard to go along w/ the moustache. Clearly, by Game 2, the Baseball Gods considered my playoff moustache a fullgrown playoff beard, and punished us thus severely. To counteract this, no lie, I shaved the beard just before the back-to-back-to-back dingers in Game 4. I took this as a sign, and have since kept the "jus'stache" (just-a-moustache) going strong ever since. Hello, World Series.

[RonF]

louclinton, the way to say that is that you were listening to the radio while the TV was on a delay. Radio doesn't need a delay as long as nobody yells "FUCK" into the booth, but anybody can hold up an obscene sign or pull up their shirt/down their pants as the camera pans the crowd, so they need a delay a lot more.

I figured that if they could just win game 5, they stood a good chance coming home to Fenway. Damned if I wasn't right. The Rox are in trouble.

Yeah, I was thinking "damn, if he hits one we're tied here", but I've been watching the Sox since 1963. This isn't my dad's Sox. Hell, it almost isn't even my Sox. I thought 2004 was the best pitching staff the Sox ever had, but this staff is better. And the playoffs are all about pitching.

[scottwichmann]

'Justache?' I like it. I have one too now, as a matter of fact. My wife thinks it looks Soxy.

[h.i.soxfan]

with his homer; i couldnt help but think that his middle name just changed to indians fans...dustin"effin" pedroia

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