Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Some thoughts on the World Series
So, the Red Sox won the World Series again. Wow, I sure like typing those words. I guess there are a lot of people who thought they might never see those words in their lifetime.
I'm not one of those - I was never a long-suffering fan. I started watching Red Sox baseball in 2003 (maybe 2002?), because Victor didn't give me much choice to do otherwise. I was never a baseball fan... I grew up in a football household. But the more I learned about the game, the more I liked it. I liked that it was as much about the individual as it was about the team. I liked how much Victor and Mark could nerd out about it. I started paying attention, and found that a lot of people I knew were baseball nerds. I learned a lot, I became indoctrinated into Red Sox fandom, I began to be able to hold my own in baseball conversations. I lived through the heartache of Aaron Boone.
And then 2004 came along. I watched a lot of baseball that year. We went through an incredibly stressful postseason. The unthinkable happened... the Sox made a comeback, and Oh my God, we're in the World Series! And after four butt-clenching games, they won.
This year's World Series was different. In many ways, it was more enjoyable, although nothing will ever take away the amazing feeling of the 2004 win. Anyway, here are a few thoughts on the series.
It wasn't tense. At least, it wasn't tense compared to 2004. I admit, I was a little tense during the ALCS when the Sox were trying to make their comeback. But, for the most part, I was able to relax a bit during the World Series. There was no bloody sock, no "oh my God, Foulke's arm is going to fall off with that next throw" no "holy crap, how did they do that??" - it was pretty much smooth sailing. I had a lot of confidence in this team. They weren't the loveable idiots of 2004, they were just a strong, confident team. And while we did try to wear the same unwashed outfits during the games, it wasn't a crisis if I changed out of jeans to sweatpants or whatever. It just wasn't that kind of year. It felt nice.
Pitching - my new favorite sport. This year, I really started getting into pitching. Not personally - I'm still as inept at sports as ever - but more as an informed spectator. I used to love watching at-bats and while I understood the importance of good pitching, it never really moved me. But I'm way more into it now. I think I enjoy it more now than watching someone slugging away. Maybe it was Josh Beckett's hard-ass, precision pitching. It definitely has something to do with Jonathan Papelbon's crazy-intense closing. I guess I just understand it more now, and it gives me such a thrill to watch a 1-2-3 inning or an amazing strike out.
Yay, rookies! I loved seeing the young guys steal the show, and I loved how the veterans gave them props for doing so. Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury were just fantastic, and my love of Jonathan Papelbon is well-documented (now that the World Series is over, I can finally wash my Papelbon shirt!). I bet those guys are just on top of the world right now.
Slow and steady wins the race. Well, maybe not exactly slow and steady, but watching someone like Mike Lowell win the MVP award was fantastic. He's not one of the big names (like Papi or Manny), he's not flashy, he's just consistently good. He wasn't even supposed to be good when the Sox acquired him - he was just part of the trade for Josh Beckett. Oh well, little did they know. He seemed really thankful and humble when he accepted the trophy. And I think he totally deserved it... even if the mustache in his goatee makes me cringe a little.
And now for a few things I won't miss now that the postseason is over...
Dane Cook If I had to hear him say, "There's only one Ack-tober!" one more time, I would have ripped the TV off of the wall with my bare hands.
Fox baseball coverage I don't think I have to explain this one.
"This is oooouuurrr countryyyyy" Oh wait, that commercial will never go away. It's like a biblical plague or something.
So, the Red Sox won the World Series again. Wow, I sure like typing those words. I guess there are a lot of people who thought they might never see those words in their lifetime.
I'm not one of those - I was never a long-suffering fan. I started watching Red Sox baseball in 2003 (maybe 2002?), because Victor didn't give me much choice to do otherwise. I was never a baseball fan... I grew up in a football household. But the more I learned about the game, the more I liked it. I liked that it was as much about the individual as it was about the team. I liked how much Victor and Mark could nerd out about it. I started paying attention, and found that a lot of people I knew were baseball nerds. I learned a lot, I became indoctrinated into Red Sox fandom, I began to be able to hold my own in baseball conversations. I lived through the heartache of Aaron Boone.
And then 2004 came along. I watched a lot of baseball that year. We went through an incredibly stressful postseason. The unthinkable happened... the Sox made a comeback, and Oh my God, we're in the World Series! And after four butt-clenching games, they won.
This year's World Series was different. In many ways, it was more enjoyable, although nothing will ever take away the amazing feeling of the 2004 win. Anyway, here are a few thoughts on the series.
It wasn't tense. At least, it wasn't tense compared to 2004. I admit, I was a little tense during the ALCS when the Sox were trying to make their comeback. But, for the most part, I was able to relax a bit during the World Series. There was no bloody sock, no "oh my God, Foulke's arm is going to fall off with that next throw" no "holy crap, how did they do that??" - it was pretty much smooth sailing. I had a lot of confidence in this team. They weren't the loveable idiots of 2004, they were just a strong, confident team. And while we did try to wear the same unwashed outfits during the games, it wasn't a crisis if I changed out of jeans to sweatpants or whatever. It just wasn't that kind of year. It felt nice.
Pitching - my new favorite sport. This year, I really started getting into pitching. Not personally - I'm still as inept at sports as ever - but more as an informed spectator. I used to love watching at-bats and while I understood the importance of good pitching, it never really moved me. But I'm way more into it now. I think I enjoy it more now than watching someone slugging away. Maybe it was Josh Beckett's hard-ass, precision pitching. It definitely has something to do with Jonathan Papelbon's crazy-intense closing. I guess I just understand it more now, and it gives me such a thrill to watch a 1-2-3 inning or an amazing strike out.
Yay, rookies! I loved seeing the young guys steal the show, and I loved how the veterans gave them props for doing so. Dustin Pedroia and Jacoby Ellsbury were just fantastic, and my love of Jonathan Papelbon is well-documented (now that the World Series is over, I can finally wash my Papelbon shirt!). I bet those guys are just on top of the world right now.
Slow and steady wins the race. Well, maybe not exactly slow and steady, but watching someone like Mike Lowell win the MVP award was fantastic. He's not one of the big names (like Papi or Manny), he's not flashy, he's just consistently good. He wasn't even supposed to be good when the Sox acquired him - he was just part of the trade for Josh Beckett. Oh well, little did they know. He seemed really thankful and humble when he accepted the trophy. And I think he totally deserved it... even if the mustache in his goatee makes me cringe a little.
And now for a few things I won't miss now that the postseason is over...
Dane Cook If I had to hear him say, "There's only one Ack-tober!" one more time, I would have ripped the TV off of the wall with my bare hands.
Fox baseball coverage I don't think I have to explain this one.
"This is oooouuurrr countryyyyy" Oh wait, that commercial will never go away. It's like a biblical plague or something.
Labels: baseball
