Can You Believe It?!

"The Red Sox become the first team in the Twenty-first century to win two world championships. Can you believe it?!" This was the call made by Red Sox radio announcer, Joe Castiglione. This year there was no 86 year curse, no last minute collapses, no Buckner moments or Bucky Dents or Aaron Boones. There also were not any of the last minute heroics that Red Sox fans have come to expect since 2004. Instead, this year the Red Sox used every member of its team to remain on top throughout the season and cap it off with a sweep to win the World Series. So, 'The Boston Red Sox are the World Champions. For the first time in [er well, 3] years The Red Sox have won Baseball's World Championship...Can you believe it?!" In fact I can! This is a team that started full steam ahead right out of spring training. It may be a team that has the second highest payroll in baseball, but it is a team that has cultivated players from the minors. As the world series ends, names like: Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkillis, Jacoby Ellsbury, John Lester, and Mississippi State's own Jonathan Papelbon all come to mind as key players from the series. They are all becoming household names, and they all were players that came through the Red Sox farm system. On top of these young players, there was Tek, Timlin, Lowell, Papi, Manny, Coco, and even JD Drew (words I never thought I'd write) who showed their leadership through they plays on the field and off. Red Sox fans are brutal on managers, but Tito has been amazing this year and especially throughout the World Series. In many ways, the Rockies were out managed. As a die hard Sox fan, I thank the team, manager, and coaches; I thank Theo (In thee I trust!), and of course John, Tom and Larry. Thanks for a year of rollercoasters, a year of smiles, nailbiters, cheers, tv moments, and three pennants! My nephew Charlie was born in 2004; my nephew Anderson was born in 2007. I think I'm going to make my brother keep procreating if the Sox are going to win the World Series in years they have kids! Now, it's 1:40 in the morning, and I'm too tired to keep celebrating. I haven't waited as long for this win as I did for the last; I haven't cried as many tears this time; yet, victory is still as sweet as ever. I'm sure this win will only add more members to the bandwagon, more people wearing Red Sox caps who can't name the starting nine let alone the Red Sox greats of the past, more people talking Yankee trash, but those of even those of us who hate bandwagon jumpers, the greater volume of fans yelling: "Yankees Suck!" never bothers us. Time will weed out the bandwagon jumpers. They'll find another team to support in a few years, but for real Red Sox fans...we'll look with pride at the banners hanging inside and outside of Fenway that say 2004 and 2007(Hopefully before this decade is over we can add a few more.), we'll sing "Sweet Caroline" after the top of the 8th as well as "Dirty Water" and "Tessie"after wins, we'll still remember the pain of years past, and we'll always believe. Why? Because we are Red Sox Nation! Way to go Red Sox!!!!!!!!!
"Down by the River....Down by the banks of the River Charles..."