In my high school yearbook every senior had to answer the question: what is your goal in life. It’s a standard query, one that could elicit a wide range of responses. Mine was “to see The Red Sox win a World Series”.
Maybe I should have aimed higher.
Ahh . . . but we have to put this into context. This was 1988, less than two years after the Buckner debacle cemented the idea of a curse in everybody’s head. I was also only 17, highly sarcastic, and a passionate Red Sox fan.
It was offered part in jest, but there was obviously a lot of truth in it. Truth that was magnified every time the Sox got into the playoffs and lost: ’88, ’90, ’95, ’98, ’99, and 2003. Every one of those Octobers my hopes were immensely high . . . and were eventually crushed.
But as we all know 2004 changed all that. The Bloody Sock, Big Papi’s miracle walk-offs, and that underhand toss to first base. Those events are all well documented, and those memories will last forever.
And now we have 2007.
For me this season will still be special, and I’ll always remember exactly where I was when Jonathan Papelbon stuck out Seth Smith to win it all. For the record I was at The Buccaneer, a Red Sox bastion in San Francisco. Sitting at a coveted seat at the bar with Jen, Jamie, and Ryan, the roar from the crowd around us reverberated through my ears. Suddenly champagne bottles popped and we got sprayed by the celebratory beverage (I can see why the players wear the goggles . . . it stings the eyes). “Dirty Water” blasted from the speakers, high fives were flying everywhere, and the grin on my face was a serene as The Buddha.
I don’t care that it was a sweep. I don’t care that it was against a 15 year-old team with a much smaller payroll. I don’t care that we didn’t have to life the weight of curses and history this time. Winning The World Series is a damn hard thing to do and anything can happen on that stage. Ask The Yankees about getting beat by The Marlins & Diamondbacks.
So congratulations to your 2007 Boston Red Sox. From the rookies to international players to the veterans, you all gave us diehard fans another year to cherish. And now I really need to find another goal in life.
Maybe I should have aimed higher.
Ahh . . . but we have to put this into context. This was 1988, less than two years after the Buckner debacle cemented the idea of a curse in everybody’s head. I was also only 17, highly sarcastic, and a passionate Red Sox fan.
It was offered part in jest, but there was obviously a lot of truth in it. Truth that was magnified every time the Sox got into the playoffs and lost: ’88, ’90, ’95, ’98, ’99, and 2003. Every one of those Octobers my hopes were immensely high . . . and were eventually crushed.
But as we all know 2004 changed all that. The Bloody Sock, Big Papi’s miracle walk-offs, and that underhand toss to first base. Those events are all well documented, and those memories will last forever.
And now we have 2007.
For me this season will still be special, and I’ll always remember exactly where I was when Jonathan Papelbon stuck out Seth Smith to win it all. For the record I was at The Buccaneer, a Red Sox bastion in San Francisco. Sitting at a coveted seat at the bar with Jen, Jamie, and Ryan, the roar from the crowd around us reverberated through my ears. Suddenly champagne bottles popped and we got sprayed by the celebratory beverage (I can see why the players wear the goggles . . . it stings the eyes). “Dirty Water” blasted from the speakers, high fives were flying everywhere, and the grin on my face was a serene as The Buddha.
I don’t care that it was a sweep. I don’t care that it was against a 15 year-old team with a much smaller payroll. I don’t care that we didn’t have to life the weight of curses and history this time. Winning The World Series is a damn hard thing to do and anything can happen on that stage. Ask The Yankees about getting beat by The Marlins & Diamondbacks.
So congratulations to your 2007 Boston Red Sox. From the rookies to international players to the veterans, you all gave us diehard fans another year to cherish. And now I really need to find another goal in life.
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