Thoughts from a 24-year-old New England Sports Fan

This will hopefully be the first of many little turdlings of thought from this Awestruck NESF.

Where should I begin? Perhaps with the headlines all over the Sports and Baseball World:

ARod opts out of contract.
From, msnbc.com.

Oh whoops - I guess that was just a clever transition to a jab at ARod and how that’s about as close as he’s going to get to making Headlines during the final game of the World Series.

Now the real stuff:

http://bostondirtdogs.com.

Stark: Powerhouse Red Sox made their mark.
From, espn.com.

Universe belongs to Red Sox Nation.
From, espn.com.

I know there’s waaaay more out there, but I don’t want to take away all the joy of stumbling upon article over praising article about these Sox.

Aaaannyway, I’ve come to hear a lot of the same comments about this win from people - it feels different. Of course it does, it’s not after a miraculous comeback against the Yanks (as much as coming back from 3-1 is great too, there isn’t that vile hatred of the Indians like the Yanks… plus.. well, you gotta be a Sox fan) - but this one was for me. Actually, this win is for the future of the Red Sox Nation.

2004 was wonderful, but there isn’t a soul out there in my age-range, who grew up in New England, that didn’t think of an elder when that last out was recorded against the Cardinals. Perhaps if someone didn’t have family who were old Sox fans, they had a boss, or a teacher in school, or whomever they encountered in life - EVERYONE has someone they thought about. For me, it was my father. Always a constant reminder of ‘78 and how in ‘86 the Buckner folly was only game 6, how the owners of the Sox were too narrowminded to realize what they needed to get over the hump and win a Series, but was always quick to point out how magical of a team they were, how wonderful of a Park Fenway was, and how, even with these damn Red Sox, anything was, and is possible. And after my initiation in ‘03, I understood the pain that several earlier generations felt - however, these aren’t my Father’s Red Sox. They have new ownership, who probably should always be known as “The New Owners” to destroy any links to the Racist and Ignorant Conservativism of Yawkee and successive owners.

Problems were fixed, and after it was all over, 2004 was one of the most sentimental titles I’ve ever experienced or seen. Only maybe matched by the Cubbies (if/when they ever win a title), who only now beginning to see how painful it was to be a Sox fan (Set you up to knock you down… instead of just generally being horrible). It was for the folks who lived their entire lives as Sox fans to never see a championship delivered, for the “Splendid Splinter” Ted Williams, it was redemption for Pesky, it marked the birth of a new list of Red Sox folk heroes. But these heroes finally delivered, no longer will be the high-point of Sox Fandom be a World Series Game 6 Home-run (where they lost the series in 7) - there will be actual series wins, walkoff homeruns, a true Red Sock, a stolen base that will forever be remembered and respected, a toppling of the Yankees in the greatest method possible, and finally the ultimate justification for being a fan - a Championship. It made everyone think of lost ones or those who never could believe it could be pulled off, in such form, but it all brought a region and fanbase together to rejoice and remember. The number of tear-jerking stories of fans on their deathbed, or watching with their elders were almost limitless.

So, 2004 was for them.

But, 2007 was for me.

And by ‘me’ I mean, anyone who grew up as a Sox Fan (regardless of location, I consider myself lucky to have gone to games at Fenway since I can’t even remember) and you know who you are, and only knew of stories of pain and suffering. Perhaps you were alive but incredibly young during ‘78, so you didn’t really understand it, but have had to listen to references to it throughout your entire Fan-Life, from both skeptical parents or relatives or friends and from those vile Yankee fans of the 90s. If there was anything that could make life worse to be a Sox Fan, it was to know Yankee Fans. Until 2004, there was NO such rivalry against the Yanks, at least, there wasn’t any sort of ‘real’ rivalry. They won everything, we had nothing. In ‘99 in our first Playoff series against the Yanks, the Red Sox were decimated 4-1 and the Yanks did their usual dance. We don’t even need to talk about ‘03 or all their other championships won during that incredible run - because we’ve all been reminded of it all so many, many times.

And what was our rebuttal? Until recently, we couldn’t even reach into other sports to find pride (I never truly experienced the glory of the 80s Celtics). But then 2004 happened, and everything was turned on it’s head. The Sox became comeback kids, they introduced the only true Clutch Hitter in baseball history. That ALCS win meant more to me than the World Series, perhaps because instead of thinking of my pain, I imagined how glorious everyone else in New England felt. But this year, 2007, it was all me. This is redemption, to me, for all those jabs at the Red Sox and their inability to break through I’ve had to listen to for so long, that 2004 was a fluke, that they made all the wrong moves in personnel after and were going to revert to bad times.

Nope, and on the same date Terry Francona became the first Manager to win his first 8 World Series Games, the Patriots continue to stun the world and steamrolled to a 8 - 0 season record. With Boston College, the one true argument against those who hate on New England College Football silencing the critics and saying, ‘me too’ last thursday and the Celtics opening their season this weekend (Hell even the Bruins are doing well, and perhaps the best news of the weekend was the good health of Patrice Bergeron), New England is becoming a wonderfully positive and (SHOCK) optimistic place to grow up a sports fan.

This run was attempted in ‘86, but still lingering are a lot of painful memories (Game 6 World Series, and even the Superbowl - What? You telling me running up the score in football ISN’T NEW?) - but now it’s almost taking on a different face altogether by stretching this year of happiness over the entire decade of ‘00 to ‘09. And who knows, maybe this is OUR century?

Thanks Sox, and thanks for never listening to us fans - dear lord, can you imagine what could have happened if Theo and Tito didn’t stick to their guts?

And to the Celtics, Boston College, Bruins and (OF FREAKIN COURSE) Patriots, keep doing what you do because it seems to be workin well for us Chowdah Heads. Hell, bring on the Breakers and the Revolution too.

So as I mentioned above, all us Sox fans can finally think of ourselves, and how great it is to be a Boston Fan and repeat over and over:

“2007 was for me.”

Oh, and to all those who whine about the Patriots running up the score - why don’t you guys complain to the opposing team who decided they shouldn’t have to play a whole game if the score is too lopsided? Only when you start to go half-speed and not pay attention do players begin to get injured. As long as the game is being played, play the hardest you can until the final gun. I know it is quite easy for me to say, but in order to dominate the way the Patriots do, they have to play and execute their 60-minute gameplan. And only until those 60 minutes are up does the book get closed and people may rest.

But either way, maybe Cleveland was right, champagne does taste just as good on the road.