The Chicago White Sox are World Champs
Never thought the day would come. Congratulations, White Sox, you've earned it. This wasn't a gimmick or a fluke, either. You dominated the entire postseason. Eleven and one, just a thorough ass-whooping. No more 1917. And most important of all, no more Chicago is a city of losers. So thank you. Some notes:
- The Freddy Garcia/Brandon Backe matchup was far better than anyone expected. Backe's an ok fourth starter, but nobody's ever compared him to Roger Clemens. That said, he's come through big in a number of postseason games now, so all his detractors should back off a bit. Garcia, of course, was an excellent pickup by Kenny Williams. A lot of statheads like to rip Kenny, but even before this season I thought he did a good job for this franchise. Yes he had a few high profile bombs earlier in his career as GM, but I'd say he's made up for it over the past two seasons. Solid work. You've earned your GM of the Year award.
- Juan Uribe has a real love/hate relationship with some Sox fans, but his defense on the last two plays was sublime. He actually got me to do a fist pump, which is really saying something. Bobby Jenks better be sure to include him on his Christmas card list this offseason.
- Jermaine Dye was MVP of the series. He played well, and had the lone RBI in clinching game four, but I thought Crede should have gotten it. Both his bombs were well-timed, among other clutch hits, and his defense was outstanding. Really, though, this was one of those series where there was a different hero every night. So it could have gone to anybody.
- Don't forget the Big Skirt in all this celebration. No, he wasn't a key member of the franchise that won the Series, but he did contribute 12 homers in a month, and he won at least five games by himself. Without those five games, you might not have made the playoffs and none of this would have been possible.
- FOX Chicago REALLY screwed up, in my opinion, by cutting away from the national telecast before it was over. In case you were setting off firecrackers, turning over cars, posing with your woman like the V-Day guy, or generally celebrating however South Siders celebrate; after the trophy presentation they cut away to Mark Suppelsa and scenes of a happy Sox fans in Bridgeport. Then an interview with Don Cooper. Thats all fine and dandy, but I can see that on ABC, CBS, NBC, WGN, CLTV, and Comcast Sports Net. What I can't see on those channels are the early stages of celebration. Locker rooms, champagne spraying, interviews with players getting bubbly poured on their heads...a somber interview with Phil Garner just outside the locker room...objective analysis of this Sox team from Buck and McCarver, aka the National viewpoint...and the obligatory “musical postseason highlight montage” set to Queen or U2 or some other uplifting classic rock. Not that I personally was really dying to see it or anything, but I'd be a bit pissed if I was a Sox fan.
- I'm happy for my Sox fan friends, and of course I'm insanely jealous. Yes, I can admit that. If I wasn't jealous, what the hell kind of fan would I be? One who DOESN'T want a 100-year championship drought to end? Ok, so now you've won a championship in dramatic fashion. I'm fully prepared to take a ton of crap from all of you the first several times I see you. In fact, I expect at least a small dig about the Sox every single time we meet from here on out for the rest of our lives. And I can't say shit. You know this, I know this. Please, try to take the high road. You know I can't say anything. So take it easy, ok?
- What will it take for me to have any room to talk? A championship is not enough. You'll just be like, “What took you so long?”, or “Finally!,” and that's if you're being nice. Only one of the following circumstances can possibly give Cubs fans the leg up in this town.
- The Cubs win a World Series with 100+ regular season wins, the best record in baseball, and go undefeated in the postseason.
- The Cubs win two World Series.
- At least two members of the Sox are found guilty of using steroids.
- It is found that the Astros took money from gamblers to throw the Series.
- It is found that the umpires took money from gamblers to throw the Series -- and I seriously might be worried about this one. ;)
- The Bears win a Super Bowl, we all celebrate together, and you forget about the Sox for a while.
- Finally, I have to say this. Please, no more Journey. If I never hear that song again, it will be too soon. Come to think of it, maybe we were lucky that FOX Chicago cut away from the national telecast. I'm about 99% certain that the “musical postseason highlight montage” would have been set to that @#$% song. Enough.
Congrats, Sox. Go Cubs in '06! Complete the curse-busting trifecta.