2004-10-22 - 12:28 a.m.

I believed every second, and that's okay to say, and I did. I really did. I believed last year, I believed the year before that, and the year before that one, and so on, since I was nine, since 1986, and before that.

I believed when it was considered stupid to do so, and that�s amongst diehard Boston fans, year after year, and I finally got it--the victory for fans that truly believe, and that�s a monumental comeback win. I mean, I�m the guy that�s applauding a base hit in the ninth when the Sox are down 9-2 in August. Seriously. I�m taking this victory personally--this one�s for all of us that are applauding that base hit--that know the game isn�t over until the last out has been recorded.

But I'm still trying to believe that the Sox actually beat the Yankees, in the process staging the most dramatic comeback in history, and hopefully bells will ding and balloons will drop because I'm the thousandth customer to use "most dramatic comeback in history" in a sentence.

Ah, postseason baseball, in Boston, when the Sox are in it. To those bandwagon fans (NOT included: the Roommate, who I converted long enough ago that I can�t take credit for it anymore), hello!

Hello, new Sox fans, hello. Hello Sox fans from last year that had no recurring interest �till the postseason, and are now again Sox fans, renewed, Hello!

Hello anyone who wants the Sox to win the World Series, hello to anyone who just wanted them to beat the Yankees, hello to anybody who just wants Sox fans to win it all just to avoid listening to whining Sox fans and timely but tried ESPN angles.

And to Randy Research, whose livelihood thrives on the Big Guns coming out, hello!

Oh, and one more thing--here�s to the 15-year-olds, despite what reads from their fake or real IDs, who ruined it all for the real fans. Around in 86? Probably not. Just wanting to be a dick? Probably.

Anyone who has the mindset of the best thing in the world that could ever happen just happened, so I�m going to destroy some shit should probably do some smartening up.

Look--we just had the Patriots win TWO Superbowls, and the Sox got close last year. EVERYONE�S gotten it out of their system. ANYONE who wants to break shit in a fit of joy is an idiot and would be a Yankees fan if they grew up in New York.

THIS World Series is not for those people. It�s for Sox fans throughout time that want to see them win. Pre-Bonds, post-Bonds, nine years old like I was in 1986, or me today, casual fan or rabid, this is for the POSITIVE fan that likes baseball and society as we know it (even though I really do hate those The Wall signs, and secretly enjoyed watching them get wicked torn down and set ablaze, and stomped on, and even though I know it was for a reason other than my own, a classless reason, taking all credit from an argument against A-Rod�s Swipe, taking all validity from any argument Sox fans could have after this ALCS).

I just watched Game 7 of the NLCS, and I'm terrified of either team (although St. Louis won, so no Curse ultimately broken through Roger scenario, which I�m glad about). I also spent half of that game talking to the Roommate, and the other half I spent duct taping garbage bags to my huge broken kitchen window that won't close by two feet and there's a TON of wind that want's in. It's been about or near 40 degrees in my apartment for two weeks, not an exaggeration, mind you, but these are the types of things I don't mention when the Sox are in the playoffs and I'm watching them wearing a sweater and a jacket, because stuff like temperature doesn�t matter.)

But everything's okay. ALCS is done and new OCD rules apply.

Not that I'm going to tell you what the old ones were... I may need them again.