Go Team Go!

After a season of ups and downs, some disappointing acquisitions, awesome rookies, and a combination of clutch performances, the Sox have plowed through the Colorado Rockies to win another World Series title. The truth is, the Sox were dominant since April. Despite the roller coaster season, they never relented the lead of their division. Despite all the talk of failure, and the "see you in 2090" idiot talk, the Sox dominated and dominated and dominated and dominated. They won their division, won the ALDS, the ALCS, then the World Series.

After years of disappointment, this team charged through the season and never took their foot off the pedal. People ask how it feels to have your beloved baseball team win their second series in 4 years. Here's the difference:

2004
This win was surreal. You almost didn't believe it was happening. It was a dream come true. It was a life changing experience. I get the chills, goosebumps, and start tearing up every time I see the Dave Roberts steal, or one of Big Papi's walk-offs, or Foulke tossing the ball to Mientkiewicz (I can't believe I spelled his name right) for the final out. There were so many magical moments.

Sox fans had to go to hell and come back for this championship (and that's after coming back from 86 years of purgatory). People outside of New England simply didn't understand what its like for your team to come so close to the holy grail so many times, only to lose it at the final moment. They didn't know what it was like to have a rich arch rival with one foot on your shoulder as you tried to climb that arduous mountain. For the 2004 team to break through, not only beating the Yankees in the ALCS, but coming back from being down 0-3, then steamrolling through eight games straight to win it all. Hell and back, my friend, hell and back.

After 86 years of heartbreak, the 2004 team finally found all the pieces and glued them back together. The final piece being the final out that sealed the deal. Sounds great, yes. Was it all peachy? Definitely not. Every pitch was a nail biter. Every out (in some instances every strike) was a minor victory. Sox fans really had to grind through the Series and ALCS. I was nervous until the last out, and though overjoyed, the journey to victory took a toll on my mental energy. I'm sure the rest of Red Sox Nation went through the same if not more.

2007
Of course it was different this time around. We started the season a brand new team. We had a whole bunch of expensive starters, and some promising new young stars. Soon enough, we found out who was good and who wasn't, but we were still dominant. Schilling was still good, Beckett had a new game plan and had reached Ace status, Paps resumed his solid closer role, a bunch of guys (Pedroia, Okajia, Lowell) ended up being big surprises despite some initial mishaps. We were winners. We were winners who had won before.

Though he said it at the end of the season, Manny put it best when he said that losing isn't the end of the world. I think that was the feeling of Red Sox fans. Though losses were still disappointing, not winning the Series wasn't the end of the world. Losing to the Yanks sucked, but it really didn't mean much in the whole scheme of things. I know I cringed as our lead over the Yanks diminished in August, but I was still very relaxed and upbeat. I had no doubt that we would make the playoffs.

Would we win the WS? I've seen a lot of good teams crumble before. There are no guarantees, but this time it wasn't do or die as Bill Simmons put it. I admit that I cried over our ALCS loss in 03, but this time it wouldn't matter. Not winning it all this year would just be a speed bump instead of a brick wall. Why? The main reason was that we had 04. Other than that, 08 looks great! In 2008 we will still have plenty of young talent and seasoned veterans. Pitching, hitting, bullpen, coaching, speed, you name it.

This year's series was just as exciting as 04, but there's less of an aftereffect. I'm still happily clicking MLB.com for WS Champion gear, still checking Boston.com for new articles about the series, but as said, the win wasn't (and no win ever will be) as huge as 2004.

Right now I feel content. Seeing that 2007 World Series banner next to the 2004 one makes me feel prouder and more giddy than ever. The Red Sox are on a roll, and I can't wait for next season to start.