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Down to the Wire: The Curse of Success
(Rant: September 2005) The Curse of
the Bambino may be gone, but now Red Sox Nation may wallow in something far
worse, the Curse of Success. That’s right, a good thing can be a bad thing
too—and it’s a double-edged sword to boot. Out there in Red Sox Nation there
are those who think the team—by squandering a scant (2½ ) lead over the Yanks
a few weeks back— has choked, while others cling to last year’s history
busting campaign and maintain cheery optimism, if not more. I even have a
friend (a thirteen year season ticket holder) who has flip-flopped over the
past two weeks, citing the hand of God and destiny when he’s on the upswing
and telling me “this team’s going nowhere,” when he’s fickle and the race
tightens. The truth is, Sox fans don’t know how to react and now that Boston
Boys are about to enter a three game stretch with the Yankees that will
determine the winner of the AL East and grant a World Series shot (though it
is possible for a team to lose two games and still make the playoffs as the
wild card), the hearts, loyalties and sanity of the faithful will be tested
in a way never before fathomed. If this was last year or any other year after
1918, we’d all just brace for another eminent heartbreak. But it’s not. Last
year the Sox came back from three down and went onto register the greatest
(team sport) comeback in all of sports. So what’s it all mean?
Emotional pandemonium, manic swings between invincibility and inevitability.
You can say last year was different—Foulke was on, Pedro, the future hall of
famer, was taking the mound and Manny and Big Papi were both batting over
.300. And yeah, Foulke is done and Pedro is gone, and sure Manny and Papi are
both hitting in the upper 200s, but here are some things to keep in mind. Do
you remember Pedro having a big playoff win last year or was that really Lowe
and Shilling’s department? Papi and Manny have more RBIs and homers than last
season and Damon has stepped into the limelight as a bona fide star and
carried the team on both sides of the plate. Yes, the pitching is weak, and
sure every game feels like the bottom could fall out at any minute and yeah
the Yankees look indomitable on paper, but besides the pitching issue (and
the bats this year almost make up for it) wasn’t that the way it was last
year? It will be a tough haul
over the next three games. Last year taught us that anything is possible and
this team knows how to dig deep, so sit back and enjoy the excitement. Isn’t
that what sports is about, the unpredictable, seeing your team stand up in
the face adversity and bring it home for the fans? Anyone who wants to see a
sweep year in and year out is an idiot and worse, indolent. Three games to
go, this is the way it should be. - TBM |
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