Jealousy is bad. Envy is bad. I know that. But I'm jealous and envious and cranky. The Red Sox won the World Series. Four straight, in fact. And it's the second time in four years.
Nothing wrong with their winning, of course. But I'm a Cubs fan and we used to have the Red Sox as companions in misery. When they won the World Series in 2004, it was their first championship in 86 years. We Cubs fans know about numbers like that. Our guys, swept out of the playoffs in three games this year, last won the Series in 1908. For the Red Sox to win two in four years seems, somehow, almost greedy.
And they may be back in 2008. They lost big stars from that 2004 team--Johnny Damon, Derek Love, Pedro Martinez--and won this year anyway. They have only one big star at risk this year--Mike Lowell, who was named the most valuable player in the Series. He had the best regular season of his career, and he's said he'd like to stay in Boston.
And the Red Sox' usual rivals, the Yankees, seem to be unraveling. Their biggest star, Alex Rodriguez, the youngest man ever to hit 500 home runs, has opted to become a free agent. The Yankees say they won't try to lure him back. The team could also lose closer Mariano Rivera, catcher Jorge Posada and pitcher Andy Pettitte to free agency or retirement, which would put them in the rebuilding business and probably out of contention for a season or two.
And the Cubbies? They went home early, as noted. No playoff heroics, lost three straight. Will they be any better next year? It's hard to know, but you probably wouldn't bet the rent money on a team that's gone a century without a championship. If losing can get to be a habit - and it can - the Cubbies' future in far from bright.
So, way to go, Red Sox! Good on you! I can't stand it.
Nothing wrong with their winning, of course. But I'm a Cubs fan and we used to have the Red Sox as companions in misery. When they won the World Series in 2004, it was their first championship in 86 years. We Cubs fans know about numbers like that. Our guys, swept out of the playoffs in three games this year, last won the Series in 1908. For the Red Sox to win two in four years seems, somehow, almost greedy.
And they may be back in 2008. They lost big stars from that 2004 team--Johnny Damon, Derek Love, Pedro Martinez--and won this year anyway. They have only one big star at risk this year--Mike Lowell, who was named the most valuable player in the Series. He had the best regular season of his career, and he's said he'd like to stay in Boston.
And the Red Sox' usual rivals, the Yankees, seem to be unraveling. Their biggest star, Alex Rodriguez, the youngest man ever to hit 500 home runs, has opted to become a free agent. The Yankees say they won't try to lure him back. The team could also lose closer Mariano Rivera, catcher Jorge Posada and pitcher Andy Pettitte to free agency or retirement, which would put them in the rebuilding business and probably out of contention for a season or two.
And the Cubbies? They went home early, as noted. No playoff heroics, lost three straight. Will they be any better next year? It's hard to know, but you probably wouldn't bet the rent money on a team that's gone a century without a championship. If losing can get to be a habit - and it can - the Cubbies' future in far from bright.
So, way to go, Red Sox! Good on you! I can't stand it.
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