Silver Linings Galore

I know, I know, you're as sad and distraught as I am about the elimination of the Red Sox at the hands of the tampa Bay Rays.  Actually, if that is true, then you must be feeling ok, because I'm really not that torn up about it.  If this were five years ago, I'd still be in bed crying myself to sleep and cursing the universe for conspiring against me and playing such a cruel joke on a desperate fan. 

Thankfully, this isn't five years ago.  The Red Sox have killed the "curse" twice and baseball is, once again, just a game for me.  At least the Red Sox didn't roll over and die in five games, they made it a series and simply lost to the better team.  The Red Sox were banged up all around the diamond, and honestly, a little R & R will probably end up helping the team and the organization in the long run.  Sure, there's a bit of room for second-guessing (why was Beckett sent back out in the fifth inning of game two after he'd already blown multiple leads?  Earth to Tito?), but really, the Rays played harder and better and deserved to win. 

And now that I've had a few days to drink think it over, I've come to the conclusion that life without the World Series this year might not be so bad after all.  And to help other members of the Nation out there, I've composed a list of the top ten reasons why it's ok that the Red Sox got knocked out and I don't have to watch the Series this year.  Enjoy!

10.  Not having to sit through Phillies montages set to "Eye of the Tiger" interspliced with footage from various "Rocky" movies.

9.  Not having to sit through endless soft news pieces about rayhawks or Joe Maddon's touchy feely managing style (he's manager of the year, hands down, we get it!)

8.  Not having to listen to Joe Buck, Tim McCarver et. al. call the games in their usually painful and boring fashion while not so subtlely trying to indoctrinate Rupert Murdoch's conservative propoganda into my brain.

7.  Not having to sit through the same goddamned ad cycles that repeat over, and over, and over (this is oooouuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrr country!).  Does anyone remember how painful that was last year?

6.  The NBA tips off in six days!

5.  Now the Red Sox can form a search party and find Jason Varitek's bat as soon as possible.

4.  Not having to sit through endless promos for "Bones," "House" or "Fringe" (these shows haven't been cancelled yet?)

3.  Did I mention no more Joe Buck? 

2.  No Yankees.

1.  Screw Flanders, screw Flanders, screw Flanders.

See, it's not so bad after all.  I agree, a repeat would have been nice, but (you won't hear this very often, if ever, from a Red Sox fan) we had our turn, and now seems like a good time to let somebody else bask in the glory of a World Series victory that we, as Red Sox fans, know is ever so satisfying.  Every third year from now on is plenty good enough for me.  Besides, we (at least I) need a setback every once in a while to keep us hungry for next year. 

Speaking of next year, I like Boston's chances to make another run deep into October (there's still only one, you know).  Hopefully Beckett will be Beckett again, Ortiz will reassume the role of Big Papi, Lester and Dice-K will continue to make strides, the Boston bullpen will improve, and next year's team will be even better than this year's squad.  Oh yeah, and when the Sox add mark Teixeira to the middle of the order, we'll definitely be able to out homer the Rays.