A Writer's March ~ The Monday Analysis 1 November 2004

The Patriots are no longer the only winning team in Boston. Their cousins came up big this week.

No more Curse, no more 1918 chants, no more Buckner, Boone, Bucky, Babe, Dan Duquette, has-been veterans, never-will-be rookies. No more next years, no more exorcisms, no more trying to find Ruth's piano, no more playing second fiddle to New York, no more heartbreak.

Ladies and Gentleman, boys and girls, welcome to Fenway Park, home of the 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox.

With a four game sweep over the most dominating team in 2004 baseball, the Boston Red Sox beat the

St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 in Game 4 to capture their first world championship in 86 years. They did this by winning a baseball record eight straight games that included coming back from a 3-0 deficient to New York and win four straight games to capture the American League Pennant. No team had ever come back from being down 3-0 and forced a Game 7 - let alone win it.

They left the Yankees stunned in their own house - the House that Ruth Built, and suddenly this Curse of the Bambino seemed - weaker. Whatever mystical energy had prevented them from a world title in the past was now losing its grasp, and the Red Sox seemed able to handle their fate on their own. In what could be chalked up as Curse of the A-Rod, the Red Sox went home to await the winner of the National League series, and open up the World Series at Fenway Park for the first time since 1986.

They took Game 1 in a hitter's duel, 11-9, deflating St. Louis to what manager Tony LaRussa would say after Game 4 was a momentum change. Game 2 featured the heroics of veteran Curt Shilling. Schilling awoke that morning with his ankle in agony, convinced he'd not be able to go that evening. He traveled to the park, he saw signs of well-wishing from fans, his mood improved, the doctors did their thing to get his ankle workable for the game. He pitched six shut out innings and sat the rest to watch his team coast to a 6-2 win and close the season out for Fenway Park.

Game 3 brought in Pedro Martinez. At 33, and over 300 major league starts, he'd never started a World Series game. We went 7 innings. There were no earned runs. His World Series record stands at 1-0, 6 strikeouts, 2 walks, 0.00 ERA. The Sox won 4-1.

Derek Lowe stepped in to close out the series, as he had in the divisional and league championship

series. In the fifth inning he had thrown only 38 pitches, while his opponent in the other clubhouse had thrown over 100, and there was no end in sight. Lowe went into the 7th inning, and led the Sox to a 3-0 shutout win to take the title.

"We have a bunch of loose guys who know how to play baseball," said Centerfielder Johnny Damon after the game. "We know exactly what to do."

"We always knew who we were. We never doubted who we were," the Series MVP said. "Baseball is supposed to be fun. When you play that way, the game is easy. We found a way to make baseball easy."

Ironically, with all their lack of production in championship play, Boston has a World Series record of

6-4 in 10 series. They won all five series they appeared in up to and including the 1918 World Series, then lost 1946 and 1967 both to the Cardinals, 1975 to Cincinnati, and 1986 to the Mets. And like the Bruins beat the St. Louis Blues for their first Stanley Cup in 1970, and the Celtics won their first championship in 1957 over the St. Louis Hawks, and the New England Patriots won their first championship to the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, it seems only fitting that the Boston Red Sox beat the St. Louis Cardinals to finally break the Curse and win their first championship in 86 years.

So, now that all that business is finally done with, Red Sox Nation can breath a sigh of relief. No more waiting until next year, for next year is here. Let the heartbreak video clips of the past merely be just historical film footage to be less and less interesting to watch. The Red Sox are World Champions.

The Patriots lost to the Shittsburgh Steelers 34-20 in a match up that has the Patriots very out of this game.

After 21 straight wins, or 18 straight wins, or six straight wins, the Patriots get thumped and this streak we all loved to say we didn't love is done. The Patriots turned the ball over three times for three touchdowns in the first quarter alone. The Steelers dominated the game in all facets, running a 42:58 time of possession over the Patriots lousy 17:02. Quarterback Tom Brady threw two interceptions going towards two touchdowns. But the Patriots just could gain control to get back into this game.

"It was pretty obvious the Steelers were the better team," Head Coach Bill Belichick said. "They out coached us, outplayed us and we weren't good in any phase of the game. We didn't do much of anything right."

This one is tough to swallow. There's never been good blood between New England and that filthy city in western Pennsylvania, and the Steelers bringing an end to this streak stings pretty bad.

This is just a horror sight. Trick or treat, right? What a nightmare, the Nightmare on Halloween.

Time to rebound. Next week in St. Louis. Rematch of the Super Bowl, repent of the World Series. Let's just show up and get a win.

The Monday Analysis POWER Rankings

1. Philadelphia (7-0). Still undefeated. The best of the NFC. Maybe best of the NFL.

2. New England (6-1). I nearly shoveled them off to Number 3, but I have since calmed down. Just a little.

3. Pittsburgh (6-1). The quiet team got noisy in Week 8.

4. NJ Jets (5-1). A Monday Nighter against Miami should keep them in the winning mode.

5. Atlanta (6-2). Vick is back, but the defense is out to lunch.

6. San Diego (5-3). Drew Brees goes 22-25 with 5 TDs. Is this really Drew Brees and the San Diego Chargers?

7. NJ Giants (5-2). They took care of biz in Minnesota, and like cream, they are rising to the top.

8. Denver (5-3). They are really playing like a bunch of Morons....not to be confused with playing like a bunhc of Idiots.

9. Minnesota (5-3). This is a charity placing because of their record. They should be off this list in a week or so. As usual.

10. Jacksonville (5-3). Here's another one that slipping. What is wrong with some of you?

11. Indy (4-3). And another!

12. Houston (4-3). Welcome, Texans. This is your first visit to the POWER Rankings, and as such you get the 12 Spot. Enjoy your stay. It may not last.