"Shipping Up To Boston"-Dropkick Murphys

"Tessie" By The Dropkick Murphys

ALCS Game Highlights On Dutch TV

Mojo Redux

As one of the 37,000 or so privileged patrons at ALCS Game 7, I was struck by the sheer wall of noise that rose from the depths of the Fens into the unseasonably mild October night. It was raucous—like no other time since the rhythmic greeting of "Roger.......Roger", when the Texas Turncoat first returned home in post-season pinstripes.

There has been speculation by the punditry that this 2007 Red Sox fandom is less intense than their 2004 counterparts—more diffident, less susceptible to the drama and Greek Tragedy of the past. I say, bunk!

That may have been partly true in the ALDS series against TLAAOA (The Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim), simply because they were a relative cake-walk for the Sox. Low angst, low intensity. But, after the Sox fell behind 3-1 to the Tribe (a much better overall team than the Halos), the "back against the wall" mind-set of 2004 kicked back in. The brilliant Game 5 performance of Josh Beckett was the 'bloody sock" of '07. Game 7 was a grinding—often tense—contest that harkened back to the tussles with the Empire.

We are not the timid, flinching, deer-in-the-headlights fans of 2004. We will never be like that again. But we are as intense, we are as eager to win it all, we are as "fanatic" as ever. Heck, we even have our own version of the "Idiots" in Jonathan Papelbon and Kevin Youkilis. Thank you, Tribe, for giving us our championship mojo back.

40 Years Of Good Fortune

As we approach the opening of the 2007 ALCS, it's instructive to pause and take stock of the "State of the Nation". With all the kvetching that goes on among the citizenry (this citizen included), it's astonishing to recognize how truly lucky we are as fans of the Olde Towne Team.

Since the inception of the Nation 40 years ago (during the 1967 Impossible Dream season), the Red Sox have made the post-season 12 times. Doesn't sound impressive enough? Well, the "perennial" tournament team, the Evil Ones From The Bronx, have made it a grand total of 18 times in that span. Six more lousy appearances over four decades. Big deal.

The point is that the Fenway Faithful have been treated to a long stretch of quality, competitive baseball. If you take out the two strike-ravaged seasons, the Sox have actually averaged almost 88 wins per year (87.5) since 1967. And, we've only had to live through 4 sub-.500 seasons! So, when you throw the remote at your 52" HDTV the next time Tito lets a starter go too long, just remember: You could be members of TropicanaNation.