Breathe Deeply. I've been seeing some pretty crazy shit on my television screen these past few days. How about you? ... Reading this just-the-facts-ma'am wire service intro this morning really brought it home to me -- complete with goosebumps -- that what I'm thinking is happening is actually happening:

"Manny Ramirez drove in two runs, including a solo homer, and Pedro Martinez set down 14 straight batters as the Boston Red Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals 4-1 Tuesday night to move within a victory of their first World Series title since 1918."

...

The Red Sox also became the first team in World Series history to hold the lead after the first inning in Games 1, 2 and 3. And they set a team record with their seventh straight postseason win. ... At the end of last night's game, as Sox fans chanted "One more win! One more win!," the Busch Stadium scoreboard posted this message: "Thanks for a great 2004 season." Hmmm. ... All 20 teams in World Series history to win the first three games have gone on to the championship -- and 17 of those did it with a sweep. After all that has happened in the last 10 days, it would be foolish of me to say that the trophy is in the bag, but you know what?

Dirt Dog has an excellent interview with Curt Schilling. ... Is MLB jumping the gun? Technically, yes. But jinxes = curses = crap, so get your shirts and hats now.



I'm having my hat surgically attached to my head.

Another thought I've been having for the past few days: There are dozens of sportswriters in St. Louis right now and all of them have been thinking about how they will begin their game stories if the Red Sox win the World Series. They've tried out many different angles, writing and rewriting, wondering how bare-bones simple to be or how poetically momentous. Especially the Boston papers (and radio announcers). What gets written on the front page of the Boston Globe will be truly historic. That cannot be something you leave until the game is over.

Was last night's start Pedro's last in a Red Sox uniform? "I hope this is not the last one. I hope I get another chance to come back to the team. If I don't, I understand the business part of it. I just hope that many other people understand that I wasn't the one who wanted to leave. ... My heart is with Boston. The emotions are always going to be there."

"A lot of people say they don't want to die until the Red Sox win the World Series. Well, there could be a lot of busy ambulances (tonight)." -- Johnny Damon