In the end, 2008 was not to be. The Sox fought valiantly in the face of naysayers, haters and an onslaught of injuries... but the fuel in the tank was not enough to take them victoriously to the ultimate finish. Battling back from (another) playoff deficit brought them to the brink, but didn't push them over the line. Their story didn't finish this year with another magical ending. It just ended.
I can't say I'm not sad, that I'm not disappointed. We always want to have it all, especially after we've tasted what it's like to be at the top. But damn it, I'm still proud. Proud of the team, proud of the season, and proud to have been a part of a city that so fully embraces the sport of baseball and the team that I love so much. 2008 was one helluva rollercoaster, and I'm happy to have been able to tag along for the ride. The high peaks are only as exhilarating as they are because of those low valleys you dip through along the way. And this season had its share of both. As a fan, you can't ask for much more than that.
The loss is hard to take. There's no way around that. But half of the agony is not just saying goodbye to the hope of another title, it's saying goodbye to baseball. The companion that's been around since March, that's filled the days and nights for almost 8 months. The pal that you've snuck in a radio for on long summer days at work, the buddy that you've kicked back with a beer for at the end of a long day, the friend that you've bundled up for in April, sweated your ass off with in July, and bundled up for again in October.... that's suddenly, harshly, gone. When the Sox exited the season tonight, we weren't just saying goodbye to the team, we were saying goodbye to that constant called baseball. I'm not really sure which is harder to stomach.
Then again, that's the brilliance of baseball. It'll sting for a week, it will feel like a punch to the gut every time you see an ad for the World Series, and you'll wonder whether you can even stand to watch the games at all. But in the end, we'll all watch (and cheer for Philly, of course) because the allure of the game is just too powerful. And after the sting wears off, the 2009 season will already be beckoning tantalizingly on the horizon.
In the end, 2008 was not to be. But I can't wait to see what 2009 brings.
on October 20, 2008 12:58 AM
I always hate this part...the saying goodbye part. The game is over, and that's it...they walk into the visitor's clubhouse, and we don't see them again until April. I am proud of them, really I am...but give me a couple of days to wallow. Please.