How Much has 2004 Changed this Series for You?

[TheKilo]

Personally, I find it to be a joy and a privilege to watch my team in the World Series without any curse ********. 2004 will always hold a special place in my heart, but I don't think the change came full circle until these playoffs, really starting with Game 7 of the ALCS. Games 5 and 6 were pretty much well in hand, but Game 7 was tense in the middle innings.

 

In the past, wouldn't we as Sox fans expect the worst? Isn't it nice to finally be able to just enjoy the games and not have to worry about not winning a title in 86 years, or being the "chokers" or anything like that. As far as I'm concerned, we've shed that label permanently and are now just watching the most well-run organization in all of baseball.

 

It really is something to behold. I feel very lucky to be a Sox fan now.

[See Red]

During Game Seven against the Guardians... nothing in my house got broken when Julio Lugo dropped that flyball. There's your difference right there. Even after that, I felt that we'd get out of the inning, at least tied, and would still win the game because we were the better team.

[jacksonianmarch]

I can tell the difference. You guys are excited, but not "die with every pitch" excited like you were in 04. That win changed the entire mindset of new england. Now, the sox have a mindset of winning. How one championship changes things. For a team that was known for blowing it when the marbles were on the line, now the team is known for being clutch. Go figure. Either way, 2 in 4 yrs is impressive and you have the renewable pitching talent to be in this for awhile. Hence, why I want my team to follow your plan for once.

[nateg]

I feel the pressure of winning every year since 04 is pretty insane. But reality hasn't really kicked in yet. It will come game 4 or 5 or 6.

[MANNYHOF24]

It's definately a thrill to have the Sox in the world series, but as See Red said earlier I am much more relaxed watching these games. That being said I am still obnoxious and routy while I am watching and still get really excited when a huge play happens. When Manny hit the walkoff homer against the Angels, that was the most excitment I had felt for the Red Sox since David Ortiz 04 bloop Single against the Yankees.

[rician blast]

Wish I could say I was as stable as you folks during game 7. When the game got to 3-2 I went to the medicine cabinet, grabbed an Alprozolam and hit the fridge for a beer to head off my impending torment and promptly....fell the f*** asleep. Woke up and the thrashing was on.

 

I'll never be the same after 2003...even 2004 couldn't cure me.

[TheKilo]

I'm just really enjoying watching my team play for the World Series championship and not worry how these games will further the teams' legacy of ineptitude in the playoffs.

 

Being nervous is who we are. Comes with the territory. But it's no longer do-or-die.

[soxfan17881]

Before this World Series, '04 changed this year's ALCS for me. I was almost amazed at myself and how little I was freaking out when we were behind Cleveland. It was a "been there, done that" thing, sort of.

 

As for the Series, TheKilo mentioned the key...almost none of that old crap that we were always buried in during the post season. Fox had the Buckner play on the other night, but other than that, no Bambino nonsense, no talking of curses and pining away for a title for years and years. This year's story gets to be dominating pitching, stellar established vets, clutch plays by favorites, and so on. That is because of '04.

[nateg]

 

I'll never be the same after 2003...even 2004 couldn't cure me.

 

maybe 07 will cure ya! http://smiliesftw.com/x/smilies12-50.gif

[nateg]

I think facing the Guardians vs facing the yankees is the difference.

 

Cleveland needs a WS just as much as us where the yankees really have enough of them.

 

I think if we faced the yankees it would've been a completely different atmosphere.

[YAZMAN]

The difference is I've been able to enjoy these games with a beer or three, even the ALCS. Watching game 5, I still wasn't a freak, and after game 5 I just had a gut feeling the series was ours.

 

In 2004, I literally went through a 12 pack of McSorley's Ale per game, and during that ALCS I polished off almost two fifths of Beam Black along with the beers. I wasn't falling asleep until 3-4am after the games, and was such a high strung miserable bastard that my wife quickly got to the point were she just laughed at me and let me watch the games alone.

[nateg]

wow, you have an awesome wife. My ex-girlfriend left me.

[ORS]

It's night and day for me. With Beckett going, I had no worries about game 5, but Schilling and Dice had me concerned about the ALCS. However, with one in the books and the kids playing a big role, there was no sense of catastrophe if they got eliminated.

[BSN07]

I'm def alot less tense and enjoy the games more then I did before the 04 Championship, or it could be I'm in Holland and smoke a couple joints during the game... either or......

[schillingouttheks]

I still get into it because I feel like we still have something to prove. I'm sick of all this "they won't win another one until 2090" ********. If they win this year, then I won't feel like we have anything to prove.

 

I must say though, I agree with TheKilo - I'm much more relaxed. If they got eliminated, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I just enjoy watching them go as far as they have.

 

However, if we had faced the Yankees in the ALCS, I would have been a wreck for the entire ALCS. I know that much. So maybe not THAT much has changed as far as my passion with the rivalry goes.

[redsoxrules]

I still get into it because I feel like we still have something to prove. I'm sick of all this "they won't win another one until 2090" ********. If they win this year, then I won't feel like we have anything to prove.

 

 

same here. I'm sick of hearing .." wow big deal you won a WS in 86 years "

 

hopefully soon il get to say , WE HAVE 2 WS IN the last 4 YEARS BITCHES !

[example1]

I imagine that if any of us felt that this was going to be the last time the Sox were in the playoffs of world series for, say, 30 years, we would be more high strung.

 

I am pretty sure all of us built some callouses in 2003 and 2004. While we won in 04 we all know we were down 0-3, with "the Curse" still in full effect, and if not for a stolen base by a 3 month rental we're all nervous wrecks right now. We saw our team lose, then saw them essentially lose again before coming from the depths and winning it all.

 

The confidence I feel this year is less about having won in 2004 and more about:

a) the Yankees being at home, finally.

having led and then won the American League East in 2007

c) I do not feel like this will be the last time this team will be in the playoffs and I don't feel like they have a monkey on their back anymore.

d) I have a lot of confidence in the FO's overall philosophy when building an MLB offense, choosing when and where to spend LOTS of money, acquiring young pitching, and drafting.

 

I think these factors were only important because we got the monkey off our back, but without them I would be much more of a nervous wreck.

 

2004 was a good team combined with a lot of luck. This team is simply a good team and they deserve to be where they are now. They have only Mirabelli, Schilling, Wakefield, Youkilis, Ortiz, Ramirez, and Varitek from that 2004 team, which means they truly have "retooled". Theo was roundly criticized by many on this board, who know who they are, for having teams that weren't perfect in 05 and 06. If you look at what Theo & Co. said from 2004 to now, they have been remarkably consistent in their values and approach and that is all coming to fruition right now.

 

Again, how many teams would have a Clay Buchholz sitting on the bench (on the couch, actually) at a time like this? He wasn't hurt, he was tired, and when a pitcher is tired he is more likely to hurt himself. However, Colorado would certainly pitch him. As would the Yankees, Cubs, Diamondbacks and Phillies. I'm not sure about the Angels, but there are very few teams who have the quality of MLB team and quality of impactful MLB-ready talent that the Sox do in Ellsbury and Buchholz.

[rician blast]

I watched most of game 2 at a sports bar in the New Haven area. Loudest person there was a Yankee fan rooting for Colorado. We were treated to the 26 WC ********, Bucky Dent, Buckner, etc.

 

My favorite part was when he said "Ortiz is the new version of Cecil Fielder...he either hits a HR or strikes out."

 

Very entertaining to say the least. Fkn moron.

[VA Sox Fan]

I'm much improved since 2004. Still get nervous but have actually watched play off games with other people, wasn't able to do that before.

 

I know what you mean rician, I seem to run into one of "those" Yankee fans quite too often. They really are pathetic.

[TheKilo]

What happens to this guy if the Sox win two more games?

[YAZMAN]

wow' date=' you have an awesome wife. My ex-girlfriend left me. [/quote']

 

Good for you, she saved you the trouble. There's very few good ones out there and a Red Sox playoff series is a pretty good litmus test. She successfully navigates one, and you know she's a keeper.

[yeszir]

Good for you' date=' she saved you the trouble. There's very few good ones out there and a Red Sox playoff series is a pretty good litmus test. She successfully navigates one, and you know she's a keeper.[/quote']

 

I know a guy whose girlfriend gave him the choice of watching the playoffs or having a girlfriend. Reason enough to dump her.

[YAZMAN]

I know a guy whose girlfriend gave him the choice of watching the playoffs or having a girlfriend. Reason enough to dump her.

 

Life is all about choices.

 

It's great when women give you the easy ones to make.

[Fried Neckbones]

Let's just put it this way: my wife, who hates watching baseball on tv, actually went to example1's place with me to watch most of the ALCS as a "nice social night out". In '04, she didn't want to talk to me for weeks. When Pap almost got Clement-ed by that liner last night, my first reaction wasn't "oh s***, here we go again", it was "eh - it's one hit. He'll be fine". Night and day. :thumbsup:

[a700hitter]

I can tell the difference. You guys are excited' date=' but not "die with every pitch" excited like you were in 04. That win changed the entire mindset of new england. Now, the sox have a mindset of winning. How one championship changes things. For a team that was known for blowing it when the marbles were on the line, now the team is known for being clutch. Go figure. Either way, 2 in 4 yrs is impressive and you have the renewable pitching talent to be in this for awhile. Hence, why I want my team to follow your plan for once.[/quote']My sentiments exactly.

[rsoxfan]

During Game Seven against the Guardians... nothing in my house got broken when Julio Lugo dropped that flyball. There's your difference right there. Even after that' date=' I felt that we'd get out of the inning, at least tied, and would still win the game because we were the better team.[/quote']

I still have a little of the old sox in me.When lugo dropped that ball i flipped out.I went outside with my dog until my girlfriend gave me the update that they got out of the inning .Ill never get over 86 all together .

[jmcc]

It's definately a thrill to have the Sox in the world series' date=' but as See Red said earlier I am much more relaxed watching these games. That being said I am still obnoxious and routy while I am watching and still get really excited when a huge play happens. When Manny hit the walkoff homer against the Angels, that was the most excitment I had felt for the Red Sox since David Ortiz 04 bloop Single against the Yankees.[/quote']

 

Agree completely.

[das11209]

I have been a sox fan and watching them regularly since 2000 - so most of you have witnessed while I have only heard about the curse. But 2003 alone was shocking enough for me. I remember the next morning - everyone in the office was quiet - the whole environment was so depressing it felt we are in a funeral. 2004 has changed all that quite a bit.

 

Some things I always fail to understand about RSN. Grady Little deserves all the blame for game 7 - but noone says anything about Pedro. He should have known that he was done - so when Grady came to talk to him - he should have handed that ball over to the bull pen and enjoyed the game. I think to some part - Pedro's monster ego cost us that game and may be another championship.

[rician blast]

I have been a sox fan and watching them regularly since 2000 - so most of you have witnessed while I have only heard about the curse. But 2003 alone was shocking enough for me.

 

Dude, some of us have ben Sox fans for 20, 30, 40 years. Take it from us, there never was a curse...the Red Sox were simply not good enough.

 

Some things I always fail to understand about RSN. Grady Little deserves all the blame for game 7 - but noone says anything about Pedro. He should have known that he was done - so when Grady came to talk to him - he should have handed that ball over to the bull pen and enjoyed the game. I think to some part - Pedro's monster ego cost us that game and may be another championship.

 

It is the manager's job to make that change, period. All competetive pitchers (well except Clemens, he woulda been out of there after 4 with a (fill in the blank) __________ injury) would have wanted to stay in. You don't leave that decision up to the pitcher.

 

If you recall, the combo of Embree, Timlin and Williamson had been virtually unhittable...I'm not sure they'd given up an earned run in the series. This was the year of the bullpen by committee, and down the stretch they had developed one of the best back ends of the BP in baseball. Yet Grady chooses not to use them???

 

Pedro gets no blame because he deserves no blame. 2003's result was Little's doing. You could even see when Pedro finished the 7th, some guys were hugging him, as if he were done. Then when he came out for the 8th, Theo and the owners were shown shaking their heads. And after Jeter's hit they were like "what the fk?" And after every other hit they looked more shocked and pissed. Everyone in the park, everyone watching at home knew it was the wrong move to leave Pedro in.

 

Little fkn blows and if not for him the Sox might be going for their 3rd WS title in 4 years.

[jmcc]

Dude, some of us have ben Sox fans for 20, 30, 40 years. Take it from us, there never was a curse...the Red Sox were simply not good enough.

 

 

 

It is the manager's job to make that change, period. All competetive pitchers (well except Clemens, he woulda been out of there after 4 with a (fill in the blank) __________ injury) would have wanted to stay in. You don't leave that decision up to the pitcher.

 

If you recall, the combo of Embree, Timlin and Williamson had been virtually unhittable...I'm not sure they'd given up an earned run in the series. This was the year of the bullpen by committee, and down the stretch they had developed one of the best back ends of the BP in baseball. Yet Grady chooses not to use them???

 

Pedro gets no blame because he deserves no blame. 2003's result was Little's doing. You could even see when Pedro finished the 7th, some guys were hugging him, as if he were done. Then when he came out for the 8th, Theo and the owners were shown shaking their heads. And after Jeter's hit they were like "what the fk?" And after every other hit they looked more shocked and pissed. Everyone in the park, everyone watching at home knew it was the wrong move to leave Pedro in.

 

Little fkn blows and if not for him the Sox might be going for their 3rd WS title in 4 years.

 

Yea, I actually commend Pedro for trying to stay in the game and win it for his team. He was in no state of mind, in a highly competitive atmosphere, to make the decision. That is a managers decision. A bad manager leaves someone in the game when they know they can't get the job done, but the pitcher always is in the mindset that he can.