ADDRESSING A NATION

Dear Red Sox Nation,
I've given you a couple days to cool down a bit and to try and gain a little perspective. I know you're down. You just lost a playoff series to Tampa Bay. Tampa Bay, for crying out loud! Its not easy, I know. But this loss is a step in the right direction. You heard me right! Now, I'm not talking that whole, "good for baseball" yada, yada, yada, stuff. No, this loss is good for you, the members of Red Sox Nation.

I know what you're thinking, "How could a playoff loss be good for us?" And that's a valid question. You're soft, you're spoiled, your heads are swelled and you're to big for your britches, that's how, my friends! You've lost your edge, your bite, your bitterness, if you would. You're a shamble of your former selves! There used to be a uniquely bitter, self-loathing anger about you, that was, yes, mildly annoying, but yet somewhat endearing to the rest of western civilization. What happened to you?

In 2003, your beloved Sawx helped you keep that anger and bitterness, with some help from Aaron "Bleepin" Boone, and Grady Little. All was right with the world. The Sawx were the Sawx. October heartbreak continued being as regular (okay not, every year regular, but stay with me here) as the leaves falling from the trees in New England. Now, for some, you could turn to the mini-dynasty that was the Patriots to ease your pain. Yeah, remember that? The Patriots were winning and winning and winning. But everyone in the vicinity of Boston knows, even that couldn't help the Pats overtake the Sawx as #1 in any if your hearts. Its just not that easy. Boston's a baseball town and always will be. But you still had America behind you, cheering on the most expensive underdogs ever. Whether they actually wanted the Sawx to win, the Yankees to lose, or just for you to quit your whining, they were on your side. But then it all came unraveled.

Yep, then came 2004. All was going according to the plan. The Sawx were pitted against the Yankees, and after two close losses, the Yankees, well, to put it mildly, routed the Sawx, at Fenway no less, 19-8. The Yankees were on the brink of playing for yet another World Championship. Get that sob story ready about "the Curse" and brace yourselves for another long offseason, right? Well, not just yet. The Sawx won Game 5, but no big deal, right? They were just prolonging the inevitable, right? I mean the cruel baseball gods would never let the Sawx emerge from this series victorious, right? Well, we all know how that turned out. Yada, yada, yada, the Sawx won their first Championship in 86 years. For all intents and purposes, "the Curse" was reversed.

No more,"Woe is me". No more, "Look at all our heartbreaking moments." No more, any of it! Whatever to do? What was there to be angry about? What was there to keep everyone on your side? More importantly, what was there to be bitter about? The world was your oyster, but now that world could care less. Couldn't get mad at being swept out of the playoffs by the White Sox in '05 or at not even making the playoffs in '06, could ya? You were not far enough removed from the "big one." Then came the 2007 season.

Once again, you found the Sawx with their backs to the walls against the Tribe, but now only you cared. And of course, once again, the Sawx clawed back, won the American League pennant and then the World Series. You, "the Nation", became more unbearable than ever. You now had that winning swagger about you, that sense of entitlement, that unbearable cockiness. You became, in essence, exactly what you reviled. Gone was the lovable loser. Gone was the modesty of sorts. Gone was that edge, that anger, that bitterness!

The TV ratings for this year's ALDS against the Angels were extremely low in the Boston markets. Huh? Where was this rabid fanbase? Was it true that the recent winning had rendered the early round of playoff games boring and meaningless? Was Red Sox Nation becoming more and more like, dare I say it, Yankees fans? When the Sawx were down 3-1 to the Rays, most of "the Nation" was not even concerned? The Sawx had done it before, "why should we be concerned," you thought. What the flip is going on here?! How cocky are you? Not even concerned on the brink of elimination? Ridiculous! Once Game 7 rolled around, you were brimming with confidence. "This was in the bag," you thought. You would watch and wait for the celebration. But, in the end it was not "the Sawx" that were celebrating was it? No, it was not. And here we are, getting drunk and listening to Air Supply.

This is exactly the shot in the arm you need! Get back to being angry. Get back to being humble. Get back to being sad-sacked. Get back to being bitter! Lose the self-righteousness. Lose the swagger. Lose the sense of entitlement! I mean if the Celtics hadn't gone and mucked up the works, it would be much easier, sure, but you can do this. You need to do this! You need to assume you're not gonna win. You need to assume you will be set up to fall hard! You need to assume you're gonna lose, possibly, hopefully, in a gut-wrenching manner. That's the natural order of things, and you're MESSING IT UP! Have you forgotten where you came from? Have you?! Hmmmm?! Red Sox Nation, it is time to get back to basics.