What a Wild Ride!

Am I talking about the game?  The postseason?  2009?  In a word, yes.  But ah, NLDS Game 4... Thou hast inspired me to write my first fanpost.  I was there, in all my Rox fan glory (i.e. authentic jersey, cap, and blanket cloak), along with my husband (and fellow Rowbot Rookie) and our three kids, ages 5, 3, and 6 mo.  The rose?  Great seats, and balmy weather - compared to last night, anyway.  The thorn?  Having to sit in front of a Phillies fan with their typical level of class, knowledge of baseball, and inability to stop the flow of drivel.  I so badly wanted to point him in the direction of the fantasy broadcasting booth.  And give him a corndog.  But I digress.  Back to your regularly scheduled fanpost...

The game was pretty amazing.  The constant occupation of at least one hand with at least one child prevented me from following and/or posting on the game thread via the phone, but I was able to share comments verbally with folks around me (except for aforementioned Phillies fans).  The Rocktober energy was buzzing in the stadium the entire game.  One thing's for sure - Rockies fans, like their players, have way more heart and class than their counterparts in certain much larger markets.  I was thrilled to be there, and glad that we brought the kids.  That's the stuff that awesome memories are made of, regardless of the outcome.  5yo was chanting ROCK! -TOBER! along with the usual cheers that she loves to do, even in front of the TV at home.  3yo was getting down with her bad self to all the music.  6mo spent most of the time on my back sleeping (with a tiny bit of fussing and flirting thrown in). 

I'm not usually one to boo - I don't think it's the classiest thing to do, and it doesn't set the best example for my kids who don't really have the concept of sportsmanship and how to temper it - but I will admit that even I did boo some of the awful umpiring along with pretty much the entire stadium (minus the smattering of Phillies fans, of course).  The star calls - or "big market" calls?  or "I got a wittle cold last night and don't want to ump anovuh game in this sewies" calls?  or "I've got money on the Phillies" calls? - were often not that subtle at all.  The bottom line is that the Rox need to help themselves in that situation - make it incontrovertible.  Is it fair?  Not at all, but it is what it is. 

The question is, where do we go from here?  I'm sure there are many different opinions on that.  Since I've got the bully pulpit in this post... I would love to see:

1) Dodgers completely humiliate the Phillies in the NLCS.  I know that it's kind of an odd position to be in, a Rox fan rooting for the Dodgers, and I will be the first to admit that it stems from an animosity toward the Phillies that runs back to my childhood.  I think they will, too - well, at least win, not necessarily completely humiliate - the Dodgers have been the superior team all season.  The Phillies had to work hard to beat the Rockies (ok, except for that game 1, we'll all block that trauma out), eeking by on star/big-market/what-have-you calls in order to win.  The Dodgers beat the Rox out - they should have cheesesteak in their cleats relatively quickly.  I'm hoping for a sweep, with the Dodgers celebrating at the Cit.  Karma, buddies.   

2) Angels beat the Yanks in the ALCS.  This is a much tougher chance, but I'd really like to see it happen.  Largely because I'm sick of the media love heaped on the Yankees.  I've never been one to follow hype and money.  Besides, this would lead to a LAD-LAA WORLD SERIES!!!

3) Angels win the World Series.  Because at some point, I really do just feel a bit funky rooting for the Dodgers.  ;-)

I was very gratified to see footage of Tracy talking about the team on TV after we came home - he said pretty much exactly what I was thinking: A lot of young talent (not to minimize the contributions by our more seasoned players), a great year... "I don't think this club is going away for a while."  I couldn't have said it better.  Written off in May, ramped up into the postseason over four months, only team not to be swept in the LDS (which should, by rights, be going to game 5), several records set - it was a helluva "rebuilding year," guys!  I'm looking forward to next season!  Now to catch the rest of the postseason and get through the winter depression - maybe with a little help from football.