What Goes Around Comes Around

Now please don't take this the wrong way when I say this.

Yes, the Red Sox have made it to the MLB playoffs in 5 of the last 6 seasons, have the opportunity to be World Series' Champions in back-to-back seasons, and have ZERO chance of running into the Yankees on the way. BUT....do we have to celebrate with champagne, goggles, and 50 Cent blaring from the clubhouse EVERY time we accomplish a significant milestone?

Trust me, I love the fact that Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia are both considered prime MVP candidates, and that after missing 55 games Big Papi is like a young pup with all his excitement for the playoffs. We need to stay focused on the big goal at hand! Call me an insecure Boston sports fan. Tell me I'm overreacting and too uptight. Maybe I am, but maybe I have good reason.

On the other hand, from 1918-2004 the Red Sox missed the playoffs 75 out of 85 seasons. Now, even though I wasn't alive for most of those years, family members who are diehard fans have told countless stories of how hard it was to be a Sox fan and how much heartache they have endured.

So forget about my initial judgment of the boys carrying on too much and acting like 10-year-old. Boston deserves every second of celebration. We have a lot of catching up to do after 86 years of torture.

As for our Patriots, a lot of people have tried to bum me out about the loss against the fish of Miami this past Sunday. Losing 38-13 is definitely not something Pats fans are used to, especially to a team that only won one game last season. Actually, the Patriots aren't even used to losing regular season games, nevermind losing in general. You would think that I would be a little more upset over witnessing the 21 regular season game winning streak snapped, but in fact, I already survived my first Boston sports fan heartbreak months ago.

Last season's Super Bowl gave me the right to be called a brokenhearted, diehard fan in Beantown. Even though I was alive during the '86 World Series, thankfully, I wasn't aware enough to suffer through Bill Buckner's lack of fielding skills. Instead, my first sport-related heartbreak happened in February at MY Super Bowl party where I hosted several New York fans. It was bad enough that I had to suffer from the one and only loss of the '07/'08 season, it had to be in front of Giants fans who I called my closest friends! I must have had a brief lapse of insanity during my cardiac arrest that occurred during the last minute of the game.

Since that game, my feeling is that the Patriots need to remain competitive among the AFC East teams by maintaining a decent record, but it's okay to lose a couple along the way. I would MUCH rather we lose a few now and learn from our mistakes, than attract all the publicity from last year and lose the big one in the end.

David Ortiz's photo: AP Photo from Boston.com
Matt Cassel's photo: Los Angeles Times Photo / San Fernando as shown on Boston.com