Despite the different path the teams took to arrive at Game 7, much of the 2004 series barred a striking resemblance to the 2003 ALCS. The two teams once again played it down to the wire in a seven game thrill ride. Red Sox fans were on nerve for every moment, late game pitching decisions were still largely accountable for deciding a winner in each game, the Red Sox manager was second guessed at every turn; every pinch runner, every call to the bullpen and every strategic decision was publicly scrutinized. But unlike last year something changed. Some may call it divine intervention, what with Curt Schilling attributing his Game 6 performance to the intervention of God or Jesus himself hitting 2 HRs, 6 RBI including a Grand Slam in Game 7. Regardless of your slant on this we have all witnessed a tortured franchise prevail over the Evil Empire or in the words of Scott Hall "Win one for the good guys" and at the same time we saw the crumbling of that empire much to delight of championship-starved fans across the sporting world. I'm not even sure what's greater, seeing the Red Sox pull off one of the greatest comebacks in sport down 0-3 in a seven game series or knowing that the Yankees will always be affixed to one of the greatest meltdowns in history alongside Chernobyl, Greg Norman, Jean Van de Velde and Patrick Lalime in Game 7 against the Leafs. The Yankees looked more lost in Games 6 & 7 in New York than Ashlee Simpson performing live on SNL.

	The infamous sutured ankle known 'round the world. (Source: AP)

History Served: It's kind of fitting how big of a history and specifically, civil war buff Curt Schilling is because his Game 6 performance against the Yankees has to go down as one of the most battle-tested and gutsy efforts in all of sports. Anytime a procedure needs to be tested on a cadaver first before it is actually ruled safe like the one done to keep Schilling's ankle stabilized, you know we're talking about a tough guy who wants to win. This is one of those rare performances that will be held up for years that you can only marvel at. Like any good thing though, people have a tendency to exaggerate the great to the unbelievable, but it's completely unnecessary for people to say years from now that Schilling struck out 18 and pitched a complete game one-hitter because 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 ER, 4Ks and 0 BB speaks loudly enough for itself.

Daddy by any language: You have to hand it to Red Sox fans for matching the Yankees fans chant of "Who's your Daddy?" with "Who's your Papi?" - an oft-reference to Boston slugger David Ortiz, also known as "Big Papi" who had game winning RBIs in Game 4 & 5. On a side note since the Yankees won't need the "Who's your Daddy" slogan the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should think about adopting it but not as a way to taunt opponents, simply as a pre-qualifying question to determine their starting QB. Maybe the fact that Brad Johnson's Dad never played in the NFL gives us an indication why the Super Bowl QB has fallen so out of favour with Jon Gruden.

Broadcasting 101: For the most part I enjoyed the work done by FOX in broadcasting the series but it has to be asked, is there anyone at FOX under the age of 35 working on the broadcasts and more specifically the music selection? Was someone cleaning out their basement and found a best of the 80's tape? EMF, Dionne Warwick, Bon Jovi, etc. - how does this even get approved?

Perhaps worse then the music was Fox's animated baseball, "Scooter" who serves as an explanation tool for viewers. Who is this appealing to? If anything aren't you alienating your existing die-hard base? I realize that a Yankees-Red Sox series draws increased interest from casual viewers but seriously I think we can all do without an explanation of a curveball. If anything I'd rather hear a real pitcher like Al Leiter explain it to me and not a cartoon character. I mean this isn't the same as trying to explain the concept of icing to Americans.

Is it possible for networks to put older announcers out to pasture when the game has passed them by? You know, relegate them to less pressing and watched events like Arena Football, the WNBA, figure skating, the NHL etc…As much as I love John Madden, it has gotten past the point of respectability. Before the Packers-Titans Monday Nighter a few weeks ago he prepped the game plan by saying that the Packers need Brett Favre to throw the ball and Ahman Green to run the ball in order to win. I suppose if the offensive line blocks, the receivers catch and the defense tackles all angles should be covered by Green Bay. The reason I bring this up is because Tim McCarver has seen better days. You'd be confused watching the game why an open Yankee rooter would dye his hair red but be assured it was simply accidental, much like anything McCarver does. How many times did this guy mess up Bronson Arroyo's name? Speaking of Arroyo does he remind anyone else of one of those girls who just got back from spring break with a bad braid job?

What's more illogical, leaving Pedro in past the 100-pitch count or putting A-Fraud…err A-Rod to bat with runners in scoring position?

	A move straight out of Ralph Macchio's playbook. (Source: AP)

It'll be interesting to see how much Steinbrenner overreacts to this loss. You know the Yankees will be shopping in the off-season but to what extent? If the Yankees learned anything out of this it's that their investment in castoff players usually ends up reaping much bigger benefits then the high priced stars. The Yankees have always possessed the ability to turn the journeymen, the utility infielder, guys coming off serious injuries like Olerud, Cairo, Lieber, Gordon, El Duque into important players and at the same time reduce superstar players like A-Rod, Kevin Brown, Javier Vasquez and Esteban Loaiza into shells of their former selves. This is just a warning for fantasy owners thinking about drafting Carlos Beltran, Randy Johnson and Pedro next year.

If anything this win by the Red Sox gives hope to all the beleaguered sports franchises. Heck, maybe the Senators will be able to beat the Leafs when hockey restarts in 2008.