It was odd that a Sunday-night rubber game match-up between the Red Sox and Yankees, Schilling v. Clemens, with the playoffs in the balance, ranked so low on the weekend's pecking order.
But I'll be honest:
1. To worry so much about USC in Lincoln, and then see the young backs and the all-universe defense vindicated so thoroughly, was euphoria that lasted straight through Sunday--into Monday, actually.
2. The curiousity factor vis-a-vis the Patriots (Are they really that good? Will distractions hurt the team? And what about the Chargers?) dominated my thoughts Sunday night.
3. I'm loving this Notre Dame thing. On the radio today, Rome pointed out that the Irish's next five opponents have a combined record of 13-1. 2-6? 1-7? Could happen.
4. Has anyone noticed that a) the Texans are 2-0, and b) Mario Williams has one more touchdown than Reggie Bush? Nobody hated the Williams pick more than me, but I won't turned down found money. Houston is supposed to be a football town, after all.
5. I'll confess: the Red Sox-Yankee game gave me the creeps, starting with its lead-up and continuing right to the finish, for all but a few minutes following Jeter's homer in the seventh. For one, since dominating the D-Backs in the 2001 World Series (he was set to be the winner in Game 7, and probably the MVP, and we all know what happened), Clemens has been just as likely to blow a showdown game such as this as come through. He was knocked around the 2002 playoffs versus the Angels. He was chased from Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS versus Boston (had he pitched well, Aaron Boone's heroics would not have been necessary), then chased from Game 4 of the World Series that year (you remember, retirement #1 of 15). With the Astros, he was chased from Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS with the World Series hanging in the balance, then lost his only World Series start the following year. In between there have been heroics (he could hardly claim his million-per-start salary otherwise), but they have hardly been the rule.
So, of course, Clemens pitches his ass off, hands over a 1-1 game to Joba, and Jeter provides a three-run homer . . . . at which time, of course, I grew sick with worry. No kidding: I could not watch the seventh and eighth; I had to content myself with watching Brady and the guys in the living room while trying to keep tabs on baseball by the yaw and pitch of Miller's narrative, supplemented by Fenway crowd noises.
4-1 became 4-2. Of course it did, and then over to Rivera . . . who did a fabulous imitation of one of his own set-up man, circa 2005-2006. Honestly, he's never looked less in control. When Papi came up--bases loaded, two outs, 4-3, needing only a single through the hole to take the game, the series, and basically the division, I figured a loss was a foregone conclusion, the only time I've ever felt that way about Rivera. Then, a pop-up.
The division is probably out of reach. But: 2 1/2 in the Wild Card, 3 in the loss column. Bring on the Birds.
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First of all...Jeter's HR over the monster was beyond clutch...waaaaay beyond clutch. But it was so sweet for so many reasons. But my number one reason at the top of the list was this-Curt Schilling.
First of all at 1-2 he missed baldly off the plate, low and outside. So in typical Shilling fashion he stared down the ump and mumbled into his glove. After Jeter fouled one to right just behind 1st Schilling now wants to have a mound talk with Veritek....three times! Even Yankee hater extraordinaire Joe Morgan say.."you know the ump can tell Veritek no more!"
So after all that posturing by Schilling and Fenway fans on their feet screaming what does number 2 do? Deposit the ball over the monster.
Rivera? Maybe he's the one who needs the Joba rules! Not worried, he obviously just didn't have his stuff. And when it counted most he got one of the best clutch left handed hitters to pop out.
I haven't written off the East yet.....almost but not quite yet.
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