Unlike my previous list, I don't require books on this list to be new. I do have to have read them for the first time, though; I repeated two of my faves this year: The Stand, which I read every five years or so like clockwork, and The Gunslinger. They don't appear on this list.
There's a slight chance I'll finish Frank Deford's sports novel The Entitled before tomorrow night, but only a slight one. It would require an afternoon sitting on the couch, and not scooting around Springfield to some family function or another, something I seem to be incapable of allowing myself and my wife to do.
Here's the list, yo.
10. Antarctica, Kim Stanley Robinson
I've always been a lukewarm fan of sci-fi. I don't have the time to dig into Asimov or the whole Dune series, but I really enjoy Bradbury and some other sci-fi classics. I truly enjoyed Robinson's Mars trilogy; this one was not to that level. The story was sort of perfunctory, though the vivid description of the wasteland-that-isn't-a-wasteland of Antarctica was impressive.
9. The Hours, Michael Cunningham
I'd already seen the movie, so the "it-all-congeals" ending was sort of muted for me. The excellent prose, as would befit a Pulitzer-winning effort, can't really hide the pretension.
8. A Painted House, John Grisham
Okay, so it's John Grisham; this book is no great shakes. But the story is different from his usual unlikely-hero-in-the-South formula, as it is told from the perspective of a young boy in a hard-times cotton family in rural Arkansas, circa 1952. It is, I suspect, largely an autobiography. You can tell Grisham wrote this book for himself, rather than for his publishers.
7. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon
Told from the POV of an autistic teenager, this book is an interesting look at what an author thinks might be the inner workings of an autistic child's mind. That there really is a mystery to figure out--and that it has nothing to do with the dead dog found in the neighbor's yard--is all the more compelling because the kid never really suspects what he's on to... and since it's told in the first person, neither does the reader.
6. Lisey's Story, Stephen King
I read pretty much everything the man writes. Obviously I'm not highbrow, obviously; thankfully, I'm also not pretentious. This one seems to be an ode to King's wife, Tabitha. The plot feels almost pre-autobiographical: A tortured but brilliant novelist dies, leaving his wife and her formidable sisters to pick up the pieces and deal with a psychopath. Lisey's story has strong characters and gives an interesting (to avid readers) glimpse inside the mind of a brilliant but tortured novelist. But his greatest tale it is not.
5. Everything Is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer
I missed out on the book club discussion on this one at The Moxie (they showed the movie, which I've yet to see, late in 2006), but the book was one of the more unique I've ever read, full of wry humor and some very significant moments. The flashbacks are distracting, but vital; stick with it. I highly recommend this book for people who are stuck on a single author/genre. Safran Foer defies convention.
4. The Red Tent, Anita Diamant
One new year's resolution for 2007 was to read more books by and about women. Mission mostly accomplished, and it's all because of this book, which fell into my lap on loan from a friend. Anyone interested in historical fiction or the Old Testament will relish The Red Tent, as it focuses on the clan of Jacob--primarily his four wives and only daughter, Dinah--and the events that tore the family apart and led to the famous beating of Joseph in his coat of many colors. It's obviously fiction, but the story has the feeling of being intensely researched.
3. Mystic River, Dennis Lehane
Mystic River isn't so much a mystery as a tragedy. I had the case of Katie Marcus's murder solved a good 200 pages before the detectives did, but it didn't decrease my pleasure in the book one iota. It's a great character study, as well as a relationship study: fathers and daughters, fathers and sons, and mostly, husbands and wives. It's also one of the few instances where a movie--by Clint Eastwood--makes a very suitable replacement for a book. But don't let that keep you from checking it out at the library.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, J.K. Rowling
It wasn't the best of the Potter series--that honor goes to the sixth book, The Half-Blood Prince--but it was a more-than-satisfying end to what will probably go down as one of the most beloved series of all time (Frodo and Gandalf might have something to say about that now, but not in 50 years). My only real gripe: Rowling should have taken another 10 or 15 pages for the epilogue. After 25,000 pages, couldn't you give us readers just a bit more falling action? (And I'm not talking about that Dumbledore was gay stuff, either.)
1. The Road, Cormac McCarthy
I reviewed The Road on this blog, so I won't deconstruct here. But damn, what a read. I'm interested in seeing the movie, starring Viggo Mortensen, which should begin shooting pretty soon. McCarthy is all of a sudden the new black in Hollywood; his No Country For Old Men is getting rave reviews in theaters, and is on my 2008 reading list. If you haven't read The Road, put it on your own.
Any suggestions for my 2008 list? Post them in the comments.
Peace,
ML
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Friday, December 28, 2007
My 10 Favorite Songs of 2007
And so they begin: My "Best Of" lists for 2007. These have become as ubiquitous around this time of year as Christmas carols and hangovers, but for those of us obsessed with pop culture and list-making, they're like cocaine; you can never get enough, until you do. Fortunately with these lists, you don't die.
I start my wrap-up with the best single songs I've heard this year. I must admit, Top 40 radio and iTunes have killed the album. I think music is still best enjoyed in chunks, 12 tracks in a row, often telling its own story. Unfortunately, I can't think of 10 new albums I've listened to straight through this year. The short list includes the Silversun Pickups' Carnavas (came out in 2006, ditto with Wolfmother's self-titled effort); Son Volt's The Search; Kanye West's Graduation; and the Foo Fighters' Echos, Silence, Patience & Grace. Some singles from those discs appear on this list.
Rules and qualifiers: Albums have to have been released this year (it won't be so with other lists, because I make the rules here). This list will also put asunder any indie cred I might have with friends and readers of my magazine... not that there was much to begin with. I listen to things as they come across my desk or my XM Radio. If there's a lot of Top 40, well, I am married to a high school teacher.
10. "Long Walk Home", Bruce Springsteen
My earliest memory of music is The Boss's "Born in the U.S.A.", when my parents were little older than I am now, and over the last 25 years, Springsteen has changed right along with America. He still rocks, but he's more of a statesman of music than a rock star. And the band backing for this song is almost as good as the song itself.
Choice lyric: "Your flag flyin' over the courthouse/Means certain things are set in stone/Who we are, what we'll do and what we won't"
9. "Dance Floor Anthem", Good Charlotte
This is the one I'll take heat for, no doubt. Good Charlotte blows, I know that. But this song was in my head all the way through my marathon, which makes it special, if not good. It's just got a catchy chorus: It makes me want to be 19 again. Still, Joel Madden is kinda funky looking; and he knocked up Nicole Richie.
Choice lyric: "She calls him up/She’s tripping on the phone now/He had to get up/And he ain’t comin' home now/He’s tryin' to forget her/That’s how he got with her/When he first met her/ When they first got together"
8. "Empty Walls", Serj Tankian
What a voice; what an act. And the video... sheesh. Just watch.
Choice lyric: "When we decline, from the confines of our mind/Don't waste your time, on coffins today"
7. "The Great Escape", Boys Like Girls
God, another teeny bop song. I really like this one; I've had times this year when I felt misunderstood, or just wanted to drive until I hit a border or the ocean. This song sums up those feelings nicely.
Choice lyric: "Watch it burn/Let it die/Cause we are finally free tonight"
6. "Girlfriend", Avril Lavigne
I'm starting to get embarrassed. Still, something about this song reminds me of my wife. In a good way.
Choice lyric: "Don't pretend I think you know I'm damn precious/And hell yeah I'm the motherf'n' princess"
Embedding was disabled on YouTube (probably because Avril likes to rip off other people's beats and then overprotect her own stuff), but here's the link.
5. "Roc Boys", Jay Z
If American Gangster was one of my favorite films of the year, this song has to be one of my favorite spins. I love pretty much everything Jay Z does, because he's everything I'm not.
Choice lyric: "Let your hair down baby, i just hit a score/pick any place on the planet, pick a shore/take what forbes figured then figure more/cause they forgot to account what i did with the raw"
4. "All Your Words", Starrfadu
The only ballad on my list is also the only local tune. There weren't a lot of Springfield bands to put out honest-to-got albums this year, but And Yes... Our Thoughts Were Elsewhere was a good one. I like this song. It's sad, but kinda perky.
Choice lyric: "Maybe we're both crazy/and it's plain to see with you and I/that we ain't getting nowhere tonight"
No video online, but here's a link to the band's MySpace page. Listen to everything, for reals. You might recognize one of the songs there, "Let It Out" was used in a 2007 Kleenex commercial. No joke.
3. "The Pretender", Foo Fighters
The Foos have taken over the role The Counting Crows held until I was 25: The role of Favorite Band. I'd listen to Dave Grohl play the slide whistle. This is the most ass-kicking song they've put out in some time, and surpasses any the hard stuff on 2005's In Your Honor. Grohl will never be the icon Kurt Cobain was, but he's surpassed his blond ass as a musician. Great video too; Green Day would do something similar.
Choice lyric: "The secrets that you keep are at the ready/Are you ready?/I'm finished making sense/Done pleading ignorance/That whole...defense"
Another damn "no embed" video, but here's the link.
2. "How Far We've Come", matchbox20
Another band and lead man that gets better with age, though they're hardly the Foos. This is my favorite matchbox song. It never lets up, and I can see it being a theme song for a movie version of The Stand, my favorite book, because it seems to evoke the apocolypse. The video would indicate it's about social change. Wusses.
Choice lyric: "I sat down on the street, took a look at myself/said where you going man you know the world is headed for hell/say all goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to"
1. "Stronger", Kanye West
I love everything Jay Z does, but I'm awed by almost everything the Louis Vuitton Don cranks out. "Stronger" might be the most technically flawless song of 2007; the production is second to none, and Kanye's rhymes leave me slack-jawed, like Eminem's used to before he quit recording and I realized life was too short to listen to shi* that doesn't make you feel good (even if it makes you laugh). Kanye is king.
Choice lyric: "Bow in the presence of greatness/Cause right now thou has forsaken us/You should be honored by my lateness/That I would even show up to this fake shi*/So go ahead go nuts, go ape shi*"
I'm sure there a billion quibbles, and a billion great songs out there I haven't listened to. One of my many new year's resolutions is to dip deeper into the great pool of music. Trouble is, the good stuff is just so hard to find anymore, so middle-of-the-road fans like me are left singing along to Avril. Sigh.
Peace.
ML
I start my wrap-up with the best single songs I've heard this year. I must admit, Top 40 radio and iTunes have killed the album. I think music is still best enjoyed in chunks, 12 tracks in a row, often telling its own story. Unfortunately, I can't think of 10 new albums I've listened to straight through this year. The short list includes the Silversun Pickups' Carnavas (came out in 2006, ditto with Wolfmother's self-titled effort); Son Volt's The Search; Kanye West's Graduation; and the Foo Fighters' Echos, Silence, Patience & Grace. Some singles from those discs appear on this list.
Rules and qualifiers: Albums have to have been released this year (it won't be so with other lists, because I make the rules here). This list will also put asunder any indie cred I might have with friends and readers of my magazine... not that there was much to begin with. I listen to things as they come across my desk or my XM Radio. If there's a lot of Top 40, well, I am married to a high school teacher.
10. "Long Walk Home", Bruce Springsteen
My earliest memory of music is The Boss's "Born in the U.S.A.", when my parents were little older than I am now, and over the last 25 years, Springsteen has changed right along with America. He still rocks, but he's more of a statesman of music than a rock star. And the band backing for this song is almost as good as the song itself.
Choice lyric: "Your flag flyin' over the courthouse/Means certain things are set in stone/Who we are, what we'll do and what we won't"
9. "Dance Floor Anthem", Good Charlotte
This is the one I'll take heat for, no doubt. Good Charlotte blows, I know that. But this song was in my head all the way through my marathon, which makes it special, if not good. It's just got a catchy chorus: It makes me want to be 19 again. Still, Joel Madden is kinda funky looking; and he knocked up Nicole Richie.
Choice lyric: "She calls him up/She’s tripping on the phone now/He had to get up/And he ain’t comin' home now/He’s tryin' to forget her/That’s how he got with her/When he first met her/ When they first got together"
8. "Empty Walls", Serj Tankian
What a voice; what an act. And the video... sheesh. Just watch.
Choice lyric: "When we decline, from the confines of our mind/Don't waste your time, on coffins today"
7. "The Great Escape", Boys Like Girls
God, another teeny bop song. I really like this one; I've had times this year when I felt misunderstood, or just wanted to drive until I hit a border or the ocean. This song sums up those feelings nicely.
Choice lyric: "Watch it burn/Let it die/Cause we are finally free tonight"
6. "Girlfriend", Avril Lavigne
I'm starting to get embarrassed. Still, something about this song reminds me of my wife. In a good way.
Choice lyric: "Don't pretend I think you know I'm damn precious/And hell yeah I'm the motherf'n' princess"
Embedding was disabled on YouTube (probably because Avril likes to rip off other people's beats and then overprotect her own stuff), but here's the link.
5. "Roc Boys", Jay Z
If American Gangster was one of my favorite films of the year, this song has to be one of my favorite spins. I love pretty much everything Jay Z does, because he's everything I'm not.
Choice lyric: "Let your hair down baby, i just hit a score/pick any place on the planet, pick a shore/take what forbes figured then figure more/cause they forgot to account what i did with the raw"
4. "All Your Words", Starrfadu
The only ballad on my list is also the only local tune. There weren't a lot of Springfield bands to put out honest-to-got albums this year, but And Yes... Our Thoughts Were Elsewhere was a good one. I like this song. It's sad, but kinda perky.
Choice lyric: "Maybe we're both crazy/and it's plain to see with you and I/that we ain't getting nowhere tonight"
No video online, but here's a link to the band's MySpace page. Listen to everything, for reals. You might recognize one of the songs there, "Let It Out" was used in a 2007 Kleenex commercial. No joke.
3. "The Pretender", Foo Fighters
The Foos have taken over the role The Counting Crows held until I was 25: The role of Favorite Band. I'd listen to Dave Grohl play the slide whistle. This is the most ass-kicking song they've put out in some time, and surpasses any the hard stuff on 2005's In Your Honor. Grohl will never be the icon Kurt Cobain was, but he's surpassed his blond ass as a musician. Great video too; Green Day would do something similar.
Choice lyric: "The secrets that you keep are at the ready/Are you ready?/I'm finished making sense/Done pleading ignorance/That whole...defense"
Another damn "no embed" video, but here's the link.
2. "How Far We've Come", matchbox20
Another band and lead man that gets better with age, though they're hardly the Foos. This is my favorite matchbox song. It never lets up, and I can see it being a theme song for a movie version of The Stand, my favorite book, because it seems to evoke the apocolypse. The video would indicate it's about social change. Wusses.
Choice lyric: "I sat down on the street, took a look at myself/said where you going man you know the world is headed for hell/say all goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to"
1. "Stronger", Kanye West
I love everything Jay Z does, but I'm awed by almost everything the Louis Vuitton Don cranks out. "Stronger" might be the most technically flawless song of 2007; the production is second to none, and Kanye's rhymes leave me slack-jawed, like Eminem's used to before he quit recording and I realized life was too short to listen to shi* that doesn't make you feel good (even if it makes you laugh). Kanye is king.
Choice lyric: "Bow in the presence of greatness/Cause right now thou has forsaken us/You should be honored by my lateness/That I would even show up to this fake shi*/So go ahead go nuts, go ape shi*"
I'm sure there a billion quibbles, and a billion great songs out there I haven't listened to. One of my many new year's resolutions is to dip deeper into the great pool of music. Trouble is, the good stuff is just so hard to find anymore, so middle-of-the-road fans like me are left singing along to Avril. Sigh.
Peace.
ML
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Thnks Fr Th Mmrs
Not too many things can chase my ass to the computer to blog like earth-shaking St. Louis Cardinals news, and that's exactly what did it this morning when I fired up the Firefox and found that Jimmy Edmonds is now a San Diego Padre. I'm not shocked--he was old, expensive, and blocking young talent from playing center field for the Cards--but he was the longest-tenured Cardinal, the emotional epicenter of the team and a damn good-looking guy. He was awesome for his patented upercutting power stroke, his perfect diving catches, and his attitude. He'll be missed, and if he manages to make it to Cooperstown, I'll be proud for him to be wearing a St. Louis cap. I think the odds of his making it are a lot more likely now than they were a week ago.
Why do I say that? Well, anyone who has a sports pulse followed the unveiling of baseball's Mitchell Report with at least mild interest. Better than six dozen players were revealed to have (at least a fair) connection to steriods and HGH. Many of these players are retired or well on their way. Albert Pujols wasn't there, as had been reported initially, and thank goodness. Neither was this guy. Ergo, most of my faith in the game remains intact, though I hardly think the Michell Report is a capstone of any sort. Really, I think the witch hunt and punishment of violators is a joke; baseball would be better off acknowledging, fixing, and moving on. Keeping McGwire and Bonds and Clemens out of the Hall of Fame only keeps the wound open and festering. They were the best players of an unfortunate and flawed era. You can't change history, only learn from it.What does this have to do with Jimmy Ballgame? Well, I think, five or six
years from now when Bonds, McGwire and (possibly) Clemens are still sitting there, ignored, on the voters' ballots, a guy like Edmonds, who played the game hard, with flair--and, most importantly squeaky clean, unless weird things come to light--appears on the ballot, writers will be inclined to vote for him (them). Others who fit this bill will be Craig Biggio, Bernie Williams, Larry Walker and Jason Varitek. Of course, many of these players have been tagged as possible users, which brings me to my final point: We don't really know. Never will, with certainty. Perhaps Bonds deserves to be an outcast for his federal purjury charge. Maybe. But I still think Pete Rose should be in the Hall, so what do I know?Barring further development, this is all I'll say on steriods for the forseeable future, unless I start using, in which case I'll blog in detail about my massive biceps and inverted testicles. It'll be my gift to all of you!
For those of you who care, life is predictably hectic. Work, of course, has combined with MBA finals, holiday shindigs and a nasty, nasty sinus infection to frazzle me a good deal. I haven't begun to Christmas shop. But it'll get done, it always does. I'm looking forward to the Christmas-to-New Year's stretch because that's when old friends come home and I recharge my batteries a bit.
More this week, me promises.
Peace.
ML
Friday, November 23, 2007
The Holidays officially begin!
Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year, and that hasn't changed since Nichole and I started hosting for my family a couple of years ago. Yesterday we got up a 8 a.m. and began cooking, after we'd spent most of the evening before doing the same thing. On the menu:
--Cornish game hens. We dethawed, rinsed and basted these babies, which turned out to be quite a bit bigger than we had expected. We only ate three of the six, and sent one whole bird home with my parents and grandparents and saved one for ourselves. They were good, but holding and drying a warm Cornish game hen was really disturbing... it has the weight and feel of a baby. *Shudders*
--green rice, which is a cheesy, ricey, broccoli-ish dish of wonderment Nichole learned to make from--and then did it better than--her mother.
--mashed potatoes, kept warm in a crock pot, as read in GO Magazine.
--plenty of wine and beer
--Charlotte Russe, a custard-and-cream that my mom makes, that has been passed down through her family.
--green beans
Then we all gathered around our table, Nonee in her wheelchair off to the side. Then, after cleanup and some conversation with my parents, Nichole and I fell asleep on the Cowboys game for about three hours. It was a delightful evening.
A few other things have happened since my last blog:
--I haven't been running too much, but have decided that the Go! St. Louis Marathon will be my next race. I'll start next month (the weather should make it fun), and hopefully have lots of interesting things to say.
--Barry Bonds was indicted for purjury. Yawn. I don't really care what happens to Barry, he deserves what he gets, and I couldn't make a good argument for him even getting into the Hall of Fame, but I do care what happens to his records. I hope they stick. The steriod era covered almost 20 years of the game's history--anyone who cares about records knows any and all of those numbers are suspect, but when we start tearing them down, pretending like the era never happened, it has a cheapening effect on the game far beyond a few inflated home run totals. Learn from the mistakes, don't let them happen again, but don't insult the fans by pretending the home runs from 1987-2004 were never hit. Where would you begin? More importantly, where would you stop?
--Today I'm going to put up Christmas lights. Full disclosure: One of my few phobias is ladders. Hate 'em. But I put up Christmas lights because it makes Nichole smile. When I'm done, I feel like this:
Looks like the decorating fest is under way!
Peace,
ML
--Cornish game hens. We dethawed, rinsed and basted these babies, which turned out to be quite a bit bigger than we had expected. We only ate three of the six, and sent one whole bird home with my parents and grandparents and saved one for ourselves. They were good, but holding and drying a warm Cornish game hen was really disturbing... it has the weight and feel of a baby. *Shudders*
--green rice, which is a cheesy, ricey, broccoli-ish dish of wonderment Nichole learned to make from--and then did it better than--her mother.
--mashed potatoes, kept warm in a crock pot, as read in GO Magazine.
--plenty of wine and beer
--Charlotte Russe, a custard-and-cream that my mom makes, that has been passed down through her family.
--green beans
Then we all gathered around our table, Nonee in her wheelchair off to the side. Then, after cleanup and some conversation with my parents, Nichole and I fell asleep on the Cowboys game for about three hours. It was a delightful evening.
A few other things have happened since my last blog:
--I haven't been running too much, but have decided that the Go! St. Louis Marathon will be my next race. I'll start next month (the weather should make it fun), and hopefully have lots of interesting things to say.
--Barry Bonds was indicted for purjury. Yawn. I don't really care what happens to Barry, he deserves what he gets, and I couldn't make a good argument for him even getting into the Hall of Fame, but I do care what happens to his records. I hope they stick. The steriod era covered almost 20 years of the game's history--anyone who cares about records knows any and all of those numbers are suspect, but when we start tearing them down, pretending like the era never happened, it has a cheapening effect on the game far beyond a few inflated home run totals. Learn from the mistakes, don't let them happen again, but don't insult the fans by pretending the home runs from 1987-2004 were never hit. Where would you begin? More importantly, where would you stop?
--Today I'm going to put up Christmas lights. Full disclosure: One of my few phobias is ladders. Hate 'em. But I put up Christmas lights because it makes Nichole smile. When I'm done, I feel like this:
Looks like the decorating fest is under way!
Peace,
ML
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Worst. World Series. Ever. (Well, tied)
If there's one thing in my life that approaches my love for my wife, my family and my dog, it's my passion for baseball, specifically the St. Louis Cardinals and the World Series. As I type, Mike Lowell is being handed the World Series MVP trophy for 2007, as the Red Sox finished off a four-game sweep of the Colorado Rockies. The brief, unremarkable series got me thinking: Is it possible to quantify the "greatness" of a World Series? And I came to the conclusion that, on a subjective basis, it is. So, as I watched the closing innings of this game, I tried to do just that.
A few numbers jumped out at me. This was my 20th season of closely (nay, obsessively) following Major League Baseball. I have vague memories of watching the 1987 series with my dad. I have concrete memories of staying up late to watch the 1988 playoffs with him, chanting "Mets are pondscum" during the '88 NLCS, etc. That's where my timeline begins. Unfortunately, that means I have only 19 World Series to evaluate, since 1994 was a strike washout. Say thank'ya!
A final caveat: I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan, and without apology. Any series that included the Cardinals got an extra three points in my (again, subjective!) ratings. If you have a problem with that, I suggest you skew your OWN ratings. Unless you're a Cubs fan, because then there would be no Series ratings to skew. Honestly, unless the Cardinals are involved, you won't find a more unbiased baseball fan, so I feel I'm mostly qualified to make this analysis.
The criteria and somewhat arbitrary scoring system:
Length of series: All things being equal, I want to see a long series, even if FOX doesn't. Points are weighted double for each game it progresses past a four-game sweep (zero points).
+2 for a five-game series
+4 for a six-game series
+8 for a seven-games series
Winning the series at home: All things being equal, I want to see a team celebrate a championship on its home field. It makes the conclusion infinitely more satisfying.
+3 for clinching a championship at home.
Being "Old-School": Okay, I'll admit. I'm what you might call a baseball snob--a "purist" in the old tongue. Any series that includes a team that existed--EVEN IN ANOTHER CITY, BY ANOTHER NAME--in the pre-expansion era gets bonus points.
+2 for pre-expansion participants PER TEAM.
Signature moments: This is where this list exits the realm of science and becomes purely subective. No fan is going to remember exactly the same moments from any given series. However, as a (mostly) unbiased, ever-watching baseball fan, I'm confident that if I can't remember a Series-"defining" moment, not many people can. What are defining moments? Pretty much any dramatic, noteworthy play, accomplishment or factor that the history books will note in, say, 25 years. Example: You remember Reggie's three-homer game in 1977 against the Dodgers; do you remember anything about the 1978 Series, also against the Dodgers? Or the 1979 Series between the O's and Pirates, for that matter? 'Nuff said.
+3 for every "Signature" moment as defined by this blog's master, Matt Lemmon
Without further ado, my best World Series' ever. (And, yes, this blog post's title gave away the 2007 Series' ranking.)
1991-Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves: 33 points
I didn't need math to tell you this one was the best I've seen. I was in the sixth grade, fixated on nothing but baseball (the girl I was "going out" with will attest to that). This series was my first proof that A.) A series could go seven games and B.) include a team other than Oakland. The result: A classic.
+8: Seven-game series (home team won every game)
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams (the Twins were the original Washington Senators, so I counted them. The '91 series would have won handily regardless)
+18: Six signature moments. Perhaps I'm being generous here, seeing as how I watched every OUT, which is something I can't say for every series, but here are the things I remember:
--Kirby Puckett's Game 6 catch to rob Ron Gant of a go-ahead home run-->
--Kirby Puckett's Game 6 walk-off home run (and Jack Buck's "And we'll see you.... tomorrow night! call).
--Jack Morris's 10 shutout innings in Game 7.
--Gene Larkin's walk-off Texas leaguer to win Game 7.
--Some unnamed Brave scoring on a sac fly to win game four or five in Atlanta (I just remember it being dramatic)
--Lonnie Smith being duped into a baserunning error by the Twins' second baseman, and thus not scoring the go-ahead run in Game Seven.
--Minnesota's Dan Gladden plowing over Atlanta catcher Gregg Olson (SP?) at the plate, creating that unforgettable image.
2001-Arizona Diamondbacks over New York Yankees: 25 points
Many would argue this was the best series ever, and if it weren't for the non-stop drama of 1991, I'd agree. Heightening this Series's import were the September 11 attacks, barely a month before this series, which pushed the final games into November, an unheard-of thing. When the D-backs won, it almost seemed they should have apologized for twisting the knife in the heart of a messed up city, but really, this series was it's own reward for the whole nation.
+8: Seven-game series (another where the home team won every game)
+2: One old-school team (NY)
+3: Won at home
+12: Signature moments. I'm admittedly giving this one a bit of an emotional boost because it came so quickly after 9/11, and included a team from New York. So sue me.
--George W. Bush (hssssst!) throwing out the first pitch of Game 3/post-9/11 hoopla
--Scott Brosius walk-off, Game 4
--Tino Martinez's walk-off, Game 5. I watched both of these home runs from the exact same spot on back-to-back nights--lying on my left side watching the tiny TV in my then-girlfriend's room (sorry mom, but it's true). It's the most overwhelming feeling of deja vu I've ever had.
--Luis Gonzalez's walk-off single to win Game 7.
2002-Anaheim Angels over San Francisco Giants: 19 points
This one surprised me, and not just because I spent the entirety of the series on my honeymoon (those nights sleeping over in 2001 paid off). Granted, it went seven games, and I gave a "signature moment" status to Dusty Baker's kid almost getting run over at the plate, but how can you not?
+8: Seven-game series
+2: One old-school team (SF)
+3: Won at home
+6: Signature moments
--Angels comeback in Game 5. Giants manager Dusty Baker had even given the damn game ball to his starter, and then the Halos come back to win it. I don't recall much about Games 6 and 7, except that I watched Game 7 from the terminal of LAX, waiting for a plane to Chicago (not 10 miles from the Angels' stadium, or so they say). But fairly dramatic, anyway.
--Aforementioned toddler-in-the-basebaths incident.
1996-New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves: 17 points
When the Yanks won this series, I was a bit nieve. After all, it had been 18 years since they'd won one: I hadn'tt even been (quite) conceived when they repeated in 1978. The Braves were the big bad bullies, trying to repeat... well, we all know what happened after that. Still this was a pretty remarkable series, the Yankees losing the first two games overwhelmingly (at home!) and then winning four straight, culminating in the best celebration to date...
+4: Six-game series
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--Wade Boggs on the back of a NY police horse, high-fiving fans. Indeed, ALL of the Yankees high-fiving fans. The Boggs part seemed a bit incestuous, since I remembered him as a Red Sock (though it wasn't quite as incestuous as seeing him get his 3,000th hit as a Devil Ray).
--Andruw Jones hitting homers in his first two WS at-bats as a 19-year-old. I was impressed by it, what can I say?
1997-Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians: 16 points
The lowest-ranked over all my seven-game series, this was the first time I'd watched a series and wondered, "What the hell is THAT team doing there?" But Florida shocked us all, as several teams have since.
+8: Seven-game series
+3: Won at home
+2: One old-school team (CLE)
+3: Signature moments
--Edgar Renteria's walk-off single to score Craig Counsell is all I really remember. Tony Fernandez booting a ball at second base immediately preceded that, but I'm going to lump them together.
2006-St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers: 15 points
Okay, okay, okay. This one likely only makes it this high because, you know, my Cardinals WON. But the fact that it went an extra game (and the drama from that game) plus the fact that two storied franchises were participating helped make it the highest-rated five- or four-game series on the list (and even beat one six-game series).
+2: Five-game series
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--Did I mention the Cardinals WON?
--Game 2, Kenny Rogers and the dirty smudge on his hand. Quite the controversy, no? I wonder why he barely pitched in 2008?
1993-Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies: 15 points
The highest-ranked of the non-seven game series, this one is most notable for its final play, and the fact that the Jays were the first team to repeat since the '77-'78 Yankees. But it had its fair share of drama.
+4: Six-game series
+3: Won at home
+2: One old-school team (PHI)
+6: Signature moments
--Joe Carter's walk-off, Game 7 home run off of Mitch Williams. This really should get more points, but a moment's a moment. It's not two moments.
--Maybe this makes up for the lack of gravitas for Carter's bomb: Remember Game 4, when the teams combined for 29 runs, and the Jays prevailed 15-14. Holy crap. I remember watching that game and shaking my head the whole time.
1988-Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Atheltics: 12 points
I'm somewhat partial to this series, though the numbers don't bear me out. It's the first series I got jazzed about, watching the entire playoffs with my dad. It also coincided nicely with our first fall in Ozark after moving from Texas... it was sort of a new life for us all, though I was less acutely aware of the fact than my parents were. Anyway, Game 1 is all anyone really needs to remember about this series.
+2: Five-game series
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--Duh. A limping Kirk Gibson's walk-off homer in Game 1 is perhaps the most famous World Series home run of our generation. Accentuating the drama, for me, is my hero Jack Buck's call: "I don't be-LIEVE what I just saw!" Wow.
--I also remember Jose Canseco's huge home run in Game 1 that bounced off the CBS camera. It was a ridiculous year for Canceco (and also might have been the signature year of the steriod era, save '98 McGwire and '01 Bonds), and that home cemented it.
1995-Atlanta Braves over Cleveland Indians: 11 points
Poor Atlanta. More playoff trips than any of these teams and their only win is only this high. That's because, other than the fact that they actually WON (at home, against another old-school team), it was a wholly unremarkable series. In fact, I couldn't remember a single significant moment. Maybe I had play practice or something.
+4: Six-game series
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
2004-Boston Red Sox over St. Louis Cardinals: 10 points
For a sweep, this one was chock full of drama (it's the highest-rated four-game series, but only because of the teams involved). But not for Cardinals fans. For Cardinals fans, this series blew.
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--First series I'd ever seen the Cardinals in
--Red Sox first series win in a bajillion years or something like that
2000-New York Yankees over New York Mets: 10 points
Subway Series! Though, forgive me, I doubt it lacked the panache of those old Brooklyn-New York matchups. The Yanks were in their prime here, though it probably should have been a bit closer than it was.
+2: Five-game series
+2: One old-school team (NYY)
+6: Signature moments
--It was a Subway Series. Good for the press.
--The whole "Roger Clemens-threw-a-broken-bat-at-Mike-Piazza thing, but not really." That was pretty good theater.
1992-Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves: 9 points
I must admit, when I was really young and chose teams based on the prettiness of their uniforms (you can make gay jokes, but the Jays' '80s unis were pretty damn attractive), the Jays were my team. So I was a bit happy when they made it to the Fall Classic for the first time in 1992. But, alas, other than a nationalistic faux pas before Game 1, I don't remember a damn thing about this series.
+4: Six-game series
+2: One old-school team (ATL)
+3: Signature moments
-Before Game 1 (or possibly Game 2) in Atlanta, whoever presented the Canadian colors had the flag UPSIDE DOWN. I mean, c'mon, it was the first time a Canadian team had ever made the Series. You can forgive a ROTC schmuck for not knowing what a right-side-up maple leaf looks like, right?
2003-Florida Marlins over New York Yankees: 9 points
I suppose a six-game series should get more points than this. Maybe it's a flaw in my rating system. But really, do YOU consider this a more memorable series than the Dodgers in '88? Or the Sox in '04? Didn't think so.
+4: Six-game series
+2: One old-school team (NYY)
+3: Signature moment
-Miggy Cabrera hit a go-ahead homer late in game four or five. I'm being REALLY generous here.
1989-Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants: 7 points
Poor A's. The dominant team of my early basebal-fandom, and the only reason they're this high is because of the San Andreas fault.
+4: Two old-school teams
+3: Signature moment
-The earthquake immediately before Game 3. Drama on live TV. Yowers.
1999-New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves: 7 points
Shi**y, shi**t series. Only here because the teams were historical and it was the NL's year for home-field advantage.
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
2005-Chicago White Sox over Houston Astros: 5 points
I was too busy (and pissed at the 'Stros) to watch much of this one. It's a miracle it ranks this high.
+2: One old-school team (CHW)
+3: Signature moment
-Scott Podsednik's walk-off homer in Game 2, further crucifying Brad Lidge, who had been rendered almost impotent by Albert Pujols in Game 5 of the NLCS.
1990-Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics: 4 points
Now we're just going through the motions. Name one thing about this series (Reds fans, pipe down) other than Eric Davis brusing his kidney.
+4: Two old-school teams
1998-New York Yankees over San Diego Padres: 2 points
The only thing I remember about this series is that I was a freshman in college, and I was drunk, trying to impress one of my older fraternity members with all my knowlegdge about the Padres (which, for a drunk 18-year-old, was quite a damn bit). Ugh.
+2: One old-school team (NYY)
2007-Boston Red Sox over Colorado Rockies: 2 points
This series hasn't been over for two HOURS and I can't tell you a single memorable moment. I guess the last two games were close... but so what? It seemed pretty foregone from the moment the Sox went up 6-0 in Game 1. Reminds me of 2004, except without the question of how the Sox could conceivably blow it.
+2: One old-school team (BOS)
Total NL teams I've seen in the Series: 12 of 16 (all but PIT, CHN, WSH/MTL, MIL)
Total AL teams I've seen in the Series: 9 of 14 (all but TB, BAL, KC, SEA, TEX)
Total series wins leaders:
NYY-4 ('96, '98,'99,'00)
TOR-2 ('92, '93)
FLA-2 ('97, '03)
BOS-2 ('04, '07)
LAD-1 ('88)
OAK-1 ('89)
CIN-1 ('90)
MIN-1 ('91)
ATL-1 ('95)
ARZ-1 ('01)
LAA-1 ('02)
CHW-1 ('05)
STL-1 ('06)
Teams I've seen play in the most series:
NYY-6 ('96, '98, '99, '00, '01, '03)
ATL-5 ('91, '92, '95, '96, '99)
OAK-3 ('88, '89, '90)
TOR-2 ('92, '93)
BOS-2 ('04, '07)
FLA-2 ('97, '03)
STL-2 ('04, '06)
SF-2 ('89, '02)
CLE-2 ('95, '97)
ARZ-1 ('01)
LAA-1 ('01)
CHW-1 ('05)
LAD-1 ('88)
CIN-1 ('90)
MIN-1 ('91)
PHI-1 ('93)
SD-1 ('98)
NYM-1 ('00)
HOU-1 ('05)
DET-1 ('06)
COL-1 ('07)
Thanks for bearing with me on my anal-retentive trip down memory lane. It was fun. Rip apart my ratings in the comments, if you wish, and here's hoping that next year's Series is up there on the list.
Peace.
ML
A few numbers jumped out at me. This was my 20th season of closely (nay, obsessively) following Major League Baseball. I have vague memories of watching the 1987 series with my dad. I have concrete memories of staying up late to watch the 1988 playoffs with him, chanting "Mets are pondscum" during the '88 NLCS, etc. That's where my timeline begins. Unfortunately, that means I have only 19 World Series to evaluate, since 1994 was a strike washout. Say thank'ya!
A final caveat: I am a St. Louis Cardinals fan, and without apology. Any series that included the Cardinals got an extra three points in my (again, subjective!) ratings. If you have a problem with that, I suggest you skew your OWN ratings. Unless you're a Cubs fan, because then there would be no Series ratings to skew. Honestly, unless the Cardinals are involved, you won't find a more unbiased baseball fan, so I feel I'm mostly qualified to make this analysis.
The criteria and somewhat arbitrary scoring system:
Length of series: All things being equal, I want to see a long series, even if FOX doesn't. Points are weighted double for each game it progresses past a four-game sweep (zero points).
+2 for a five-game series
+4 for a six-game series
+8 for a seven-games series
Winning the series at home: All things being equal, I want to see a team celebrate a championship on its home field. It makes the conclusion infinitely more satisfying.
+3 for clinching a championship at home.
Being "Old-School": Okay, I'll admit. I'm what you might call a baseball snob--a "purist" in the old tongue. Any series that includes a team that existed--EVEN IN ANOTHER CITY, BY ANOTHER NAME--in the pre-expansion era gets bonus points.
+2 for pre-expansion participants PER TEAM.
Signature moments: This is where this list exits the realm of science and becomes purely subective. No fan is going to remember exactly the same moments from any given series. However, as a (mostly) unbiased, ever-watching baseball fan, I'm confident that if I can't remember a Series-"defining" moment, not many people can. What are defining moments? Pretty much any dramatic, noteworthy play, accomplishment or factor that the history books will note in, say, 25 years. Example: You remember Reggie's three-homer game in 1977 against the Dodgers; do you remember anything about the 1978 Series, also against the Dodgers? Or the 1979 Series between the O's and Pirates, for that matter? 'Nuff said.
+3 for every "Signature" moment as defined by this blog's master, Matt Lemmon
Without further ado, my best World Series' ever. (And, yes, this blog post's title gave away the 2007 Series' ranking.)
1991-Minnesota Twins over Atlanta Braves: 33 points
I didn't need math to tell you this one was the best I've seen. I was in the sixth grade, fixated on nothing but baseball (the girl I was "going out" with will attest to that). This series was my first proof that A.) A series could go seven games and B.) include a team other than Oakland. The result: A classic.
+8: Seven-game series (home team won every game)
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams (the Twins were the original Washington Senators, so I counted them. The '91 series would have won handily regardless)
+18: Six signature moments. Perhaps I'm being generous here, seeing as how I watched every OUT, which is something I can't say for every series, but here are the things I remember:
--Kirby Puckett's Game 6 catch to rob Ron Gant of a go-ahead home run-->
--Kirby Puckett's Game 6 walk-off home run (and Jack Buck's "And we'll see you.... tomorrow night! call).
--Jack Morris's 10 shutout innings in Game 7.
--Gene Larkin's walk-off Texas leaguer to win Game 7.
--Some unnamed Brave scoring on a sac fly to win game four or five in Atlanta (I just remember it being dramatic)
--Lonnie Smith being duped into a baserunning error by the Twins' second baseman, and thus not scoring the go-ahead run in Game Seven.
--Minnesota's Dan Gladden plowing over Atlanta catcher Gregg Olson (SP?) at the plate, creating that unforgettable image.
2001-Arizona Diamondbacks over New York Yankees: 25 points
Many would argue this was the best series ever, and if it weren't for the non-stop drama of 1991, I'd agree. Heightening this Series's import were the September 11 attacks, barely a month before this series, which pushed the final games into November, an unheard-of thing. When the D-backs won, it almost seemed they should have apologized for twisting the knife in the heart of a messed up city, but really, this series was it's own reward for the whole nation.
+8: Seven-game series (another where the home team won every game)
+2: One old-school team (NY)
+3: Won at home
+12: Signature moments. I'm admittedly giving this one a bit of an emotional boost because it came so quickly after 9/11, and included a team from New York. So sue me.
--George W. Bush (hssssst!) throwing out the first pitch of Game 3/post-9/11 hoopla
--Scott Brosius walk-off, Game 4
--Tino Martinez's walk-off, Game 5. I watched both of these home runs from the exact same spot on back-to-back nights--lying on my left side watching the tiny TV in my then-girlfriend's room (sorry mom, but it's true). It's the most overwhelming feeling of deja vu I've ever had.
--Luis Gonzalez's walk-off single to win Game 7.
2002-Anaheim Angels over San Francisco Giants: 19 points
This one surprised me, and not just because I spent the entirety of the series on my honeymoon (those nights sleeping over in 2001 paid off). Granted, it went seven games, and I gave a "signature moment" status to Dusty Baker's kid almost getting run over at the plate, but how can you not?
+8: Seven-game series
+2: One old-school team (SF)
+3: Won at home
+6: Signature moments
--Angels comeback in Game 5. Giants manager Dusty Baker had even given the damn game ball to his starter, and then the Halos come back to win it. I don't recall much about Games 6 and 7, except that I watched Game 7 from the terminal of LAX, waiting for a plane to Chicago (not 10 miles from the Angels' stadium, or so they say). But fairly dramatic, anyway.
--Aforementioned toddler-in-the-basebaths incident.
1996-New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves: 17 points
When the Yanks won this series, I was a bit nieve. After all, it had been 18 years since they'd won one: I hadn'tt even been (quite) conceived when they repeated in 1978. The Braves were the big bad bullies, trying to repeat... well, we all know what happened after that. Still this was a pretty remarkable series, the Yankees losing the first two games overwhelmingly (at home!) and then winning four straight, culminating in the best celebration to date...
+4: Six-game series
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--Wade Boggs on the back of a NY police horse, high-fiving fans. Indeed, ALL of the Yankees high-fiving fans. The Boggs part seemed a bit incestuous, since I remembered him as a Red Sock (though it wasn't quite as incestuous as seeing him get his 3,000th hit as a Devil Ray).
--Andruw Jones hitting homers in his first two WS at-bats as a 19-year-old. I was impressed by it, what can I say?
1997-Florida Marlins over Cleveland Indians: 16 points
The lowest-ranked over all my seven-game series, this was the first time I'd watched a series and wondered, "What the hell is THAT team doing there?" But Florida shocked us all, as several teams have since.
+8: Seven-game series
+3: Won at home
+2: One old-school team (CLE)
+3: Signature moments
--Edgar Renteria's walk-off single to score Craig Counsell is all I really remember. Tony Fernandez booting a ball at second base immediately preceded that, but I'm going to lump them together.
2006-St. Louis Cardinals over Detroit Tigers: 15 points
Okay, okay, okay. This one likely only makes it this high because, you know, my Cardinals WON. But the fact that it went an extra game (and the drama from that game) plus the fact that two storied franchises were participating helped make it the highest-rated five- or four-game series on the list (and even beat one six-game series).
+2: Five-game series
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--Did I mention the Cardinals WON?
--Game 2, Kenny Rogers and the dirty smudge on his hand. Quite the controversy, no? I wonder why he barely pitched in 2008?
1993-Toronto Blue Jays over Philadelphia Phillies: 15 points
The highest-ranked of the non-seven game series, this one is most notable for its final play, and the fact that the Jays were the first team to repeat since the '77-'78 Yankees. But it had its fair share of drama.
+4: Six-game series
+3: Won at home
+2: One old-school team (PHI)
+6: Signature moments
--Joe Carter's walk-off, Game 7 home run off of Mitch Williams. This really should get more points, but a moment's a moment. It's not two moments.
--Maybe this makes up for the lack of gravitas for Carter's bomb: Remember Game 4, when the teams combined for 29 runs, and the Jays prevailed 15-14. Holy crap. I remember watching that game and shaking my head the whole time.
1988-Los Angeles Dodgers over Oakland Atheltics: 12 points
I'm somewhat partial to this series, though the numbers don't bear me out. It's the first series I got jazzed about, watching the entire playoffs with my dad. It also coincided nicely with our first fall in Ozark after moving from Texas... it was sort of a new life for us all, though I was less acutely aware of the fact than my parents were. Anyway, Game 1 is all anyone really needs to remember about this series.
+2: Five-game series
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--Duh. A limping Kirk Gibson's walk-off homer in Game 1 is perhaps the most famous World Series home run of our generation. Accentuating the drama, for me, is my hero Jack Buck's call: "I don't be-LIEVE what I just saw!" Wow.
--I also remember Jose Canseco's huge home run in Game 1 that bounced off the CBS camera. It was a ridiculous year for Canceco (and also might have been the signature year of the steriod era, save '98 McGwire and '01 Bonds), and that home cemented it.
1995-Atlanta Braves over Cleveland Indians: 11 points
Poor Atlanta. More playoff trips than any of these teams and their only win is only this high. That's because, other than the fact that they actually WON (at home, against another old-school team), it was a wholly unremarkable series. In fact, I couldn't remember a single significant moment. Maybe I had play practice or something.
+4: Six-game series
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
2004-Boston Red Sox over St. Louis Cardinals: 10 points
For a sweep, this one was chock full of drama (it's the highest-rated four-game series, but only because of the teams involved). But not for Cardinals fans. For Cardinals fans, this series blew.
+4: Two old-school teams
+6: Signature moments
--First series I'd ever seen the Cardinals in
--Red Sox first series win in a bajillion years or something like that
2000-New York Yankees over New York Mets: 10 points
Subway Series! Though, forgive me, I doubt it lacked the panache of those old Brooklyn-New York matchups. The Yanks were in their prime here, though it probably should have been a bit closer than it was.
+2: Five-game series
+2: One old-school team (NYY)
+6: Signature moments
--It was a Subway Series. Good for the press.
--The whole "Roger Clemens-threw-a-broken-bat-at-Mike-Piazza thing, but not really." That was pretty good theater.
1992-Toronto Blue Jays over Atlanta Braves: 9 points
I must admit, when I was really young and chose teams based on the prettiness of their uniforms (you can make gay jokes, but the Jays' '80s unis were pretty damn attractive), the Jays were my team. So I was a bit happy when they made it to the Fall Classic for the first time in 1992. But, alas, other than a nationalistic faux pas before Game 1, I don't remember a damn thing about this series.
+4: Six-game series
+2: One old-school team (ATL)
+3: Signature moments
-Before Game 1 (or possibly Game 2) in Atlanta, whoever presented the Canadian colors had the flag UPSIDE DOWN. I mean, c'mon, it was the first time a Canadian team had ever made the Series. You can forgive a ROTC schmuck for not knowing what a right-side-up maple leaf looks like, right?
2003-Florida Marlins over New York Yankees: 9 points
I suppose a six-game series should get more points than this. Maybe it's a flaw in my rating system. But really, do YOU consider this a more memorable series than the Dodgers in '88? Or the Sox in '04? Didn't think so.
+4: Six-game series
+2: One old-school team (NYY)
+3: Signature moment
-Miggy Cabrera hit a go-ahead homer late in game four or five. I'm being REALLY generous here.
1989-Oakland Athletics over San Francisco Giants: 7 points
Poor A's. The dominant team of my early basebal-fandom, and the only reason they're this high is because of the San Andreas fault.
+4: Two old-school teams
+3: Signature moment
-The earthquake immediately before Game 3. Drama on live TV. Yowers.
1999-New York Yankees over Atlanta Braves: 7 points
Shi**y, shi**t series. Only here because the teams were historical and it was the NL's year for home-field advantage.
+3: Won at home
+4: Two old-school teams
2005-Chicago White Sox over Houston Astros: 5 points
I was too busy (and pissed at the 'Stros) to watch much of this one. It's a miracle it ranks this high.
+2: One old-school team (CHW)
+3: Signature moment
-Scott Podsednik's walk-off homer in Game 2, further crucifying Brad Lidge, who had been rendered almost impotent by Albert Pujols in Game 5 of the NLCS.
1990-Cincinnati Reds over Oakland Athletics: 4 points
Now we're just going through the motions. Name one thing about this series (Reds fans, pipe down) other than Eric Davis brusing his kidney.
+4: Two old-school teams
1998-New York Yankees over San Diego Padres: 2 points
The only thing I remember about this series is that I was a freshman in college, and I was drunk, trying to impress one of my older fraternity members with all my knowlegdge about the Padres (which, for a drunk 18-year-old, was quite a damn bit). Ugh.
+2: One old-school team (NYY)
2007-Boston Red Sox over Colorado Rockies: 2 points
This series hasn't been over for two HOURS and I can't tell you a single memorable moment. I guess the last two games were close... but so what? It seemed pretty foregone from the moment the Sox went up 6-0 in Game 1. Reminds me of 2004, except without the question of how the Sox could conceivably blow it.
+2: One old-school team (BOS)
Total NL teams I've seen in the Series: 12 of 16 (all but PIT, CHN, WSH/MTL, MIL)
Total AL teams I've seen in the Series: 9 of 14 (all but TB, BAL, KC, SEA, TEX)
Total series wins leaders:
NYY-4 ('96, '98,'99,'00)
TOR-2 ('92, '93)
FLA-2 ('97, '03)
BOS-2 ('04, '07)
LAD-1 ('88)
OAK-1 ('89)
CIN-1 ('90)
MIN-1 ('91)
ATL-1 ('95)
ARZ-1 ('01)
LAA-1 ('02)
CHW-1 ('05)
STL-1 ('06)
Teams I've seen play in the most series:
NYY-6 ('96, '98, '99, '00, '01, '03)
ATL-5 ('91, '92, '95, '96, '99)
OAK-3 ('88, '89, '90)
TOR-2 ('92, '93)
BOS-2 ('04, '07)
FLA-2 ('97, '03)
STL-2 ('04, '06)
SF-2 ('89, '02)
CLE-2 ('95, '97)
ARZ-1 ('01)
LAA-1 ('01)
CHW-1 ('05)
LAD-1 ('88)
CIN-1 ('90)
MIN-1 ('91)
PHI-1 ('93)
SD-1 ('98)
NYM-1 ('00)
HOU-1 ('05)
DET-1 ('06)
COL-1 ('07)
Thanks for bearing with me on my anal-retentive trip down memory lane. It was fun. Rip apart my ratings in the comments, if you wish, and here's hoping that next year's Series is up there on the list.
Peace.
ML
I'm Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now!)
Race photos are posted! (This isn't one of them, it's just one my sister-in-law took that I like).
I know none of you will want one, but I don't want to buy the whole lot, either. Here's a link to "Party Pics"-style snapshots taken of me on the marathon course. Most of them are from the finish line, a few from the 10-12 mile mark.
http://www.backprint.com/go
And, just to put a bow on this whole marathon thing, I thought I'd make a few more detailed observations, now that I can actually walk again.
1. If you're ever responsible for helping organize a marathon, convince the people in charge to switch up the flavors of Gatorade at the aid stations. Seriously. I will never again drink badly mixed red Gatorade. By the end of the race I was drinking water just to get the taste out of my mouth, even though I really needed electrolytes.
2. If possible, plan to take the first day after the race off work. I could barely walk around the office--if it hadn't been a deadline day I would have gone home. I could literally feel my calves knitting themselves back together.
3. Don't believe for a second that you CAN'T run a marathon. With the proper training, a slightly insane streak and a good deal of willpower, a half or full marathon is within almost anyone's reach. Team In Training is a good way to do it, really. They'll give you the training regimen, the weekend Powerade and bagels, and a good deal of positive reinforcement.
4. Choose places to run that please you aesthetically. Even at my most zapped moments, I found time to look around me and smile, whether it was running along the James River during a training run or through 18th and Vine, a mile and a half from the marathon's end. If you have to run with an iPod, take out the ear buds every now and then and listen to the birds and the sound of your own breathing. I'm not a Zen-iphile, but those moments were as close as I got.
5. Buy good shoes, and make sure they're big enough. I can't stress this too much. You can put 500 miles on a good pair of shoes. My Mizuno's weren't cheap, but I wouldn't have finished in my old shoes, plain and simple.
Gosh, I guess that's all for now. The main thing is finding people who support you, be it a spouse, friends, a running group (I can't explain how great Springfield's Ozark Mountain Ridge Runners are) or Team in Training. Don't get too hung up on running WITH a group of people, unless you need the motivation to actually show up on Saturday mornings. Most of my best runs were solo. It was two hours (sometimes more) on a weekend where the stresses of life and work couldn't touch me, which is a huge part of the reason this was such a healthy experience and, in the end, why I'll do it again.
If you dig a try at the St. Louis marathon in April, I'd love to have some running partners. Contact me at matthew.lemmon@gmail.com
Peace.
ML
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