Down But Not Out

Last night I watched the Boston Redsox win the American League Championship Series after trailing 3 games to one. It was a great comeback, and in most cases it would be their biggest comeback but for the Redsox, that distinction came in the 2004 play-offs.
In 2004, the Redsox came back from a 3-0 deficit and it was against, no less, the Yankees. Not just the rival of the Redsox, but the Evil Empire itself. It was like the Forest moon of Endor all over again!

This time is was a measly 3-1 deficit. Highly unlikely, but not thought of impossible. That is what I think is the miracle.

It used to be that once a team got down 2-0 in a series, it was considered over. History does not record a lot of 2-0 survivors, but enough not to dash all hopes. But 3-0 or 3-1? Fans are normally sucking down bullets at that point. But Boston has shown that it does not need to be that way.

And what about the National League Champions, the Colorado Rockies? They swept though their two series 3-0 and 4-0, but theirs is a story of seemingly insurmountable odds. They had to win like 14 of their last 15 games of the regular season just to make it to a one game play-off for the wildcard spot. In that game they were down by two runs in the 13th inning and yet found a way to win. They may have earned themselves a couple of series sweeps since that time, but they are comeback kids nonetheless!

This year’s baseball play-offs are the example that will be used for years as the “never give up” season. The season Writers and Speakers will write and talk about for years. Especially if one of these teams get way out ahead and the other one comes back. As a writer and a speaker, I am watching this storyline with much interest!

“Sorry honey. I have to watch this game, I’m working.”