Honoring the '86 Red Sox

Maybe an 11-game winning streak just puts you in a good mood?

Maybe the 2004 championship cured everything? (I still can't get this smile off my face).

But if you would have told me that I would ever be in a positoin of looking back *fondly* on the year 1986 in baseball, I would have laughed. And then I would have cried.

But two nights ago the Sox had a special celebration honoring the 1986 AL champions, and a team that came closer to a World Series title without winning it than any team in baseball. Not that I'm still bitter, but ONE FRICKIN' STRIKE!!! Sorry, I'm back.

The celebration was not broadcast on the NESN satellite feed, but during the game they had members of the '86 team stop by the booth (Wade Boggs and Bruce Hurst) and relive some of the memories. The fact that Roger Clemens was pitching that very same night for the Houston Astros did not escape mention, and amazement. But one person couldn't be there, and you wonder if the reason he gave for not showing up was legit. Bill Buckner, whose name will forever be tied to one silly play despite an incredible career, couldn't make it. The official reason was something about his son, who is quite the ballplayer himself, having a scouting trip, or something like that. But you wonder how much motivation Billy Buck has to come back to Fenway. I was glad to see that the announcement of his name got cheers from the Fenway crowd, but these people put that poor man through the ringer for his failure to pick up Mookie Wilson's grounder. Even though the Steamer would not have covered the GOD DAMN BAG!!! Sorry, I'm back again. I've got to quit doing that.

There are so many bad memories of that night in 1986, and I can't even talk (write) about it without getting tears on my keyboard, and that's not going to be good for anyone. But I think the 2004 championship, more than anything else, has healed those wounds. That's what is so amazing about the 2004 title. Take 1967, 1978, 1986, and all bad memories of the previous 86 years and just throw them out the window. The slate is clean!

Plus, the fact that the Red Sox have taken 2 of the first 3 from the Mets (who are running away with the NL East this year, and are no slouches) in the series, and have Schilling on the hill going for the sweep tonight, doesn't hurt my mood one bit.

So I wish Billy Buck would have come back. He had an amazing career, and he should not be remembered for that play. I'm not naive enough to believe that that will ever be true, but he should know that Red Sox Nation loves him. But the Steamer should have covered the GOD DAMN BAG!!! (Sorry again...).