In 2011, when the Red Sox collapsed during the month of September, I remember walking into my bedroom at school and crying. I watched my favorite team let the division and then the wild card slip out of their grasps on the last day of the season and I literally cried. The next year, I sat idly by and watched my beloved Sox suffer their worst season in decades.
However, this season felt different, from the very beginning. I remember watching games on NESN in early April and all of the commercials for the team were basically aimed at gaining the trust of the fans back. After the debacle that we had gone through over the last two years, this team was concerned with marketing themselves in a light that regained the respect of us fans.
They've done it. This memorable season is in the books and I have wanted to write this blog since early August. I've never dedicated as much time, energy, or passion towards a sports team before. From the very beginning, I was watching almost every game. The opening night win over the Yanks, Nava's three run homer in the wake of the Boston Marathon Bombings, and Bucholz's (sp?) incredible start. I've never invested this much time into a Sox team, and maybe that's why tonight's win meant so much to me.
However, that's not the only reason. As I've mentioned in previous posts, this was my last summer at home. This was the last summer that my dad and I had the opportunity to sit together, night after night, and watch the Sox do their thing. And that's exactly what we did. With the exception of 7:30-8 every night (so my mom could watch Jeopardy) we watched pretty much every game. Every dramatic win, every heartbreaking loss, we watched it together. Since I've been back at school, we haven't eased up, and we will text each other probably close to 20-30 times during the course of every game. This year's team was not only incredible for what they accomplished, but sharing the excitement and joy with my dad was something that we both will always cherish.
Every part of this team completely erased the disgrace of 2012. Jonny Gomes's lively attitude. Jacoby's baserunning. Nava's dedicated approach. Papi's speech. Pedroia's leadership. Lackey's comeback. Lester's second half. Everything was amazing. Was I upset when they traded Iglesias? Of course, kid was a stud. Was it worth it? You can answer that for yourself....
After that first game of the season, I made the prediction that the Sox were going 162-0. Obviously that was a joke, and an incorrect prediction. There's no doubt in my mind that what the Sox did this year was incredible and I will never forget it.
I just want to sign off by thanking the Red Sox. You accomplished your goal: you've gained the trust and appreciation of the fans. You were amazing to watch, and I will never forget this season.
#fearthepineapple
#BostonStrong
