BASEBALL, BASEBALL, BASEBALL: Yes, the Twins lost Game 2. I knew they would; I think sweeping the Yanks at the Stadium (or in the Series) was just a bit too much to ask. I'm just glad I went to the win and not the loss, and now we can look forward to two home games at the Metrodome- both day games in which the Twins will have the famous White Roof Advantage, which for some reason always seems to kick in in the playoffs. But still, so much for that whole "LaTroy Hawkins as the K-Rod of '03" hypothesis.
Then there's the Red Sox. Yes, on the 25th anniversary of the Bucky Dent game in 1978, the Red Sox somehow pulled off the rare feat of losing two playoff games in one day- dropping Game 1 in 12 innings in a game that ended at just before 3 in the morning on the East Coast, and then (just a few hours later) losing the afternoon Game 2. Now it's back to Fenway, where Pedro Martinez won't pitch again until Game 4 at the earliest. But then again, the A's haven't won a playoff series since the first Bush Administration, and are coming off three straight ALDS chokes, so you never know. At least they were smart enough to give Barry Zito a potential Game 5 start.
Oh yea, and Games 1 and 2 of the NLDS reminded of why I hate the Atlanta Braves: no other team in the majors would allow one-third of the stadium to be occupied by opposing fans, but the Atlanta fans' apathy is such that thousands of tickets were available to be scooped up by Cubs fans- even though it's a new-ish facility and the Braves just won their 13th consecutive division title. Then there's that endlessly annoying "Tomahawk Chop" theme song, which has for some reason even been sampled in a hit rap song. That's why I've watched the last two games on mute... I hope the Cubs win Games 3 and 4 by a combined score of 75-0.
But while we're on the subject: Can we please declare a moritorium on Red Sox-Cubs-World-Series-will-cause-the-apocalypse jokes? Yea, I've been guilty of this myself but really, enough is enough.