Six years ago…

So after telling you all that the first part of the Jason Varitek special was on NESN tonight, I totally missed it.  (Hooray for the dvr, which I set up to record the Red Sox Report replay on Wednesday afternoon.)  I really am hoping it’s just a tribute a long time in coming and not goodbye.  Time will tell.

Tonight we get game 1 of the World Series.  I’m still not absolutely sure which team I’m rooting for.  I’m leaning toward the Giants because I can only think of one reason I really want the Rangers to win…Cliff Lee.  I could be dreaming, but I feel like Cliff Lee winning a World Series might help him in making a decision on where he’ll be in 2011.  Or maybe this will help:

The wife of Texas Rangers ace Cliff Lee says she experienced some pretty abusive behavior from Yankee fans, including taunting, cursing, throwing cups of beer and even spitting from the section above.

“The fans did not do good things in my heart,” Kristen Lee told USA Today. “When people are staring at you, and saying horrible things, it’s hard not to take it personal.”

Now I know fans do idiot things to the friends/relatives of the opposing team in plenty of stadiums throughout sports.  I don’t get it, but I’m sure it happens in more places than Yankee Stadium.  I just think if you’re coveting a certain player, you might want to forgo the insulting of that player’s wife.

What will end up happening is the game will begin and something will happen that will either reinforce that I want the Giants to win, or make me reassess and decide that maybe I want the Rangers to win.  Honestly, I have no overwhelming feelings here yet.  I have to admit, it’s a nice way to go into the World Series.  Go baseball!

But my mind is not on this year’s World Series, really.  For today is the sixth anniversary of the Red Sox winning the 2004 World Series.

My memory isn’t always the greatest, but I remember everything about that night.  I remember the moon. I remember the looks on the faces of my parents.  I remember my sister’s voice cracking when she called me after the final out.  While I hope that every sports fan can be as happy as we were on October 27, 2004, I believe that it will be impossible to ever duplicate what went on that October.  And for that, as well as the two World Championships in my lifetime, I will be eternally grateful.

I post the below video a few times a year.  When I saw it for the first time at Fenway Park, I sat in the stands sobbing and it still brings a few happy tears but  I love to watch it and I think it’s a fitting tribute to mark the day.

http://www.metacafe.com/fplayer/1922500/red_sox_the_beatles_a_day_in_the_life.swf

Red Sox – The Beatles – A Day In The Life – More bloopers are a click away