Pam and I were home for most of October and I sat on the Sofa in Seps (Pam's dad) den with a varying array of characters (Sep, Sam, Evan, Pam, Phoebe) and watched the games. Being a true Phila sports fan there is always the feeling that something bad is going to happen; Howard, Rollins, Utley and Burrell all go into hitting slumps, Hammels, Myers and Moyer losing their touch, Lidge and Madsen giving up leads and the game.
Well, some of it did happen. Moyer was not terrific, Rollins and Howard did have huge hitting slumps, Madsen gave up a late game lead. As the playoffs rolled along other incredible things happened, Victorino played superbly, Myers pictched well and hit even better having more hits and RBIs in the playoffs than during the 162 game season.
Game 5 was agony. Watching as the weather worsened and you could see its effect on the players and the 2-0 lead slipped away into a 2-2 tie before the game is called. Then when the game resumed, the Phillies quickly regained the lead only to have Madsen come out weakly and give up the lead. But this was to be the Phillies year, they were not to be denied.
During the first game in Phila. Tim McGraw, Tug McGraw's son, sang the Anthem and secretly spread his dad's ashes on the mound. Moyer pitched his best game of the playoffs.....and Lidge, shut down the Rays and ended the game on a strikeout just like Tugger in 1980...he just did not have to watch 3rd base for Schmidt charging the mound!
Game 4 found Pam and I on the plane headed back to Germany. We landed and the pilot announced the 10-2 score. WOW....Rollins and Howard had gotten their bats back.
Monday, I dozed on the sofa watching Game 4 on NASN (National Sports Network - part of ESPN I think). Game 5 started and I watched until the game was suspended and did not thing they would restart so I went to bed and waited and worried....this is how it goes in Phila.
Wednesday Pam and I went to bed before 11pm and I woke up at 1:30 and went downstairs to watch the finish of the game. With two outs in the 9th and an 0-1 count, I called Mom. I was feeling the 5000 miles distance I was and yearning to be in Philly for the finish. With the 3rd strike I let out a hoot and a holler. There were no cheers coming from outside....no blaring horns such as we heard during the Euro 2008 Fusboll Championship, just silence.
This morning there was nobody wearing championship caps, shirts or sweatshirts...just me in my NLCS Cap. I hard no news about riots in the city....I was not part of any mass of people cheering and slapping each other on the back for a job well done. yes, I am feeling a little forlorn. I remember the energy of 1980. Sitting on the sofa with my grandfather a lifelong Phillies sufferer as they finally won one for my Grandfather. I remember walking outside and seeing Fairdale Rd. filled with happy, cheering people...a seen repeated all over the city that night.
Oh, well....it is a fairly young team and one they can hopefully retain in large measure...perhaps next year or the year after I will be there for another Series win...then again this is Philadelphia and we have watched team after team win one and then disperse.
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