Death of a fun fact: Terry Francona has now lost an elimination game.
I’ve got the same problem, in reverse. I’m an NL guy and typically root for the NL, but the giantkilling Rays were a lot of fun to watch in this series, and the Phillies just get under my skin for some reason.
–Cliffy
This was his second elimination-game loss, actually – the Red Sox were swept by the White Sox in the ALDS in 2005. Cite. Still, a hell of record. Wish he could have done so well in Philly. 
What Asimovian said; I saw a story in the paper a few weeks ago that said some casinos were offering 200-1 on the Rays preseason to win the Series.
As stated, he already had one loss against the White Sox. The fact in question that has died is that until now Francona had never lost an ALCS elimination game.
Man, I was really hoping Boston would win.
Ah well. We can take 'em. Let’s go Phils!
Mister Rik: You know you can stream ESPN radio for free, right? I mean, it doesn’t help with listening to ESPN announcers, but at least it’s free.
ESPNs Bill Simmons will have a breakdown over this. Good.He is such a homer ,I love it when Boston loses.
So, Tampa enter the league and never win more than 70 games.
Then they drop the name “Devil” from the team and get to the World Series.
Coincidence? 
I think this is the way I’m leaning as well. If the Red Sox had gotten through, I would definitely be rooting Phils. Now with the Rays, as much of an NL guy as I am, I think I’m going to have to be pulling for them. They’re a great story and, even though as a Cubs fan it irritates me to no end to see expansion team after expansion team get to play in the Series, and I, for one, like a league where the pitchers have to hit, I really don’t like Philadelphia and their fans much.
We’re not all bad, really. Pinky swear. Not even me, with all my melodramatic rending-of-garments-in-advance earlier. It’s really the Eagles fans that are awful (and I say that as one myself). FWIW, IMHO, and YMMV, etc. But seriously: I know have a bad reputation, and it isn’t just talk*, but Philadelphia is a great city and these particular Phillies are a good bunch of guys**. Cheer for the Rays if you must, but maybe give us a little chance? Please?
** Paraphrased from Freedy Johnston.
** Okay, except maybe Pat Burrell***, who really ought to play like it’s a contract year all the time, but this, too, shall pass.
*** Kidding. I think.*
I’m already hearing the pundits go for the Phillies, which, in all fairness, is probably the smart way to bet. Main reason given is the shakiness in the bullpen during the ALCS for the Rays versus the steadfastness of Lidge and Co in Philly.
Who do you expect will be your DH in the first two games? I’m guessing we start with Kazmir (LHP) in Game 1 then Shields (RHP) in Game 2, although that’s not a foregone conclusion.
In my own defense, it’s really the Eagles fans who are horrible. The Santa thing was really an overblown incident. I won’t say that Phillies/Sixers/Flyers fans are a huggable, friendly bunch, but we’re not awful.
Plus, in defense of Eagles fans, once they got themselves a decent stadium, they realized they don’t even need jail cells in that stadium. Which I grant may not be, you know, the most ringing endorsement, but it’s a step in the right direction.
No frickin’ idea. I was thinking we’d use Howard, since he’s only a middling first baseman anyway (IMO), but it’s not like we have anybody better on standby, you know? I’m hoping that Chris Coste will get some play time, and he’s decent against lefties, so maybe he’ll start at DH in Game 1. Or maybe they’ll go with Stairs? Or Taguchi? Or Jenkins? Or Dobbs? Or … I really don’t know. Who’s left?
So, in short: I dunno. Ought to be interesting.
I think Philadelphia fans get a worse reputation than what they are really like. I mean, we boo the players when they aren’t doing well. (Even hall of famers.) But, I think all of the teams in the Northeast do that.
Although, Eagles fans are harsh. I do get that. At the same time, I think football fans in general are a rowdier lot. Look at a game in Cleveland or Oakland for an example.
Because the American League is stronger and they had a better record. I think most pundits and bettors will be putting their money on the Rays. That doesn’t stop my hope for the Phillies. (The last time the Phillies won a world series was an election year in which Presidential power switched from Democrat to Republican as a landside. So, I guess the Phillies being in the WS this year portends for a Phillies win AND an Obama victory. Two great tastes that go great together!)
Charlie Manuel has stated that the Howard will be starting at 1B for sure and not taking up any DH duties. I think Gregg Dobbs will be in there as DH atleast against the Right Handers. And, maybe Jenkins against the Lefties. I am not positive about what they are going to do, though.
I thought they would mix up the pitching staff so that Meyer’s could have a start at home since he has been so effective there. Hopefully, he can pull out a good start down in Florida.
It should be a good series. I hope so, atleast!
pricciar, there is usually only one thing that Yankees, Mets and Red Sox fans will agree with, “Philly fans are the roughest. Rougher than NY & Boston who are rough.”
Who else has a history of booing Santa? 
Thanks for the heads-up - I did not know that. As it was, I was in too much of a hurry to search for alternatives. My radio was on, the baseball game started 10 minutes ago, and I’m hearing the Seahawks pregame and saying “What the hell?!” I knew I could listen on MLB.com, so I went straight there and dropped my $9.95. At least that covers the rest of the postseason, so on Saturday when KKRT is broadcasting another WSU Cougars loss instead of WS Game 3, I’ll still be able to hear it.
God that was a great album. Whatever happened to that guy?
He’s still making music. I was at his website the other night but the files are all using Real so I couldn’t listen.
Personally, I think Boston fans are tougher than Philly fans, and lately they’re a bit more insufferable – Philly fans are really just your garden-variety drunk-and-disorderly, albeit with that hideous accent that many of us have. But for my money, I actually think Chicago fans are kind of rough, especially those of the Bears and/or Blackhawks variety. IMHO and YMMV, obvs, but I think my sister in Des Plaines will back me up on this.
I still listen to his stuff. “Bad Reputation” especially, though, because I have made it my sort of personal theme song for the Phillies. Somehow, it fits.
This is weird. Back when I was a Mets fan, I started this Mets’ fan website whose posters all loved Freedy’s stuff, so I ended up buying “Bad Reputation” and remained a Freedy fan long after I stopped rooting for the Mets. For a while, when I was criticizing the Mets on daily basis there, and getting flamed regularly, I had “I know I’ve got a bad reputation, and it isn’t just talk, talk, talk…” as my sig line.
It isn’t weird – just evidence of our mutual impeccable taste (that Mets-fan-business notwithstanding, and anyway, you’ve recovered from that).