If Patriots Win, Best Area Championship Ever?

[Watson's IQ]

Obviously he is pro-Red Sox all the way. Not that I'm not, but I think this championship, if they get it, would mark the time and outdo even the '04 WS win. It won't diminish the importance and the impact of '04.

No chance. Every one of us who is also a lifelong Red Sox fan remembers what winning that one was like, and nothing can ever approach that feeling. I'm not ashamed to admit that's the only time I've ever wept openly about something which happened in sports, and I still well up whenever I watch the DVDs for that season. There is absolutely no way any sporting event in my life will ever feel like that again, I'm sure of it.

Because of the 19-0, I will enjoy this Patriots championship far more than the other ones, but it will be because of a sense of pride and respect more than raw emotion. I'm not even sure it would be a more profound moment for me than the first Pats SB win, though I'll likely appreciate it a lot more as it's happening.

When I'm old I would definitely remember the year the Patriots went 19-0, but that will be the only thing that separates from the other dozen super bowls I watched them win (knock on wood), but I'll always remember every face in the room when the Sox won in '04, the phone call with my dad, everything.. The Patriots could run the table again and go 38-0 and it still wouldn't touch that feeling.

 

[jscout]

Can I get an Amen?

 

[dhamz]

No group of Patriots players will be as beloved as the key '04 Sox players - Varitek, Shilling, Manny, etc.

You sure about that? The key player in the 2004 Red Sox World Series title drive was Keith Foulke. He left Boston universally hated by Red Sox fans.

 

[BeantownRox]

The '04 Red Sox, though, is what I'd describe as the pinnacle. Maybe some day, Cubs fans will know what it felt like for us the night our team won it all.

I will NEVER forget it.

 

[Lansdowne]

No chance. Every one of us who is also a lifelong Red Sox fan remembers what winning that one was like, and nothing can ever approach that feeling. I'm not ashamed to admit that's the only time I've ever wept openly about something which happened in sports, and I still well up whenever I watch the DVDs for that season. There is absolutely no way any sporting event in my life will ever feel like that again, I'm sure of it.

Because of the 19-0, I will enjoy this Patriots championship far more than the other ones, but it will be because of a sense of pride and respect more than raw emotion. I'm not even sure it would be a more profound moment for me than the first Pats SB win, though I'll likely appreciate it a lot more as it's happening.

When I'm old I would definitely remember the year the Patriots went 19-0, but that will be the only thing that separates from the other dozen super bowls I watched them win (knock on wood), but I'll always remember every face in the room when the Sox won in '04, the phone call with my dad, everything.. The Patriots could run the table again and go 38-0 and it still wouldn't touch that feeling.

Yup. I was actually around Fenway that night. When Foulke snared the ball, everyone started jumping up and down in a frenzy, and when the ball reached Mientkiewicz's glove for the final out, all the emotion was let out. I never shouted so loud, and I imagine the thousands in the area never did either. I got high fives and hugs from complete strangers in the streets. For one night the entire city, block to block, was united and in harmony with this victory.

I was surprised that I didn't shed tears out of joy, when the loss to the Yankees the previous year caused me to cry like an infant for the first time in my life as a sports fan. No loss measured to that. No victory ever will measure to 2004, but I'm still surprised to my reaction. Maybe because I was emotionally spent from the '04 ALCS, I don't know. But I have those DVD's, and the room gets a little dusty while watching them.

 

[Watson's IQ]

You sure about that? The key player in the 2004 Red Sox World Series title drive was Keith Foulke. He left Boston universally hated by Red Sox fans.

Ditto Johnny Damon, for reasons we all know. Other than that though, "The 25" are ridiculously adored. Think Dave Roberts, O-Cab, etc and the kind of receptions they get when they come back to Boston. If Pedro and Lowe pitch in Fenway again in their careers, they'll be greeted the same way.

 

[Tommysgirl]

Ditto Johnny Damon, for reasons we all know. Other than that though, "The 25" are ridiculously adored. Think Dave Roberts, O-Cab, etc and the kind of receptions they get when they come back to Boston. If Pedro and Lowe pitch in Fenway again in their careers, they'll be greeted the same way.

Pedro already did. We're just waiting on Lowe.

 

[Watson's IQ]

Yup. I was actually around Fenway that night. When Foulke snared the ball, everyone started jumping up and down in a frenzy, and when the ball reached Mientkiewicz's glove for the final out, all the emotion was let out. I never shouted so loud, and I imagine the thousands in the area never did either. I got high fives and hugs from complete strangers in the streets. For one night the entire city, block to block, was united and in harmony with this victory.

I was in my college dorm, and afterwards hundreds of Red Sox fans took to the streets of campus, a mini riot of sorts that lasted well into the night.

Oh, that was in DC, not Boston. That gives you a sense of what a big deal it was.

The one thing you can say is that the Red Sox have made it easier on us this decade than the Patriots. Pretty much all the drama of both '04 and '07 were spent in the ALCS, and the series as we know were both 4 game sweeps. Meanwhile the Patriots have won a bunch of 3-point games.

I, for one, wouldn't mind at all if the Patriots tried it the Sox' way this year.

 

[BTTA]

You sure about that? The key player in the 2004 Red Sox World Series title drive was Keith Foulke. He left Boston universally hated by Red Sox fans.

He wasn't "the key player" and he has already been let go of. The everyday players and top starters are who is remembered. So yes, I'm sure about that, to whatever extent one can be "sure" of anything like this.

And he's not hated; there's disappointment, yes, but not hate.

 

[dhamz]

He wasn't "the key player" and he has already been let go of. The everyday players and top starters are who is remembered. So yes, I'm sure about that, to whatever extent one can be "sure" of anything like this.

And he's not hated; there's disappointment, yes, but not hate.

If you don't think he was the key player, you clearly didn't watch those last 8 games. And Foulke wasn't so much let go as run out of town.

 

[Watson's IQ]

He wasn't "the key player" and he has already been let go of. The everyday players and top starters are who is remembered. So yes, I'm sure about that, to whatever extent one can be "sure" of anything like this.

And he's not hated; there's disappointment, yes, but not hate.

Foulke was absolutely key in the Sox WS run, there's not any debating that they would not have won it without him, I'm sure of it.

 

[tailwind]

If you don't think he was the key player, you clearly didn't watch those last 8 games. And Foulke wasn't so much let go as run out of town.

I agree with you on his importance to the team, but you're way overreacting on his departure. He was riddled with injuries and sucked on the field, so yeah, people didn't love him much after 2004, but there's no Damon-like sentiment there. He made a few bad comments about fans, but they're mostly forgotten by this point.

Damon said, just months before bolting, that he'd never play for the Yankees and it wasn't about the money. Then the Yanks throw a couple more mill his way and he took off without thinking twice, that's why Boston fans couldn't care less about him.

Foulke explored other opportunities. I actually have a lot of respect for Foulke because he could've sat on the injured list all year with his arthritic knees and collected 5 million from the Indians, but he decided instead to retire and not take the money.

If Keith ever returns to Fenway, he'll get one hell of a standing ovation.

 

[Watson's IQ]

I agree with you on his importance to the team, but you're way overreacting on his departure. He was riddled with injuries and sucked on the field, so yeah, people didn't love him much after 2004, but there's no Damon-like sentiment there. He made a few bad comments about fans, but they're mostly forgotten by this point.


If Keith ever returns to Fenway, he'll get one hell of a standing ovation.

They're most definitely not forgotten by Red Sox fans, I promise you that. Fair or not, I really don't think he'd get the greeting he deserved at Fenway right now, too many idiots.

When they have the reunion somewhere down the line, then he most certainly will.

 

[jscout]

Yeah, I didn't think anybody really "hated" him either. I know I don't. He just wasn't effective anymore, but he was in 04 and that's all that matters.

 

[PonyExpress]

If the Pats win this Sb, it will be the greatest team accomplishment in North American sports history. I don't see any reason to inject the bumbling, racist Red Sox' self-induced 86 year coma into the discussion.

 

[Patradomous]

Like I said I respect your feelings and opinions on this.I just have a different opinion and if I'm in the minority so be it.
I'll even go one step further and say the 04 RS weren't even my favorite RS team.
The teams of the late 70's were my favorite when 90% of the team were home grown and not the mercinaries of today.Lynn,Rice,Yaz,Hobson,Burleson,Fisk,Evans etc. all home grown Red Sox.
Todays baseball sucks, you have the best collection of players money can buy by basically a handfull of teams.
What i get a big kick out of is how 20 year olds would say in 04' "I waited all my life for the RS to win the WS!" I laugh my ass off. Try being 50 years old and waiting. You don't know the half of it.
I don't know how old most of you are but all I can say is championships are championships, 19-0 is for ever.Thats my opinon but I certainley understands yours.

 

[Watson's IQ]

What i get a big kick out of is how 20 year olds would say in 04' "I waited all my life for the RS to win the WS!" I laugh my ass off. Try being 50 years old and waiting. You don't know the half of it.

I was 19 years old in '04, and I did wait my entire life for it. I had absolutely no control over when I was born, and for you to imply that fanhood is somehow conditional on age is ridiculous and small.

Lifelong fan is lifelong fan, no matter how long that life is.

 

[Lansdowne]

I was 19 years old in '04, and I did wait my entire life for it. I had absolutely no control over when I was born, and for you to imply that fanhood is somehow conditional on age is ridiculous and small.

Lifelong fan is lifelong fan, no matter how long that life is.

Exactly. I was too young to remember '86, but my brother wasn't. He and I both shared in the ups and downs of the Red Sox growing up, and I think that bond made it more gratifying in '04.

 

[dhamz]

I agree with you on his importance to the team, but you're way overreacting on his departure. He was riddled with injuries and sucked on the field, so yeah, people didn't love him much after 2004, but there's no Damon-like sentiment there. He made a few bad comments about fans, but they're mostly forgotten by this point.

He was booed so badly during the 2005 season that Kevin Millar felt the need to go (anonymously at the time but it was since revealed to be him) to the papers and ask why Schilling was cheered like a rock star and Foulke was booed even though both players were performing terribly due to injuries they sustained and pitched through in the 2004 playoffs.

 

[Watson's IQ]

Exactly. I was too young to remember '86, but my brother wasn't. He and I both shared in the ups and downs of the Red Sox growing up, and I think that bond made it more gratifying in '04.

Plus I got to see the joy for my father, a Sox lifer if there ever was one, who brought his sons up to love the game as much as he did, even rooting for a team that never won anything.