First World Series

As most anyone can tell you, I have never been much of a sports guy; at least not organized sports. I rather wish I was, but this seems to be one of my failings of a man. Fortunately this does not seem to be much of a problem for Heather, but it's not so hot for K & O.  We have been blessed with two boys who not only are physically off the charts, but their "innate" sports interest is off the charts as well.   Particularly their interest in baseball.  Granted, their Mor Far has quite a bit to do with this....   which is in large part why our boys (and our entire family) are die-hard Red Sox fans.

We were all happy the Red Sox got a wild card into the post season, but very disappointed when they were eliminated to the Angels, who were then eliminated to the Yankees.  Wait - am I really restating this?  I am not the sports guy, Mor Far is.

Except that this season, I've had to get serious about professional sports to keep up with my two boys who pretty much have the entire line ups of the Sox and Yankees and Phillies memorized.  They definitely have their favorite players:  Sox:  Jacoby Elsbury, Phillies: Ryan Howard, Yankees, Derek Jeter.

And they pretty much know these players stats: Jacoby is the fastest runner and can steal second base without even thinking, that Ryan Howard is a huge home run hitter and Derek Jeter is an all around good player (especially when diving into the stands to catch a foul pop fly and hurting his face).

So this year, this year that K & O are 5, when they are coming into their own as sports fans and participants; independent of their father's influence, these boys not only became obsessed with the the Yankees vs. the Phililes in the World Series, but got to watch their first World Series Game on TV.

Games 1-5 started at 8 PM, so they missed those (except for a little bit on Halloween night).  But since school was cancelled for the day after game six (due to large numbers of people being out with the flu), and it started at 7:30, we said "aw shucks" they can watch the Phillies claw their way back from a 1 game deficit. All three boys began watching pre-game stuff at 6:30 (which morphed into a kids video until 7:30, but who is counting?)

Now, you would think that with our family being Die Hard RED SOX fans, that if the Yankees are in the world series, that we would be rooting for ANYONE but the Yankees.  But you'd be wrong. Uh oh.

In June we went and say the Phillies and Yankess in Interleague play for the boy's first MLB game.  And the Phillies beat the Sox.  Between that and that Calvin loves the Yankees and Margie loves the Phillies...

These boys rooted for the Yankees for the 2009 championship.  Sacrilege.   Chants of "Let's go Yankees" echoed (and I mean echoed) through the house to the extent that Meera's "Let's go Red Sox" started to sound like Yankees too.  Oh man, Blasphemy (of a certain kind).

But somehow, at the same time, really, really wonderful.

So we watched Game 6 (with me hoping it would go to game 7, but alas). These little 5 year olds, who are normally in bed by 6:30 and out cold by 7, stayed up to almost 10 PM watching the game and probably fell asleep closer to 11.  We made it to the end of the third inning, when I finally pulled the plug (and Heather came back from a diversity meeting at the boy's school - whole 'nother topic). We saw Johnny Damon steal second and third in the same play - amazing. Our hearts jumped into our throats, we cheered lived it up. Then headed up to bed.

IT WAS AWESOME.  We had a great time watching a great ball game, and my boys have been initiated into the world of professional championship sports.  And I guess so have I - in a whole new way.

Mor Far called in the morning to give the boys they news that the Yankees had won. K & O did a little celebration dance, but kept the whoops in check for Mor Far's sake until they hung up with him. Gotta be respectful. We watched the highlights on mlb.com and re-lived it a bit.

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Now we're on to football in a big, big way.  More than before. We're wondering who will be in the "World Series for football."  ;)

Just a bit more education to do - we're starting with the team names... Go Pats!