Revisiting the 2007 ALCS (Aka the Taylor Swift Series)

The Cleveland Guardians. Whether it’s the Guardians or the Indians before them, they always find ways to break your heart at the worst possible times. A franchise that has gone nearly 80 years without winning a World Series. Despite having several great players and teams over the years they just can’t seem to get it done. Whether it be running into a dynasty or a team of destiny is up for debate. And just like their inner city brothers in the Browns and Cavaliers (Excluding 2016, the misery was cancelled that year due to an incident in Oakland) the pain has been never ending. The ghosts of Willie Mays’ catch in 1954, to 40 years without a playoff berth (The only accomplishments they had during that time was Major League and Major League II) to half full crowds at Municipal Stadium. The Curse of Chief Wahoo was in full effect. But what was their most painful moment during this curse? Many point to 1997 against the Marlins or 2016 against the Cubs. But to me, there is one year that comes to mind. 2007. And despite blowing a 3-1 lead in the ALCS to a dynasty, the person receiving most of the blame of this devastating loss had nothing to do with anyone involved in the organization in the eyes of Cleveland fans. To them one person is responsible for the greatest single series collapse in franchise history even though blame should be on the entire organization. A figure whose reputation for being despised by sports fans for only being a fan or supporter runs deep (And it has skyrocketed over the last two years) Take a guess as to who I’m talking about:

“MY EX MAN GOT HIS NEW GIRLFRIEND, SHE’S LIKE OH MY GOD! I’M JUST GONNA SHAKE IT!” Taylor Swift. There’s not much that needs to be said. The ora behind that name is matched by few. Yes Michael Jackson revolutionized music, but was he as good as Tay-Tay they say? And to answer that question yes, MJ too was seen as larger than life. However I’m not here to talk about her music career or how she has had a massive impact on ratings across the NFL and how teams like Baltimore and Buffalo have claimed that she’s ruined the league, there are countless articles that describe all of those things in detail. For this I’m going to bring up how she became public enemy #1 to a fanbase long before she began dating Travis Kelce due to a scheduling conflict. (She was only 17 years old and technically in High School when this incident took place) But how did we get to that point? What I’m about to tell you isn’t mainly a story involving her, but a recap of a series which led to her being one of the most hated sports figures in Cleveland History thanks to a decision which she wouldn’t be at fault for.

Revisiting the 2007 ALCS (Aka the Taylor Swift Series)

(Chapter 1, Cleveland’s Path)

In 2007, the Indians were viewed as a team on the rise. Despite being out of the playoffs for 6 straight seasons, they were seen as a team with a bright future. The pinnacle of the World Series however was something that was seen in the rearview mirror. When they were overwhelmed by the arms and experience of the Braves in 1995, and heartbroken by a Marlins team in an all-in run in Game 7 two years later. (The only pieces remaining from those 90s teams were Kenny Lofton, and Omar Vizquel) In 2005, they did come close to making the playoffs. Hell they even challenged for the division despite an awful start in April and early May. However those dreams were dashed when they got swept by the White Sox on the last weekend of the season. Not only did this knock Cleveland out of the playoffs, but OzzieBall would go on to break the Black Sox Curse by sweeping the Astros in the World Series. (A time when baseball on the South Side of Chicago was seen as comforting) 2006 came with great expectations for the Indians but inconsistency and injuries would doom them to a 4th place finish. (In their defense, the AL Central that year was loaded, which was a common trend in the mid 2000s) Despite 06 being a lost season, they had a promising core starting to emerge. On offense they had Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez, Grady Sizemore, Jhonny Peralta, Casey Blake and Ryan Garko. (Plus rising stars in Shin-Soo Choo, and Asdrubal Cabrera) Not household names by any means other than Hafner, Martinez, and Sizemore, but certainly solid players for the roles they filled. Their pitching staff was where they made their money worth. Arguably one of the better pitching duos in the game with CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee at the top of the rotation, Fausto Carmona came out of nowhere to become a staff anchor, and Paul Byrd was also no slouch. In the bullpen, they had the usually underrated Roberto Hernandez, and a rising star in Joe Borowski who was about to lead the AL in saves. In 2007, Cleveland went from a team with mixed expectations to a squad that was on the cutting edge of modern day baseball. In a division featuring the two previous American League Champions, plus a longtime playoff mainstay in Minnesota, the Indians ran right through them. And what made this even more impressive was that Cliff Lee was on IR from late May on. (How did Jake Westbrook go from afterthought, to a turnaround story? Interesting huh) Then in the ALDS they did something that was seen as unthinkable despite having home field advantage in that series. Dominate the New York Yankees. Cleveland’s young and exciting roster trumped the best team money can buy thanks to clutch hitting (In particular Lofton, Vizquel, and Sizemore), and a pitching staff that shut down the vaunted Bronx Bombers in 4 games. (Both Roger Clemens and Bernie Williams retired, and Joe Torre left for LA after this series) They had slayed the dragon that had bullied them throughout most of their existence. It looked as if the Indians were about to do what the White Sox did in 2005, and the Tigers did in 2006. Ride a Cinderella Story to a World Series. But their opponent in the ALCS was a team that for years had a tortured history of their own.

(Chapter 2, Boston’s Path) 

The Boston Red Sox were still fresh off of breaking the Curse of the Bambino in 2004 even though it had been 3 years since then. Four Days in October, Sweeping a stacked Cardinals team in the World Series, The Idiots, The “Cowboy Up” slogan. One of the most beloved teams not only in New England Sports History but of the entire United States of America. Why? Because they did the one thing you didn’t do during that time. BREAK THE DAMN YANKEES! (4 straight games to be exact) Even though some names had changed since that championship run, the mindset in Boston was still the same. Impose your will on nearly every single opponent. The core from 04 was still intact. Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, Curt Schilling, Jason Varatek, Tim Wakefield, and Mike Timlin. (Kevin Youkilis was on the 04 team as a top prospect) But this crew was a machine. A combination of stars in their prime, veterans who knew how to win and young guns. Mike Lowell and Josh Beckett came over from Miami in a blockbuster deal the year before and in 07 they were at the height of their powers. (Lowell drove in 120, and Beckett finished 2nd to Sabathia in the Cy Young voting) They had two rookies in Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia who captivated Red Sox Nation right away. Speaking of rookies. Their pitching staff had three of them. And my gosh were they special. Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, and a Japanese sensation named Daisuke Matsuzaka. (Terry Francona had to think hard as to who would join Beckett, Schilling, and Wakefield in the playoff rotation) Their bullpen was also loaded. Even if the blockbuster deal for Eric Gagne wasn’t a major success, it didn’t matter since Jonathan Papelbon was on his way to becoming a shutdown reliever. A 1.85 ERA and 37 saves is all you need to know (Shades of 2004 Keith Foulke). Despite all of their success since 1998, one thing had eluded the Red Sox. Winning the AL East. They had finished 2nd to the Yankees in 9 consecutive seasons. That would change in 07. Boston edged out New York on the final weekend of the season thanks to the Orioles playing spoiler against the Pinstripes. (How does Mariano Rivera blow a 5 run 9th inning lead in Game 160?) In the ALDS, Boston bamboozled the LA Angels in 3 straight games and there was nothing Mike Scioscia could do to stop their vaunted lineup, especially Manny Ramirez. (John Lackey and Jared Weaver were destroyed in every sense of the word) Other than Game 2, the Red Sox straight up toyed with the Angels like they did in the ALDS 3 years earlier. But to the chagrin of Red Sox Nation, they would not face the Yankees in the ALCS yet again. (Why chagrin? Because that rivalry in October was seen as a tradition at the time) This time they would be facing a franchise that was trying to do what they did in 2004. Captivate the Baseball World by being lovable underdogs with the chance to end an ancient jinx. 

(Chapter 3, Games 1-4

Even though both teams finished with a 96-66 record, the ALCS would start at Fenway Park because the Red Sox owned head to head tiebreaker over the Indians in the season series. And as the series began, it began with a marquee pitching matchup. CC Sabathia and Josh Beckett. The two best pitchers in the American League mono-y-mono. And in the 1st inning Travis Hafner took Beckett deep to give Cleveland the early lead. However that was as close to victory as they would come. Beckett followed up his 4-0 shutout against the Angels in the ALDS by shutting down the Indians. At one point he retired 10 batters in a row. (7 Ks over 6 innings in total) On the other side, CC was no match for Boston playing a surprising brand of small ball. All they did in this game was work the count, and force Sabathia to make mistakes. Which worked out. With a 10-3 win, the Red Sox were off to the start they wanted. (BOOM!) But not for long. In Game 2 both Schilling and Carmona would be knocked out early on in what turned out to be a slugfest. This back and forth affair saw Cleveland take a 5-3 lead in the 5th. But Boston as they typically did during that era came back in no time. (Ramirez and Lowell went back to back) Even with those heroics from the middle of their order, the Red Sox momentum was zapped from them in extra innings. The Indians would put up a 7 spot in the 11th against Javier Lopez (Not the one from the Braves), Gagne, as well as Lester. The caper would be Franklin Gutierrez hitting a 3 run homer. With a 13-6 win, Cleveland was coming home tied up with all the momentum in the world. There in Game 3, Kenny Lofton and Omar Vizquel, the two longest tenured Indians lit up Matsuzaka. (In the case of Lofton it was by way of a 2 run homer) That was all Jake Westbrook needed as he shut down the Red Sox lineup for 6 shutout innings. Boston did try to make a rally, but by then it was too late. The Indians were up 2-1 in the series, which forced Terry Francona into an interesting dilemma for Game 4. Start Josh Beckett on 3 days rest or bring out Tim Wakefield? In Tito’s defense, starting Wakefield was viewed as a smart decision. Even though he was in his early 40s, Wakefield was still considered a big game pitcher for the Red Sox. His reputation for coming up clutch in big spots was the reasoning behind this decision. (If you exclude a certain pitch to Aaron Boone that shall not be mentioned) Through the 1st 4 innings of Game 4, Wakefield was dealing. He hadn’t allowed a single baserunner, and was flat out confusing Cleveland’s hitters. (BOOM!) Then came Casey Blake. He crushed a knuckleball over the left field fence to give the Indians a 1-0 lead. And that was only the beginning. For the 2nd time in this ALCS, the Indians put up a touchdown in an inning against Red Sox pitching. Jhonny Peralta’s 3 run homer off Manny Delcarmen made the score 6-0. (Lofton singled home Vizquel to make it 7-0) You know what’s funny? Boston hit back to back to back home runs in the 6th inning, but by then it was too late. The Indians took care of business from that point on and were now up 3-1 in the series. Cleveland was now one win away from making it to the World Series for the first time in a decade. It appeared as if the Red Sox like they were in 2004 against the Yankees were all but finished. But little did anyone know that the events that took place between Games 4 and 5, would light a fire in both the entire organization as well as the entirety of New England.

(Chapter 4, Game 5, Controversy Rains Down)

If you were an Indians fan, you had to feel really confident about your team’s chances. Up 3 games to 1 against the consensus favorite to win the World Series before the playoffs even began. Not only that, but the chance to clinch the series at home was there for the taking. Meanwhile on the other side, tensions were growing within the Red Sox clubhouse. Everyone was going back and forth in what was considered a he said she said kind of conversation that would fit perfectly in a soap opera. The main ones going at each other were David Ortiz and Curt Schilling to the surprise of no one. Eventually Big Papi calmed the team down and said these very words; “WE’RE THE (CENSORED!) RED SOX! WE’RE NOT GOING LIKE THIS!” The first one who caught onto this message was Ramirez. In what was best described as Manny being Manny he said that it wouldn’t be the end of the world if they lost Game 5. Don’t tell that to the Boston Media. Why? Because their mentality is to be a bunch of idiots and jerks except when it comes to Boston teams winning championships. The definition of an in your face mindset. For as much grief as Ramirez got, he said what he had to say. (The same went for Kevin Millar in 2004 for saying “Don’t Let Us Win Tonight”) Luckily for the Red Sox, they would get plenty of time to relax and get their thoughts straight. The reasoning for this? The rain. A long and hard rainstorm crushed the Cleveland area forcing the MLB to postpone Game 5 from October 17 to October 18. (This was the 10th inning rain delay of Game 7 of the 2016 World Series rolled into 24 hours) With a day off, it allowed Terry Francona and his boys to rest, relax, and get the horrors of Games 3 and 4 out of their brains. This is where Taylor Swift comes into the equation. The then 17 year old country star was scheduled to sing the Star Spangled Banner and God Bless America during Game 5. But due to the original date being postponed due to the aforementioned rain storm. Swift decided to opt out. The reasoning is still a mystery to this day, but part of me feels like it was a wise decision. I know it’s crazy to say this given her current reputation, but at the time a 17 year old country music performer having that spotlight put on her prior to a postseason game in any one of the 4 major sports seemed overwhelming. She did perform prior to the World Series the following year, only this time it was in her hometown of Philadelphia. At the time, it wasn’t seen as a big deal. Someone being stagefright and opting out at the 11th hour happens, it’s nothing new. But the events that followed Tay-Tay’s decision was the moment in which the Indians organization jumped the shark.

PR Guy 1: So Taylor Swift backed out of performing the anthem before Game 5. PR Guy 2: Ok then. PR Guy 1: Who are we going to bring in now? PR Guy 2: We only have less than 24 hours to make the decision. PR Guy 1: Lets see, we need a female country star, and hopefully she’s from Ohio and is an Indians fan. I’VE GOT IT! PR Guy 2: Who are we going to bring in? PR Guy 1: Danielle Peck. PR Guy 2: WHAT!? ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FREAKING MIND! YOU CAN’T BRING IN JOSH BECKETT’S EX GIRLFRIEND! PR Guy 1: Yes we can, she’s from Coshocton, her parents are Indians fans, and she performed here not too long ago. PR Guy 2: Oh, ok then. Peck it is. But just so we’re clear, if the Red Sox come back and win this series, it’s all your fault. PR Guy 1: I DON’T CARE! WE’RE WRAPPING THIS THING UP TONIGHT! Both: GO TRIBE! PAUSE.

RIGHT THERE! That was the moment where the entire momentum of the ALCS shifted over to the Boston Red Sox. (This is why Cleveland fans hate Taylor Swift even if the Kelces are from Ohio and despite the fact that she did the right thing) Most teams when their opponent either celebrates a championship during the first game of the following season or in this case brings out someone who was beloved by their fanbase not too long ago to root against them, it would be overwhelmed by the situation. BUT NOT THOSE IDIOTS FROM BEANTOWN! They had to put up with Yankees fans chanting “Who’s Your Daddy” at Pedro Martinez in both the 2003 and 2004 ALCS so this was nothing new to the Red Sox. They were not going to be phased one bit by the Indians bringing out Danielle Peck to potentially rub salt on Josh Beckett’s wound. (In NFL terms it would be sort of like if the Ravens brought out Dua Lipa to taunt the Steelers and Patrick Queen. Well sort of) If bringing out Beckett’s ex for the National Anthem wasn’t bad enough, the PA system at Progressive Field played the popular hit “It Ends Tonight” by the All American Rejects right before the first pitch as a way of saying this series is over before a pitch has been thrown. Kids this is why you don’t count your eggs until they hatch. Because sooner or later you’ll be forced to eat a massive amount of crow. Even if Cleveland had the eventual Cy Young winner on the mound, it was only a matter of time before the Red Sox fired the first salvo. “Ripped into left field. Is that the start the Red Sox were looking for. Up 1-0.” 2 batters into the game to be exact. From the moment that ball left Kevin Youkilis’ bat, you could tell that Boston was locked in. Especially Beckett. Just like he did to the Yankees in Game 6 of the 2003 World Series, he was on a mission to shut down everything thrown in his path. It didn’t matter if the Indians brought out Danielle Peck, Beckett was out to prove that he, not Sabathia, was indeed the best pitcher in baseball, and that Four Days in October wasn’t a one time occurrence. (“It’s not bothering Beckett at all.” -Joe Buck) Beckett struck out 11 Indians, and gave up only 1 run in the process. (That being on a Double Play Groundout) In the words of John Farrell once he was told by Beckett that “Just so you know, I broke up with her.” he knew that they would win that game. And they did. The rest of the Red Sox would give their ace all the support he needed. Led by Ramirez and Youkilis, Boston drubbed CC and into the Cleveland bullpen 7-1 to send the series back to Beantown. Every single Indians fan that knew the game of baseball to the bone had to be sick to their stomach. Why? Because the last cursed franchise to lead the Red Sox 3-1 in the ALCS also poked the bear by claiming that they hadn’t packed to go back to Boston because they thought the series was over. But unlike the 07 Indians, the 1986 Angels not only were up 3-1 but 5-2 in the 9th of Game 5 at home. Then Donnie Moore threw the forkball of doom. “To left field and deep! And Downing goes back, AND IT’S GONE! UNBELIEVABLE!” (Not only did Moore not recover from this, it ultimately led him to committing suicide. A sad story indeed) Agony, thy name is Dave Henderson. Not only did Boston win that game, but in Games 6-7, the Red Sox outscored LA 18-5 en route to the World Series (Just don’t tell Sox fans that the Mets gave them a taste of their own medicine in the Fall Classic). But unlike those Halos that claimed that the air went out of the balloon once Game 5 ended, the Tribe and one of their key players had other ideas. If only they knew what would happen next.

(Chapter 5, Games 6-7, More Bulletin Board Material for Boston)

The Indians may have blown their chance to clinch at home but they still had a 3-2 series lead heading back to Fenway Park. Plus they had 19 game winner Fausto Carmona on the mound too who hadn’t lost a start in over a month. Even though the momentum had shifted away from them, Cleveland was still very confident. However it appeared as if they were overly arrogant. You’d think that the Tribe learned their lesson by bringing out Danielle Peck for Game 5 to get in Josh Beckett’s head but NOOOOOO! This time Ryan Garko, one of the Indians top hitters during the 2007 season, poked the bear known as the band of idiots from Beantown, AGAIN! Prior to Game 6, Garko told reporters that champagne tastes just as good on the road as it does at home. (BOOM!) To no one’s surprise, the Boston Media would absolutely blast Garko for the comments he made. And on top of that, the quote would be hammered to the wall on a piece of paper in the Red Sox clubhouse. (Even Yankees fans at this point were rooting for the Red Sox to win given how much trash the Indians were talking) The man who did the honors of putting said bulletin board material on the wall for everyone to see was none other than Curt Schilling. Just like in 2004 against the Yankees, he would be pitching Game 6 of the ALCS with Boston down 3 games to 2. Only this time it wasn’t at Yankee Stadium, and he didn’t have a bad ankle to pitch on. With the aid of the Fenway Faithful, Schilling got off to a strong start retiring the side in order in the top of the 1st. In the bottom half, Boston loaded the bases immediately. Yes they got bailed out by a couple of borderline strikes that were called balls, but they were mounting a serious threat. After getting both Ramirez to strike out and Lowell to pop out, Carmona was one out away from getting out of a crisis situation and shifting the momentum of the series back to Cleveland. But then came the pitch of death. “In the air to center, well hit, back is Sizemore. Grand Slam Drew!” Agony, thy name is JD Drew. And that was only the beginning. In the first 3 innings, Boston put up 10 runs on Indians pitching. They knocked Carmona out early in the 3rd, and then batted around against the Cleveland bullpen in a 6 run inning making the score 10-1. With that deficit and the prospect of having to face Playoff Schilling, game over all the way. Even though this wasn’t as memorable as the Bloody Sock Game was 3 years earlier, Schilling still had the same satisfaction in regards to the final outcome. He said that there was nowhere else in America where it can be any better than at Fenway Park at this moment, right here right now. According to all of Red Sox Nation he would be correct. With a convincing 12-2 win in which they also capitalized on 3 Cleveland errors and the opposing bullpen being gassed, Boston forced a Game 7 and seized every bit of momentum. And why wouldn’t they? They had pulled off the Greatest Comeback in Baseball History the last time they were in this spot, and their opponent wasn’t as loaded with starpower unlike the Big Bad Yankees.

The only concern for the Red Sox going into Game 7 was that they would be starting Matsuzaka and that’s only considering that a rookie pitching in a Game 7 is a rare sight. (Then again Derek Lowe pitched on 3 days rest in 04) Matsuzaka’s opponent was supposed to be Paul Byrd, but then on the morning of Game 7, controversy struck the Indians. (BOOM!) In an article according to the San Francisco Chronicle, Byrd had bought nearly $25,000 worth of human growth hormone and syringes from a Florida anti-aging clinic targeted by law enforcement for illegally distributing performance-enhancing drugs. He would be suspended by the MLB indefinitely and was scratched by manager Eric Wedge. In his place the Tribe would have to bring out Jake Westbrook. Yes he had started Game 3, but he wasn’t 100% due to having basically a dead arm thanks to eating a ton of innings in September. (This is where they really miss Cliff Lee) Prior to Game 7, Fenway Park would give Progressive Field a taste of its own medicine. Remember that It Ends Tonight song that was played in Cleveland prior to Game 5. Well it’s only fitting that it would be played again in Boston. Although in this case, the series will end one way or another. (Oh look, Kevin Millar threw out the first pitch as a way to remind Cleveland of 04 vs the Yanks) Right on cue, the Red Sox as they did in the previous two games jumped on the Tribe early. They scored a run in each of the 1st 3 innings off of Westbrook, although he would dodge quite a few bullets considering that Boston stranded 6 runners including leaving the bases loaded in the 3rd. So far these missed opportunities didn’t come back to haunt the Red Sox. Until the 4th and 5th where the Indians cut their deficit to a 3-2 game. By the 7th inning, Matsuzaka was gone, giving way to Hideki Okajima. Not the best option, but certainly not the worst. And it looked like Francona’s decision to not put in Eric Gagne instead would backfire as Okajima gave up a leadoff double to Lofton. Then, an out later, Cleveland finally had hope. “Hard hit, and that’s fair ball! Lofton will round third, he stopped! And it’s 1st and 3rd, 1 out.” Kenny Lofton, one of the greatest base runners of his time, a man who had been beloved by Cleveland fans for years and years, makes the biggest mistake of his entire career. In his defense, he was held up by the 3rd base coach Joel Skinner, plus with this being at Fenway Park you don’t know what kind of bounce that a ball can get when it hits the wall. Any wall that is. Instead of it being 3-3 with the Red Sox on the ropes, the Indians fate was sealed on the very next at bat. “To the 3rd basemen, Lowell, Pedroia, Double Play! And the Red Sox keep their lead.” If that’s not Cleveland Sports, especially the Curse of Chief Wahoo, I don’t know what is. A golden opportunity to finally go the extra mile only for the ghosts of Fenway to take it right from them. Even if Lofton did come into score, I don’t know if the momentum would have shifted regardless. Remember, the Indians bullpen was running on fumes, and at any moment, Boston would finally wake up. In the bottom of the 7th, that’s exactly what happened. “Pedroia launches one into left, at the wall, Pedroia a 2 run shot!” Heart. DAGGER! Rafael Betancourt had been one of the best pitchers in the league that season when it came to throwing fastballs high in the strike zone. (Opposing hitters were averaging .170 against him on that part of the plate) Too bad he ran into one of the best high ball hitters of this generation. This and Lofton’s baserunning mistake opened the floodgates even further. 

While Francona called in Papelbon to complete a 6 out save, little did he know that his lights out closer would have all the freedom in the world come the 9th inning. Why? Because the Red Sox vaunted lineup would further damage the Cleveland bullpen just as they had done in Games 5 and 6. They batted around for 6 runs yet again, with Ellsbury, Pedroia, and Youkilis doing most of the damage as they had done all series. (I know Beckett won ALCS MVP but my goodness was Youkilis on a tear in that series) And if Fenway wasn’t already a house of bedlam, then the final out would take that thinking to new heights. “Blake into right center field, Crisp back to his left, still going! And the Red Sox win the Pennant!” Coco Crisp slamming up against the wall in that deep triangle in right center field for the final out was only fitting. Just like in 2004, the Red Sox with the point of the dagger at their throats, ripped it out of their opponents hands and killed them in a span of 4 days. (Jack Edwards would be pleased by my reference to a certain event at TD Garden that took place 6 years later) Even though it wasn’t against the Yankees, they’d still embrace this moment to the bone. They had proven to the world that Four Days in October wasn’t a fluke after all. And it would further prove that the Fenway mystique would now be as powerful as any other stadium in baseball. As for Cleveland, their long drought would continue. Even for their incredible season that saw them reach unbelievable highs, it was all for naught. The Indians were victimized by being their own worst enemy at the worst times, running out of gas, as well as letting arrogance and their own egos get the best of them. Even though Eric Wedge said that this series would be a great learning experience for the Tribe, things would change very quickly.

(Chapter 6, The Aftermath)

“Game over, series over, and the Red Sox are World Champs again!” Just as they had done in 2004, the Red Sox rode their incredible comeback in the ALCS to a World Series Sweep. Not even the miracle run of Rocktober could stop this locomotive from stomping anything in its path. To the delight of all of New England those two comebacks in 04 and 07 were the springboards towards a dynasty. Since the turn of the millennium they have won more World Series than any other franchise in baseball. What was once an 86 year drought had turned into a stretch run of being in paradise especially when it came to beating the Yankees. (They would also knock out New York on their way to a title in 2018) As for Cleveland, their success would be short-lived. As mentioned the moment that their PR team brought out Danielle Peck was when the Indians jumped the shark. In 2008 they would miss the playoffs, and over the next two years they would be forced to watch their two aces CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee win World Series Titles with the Phillies and Yankees. (Sabathia also helped end a 26 year playoff drought for the Milwaukee Brewers in 2008) Cleveland wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 2016. (They lost a Wild Card Tiebreaker Game in 2013 to Tampa Bay) That year they would get revenge on the Red Sox and end David Ortiz’s last ride in a sweep. Hell they had a 3-1 series lead against Chicago and the Curse of the Billy Goat in the World Series that year. But just like in 07, Dem Cubbies did what those idiots from Beantown did and beat them at their own game. That being excellent pitching from the bullpen and epic rallies. (Not even LeBron James’ Cleveland Against The World comments could help them) Even though they’ve been contenders for the better part of the last decade, Cleveland has had one thing constantly holding them back. THOSE DAMN YANKEES! 4 times since 2017, the Indians/Guardians have been knocked out of the playoffs by the Bronx Bombers. The Yanks may have lost the honor of tormenting Boston, but they at least get a nice consolation prize of tormenting the AL Central in the playoffs. (Especially Cleveland and Minnesota) As for Taylor Swift, she would as mentioned earlier perform the National Anthem prior to Game 3 of the 2008 World Series. Luckily for her hometown Phillies they would walk off the Tampa Bay Rays in that game to go up 2-1 in the series, and two nights later Philly would end a 28 year wait for a World Series Title. “The 0-2 pitch, SWING AND A MISS! STRUCK HIM OUT! THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES ARE 2008 WORLD CHAMPIONS OF BASEBALL!” (RIP Harry Kalas) Honestly it’s insane that Tay-Tay has a Super Bowl ring for both the Eagles and Chiefs. Not many superfans can claim that honor. And if the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIX, Philly fans will have mixed emotions about her although considering that she’s from there, and Travis Kelce’s brother Jason won a SuperBowl for the Birds in 2017, her and the Swifties won’t be as hated as they are in Baltimore, Buffalo, and Cleveland. (I bet she is booed by Tribe fans whenever they see concert attire of hers being showcased in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) The moral of this story is simple. Never say never. If you put the goat before the wagon and say it’s over before a game is played, bad things are expected. The 2007 Cleveland Indians had to learn this lesson the hard way. And I find it ironic that most of America will eat their words of thinking that Kansas City will win before the game is played if the Eagles end up winning the Super Bowl. As much as the entirety of the NFC and all of Pittsburgh and Atlanta in particular would despise that outcome, I would laugh so hard if it happened. Anyways, that’s all for now, and I hope you all enjoy the Big Game. (And if you want to watch the BRS Super Bowl Stream, the link and information is on our home page)