Nation of idiots

If you read my title and thought, "good lord, give politics a rest, man!" you're in luck. The nation I'm referring to isn't the political nation, divided by partisan loyalties to the candidate of their choice, but the nation of fans that make up "Red Sox Nation."

I know, I've tended to look down my nose recently at the professional variety in my limited posts on sports.

Today, in an attempt at recapturing some sense of sanity, while at the point of media saturation about all things political, I tuned out political talk, and ventured over to WEEI, now available in Maine via the spot on the FM dial, 95.5, where the Big Jab once resided.

I caught bits of Dennis & Callahan this morning, on my drive to Pittsfield, through the torrents of rain, and then, Dale Arnold and Michael Holley this afternoon.

In much the same way that politics causes many (myself included) to take leave of their senses, and often, miss the better part of valor, so sports makes us all dullards at times.

Red Sox fandom, now able to bask in World Series glory twice in the past four years, after a drought of nearly 90 years, has developed an entitlement mentality. How else can one explain callers absolutely giddiness this morning after Lester's seven innings of stellar pitching, and a longball from Jason Bay that put to rest any concerns about his ability to perform in the postseason? This, after many of these same fans and announcers voicing their belief that the Angels might sweep the Sox in three games! Granted, the talented Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim might win the next three and send Boston home for the winter, but if anyone would rather hedge their investment portfolio's gadawful performance with something less volatile, putting money on Boston's postseason track record against California seems like a fairly safe bet.

I like the chances of the Sox, knowing that Matsuzaka has been lights out on the road, and Josh Beckett seems to be ready to go in game three. Lester, Bay, Ellsbury and the supporting cast guaranteed a road split after Wednesday night's win, so Boston is playing with the house's money on Friday, set to return home no worse than 1-1 on the west coast.

The bandwagon still has room, in fact there are a few front row spots still available given some of the defections. Don't delay climbing back aboard, however, because in another week, you might end up being wait listed.

And speaking of idiocy. Has anyone read Bill Simmons's 11 page article on Manny? I'm on record as being a fan of Simmons's writing, but come on Bill, you're a great writer--couldn't you have coalesced the Manny piece to four, or five pages?

My prediction: Sox in five.