What. A. Game.

In real sports last night (as opposed to sports for non-athletes, aka politics), the Tampa Bay Rays jumped all over the Boston Red Sox and won 13-4, extending their lead in the series to 3-1. I can't remember watching a game that was so ultimately satisfying. So many disappointed self-righteous, entitled Red Sox fans in the stadium looking shocked and saddened, and the upstart Rays (who have become my sentimental favorite over the past couple of years, with their perennial (till now) underdog status and fun young players) bouncing around the basepaths after jacking balls all over (and out of) Fenway Park.

Up until a couple of days ago, NY sports talk radio has been saying that the Red Sox "looked like the Yankees" - an unstoppable force who could win titles at will. Perhaps now the Red Sox fans are learning (like the Yankees have been since 2000) how truly difficult it is to win a World Series. Everything has to fall your way; having the "best team" isn't enough. And with Big Papi showing how clutch he is regressing to the mean, the Rays tossing holes in the vaunted "playoff experience" philosophy (listening to the broadcasters SHOCK that the young players on the Rays are still able to hit baseballs in October is amusing to the point of ridiculousness), you couldn't ask for a better story.

I'm not counting the Red Sox out yet, though - they are a great team and still have 3 tough pitchers (recent starts nonwithstanding) taking the mound in games 5,6, and 7. I'd say getting to Matsuzaka in game 5 is the best option for the Rays, rather than taking your chances with Beckett and Lester. And with my favorite pitcher James Shields going for the Rays (unless Maddon makes the stupid mistake of putting Kazmir in due to home/road splits), it would be great to wrap this thing up in Fenway and move on to the World Series in front of a stunned and silent crowd.