There’s so much drama in the C of B, it’s kind of hard being A-J-double-E-T

… well, not really, but at least I’m trying to keep coming up with funky-ass shit like every single day, or so.

Anyway. So the Sox/Yankees series has been driving me nuts. Tonight it’ll all be decided. Wing put it very well: “seems like a victory on either side could be an answer to the question, ‘how else could it possibly have ended?'” A Sox meltdown would be utterly expected, as would the final victory of an amazing comeback. It’s weird.

I’ve realized that I’m just happy that they got this far. Forcing a Game 7 was certainly pushing miracle as late as Saturday night, as this is against the highest-paid team in baseball. Actually, permit me to rant: sports writers always mention the Yankees and the Sox as “the two highest paid teams in baseball” but that’s like saying “the iPod and the Rio Karma are the two best-selling music players”. The difference between the Yankees and the Red Sox — teams 1 and 2 — $60 million a year, is the difference between teams 2 and 16. It’s more than the entire payroll of each of the other 14 teams. To put it another way, it’s enough to bank five backup Curt Schillings in case the real one gets injured. Or, if we need more offensive firepower, 12 David Ortizes. This is like running a marathon, except that your opponent gets a nine-mile lead. Just hanging with the Yankees is tough, and the Sox have done it.

So, yeah, I’m really proud, no matter how it goes tonight. It feels good to be rooting for the underdog, the team that everyone who’s not a Yankees fan wants to win. A letter to Sports Guy summed it up:

name = Stephen Heidt
city = London, England
comment = Just so you know, EVERYONE is a Red Sox fan at this point in the year, except for those pathetically annoying Yankees fans. Bottom line, if your team is out (or resides in the NL), you’re rooting for the Red Sox. I’m not staying up to 5:30 in the morning (London time) because my beloved Braves are one game away from the World Series. I’m staying up till 5:30 because I want good to triumph over evil. I want all those arrogant Yankees fans to eat crow. I want to hear all the whining about how the calls aren’t going the Yanks way (after years of calls going their way). And I DEFINITELY want Steinbrenner to throw an absolute fit — I mean, throw chairs, break windows, fire people, etc. Red Sox nation needs to understand this — I’m not alone. There are MILLIONS of fans around the globe rooting for the Sox. I walk the streets of London and I see blue caps with the red B everywhere I go. This series is bigger than just New England. This IS the most exciting series in my life, if not all time.

Okay, enough about that. Here’s something funny: just recently, I finally stopped keeping all my music purchase receipts. For some reason, I have receipts for every CD I’ve bought online since 1999. The other day I just decided to stop altogether. In memoriam:

For reference, that Columbia House stack in the top left is more than 75 thick. Sheesh. I have no idea why I went through the tedious process of keeping them. (Actually, they may come in handy if I ever need proofs of purchase as part of the various CD-price-fixing settlements…) I finally figured that the actual CDs themselves were documentation enough :). Anyway, while I had my camera out, I took a picture of a slightly more rational collection I have, of concert tickets and ticket-sized paraphernalia I’ve gathered throughout the years:

Sometimes it’s fun to look through that pile and reminisce… or be reminded of how much I’ve contributed to the TicketMaster slush fund over the years…

Speaking of concerts, a couple more: R.E.M. last Friday at the Greek. I’m sure you know them; anyway, Turn You Inside-Out is a great tune. Tonight (during the end of the game!) I’m going to see Martin Sexton, an awesome singer/songwriter. Glory Bound is the first song of his I ever heard, and it’s a beauty. Real Man is a bit funkier.

I recently found out that Luna, one of my favorite bands, is finally calling it quits! Noooooo. So sad when that happens…

I’m still not sure what to make of the whole Jon Stewart/Crossfire thing. I love the Daily Show — it’s definitely hilarious, smart, and insightful — but this particular event is not so clear-cut. On the one hand, yeah it’s great that Jon’s calling the press out. On the other, despite his claims, he’s absolutely being hypocritical. He loves to hide under the “we’re just comedy” routine — and I thought the “You’re on CNN. The show that leads into me is puppets making crank phone calls” line was great — but to anyone who’s not totally deluded, it’s clear that the Daily Show definitely dishes out political commentary. Saying “we’re just comedy” doesn’t just make it so.

I saw the John Kerry interview on the Daily Show, and even to super-liberal, Kerry-supporting me, there’s no way you could argue that Stewart was being anywhere near as hard (or as funny) on him as he has been on more conservative guests. If the show really were just a comedy show, then Stewart would be an equal-opportunity insulter.

That’s not to say that I’m going to stop watching it or anything — it’s still the best news show and the best comedy show out there — but I wish Stewart would stop hiding behind such a lame excuse, and start listening to himself.

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