From all of us here at Fire Brand, Merry Christmas! Happy Hannukah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Festivus and Happy Holidays!
The top 10 Red Sox things I am thankful for:
10. I am thankful that we are in a generation of success and joy after 86 years of failure and heart-wrenching loss. There were some elements to those days that Red Sox fans treasured, but the one treasure this new-look Red Sox have given us that we will never, ever trade is the taste of success.
9. I am thankful that Big Papi is a Red Sox. I am thankful that he brought his thunder from Minnesota and flourished in a city that quickly embraced the ‘Large Father.’
8. I am thankful for the shot of electricity Jacoby Ellsbury gave us when he was promoted to the bigs. The buzz when he steps to the plate or dances off the bag is palatable and could be our most electric player since Fred Lynn.
7. I am thankful that the Red Sox have found a charismatic, heart-on-sleeve-wearing dominating closer. We have experienced his domination for two amazing years and the kicker is: he’s far from finished.
6. I’m thankful for Clay Buchholz. Watching him in the short while I have been able to has been nothing short of a pleasure and I cannot wait to watch his career unfold. The next Pedro Martinez? Lofty goals, but if anyone can be the next Pedro, it’s Clay.
5. I’m thankful for Jon Lester, who reminded us last year that life is a fragile thing and that baseball is a game to enjoy, not a business to detest. I’m thankful for his invigorating comeback and his World Series clinching win. It is a privilege to sponsor his Baseball-Reference.com page.
4. I’m thankful for Curt Schilling. Say what you will about his propensity to stand in front of the camera, but every team needs that guy and Curt Schilling is way ahead of the curve by having his own blog, and it’s been fascinating to read his insight. It’s even more fascinating to watch this man in the postseason. His presence in the 2004 playoffs will forever be the litmus test of postseason performance.
3. I’m thankful for Boston, the baseball city, the city that embraces Red Sox players as their own. I’m thankful for the Red Sox organization, who has brought the organization out of its Dark Age into its Renaissance. I’m thankful that Boston is now seen as a prime destination that players would love to play for.
2. I’m thankful for 2004, which was the greatest experience I experienced and will ever experience as a Red Sox fan. Nothing will ever come close again. The 2004 World Series was for our grandfathers, the 2007 World Series for our children. (Hat tip to Larry Lucchino Tom Werner, who said something along these lines.)
1. I am thankful for the privilege of writing here on Fire Brand and the privilege of having an audience who chooses to listen to my opinions of the Red Sox. Thank you for having me.
