Choke?

If by choke you mean win, then sure. The Chicago Tribune (owner of Chicago's minor league team, the Cubs) almost had another Dewey Defeats Truman on their hands as they couldn't stop talking about the Sox choking. For other examples of choking, see Janice Joplin or the Cubs post Steve Bartman.

The Whiet Sox closed out the season strong with five road wins in a row. The South Siders will host the BoSox as the playoffs open on Tuesday. What happened to Boston’s 4-game lead in the AL East? How did Cleveland lose 5 of 6 at home when it counted? It's hard to hit the ball with both hands wrapped around your neck. Easy Cleveland fans, the Tribe will be the front-runners for the '06 division title.

I’m well aware of Chicago’s futility in the playoffs (so I can't get too cocky) and hope they can actually win a playoff series or three before October comes to an end. The Sox will host each series of the playoffs as long as they are alive. Let’s hope the exploding scoreboard gets a workout on Tuesday.

I imagine that my grandfather is sharing a cold one with Bill Veeck right about now. While my grandmother is busy consulting with St. Peter regarding "the guest list."

Unfortunately, I have two afternoon meetings on Tuesday -- then I have to get to the nearest tavern to catch the rest of the game.