We FINALLY know who we're playing!!!!!

I was enjoying a drink with Brian Startare of WIP and Dennis Bakay of PhillyPurge.com at Downey's Friday night, when Phils broadcaster and former pitcher Larry Andersen stopped by with some friends. When I asked Larry who he would rather see the Phillies face in the World Series, Andersen noted that both teams in the ALCS are both good teams, but that The Boston Red Sox would have too much momentum going into a World Series if they came back from another three games to one deficit.

For the record, I agree. And after almost a week of speculation, the fightin' Phils will indeed be facing The Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday night at Tropicana Field to start game one of the much anticipated World Series. As usual, the Phillies are NEVER the media favorites, with ESPN's Tim Kurkjian picking the cinderella Rays (if I hear that again, I will vomit) in seven games. Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal, never one to favor the Phils during the 2008 playoffs, didn't exactly pick Tampa Bay, but it seemed more or less that he was leaning towards them as opposed to the Phillies.

The fact that this 25-year jinx has been burden on this town for so long should be a story of its own to the national media. Problem is, no one is biting. To be fair, Tampa Bay is no Milwaukee or Los Angeles. However, if the Phillies were able to beat the Dodgers despite a batting average of .533 from Manny Ramirez, they should do at least an adequate job at trying to contain the Rays offense. Truth be told, the Phils and Rays match up well against each other, with the slight edge given to the Rays starting pitchers. Despite the emergence of ALCS MVP Matt Garza, James Shields, and Andy Sonnanstine, the Phillies handled C.C. Sabathia, Derek Lowe, and Chad Billingsley pretty well in the playoffs so far. The key to game one is getting to Rays starter Scott Kazmir, who could give problems to lefties Chase Utley and Ryan Howard.

The Phils need to win this for the franchise, the long-suffering city, and last but not least, the fans. This is the most pivotal run at a championship in the long history of the city. If they win, it will be the best and most significant. We will no longer be losers, no longer number two. Pain, anguish, and heartache erased for a long while. The city of Philadelphia will rise to new and unbelievable heights. I really don't want to think of what could happen if we lose.....again. Faith in any of our sports teams may be permanently damaged. And with the Flyers struggling again, the Sixers not quite ready, and the Eagles inconsistency, chances are you'll have to wait next year's Phillies team for another hope of a parade. And as we all know in this town, once you get there, you may never get back. Tampa Bay CAN'T get another championship at our expense. The interviewers who talk to Tampa's "fans" openly discuss about how much they have lived and died with their team. This is a complete and utter joke. We've been waiting to get back to the World Series since before they even had a team. They've had their World Series already. I remember a team who had a pretty good run similar to the Rays back in the day: the 1993 Phillies. As a thirty year old, I can't afford to be 45 and complain about the 2008 World Series, just like I still cringe beyond help when I watch Joe Carter's ball go over the Skydome's outfield wall.

They've done it all year. Let's hope they are the hungrier of two hungry teams. Never in sports did I ever think I'd be happy going 2 for 126.