I have to admit, I’m a little uneasy about the Rays success. Typically, after the Reds are basically eliminated in June or July, I take a month or two off from MLB in disgust. Then, around mid September I get interested in an underdog or a team on the cusp of making a big comeback. This year I haven’t stopped watching, mostly because I have a vested interest in the Cubs and want them to do well. But I’ve also been pulling for Houston, who I derided early in the year, and the Marlins, who I have always kind of liked due to their improbable financial handicap.

By all rights I should like the Rays. After so many years of futility Tampa has slowly built a great team, largely on great drafting and development. But something leaves me cold. I don’t want to the Rays to win. Why? Because I’m jealous. Because the Reds last won a championship before the Rays were invented. Because the Reds have had plenty of great players since 1990, and a few high draft picks, but the Rays have clearly eclipsed the Reds. I guess that’s the realization that I’ve been slow to come to. Really what needs to happen is I need to exorcise myself of the Reds.

However, Rays apologist David Chalk, who writes for Bugs and Cranks has literally been creaming his jeans to the tune of several posts a day about his beloved Rays. He’s got posts on misbehavin’ Red Sox fans at Tropicana Field, Willy Aybar’s intro music(”Low” by T. Pain Ft. Flo Rida), a complaint against Wade Boggs not wearing Rays parapheneliawhen he threw out the first pitch in a game vs. the Red Sox, Rays shaving cream fights, and he personally sent me this clip of Akinori Iwamura and his interpreter getting hazed. As usual there are some very funny bits by Chalk here.

Hmm…locker rooms, bad boys, music and shaving cream…there’s a theme here somewhere. Or maybe a dream.  

He also has a great little piece up now called Memories Of That Old Dump In The Bronx: B&C’s Anti-Tribute where he invites readers to post anti-Yankee stadium memories. I added my 2-cents. You should too. There needs to be a counter to what will surely be a overload of sappy  meta-nostalgia  (think those overdone photos of ol’ Joe walking out of Yankee stadium with his wife after last year’s playoff exit…multiplied by  100).