It was the seventh inning when the Sox were down four runs to Tampa Bay. And you knew they weren't going to give up, weren't going to panic.
This is fun. It's fun because it's happening right in front of us, right at the best possible time. And instantly, the way we like things.
God is not cooperating. The White Sox need warm weather, which helps the ball fly out of the park. It's the only way the Sox know how to score. Tampa Bay can do all sorts of things, everything really, so the cool air shouldn't matter much to the Rays.
Greg Couch: Juan Uribe stood with the bat on his shoulder, and strike three blew by.
Greg Couch: First pitch, and Orlando Cabrera took ball one. Then he decided to make the game his. He stepped across the plate, kicked dirt and yelled at Tampa Bay reliever Grant Balfour: Throw it over the plate.
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Choker? Who says Javier Vazquez is a choker? Not manager Ozzie Guillen, who made Vazquez the White Sox' starter in Game 1 of the playoffs today against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Greg Couch: Take one pitch, Alfonso. Just one. Send a sign. Show that you mean it, that you've really changed. Last year, you swung at the first pitch in the playoffs, swung as hard as you could and grounded out. Take one today against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 1 of the division series.
The question for Alexei Ramirez, in this era of sports, was obvious. He leads the majors in grand slams, with four. No rookie has ever hit that many. And we journalists are not going to be duped by baseball players again.
He had to be tired. He had just thrown his longest, toughest game of a long, tough year. Then he was shorted a day of rest.
MILWAUKEE -- It was just one no-hitter for Carlos Zambrano. It was beautiful, but it was just one. And it was mixed in with one game when he had shoulder ''discomfort'' -- read: I don't believe he was ever hurt. Also, one when he was tired from traveling to his grandmother's funeral. And one when he fell apart, walking everyone, storming around the mound, giving up a grand slam and throwing a little tantrum.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The game, the series, and now, probably even the season. Blame Ozzie Guillen for all of it.
The Mouth that Blabbed, Ozzie Guillen's, has done far more good than harm this year. That was his plan from the start of the season, to talk more.
Greg Couch: So they bring goggles now. When teams put plastic over the lockers in preparation for these spontaneous celebrations, something seemed a little weird. Planned spontaneity? Well, several Cubs wore goggles to protect their eyes from the champagne Saturday after they beat the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 to win the National League Central.
MILWAUKEE -- One night was buzz and electricity, excitement and adrenaline, Carlos Zambrano's no-hitter. The next day, the Cubs rested some players and tested a few others to see who might make the playoff roster.
MILWAUKEE -- ''Z. Z. Z. Z,'' they chanted. And Carlos Zambrano, one strike from a no-hitter, looked to the sky for help. He looked back to the plate, and then ...
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- It's not that the echoes finally woke up again, but at least Touchdown Jesus wasn't mocking the place anymore. Notre Dame smashed up Michigan in the dark and rain, the perfect weather, then sang with the fans in the corner of the end zone, and then walked out through the tunnel under the big word IRISH and all those banners.
Closer Bobby Jenks comes in, nearly blows it, but barely wins anyway, and it's another example of how the Sox are barely hanging on. A few minutes later in St. Louis, Cubs closer Kerry Wood comes in, nearly blows it, but barely wins anyway, and it's another example of how the Cubs are choking.
Greg Couch: Never wish anyone to be hurt, but with Tom Brady out for the season, isn't there at least a little satisfaction deep down, or maybe a little hope, that this will be the comeuppance of Bill Belichick? Maybe that will be the one good thing to come of this.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Matt Forte has the ability to make big plays happen, the power to carry guys or the speed to blow past them. Kyle Orton has the ability to not mess up, to fall on the ball when he drops it, to hang on to it when he's sacked, to miss receivers by throwing in the grass and not in the cornerback's chest.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- It's Year 4, and Charlie Weis still needed a miracle finish to beat some little California dudes who had lost last week to something called Cal Poly.