Rays/Sox Phils/Dodgers

[King Richard]

Yep, good enough to be this years "WORLD CHAMPS".

Early on I didn't and still don't think they are a great team.

What constitutes greatness in your eyes? Wearing a Red Sox jersey?

However, so many intangibles go into winning...the favs / most talented teams don't always win.
I don't always buy into the odds stuff...I just put that out there for the hell of it. Thought it was kinda funny how they aren't even an early fav to win the NL. This may unwantingly turn into the "did the best team really win this year" argument?

Being the most talented team =/= the best brother. The same goes for football, basketball, and any other team sport really. Individual prowess doesn't atone for the lack of team continuity.

It doesn't matter what you did prior to getting there, how you got there, or any of that bs. If you are earn a victory in the championship game(s) then you deserve to be labelled the best, for that season. That is what the championship is all about. So the whole "did the best team really win this year" argument is moot. Yes the best team won, that's why they are the champions.

 

[Heat Mizer]

Baseball is just so watered down. A team with shitty pitching won the WS. That's proof right there.

 

[ThisIsACoolName]

It seemed like Philly was more mentally strong in the series. As cliche as it is, it just seemed like they wanted it more. Anyone else get this impression.

Yes. I see it this way: The Phillies had to win it it in order to come away from the series with any sort of pride. The Rays can walk away, defeated, and say "Hey, we just went from last place and the worst record in baseball to going to the world series for the first time in our teams history". They have a lot to be proud of despite the loss. Had the Phillies lost, they'd just be another Philly team that choked when it mattered.

 

[muzmaze]

What constitutes greatness in your eyes? Wearing a Red Sox jersey?



Being the most talented team =/= the best brother. The same goes for football, basketball, and any other team sport really. Individual prowess doesn't atone for the lack of team continuity.

It doesn't matter what you did prior to getting there, how you got there, or any of that bs. If you are earn a victory in the championship game(s) then you deserve to be labelled the best, for that season. That is what the championship is all about. So the whole "did the best team really win this year" argument is moot. Yes the best team won, that's why they are the champions.

I said early on that these playoffs were wide open and that there are some good teams not great teams, including the Sox. The Sox had it all and were great in 04' and 07'...hell I'd say the 03' team was maybe thier best and they didn't even win the world series (thanks Aaron fuckin Boone). This years team was a good team, not great. Mentioned before probably my most likable Sox team given thier character, unselfish, professional team players that they put together. They were fun to watch, no more "I'm more important than the team" guys (i.e. Manny & Pedro).

Maybe on paper, but the most talented teams do not always=/ the best teams. I still think the Rays have more raw talent than Philly-but that doesn't make them the better team...Philly just put it all together at the right time. There have been countless teams in all sports with allstar rosters (i.e. NY Rangers) yet, they get bounced in the first round or don't win titles. You must have much talent and the cream usually rises to the top but many teams with lesser talent have succeeded with character, strong-willed, unselfish, team players. This happens more in the NFL than any other sport. Great coaching and good staffs with game planning, scheming etc. can take a good talented NFL team (or college football team) and make them great.

There is something to what Cookie said in that maybe "Philly was mentally tougher than the Rays"...this, along with other intangibles could go a long way for lesser talented teams. I wasn't making the "did the best team really win argument". I said "unwantingly" may turn into this argument. There really is no argument, Philly can say they're the best ...this years Champs.