One Down, One to Go

I think we should all send out a big thank-you to the Chicago White Sox, who spared us another postseason of Red Sox vs. Yankees. I admit, last year's seven-game series was the most exciting playoff series I've ever seen, and it sure didn't hurt that the Yankees lost. But all the hype - the idea that the entire country is riveted by two East Coast teams battling it out, the selling of this as a storied sports rivalry even though historically the Red Sox get their asses handed to them ninety-percent of the time, the deification of Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, and Curt Schilling by the morons at Fox - is a bit much to bear. Hopefully the Angels can finish off the Yanks this weekend, and we won't have to hear about either A.L. East team anymore this postseason.

Now, how about those White Sox? Looking at the matchup from a mascot perspective, which Jenny likes to do, it's somewhat counter-intuitive to expect the White Sox to vanquish the Red Sox so easily. Throw them in the wash together, and a red sock will usually exert its colorful will on a white sock; that white sock is coming out of the washer as a pink sock, which is definitely not a suitable mascot. Maybe if you washed them on cold, and put them in the dryer right after the final spin cycle, the white sock stands a fighting chance. But probably not.

So here's hoping the White Sox go all the way this year. They've got the pitching, they're an exciting team to watch, and they're a new face in playoffs that have featured the same six to ten teams for the past three or four years. And from a mascot perspective, they're a team that everyone should be able to get behind. What's more populist than a white sock? Go ahead, look in your sock drawer. Any red socks in there? Maybe. But I'm willing to bet that everyone, no matter your age, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, or sports affiliation, has at least one pair of white tube socks. How can southerners get behind the Yankees? But I bet they put on some white socks before they head out to the NASCAR race. How do Native Americans get behind the Braves? It's just another sports team appropriating a racist mascot, and besides they never win it all. The Cardinals? Most people have dogs and cats as pets, birds aren't nearly as popular. I could go on, but I think I've made my point. Go Tube Sox! Make Chicago, and the rest of us, proud.