Chase That Dream: A Fan On Hold

If I had taken the time on Monday to describe what I was going through, the description of how I was feeling about the Phillies chances on Monday night would have been positive anticipation.

Anticipation like the kind you have as a kid on Christmas Eve. Like the kind you have in high school when you know your prom date might let you go a little further than she ever did in the past.

The Phils were on the precipice of a championship, with their best pitcher, Cole Hamels, on the mound to put the series away. I was feeling pretty confident about things on Monday, as I had the wife get a babysitter for my 2 1/2 year old son so we could go out and enjoy the revelry that was supposed to be Philadelphia's first World Championship in 25 years.

Now as I sit at work two days later, how do I feel?

Not nearly so great as Monday.

To further my two previous analogies, it's as if you woke up on Christmas, and your parents decided to rethink how they feel about Christmas because of it's blatant commercialism. Or that your prom date decided that she justed wanted to be friends.

Frustration doesn't nearly describe how I feel right now. It's more like nervous angst.

The thought that the game on Monday, which had been setup so perfectly for the Phillies to succeed, did not end in the fairytale fashion we all had hoped has me thinking bad thoughts. Negative thoughts.

Thoughts that go back to prior situations where things seemed like they might work out for the Philadelphia team, but didn't quite end up our way. Thoughts of Mitch Williams, Leon Stickle, and the Legion of Doom-era Flyers teams have been dancing in my head as I type this.

I'm not trying to be negative; it's not hard to be negative after the way the game on Monday was allowed to continue past the point where it should have clearly been stopped (no way the Rays should have been allowed to bat in the 6th inning). Hell, even Tim McCarver has advocated starting Game 5 over again. Can you imagine the hate and discontent THAT decision would cause?

No, I'm not trying to be negative, but it is a little more difficult to be positive today than it was on Monday. As a fan, I'm going to need an early sign.....like a Jimmy Rollins base hit (he bats 2nd in the bottom of the 6th) or an early run, to get back that feeling on Monday like something good was coming my way.

One thing I can offer you as a Phillies fan, if you're in need of a pep talk is the following article from Rich Hofmann, who lays out the case for why the Phillies still have things going in the right direction for tonite.

For the sake of the collective sanity of the Delaware Valley, I hope Rich is right.