And you know, in this world, the way it’s going at the moment, a good Cinderella Story is a welcome relief!
This all started back in July when I realized the Major League Baseball Team, known as the “Tampa Bay Devil Rays” for its 10-year history, had decided to drop the word “devil” from the team name for its 11th season – 2008. See my July 6 post A rose by any other name?
That was July and by October the Tampa Bay Rays were in the playoffs, which meant they had a chance to make it to the ultimate championship, the World Series!
I had a great time following along, reporting to you the latest developments – see my posts: October 9October 15
Well, these “Boys of Summer” have become affectionately known by now as simply The Rays – hmmm – Rays of Light instead of Devil Rays ?? Interesting transformation!
So here’s the latest, in case you haven’t heard! Last night the Rays beat the Boston Red Sox and those Rays are going to the World Series! They made it. They did it!
And I heard team member Carlos Pena say that the best part was that they could do it together because, he said clearly and emphatically, “We are family.”
So the American League Champs, the Tampa Bay Rays, will be playing the National League Champs, the Philadelphia Phillies, in the World Series, starting Wednesday, October 22. Will prove to be a great series, I’m sure.
Meanwhile, enjoy this photo – it speaks volumes
Congrats to a unified Team who wouldn’t – and didn’t – give up!
Have you been following my blog posts about the Tampa Bay Rays? July 6 and October 9
Oh wow – those “devil-less” boys are doing themselves proud!
Last night they beat the Boston Red Sox, aka 2007 World Series Champions, by a thrashing score of 13-4.
The Rays are leading the playoff series 3-1. One more win and they’re IN the 2008 World Series!
See if you get a kick out of this article by ESPN writer Jerry Crasnick. I especially enjoyed this:
“They’ve shown more energy, better pitching, more power and greater speed. And 70 percent of survey respondents believe they’re better equipped to handle the economic crisis.”
Here’s part of the article by Jerry Crasnick:
“BOSTON — Everyone who watched the Tampa Bay Rays win 97 games this year knew they had a chance to beat Boston for the pennant. But never this convincingly. Four games in, the American League Championship Series is producing more shocking revelations than Marcia Brady’s new autobiography.
There’s no need to consult a Quinnipiac poll to determine how the Rays are faring. They’ve outscored Boston 22-5 in the past two games to take a 3-1 series lead. They’ve shown more energy, better pitching, more power and greater speed. And 70 percent of survey respondents believe they’re better equipped to handle the economic crisis.
They’re loose, they’re young, they’re athletic, they’re hot and they’re confident,” said a scout at Fenway Park on Tuesday night. ”They’ve got it all right now.’
Fresh off a 13-4 blowout win Tuesday, the Rays will spend an off day Wednesday sleeping late, ordering room service, enjoying quality time with their families, walking the Freedom Trail and tinkering with their fantasy league rosters. In the meantime, they can revel in the memory of the blessed silence they elicited with a dominant performance in Game 4.“ Read Full Story Here
For the 2008 baseball season, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays baseball team changed the team name to TAMPA BAY RAYS – see my July 6 blog post
GONE for good was the word DEVIL!
The big news today is that this team has found their way into the MLB American League Series Championship Series. The winner goes to the World Series.
In Major League Baseball, you can’t get any higher achievement or honor than that!
FYI: Tampa Bay is a city on the western coast of the U.S. state of Florida, and the Devil Ray is a type of ray.
Before continuing, I’d ask those of you who live in another country and/or you are not a baseball fan to please bear with me. The content here is baseball, but the CONTEXT is about our word choice — the words that we speak and write are vitally important. The words we use can improve or ruin our lives — my article “Awareness and Communication” elaborates on this principle, which some consider one of the Laws of the Universe.
OK, so let’s look at the history, the statistics, of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays:
* 10 losing seasons; * 9 last-place finishes in their division; * never finished closer than 18 games out of first in their division; * lost 96 games last year, worst in the MLB…..
….a year later they dropped the word Devil and now they’re playing for a chance to go to the World Series.
Even if they don’t make it, what they’ve already attained is clearly remarkable!
The Devil’s Advocates – pun intended – will surely say the Rays could have accomplished all this anyway, with or without the name change.
I would not argue with that. Of course that is possible.
All I am saying is that the TAMPA BAY RAYS have an excellent chance to get into the World Series this year, and at the very least, it’s an INTERESTING COINCIDENCE!
The Chicago Cubs were eliminated last night from the Major League Baseball/National League Division Series Playoff Games via losing their 3rd game in a row to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
No World Series for the Cubbies this year. And that’s how it’s been for 100 years.
In 1908 the Cubs won the World Series. And that was the last time. Long drought.
I’m neither a Dodger fan nor a Cubs fan.
I say the above as an introduction to a brilliant quote from a sportswriter, in reference to the Cubs’ loss last night:
“But the failed history of the Cubs, combined with the expectations for this postseason, overwhelmed them. If they couldn’t deal with the past, how were they going to deal with the present?” – Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com (Cubs’ latest failure..)
This quote caught my attention, of course, because my work is Clearing, and Clearing is about being in the PRESENT. Well, not just being in the present but being able to STAY in the PRESENT.
Clearing is about resolving any and all past issues, memories, upsets, problems, et al, by clearing them permanently. When cleared properly, those kinds of negativities are GONE — GONE FOR GOOD.
Once Cleared, anything negative from the past can be remembered but there’s a new sort of neutral feeling about it. The past is no longer an interference.
That’s why I love my work! It helps people to move on and achieve their dreams… to move on and create the life they really want.
So, though not a Cubs’ fan, I do have compassion for their plight. And though not a Dodger fan, hats off to them for staying present… and winning.
Dodgers Win, Cubs lose…video from a Dodger fan’s perspective:
The last POST proposed the possibility that using the word “TRY” doesn’t always indicate a lack of commitment.
One example cited was a statement from Chris Paul, a member of the 2008 USA Olympic Basketball Team known as “The Redeem Team.” During his interview Chris Paul said, “We’re here to try and win the Gold.”
Here we are, 11 days later, and we have the results of the Gold Medal Basketball Game in Beijing between USA’s “Redeem Team” and Spain.
“The Redeem Team” has reclaimed its former moniker – they are once again “The Dream Team.”
Spain was no pushover — they were tough opponents who had only lost 1 game in this Olympics – they had lost to the USA in an earlier round. The USA, there to “to try and win the Gold,” went undefeated through all the rounds.
Watch the video and enjoy the ecstatic faces of the USA Basketball Team – now “The Dream Team” – as they accept their Gold Medals and stand on the podium with great joy and pride, as they listen to their country’s National Anthem:
