Well, I guess Judgment Day will be avoided for another year, although I think Fox Sports would rather bump up the premieres of 24 and Joe Millionaire than show the Marlins in the World Series, at least after what could've been. In fact, I'm sure many will treat Yankees-Red Sox Game 7 as the de facto World Series game. It will have a lot more drama, intrigue, interest than either Yankees-Marlins or Red Sox-Marlins will have. Even as a Yankees fan, Marlins-Yankees doesn't do a lot for me. It either becomes like the '98 whooping of the Padres or the '01 stunner against the D'backs -- a lose-lose situation, in my opinion.

Hell, this year's baseball playoffs is turning into the NBA playoffs where the championship series is so anti-climactic after great series leading up to it. I guess it would make even more sense if the Yankees are in it since they own the Nets (at least for now).

And do the Marlins have the worst sense of timing for their successes? In 1997, they played a great World Series but knocked off an Indians team that hadn't won in ages (like the Cubs, or the Red Sox if they make it this far) and were sort of a sentimental favorite. Sure, the Marlins were an expansion team, but they fattened up with so many All-Stars that it seemed like a mercenary squad. The dismantling afterward helped to advance that point of view. There wasn't much of an identity to the team.

Fast forward to 2003. This team now has a great identity. Lots of young, up-and-coming players. A wise old manager. A spunky way of playing ball. Beating the Giants added to their likability, but they had to beat this year's "America's team." And now they enter the World Series being viewed as one of two things: an upstart who will continue another team's misery or the team that many fans will root for by default because they're playing the Yankees. I think I have a number of friends who would root for a team of serial murderers against the Yankees.

As for the Cubs, not much to say except that they choked. They probably took it easy against Josh Beckett, figuring they had a Wrigley clincher in their back pocket. Steve Bartman's unfortunate play on the foul ball just added to rattle a tired Mark Prior. And Kerry Wood didn't have it. But if you believe in curses, then the Cubs got a double, if not a triple whammy (if you want to consider the Bartman) -- there's that Billy Goat thing, but there's also the SI cover jinx back in action. The question is: Does the cover jinx work on a regional cover? If so, the Red Sox are screwed.

One last Cubs note, was having Billy Corgan the right choice for Take Me Out to the Ballgame on a night like this? It's cool and all, but this is one that screamed out for a Bill Murray or Michael Jordan -- someone with Chicago ties but more widespread appeal.