After beating the Texas Rangers on Sept. 3, the Boston Red Sox were 84-54. Although half a game behind the Yankees in the American League East, the Red Sox had a nine-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays for the wild card and roughly a 99.6 percent chance of making the playoffs. Fast forward one excruciating month to a dead heat with Tampa coming into tonight's bitter imbroglio. Boston struggles ahead of laughingstock Baltimore by a single run until a rain delay clears the field, leaving them in the surreal position of rooting for the hated Yankees playing down in Florida. They can only watch from the sidelines as the rival Rays, tied with Boston in the pennant race but down 7-0 against New York, roar back to life with six runs in the eighth inning and a tie run on the final pitch at the bottom of the ninth. And then, after blowing two different strikes that would have salvaged the game, Boston loses to Baltimore, completing what is arguably the worst late-breaking collapse in the history of major league baseball.
posted by Rhaomi on Sep 28, 2011 - 196 comments

Are you an older sibling? Did you feel unfairly treated compared to your brothers and sisters? Well, now you have science to back you up. According to Games Parents and Adolescents Play, a new sociology study published in The Economic Journal, the oldest kid in the family really does bear the brunt of parental strictness, while the younger brothers and sisters generally coast on through. [more inside]
posted by netbros on May 5, 2008 - 67 comments

The Golden Era Missile Command Challenge! The Epic Battle of Billy Mitchell vs. Mr. Awesome (Roy Shildt), in which, Pac-Man Champion and renowned creator of Rickey's Chicken Wing Hot Sauce, Billy Mitchell, has his status as "Player of the Century" challenged by Missile Command record holder and arch-nemesis, Roy Shildt. Funspot Classic Games Message Board For World Record Holders CLOSED Because of too much airing out of dirty laundry. Below: Conversations With [Roy Shildt,] Guinness Book Missile Command Champion, who is always in hot water with Twin Galaxies due to his accusations and fight to stay on the scoreboard. He has apologized, even though Mitchell has moved on, insisting that "his passion for winning has abated somewhat, or at least shifted." ... "Now," he says, "I bring my passion to the sauce." Billy Mitchell never gives up." (Warning: Crazy site design and information overload! Be sure to scrooooooll down)
posted by mr.curmudgeon on Jun 3, 2005 - 11 comments

Fan summits Everest, burns Yankee cap This is what I call a real fan. I tip my hat. (only a redsox fan can understand)
posted by justgary on Jun 20, 2001 - 19 comments