Curb your enthusiasm

What's with the lack of enthusiasm here at The Card? The Red Sox are three wins away from the World Series, or three losses away from going home like everyone else. This should be the most exciting time of the year.

But it isn't.

Here's a text from Phil the Tank from game one that sums up the feeling of the series: "This game is so weird...doesn't feel like the ALCS at all because we are at Tampa."

Now this isn't to say the Rays are not deserving of their place in the ALCS. They earned it by holding off the Red Sox and Yankees in the highest-priced division in baseball on a payroll the size of A-Rod's mortgate payments. They're good, and they're getting better.

Maybe it's the venue, and we've discussed how ridiculous it is to play meaningful games in a wiffle ball park before. But it's hard to get amped up for playoff games in Tampa even if the Red Sox are involved.

Maybe the other part is that most everyone agrees this series will be decided in games six or seven, so an initial split didn't come as much of a surprise. It's like everyone is just treading water until those later games decide everything.

Maybe the bright lights of an outdoor park with some history will rejuvinate the series - though a marathon game two was a good (and bad) first step. Maybe I just miss seeing people bundled in jackets cheering on their team.

Maybe Tampa is building it's own history right now, and it won't be so weird when the Rays are a mainstay in the playoffs. But maybe the Red Sox are just lulling everyone to sleep, and the defending champs will break out with a dominating performance at the Fens.

Let's hope.