The following is an open letter-style warning to Red Sox fans, wherever and whoever you are:

Dear Red Sox Nation,

Congratulations on beating the Yankees. The historic accomplishment by your Boston Red Sox is certainly worth being proud of - the Sox did what no other team in baseball history has done. It's really unbelievable when you think that of all the times for a team to come back from a 3-0 series deficit, it happens now, against the New York Yankees, after a 19-8 loss. Just unbelievable. Really.

But be careful. I can't tell you how many times I heard, from many different people, on Wednesday night, that "THE CURSE IS OVER!! THERE IS NO MORE CURSE OF THE BAMBINO!!" There's a curse all right. And it remains to be seen whether or not this curse has indeed been beaten.

Now, I know how silly it seems for a rational human being to believe in a curse. 1978: The Yankees were just playing better baseball, and Bucky Dent got a pitch to hit. 1986: I didn't believe Bill Buckner was the byproduct of a curse. Just a bad luck play. Besides, as I tell everyone I know, the game was already tied when the ball went through Buckner's legs, and who knows what would have happened in extra innings? Maybe the Sox would have won. (Of course, the Mets won that World Series, and there is your New York Mets connection to this story.) That losing streak stemming from the World Series in 1986 continuing into the 1995 post-season - just more bad luck. It wasn't like Sox fans were being teased with close calls - the Sox were getting swept in those series...just not playing great playoff baseball, I guessed.

Then came last year. You know the story. 5 outs away. Aaron Boone. I became a believer in the Curse of the Bambino. 1946? 1975? 1978? 1986? 1988-1995? I've reconsidered - those are all byproducts of a curse.

Which brings me back to my original argument - all you Red Sox fans who believe the curse has been broken. The curse has nothing to do with beating the Yankees. Sure, beating the Yankees after trailing the series 3 games to none, and winning Game 7 at Yankee Stadium may be the cure to the curse, but the curse is that the Red Sox haven't won a WORLD SERIES since 1918. Not that they haven't been able to beat the Yankees (that's just been a large part of the curse). The Yankees had nothing to do with "Pesky Holding the Ball in '46" or "Game 6 (Bill Buckner)" (and the ensuing 1986 Game 7, by the way).

So celebrate. Celebrate an American League Pennant. But just remember - an American League Pennant does not equal an end to the curse. I remember a dramatic, come-from-behind ALCS win by the Red Sox in 1986 that did not lead to a World Championship. It led to a situation where the Sox were one out away from a Championship (2 outs in the top of the tenth, with a 2-run lead)...but then the curse kicked in. This sure has been a dramatic run, but the Curse has been around way too long to not make another appearance. For the sake of all my friends in Red Sox Nation, I hope it doesn't. But I, for one, am recommending you take precautions. It sure is nice to beat the Yankees...but World Champion sounds a lot better than American League Champion.

Good luck in the World Series.
Johnnymets.blogspot.com