I’ve been a very lucky sports fan. My first memory of professional sports was watching the Cowboys when I was 4. I’ve seen them play in 6 Super Bowls and win 4 of them. I got to watch the 1980 Olympic hockey team. When I cared about the NBA, I became a fan of Dr. J and the Philadelphia 76ers and I got to watch them win a title. I went to KU out of high school, and I got to watch them win 2 NCAA basketball titles. I graduated from Wichita State, and I got to watch them win an NCAA baseball title. While at Wichita State, I became a Manchester United fan (basically to irritate a friend), and I’ve gotten to watch them win trophy after trophy. I’ve even had some incredible personal sports moments, including pitching a slow-pitch perfect game.

It’s easy to say that something happening now matters more than things in the past because it’s so fresh. It’s also true that we really haven’t won anything yet. I also know that baseball playoff series are won less by the better team and more by the hotter or luckier team.

But I’m sitting here weeping.

The Rangers literally had the worst playoff record of any team in the majors. This is only the fourth time they have had the chance, but before this year they had won 1, count them 1, double-check, yep 1, playoff game in their history. Even Jayne Cobb could calculate the number of playoff series victories that means.

And no one really expected them to do much more than maybe compete for the AL West title, but the Angels were favored by most prognosticators prior to the year.

Now…

Now…

I mean it’s so unbelievable that it’s hard to type.

But…

The Texas Rangers are the 2010 American League Champions.

The Texas Rangers are going to the World Series and are four wins away from a World Title.

For the first time ever this lifelong baseball fan will get to watch a World Series and really, truly, care.