World champions!!

  Finally, the 9 year wait is over and the Yankees are champions again. After the debacle of 2004, I felt that perhaps the Yankees had acquired the curse of A-Rod and I'd seen the last Yankee championship of my life time. I'm glad I was wrong. I can't argue making Matsui the MVP, personally I would have chosen Jeter or Rivera. Damaso Marte was the unsung hero. With Chamberlain and Hughes struggling, he held the bullpen together. I was nervous up to the last out since if Victorino got on, Utley and Howard would be the next 2 hitters and possible tying runs, but Rivera was again unhittable when it mattered most. If the Yankees can develop another starting pitcher, this could be the start of another run of 3 or 4 championships over the next 5 years.

  EPSN is showing the Yankee-Dodger 1977 World Series. It is a lot of fun seeing all the great players of my teen years and Billy Martin, Yogi Berra, Dick Howser, and Elston Howard (the manager and coaches). It is amazing to me how skinny all the players from 30 years ago look. Only Reggie Jackson would not look out of place in today's baseball. Part of it is the weight training, but the lack of steroid science in the 70's also has a lot to do with the lack of bulk. Maybe it is the fond rememberance of my youth, but I can't see the 2009 team winning a series from the 77 team.

  Now that baseball is over, I can turn my attention back to chess. I stayed up past midnight Wednesday night to watch the post world series interview and was so tired on Thursday at chess club I gave up a draw a pawn up to the same kid that beat me 2 weeks ago. On the bright side, our Marshalltown Thursday Night Chess tournaments are regularly having 12 players. Last night we had players from Newton and Tama. I have exactly 30 days before my next tournament (Cychess on 12/6/2009) and I am going to spend my time on tatics (50 a day), endings (1 a day from the Karpov book), openings (reviewing my standard lines), and middle games (1 Purdy game a day).