Madam Speaker,  Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.Res. 782, a resolution that congratulates the Boston Red Sox on winning the World Series on October 28, 2007.  As a life-long Red Sox fan, I am pleased to be here with the rest of the New England delegation to show our appreciation for the Red Sox players, coaches, front office, and the rest of Red Sox Nation. 

The 2007 Red Sox were dominant from the beginning of the season, which is not easy when you have 162 regular season games in a year.  After holding back a surging New York Yankees in September, the Red Sox won the American League East Division title for the first time since 1995.  After sweeping the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the American League Division Series, the Red Sox faced the Cleveland Indians in the Championship Series. 

After falling 3-1 to the Indians, this Red Sox team never gave up and never got down on themselves.  After a pep talk from veterans including David Ortiz in the middle of the series, the Red Sox came roaring back, helped by the right arm of Josh Beckett and the bats of J.D. Drew and Manny Ramirez.  With the mantra of “one pitch at a time”, the Red Sox won the next three games and clinched the American League pennant.

In the World Series, the Red Sox faced the Colorado Rockies, a team that had won 21 of their last 22 games leading up to the last showdown.  That statistic didn’t faze the Red Sox at all, and whether it was in Boston or Denver, the pitchers made their pitches and the batters showed how hard it was to get an out in their lineup.  With a sense of inevitability, the Red Sox swept the Rockies in four games to win their second World Series in four years. 

Every player on the team made a contribution, from veterans like Curt Schilling to rookies like Jacoby Ellsbury.  Mike Lowell, who helped keep the Red Sox on top during the regular season, rightfully won the World Series Most Valuable Player.  In typical fashion, the selfless Tim Wakefield, who was nursing a sore shoulder, decided it was wise to give up his spot so that Jon Lester could be added to the roster.  Lester went on to become the winning pitcher of game four of the World Series. 

The 2007 Red Sox not only worked hard, they enjoyed themselves as well, and kept the fans entertained, which is easy to do when you love what you do and you’re good at it.  The bullpen struck up a drumline to cheer on their teammates.  We watched Jonathan Papelbon strike out batters, and then we waited for a celebratory dance at the end of the game.  It is not often in professional sports that you see a team full of players that has such a strong bond. 

And we can’t forget the coaching staff, led by Terry Francona.  Francona’s job may involve even more politics than ours, but he has managed to make it to the playoffs three times in four seasons, and win the World Series twice. 

It is always a good year when you can follow your baseball team all the way from the beginning of April to the end of October.  It is an even better year when they can take the World Series trophy on a parade through Boston.  The 2007 Red Sox played this year with confidence and class, and showed us the true definition of “team”.  I look forward to 2008, and adding on to the two World Series trophies we have already won this century. 

Thank you, Madam Speaker.