Nation

Well, it really happened. Without me. The bums. Boston did not even burn to the ground. The whole thing was "profoundly anticlimactic" (in the words of one Boston sportswriter). It's the only story here, though. People are walking around dazed and euphoric. No one knows what to expect next season and everyone has tons of questions: Will we lose interest or identity? Where is the drama? How much joy can we wring out of pouring salt on the Yankees fans' wounds? Are we now the nation's baseball team? (We'll know the answer to that question when kids in New Orleans ghettos start sporting Red Sox gear instead of Yankees caps). Why were the Saint Louis fans so gracious, anyway? Did Schilling really endorse Bush for prez? What's going to happen to Pedro after this season? Are the owners going to start cutting back on the payroll now that we aren't battling the curse? Is Theo Epstein single? Lots of questions. The most important one has already been answered, however. Boston fans are really wondering if next year's season is going to be as interesting and tense as this one's. By a simple twist of fate, the Sox are scheduled to play their first game next season (when they unfurl the World Champions flag) against the Yankees. At Fenway Park. Can anyone wait?