100 Greatest Red Sox

I’m proud to announce the unveiling of the Top 100 Red Sox, as worked on by a number of Red Sox bloggers. The home page is here. #100 and #99 were unveiled today, and I had the pleasure of kicking things off with #100. You can find that article at the Top 100 Red Sox homepage or after the jump.
The 2004 Boston Red Sox
98-64, Finished 2nd in AL Eastern Division, 1st in AL Wild Card. Scored 949 runs, Allowed 768 runs. Pythagorean W-L: 96-66
Won World Series (4-0) over St. Louis Cardinals. Won AL Championship Series (4-3) over New York Yankees. Won AL Division Series (3-0) over Anaheim Angels

The 2004 Boston Red Sox, named #100 out of the Top 100 Boston Red Sox, brought joy to many of us that night of October 27, 2004. The date, burned in the memories of countless Red Sox fans out there, will forever live in infamy as that night was the culmination of events that even Hollywood could never script. Ranging from a movie and a book about the Red Sox being written as the season progressed without a clue as to the end result to the fabled vanquishing of the ‘Evil Empire’ in the midst of the greatest sports comeback of all time to the swan song for Pedro’s Red Sox career (or is it?) and the birth of a legend: the bloody sock of Curt Schilling.
I could go on for 10,000 words on how amazing the Red Sox 2004 World Series run was. All the plot lines of the season, from the July 31 fight to Terry Francona’s first season managing the Red Sox to the below-market signings of Bill Mueller and David Ortiz propelling us to the crown to the shocking trade of a Red Sox icon by the name of Nomar Garciaparra. But three years after the fact, how can I do it justice? How can I get as “in the moment” as it was to be?
So I offer this instead: select words from yours truly in October 2004, plus commenters on Fire Brand. Straight from October 2004 and filled with emotion. Unless otherwise credited, all words are from me.

I left with the score 6-1 and Arroyo solidly in hand. I was going to the North End to a restaurant with Mia, and so I was to follow along on my phone. Mia was running late, so I went back to my TV. On the way back, I was following along on my phone. I lost service and I noticed Mike Timlin was two outs away from escaping the jam in the sixth. Boy, Timlin sure is NAILS! Right before I got back to the TV, I got service again. Boom. 6-6. I watched the replay in amazement. Then Mia was ready, so I left again.
We took the T to the North End, and of course, there

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