Opening Day. The best one of all time. Any team. Any league. Any sport.

That sounds pompous. But you're saying it in a Jon Sterling voice. Try saying it in your regular, humble Red Sox fan voice. There you go.

I met up with Evan and Dave of Most Valuable Network/All-Baseball over at Northeastern. Very nice campus. Very nice dudes. We made our little perfectly legal ticket exchange, and a few hours later, I was in the park.

It was cold in the shade, but up on the roof, it was a beautiful day. I even got a little burned.

About the chanting. I had anticipated some kind of year-related chant, which didn't happen. And that's fine. Once the yankee fans latched onto "2090" after "1918" lost any meaning, I think they gained exclusive rights to year-related chants that have no relevance whatsoever. Besides, "2000," though it would've been done on an ironic level, could just be seen as sinking to their level.

And twice I heard a "yankees suck" chant. Now I've made it pretty clear that I feel the new chant needs to be "yankees choke." Both times I heard "yankees suck" yesterday, a person right near me (different dude, different location each time) kind of whispered "yankees choke."

So I think that the smarter, quiter people all know what the chant should be, while the dumber loudmouths are still going the "ys" route. Which is fine with me, because it's also true, and it feels so good to hear, having lived among yankee fans my whole life. And it pisses off BDD. But I think "yankees choke" is better.

Speaking of dirt dog, I expected him to say something to piss me off about the ceremony. And he didn't. Until the next day. He made fun of the "This is for Teddy Ballgame" song. I was really pissed about that. That song made me cry. My dad said it made him cry. I don't see any hint of a problem with it. It mentioned lots of great Red Sox from the past. Just thinking of it--"This is for Dewey Evans" makes me tear up. And Ken Coleman, radio voice of my youth, was in that song. So amazing. Played as the flag was raised.

And dirt dog didn't like it because it mentioned the curse? It said that the curse was bullcrap. What's wrong with that? F'n Dirt Dog, man. I'm not only mad at that ass-head for saying that, but also for being in this post because of it. I wish I hadn't gone to his stupid site. He's just digging for something to complain about. So let me get this straight, newspaper boy. The yankees don't suck, but the song about Red Sox legends that was played live when the Red Sox raised their first World Championship banner in 86 years does? Yeah, you're right on the pulse of Sox fans...

Back to the happiness:

As I walked into the park, I went right down to the Red Sox dugout. The first person I saw, standing on the field in front of me, was Michael Kay. I figured I should take his picture, so I can photoshop the hell out of him. I snapped the shot.

And my camera broke.

No, really, the battery died at that moment.

It was my parents' digital camera, and they didn't know how much juice was left. Apparently not much. So all the shots you see are video stills. (I taped the whole ceremony, from RF roof box 29, Row B, seat 7. Just about even with Pesky's Pole.)

Speaking of Pesky, that was touching when he hugged the owners, considering the trouble he's had with, let's say, authority in the past. The way he was welcomed was well deserved.

Then Johnny and Millar signed lots of autographs, and the no-longer-with-the-team types were down there: Malaska, Seibel, Dinardo, Abe.

What else?

Those ring boxes were pretty huge, huh?

Good to see Oil Can, the Little Professor, Sam Horn, Jim Ed Rice, The Eck, Yaz, Bob Montgomery, and all the other greats.

The two I was most excited for, of course, were Bill Lee and Rich Gedman.

Lee had his old time cap, and was the only old-timer to bring with him a glove and ball.

Glad Joe Castiglione was a co-emcee, but that was a no-brainer.

The Boston Pops kicked ass, orchestrally speaking, of course. That was great when they played that song from 2001 (and Sesame Street, I think), and the banners of all the championship years came down, culminating with the huge '04 banner. I've got pics of all this stuff, but have only posted ones that probably weren't on TV.

The flyover was really cool. I actually saw them when they were really far away, having been up on the roof. They came in right over my head, loud as a muthafucka, I must say.

Seeing Derek Lowe was just a beautiful site. And Dave Roberts, man. He hugged everybody on the whole line. Only a slight boo for Mendoza, which turned to cheers, and Wells was cheered as well. It was all about cheering on this day. Except for the yanks (but not Mo, see post below). The last three games I've been to have been Red Sox-yanks, each time with both entire teams being announced. In other words, I've booed the yankees' massage therapist at the last three baseball games I've attended.

Sweet lord, the game! A perfect day capped off by a trouncing of the yanks.

It's so fun to look at these superstars they've bought, and just laugh in their faces. And watch them fail again and again. What a day for A-Rod. Glorious.

This has been an incredible six months. A time we'll all remember for the rest of our lives. They really did a great job putting all of this together.

And it goes on. I'll be there Wednesday night, back home in the bleachers w/Pat. for the first (official) game of our ten-game plan. Schilling vs some shitty yankee pitcher.