Thank God.

Most exciting part of World Series Game 3: The interview with Keith Tkachuk. (The hecklers were unnecessary, though.)

Providence beat Lowell (obscene penalties), lost to Albany, and lost to Worcester (in overtime). Kris Vernarsky played on Saturday and Sunday. Jay Henderson is profiled at the pBs site.

Bill Guerin's enjoying home life . . . The alums beat the students at BU . . . Scott Gomez has gone home to play.

And in bigger news, the Red Sox beat the Cardinals in Game 4 to win the World Series. Which means I NEVER have to listen to Boston baseball fans whine, bitch, or otherwise complain about losing games, the Yankees, Bill Buckner, or Babe Ruth ever, ever, EVER AGAIN!

Go figure.

It was cool and overcast most of the day, rather quiet, and you almost wouldn't know that the Red Sox had won last night.

Unless, of course, your RA's away message looked like this:

This is what I get for Sox winning...

1 Loud people outside till 2am
2 Residents complaining that people are loud outside...
3 Drunk kids making fun of me reminding them that there are quiet hours that they should be aware of...

and...

4 hours of sleep
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE THAT FOR SOX WINNING PRIZE?

Yeah, I feel for her. Especially since I was outside at 2 am with her.

In any case, I was really only going to post because I just realized that I wrote down a hockey player's name instead of one of my students, because they share the same not so common last name. Oops! -- subconscious at work!

Imagine that.

So I guess you could say that this year's Yankees are like last year's Bruins -- except New York actually made it past the first round. Likewise, you could compare the history-making Sox to the Habs, in a sense. In any case, the outcome means I'm stuck with obnoxious Boston fans for the next week. If I'm really, really lucky, the Series will end before Halloween rather than on Halloween.

That's how fun it is to live on a college campus in Salem, Massachusetts, in October.

Now read Mike Sullivan's chat transcript, and then try to curb your enthusiasm and go to bed.

Sunday wrap.

Funny how the NFL has embraced some of the elements of the XFL at which people so heartily laughed. But my discussion of camera angles and microphones on the sidelines should probably wait for a football blog. So, too, should the inside out, upside down caps, the brown bags over heads, and the signs with the likes of "They fooled us again" be reserved for a baseball blog. Or a column, at least. But since I have no intentions of expanding (unless it's for NASCAR), here is where it's at . . .

But I'll stick to hockey for now. Providence won today, 4-0. Most of the Sunday Globe notebook is about Hal Gill. But I leave you with John Buccigross, because rereading this column on a regular basis will probably keep me sane for weeks to come.

I'll be kind.

After pitcher #4 entered the game: "They're trying to find someone to put on the mound to get some outs."

On the news: "The Sox [are] on life support."

A fan interviewed on TV: "I'm never coming back again. Sayonara. I'm done."

On the news: "I guess we have the Pats."

And during the bits of the game I watched? No booing. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think these diehards could learn a little from Bs' fans.

But no more talk of the Red Sox/Yankees game. (Or of Roger Clemens.) I'll tell you why they've lost -- from the "curse" point of view -- when the series is over.*

The Panthers are using to the lockout to highlight youth hockey. Not a bad idea, given the alternative. Yeah, you could say Florida management is nuts for continuing to push ticket sales. But this fall they've also recognized Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, sent out a message before the first hurricane hit, offered support after additional storms, and wished me a happy long weekend. There's something to that.

Providence lost tonight, 4-5. Shootout vs. Lowell. Where former pB Brantt Myhres is playing. Eric Staal scored.

It can't be a good thing that I'm already counting down the games.

Jimmie Johnson won after Kasey Kahne was denied again. It was a very weird race, but Dale came in third. Five more races, and my sports world narrows exponentially. Again.

* Noah St. John has a book called Permission to Succeed that probably backs up my theory on why the Sox haven't won the World Series in the past two decades.

By the way . . .

I just realized that I haven't been to the NHL site for at least a week. Perhaps because I'm still laughing about this college guide for NHL fans. Anyway, that's where you'll find this feature on Mike Sullivan, and a report on the Canes' town forum. Wonder if that'll happen at the Fleet?

Thirty-seven more days 'til the Vikings' first home game.

Many things. Or not.

Did you hear that noise? The sound of the 2004 - 2005 NHL season not starting?

Nah, me, neither.

Think the lockout's been on for a while? Just wait . . . Is it funny when the only hockey I've seen in a month is Denis Leary's charity game and the NYPD/NYFD game on Denis Leary's show? And that I spotted Byers and Cam right away? It is, until you add the fact that the third game I saw this month was on "life as we know it" last night. Oy! I'd consider a move to Texas, but I'm not that desparate . . . It's a good thing I can still read The Hockey News. Then again, I may start a rumor that Steve Shields is still connected to the Bruins . . . Coincidence? When I flipped on the TV this evening, "Chronicle" was doing a feature on Providence. Perfect, because tonight was opening night and I wish I'd been there. Even though they lost. But let me rewind . . . Mike Knuble is one of the Flyers in this update article . . . The Providence roster is set, and yes, I'm pretty happy. This year's captains are Jay Henderson (home) and Brent Thompson (away). Brad Boyes and Andy Hilbert are the alternates. This season's games are being broadcast online.

Thank God.

~ ~ ~

Recent articles:

- Boston Herald notebook, 09.27.04.
- New players, rules . . .
- pBs lace up skates.
- Another hat trick for Orr.
- Spotlight shines on Baby Bs, AHL.
- Herald notebook, 10.03.04.
- Adapting to change . . .
- The "good" JJ signed with Rochester.
- Kris scored last week. Twice.
- Hockey now an All-American game.
- Herald notebook, 10.10.04. (The article for which Steve Belkin was fined.)
- It's not the NHL, but . . .