At one minute after midnight, my eyes welled up with tears of joy. I am exhausted but happy. The Boston Red Sox are the 2004 American League Champions! I thank my daughter, Ruby, my lucky hat and of course Papi and Co.

I could write a number of cliches trying to describe the feelings that New Englanders must have, but none would suffice. They say everything is magnified in the playoffs and so too are the emotions felt by every Red Sox fan. Even the Boston Globe's Bob Ryan is at a loss for words.

In my 36 years of existence, I have never seen a Boston team like this one. Not in '75, '78, '86. Not in '99 nor even 2003. I have never witnessed the type of kinship on Fenway's diamond before. Pure heart.

I have looked forward to the secret and not-so-secret handshakes, the hugs, the smiles and the finger pointing. Truly this has been an enjoyable year capped off by Wednesday night's victory.

Nor have I experienced a series like this.

Well, because there has never been a series like this. The New York Daily News' Mike Lupica writes Yanks collapse monumental. It couldn't have been more fitting. The Red Sox have beaten the Yankees. Wpri.com's Web site published Chants, curse can't stop Red Sox. Projo.com's Sean McAdam writes winning looked easy on this night.

No one gave the Sox a chance after losing the first three games of the ALCS, except the diehards. The New York Times suggests there is a new twist to the rivalry.

But even in victory, I have questions. Why did they send Damon in the first? Why did they pitch Pedro in the eighth? Does Fox have to braodcast the World Series? I've pretty much have had enough of Joe Buck and the gang.

But I'll tackle those questions later. For today, the Red Sox have no flaws. The series MVP and the rest of the "Idiots" have brought home a championship.

So New York, what does $184 million get you these days? A ticket home. The New York Post asks who's to blame?

Heads are sure to roll in New York. ESPN.com says the Yanks await Boss' wrath. Will Brian Cashman be gone? It was his job to put together the team. Perhaps it is time. The Daily News reports that Cashman ready to deal with the loss and the Boss.

I also expect Joe Torre to announce his retirement. What more does he have to prove? He can definitely manage a team with the best talent in the game. He has his rings. It is time. The Daily News writes, "Rivera and Torre. They used to be automatic at this time of year. Not anymore."

It may be the end for Mel Stottlemyre as well. The pitching staff has been less than stellar this year and will have aged by the start of spring training. Mariano Rivera is still awesome, just not against the Sox. Mike Mussina still has gusto and the Javier Vasquez promise, but more questions exist than answers. The Daily News shares my view in its article: "Ouster might mean end for Stot."

Yes, they still have offense. Jeter, A-Rod, Sheffield and the mighty Godzilla (Hideki Matsui) will provide punch, making New York a perennial contender, but not without proper leadership and more pitching. It took 86 years for Red Sox organizations to figure that out.

The real reason the Yankees lost - the A-Rod curse. Each team that A-Rod plays for doesn't get past the first round. Seattle didn't do it, and Texas never made it to the playoffs. Sorry New York but your stuck with a $252 million jinx. The Boston Herald's calls Alex Rodriguez, A-fraud. And the New York Post writes A-Rod is the face of failure.

Same could be said for the highly paid and overrated Kevin Brown. Even when he got a ring with the Florida Marlins in 1997, he lost two World Series games giving up 15 earned runs. The Daily News' Filip Bondy writes Brown proves to be a clown. Ouch.

While New Yorkers wonder about the future of their club. Let us take the next two days to relax, get some sleep and celebrate. For today is not one of gloom but one of good cheer.

This year our hopes and dreams will not fall with the leaves. No matter what happens in the World Series, we'll have the memories of this ALCS and these players to keep us warm through the long, cold winter. The Red Sox have found a winning combination of pitching, speed and power. A new day has dawned.

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