First let me say, as a person who has lived most of his life as a baseball underdog supporter (I live in Pittsburgh, home of the habitually next to last place Pirates), I am very happy that the Red Sox came from behind and wooped the Yankees. I am also glad they won the World Series, not because I dislike the Cards but because the curse is finally lifted. Who likes curses? ('cept for Yankees fans...) In fact, I suspect that most people that don't live in New York were happy to see the Sox win. However, I can't be TOO TOO happy, when I see the salaries that the Sox management pays -- and even the Cards mgmt for that matter. I would guess that most folks in Pittsburgh and other cities of this general size and average income feel a certain way about the Pirates place in Major League Baseball -- that is, they probably feel about the same way that many of the people on this list feel about Power Pop's place in the music business. At least I do. That is, we are doomed to be the underdog. Once there was a time where it was all about the love of the game, not money. Sure, money has always been important. But there was a thing called team loyalty, and many players were just plain grateful to make a decent living playing a game, and a game they loved, at that. And any city had a chance - or at least the playing field was much more level that it is today. Now, the Pirates have a salary that is maybe one tenth the size of the big boys, and we have about a snowball's chance in hell of ever competing with the big boys. Well, maybe we can get lucky for one year like the Marlins, but we'll never see another dynasty in this town, not as long as the salary disparity remains. There are lots of New Yorkers in this list - and I have a question: Seriously, how triumphant can a Yankees fan feel in being on top when they outspend everyone else? Isn't it a bit of a hollow victory? (I won't ask this question of the Sox fans as this is the first year in, how long?, Since your team has been #1...) Dave (Sorry for the off topic, guys and gals - I won't let it happen again. But see how I tried to weave pop into my post? :-> )