Tough to enjoy the Sox victory...

...when your home town newspaper is the Tampa Bay Times.

I had planned to do a write-up after Boston won the World Series earlier this week. But an early day at work the next day prevented me from staying up late doing a post. But after I read the paper at lunch the following day, I was more tempted to write something about the crappy coverage by the paper.

The story was placed below the fold on the front page of the sports section and continued on the back page, below the fold and under the local weather report. For the World Series! That's how they decided to cover one of the major U.S. sports championships!

With no chance of the Buccaneers being in the Super Bowl this season's end, the paper will feature, as it always does, a wrap-around collector style wrap-up with photos and stories. Same with the Stanley Cup (though the Lightning may have a chance at being involved in that if they keep playing at the same level they are now. Go Bolts!).

But the World Series? Because Boston was involved, got the sort of treatment local high school football championships usually get. And the writer, Marc Topkin -- oof! What a whine and sour grapes story he spat out for readers to enjoy.

The first line of the story: "Finishing behind the Red Sox in the American League East felt bad for the Rays. Getting eliminated by the Sox in the Division Series, and having to watch them celebrate at the Trop, was worse. • And now they have to live with this: The Red Sox are World Series champs." Yes, that's right -- the World Series is all about the Rays. Who knew?

Topkin went on to diminish the excitement of the game itself. Mock Shane Victorino for acting excited as he, after sitting on the bench for two games, drove in three runs with a towering double off the Green Monster. Sneer at Jonny Gomes for "doing nothing to avoid" being hit by a pitch to get on base. And even took a swipe (perhaps?) at the Rays for giving Boston 15 of their 108 total wins (playoffs + regular season). He even threw in something about how there would be Boston's "expected flaunting of the championship." 'Cause no other championship team ever mentions that they've won a championship the previous year.

What a tool!

And in today's paper, Tom Jones, took another swipe at the team, once again, former Ray Jonny Gomes, as he snarked about the talk on Gomes bringing something to teams he has played with. Jones mentioned that the Rays, A's and Reds all former teams of Gomes, all got to the playoffs without him this year.

Yeah, but the Sox won the Series with him, sh*thead! And everyone from the custodian to the owners have acknowledged that Gomes brought some needed character and effort to the team. So, pbbbthtt...jog on!

This is the sort of crap that makes it hard for me to root for my local team. I'm happy we have a baseball team here, and I'd like them to stay and do well. But this j.v. homer-ism in the press ruins it for me.

Oh well, congrats to the Red Sox -- 2013 World Series Champs.

Told ya to fear the beard! :-)