With October upon us, we have hit the midterm slump full of exams and papers. Knowing that we must power through these next few weeks, there are few things keeping us sane.
We could all use a pick-me-up, something to shake the mid-October blues and get our blood flowing so that we may focus on the task ahead. No, I'm not talking about going down to Starbucks and trying its latest double tall soy-chai-mocha. I'm talking about taking a minute and recalling the inspirational story of the Colorado Rockies.
You may be wondering what the Rockies have to do with your 12-page paper on health care bills due tomorrow, even though you probably have yet to start it. Well, it's simple, really - the Rockies did the impossible. With all odds against it, the team won the National League Championship. Now, more than ever, we need to look for the most inspiration we can get. If the Rockies can beat the odds and win, you can also beat the odds and hand in that final draft by midnight.
The Rockies have proved they are much like the mountains they are named after: strong, tough and willing to stand up to anything thrown their way. The team, started in 1993, is one of the youngest teams in the MLB to date. Unlike their opponents in New York, the Rockies do not "buy" their team, spending millions per game on hitters and pitchers. So how did the Rockies get as far as they have? They used hard work and determination.
Back in April, no one thought the young team had a chance. Who would? But sometime around September, the Rockie road got smoother.
The team was four-and-a-half games out of the wild card with just nine to play. In layman's terms, the Rockies had to win a lot, and San Diego, the team they were fighting against for the wild card, had to lose a lot.
The Rockies were soon down two games with two games to play. Both teams were neck-and-neck, and for the first time in a long time, the Rockies had a chance to take the reigns and make it to playoffs. They played a game against the Padres to determine who would take the wild card and go on to pave the path to the Championship Series.
The San Diego Padres played Jake Peavy, their best pitcher. Peavy is not only the Padres' star pitcher, but one of the best pitchers in the league. With the odds against them, the Rockies came out on top.
The Rockies would go on to the playoffs, the first time since 1995, to face the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series. They swept the series.
It was on to the National League Championship Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Fans of the Rockies who thought it was impossible for their team to do well started to realize they had a chance to make history. The Rockies swept another series and made history, winning 21 of their last 22 games, and is going to the World Series for the first time in franchise history. It is also the second time in the record books that a team swept both postseason series.
Who would have thought it was possible? With all the odds against them, the Rockies were able to take hold and climb to the top of the winning mountain.
Who knows where the road will lead the Rockies next; they will either face the Boston Red Sox or the Cleveland Indians in the series. Right now, none of that matters. What matters is that the Rockies did it, against all odds.
So when it's 4 a.m. and you're tired of working on your paper, think of the Rockies and how they pulled through. It's a little piece of inspiration to help you battle your way to the top of your midterm mountain.
