advertisement

Rongey: Reminiscing on that 2005 White Sox win

My timing isn't so great.

Like the rest of Chicago, I watched in 2005 as a team with little championship expectation went all the way. I watched the final out at Kincade's in Lincoln Park. Witnessed a beer shower. Then I got to be front row at Wacker and LaSalle as Paul Konerko handed the final out ball to Jerry Reinsodrf.

What I didn't know at the time is that I'd start working with a team on a World Series hangover the next year. I just missed being in the ballpark for any of those great postseason moments.

In 2006, the Sox were a favorite. They lost Aaron Rowand but added Jim Thome and another starting pitcher. Just about everyone else was back.

I'll always remember just how good that team looked in the first half and how certain another postseason run appeared to be. They were 26 games over .500 at the All-Star break, yet still not in first place.

Turns out their timing wasn't so great either: They were a 90-win team that just happened to be in a division with teams that won 96 and 95 games. Of course that's how it would happen. They've won just one postseason game since.

I was hoping to get to relive that celebration, just from a closer perspective. Every Sox fan I knew thought they might get to celebrate again, too. But once the disappointment and frustration of '06 began to set in, for many, it was almost as if the previous fall happened in 1905.

Even during that '06 season, and in years since, I've heard from a number of Sox fans who said they didn't want to be the kind of fan living off a single championship (think '85 Bears) and would feel almost embarrassed by continuing to celebrate it.

Living in the past is for losers, you know?

It's an idea I understand and agree with to some measure. After the World Series win, nobody wanted to say, "see you in another 88 years."

But even if the Sox have missed for the last decade, it does not mean any fan should feel ashamed reveling in what was likely their greatest sports moment.

If you're a Sox fan, you had a blast 10 years ago. There's no reason to deny yourself any pleasure in remembering it, regardless of current disenchantment.

Scott Podsednik visited with me on "White Sox Weekly" Saturday, during the '05 reunion weekend, and said the thing he always says about the walkoff home run in Game Two: "I get goosebumps just thinking about it now." It's what I imagine most fans feel when they see the highlight or hear the radio call. I know that's how I feel.

And you know what? That's awesome. Keep that forever and relive it whenever you want. Let that homer and Konerko's grand slam give you chills, even in 2015. It's why you want your team to win it all: for the memory.

That doesn't mean you shouldn't also want the current Sox to win. As a fan, you should want both. Enjoy what you felt all of October 2005, while also desiring that they do it again, sooner rather than later.

• Chris Rongey is the host of the White Sox pregame and postgame shows on WSCR 670-AM The Score. Follow him on Twitter@ChrisRongey and at chrisrongey.com.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.