It was a big day for both Championship Series’.

In Boston, the Red Sox could do absolutely nothing against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  B.J. Upton led the way for the D-Rays smacking a 3-run homer in the 3rd inning which put Tampa Bay up 4-1 and established the tone of the game.  That’s 5 home runs for Upton in the post-season.  Amazing!!  Then, later in the game, Rocco Baldelli and Carlos Pena crushed homers to truly embarrass the Red Sox.  Um… can the Devil Rays be stopped?  If they can do this to the Red Sox IN BOSTON, do the Bo-Sox even have a chance to win this series?  We’ll just wait and see.  Tampa Bay 9, Boston 1.

And over in Los Angeles, the Dodgers looked to even the series with the red-hot Phillies.  They were predicted to win considering that in the National League, the home teams have been winning their games.  It looked like it was the Dodgers game to lose.  They got up 5-3 and seemed to be controlling the pace of the game.  But then, in the 8th inning, Shane Victorino smacked a 2 run homer to tie the game at 5.   Stay cool Dodgers — it’s only tied.  And then, when the Dodgers thought it couldn’t get any worse, pinch-hitter and Long-long-LONG time veteran Matt Stairs blasted another 2 run hommer to put the Phillies up 7-5.  After that, the Dodgers lost their mojo, and the Phillies held on behind their ace closer, Brad Lidge.  Philadelphia 7, Los Angeles 5.

In the NFL, a HUGE surprise.  The undefeated New York Giants took on the under-performing Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football.  With their star Wide Receiver, Plaxico Burress, back on the field after a one game suspension, the Giants were expected to clobber the confused Browns.  That’s…not…what…happened.  The Browns completely controlled the game.  Their quarterback (a fighting-for-his-job Derek Anderson) threw for 310 yards, 2 Touchdowns, and NO Interceptions, while Eli Manning and the Giants couldn’t get much going.  It’s games like this that make the NFL great.  It’s a totally unpredictable league, and predictions and expectations mean nothing.  Hence, on Monday, the Browns proved the ever-popular cliche true:  ‘That’s why we play the games’.