Now leaving Canada...

Change tunes, fold up the flag, exchange dollars and cents Expos players, and welcome to the good old US of A.

Give Canada one last glance back, next stop is the District of Columbia.

It's goodbye maple syrup, hello sugary brown substitute.

Time to give that red and white flag a little dash of blue.

Throw away that big snow shovel, and trade it in for a nice, compact sized shovel. And lastly, memorize the Star Spangled Banner yet?

All together now, "Oh say can you see."

All the rumors and talk over the year finally became reality as the Montreal Expos are slated to depart to the nation's capital, Washington D.C.

Jose Vidro and company will be hitting alongside the home of the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and that big, white building that what's his name lives in.

Upon arrival, does Frank Robinson get a free stay in the Lincoln bedroom?

With a World Series victory, that could certainly be arranged.

How about a playoff appearance, does that give Robinson and company a round of golf with the president?

Free tours for playing .500 baseball?

In D.C., the possibilities are endless.

The incentives will leave Expos players more bashful than Bud Selig making the announcement to leave Montreal.

Canada is hockey central.

With the lockdown in the NHL, most players will make the trip north of the border to stay fresh.

Why? Because it's an opportunity to still play competitively while everything is being figured out.

If baseball were in a similar situation, Montreal and the rest of Canada wouldn't have to worry about a population increase anytime soon.

That is, unless some players wanted to pursue a career in manufacturing maple syrup.

Baseball never seemed to fit in with Canadians.

It seemed they were waiting for someone to pull up the turf and reveal an ice rink.

The few fans that attended games were probably given free tickets to see the Canadiens.

All they had to do was sit and watch for a couple hours.

Oh, and fans who started a wave were given a Jose Theodore bobble head doll.

So why the assimilation? It's like having a peanut butter and maple syrup sandwich.

Sharing a national pastime shouldn't be part of the United States foreign relations agenda.

Sure, the Expos were able to put together a few years.

But what does it say about a team that ditched a number of future superstars?

First went Marquis Grissom and Larry Walker, followed by Moises Alou, with Pedro Martinez leaving a few years after.

If letting go of some great hitters and a Cy Young winner is a sin, then the Expos should start counting their blessings.

Only one hand will be necessary.

The devotion to the fans wasn't there from the start.

Argue and debate that 1994 was their year, but as a major league team, shouldn't every year?

The players went to the ballpark to win, but the same can't be said for the ownership.

Fans are fans because they enjoy watching a team committed to victory.

The Expos never demonstrated that desire, qualifying for the postseason twice, but playing in it only once due to the '94 strike.

Baseball in Canada has seen its share of success.

The '92 and '93 Toronto Blue Jays gave the country its first taste of World Series gold.

Who can forget Joe Carter's walk off homerun that captured the title in '93, a moment that defined a resilient Blue Jays team?

How about the offensive onslaught that teammates Paul Molitor and John Olerud bestowed on pitchers?

Toronto gave baseball fans some great moments to remember.

While Toronto still remains somewhat competitive, it's a lost hope in the AL East with Boston and New York standing in the way.

With the way these two teams have been spending cash, the Blue Jays can only hope for a respectable finish.

In time, Toronto will exhaust the finances they are willing to commit, become property of Major League Baseball, and take the next ticket to America.

Toronto Blue Jays today, Las Vegas Blue Jays tomorrow? Blackjack!

It will be a rough few first years for the newly located Expos.

When the hype and excitement wears off and fans become accustomed to having a baseball team, the scene may be reminiscent of the days in Montreal.

But, look at the potential.

The president will only be a short jog away from the park, which could mean frequent appearances.

Fans can witness how girly an arm the commander-in-chief has on a reoccurring basis.

The first lady can teach players on how to be a gentleman.

CIA operatives can be used to scout upcoming opponents.

Throw in a ride on Air Force One for away games and this team looks to have a great upside.

The nation's capital and national pastime have reunited to take another shot at success.

Canada shouldn't sweat the loss.

Hockey has always been the mainstay and intertwining baseball into a Canadian's sports diet proved to be a pipe dream.

It's only a matter of time that the country is depleted of all its major league baseball teams.

Look out Wayne Newton, rumor has it Carlos Delgado is already practicing his stage show.