Patience my friend, patience

Speechless.

That's what I was left last night after Aaron Boone turned on a Wakefield knuckle ball sending it into the New York night and down into the history books.

There aren't enough adjectives and superlatives in the English dictionary to describe what I witnessed on the night of October 16, 2003.

I've seen all the highlights or lowlights depending on which side of the fence you are on, of these two teams.

Bucky Dent, Carlton Fisk, Bill Buckner the list is endless.

But Thursday night, for as long as I could remember, my focus and my attention were invested in every pitch, every out, and every run. Eleven innings of baseball euphoria.

That's something that is lost in American culture these days.

The highlight shows, like SportsCenter, and quick access to information via Internet have made people impatient, wanting only to see the big plays, the stats and the outcome.

Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS should remind everyone that the old cliche of "good things happen to those who wait" is still applicable in our fast pace lives.

I was rooting for the Red Sox, I just can't bring myself to side with the Yankees under any circumstances.

Honestly, I just wanted a classic game 7.

It pains me to see the Yankees move on to the World Series, but I have nothing but respect for the way they played and conducted themselves in this LCS.

After the debacle that was Don Zimmer vs. Pedro Martinez, you would have thought that this game would never have lived up to the hype it was given.

Martinez against Roger Clemens is a match-up you live out on the sandlot.

Both teams all in, standing up and pacing like those characters in the World Series of Poker.

It came down to the final card and once it was turned over all you were left with is the deafening chorus of "New York, New York."

It lived up the hype alright, then it turned around and kicked it in its rear end.

Nobody expected an 11 inning comeback classic, everyone thought the series crested when Pedro manhandled Zimmer to the ground.

Once Clemens was taken out it felt like the people of Boston were gearing up for the Marlins and the Sox were going to run away with the game.

I admit it, so did I. Little did I know.

A solo homer by Jason Giambi meant nothing to me the way Martinez was working his way through the Yankee lineup, but then he hit another home run to cut the lead to 4-2.

It was the seventh inning and I could feel something brewing.

David Ortiz homered in the top half of the eighth and all was well again, or so I thought.

The bottom half of the eighth was just one big blur, Martinez was still in there after going seven fantastic innings.

Between my yelling at the TV to get Martinez out of there and moving back and forth to see one of the 20 or so TV's in my crowded watering hole, the Yankees were mounting a comeback and just like that it was tied.

Grady Little had finally heard all of New England and me down in Maryland to bring in his relievers.

However, it was too late, the damage was done and Mariano Rivera was coming in to slam the door shut on the Red Sox.

Three innings of brilliant pitching from Rivera and it was now the bottom of the 11th.

I had a sixth sense it was going to end in this inning and sure enough with one eye on the TV and the other barely on my buddy who I was speaking to, Boone turned on a Tim Wakefield pitch.

I stood there in shock, goosebumps on my arms as I watch the Yankees celebrate on the field and listening to the yelling from the few Yankee fans in the bar.

Stunned, shell-shocked, and in disbelief I saunter my way out of there, say tough luck to another buddy who was a true Red Sox fan, say my goodbye's to everyone and leave.

Four plus hours invested in that game, wishing, hoping, praying the "Evil Empire" would collapse and bring joy into the starving Red Sox fans.

Four plus hours questioning Little's managerial skills.

Four plus hours cheering every Boston hit, Martinez strikeout, and Red Sox run.

Those four plus hours are mine and mine alone and it's something that no one highlight, no box-score, no wireless alert can ever duplicate.

I waited and the good thing came.