My Kids Finally Start Learning About Being a Red Sox Fan

Well that was painful.  I've always told my kids that they haven’t earned their stripes (emotional scars) to be considered true Red Sox fans.  They have basked in the heady days of two World Series Championships - with teams that showed character and grit.  Welcome back to earth, my high flying progeny!  I still and always will love the Sox but this team reminded me so much of the Sox teams of my youth.  They had loads of talent and dominated in June and July.  When they started to face some adversity though, they folded like wet toast.  This team really lacked leaders, outside of Dustin Pedroia, who seemed to be the only one who tried to rise to the occasion.  The rest of the team seemed content as long as they put up a good statistical year.  This team needs a serious heart transplant and, unlike in my youth, this Red Sox management won't sit back and coddle the underperformers.  I love Terry Francona but he has to assume some responsibility as "he always had his players' backs" and this seems to have led to a lack of accountability.  This was a soft team and soft teams don't win championships.  I told my wife, during last night's debacle, this team did not deserve to go the playoffs.  As hard as it is to say, the Yankees and Rays do.