More than refreshing to see these Sox win it all

Alas, the Sox are world champions in 2005... the White Sox, that is. Yes that's right, the Chicago White Sox, who hadn't tasted a title since World War I, 1917 to be exact. Sure it was a four-game sweep, but this was still a very exciting World Series. The Astros and White Sox have similar styles of play, which is why all four games were decided by two runs or less, including a 14-inning classic in Game 4. So the ChiSox are second to none now, not even the beloved Cubs, who will have to now take a back seat to their partners on the South Side.
And how refreshing the 2005 MLB season has been. When the LCS rolled around, no Yankees and no Red Sox. Quite frankly, you couldn't ask for much more. No big egos. No massive payroll. No egotistical owner. Just a group of hard-working, blue-collar type players that played fundamentally sound baseball on a consistent basis. The old-fashioned way, if you will. Sure, the series didn't feature Albert Pujols, Alex Rodriguez, or David Ortiz, but so what? This was old school baseball, and the White Sox earned it, and after they heard it all throughout the season: they're going to choke; they play in a soft division; they can't compete with the Yankees and Red Sox. And yet they persevered, winning an American League-best 99 games and their first division title in five years. And in case anyone doubted them entering October, they won 11 of their 12 postseason games just for good measure. And now classy owner Jerry Reinsdorf can enjoy this title as he did the six that his Chicago Bulls won in the 1990s. And best yet, another season has passed without George Steinbrenner putting another ring on his finger, while A-Rod and Giambi are still searching for their first. Oh, and Red Sox Nation? Shut up. You can just get back on the Patriots bandwagon, but even that isn't a lock in 2005.
But we're here to congratulate the Chicago White Sox, not bash the hated Red Sox and Yankees. To congratulate Frank Thomas, who has battled recent injuries after being one of the most dominant players in the 90s and now finally has reached the top. And to congratulate GM Ken Williams, whose savvy and smarts have provided the Sox a core group of players that could keep them in contention for years to come. And who could overlook the job that second-year manager Ozzie Guillen did? He was as fiery on the bench this year as he was in his playing days, when he became a fan favorite on the South Side. In all, it was a magical ride for the White Sox in 2005, and how refreshing it is to see the city of Chicago boast a World Series championship, even if it isn't the lovable Cubbies.