What with both Chicago teams getting knocked out of the postseason and the Bears stepping up, I never thought Game 1 would get here. For the better part of the week the national media (including the marketing arm of MLB) has been gobbling up everything Milwaukee. I hope and expect they’ll do the same when the action moves to Tampa.

One can hear the groans of the league, FOX and all of the advertisers that both big markets have been excluded from the national conversation. I could give the proverbial rat’s ass about ratings and advertisers (forget that I have a strong rooting interest in the Brewers). For the record, the Rays erased the Yankees like they were a bad grade on a report card and Milwaukee exacted revenge on the Mighty Dodgers with a four-game, humiliating sweep. Both teams belong and were the two best teams during the regular season no matter what the wise guys at all the betting sites said.

Now that Brandon Woodruff has made the WS roster for the Brewers my only wish would have to have NBC call the series rather than the mopes at FOX. I hope the directors choose to muzzle the three stooges on the pregame show and focus on the pregame festivities on the field. Although I’m sure they’ll highlight Bud Selig’s first/second pitch. And even though the Rays have made two WS appearances in the 21st century, I hope they get equal time when the series moves south.

Since I didn’t mortgage my future (an odd phrase that doesn’t apply to a guy my age) I’m watching Game 1 from the comfort of Casa Bob. Over the past two decades, key games have coincided with the eve of my departure for Arizona and the AFL. I always flew out on the first Saturday morning flight. Game 3 of the 2018 series between the Red Sox and Dodgers was one I’ll never forget. It was the only game the Dodgers won, and Nathan Eovaldi had one of the most impressive relief outings in a loss (look it up).

As a kid watching the World Series, I don’t recall what days they played and didn’t play but what I do remember were some postponements due to rain. Not the case in the year of the dome.

Not only does nobody have a clue how the series will play out, but nobody really knows what the 2027 season will look like or when it will begin. That has a lot of us worried. And as much as I’d love to be sitting in AmFam as a fan, I would love to attend as media someday.

While I definitely missed out on attending a WS game in 2016, I have fond memories of watching from afar and discussing the aftermath of each game with up-and-coming players, managers, coaches and several fans (although not Cub fans). I can remember the various bar stools where I watched most of the games.

I’ve enjoyed chatting up my Milwaukee friends who’ve waited forever for this experience. I look forward to hearing from them after each game to gauge the mood north of the cheese curtain. Friend Marty has been a loyal fan for decades and an esteemed usher for over 25 years. He’s earned this night and I hope he enjoys a victory.

Even if you don’t have a rooting interest this year, I hope you have a great time watching two smaller market titans duke it out.