No matter the participants, the situation, or the stakes, I will tune into any final inning of a baseball championship game to see the holiest celebration in all of sports, the dogpile. The dogpile is a sacred celebration, an explosion of joy and celebration of a shared accomplishment that only one team is lucky enough to partake in. The dogpile is such a transcendent part of baseball that the dogpile after my little league championship still ranks in the top moments of my life, and easily the happiest and most vivid memory I have of that team.
I have a confession to make. After the Cardinals Game 6 win in the World Series, one of the greatest baseball games any of us will ever see, I was left with a sour taste in my mouth. This was not a result of any allegiance to the Rangers, but rather, because I knew I would be unable to watch Game 7, and thus, would miss out on seeing the champions, whoever they may be, celebrate live. Nevertheless, the Cardinals gave us one of the grittiest comebacks in recent memory, and missing out on seeing it end live was a small price to pay for an all time classic series. The Cardinals needed to make up for the Giants’ dogpile-less display after their Series win last year, and somehow, they managed to accomplish that and then some. Here’s a breakdown of the euphoria.
GAME 6:
While David Freese and the Cards robbed us off a dogpile in Game 6, their celebration of the walk off homerun was almost as good. Although Freese didn’t channel his inner Joe Carter, whose Game 6 walk off homerun won the 93 series, the rest of his team went a little more crazy. Whether it was Yadier Molina jumping up and down at least 200 times in the span it took Freese to run the bases, Lance Berkman stepping out of the moshpit at home plate to shake the umpire’s hand, or the entirely Cardinals team, for some reason, tearing of their hero’s jersey, the celebration managed to live up to the moment that preceded it: one of the biggest homeruns in the history of the sport.
GAME 7:
Although the end of Game 7 was not as dramatic as the previous night, the celebration was one of champions. Here are the four key participants that made the celebration absolutely legendary.
Yadier Molina- Yadi was, in my opinion, the MVP of the celebration. He played the crucial role of starting the dogpile by launching himself onto Jason Motte. I also have to give credit to Motte, as he let himself fall backwards to start the pile.
Albert Pujols- Unquestionably the star and leader of the Cardinals, Pujols dropped to a knee immediately after the final out, and then proceeded to fuel the side-celebration, forgoing his usual stoic look for one of pure joy.
Rafael Furcal- After winning his first championship in an illustrious 11 year career, Furcal had no reason not to go as bananas as he did.
Tony LaRussa- LaRussa’s look after the final out was priceless. His recent retirement means it will be the last memory we have of one of the game’s all-time great managers.
The dogpile is great because it represents everything that is right about sports. There are no thoughts of lockouts, the BCS, pay for play, or concussion tests, there is simply the joy shared between teammates at the achievement of the ultimate team goal: a championship.
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