Yes, I TOLD you so!

Agreed. This was not an attack on everyone. You Falcon and Ezzo read what I said and didn't bother to disagree!

But while people were regurgitating their Yankee and Red Sox mindlessness and while others were blah-blahing about how great the acquisition of Erik Bedard was going to make the Mariners, I stood up and said the simple words.

"Rays - 2008 AL East champs".

And when you hear your TV spout those disgusting words "no one thought the Rays..." know that Manny Stiles and his gang of Weird Shift buttons is "no one"...

I might have to change my name to "No One"...

Just remember when I was in Tampa last April asking team employees...

"When will the World Series come to Tampa Bay?

Most answered '08 or '09..." and they were ALL dead serious.

No fair, you have buttons?

A whole GANG of weird shift...

Well, yeah, I didn't bother to disagree. When do I ever disagree? Unless it's something completely STUPID!

(Wow, how ironic is that statement NOW?)

Truth: In one of those polls, I only said the Rays would make it a couple of games over .500. Little did I know that they'd be just a couple of games over .600!

Congrats to the Rays. They really are a great team. There's not really much you could ask for if you're on the Rays roster, except for the World Series. (And I'm not saying they won't win it.)

Good call... to be fair (or unfair, depending on your Red Soxian allegiance), this all was motivated/happened because of a Yankee fan (Bronx4 Where art thou?) who called me a bandwagon jumper because I said I didn't have a "favorite" team but just rooted for whomever was playing the Yankees... I made mention in the original ebay bid when I sold my fan soul - "even the Devil Rays or Royals"... but my Creator is funnier/nicer than to allow me to become a Royals (or Yankees) fan!

Do you think I should offer my NBA fanship since Robert Sarver has spurned me endlessly? Cheap bastard. "I'll even root for the Bobcats or Thunder"... OK, now I'm pushing it, eh?

You mean Bob's cats? An owner with an ego big enough to put his own name into the team name, should have an ego big enough to demand a playoff berth. Besides Manny, I've seen a picture of you and you sir are not the target demographic (although the Adam Morrison pick was designed to make you think you are).

Pictures can be decieving... I am a rapper and I watch my fair share of Bob's favorite channel, you should know. Plus, I can jump. Demographics, schmemographics.

That being said, I'm a fan of people with big egos (I'm Warden's new bestest friend, after all). Any ego that believes it can compete or even comprehend with the perpetual ego-machine that is Manny Stiles is living an unawareness lie. There's always a bigger ego out there lurking in the mist... and my ego has a much bigger ego than I do!

Most people wity large egos are just trying to make up for something missing. I understand ego because of all the sessions of ego loss (read the Tibetan Book of the Dead sometime - you don't know what ego is until you re-discover it...) plus I have a huge cock. That helps my inner confidence a tad.

You should teach your fellow Red Sox faithful how to handle the truth - you seem to have a fair (one fingered) grip on it, at least. It's nice to see a glimpse of class from a Red Sox fan every so often. Good job, Crack

The Pip - Sore loser. Can't you take your whoopins like a man?

Must have some rainy clouds over your fairweather fandom, eh?

No one is screaming OR bragging. Just nudging you and letting you know - It's NOT over yet!

But I sure as HELL will be screaming when the Red Sox get swept out of the playoffs, won't I?

Look in the mirror, you've become what you hate. You are acting just like those obnoxious Yankees and Red Sox fans. You won't ever admit it, but it is true.

"You are acting just like those obnoxious Yankees and Red Sox fans."????

Pip, put down the drugs. No one could EVER be as obnoxious as a Red Sox fan. Not even a Yankees fan...

Nice try, but that mirror could use some looking into by yourself. Go cry to Tom Brady about it, not me...

"AL East is most talked about division race in the game. The Rays will be the surprise of 2008 even though everyone is talking about them getting better, they just don’t realize how much better" - eerie, eh?

The Rays even exceeded MY expectations! That's saying something....

"Manny, you are on record here as saying the AL East winner will be around 92 wins and the Rays will take it." - Kelsdad

Won't need to...

The Rays are 3 ahead in the loss column with 9 games left (red sox have 8)... The Rays face the Orioless and Tigers, the Red Sox play the Indians and Yankees (Two teams who will LOVE the spoiler role) The Rays would have to purposely go out of their way to lose it now.

It all comes down to Pitching, Pitching, Pitching!!!

When are you going to write the "I was wrong about the Rays being out of the race by August", the "I was wrong about the Rays being overtaken and collapsing in September", or the "I was wrong about ALL my baseball predictions except the Braves this year" articles?

I should SO VERY MUCHLY write a "I told you the Mariners sucked" article, huh?

That's mostly true (although they're still gonna end up 4th). Guess that makes up for your other 29 predictions, eh? =)

I picked Rays sweeping Mets (although my heart said Phillies, so I could scam my way into a press pass) with Kazmir shutting out the Mets twice... so I'm not out of it yet!

And KD, nice try... ALL predictions matter - that's what makes them predictions. Whether it's Shrimpadamus picking the Giants in the Super Bowl, Sports Shaman pulling the Star card on the 2008 Patriots or Too Manny Stiles picking the Suns to win the NBA championship... they ALL count!

Was that the same guy who picked the Mariners to win the AL West in 2008?

No problem. I'll pat him on the back right now...

Yeah, life's unfair when you're not me! I think my calling the Rays a playoff team trumps your saying the Suns wouldn't win the NBA Title. Just saying...