If the Boston Red Sox were a TV show, they would have been canceled long ago, because everyone would agree that the plot twists have just gotten to zany, too unrealistic, too unbelievable. Basically, they would be the second season of Lost or Heroes (or for you uber-nerds, the sixth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer).

I mean, you expect me to believe that they came back from seven runs down with seven outs remaining in their season? Please. Next thing you’ll tell me the Smoke Monster is David Ortiz.

But, here it is Friday morning, and I’ll be damned if we aren’t going to have some baseball played this weekend. Rarely has a team taking a 3-2 lead back home for the final two games of a series looked so beaten.  But that’s what happens when you’re the Tampa Bay Rays and you blow a 7-0 lead and a chance to close out the series.

It’s like they had been under hypnosis since Game 2 and had told that they were the Murder’s Row Yankees. Then suddenly someone snapped their fingers in the seventh inning and woke them up, causing them to realize that they were, in fact, the Tampa Bay Rays, and what the hell are they doing seven outs from the World Series?

Now…if you had told Rays manager Joe Maddon before the start of the series that they be up 3-2, needing to win one of two games at home to go to the World Series, I’m sure he would have taken that offer. But watching Craig Sager conduct the interviews/postmortems  in the Rays’ locker room after the game, I have no reason to believe that Tampa Bay has any chance. They looked so shell shocked, it’s going to be a victory just getting on their uniforms on Saturday without putting their jerseys on backwards.

Here’s some other interesting stories from the sports world last night. You’ll excuse me while I try to talk the Fox network executives off of the ledge and convince them it’s safe to come back inside now:

• SPORTS CULTURE is starting its own poll, this time for college cheerleaders. First set of cheerleaders under review is the Oregon Ducks, but I’m confused since all these girls shave their armpits, which I’ve never seen in Oregon.
• Wow, a trap game that’s actually a trap: TCU crushes BYU 32-7, makes the fact that the Cougars’ game against Utah will be shown on a network no one gets a decidedly moot point.
• The TELEGRAPH reports that the French have replaced the checkered flag at the French Grand Prix with a white flag, as financial woes have forced promoters to cancel the race next year.
• AWFUL ANNOUNCING blasts out news that ESPN has hired Avery Johnson as an analyst. I think this will be “a very” nice move. Ha ha ha, see what I did there! Professional blog writer, people..
• The CHICAGO TRIBUNE notes that apparently four games into the season is enough for the Chicago Blackhawks to pull the trigger on Denis Savard as their coach.
• The SACRAMENTO BEE says that David Stern has no interest in busting up the high stakes poker games on team flights. As long as the referees aren’t dealers.
• THE BIG LEAD’S assessment of the new Sports Soup show on Versus? Not so good.
• In case you’ve missed it, FREE DARKO is in the midst of previewing every NBA game this season. Not just some games or the big games. All 1,230 games.
• The LOS ANGELES TIMES wants Lakers fans to get ready for a protracted contract mess involving Andrew Bynum.
• And AOL FANHOUSE says that no, no matter how much you pray, TBS won’t stop airing those FrankTV ads.