Nine years ago, on Oct. 26, 2000, New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera induced a fly ball to center field from New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza, setting off a raucous celebration at Shea Stadium and giving the Yankees the first World Series championship of the new millennium with a 4-2 victory over their Subway rivals.
This year, on Nov. 4, Rivera induced Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino into a ground ball to second base, setting off a raucous celebration at Yankee Stadium and giving New York the last World Series championship of the decade with a 7-3 victory over the City of Brotherly Love.
In that near-decade separating championships, there were heartbreaking ALCS comebacks, Luis Gonzalez's bloop hit and even one year with a missed postseason. But nine years later, New York is back on top and, interestingly enough, not too much has changed.
Nine years ago, the Yankees were led by a core of four players, all of whom came up together in 1995 through the minors. Shortstop Derek Jeter, not yet a captain, led the team in batting average, runs and hits. Catcher Jorge Posada was a rock behind the plate. Pitcher Andy Pettitte had a team-high 19 wins, and Rivera was quickly on his way to becoming the best closer of all-time.
This year, the Yankees were led by a core of four players, all of whom came up together in 1995 through the minors and have continued to tear apart the Major Leagues ever since. Jeter, now a captain and a legend of New York, led the squad in the same categories. Jorge Posada was still a rock, Pettitte set the record for most postseason wins and series-clinching wins, and Rivera quickly cemented his place as the top game-ender ever (although some might argue he has held this title for years).
Nine years ago, Alex Rodriguez was the lone superstar left in Seattle, still playing shortstop and on the outside looking in after the Mariners were ousted from the playoffs by the Yankees. This year, Rodriguez was just one of many superstars in New York, playing third base and winning the first championship of his storied career.
Nine years ago, Hideki Matsui won the MVP of the Japanese Central League, led the Yomiuri Giants to a title, was tops in the league in home runs and RBIs, and contemplated a move to the United States. This year, six years after coming to America, Matsui joined a club of Yankee elite, becoming just the third player to bat above .500 and hit three homers in the same World Series. The other two? Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Oh yeah, and he won the MVP award too.
Nine years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers won their first NBA title in 12 years, Britney Spears' "Oops! ... I Did it Again" was the highest-grossing album, and mad cow disease ripped its way through the United Kingdom. This year, the Lakers won the NBA trophy again, Britney Spears still makes me want to harpoon my ear drums, and the world is still having trouble with animal-related illnesses.
Nine years ago, I was 4-foot-10, 82 pounds, scared to death of talking to girls, and watched "Arthur" every day after school. This year, I'm 5-foot-10, 182 pounds, still afraid of talking to girls and, yes, still watching "Arthur" more frequently than should be allowed by law.
Nine years ago, one of my best friends delivered an expletive-ridden tirade (the first time I heard the "f" word, by the way) about how much the Yankees suck because they beat his beloved Braves. This year, he has still told me, with a much more diverse cuss-word vocabulary, that the Yankees suck.
I'm not going to pretend that nine years is a long time, because it sure beats 86. But, just like in 2000, I don't care, because the trophy has been brought back home to New York.
And look at how little has changed in the process.
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Alex Prewitt is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major. He can be reached at Alexander.Prewitt@tufts.edu.
