By G. Emrich

I’ve read somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 articles detailing Roy Halladay’s masterpiece last night.  Tack on to that around two hours of postgame television coverage, another hour this morning, and approximately one hour of radio coverage as well.  At this point I don’t think it’s possible to describe what happened last night in a unique way, and I’m not going to try.  Phillies fans don’t need someone to describe it anyway. They lived it and experienced it in a way that only a true fan can.  You know what I’m talking about.  The adrenaline is still pumping through your veins.  It’s sort of like waking up drunk, except you don’t have to worry about a hangover hitting you later in the day.

Of course the metaphorical hangover can still arrive in the guise of a Phillies loss on Friday.  And this brings us to the crux of the matter.  Great moments in the playoffs, like the one Halladay authored last night, only achieve truly legendary status in the hearts and minds of fans if your team finishes the job and wins the World Series.

There are countless examples of this.  Philadelphia fans have celebrated countless playoff achievements that were rendered forgettable (and I mean this in the literal sense) because the team ultimately lost.  How would Boston fans remember Schilling’s bloody sock performance had the Red Sox lost game 7?  Would anyone talk about Jack Morris’ 10 innings of brilliance in 1991 against Atlanta in game 7 if Atlanta had won in 11 innings?  More recently and more relevant to Phillies fans, how do we remember Cole Hamels’ performance in 2008 compared to Cliff Lee’s last year?  Twenty years from now almost no one will talk about Lee, while Hamels run through the 2008 playoff will always be the stuff of legend.

The point is this.  If the Phillies (I know it’s unlikely) were to falter against the Reds and lose the series, Halladay’s performance will be cheapened in our memories, a shining star in an otherwise black memory.  I want Halladay’s brilliance to be remembered as part of larger incredible experience.  I want to remember it as the beginning of something special.  I want to remember it as the beginning of something legendary.