Newz Forum: BASEBALL: The Rope-a-Dope Redux

The Red Sox made history against the Yankees by making history repeat itself.

Remember the Rumble in the Jungle, Ali and Foreman? As the story goes, Ali played possum for the first five rounds, leaning on the ropes and letting Foreman do all the punching. Then, by design, Ali began to make his move in the sixth, dizzying the tiring champ with a series of calculated blows. By the time Ali connected on the winning combination in the eighth round, Foreman had effectively knocked himself out.

As their ALCS drew near, the Red Sox were convinced: mimicking Ali's revolutionary tactics was certain to make "dopes" out of the Yankees.

Boston feigned injury, incompetence and outright defenseless in games one and two, duping the New York into a false sense of confidence. But they didn't stop there. In game three, the Sox stood idly as the Yanks punched themselves out in a 19-8 romp. The Red Sox were against the ropes, but their plan was unfolding to perfection, just as it had for Ali. The Yankees held a 3-0 series lead, but they were spent, both mentally and physically.

Boston smelled blood. It was time for the blindside offensive, the Rope-a-Dope redux. Win by win, the Red Sox gained momentum while the Yankees faded away. By the end of game six, the staggering Yanks were fighting a losing battle. A game seven knockout was inevitable. And as the Bombers laid flat on the canvas of Yankee Stadium, the Nation thanked the Greatest for inspiring the greatest comeback in baseball history.

Nice analogy, though...