"Playoffs? Playoffs?"

Congrats to Red Sox Nation for unofficially clinching a playoff berth for the fifth time in six years. This is no small accomplishment. Consider the past nine postseasons, only the Yankees with eight appearances have more than the Sox with five. Also only two other defending World Series champions -- 2002 Diamondbacks and 2005 Red Sox -- have qualified for postseason play.

We are currently enjoying the Golden Age of the Red Sox. I realize that from 1912-1918, the franchise won four World Series but, the number of teams have doubled since then and the game has become more far balanced (i.e. free agency).

The team and its players are more popular now than either has ever been. Four hundred fifty consecutive sell outs at Fenway. For the second consecutive season, the team has led all of baseball in road attendance. The team also leads the league in buying power. More Red Sox hats, jerseys, sweatshirts and t-shirts are sold than any other team in Major League Baseball.

The franchise's successful management style is the model for all other teams. The model for success includes; a strong farm system, maximizing stadium revenue, Moneyball approach in drafting and signing players, Bill James' statistical analysis, and spending money on advanced scouting. Other teams are trying to keep up with the way in which ownership has set up this franchise for success.

Regardless of how this year's playoffs turn out, there is no better time to be a Boston Red Sox fan than today. Let us enjoy the ride and not take this run for granted.