First! Dodgers sweep!

Nope, the Dodgers didn't just sweep the Yankees. Nope, it isn't the World Series. But, yep, the Dodgers DID just record their first postseason series sweep since that glorious broom job in 1963. It has been that long.

Dodgers 3, Cubs 1. L.A. is first to advance to the next round of the postseason! Woo-hoo!

It has been 20 years since the Dodgers won a postseason series of any kind. In 1988, I was just out of college, working a part-time job and telling my girlfriend (who is now my wife) "No, no, you've got to see this, you've got see this! Gibson is batting, and he can barely walk!"

It's been so long since the Dodgers have given me something to celebrate that I don't know how to react. And I can barely form a coherent paragraph. So here are some random thoughts in list form. They may make sense, they may not:

1. Those were three masterful pitching performances from Lowe, Billingsley and Kuroda! I love great pitching. L.A.'s hurlers certainly didn't get enough credit this series. The broadcasters (if you can call them that), came around a bit tonight with Kuroda, at least.

2. Did you notice how the Dodgers were able to sweep without Garciaparra, Jones, Kent or Pierre in the lineup? The controversy last season between the older and younger players looks even more silly in light of what just happened.

3. What kind of team would the Dodgers have been if Furcal was healthy all year? He has been amazing.

4. Ramirez is a great player. He's done a lot for the Dodgers. But the change in the Dodgers' fortunes did not "all begin with Manny" as TBS said over and over (and over and over). You might remember, the Dodgers lost eight straight at the end of August. Manny had been with the team for a month already. The Dodgers are young, talented and notoriously streaky, as young players tend to be. Manny's been the spark for a lot of wins, but there's also been James and Russell and Rafael and Casey and others.

5. As much as the media wants to credit Torre, I think as much credit (if not more) should go to two others who worked for the Yankees last year, Don Mattingly and Larry Bowa.

6. Wow, Rich Harden can get down the line.

7. Exactly what was Tony Gwynn's purpose during this series? I wish I could get away with collecting a paycheck by saying what he was saying. Stuff like, "You gotta go get it!" Thanks for the insight, Tony.

8. Why did they let World Famous Yankee Fan Billy Crystal in Dodger Stadium?

9. The towels. Please. Stop it.

10. Me so happy!