A Brief Visual Survey of Great Disasters (With Apologies to the 1964 Phillies, 1969 Cubs and 1987 Blue Jays)
By 
Pompeii, 79 CE.
The Great Fire of London, 1666
Tangshan Earthquake, 1976
Boston Red Sox, 2007?
Seriously, I don’t think I can watch this shit any longer. If someone could please get in touch with me after the season is over and gently fill me in on what happened after September 18, I’d be most appreciative.
UPDATE [By SL]: The thing is, though, that the Red Sox are engaged in a rather genteel form of choking, cushioned by the wild card; while it would be nice to stop the Yankees divisional streak and deprive them of home field in the playoffs, the Red Sox are in no danger of actual elimination. The Mets, on the other hand, seem to be pulling off the full Mauch — not only have they blown two substantial leads to a bad offensive team with nothing to play for in a pitcher’s park, the Phillies seemed close to the kind of heartbreaking losses only the Phillies can pull off and stepped back from the brink. This is very, very ugly.
A related question. What’s the worse move: the Red Sox trading for Gagne, or the Mets trading Brian Bannister for a 5% off Blimpie’s coupon? Maybe it’s me, but I’d have to say I’d rather have Bannister starting crucial games than Brian “Merry Christmas, Mr.” Lawrence…
UPDATE (by d): Scott is absolutely correct, of course. All hyperbole aside, the wild card makes it impossible for a team to duplicate the classic chokes of yore; this is why I wouldn’t put the Angles 1995 debacle — however spectacular — in the same category as, say, the 1964 Phils. If you’ve got the fifth best record in the AL and you miss the playoffs by a single Mark Langston start, there’s not much to lament. And if the Sox wind up with the wild card, their late season flame-out will only barely equal the destruction of Pompeii.
Also, I think Scott should cease his needless devaluations of the Blimpie corporation.