A comeback for the ages

American League Championship Series, 2004. The New York Yankees are up three games to none on the Boston Red Sox (having outscored the Sox by a combined 32-16), and are leading Game 4 by a run going into the bottom of the ninth inning. It looks like it's in the bag, especially with Mariano Rivera pitching in relief for the Yankees. But then: a leadoff walk, a steal of second, and a single brings home the tying run, and the Sox eventually win it with a walk-off homer in the 12th. They would go on to win the remaining three games (as well as the World Series), and became the only MLB team to ever win a best-of-seven playoff series after losing the first three games.

Fast forward to the July 24, 2009 installment of Who's More Catholic. Lino quickly goes up on Father Jim 3-0, and as the connections to sound clip #4 are read he thinks he has it in the bag. In fact he's so smug about his seemingly-assured victory that he gets a little too smug and selects good ol' Cathy from Woodbury, Minnesota to cast the potential game-winning vote:


Yes, it's true: Lino Rulli is the Mariano Rivera of The Catholic Channel. Except with a lot less class.

Father Jim reels off two more victories, coming back from 0-3 down to tie it up. Then the final round is played, and Lino illustrates to perfection what a sore loser sounds like:


Father Jim pulls off the ultimate comeback, winning 4-3 after having his back to the proverbial wall. Lino, run over by a bus he never saw coming, can't even muster up enough dignity to acknowledge the win… feigning phone problems and calling technicals on the three callers who agreed that Father Jim had won. Less class has devolved to no class.

Cathy was right: Lino is a spoiled brat. That's harsh coming from one of his fan sites. But Lino declares every Friday that he want honest callers. And sometimes the truth hurts.