2022 World Series is a Rematch of Classic 1980 NLCS

In 1980 I enjoyed watching the resurgent Atlanta Braves under rookie manager Joe Torre rise from their divisional cellar to achieve a winning regular season record, although they were still a couple of years from making the playoffs.  Instead, the playoffs for the National League championship pitted the Philadelphia Phillies under manager Dallas Green against Bill Virdon's Houston Astros in a best-of-five series.  Both teams had their retinue of great players, the Phillies with Pete Rose, Mike Schmidt, Tug McGraw and Steve Carlton and the Astros with Joe Morgan and Nolan Ryan...just to name a few.  This series, which I initially cared little about, turned into what I still consider to be the most exciting league championship series ever played, with the two opponents playing series brinksmanship on a level I haven't seen since...at least, that is, until the Boston Red Sox turned the tables on the New York Yankees in 2004 after trailing their best-of-seven series three games to none.  I remember that last game with the series tied two-two and the Astros had built up a 5-2 lead after seven innings...with ace Nolan Ryan pitching for them.  Yet the Phillies miraculously came back for a squeaker 8-7 win in ten innings...unforgettable!  Since then, of course, Houston jumped over to the American League and has been dominant there for the past five years or so...they won the pennant last year as well but bowed to Atlanta in the World Series.  Critics of the changed playoff system this year point to 100+ win teams like the Braves, Mets and Dodgers losing to upstart teams like the Phillies and the San Diego Padres, but over on the American League side the best regular season teams prevailed in their playoffs.  Houston is heavily favored over Philadelphia, but just like back in '80 I'll be rooting for the spunky, never-say-die Phillies.  Game One is tomorrow evening in Houston...