The mood at the Trop

Rays fans before Game 6. (Jim Davis / Globe Staff)

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- In case you're wondering about the mood at Tropicana Field, a handful of reporters were getting on an elevator to come up to the auxiliary press box in left field when the attendant asked with a Southern drawl, "Where are we going?"

A group of Rays fans coming on behind the reporters cackled, "We're going to the World Series!" which set off some hootin' and hollerin' amongst the fans.

Much of the banter around the ballpark that we've heard has Rays supporters suggesting it will be more fun to celebrate at home rather than at Fenway. In fact, the Rays removed the tarp from a collection of catwalk-obstructed seats for this game as to jam in more revelers.

Needless to say there's a not-so quiet confidence about the Rays fans here. Even the front-page headline in the St. Petersburg Times following Game 5 suggested Thursday's loss would likely only "delay" the celebration.

Then again, these Rays fans seemed ready to celebrate during Game 5, and looked how that turned out.