It's the Red Sox and Yankees in the ALCS for the second straight season, which again has confident Sox fans saying "This is The Year."

We asked you to submit an essay on why (or why not) this is the year the Red Sox will beat the Yankees in the ALCS and win their first World Series in 86 years. We were planning on posting just a few of the entries, but we were so overwhelmed by the number and the quality of the responses that we decided to post them all. Enjoy ...

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Its always the Red Sox year!! To quote Yogi Berra, "We have been playing these guys for 80 years and they never win"!! Yankees in 7

Frank, Yankees in 7

RED SOX HAVE A DOUBLE CURSE 'THE BAMBINO'AND THE 'NOMAR' CURSE GOOD LUCK ! !!!!!!!

bill, yanks

Why the Red Sox will win This is the year. The Red Sox have the two best pitchers in the game in Shilling and Pedro. The Yankees don't really have any pitching, El Duque is injured and Riveria has two blown saves twice against the Sox. Our Boston Boys have one of the best defenses in the legue with Millar, Damon, Cabrera, Reese, Etc. David Ortiz and Manny are two of the best home-run leaders in the American League. [ They even broke a record] Lastly the Red Sox want it more than the Yankees. Let's face it the Red Sox haven't made it to the World Series since 1918. They are due. Go Sox!

Tucker Conley, Red Sox in 5

Some call it a curse, a spell, or an 86-year long run of bad luck. Others call it destiny or superiority. However, none of the above listed things are real. Heart, on the other hand is. It is the heart that drives our lives and it is the heart of any team that drives it to victory. It is no wonder that the Yankees have owned all other teams including the Red Sox with 26 championships. It is no wonder that the Yankees have won more than 60 games this year coming from behind. It is no wonder that the Yankees beat the Twins in game 4 the way they did. Yes, they bought A-Rod and yes, they will keep on buying talent but it takes more than the highest payroll in the leauge to keep on winning and winning and winning (look at the now infamous New York Rangers)-- it takes 25 guys contributing day in and day out and most importantly, it takes a lot of heart. Every single Yankee plays every game as if it was his last because they all know that they are expected to win. When they are down and seemingly out, they keep coming back at you like an annoying gnat that you keep waiving off just to see it bite you in the rear. Only because they have all the heart in world. Because anything short of winning the championship would be considered a season gone down the drain. And while the Red Sox keep blaming Babe Ruth, Bill Buckner, and, hmm now Aaron Boone for their woes, while they try to "cowboy up" or call each other idiots, they are not doing what they are supposed to -- searching for the heart of a champion. And when the bars in Back Bay are shaking with anticipation at the bottom of the 9th in game 7 with the Red Sox leading by a few runs, even if it is Bubba Crosby at the plate, I would not hesitate to add him to the hated "B" list....because once again the Yanks will have shown a lot more heart.

Alex, Yankees in 7

The Red Sox will win the series simply because this year's team is the best Red Sox squad in almost thirty years. The Yankees must be respected because of thier recent history of winning. But there is no way to say that they can beat the Red Sox this year. Boston's pitching staff is simply too good for New York, and our lineup should kill the Yankees starting pitchers. Mike Mussina and John Leiber are good pitchers, but that's it. Kevin Brown and Javier Vasquez and Orlando Hernendez will not be able to hold down the Red Sox explosive lineup. Our defense is also a key. Orlando Cabrera is incredible defensivley, and should win at least one game with his glove. The law of averages also comes into play. This is the Red Sox 11th trip to the playoffs since 1918. They have to win it all sooner or later. If they don't win it this year, it may be a long time before they will be this good again. All the free agents who are leaving and the coming payroll decrease will make this group desperate to win this year. Don't underestimate the great chemistry that this team has. It makes a difference that these guys get along so well, because no team in baseball plays harder or has much fun as these "idiots". Some people really believe in the "Curse of the Bambino", and some don't. I don't. The reason the Sox were so bad was really the Curse of Tom Yawkey. A racist, he refused to sign black players such as Willie Mays, and the Red Sox fell behind all the other teams. Even when they got good in the 1970's, they made terrible front office decisions such as letting Carlton Fisk, Fred Lynn, Bill Lee and Sparky Lyle go. Throughout the 1990's the Red Sox were lead by Dan Duquette, an incompitent G.M. who drove the team into the ground with his idiotic moves. The Red Sox finally have good ownership. John Henry and Tom Werner are a great team and have done great things in their three years as owners. They had the vision to hire Theo Epstien as G.M. even though he was only 28 at the time. Theo has proven to be one of the best G.M.'s in baseball. The entire organization from top to bottom is one of the best in baseball. After all thier hard work, they have the best chance they have had to win it all. In 1967, they went up against the great Bob Gibson three times. In 1975 it was the Big Red Machine that stood in thier way. In 1986, it was the great Mets team of Dwight Gooden. It is quite literally now or never for Boston. Go Sox!!

Bob, Red Sox win in 5 games

Three words Schilling, Martinez, and Arroyo

Brian, Red Sox

Streaks are made to be broken, and so are curses. This will be the year for the Sox because all things must come to an end. Isn't 86 years long enough. Let's stop focusing on the curse and start focusing on beating the Yankees one game at a time. The Red Sox have the same hitting as last year, better pitching, a true closer, and a better defense. The Yankees have better hitting, worse pitching, a reliever who the Sox have shown to be human, and the mindset that they deserve to win every series they play in. That is what the Sox lack. We should be the ones who expect to win, and who do everything in our power to win. Doing the little things wins games. Jeter tagging up at third on a short line drive to right field won a game for the Yankees already this postseason. Force the issue, play aggressively, work the count, and above all have confidence that you deserve to rid yourself of this ridiculous curse. The fact that it has gone on for 86 years is meaningless. How many teams have had a chance to win the Series every year for the last 86 years? None. True the Yankees have been the most dominant team for awhile, but that should mean the pressure is on them. They know that when the Sox beat them and go on to win the Series this year they'll have to come up with some other chant besides "1918." So let's forget about the past, focus on this seven game series, and play the game like we've played all year. Go Sox. This IS the year. Let's start believing it. We deserve to win.

Seven, Boston in 7 games

This is the Year....or not? I dont know about anyone else in the nation, but as much as I LOVE these Sox, they are a frustarting bunch to follow, and the week ahead promises to be nothing short of an emotional roller coaster. A microcosom of the entire season, lets reflect... Starting in April, they made us feel like they were world beaters, Yankee killers, and seemed like a team, destined to break Seattles win record. We thought, THIS IS THE YEAR. Then, reality seemed to set in, as Spring turned to Summer, I can not recall a more frustrating period to be a SOX fan, at least not in recent memory. THIS IS NOT THE YEAR, we thought! Then the fight, the trade, and the winning streak to pull them within striking distance of the Empire. THIS IS THE YEAR, once again entered our thoughts. Hopes reigned high as they entered the Bronx, especially after beating Mariono on a Friday night. Once again though, reality set in as the Empire struck back, once more. The week that followed kept us close enough, and hopes once again flared as we clinched the wild card, then thrashed the empire at home, despite Pedros good effort, Terrys bad descision, and what will become an unforgettable bad post game remark. IS THIS THE YEAR, we wondered? We were very happy to settle for the wild card, and just when the unthinkable was before us, a three game, comanding sweep of the Halos, mighty Gladdy struck. Somehow as I reflect on that oh so recent night, Red Sox teams of the past would not have recovered. The game would have been lost, for sure. NO, Not these "Idiots", they had to win it on a walk off, taking us from one extreme to the other, with in a span of one hour. Maybe it wouldn't have been as joyous had Vladdy not tied it, but geeze. THIS IS THE YEAR, I thought, it has to be. As the glow of the sweep continued to shimmer as I read every RED SOX article written, I settled in to watch the Yankees Twins game 4. Though wanting the Yankees to win the series, also wanting it to go 5 games. But the Empire struck again, in a resounding comeback, making me wonder how the SOX could ever stop that. Granted the SOX have a much better team, on paper than the Twins, but it brings me to my final summary. Game 1 - Sox 3, Yankees 2, Schill does it again, THIS IS THE YEAR!! Game 2 - Yankees 4, Sox 3, Vintage Pedro, but not enough. ITS NOT THE YEAR! Game 3 - Yankees 10, Sox 4, Bronson undone by mighty Yanks. ITS NOT THE YEAR! Game 4 - Sox 9, Yankees 3, Wakes revenge. THIS MIGHT BE THE YEAR! Game 5 - Yankees 8, Sox 7, see saw battle ends in Yankee favor, NOT THE YEAR! Game 6 - Sox 7, YANKEES 6, Sox rally form 4 down to stay alive, THIS IS THE YEAR! Game 7 - Sox 8, Yankees 6, Despite late Yankee rally to tie, Yankees fall.. Bring on the NL, THIS IS THE YEAR.... If they continue to believe in each other, and in the team, and in the manager, and most of all us Fans, they will overcome all the obsticles that are left. GO SOX, make a mark in the history of millions of your Fans lives, 2004 THE YEAR!

Burt Elliott, Red Sox in 7

A lot has been said about the starting pitching edge the Redsox have over the Yankees. But starting pitching was not why the Redsox lost last year. Bullpens will play a big role. And the Yankees have an edge in that department. Also Pedro is a year older and the yankee offense is better than it was last year. Sheffield replaces Karim Garcia and A-rod replaces Arron Boone. Also, after the the first seven games of the season series, the Yankees won 7 of the last 12. Both teams have improved defensively. But Boston loses offense when it puts it's best defensive team on the field. The yankees don't have that problem. For these reasons I feel the Yankkes beat the Red Sox in 6 games.

Robert, Yankees in 6

I am 30 year old life long Sox Fan. I went to Game 7(Sox/Yankees) last year and I was also just at Game 3 of the Sox/Anaheim game. I think this is the year for the Sox because we have waited long enough. Something has to give. We have the better team, we had the better team last year. The only thing standing in our way is history. Sounds rediculous, but true. 2004 is a new year, different story. Stephen King will get his escalating clause for his book, when the sox win the World Series this year. Sox will wrap it up in 5 because Schilling will be on the mound at Fenway. I am sick of thinking negatively. It is time to think positive sox fans. This will erase all of the Buckey Dent, Bill Buckner and Aaron Boone. All we have to do is beat them once(four games) and history is "history." Manny will have a huge series becuase he always plays well against the Yankees and Schilling will get MVP because he will get 2 of the 4 sox victories. Pedro will be extra pumped up to beat the Yankees because of his comment about the Yankees being "his daddy" comment. All of this will come true sox fans. And if it doesn't, don't worry, We can always blame it on history and "the curse of the "you know who." The pressure is on the Yankees because they have to keep us from reversing the curse. No matter what happens, We will always love our Red Sox. This has got to be the year! Sox fans have suffered long enough!! Stephen

Stephen, Sox in 5