Game 1 is in the books, and who knows how many people sat glued to their television sets to watch it.

Not too many if we’re going on recent history. Baseball’s biggest event saw an insignificant rise in viewers last year and ratings fell for three straight years before that.

It’s sad when people are more inclined to watch the World Series of Poker than that of an ACTUAL sport.

Baseball no longer holds top billing in Americans’ hearts, and it never will again. I’ve come to accept that. I don’t like it, but that’s what it is.

That being said, this is the year that all needs to change. If you like underdogs and truly want to keep the stamp on your sports fan card, you have to watch the series between the Phillies and the Rays.

Why? I’m so glad you asked. You’ll find out when we go down “The List.”

4. The managers – Charlie Manuel is old. Oh wait, I forgot to put the “school” on the end of that. My bad. Philadelphia’s skipper is a dying breed of men and managers – Lou Piniella without all the histrionics. He’s tough, he’s fair and he can balance patience with the urgency pro ball players sometimes lose.

Tampa Bay’s Joe Maddon is the new model aspiring young managers will probably follow. He realizes baseball is a different game now, so he thinks and speaks about it differently. Plus the glasses – yeah, they really work for him.

3. The talent – The players on both of these teams are a marketing executive’s dream. They’re young, they’re fast, they’re powerful and they could all be on the cover of GQ. It’s a spectacle Joe the Plumber and Harriet Housewife can enjoy together. Laugh, you know you want to.

2. Free food – If a player steals a base, Taco Bell will give away a taco to everyone in America. Do I need to repeat that? Hello, people. For those of you who can stand the heartburn, this is a sweetheart deal.

1. Because I said so – Oh wait, I’m not the father of anyone reading this, so that’s not gonna work. At least I hope I’m not the father of anyone reading this. I’ll just stop there and say stock up on chips and beverages and have fun watching.