With one out, months of fear, panic and feelings of certain doom went away.

Worries about the Indians and the Wild Card were replaced by a celebration of champagne and Miller Lite on ice.

With 159 games into the 2005 season, it finally happened. The Chicago White Sox have won the American League Central.

There was talk of a collapse, but that was inevitable. Any team starting off as hot as the Sox was bound to slow down at some point.

None of that maters any more.

When the Chicago White Sox clinched the AL Central after beating the Detroit Tigers 4-2, any insecurities I had about my favorite team disappeared. I was cheering for a winner.

And, for once, I didn’t have to jump on a bandwagon to do it.

Knowing my love for the White Sox is pure gives me comfort.

It’s like being into a band since its inception and following them through the underground music scene. Then, all of a sudden, the band’s on TRL playing a crappy song to a bunch of crappy screaming girls. And you’re left wondering what happened.

The White Sox this year have avoided sports’ TRL equivalent – SportsCenter.

Despite leading the division for the entire season, something only 10 teams have ever done, the White Sox haven’t been ESPN darlings. If anything, they’ve been the opposite.

While the Cleveland Indians began winning every game they played post-All Star break, the White Sox slowed down.

The analysts said they didn’t have the offense. They said the White Sox didn’t have the right manager.

But on Thursday, they said the sweetest words of all – the White Sox have clinched the AL Central.

Students should be just as excited having playoff baseball back in Chicago. For the Cubs fans, they have two teams to hate – the Cardinals and the Sox. Just because the Cubs haven’t made the playoffs, doesn’t mean their fans can’t plan an impact in the postseason.

For instance, in 2003, I had no attachment to the National League Championship Series teams – the Florida Marlins and Chicago Cubs. Instead of sitting at home and sulking about Jim Parque’s inability to retire a batter, I decided to go watch the playoffs at various Chicago-area taverns – wearing a Florida Marlins jersey I had purchased in their inaugural season.

This kept me involved and gave me something else to do besides watch baseball – try and talk my way out of fights. It was a blast.

So when playoff baseball rolls around this year, don’t worry about jumping on the White Sox bandwagon. We don’t have room for you; we’ve invested in believing this season.

And Thursday, some of the believing finally paid off.

Dan Woike is a senior journalism major. Email him to reminisce about the glory days of Mike Sirotka, Ivan Calderon, Lance Johnson and Dan Pasqua at [email protected].