When will the grace period of 2005 end?

October 26, 8:13 AMChicago White Sox ExaminerJJ Stankevitz

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Happy four-year anniversary, Sox fans. (AP file photo)

No matter what happens in the future, October 26 will always be a special day for us White Sox fans.

No number of weak fly balls from Alex Rios or home runs allowed by Scott Linebrink can take away from the significance of today. Four years ago on this day around 11:00 pm, the Chicago White Sox won the team's first World Series in 88 years.

I know, I know, 2005 shouldn't be a crutch for us to fall back on. But, thinking about it, aren't we still in some kind of grace period with this White Sox team because of '05?

I mean, yeah, nobody likes it when this team loses. But how much more frustrating would 2009 have been had the Sox not won a World Series such a short time ago?

Despite a starting rotation that's lining up to be great next year, I get the feeling gloom and despair would be pretty easy to find amongst Sox fans for 2010. Instead, I get the feeling there's some cautious optimism going around the fan base.

And maybe that's because we're still in this grace period. After all, those memories of four years ago are still pretty fresh in our collective memories.

On top of that, a number of players from that team are still around: Paul Konerko, A.J. Pierzynski, Mark Buehrle, Bobby Jenks, Jermaine Dye (for now), and in their own odd ways Scott Podsednik and Freddy Garcia.

If you ask me, whatever grace period that does exist now will come to an end once the last member of that 2005 team departs the White Sox. That'll likely be Buehrle, either in after 2011 or a later date. Pierzynski has a near-ready replacement (Tyler Flowers) while Konerko could, too (Dayan Viciedo). It's unlikely the team will pick up Dye's option in the offseason and Jenks could be dealt to save money. And Podsednik and Garcia's success in 2009 was tenuous for various reasons—and they aren't regarded as long-term options anyways.

So after the last one of those players leaves, I think the fanbase will really put the pressure back on the team to win a World Series. That's not to say Sox fans don't care right now—but, ask yourself, were you more frustrated with the disappointment of 2004 or 2009?

As a fan, I was frustrated this year. But there wasn't a moment like Cliff Politte walking Carlos Guillen with the bases loaded like there was in 2004. And I think a lot of that has to do with my ability to pop in my copy of the '05 World Series DVD and reminisce about how incredible that year was.

The White Sox aren't like the Yankees, Cardinals, or any other team that's made and frequently won World Series titles. I'm around Cardinals fans every day here in Missouri, and while they appreciate 2006, they don't hold on to it the way White Sox fans hold on to 2005. That's not to say it wasn't a special moment in their lives, but it also wasn't a potentially once-in-a-lifetime event.

Royals fans, on the other hand, still cling to 1985 like it's a door floating away from the Titanic. And they should, too—anything to take their minds off how Yuniesky Betancourt actually is their everyday shortstop.

However, 2010 will be the 25th anniversary of the Royals' lone World Series title. And I'm pretty sure that they stopped using that as a crutch to look back on a long time ago. If it was, Dayton Moore probably wouldn't have to design a Reagan-era "Star Wars" defense mechanism to prevent his house from being egged every night.

Let's hope the White Sox don't go down the same path of incompetence as the Royals. If they do, it'll be harder and harder to hold on to 2005.

That year will always be special because it was the first since Woodrow Wilson was pushing the League of Nations. I think the awesomeness of '05 hasn't worn off yet—maybe that's just me talking, but yeah, I think we're still in this grace period.

That means we as Sox fans still want the team to win, but we're more willing to let a season like 2009 slide. Now, if the Sox string together two or three more 2009s, it won't matter whether or not Mark Buehrle's still in a Sox uniform. But if the team comes back and competes for the division/pennant/title in 2010 and doesn't win it all, I think we won't be as disappointed as we were in 2003 and 2004.