A capital Series

This World Series?

This was the World Series when Max Scherzer played Monty Python's Black Knight to the Astros' King Arthur, the latter saying "But your arm's off!" while Scherzer, squirming out of another jam, insisted, "No, it isn't!"

This was the World Series when past and present formed a ghostly double image, Scherzer rising to help the Washington Nationals win Game 7 the way Walter Johnson rose from career twilight 95 autumns ago to help the Washington Senators win Game 7.

This was the World Series when home field advantage was a punchline. When the Nationals dropped prosperity like a bad habit, and welcomed adversity like a prodigal son. When they won a couple on the road and then were thoroughly dominated at home -- as if deciding, perhaps, they could make it harder on themselves if they really tried.

So they lost all three games in D.C. by an aggregate score of 19-3 and went back to Houston done like dinner. Except they weren't, of course.

They threw Stephen Strasburg at the 'Stros in Game 6 and won 7-2. Then, for Game 7, they sent out Scherzer, who had nothing but grit and by-God-no-you-won't stubbornness going for him. And they won 6-2.

In both games the Nats trailed early and rallied. In both games they got big home runs in the late innings. With the Series on the line, they simply refused to lose as stubbornly as their spiritual ancestors, the Senators, once refused to win,

It was as wonderful and baffling a World Series as has ever been played, the only one in history in which no one won a home game. We'll likely never see that again, especially in a seven-game Series.

On the other hand ...

On the other hand, the Nationals still have Strasburg and Scherzer. They still have Anthony Rendon and Juan Soto and the now-immortal Howie Kendrick. They still have the swagger of the drunken redneck who says, "Think I can't do this? Watch THIS!"

Think we can't blow an un-blowable lead in the World Series? Watch THIS!

Think we can't get embarrassed in front of our home fans? Watch THIS!

Think we can't go back to Houston down 3-2, outscore the Astros 13-4 and steal the Series from a team that won 107 games during the regular season?

Watch THIS!

Well ... we did.

And, damn, it was beautiful.