Terry Collins captured the moment's breadth in advance simply by saying: "It's the World Series.'' The Mets' manager knew he was speaking volumes about what his team and the Royals are about to experience because, as a lifelong fan and a lifer in the professional game, he realizes that "World Series'' are the two most powerful words in the baseball dictionary.
Even though the television ratings are not what they once were, even though the best-of-seven is not a de facto national holiday the way the Super Bowl is, even though it probably does not create the same buzz as March Madness, there still is magic in the World Series.