The Herald reports.

We went down to New York for a family gathering this weekend. With some time to kill, I walked through Times Square and was quite heartened to see a four-story tall billboard (advertising TBS's post-season coverage) featuring Josh Beckett (and some Mets guy) lording it over the Square. Still it was kind of surprising to see - it even managed to divert my attention from the five-story billboard right next to it highlighting Jenna Jameson's assets.

I also saw one guy walking up Seventh Avenue wearing a David Ortiz jersey.

Red explains - has to do with a time machine and Julio Lugo.

Some alternate explanations.

With sports reporters now providing hourly updates on Josh Beckett's back and overall mood, Kristen and Amy have put together a color-coded Josh Beckett Mood-o-Meter.

Peter frets.

The Onion reports:

Terry Francona Announces Josh Beckett Will Start Games 1, 4, 7, 2, 6, 3, 5

Also, the paper of record adds:

Chaos and destruction marred the opening of the World Series when Air Force B-52 bombers scheduled to make a ceremonial flight over the stadium before the start of Game 1 instead executed a series of low-level carpet-bombing runs and dropped an estimated 500 tons of incendiary and high-explosive munitions, utterly destroying Boston's historic Fenway Park. ...

Props to Youk and Big Papi, of course, but, oooh, that Beckett!

Papel-blog: Can Josh Beckett just pitch all the games? I hear he likes pitching on short rest.

Jeff Louderbeck: Post-season still agrees with Josh Beckett.

Teddy Kokoros: Beckett was amazing tonight:

As for the Sox batters, it was a good night, but they left a few too many runners on base for my liking. In their defense, some of those called strike 3 calls especially to Youk and Manny where bullshit. ...

Beth: Josh Beckett has succeeded in momentarily rendering me speechless:

... One of the things I've been most relishing when I've looked forward to this postseason is the chance to see the kind of f-bombing, fist-pumping freakout awesomeness I could only imagine would come along with October Josh. Instead, he actually looked like he was reining himself in a little. Which is a scary thought when you think about the wicked heat he was unleashing on the Angels all night long. ...

Kristen: Josh Beckett would like you to know that those 20 games were no fluke:

That was, without a doubt, the most mellow, least stressful playoff game I've ever witnessed. ...

Jere: That game went just like I hoped and thought it would. How often can you say that?

Game photos.

Ben Ostrander seems to have had enough of Dane Cook:

As I watch the first game of the ALDS, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Dane Cook for reminding me that there is only one October. Thank you, Dane Cook.

Way more Sox comments.

Sox Nest: Now THAT'S what we’re talking about!

Red Sox Chick: THIS is how the game should be played!

Red Sox Soul: Beckett's the ace.

Zach Hayes: The response of Josh Beckett following one of the biggest collapsing, stunning losses of the season cannot be underestimated.

Amy: How much do I hate Fox sports?

Wayne Braverman: If the Sox can win on Sunday night, then the race for the Eastern Division championship will pretty much be over.

More reaction.

Rob appreciates the 2007 Josh Beckett:

... One thing that impresses me a lot about Becks is that he is keeping his pitch count down. He only threw 103 pitches tonight. If we had needed him to, he could have easily started the 8th inning. But, we have Okajima, who got his 7th Hold of the season with a hitless inning. What a find he's been. What makes Okajima even more enjoyable to watch is the fact that the Yankees could have had bought him from Yomiuri before us, but didn't. ...

Zach Hayes, meanwhile, tries to make sense of the Dustin Pedroia situation.

Beth is happier this morning:

... There were a few mishaps early, many of them revolving around Manny playing left field like he was blindfolded--but in the end, the Sox finally seemed to stop hitting the snooze button and finally started playing some good baseball. ...

Red: Suddenly, everything is right again in the universe.