1. The local flavor

It's always nice to watch the local boy who made good but the pleasure is now doubled with Phillies outfielder Geoff Jenkins (Cordova High School) and Rays left-handed reliever J.P. Howell (Jesuit) making their World Series debuts. Jenkins is 0-for-2 in these playoffs after batting .246 with nine homers and 29 RBIs; Howell is 0-1 with a 1.86 ERA in nine appearances over 9 2/3 playoff innings after going 6-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 64 appearances.

2. A chance to watch history

The Rays lost 96 games in 2007 and, until going 97-65 this season, had never won more than 70 games in any of their first 10 campaigns. The 1991 Atlanta Braves were baseball's previous worst-to-first success story with a 29-game turnaround from their 65-97 last-place finish in 1990. And while the '91 Braves made it to the World Series, they lost in seven games to the Minnesota Twins. The Rays could be the ultimate feel-good turnaround story.

3. A source of immense pride

Just 8.2 percent of major leaguers were African-Americans in 2007, the lowest in at least two decades. But on the game's grandest stage, two of the more prominent African-American ballplayers wear the red pinstripes of the Phillies and they just so happen to be the past two National League most valuable players – shortstop Jimmy Rollins (2007) and first baseman Ryan Howard (2006), who may very well win the MVP again this season. Rollins, from Alameda, has particularly embraced his role model status in his community.

4. Fashion statements

Every game is another chance to see stately Rays manager Joe Maddon sport those retro-chic dark horned rim glasses that Florida Bay Area grade-school aged kids are wearing with their apparently against-school-policy Mohawks. Remember, one area kid was kicked out of school for shaving his head like Rays reserve and Petaluma local Jonny Gomes. Maddon's specs are on the verge of creating a national phenomenon not seen since the season premiere of "Heroes," with the aptly-named character "HRG," for his trademark horned rim glasses, of course.

5. Perfection in the works?

Phillies closer Brad Lidge, who born in Sacramento, was perfect in the regular season, successfully converting all 41 save opportunities. The right-handed flame-thrower with the gnarly slider and curve has also closed out five of the Phillies' seven playoff games, including last Wednesday's NLCS clincher at Dodger Stadium. The only real blemish on Lidge's résumé this season was his loss for the National League in the All-Star Game, which, coincidentally and ultimately, cost the Phillies home-field advantage in this series. Might it come back to bite Philadelphia? Stay tuned.

6. Spreading the wealth

The line between "parity" and "parody" is fine. Unless you're a TV suit who wants the mass national appeal of an annual Cubs-Red Sox World Series, or a yearly Dodgers-Yankees Fall Classic for ratings, you have to like that the Phillies are the 10th different N.L. rep in the past 11 seasons and the Rays are the sixth different A.L. winner in the past seven. Only St. Louis and Boston have made multiple World Series trips in those respective time frames. Change is constant, indeed.

7. A preview of things to come?

The Phillies, the game's losingest team with more than 10,000 defeats dating to 1883, have one World Series title – in 1980 – and were last here in 1993. The Rays were born five years after Joe Carter and the Toronto Blue Jays put Mitch Williams out of his misery. Each franchise is so young – a combined 21 Rays and Phillies were born in the 1980s – their best days should be ahead of them. Not good news for the rest of baseball and TV execs.