In one of the great traditions of modern Chicago media, WSCR’s post-playoff Sox montage is making the rounds, and if you hadn’t yet heard it you can check it out below. Like any season-encapsulating highlight reel for an also-ran, this is certainly intense but also, ultimately, an exercise in frustration and misery:

[audio:http://www.sox35th.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/wscr2008soxmontage.mp3]

To revisit any of these moments is to at first say “man, that was awesome,” and then remember what actually happened right after that play or, more often than not, curse at what didn’t. There’s the great throw by Buehrle the ump said wasn’t in time (even though it was). There’s the catch JD made look spectacular (even though it wasn’t). There’s the game where they needed the home run. And another. And another.

There’s the outfielder with the abysmal season. There’s the guy inexplicably starting in his place while his superior counterpart inexplicably rides the bench. There’s the MVP candidate whose wrist should be healed in time for the ALCS that won’t happen in large part because the MVP candidate broke his wrist.

In and of themselves, these moments were all great which is what makes packages like these remarkable if we take them at face value. We as fans have instant nostalgia and a way to long for the golden days of three weeks ago when hope was still alive and at least two-thirds of all things were possible.

But to look back at this year’s White Sox team is to ultimately lament the guys who just didn’t get it done. In a way, the audio producers at The Score and video producers working for the Sox have summed up what it meant to pull for the Good Guys not just this year, but to pull for them any year. Hope even though you know you shouldn’t; cheer even if it’s for nothing; revel in the fireworks always knowing the good times have no chance to last.