a smackdown, to me, isn’t really choking. Choking is when you have victory within your grasp, but you blow it. The Rockets blowing massive leads to the Suns. The Oilers giving up the biggest comeback in NFL history. Lidge’s NLCS Pujols homer. THAT’S choking – you’ve been the better team the whole game, but you screw up at the last minute and lose it all.

Now, one could argue (as Xan does) that they choked because of their lead in the regular season. But that lead is meaningless in the postseason. And just as I wouldn’t call the Astros’ seasons where they got swept out of the NLDS choke jobs, I wouldn’t call this one a choke job, either.

This was the Dodgers just flat-out kicking ass. Calling it a Cubs choke-job doesn’t do Manny and Co. justice.