PHILADELPHIA --- Welcome to World Series, 2008. Let's meet our contestants.

From Philadelphia, the losingest team in pro sports history. From Tampa Bay, a club that on Opening Day could have made a strong case for worst expansion franchise ever.

Call it the Sad Sack Series, when one of these teams finally has to shed its tradition of futility and become the big winner.

The Rays started with 10 losing seasons in a row. But that's a blip compared to the 16 consecutive years of losing endured by the Phillies from 1933-48. In fact, the Phillies have done worse than that twice.

They were also under .500 each season from 1918-31. From 1918-48, a span of 31 seasons, the Phillies had one winning record -- a 78-76 season in 1932.

At least the Phillies boast Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Pete Rose, Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts as all-time greats. Heck, they had four Cy Young Award winners in the 1980s and the past two NL MVPs, Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins.

Yet for all that talent, thrilling September pennant chases and a recent string of winning seasons, the Phillies have but one World Series title -- back in 1980.

Tampa Bay tried to rely on other teams' fading stars to build a fan base.

Jose Canseco, Fred McGriff and Vinny Castilla were "Past-Their-Prime Players" and all busts with Tampa Bay. Manager Lou Piniella didn't win much in a failed return to his hometown. Even the original "Devil" in the nickname was a flop, and it was pitchforked out.

Tampa Bay's highlight reel before this season consisted of Wade Boggs' 3,000th hit in 1999 and Sammy Sosa's corked bat exploding against Tampa Bay pitcher Geremi Gonzalez in 2003.

Ahh, but at least the Rays know the thrill of kicking Philly down in other sports.

The blood of Eagles fans still curdles like the cheese on their steaks at the thought of the 2003 NFC Championship Game. Philadelphia was favored to send since-demolished Veterans Stadium out with a championship in its final game, and the frigid temperatures and wind chill were going to intimidate those warm-weather Buccaneers.

Ronde Barber and Joe Jurevicius instead helped Tampa Bay win for only the second time in franchise history with the temperature under 40, and the Buccaneers stunned the Eagles 27-10. The Bucs would go on to beat Oakland in the Super Bowl.

Fifteen months later, the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Flyers 2-1 in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Tampa Bay then won a seven-game series against the Calgary Flames to win the Stanley Cup.

For those keeping a championship tally at home, that's Tampa Bay 2, Philadelphia 0.

It's not like Philadelphia fans can't recall winning a big one, or at least reading about winning the big one. There once was a run of four championships (Flyers 1974, '75; Phillies 1980; 76ers '83) in 10 years, a period some fans call the golden era of Philly sports.

But this is a city known more for heartache than delirious celebrations.

Last weekend, it was impossible to go to a restaurant, a bar or the grocery store, and not see fans of all ages decked out in Phillies merchandise.

"We can feel the energy level, and the energy level is very good," said Pat Pedicini, who works at Philly Sports Shop at The Shops at Liberty Place.

Meanwhile, in Florida, shopping for winter coats has been more in style over the past decade than going to a Rays game. Fans were slow to believe and support the Rays in the thick of the pennant race. The warm -- and fair -- weathered fans have since seen the Rays of light.

"Obviously, there are a lot of fair-weather fans jumping on as they win, but a lot of people are diehard Rays fans who've just been following them and following them," said Mark Cram, sitting at Ferg's Sports Bar in the shadow of Tropicana Field on Monday. "It's just really cool to see this being brought home. What a year. What a change."

"It's been absolute chaos," said Ferg's owner, Mark Ferguson. "People in the street, people drinking. ... Everybody is having fun. Everybody likes a winner."