It was after Game 3 of that series. The faces of the Boston fans told it all as the team went down and down and down to the abyss of the never-before-returned. Nineteen to eight. Down three games to none.

I said that night that my next column would be about a few matters that needed to be attended to by the Red Sox.

First, the ownership of the Sox should say, when the inevitable fourth loss came against the Yankees, “Thank you, fans.”

There needed to be recognition of just how important the Sox fans of New England are to this team, both as a business and as a sport, especially after what would be another devastating loss.

Second, every player should say to a reporter, “I want to say to all the fans, thank you for staying with us and caring.”

It is important that the players understand just how much Sox fans care and how they live and die with this team. It is important that the players say so; especially those who seek to remain “cool,” like Pedro, and give too little due to those cheering and buying the tickets.

Third, the players as a team and individually should make it clear that whatever problems they may have with the Boston media, that does not extend to the fans.

Playing in Boston can be tough when losing and the endless media barrage turns negative. The fans are still there, however, and the love affair endures. Such is the course of a continuum from generation to generation.

Those were important matters as the Sox went down 3-0 against New York and Sox fans waited for the next big hurt – the Game 4 loss.

That never happened, of course. The inevitable turned out to be not so. The hope one dared not dream as a Sox fan suddenly appeared before our eyes.

On the field after the last out of Game 7, Johnny Damon, still jumping that team trampoline act, looked directly into the camera and said, “We’re coming home. Stick with us. … Thank you for supporting us all year long.”

In the locker room, as the AL pennant trophy was presented to the owners, John Henry, the principal owner, with tears in his eyes, said, “They [the Sox] wanted to win so badly for one another and they wanted to win so badly for these fans.”

Numerous players spoke of the years gone by and the Sox teams that didn’t make it. They spoke of Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr and Johnny Pesky. They said how this was for them, too.

Even in the midst of the greatest comeback in baseball postseason history, the team did not lose sight of the goal.

“Our job isn’t done yet,” said manager Terry Francona, “but it is too early to ask about the World Series,” as he rubbed his champagne-soaked eyes.

All those things that needed to be said by the players and owners to Sox fans had they lost were being said after they won. Even better.

In the midst of their celebration as a team and an organization, they reached out to the fans and literally said, “Thank you.”

And now, they’re coming home.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an ESPN and ABC sportscaster.