Royals Mania: I'm officially on the bandwagon.

You don't even have to be a baseball fan to bask in the glory of last night's heroics. In a time where football is all you hear about, baseball got a much-needed boost with a scintillating opening game to the 2014 postseason.

The ultimate cinderella story struck gold last night. The Kansas City Royals, nearly 30 years removed from their last playoff game, scored four runs in the final two innings to force extras, and then matched the Oakland run in the 12th, following it up with the game-winning hit that whisked by the third baseman for the win.

As Kansas City fans lost their minds, the love/hate relationship in sports was on full display. For the KC faithful, it was almost an out-of-body experience, especially for a fan base who views winning a playoff game as winning a World Series. On the other side, the Oakland fans must be sick to their stomachs. Their team was 72-44 at one point, traded for an ace and looked to finally bring Billy Beane his long-awaited World Series appearance and possible victory. Then, they fell deeper than a submarine in the Atlantic.

These are both feelings Texas Rangers fans know all too well. And, they can certainly relate to the Royals success. Farm systems and speed can do a lot in baseball; it just takes time and the right chemistry and passion.

How far will the Royals go? Can they knock off the Superstar club in Anaheim? Only time will tell, but for now, let's applaud the ultimate showing of parity: the Kansas City Royals.