Do you believe in miracles? The Tampa Bay Rays made a solid case for believing when they did the impossible, the improbable, the unimaginable – rallying to beat the New York Yankees and win the coveted wildcard spot for the American League Division Series.

But this wasn’t about just one game. This was a comeback that defied all odds and rewrote baseball history. It’s a story that goes far beyond baseball, engaging folks who aren’t baseball fanatics or sports buffs. It’s a story that will be recounted to future generations and a story that will inspire. And it happened right here – in downtown St. Petersburg.

If by some chance you haven’t heard “the story”, it goes like this. Going into September - the last month of baseball’s regular season - the Rays were 9 games behind Boston for a chance at the wildcard berth to the playoffs. They chipped away at Boston’s lead with teamwork and genius player matchups by manager extraordinaire, Joe Maddon. It worked – and they were still “in it” on the last game of the regular season. The Red Sox and the Rays were tied in the standings and both had to win their last game to get the chance to move on. Boston lost in the 9th inning to Baltimore. The Rays? Down 7-0 in the 8th inning, they fought back to beat the Yankees on an Evan Longoria home run in the bottom of the 12th inning. That’s a miracle!

Baseball fans everywhere are buzzing over what the Rays accomplished – never before in history has a team come back from 9 games down to go to the playoffs. But the team – this incredible group of guys – have once again stolen the show. They are nothing short of magical. They’ve made fans and believers out of people who don’t even have baseball on their radar. One Ovation homeowner explained it to me this way, “I am NOT a sports fan. But these guys just slay me. I just love them. I love the way they ALL patted each other and the fans on the back. It wasn’t about them, but about the team. What a concept!” Another (previously) lukewarm fan said “My husband just asked me if I wanted to go to the movies and I said, “WHAT?! Are you nuts? The Rays are playing!”

We are at a fever pitch here in St. Pete – our Rays are one of 8 teams left, playing for a shot at the World Series. Now that’s something deserving of an ovation! Let’s Go Rays!

*For a national view of the Rays’ wildcard race, here are two outstanding articles - Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports.

Ovation homeowners Jan and Rich Augustine were both raised in Chicago, IL and learned early on what it meant to be tough – enduring the long and brutal Chicago winters, which seemed to sometimes last for six months! When their hard work and success gave them opportunity to explore second home choices, the thoughts that danced in their heads were smooth sandy beaches for long walks, surf and sunsets.

They found that picture of paradise when they purchased their first vacation home on Clearwater Beach more than a decade ago. As they spent time on Clearwater Beach, the Augustines also developed an affinity for Sand Key, but were put off by the toll bridge and the headaches and delays it caused for residents there. Rich and Jan were delighted when the stars aligned and the toll bridge was replaced with a fixed bridge and JMC Communities broke ground on The Grande……they quickly became homeowners!

“Because of our experience with JMC at the Grande, their competence, quality and attention to detail, we were fortunate to remain homeowners in the communities they built at Mandalay Beach Club and Sandpearl on Clearwater Beach. JMC has always been concerned with their homeowners and the pride they take in the communities they build shows in the finished result.”

As time passed, Rich and Jan got the “itch”, finding themselves less interested in beach living and more curious about city life on the water. The cultural smorgasbord and other opportunities that downtown St. Petersburg offered piqued their interest and they began spending more time here. On a particularly rainy afternoon, they noticed that the Ovation sales office was open and decided to take a look at the homes. Rich Augustine recalls - “From the minute that we walked into the office we were greeted as friends that were coming home. The personality and the quality of Ovation was apparent the minute we walked through the lobby. We looked at some models and then took a look at unit 602. As we walked in, Jan turned and looked at me, smiled and said “I love it”! At that instant I knew that Ovation was our home. The rest as they say “is history”. The uncompromised quality and the attention to detail, the attitude of the entire staff, makes day to day life at Ovation a delight.”

Ovation means “an enthusiastic prolonged accolade” for a job well done and in ancient Rome it described a “Roman victory celebration”. “Jan and I continue to give JMC the tribute and applause they deserve and enjoy our “celebration” each time we return.”

We’re so happy to have Rich and Jan as part of the Ovation family!