All the old feelings come rushing back for Dodgers

White towels fluttering. Jacketed fans screaming. A chilly sky pierced by chilling screams.

Randy Newman on the loudspeakers. Horns in the parking lot. Dancing on the field.

A deep chant from the most ancient parts of grand old Chavez Ravine.

Sweep . . . sweep . . . sweep.

It's been 20 years, so the memory is fuzzy, but I think I recognize this . . . oh yeah.

The Dodgers have won a playoff series.

Have they ever.

On a night when the old stadium rocked like a giddy teen, the Dodgers shed the baggage of a 20-year postseason series drought by tossing the darling Chicago Cubs back into irrelevancy with a sweeping 3-1 victory.

"Right now, this is the place to be!" shouted Manny Ramirez above the noise of the sort of on-field postgame party we haven't seen here since 1988.

Players threw their caps in the air and wrestled each other to the ground. Fans stayed in their seats rocking and waving. Frank and Jamie McCourt hugged and mugged.

In keeping with a new Dodgers victory tradition, Russell Martin later led the players back to the field to spray champagne on the fans, and why not?

The Dodgers didn't just win this National League division series, they stomped that sucker flat.

They swept the Cubs in three games. They led the Cubs in 23 of 27 innings.

Their three starting pitchers went at least six innings each, allowing two runs or less. Seven of their eight position players collected RBIs.

A week ago, when there was talk of the World Series, the Dodgers were long shots. Today, from the tip of Rafael Furcal's bat to the bottom of Derek Lowe's sinker, they might be the favorites.

They head to the National League Championship Series this week against either Philadelphia or Milwaukee, and will clearly not be intimidated by either.

"We did it once!" shouted Ramirez. "Believe me, we can do it again!"

On one of the most wonderful evenings at Chavez Ravine in many years, the Dodgers showed they not only have the juice of the present, but the karma of the past.

Did you know this clinching occurred on the 53rd anniversary of the day the Brooklyn Dodgers won their first and only world championship?

In 1955, it was Johnny Podres throwing a shutout. On Saturday, it was Hiroki Kuroda throwing 6 1/3 shutout innings.

In 1955, it was first baseman Gil Hodges driving in two runs. On Saturday, it was James Loney driving in two runs.