By Josef Adalian, Michael Schneider | Variety Magazine

In the end, the women of Wisteria Lane were no match for the Barones of Long Island, NY.

Despite a year of hype surrounding Marc Cherry's ultra popular "Desperate Housewives," Emmy voters decided to bid a fond farewell to "Everybody Loves Raymond" by awarding it the outstanding comedy statuette over "DH." "Raymond" also won a pair of acting awards for thesps Brad Garrett and Doris Roberts.

It was a fitting sendoff for a show many believe may be the last traditional sitcom smash to emerge from the Big Six.

"Listen, all year long they've been asking us, now that the show is going away, is this the end of the sitcom?" creator Phil Rosenthal said. "I want to say yes. I also think beyond that it's the end of laughing. And soon the end of smiling."

But quips aside, Rosenthal said the Emmy win was the perfect end to the show's tremendous run.

"We want to thank all of you for nine wonderful years we've loved all of it and we've loved all of you," he added.

The Emmy love might have also been a subtle rebuke to producer Touchstone Television's decision to submit the hourlong "DH" in the comedy category. A number of top sitcom producers were vocal in their displeasure over the move, though Cherry and others rightly pointed out that the ABC sudser defies categorization.

Whatever the politics, the "Raymond" wins represent the end of an amazing journey for Rosenthal.

Like so many laffers -- "Cheers" and "Seinfeld" immediately come to mind -- "Raymond" started life as the ultimate underdog.

Launched shortly after Leslie Moonves took over CBS, "Raymond" was barely a blip in the ratings in its original Friday slot. Decision to move the show to the Eye's fabled Monday comedy lineup had some crix worried the show would die a quick death in such a high-pressure environment.

Instead, "Raymond" flourished and helped lead CBS out of the ratings basement.

Unlike some of its sitcom peers (most notably "Friends"), the thesps on "Raymond" did not become media superstars.

Entertainment Weekly and People didn't devote endless covers to Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton. And while it seems half the writers of "Friends" ended up working on other sitcoms within a year or two of the show's debuts, almost all of "Raymond's" scribe staff stayed intact for the show's nine-year run.

Garrett, who's also an Emmy favorite, summed up the show's "amazing run" while collecting another trophy for supporting actor in a comedy.

"You held in there for nine years," he said of the show's viewers. "The fans, you stuck it out with us. What a road it's been."

In what may be the final appearance together for some time, series stars Romano, Heaton, Garrett, Roberts, Peter Boyle and Monica Horan took the opportunity to rib one another one more time. Romano kicked off the shtick by noting that presenters usually need to shine, in the hopes that Emmy viewers might check out their show.

"We don't have that pressure tonight because we don't have a show anymore," he noted.

To which Garrett, clutching his Emmy, responded: "Uh, we should try to be a little funny because there may be a spinoff."

"Good luck if that happens," Romano groused.

Backstage, Garrett confirmed that talks are ongoing for his spinoff. "It's not dead -- there are talks," he said. "Some important elements have to come together, but it is something that is a good possibility at this time."

As for "DH," show didn't go home empty-handed: Felicity Huffman won for lead actress in a comedy and the show's pilot won for direction.

But the loss in the writing and outstanding comedy categories is certain to prompt some internal debate at Touchstone in coming months over whether it makes sense to continue submitting "DH" as a comedy. Strategy worked fine in the less traditional Golden Globes, but Emmy voters are a notoriously provincial bunch, and some diehard sitcom types may have blanched at honoring an hourlong show in a category generally reserved for half-hours.

Of course, it's doubtful viewers will give any thought to the Emmy outcome next Sunday, when "DH" returns for its second season. After all, "Arrested Development" won the Emmy comedy race last year -- and actually averaged less viewers in its sophomore year.