« NCAA = National Conspiracy Against Alabama | Main | The End of Another Era »
Yesterday affirmed something that I've suspected for a long time.
I'm cursed.
Now, fortunately for me, this particular curse in no way affects me directly. It only affects the teams or players that I watch.
Proof #1 - Alabama football
I've watched Alabama football just about all of my life, and of course they've had some good times and some bad times. It just seems like there have been more bad times since around the time I started college. Stallings' last year was my freshman year of college, and with the exception of the SEC championship year in 1999, I think anyone would agree that the team has been, well, down since then.
In person, I've seen some bad things. I saw both of Alabama's losses to LA Tech (well, the first one I left at halftime because it was raining so hard). I saw Peyton Manning led the Tennessee band in an even more annoying rendition of Rocky Top at Legion Field after beating us. I saw Shaun Alexander twist his ankle against Tennessee in a different game. I saw the debacle at Mississippi State last year. Oh yes, and I was there last year when Central Florida ruined Homecoming.
Proof #2 - Shaun Alexander
Shaun is a running back for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL...he used to play for Alabama. He was good. Really good. Arguably the best RB Bama's ever had. When he was drafted by Seattle two years ago, it was well-known that he would be brought along slowly as their running back of the future. Their running back of the present was definitely Ricky Watters. Shaun had been getting around 5 carries a game. Seattle played on Monday Night Football once last season, so I was finally able to watch him play. The result: two fumbles.
Watters got hurt a few weeks ago, so it's been Shaun's turn to finally shine. And shine he did. Both games, he got well over 100 yards rushing and several TDs. This is great for my fantasy football team (I picked him up when Watters got hurt), but Seattle's games are rarely broadcast here in Alabama, so I only saw how well he did on SportsCenter. So yesterday, the Seattle/Miami game is broadcast. I watch most of it. The result? Shaun is held to under 100 yards rushing, and even worse, two more fumbles. In his defense, the first one was a terrible call....he was clearly down in the replay.
And so, Shaun, since you're a good guy and I don't want you to lose your job, perhaps I shouldn't watch you play anymore.
Proof #3 - Alabama basketball
I don't even need to tell you how bad Alabama's basketball team was while I was in college. Somehow, last year, THE YEAR AFTER I GRADUATE, they're really good all of a sudden. Coincidence? And an even further note...generally speaking, the games I watched, we either lost or played poorly. Most of the ones I didn't watch, we dominated. It's like the players get nervous when I'm watching.
Proof #4 - the Vikings
For reasons too complicated to explain here, the Vikings have for a long time been my adopted NFL team. They've had some great runs in the past few years, although they've never quite made it to the Super Bowl. I have noticed, though, that the team plays significantly better if I just catch the highlights on SportsCenter than if I watch the games live. The whole fun-n-gun, aerial assault passes to Chris Carter and Randy Moss? Not when I'm watching...
Proof #5 - the Knicks
The Knicks are like the Vikings...they usually have a great season, make the playoffs...then get tripped up somewhere along the way. Although at least they make it to the finals sometimes. I don't make a habit of ever watching NBA regular season games...just the highlights on SportsCenter are enough. Come playoff time, though, I usually watch a lot of the games. And New York does fine...as long as I'm not watching.
So as you can see, my favorite sports teams are better off without me.