I played soccer and T-ball as a kid, and I can assure you that my teams played strangely better when I was benched. Even with me benched, we were not championship material by a long shot. I didn't even make the basketball or volleyball teams in junior high, and, out of deference to my wounded pubescent pride, I couldn't watch the teams play that I had not been allowed to join, so they managed to avoid destruction by association.
Fast forward to high school. When I was attending La Serna, the school's football team won one game for each year I was there. Only one game. Per year. Total. I began to sit in the stands on the side of our cross-town rivals (one of my friends was the sister of their star quarterback), but my genuine hope that my team would rally was their undoing.
By then I had given up on making any teams, so I played sports only in P.E. class, and even my modest involvement there created fireworks. One of my few soccer matches in high school was also the occasion of suspension for one of my opponents. She kicked me in the (unprotected) shins three times before I got mad enough to return the favor. She then promised to visit revenge on me with her friends Maria, Maria and Maria, at which point I hightailed it to my guidance counselor's office. I was deemed faultless. She was suspended. Still, I think that soccer match had a rather abortive and not-at-all-satisfying ending.
I went to two sporting events while I attended UCLA: a football game lost to USC (and if you know California college politics, you will understand why this was particularly painful) and one basketball game, the outcome of which I can't remember (I was on a date with my husband-to-be, so I think I have an excuse).
I've been to a handful of professional sporting events in my life, and while my Dad, who was usually along, may have a more faithful memory of the outcome, I mostly remember requisitioning the binoculars so that I could watch fans on the opposite side of the arena. My lack of interest in the actual game, therefore, may not have brought the curse of the Nikbino to life.
Why bring up this topic now? Well, since moving here, I've noticed it flaring up again. We managed to watch the local professional soccer club lose (or at least not win) three matches in person. Then, since I have developed a genuine interest in hockey, every team I have adopted as a favorite has lost the game when I watched any portion of it on TV or in person.
It started with my first Hurricanes game. That one was lost decisively. Since then, I have watched about 10 hockey matches on TV. I adopted Dan's favorites where I didn't have one already, and the Kings, Ducks, Bruins, Senators and Hurricanes have lost every game I have watched in part or in whole. The Hurricanes have won one in that stretch of time -- the one that I couldn't watch because I was at choir rehearsal.
It's only a matter of time before someone in the Hurricanes organization discovers the truth. I can only hope they are feeling generous and offer to pay me lots of money to find a new hobby. I'm not sure I like the other alternatives... after all, a very traditional and important part of hockey is fighting, and I don't have a guidance counselor to run to this time.
For your reference:
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6 comments:
So, can I call on you during baseball season to watch lots of Angel games?
Hahaha. Maybe. ;)
When I attended UW - Madison, in two years we won one football game. So I got your one win a year beat. My high school won everything every year until state tournaments - then the Milwaukee kids "wupped" us good. But until tournaments, it felt so good.
I feel it when "my" team loses and I think that is why I have refrained from watching sports. I have to work up an "I don't care" attitude if I watch. It is easier to just go shopping or read a book.
Oh, quite funny. Paid to stop being a curse. Now there's a potential job option!
Go Sens!!! (We have their farm team in town along with a Mets farm team. I think the Binghamton Senators lost the game I went to, but I don't remember.)
I tend to watch games that are good games until I turn them on. Then things go downhill. I think the Dodgers did better when I listened to them on the radio...
Update. This week seems to be a good week for the teams I like. The Bruins, Ducks and Kings all won games I watched at least in part. I even watched a bit of a European football (Soccer, for us) game at a friend's urging and Liverpool beat Marseilles. Yes, I go for Britain over France. We'll see if the Hurricanes can pull of a win tonight. This will be interesting: we're going in person, Dan's wearing an Ottawa Senator's Jersey, and I am wearing my Hurricanes sweatshirt. We'll see if we are still speaking on the way home. ;)
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