There's an old tradition when it comes to sports fandom...and its timeless and absolutely unbreakable. Never, ever, under any circumstance say anything that could potentially jinx your team. Its just bad form.
Its like, if you're at a baseball game, and your team's pitcher is going into the 9th inning with a no-hitter....it is just understood that you NEVER say the words "no-hitter" out loud. I mean, c'mon....these are the things that you're supposed to be taught at the earliest possible age of being a sports fan.
I'll never forget, as a Vikings fan, during their glorious season long run in 1998, that future Hall of Famer kicker Gary Anderson had gone an entire season without missing one single field goal. Not even one. It was actually incredible. So as the playoffs are beginning to start, local radio host//ESPN horse racing guy Hank Goldberg blurts out on the radio one day:
"Wouldn't it be wild if the one field goal that Anderson missed cost the Vikings their season?"
I swear to God I'm not making that up. Of course, since Goldberg was looking at things from a neutral prospective, he can't "technically" be held liable. If Anderson had been named Garo Yepremian and it was the 1972 Perfect Season....then Goldberg could've technically been hung in the town square by Dolphins fans.
So begins my story.
I'm at the Florida Panthers game last night. Its the final home game of the season, and the Panthers are mathmetically still alive in the playoffs, although it doesn't look likely.
Still, the Panthers have been playing excellent hockey over the last 2 months and are trying to do the impossible. This evening, they are playing the Carolina Hurricanes, who are two points ahead of the Panthers in the playoff race--making the game that much more important, since defeating the 'Canes not only helps the Panthers, but hurts Carolina.
The game begins, and the Panthers are absolutely on fire. The end of the lst period shows Florida up 2-0 and playing fantastic hockey. The end of the 2nd period, while not quite as impressive for the Cats, still show us leading the game 3-1. Goalie Ed Belfour is standing on his head, the pushing and shoving is starting.....it almost feels like a playoff game.
The 3rd period begins, and for half the final period the Panthers are still leading 3-1.
Now, I should mention here that my wife and I were given tickets to enabled us to sit in a suite with about 10 other people. It was very nice, a different way of watching the game. Here now begins an absolutely epic collapse. What started it?
The guy sitting next to me says:
"Wow, the Panthers would have to really screw up badly to lose this game, huh?"
Now, allow me to point out, that as a Florida Panther fan, I had seen literally an ENTIRE season go by until, late in March, the team actually won either an overtime or game by shootout. Trust me, if there's a team that can and will choke--its Florida.
So, I wanted to strangle the guy.
"Uh, excuse me," I said politely, but with gritted teeth. "Have you actually watched any Panthers games this year? If there is any team that is capable of choking here, its our hometown team."
You will not be stunned to know that, literally about a minute later, Carolina scored.
Shorthanded. The score is now 3-2....about 7 minutes left in the game.
Around 2 minutes left in the game, and the inevitable happens. Carolina scores on a slightly disputed goal that deflects of one of their player's stick (high stick? Maybe, maybe not--close call). So now, its 3-3...and I know we're doomed. The game goes into overtime...and about a minute into the overtime period, Eric Staal of Carolina is moving towards the Panthers goal. Florida defenseman Bryan Allen is between Staal and the goal, and Staal moves to go around him....and collapses to the ice. I mean, we're talking Clay-Liston here....phantom punch, phantom hit...same thing. Its really a shame that a game in the overtime period can be decided by such an obvious dive.
Needless to say, the Panthers are pretty upset by the call. Goalie Belfour then begins to pantomime the Carolina player diving to the ice. It was actually really funny, in sort of a Michael Ontekean-during-that-scene-in-Slapshot kind of a way. Except of course, for the fact that the referee slapped Belfour with a penalty that created a 5 on 3 situation.
30 seconds later--Carolina goal, game over.
The Panthers are now out of the playoffs--mathmatically and otherwise. It was a crushing loss...even by the high standards that the Panthers have established. And yet, who should I blame? The referee? The Carolina player? The Panther defenseman?
Our theatrically motivated goalie?
Naah, it was easier just to blame the guy sitting next to me. So as I was leaving the building, I turned to him.
"Do me a favor...if you're ever at a baseball game...and a guy is throwing a no-hitter, just don't say ANYTHING, okay?"
Later,
Jeff
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