The Superstitious Sharkey

So Sunday sucked. Giants lost. It's like I said a few weeks ago, the Giants I grew up loving always found a way to lose the games against the teams they had no right losing too. This continues. As long as this continues, I won't be able to fully say "Yea, this Giants team can win a championship."

Same thing happened with my Devils. In the late 90's, they choked in 4 successive seasons. Then, in 2000, they played a far inferior Panthers team in the first round. In the previous three seasons, they lost this season. But that team was on a mission, and it swept the Panthers. After that series, they went on to win an additional 6 in a row, and in the process won a cup, and lost another in a game 7. And then two years later, won another cup. Those Devils teams I felt could win any game, any day, no matter the circumstances.

If these Giants keep losing to the likes of the Lions, the Bears, the Vikings, etc, I won't be able to put them in that level, no matter how well they play against the Redskins & Broncos. (for the record, they played horrible against the Broncos, but what a win that was.)

Anyway, on to the point. After the Giants loss on Sunday a buddy of mine called me up & said "Dude, what'd you do?"

Yea, it was my fault. A quick rewind.

Back to the Devils. Way back to 1994, my first experience with playoff hockey. I was 12. The Devils played the Rangers in the Conference Finals (greatest 7 game series in sports history, but I'll save that debate for another day). It was in those two weeks, in the spring of '94, that I was introduced to "the playoff beard." Whoa. You mean guys did or didn't do a certain thing just to keep a good thing going? I wanted a part of this.

Over the next few years I tried different things so I could say I had superstitions. I eventually realized you can't create superstitions. They are their own beast, and they create themselves. I realized they had to find themselves.

During the aforementioned 2000 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Devils beat the Flyers in game 1 of the East Finals. They went on to lose games 2, 3 & 4. I was devastated. As a superstitious person, I realized this had to be my fault. This may sound stupid, or like a stretch, but I was looking for something I did during game 1 that I didn't during any other game. The answer was simple.

Game one was a Saturday, we had a bbq that day. During the game, I snacked on chips & dip. How simple. Game 5 was set for a Monday. In school that day I boldly told anyone who would listen that the Devils were goign to the Stanley Cup Finals. They all laughed. That night, I ate chips. Devils won. Game 6, chips, victory. Game 7? You guessed it.

Can't stop now. Game 1 Cup finals, Chips & Win. Then dreaded game 2. I got cocky. I went to a friends house for the game, a friend who didn't have the necessary snacks. Obviously, the Devils lost. Wouldn't make the same mistake again. 3 & 4, chips & win. Game 5? Superstition on hold. I had tickets to watch the Devs win the cup. Obviously no chips. Devs lost in Triple OT. Two nights later, chips & cup.

A superstition monster was born.

During the Giants Super Bowl run the following season, I had the same breakfast every game day, starting in week 13 (Giants entered that week at 7-4 & on a 2 game losing streak.) They finished the season on a 5 game winning streak, and made the super Bowl.

I learned after the Ravens murdered the Gmen that superstition doens't guarantee victory. But without them, a loss is impossible to avoid.

During the Devils 2001 Cup run? Wawa sub & iced tea.

'03 cup run? I wore the same red boxers & blue OAR tshirt on every gameday. I'm not sure if this one really worked or not, because I was too afraid to try & not wear one of these on gameday. If I had work? This was on under my outfit. A fancy dinner date with my girlfriend & her parents? On under the outfit, and I had to wear a dark dress shirt so the blue of my tshirt didn't show through.

Yes. I'm insane. If I find something that works, I roll with it. I can think of at least 10 other instances of crazy superstitions for me. During Devils games during the 2000 & 01 cup runs, I always sat in the same spot on my couch, always held the remote, never changed channels during commercials, no bathroom breaks unless during intermission. During Giants games, no matter what the spread or how good or bad the giants or their opponent is, I will never EVER bet against the Giants. I've lost many points in my weekly pool leagues because the Giants suffered through a 4-12 season yet I picked them for 16 wins. Oh well. I don't watch Notre Dame games at home. Not sure why on this one, but I can't. I have to be at a friends, a neighbors, a bar, wherever. Not at home.

And now my newest one. After the Giants got destroyed by the Chargers in week 3, I inadvertantly wore the same outfit during week 4 that I did during week 2. Plax jersey, Irish hat, brown cargo pants & workboots. Giants won week 4. I caught on. The Giants lost in week 6, despite my wearing this same outfit, but won weeks 7, 8 & 9. Like I said, doesn't guarantee victory. But can't win without it.

So this Sunday, after they lost, my friend asked what I did wrong? The answer, simple. For the first time since week 2, I was at home to watch the Giants game. So I didn't have the boots on. I was barefoot. I didn't follow the code, and I screwed over the Gmen.

You may call me insane. But then, if you do, you really might not be as big of a sportsfan as you thought you were.

As for me? You can bet your ass that those pants, that jersey, that hat & those boots will be on me for every game from here on out, no matter what the results may be.