Don't Say It!
I watched a Tigers game recently in which their starting pitcher hadn't given up any hits through six innings. Both Tigers announcers were baseball guys, which means that they knew the unwritten rule. There is a hyphenated word that goes along with such masterful performances on the mound and neither one of these guys was going to say it. Nor were any of the pitcher's teammates about to utter that word. In fact, as the game went along, and the zeroes kept going up on the scoreboard, the pitcher, Justin Verlander, found himself more and more alone in the dugout. His teammates had seemingly abandoned him for fear of slipping up, saying the wrong thing, and jinxing the whole works.In the ninth inning, the crowd on its feet, the last out was recorded and both announcers simultaneously yelled, "NO-HITTER!!!" Verlander was mobbed by his team as he completed one of the most difficult tasks in all of baseball.
Superstitious? You betcha. But why tempt fate?
And that's the reason I haven't been writing much about the Angels lately. See, they've never played ball this well. Ever. They have the best record at this point in the season, 49-27, that they've ever had. They have more wins than any other team. So why tempt fate by writing about it?
Could it possibly be a good idea to mention that they were 14-4 in interleague play, taking 5 of 6 from their crosstown rivals? Or to point out that they have won nine consecutive series? I don't see how that would be smart.
It would smack of reckless abandon to say anything about the offense (17 or more hits in 7 of the last 18 games, three walk-offs in the last six, .291 team Batting Average), the pitching (3.83 team ERA and seven quality starters), the defense (Cabrera has made more plays from the hole than Jeter this year, Vladdy keeps gunning 'em down and keeping 'em from running), or other intangibles (such as a league-leading 74 steals).
I could take the safe route. I could limit myself to writing things like, "They're fun to watch right now," and "They're playing with a lot of confidence." Or I could send this into the ether for all the world to see. I could tempt fate and call it an experiment.
Okay. I'll click "Publish Post." But so help me. If they start losing, I'll take it all back and claim insanity. I'll blame my evil twin.
Here goes nothing.
posted by Thurman8er @ 11:07 AM
11 Comments:
I hope they continue to do well so their #1 fan can be happy all summer!
I've known this all your life, but admitting there's an evil twin inside you is the first step to recovery...
I hope they make the cover of SI.
Does your evil twin have an evil goatee?
Wait.
Never mind.
I find myself becoming an Angels fan and I don't even care for baseball. I'm a fan in as much as I look to see if they won or ... you know, the "L" word.
12.
4.
Discuss. I think it's Steve's fault.
I found myself a Cubs fan a few years ago, when a student from Chicago wood me with the words, "Just wait 'till next year..."
As I've said before, "How 'bout them Angels!" I've been watching the sports page just to see what you've been crowing about even before the season began. I'm impressed. But I'm with Greg...
Seems a lot of sports have their superstitions...if a hockey team wins their conference cup and are on their way to the finals, NO ONE touches the conference cup or trophy until AFTER they've won the "big one". Golf has a lot of superstitions too...using a certain numbered golf ball on certain days of a tournament...or Tiger always wearing red on Sunday. I think that works for him!
Sure do wish MY brother would have left behind HIS "evil twin"...that was when he was his funniest...and most creative. Whoops...maybe it was ME who was his "twin"...we were so close in age.
As I've said before, "How 'bout them Angels!" I've been watching the sports page just to see what you've been crowing about even before the season began. I'm impressed. But I'm with Greg...
Seems a lot of sports have their superstitions...if a hockey team wins their conference cup and are on their way to the finals, NO ONE touches the conference cup or trophy until AFTER they've won the "big one". Golf has a lot of superstitions too...using a certain numbered golf ball on certain days of a tournament...or Tiger always wearing red on Sunday. I think that works for him!
Sure do wish MY brother would have left behind HIS "evil twin"...that was when he was his funniest...and most creative. Whoops...maybe it was ME who was his "twin"...we were so close in age.
Wooed. He won me over with persuasive Cubs-speak.
Sorry...couldn't delete 2nd entry. The screen didn't tell me that my comment was saved, so I tried it again. Maybe some evil twin doesn't like the way I click on "submit"...it always makes me do it 2-3 times...and yes the secret word (?) is correct each time!
Sounds like Randy's "Karma" post. I sometimes refused to hit the "teacher's "Post" button" when a, lets say "problem child" is rumored to have moved away.
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