I can't wait for tonight's sporting contest between my hometown Fightin' Phils and what's-their-name? The Brooklyn? No, that's not it, the Dodgers of Anaheim? No, that doesn't sound right either. The Manny Ramirez Selfish-Much? The L.A. Dodgers, that's it. I love the chance the Phils have to get back to the World Series, it's exciting. Though the Yankees (I just threw up in my mouth a little bit) look really tough to beat. Normally I wouldn't jinx my team by being positive, Philadelphia fans are viewed as "Negadelphia". We are notoriously pessimistic about our teams' chances of winning it all in any sport.
More below the strike zone...
In 1980, all four of Philadelphia's major sports teams were in their respective Championship Games. The Flyers lost to the N.Y. Islanders (damn Leon Stickle blown offside call cost us that one - sour grapes by me), The 76er's lost to the L.A. Lakers, and The Eagles lost to The Oakland Raiders (fricken' Lester Hayes "stick-em" cost us that one - more sour grapes by me). Before all of the sports fanatics point out that The Eagles Super Bowl was in 1981, it was the 1980 season.
The Phillies were the only team to win it all, and while we were ecstatic
about our boys winning the World Series, we were let down at being 1 for 4. How Negative Nancy of us.
About the only sports superstition(s) I adhere to are the NHL ones. Every year, come playoff time, when my beloved Philadelphia Flyers begin their playoff run, I begin growing my "playoff beard". Sometimes I'll shave when the Flyers get knocked out, but I usually wait until Lord Stanley's Cup is raised by the winning captain for a victory lap. I'd jinx a game if I say "shut out" before the final whistle. I believe that no player should touch any trophy except the Stanley Cup, but the Penguins' captain proved the exception to that "rule" last year. He picked up the Prince of Wales Trophy after winning the Conference Championship (equal to baseball's Pennant for the NHL impaired), and his team still won The Cup. I cannot mention him by name, or risk being flung into the depths of everlasting Hell, we call him "Cindy" in The City of Brotherly Love.
I really don't know of any football or basketball superstitions, and I'd give baseball the "rally-cap". I suppose baseball also has the "easy-out" and "Swing- batter" chants going for it. As for me, I'm decked out head to toe in Phillies gear, in the past a sure sign of a lose. Well, not tonight! Enough of silly superstitions, I will not let some arbitrary clothing or whatnot unduly influence the outcome of tonight's game. Unless I find my team behind somewhere around the 7th inning. Then it's all out rally-cap-wearing, towel-waving, Let's-Go-Phillies-chanting, mayhem!