Curse of the great Bates
Sport’s teams world-wide pray that I do not become a fan of yours.
I am the world’s biggest bad luck guy.
Case in point my two favorite teams in the world, the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Lions.
Are there two more prominent examples of franchises that are going no where fast?
Set aside the poor management and mediocre players the reason both these squads are mired in mediocrity is all my fault.
I have rooted for these two for as long as memory allows and I have seen one playoff win by one and can legibly remember one playoff for the other.
Yes, I cannot not even remember the brightest moment of the Tigers recent history when Kirk Gibson took Goose Gossage deep.
Being four-years-old when it happened the title is but a shell of its true self seen only as an ESPN Classic memory.
My luck doesn’t even stop at teams but continues to individuals.
My favorite football player ever, Chris Spielman.
Retired, never winning a title, and forced out of the sport he loved because of the threat of paralysis.
One may argue there are countless hard luck Detroiters and Michiganders who have had to suffer through the misery induced by rooting for these two pathetic bunches.
While that may seem true look at the other teams I have attempted to root for in my quest to be part of something special, the New York Yankees and Michigan Wolverines.
Are there two bigger examples of seemingly impenetrable dynasties in the world of sports then Yankee baseball and Wolverine football?
Alas I have all but toppled these two athletic juggernauts.
The Yankees were poised to win a fourth straight World Series and what happened?
I cheered for them over the expansion D-Backs and they lost.
Curt Schilling and Randy Johnson aside, how did the Yankees lose?
Arizona has only known one champion in it’s existence, the Yankees.
Here’s how, I, the kryptonite, of athletics happened to the Yankees.
Same can be said for the mighty Michigan Wolverines.
In 1997, being of Detroit Lion frustrated mind decided to root for the true professional football team in the state of Michigan, the Wolverines.
Granted that year U of M won a national title. That was not even able to escape the despair that is my bad luck. It was dubbed a CO-national title retirement gift for Tom Osborne and the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Since the U of M title, let’s look at what has happened in Ann Arbor.
Michigan has suffered two losses to MSU, a home loss to OSU and the Drew Henson debacle.
I think it‘s safe to say my work there is done.
Take a gander in our own backyard for more proof.
CMU Football an has an astounding 11 wins in the five years for an average of 3.4 wins a season that I’ve been here rooting for the football Chippewas.
Mark my words though, next year upon the my retirement from college the future is bright for the Maroon and Gold.
Which takes me to CMU basketball. I vow to all students, faculty and basketball personnel, “I will not publicly root for your team until an NCAA berth is assured.”
This much you deserve.
