No Thanks, My Unlucky Star

As you all know, the NFL has entered its '2nd Season.' The '2nd Season' is is a reference to the fact that the playoffs have started, and that win-loss records from the previous 16 games don't mean a thing. The playoffs actually started weeks ago, but I'm just now to the point that I have forgiven myself and can speak about the crime that I've committed against my team.


In actuality, I'm a much bigger college football fan than I am of pro football. I prefer the pageantry and dedication of the college game, as opposed to the contract disputes and shuffling of players between teams. I also like that each game is more important on the college level. One loss can end a team's chances at the national championship. Though I can't stand the fact that a college team can go 6-6 and make a bowl game. I don't believe in celebrating mediocrity. Being rewarded for only winning half of your games is like graduating from kindergarten in my opinion. Rewards for doing the minimum would be like getting a bonus just for showing up to work on time. When was the last time that happened?

Anyway, back to my confession and apology. To my fellow Dallas Cowboys fans: I'm sorry. I am the reason that our team got blasted by the Minnesota Vikings last week. Trust me, my intentions were good. I was merely showing my love and support. I sincerely apologize for contribution to the debacle that was the NFC Divisional Playoff Game. What did I do? I made a public display of my devotion to The Star; I wore a Cowboys t-shirt to church. But I can explain! I wore the shirt not only to display my loyalty, but also because my wife and daughter and I were planning to go to lunch at Maggiano's in Brentwood after church. Since wouldn't likely be able to watch the the game on TV, I needed the cosmic connection of sporting the team colors. You see, this shirt has been buried at the bottom of my drawer at different times during the season. So it hasn't been worn consistently enough to develop the positive mojo of a lucky shirt. But I didn't realize that. Until yesterday.

(I thought Cowboys shirt = Cowboys win.)

During these few tumultuous days since the lopsided loss, I've determined that this shirt has actually absorbed negative joojoo. I thought back to the fall of 2008 when I wore the very shirt to game versus the St Louis Rams - also a tragic, embarrassing loss.

So I have determined that donning this shirt on Sundays during the season is a no-no. However I like the shirt too much to completely retire it. Plus, this shirt is a sort of souvenir. I got it at the Dallas airport during the layover when my wife and I were coming back from our honeymoon in Mexico. Perhaps honeymoon souvenirs were never meant to be Game Day gear. The wedding mojo over powers Game Day mojo and pummels it into submission. And as we all know, wedding mojo can produce bad Game Day joojoo.

(Actually, Cowboys shirt = Cowboys loss.)

How does one develop good mojo? Good question. You see, competitive athletes develop habits. Those habits blossom into superstitions. I don't mean superstitions like the usual weirdo stuff, I mean sacred routines. Like eating the same meal on game day, or wearing the same pair of underwear because you had a good game last week. For example, I wore the same t shirt under my pads on game days for the last three years during high school football and track season. I felt comfortable in my routine, and this particular orange t shirt was a part of that routine. I'm not strange. I promise. Mostly all (that's more than most, but a little bit less than all) athletes, both current and former, have some sort of superstition. Ask anybody that played something competitively for a relatively lengthy amount of time. Heck, even your avid weekend warrior has some slightly odd aspect present in his or her preparation.

Since this shirt has developed a routine of costing my Cowboys wins, I'll have to begin the task of determining a lucky shirt. I have until August to fill the position.