Friday, January 28, 2011

FlyHyNY: Why the Jets lost.

There are some superstitious fans out there who think their game day behavior somehow affects the team's success.  They think that in order for the team to win, they need to wear a certain jersey, or watch the game at a certain place, or not shave, or not shower, or not change their underwear.  Or whatever else they may believe.

I don't really buy into this.  I used to get overhyped on gameday and put on my Jets jersey and shirt and hat and green pants while I watched the game.  I used to even dress up my baby boy in his Jets onesie.  But I haven't done it since last year.  They lost too many games then, which was seven.  So that's around seven times I sat there in my living room wondering why I'm putting all this effort into representing a bunch of losers.  Of course, the next day I always wore my Jets jacket to work. 

Years ago, I would tape the games because I worked on some Sundays.  But it felt like everytime I did that, they would lose.  So I stopped taping.  I felt like it was worth it for me to miss the game entirely if that meant that they would win.  It was a sacrifice.  Well, it didn't always work.

There were some big games that I wish I could have recorded for posterity.  There was the Monday Night Miracle in 2001, and then there was the great win against the Packers in 2002 where the Jets clinched a playoff spot.  I wish I could watch those games again.

The ensuing years were not always good for Gang Green.  I ended up taping the games every week.  I kept the few times they would win.  I taped over the rest of the games when they lost.

Last year, I was cautiously optimistic.  It was nice to watch the team perform very well.  They won two playoff games and I just sat back and enjoyed it.  They were leading in the AFC Championship Game at halftime, and when they ended up losing, I was able to accept it right away.

This year felt different.  I really thought they were going to win it all.  After beating the Colts and the Patriots, they were back in the AFC Championship Game.  This time I really thought they would do it.  I gave my son a bath early in the evening because I didn't think there would be time after the game.  I thought I would be glued to the television as the team was awarded the Lamar Hunt Trophy.

I also set aside two tapes for the game, because I wanted to record the award presentation and all the post-game celebration.  The tapes already had some of my kid's TV shows recorded on it, but I didn't mind because I had two, and that would be more than plenty.  I hadn't done this in the previous weeks.  But that is not why they lost.

Earlier in the day, I took a walk to the liquor store and bought some beer.  My wife also asked for some Doritos and soda.  I picked a box of twelve Coronas, a bottle of Sprite, but they didn't have Doritos.  So I took a couple of Lays' salt and vinegar chips.  The total was about $22, and I gave the cashier my Jets credit card.  She looked at it and said, "Oh no."  Apparently, they only took cash.

I put the card away and took out the twenty in my wallet.  I asked them to subtract the chips.  When I got home I explained to my wife that I didn't have enough money and they didn't have Doritos anyway.  She was disappointed.  I guess I should have gotten her those chips anyway.  Maybe I should have put back the box of Coronas and got a six-pack instead.  But that is not why they lost.

The total was $19.25.  I put back the change in my pocket and felt another quarter in there.  So I actually had a dollar.  I could have bought the chips with that.  But that is not why they lost.

The next day, my son had a very high fever.  I had a cough and a headache.  Apparently, beer is not good for you if you have a developing bacterial infection.  Our car got a flat tire, and it hasn't stopped snowing.

The Jets lost because usually when I go to a store or a deli, I buy a lotto ticket for the hell of it.  Now I don't even know if that place sold the lotto, but if I had asked, their answer would have been yes.  The Jets would have won the game.  A couple of days later I would have won the lotto.  And a couple of weeks later my family and I would have been on a plane to Dallas to watch the Super Bowl.   That is why the Jets lost.

And I could have bought my wife a lifetime supply of Doritos.

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