Ending the Streak

A potentially record setting streak ended Sunday with the New York Giants’ Super Bowl victory. No, not that one....

While I enjoy watching big sporting events, I’m not much of a fan. I don’t closely follow teams and couldn’t care less about players’ statistics. Generally I get interested during the closing weeks of the regular season if the local team is in contention and pay increasing attention as the post season progresses. Basically I’m the kind of sports observer real fans mock.

Over the last decade I’ve noticed what seems like a disproportionate number of championship losses for teams I supported in my lackluster way. These are all games or series that occurred while we lived in the team’s area and followed their postseason fate.

1997 Utah Jazz
..........Lost NBA finals to Chicago Bulls

1998 Utah Jazz
..........Lost NBA finals to Chicago Bulls

1998 University of Utah men’s basketball
..........Lost NCAA championship game to Kentucky

2001 Philadelphia 76ers
..........Lost NBA finals to Los Angeles Lakers

2003 New York Yankees
..........Lost World Series to Florida Marlins

Going 0-5 in the big games seems noteworthy. Even the Denver Broncos of the 1980s didn’t have that many disappointments. I’m sure the New England Patriots will feel better about their failure to make sports history when they learn that my personal streak has ended thanks to them.