Tuesday, October 23, 2007

We (and European Vacations) are the Lucky Charm

My husband is a Red Sox fan, not a baseball fan, a Red Sox fan, kind of a big one. He has not achieved, or descended to, the level of fandom of Jimmy Fallon's character in "Fever Pitch" yet, but perhaps only because we do not live in Boston. He follows them religiously and, though he knows I couldn't care less, is forever telling me of their progress throughout the baseball season, the unbelievably long baseball season. He gets giddy as opening day approaches (this is in April) and as the season reaches September (that's right, 6 months later) the tension over who will make the playoffs is palpable, "will they (the Red Sox) or won't they". And, prior to 2004, the answer was a resounding, "they most definitely will not!" And, then, under the most improbable circumstances ever they came back from a 3-0 game deficit against the New York Yankees in the ALCS to win the next 4 games and eventually to win the 2004 World Series after an 86 year drought. (The amazing thing about this post is that all of these stats are spilling from my brain without the help of trusty Wikipedia, or Red Sox Nation or my resident expert - how scary is that?) I am not a sports fan, well not really. I like Olympic sports, Tennis and will watch Professional Football if it's on. But since meeting and marrying Kenny I have spent a lot more time watching, hearing about, reading and even playing sports. He likes Sports Center, a lot, he gets excited for March Madness (I fill out my bracket based on uniform color and mascot), and he worships the Red Sox (I can recite the starting line-up and their positions - really!). In 2004 during their amazing road to victory we were in Ireland and following their progress via Internet updates on my blackberry. Last night, after overcoming a 3-1 game deficit, the Red Sox clinched the ALCS and a berth in the 2007 World Series. And, while we didn't watch the game (because it wasn't broadcast here) we did "watch" the play-by-play online and celebrated with them in spirit as they trounced the Cleveland Indians 11-2. Needless to say, Kenny is pretty excited and is looking forward to Wednesday night's first World Series game like a child waits for Christmas. The other thing is that baseball fans in general and especially Red Sox fans are EXTREMELY superstitious. They eschew all things that could potentially be a bad omen. When something good happens for the team, they try to recreate the exact circumstances under which said something transpired in the hopes that lighting will strike twice or seventeen times or whatever. In that vein as we were getting ready for bed last night Kenny said, "so I guess every time the Red Sox reach the playoffs from now on we need to go to Europe - it worked in 2004 while we were in Ireland and it worked this year while we were in France - if they win the World Series again I can probably get other Red Sox fans to contribute to our European Vacation fund by telling them that our being their is a necessary catalyst to the team's victory." He's a little nuts though so are Red Sox fans, so it could work. I mean, they're a good team, the best in the League this year, and I am not opposed to a European jaunt even when the result of a lot of superstitious baseball mumbo jumbo. So, come Wednesday night I'll be right there cheering them on - Go Red Sox!

4 comments:

Jess D. said...

I'm sure you've seen this, but if not...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVyhXlPCI4Q

Nortorious said...

My DH (Doofus Hermaphrodite) is also a Red Socks fan. I think Red Socks fans should unite and only wear red socks to support their team.

Nortorious said...

P.S., I object to the "x" instead of "cks" Baseball players need proper spelling. They're being ludacris.

Ilene said...

It is nice to know that there is another woman out there becoming baptized into their husband's sports craze. I wrote a similar post about the Oregon Duck football team back in May so it was amusing to read your similar experience.

I was also married during March Madness so being the good little wife, I got into that too. This last year I won the bracket challenge. What I do for my man.

Go Sox!

 

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