Dan's Papers -November 6, 2009 - Twentysomething...

By the time you read this, the New York Yankees will have won the World Series. Wait-I don't want to jinx it. Forget the sentence you just read. It's bad luck for me to say that they will win right now. However, since you are reading this, maybe it doesn't matter because it's the future, so maybe it's okay for me to say that they are the champions, even though they haven't won yet.

This World Series in particular has been one of the strangest. Like many people, I seriously believe that certain things I do while watching the game affect the outcome. What is scary is that this seems to be true time and time again.

For example, ever since A-Rod became a Yankee, I've brought him bad luck. I used to think that it was just in my head, but now I'm convinced that when A-Rod strikes out, it's my fault.

Remember in game one of the World Series when he struck out twice in a row? That was my fault. Whenever I watch a Yankees game in a bar and A-Rod gets up to bat, he strikes out. It is seriously a 100%-of-the-time thing. When a Yankees game is on, no matter where I am, when A-Rod gets up to bat, the conversation goes something like this:

"A-Rod is up to bat. Watch this, Dave, he's going to hit a homerun."

"I better leave the room."

"He always strikes out when I'm watching him hit. It's a near certainty."

"Don't be ridiculous."

And I'll stay and A-Rod will strike out.

During game one of the series I watched in terror as the Yankees lost because of my bad A-Rod luck. I wasn't taking myself seriously enough. Who am I? I thought. Where do I get off thinking that I am somehow connected to A-Rod striking out when I watch him go to bat? I don't believe in this mumbo-jumbo.

And of course, whenever you treat any curse in such a way, it comes back to bite you tenfold. The Yanks lost game one. I avoided watching game two all together. How crazy is that? I went out to my car and turned the radio on to get an update. I checked Yahoo Sports on my iPhone and received text messages from my friends when big plays took place.

The Yanks needed me to do this. I couldn't be selfish and watch the game and cause A-Rod to have two consecutive strikeouts again. Taunting my Red Sox fan friends (are they real friends?) was worth the disconnect from the game.

The Yankees won game two.

During games three and four I watched, but every time A-Rod got up to hit I left the room. The Yankees won both games.

So I guess I don't get to watch one of the best players in baseball bat during the World Series out of my love for my team. It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make in order to be able to shut down any Red Sox fan for the next six months.