gottahavacuppamocha

I’m not a big sports fan. I usually only begin to pay attention when local teams are in the playoffs, and even then I usually don’t pay that close attention. This weekend the Indianapolis Colts will host the New England Patriots, both of which are teams I’m interested in. I was born in Massachusetts, lived in Colorado for over 20 years, and now I live in Indianapolis, so the Pats, Broncos, and Colts are my teams. As it happens, they are all in the AFC, so what usually happens is two or three of them will get into the playoffs and the teams will end up playing against each other and usually one will get as far as conference championships. This year, the Colts and the Pats will be playing against each other for the right to go to the Super Bowl.

A few years ago, I came across a website called longbets.org. It’s a place where people make bets that certain things will happen in a certain timeframe, or that A will happen before B with no idea how long it might take for it to happen. The bet that caught my interest was one between Mike Elliot and Ted Danson (of Cheers fame). The bet was this: Mike Elliot wagered “The US men’s soccer team will win the World Cup before the Red Sox win the World Series.” Ted Danson countered that in order to win the World Series “…the Red Sox only really have to beat the Yankees.” The bet was established in 2002 and in 2004 the Red Sox finally won the World Series, and beat the Yankees to do it. (Okay they beat the Cardinals in the World Series, but they had to beat the Yankees to get there, and in a way that was a sweeter victory, especially when you consider how they beat the Yankees.)

The Colts seem to have a similar issue to the Red Sox when it comes to getting to the Super Bowl. They are a very good team, but when it comes to playing the Patriots in the post-season the Colts tend to lose. It doesn’t guarantee the Pats will go to the Super Bowl, let alone win it (though they’ve had a good record over the past decade), but the Colts haven’t gone to the Super Bowl since they moved to Indianapolis from Baltimore (They last won a Super Bowl in 1970). When I heard someone describe the Colts move to Indianapolis as similar to the Red Sox “Curse of the Bambino”, I smiled and thought maybe it’s true.

Of course, I also realize I’m committing sacrilege by comparing the Patriots to the Yankees, but it’s funny and in a way it’s true. The Colts have to beat the Patriots if they want to get to the Super Bowl.

OTOH, I think it would be interesting if to see a Pats-Bears Super Bowl. In 1986, Da Bears beat the Pats in one of the most lopsided Super Bowl victories ever. I think it would be sweet revenge to see the Pats beat the Bears in Super Bowl. BTW, the Bears haven’t gone to the Super Bowl since then, while the Patriots have gone four times since, and won three.

As for this weekend, I’m officially neutral, because no matter who wins, I know one of my teams is going to the Super Bowl.

Related posts:

1. Underdogs
2. Blue Monday
3. Super Bowl XXXIX
4. Football in Japan?
5. Review Haiku – Super Fly