This is why we've heard of Bill Sianis's pet

Say what you will about bringing animals into baseball games, or a player's being sold for a song (or a musical), but people remember this stuff because they love superstition. I wish I could say I was different. It would certainly make watching my teams easier. It would also ease potential burdens on friends and family.

I first noticed this when I scrutinized everything I did when I watched MJ in the '90s. I thought that the Bulls' fortunes would change through a slight adjustment of my seating. I thought I had grown beyond this, but apparently, I just haven't had games that roped me in to this degree since 1998. There is also the fact that when I became a sports fan in 1990, it was on the backs of the White Sox and the Bulls. If the Bears reach the NFC Championship game for the third time in 40 years (certainly not this year), or if the Hawkeyes become a national title contender, then we'll see.

Those Cleveland games in mid-September began the resurgence. I don't recall having any quirks then or with the ensuing Minnesota games, but there was certainly a heightened sense of emotion.

This all began, of course, with the first playoff series. You know those feelings you get in the back of your head right before an impending event, that makes you say in a Keanu Reeves voice, "Whoa, I'm psychic"? (For those who don't watch much sports, this feeling eliminates the element of surprise in movies.) I've had that at least four times in the playoffs, all with home runs: Iguchi's game winner off of David Wells, Robb Quinlan tying Game 2 of the ALCS off of Mark Buehrle, Mike Lamb tying Game 1 of the World Series off of Jose Contreras, and this gem, quoted from my AIM conversation tonight:

"Me (22:28:27): I just had a passing thought, that this would be the weirdest way to end the game, on a scotty hottie home run"

[Note: I find it funny how Podsednik was the subject of local fluff stories this week because he is, quote, "easy on the eyes" (my mom verified this, to my amused chagrin). "Scotty Hottie (or Hottie Scottie)" is the nickname the ladies have given Podsednik. I have no problem using it as well.]

It's only weird because this guy never got more than a double this season, and now has two triples and two HR's in the postseason. Checking with the judges...yes! That does qualify as irony!

Fortunately, I haven't been tweaking my place in my chair yet. However, I do watch my clothing choices. Yesterday morning, I wore a Hawkeye jersey (one which I may never wear during a football game again, considering the results) and took it off later, to not give myself the impression that I divided my focus. I repeated that reasoning today when I chose not to wear a Bears jersey.

This week, I took some risks by buying some White Sox merchandise. Buying any AL champion or World Series gear had huge jinx potential, so I just bought a 1959 hat. Of course, with my size 7 3/4 head, I could only find a 7 1/2, which fit, but not well. During the game tonight, I got to thinking that adjusting the hat forward was bad karma, so I adjusted it back.

Then the Astros tied up the game in the 9th. Something seemed off, so I remembered how I had been pushing my hair back into the hat the day before.

I made the adjustment, and Scotty Hottie delivered. I won't be forgetting that.

The Lucky Charm/Black Cat symptom has also surfaced this month. When I went to Iowa City two weeks ago, I put an old hat in the car, in order to represent during the Boston series. I also brought a palm-sized kickball with stitch markings and the "Sox" logo, which I gave the decidedly clever name "Sox Ball."

Its presence duly pissed off my friend, a Red Sox fan, to the point that she conspired to pop Sox Ball. (By "conspired," I mean that she used a plastic dart to no avail, then handed it off to another friend, who found success using his keys). However, the hole is small enough to allow the ball to re-inflate itself, although its bouncability is diminished.

Last week, I took the ball to Bloomington, and the Sox's play in the ALCS greatly improved. I noted who and what was present while I watched game 3 in Boston, and games 3 and 4 in Anaheim, and kept the combination intact while I returned to Chicago. So far, Sox Ball is 7-0 when accompanied by "Lucy."

Tonight, I also discovered that she has to have the game on. She had silly inconveniences like schoolwork, so she wasn't home until 9:30, when the Sox were losing, 4-2. Not twenty minutes later, Konerko adds $1 million to his next contract with a grand slam. Later, she turns away from the TV for a long phone call, and Jenks blows the save. I'll have to verify my sources, but I believe she missed the first 6 innings of game 5 of the ALCS, and started watching when the Sox were losing 3-2.

Final score? 6-3. AL Champions. My point? Circumstantial. But made.

I know it's stupid. I know it doesn't actually help. I know it's especially stupid considering my math and physics background. I would say I'm agnostic about gods, baseball or otherwise. Honestly, I've never truly taken the issue into consideration, baseball or otherwise. But there's no way I'm going to change now. It's only a small inconvenience (I hope). Only two wins left...

(Oh, and if you want to laugh at me or make fun of me for this stuff, go ahead. You went through the trouble to read all of this, you should be able to give me crap.)