I may live in Brooklyn, but during the college semester I head to Boston three days a week to teach at Boston University, and today is a day of mourning in this city. The Patriots’ Perfect Season hopes were dashed last night when the Giants pulled out an end-of-game touchdown, beating the Pats 17-14.
But there’s something I don’t get about the way Boston practices sports spectating. Boston fans are inconsistent.
I am a superstitious girl, I believe in jinxes and I knock on wood at least once a day. Webster’s defines jinx as something “that brings bad luck” and a “state of spell of bad luck” brought on by a jinx. When it comes to sporting events, I grew up with that “It’s not over until the fat lady sings” mantra and therefore I knock as much as possible and fear saying something out loud that will change the ways of the sporting universe.

You may laugh, but I don’t care. It’s how I grew up. In this sense, Boston is one of those places that boasts wonderfully hilarious superstitious fans (so I am in good company)–when it comes to their Red Sox. Lately, all that superstition has worked pretty well in the baseball department.
The Patriots, for this city, is another story.
Boston planned its Superbowl/Perfect Season victory parade before the Patriots even made it to the Superbowl! The mayor of Boston, Thomas M. Menino, was even quoted in the Globe saying he didn’t “want to jinx the Patriots by talking about a celebration before it is warranted, but he said a victory parade would probably start on Dartmouth Street near Columbus Avenue in the South End.” Um, jinx anyone?
Then there were all the people, colleagues, family, friends, who talked on and on about the “inevitable” Patriots Perfect Season Victory, who I kept telling to be careful but they just laughed. Alas….
I think Boston is hanging its head today, and people are eating their words. But I am definitely not going to say “I told you so.” I feel to sad for all my friends. Besides, I don’t want anyone to hit me.