When you break from your routine and the team loses, do you feel guilty?

[Roy Hobbs]

Oddly, I feel partially responsible for last night's loss.  I hadn't shaved since the series started.  Additionally, in one of those odd superstitions, I'd had a bacon cheeseburger (with pickles, mayo, and hot sauce) the night of every game since Game 6 in the Cleveland series.

So, what do I do?  Well, I went to a dinner party on Sunday, so I had to shave.  (Plus, I've got court this week, and the scraggly beard never goes over well with clients or the judges.)  Also, the fiancee' has been on my case about unhealthy eating -- I think the quote was "I've never seen you eat so much beef since we've been together, and it scares me" -- so I switched it up yesterday.

The result?  A loss.  Now, superstitions are by their nature silly, but I'm sitting here today wishing I'd never departed from routine.  

Anybody else have any similar stories?

[Lucky17]

I believe in a kind of Schrodinger's Cat philosophy regarding games: if I don't see the game live as it happens, I can't look at the score online, without affecting the outcome of the game.

I peeked last night. In my defense, the last time I looked, the 4th quarter had just ended. So, that botched last possession may have been my fault. Mea culpa.

[Birdbrain]

Yep I must do 2 things for each game:

DVR exactly 1/2 hour of the game prior to starting it.  

Drink 2 beers 1 each 1/2.

I didn't do either for some strange reason.  I could have.  I had the required amount of beer and I even DVR'd the pregame.  It may sound funny but, I think I got too big of a head and lost focus.

[angryguy77]

Well the misses didn't get annoyed as much as she normaly does when I watch a game. The typical back and forth didn't happen last night for me, so I'll share some of the blame with you for breaking  routine.

But don't worry, this abberration will not continue on Wed. Lucky me, but I will contiue to take one for the team until #18 raises.

[action781]

You guys are being ridiculous, its not your fault that the Celtics lost.  Stop being stupid, you have no reason to feel guilty, the celtics loss had nothing to do with shaving, cheeseburger eating, DVD recording, or anything like that.

It's my fault because I didn't wear my Rondo jersey last night.  I apologize, but I had to go straight to campus from work so didn't get to stop home to change.  I'll do my best (as always) to make sure it doesn't happen again, but can't make any promises.

[liam]

Yes, I do. I haven't posted since game 3 against Clev. I didn't post during or after game 4 so I didn't want to post again until the Celtics lost. It feels like it's been a month. I'm glad for the streak and  I thought maybe I wouldn't be posting again until after the season.  Go Celtics!

[2short]

Wow I've been found out. 
Last night was the first time I've watched the celtics due to scheduling since before they ended the cleveland series.  Four straight wins, no me watching...my wife was happy/wondered what was going on.  Yes I feel guilty.  I'm sure I have no control over the team but I wonder 

[j804]

Hahha yup I do


I got this old faded barely visible Celtic logo shirt I always wear (since our championship year ) and some warm up Celtic shorts. Well since our win streak started ive been wearing the combo of the shirt and shorts but last night I was really stuffy so I put on a plain cut off tshirt. Of course I feel guilty, why o why? What if just what if I had wore my game shirt we would have continued our win streak? I know im crazy. Were crazy. 

[the_Bird]

Yes.  I haven't DVR'ed any of the games since the first round, when it was ABUNDANTLY clear the team played much, much worse when I was recording the game (whether I was watching it or not).  I blame some yet-unidentified corollary to the Heizenburg uncertainty principal; the more I try to record something, the more I impact the outcome.  

[FatKidsDad]

The Fat Kid and I used to have a very complex ritual of things we would do and say at various points along the 1+hr trip to the game,and in the arena itself, and we rarely strayed from it.  When we did, bad things happened and we were convinced there was a connection.

Over the past couple of years, we have drifted away from it and only a few of the rituals remain.  We matured enough to realize that stuff doesn't matter.

Of course, we realized a few minutes down the road last night that the Fat Kid left his hat at home...something he had NEVER done before.  Big mistake.

[Drucci]

Funny, because I thought the loss was due to me changing from my routine too.

I've watched every Celtics playoff game live this year, staying awake almost all night to do so, but I couldn't watch it live yesterday because I had an exam early the following morning. So I stayed away from the results and watched the replay on League Pass, with the terrible feeling that the Celtics had lot. I hate to wait to watch the games and not watch it live, hopefully I will be able to watch all the upcoming games live.

But yeah, I know the feeling, I thought "oops, I jinxed them ".

[cdif911]

I haven't shaved in over a month...I do need to switch shirts for the next game though, my Reggie Lewis didn't do it last night (it did help secure game 6 though vs. Cleveland)

[Evantime34]

Oddly, I feel partially responsible for last night's loss.  I hadn't shaved since the series started.  Additionally, in one of those odd superstitions, I'd had a bacon cheeseburger (with pickles, mayo, and hot sauce) the night of every game since Game 6 in the Cleveland series.

So, what do I do?  Well, I went to a dinner party on Sunday, so I had to shave.  (Plus, I've got court this week, and the scraggly beard never goes over well with clients or the judges.)  Also, the fiancee' has been on my case about unhealthy eating -- I think the quote was "I've never seen you eat so much beef since we've been together, and it scares me" -- so I switched it up yesterday.

The result?  A loss.  Now, superstitions are by their nature silly, but I'm sitting here today wishing I'd never departed from routine.  

Anybody else have any similar stories?

We normally watch the games at my friends house, if someone has a  time conflict we dvr it start it late and catch up by skipping the commercials. (What are people's opinions on this? Is it ok? I have become a fan of dvr for sporting events)
Anyway, he had to work last night so I ended up watching it at my house. This is similar to your story Roy except it makes me feel better because I am blaming my friend not myself.

[Neurotic Guy]

Well I did most of my ritual -- including, like angryguy, annoying my wife.  However, I had been resisting saying out loud  that the Celtics did, in fact, 'turn on a switch' during the playoffs. I gave in and wrote as such in the blog at the end of Game 3. I had previously resisted stating it because I worried that by acknowledging the 'switch' I could create a jinx factor that could ruin everything. I blew it -- and I am at fault for last night. 

Sadly, I am not sure how to unjinx this jinx.  If anyone can help me (us), please let me know.

[Prof. Clutch]

Well, after reading this thread I'm comfortable blaming all of you for the loss.