While talking to a friend last night about the preponderance of preposterous pedant propagated by society, we lighted on the fact once again that this is a world where "evil brings profit and virtue none at all". My friend pointed out that although it took the better part of a century, even the Red Sox managed to break the curse that seemed destined to keep them from reprising a role in the world series.
Although I'm no baseball fan, I took a few interesting lessons from this ensample.
There isn't really a curse:
I don't believe in voodoo hoodoo, and the like, and so I don't really think there was anything that kept the Red Sox from winning the world series except, well, the Red Sox. Sometimes, we allow things to get to us, and those psychosomatic influences conspire to corrupt our reason and sap our strength. I've been in that position before- where you feel like you're so far behind that there's nothing you can do to change your fortunes. I also know that most of my favorite movies and ensamples in culture were those who defied odds to change their stars.
While there are some things that aren't likely or practical (like a man without legs or arms driving a car or winning the marathon), they are not necessarily completely out of the realm of possibility. Just 100 years ago, I would have been completely useless to society, seeing as how i have extremely poor vision, and in all likelihood I would have died as a small boy. Now, not even cancer stopped Lance Armstrong from winning six consecutive Tour de France titles. It was once impossible to sail around the globe. It was once impossible for man to fly. It was once impossible for my alma mater (Nevada as it's called in the rankings) to get to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Imagine what will no longer be impossible tomorrow.
The Sox came close many times:
I don't have the stats handy, because I'm not currently online as I write this to look that up, but I know that the Red Sox PLAYED in the world series several times in the last 100 years. This means they won many many games, just not that final contest in which they fight for the ultimate award. Many years, they were good teams, but they weren't usually good enough.
Anyone who watches the Olympics knows that the best sometimes lose the crown everyone expects them to win. Just this year in Beijing, many American competitors favored to medal returned home empty handed (like Paul Hamm who was injured before they started) and some people who didn't expect anything returned home heroes (like the woman gymnast who medaled). Even Michael Phelps cut many contests close, that first relay being saved when someone made up for Phelps' blunder in the 4 by 100. Sometimes upsets happen, because in the end there are so many factors in play over which we exert zero control such that almost anything is possible.
Persistence paid off:
Despite their dismal record, the franchise owner refused to abandon the Red Sox to the auspices of the curse. Even their loyal fans, at whom I used to shake my head, talked about how this was their year every year. It never seemed like it would be. When they finally did win, they swept their opponent in a blowout and sailed "effortlessly" to victory. More often than not, victory lies just past the point where most normal folks give up. Thomas Edison tried hundreds of materials in his lightbulb. How many of us have that sticktoitiveness?
After their triumph, they immediately resorted back to their old ways:
Coming off their sweep, fans and commentators expected the Red Sox to continue their winning streak. I have no idea rightly why, but they didn't. Once you arrive at a solution that works, you stop changing the equation when the championship is on the line. If you have a tried and true strategy for victory, it behooves you to stick with it as long as it's working.
Even the most unlikely event in the universe has a statistic describing its odds. No matter how small it is, if it's something you want, there is a chance. Chance things happen everyday to common and ordinary folks. The probability that it might happen to us keeps us hoping for it.
Every Doug has his day. Tomorrow might be mine.
Although I'm no baseball fan, I took a few interesting lessons from this ensample.
There isn't really a curse:
I don't believe in voodoo hoodoo, and the like, and so I don't really think there was anything that kept the Red Sox from winning the world series except, well, the Red Sox. Sometimes, we allow things to get to us, and those psychosomatic influences conspire to corrupt our reason and sap our strength. I've been in that position before- where you feel like you're so far behind that there's nothing you can do to change your fortunes. I also know that most of my favorite movies and ensamples in culture were those who defied odds to change their stars.
While there are some things that aren't likely or practical (like a man without legs or arms driving a car or winning the marathon), they are not necessarily completely out of the realm of possibility. Just 100 years ago, I would have been completely useless to society, seeing as how i have extremely poor vision, and in all likelihood I would have died as a small boy. Now, not even cancer stopped Lance Armstrong from winning six consecutive Tour de France titles. It was once impossible to sail around the globe. It was once impossible for man to fly. It was once impossible for my alma mater (Nevada as it's called in the rankings) to get to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Imagine what will no longer be impossible tomorrow.
The Sox came close many times:
I don't have the stats handy, because I'm not currently online as I write this to look that up, but I know that the Red Sox PLAYED in the world series several times in the last 100 years. This means they won many many games, just not that final contest in which they fight for the ultimate award. Many years, they were good teams, but they weren't usually good enough.
Anyone who watches the Olympics knows that the best sometimes lose the crown everyone expects them to win. Just this year in Beijing, many American competitors favored to medal returned home empty handed (like Paul Hamm who was injured before they started) and some people who didn't expect anything returned home heroes (like the woman gymnast who medaled). Even Michael Phelps cut many contests close, that first relay being saved when someone made up for Phelps' blunder in the 4 by 100. Sometimes upsets happen, because in the end there are so many factors in play over which we exert zero control such that almost anything is possible.
Persistence paid off:
Despite their dismal record, the franchise owner refused to abandon the Red Sox to the auspices of the curse. Even their loyal fans, at whom I used to shake my head, talked about how this was their year every year. It never seemed like it would be. When they finally did win, they swept their opponent in a blowout and sailed "effortlessly" to victory. More often than not, victory lies just past the point where most normal folks give up. Thomas Edison tried hundreds of materials in his lightbulb. How many of us have that sticktoitiveness?
After their triumph, they immediately resorted back to their old ways:
Coming off their sweep, fans and commentators expected the Red Sox to continue their winning streak. I have no idea rightly why, but they didn't. Once you arrive at a solution that works, you stop changing the equation when the championship is on the line. If you have a tried and true strategy for victory, it behooves you to stick with it as long as it's working.
Even the most unlikely event in the universe has a statistic describing its odds. No matter how small it is, if it's something you want, there is a chance. Chance things happen everyday to common and ordinary folks. The probability that it might happen to us keeps us hoping for it.
Every Doug has his day. Tomorrow might be mine.
No comments:
Post a Comment