SI Cover Curse?
Kevin Durant has earned himself a Sports Illustrated cover, and it comes out today.
Jinx?
Dating back to 1954 when the Milwaukee Braves' Eddie Matthews graced the magazine's first issue - and injured his hand a week later - the superstition has percolated that a stint of bad luck came with a spot on the cover. In the '50s alone, one athlete was killed and another paralyzed from the neck down while their cover issues were still on the news racks.
But take heart. Though Texas athletes have felt the curse, it's been only in the form of a loss. In 1970 and 1977 undefeated Texas teams lost their next games, and in 1998, after Ricky Williams made a cover appearance, the Longhorns lost to Texas Tech. If history holds, a loss to Baylor on Saturday is the worst we can expect. OK, maybe he'll fail to notch a double-double and be outscored by an injured Aaron Bruce too.
Point is, jinx schminx.
Look at Vince Young. All he did while on the cover of Sports Illustrated was win Texas a national title and lift his draft status somewhere just above the stratosphere.
T.J. Ford and Cat Osterman weren't slowed by their joint appearance on a cover in 2002, but then they were there in the off-season.
Chris Simms was also on that cover.
Five days later, the Longhorns fell 35-24 to the Sooners. Simms was sacked four times, and he threw three interceptions.
All of a sudden, that game against Baylor doesn't look so easy. They are on the road; Bruce is an All-Big 12 honorable mention.
But he's also from Horsham, Victoria, Australia.
Nevermind.
Besides, that was Chris Simm's second cover appearance. In his first, he was being leveled by Oklahoma's Jimmy Wilkerson. It wasn't the covers getting to him. It was the Sooners.
Texas' history of overcoming any perceived jinx is long. Running back Jimmy Saxton made a cover appearance in 1961 and finished a close third in the year's Heisman race. Running back/punter Ernie Koy was featured after Texas upset No. 1 Alabama in 1965, and he began a successful NFL career that same year. James Street parlayed his appearance into a national championship in 1969.
Durant will join their company soon and surpass them all eventually. There's nothing to worry about.
Then again, after T.J. Ford found himself on the cover before 2003's Final Four, he turned in one of the least remarkable performances of his career. Among Texas players, he finished fourth in points - tied with Brian Boddicker.
Did I mention the 6-foot-3-inch, 190-pound Bruce led NCAA freshmen in scoring his rookie season and was labeled a "Diaper Dandy" by Dick Vitale?
Texas hasn't got a prayer.
Jinx?
Dating back to 1954 when the Milwaukee Braves' Eddie Matthews graced the magazine's first issue - and injured his hand a week later - the superstition has percolated that a stint of bad luck came with a spot on the cover. In the '50s alone, one athlete was killed and another paralyzed from the neck down while their cover issues were still on the news racks.
But take heart. Though Texas athletes have felt the curse, it's been only in the form of a loss. In 1970 and 1977 undefeated Texas teams lost their next games, and in 1998, after Ricky Williams made a cover appearance, the Longhorns lost to Texas Tech. If history holds, a loss to Baylor on Saturday is the worst we can expect. OK, maybe he'll fail to notch a double-double and be outscored by an injured Aaron Bruce too.
Point is, jinx schminx.
Look at Vince Young. All he did while on the cover of Sports Illustrated was win Texas a national title and lift his draft status somewhere just above the stratosphere.
T.J. Ford and Cat Osterman weren't slowed by their joint appearance on a cover in 2002, but then they were there in the off-season.
Chris Simms was also on that cover.
Five days later, the Longhorns fell 35-24 to the Sooners. Simms was sacked four times, and he threw three interceptions.
All of a sudden, that game against Baylor doesn't look so easy. They are on the road; Bruce is an All-Big 12 honorable mention.
But he's also from Horsham, Victoria, Australia.
Nevermind.
Besides, that was Chris Simm's second cover appearance. In his first, he was being leveled by Oklahoma's Jimmy Wilkerson. It wasn't the covers getting to him. It was the Sooners.
Texas' history of overcoming any perceived jinx is long. Running back Jimmy Saxton made a cover appearance in 1961 and finished a close third in the year's Heisman race. Running back/punter Ernie Koy was featured after Texas upset No. 1 Alabama in 1965, and he began a successful NFL career that same year. James Street parlayed his appearance into a national championship in 1969.
Durant will join their company soon and surpass them all eventually. There's nothing to worry about.
Then again, after T.J. Ford found himself on the cover before 2003's Final Four, he turned in one of the least remarkable performances of his career. Among Texas players, he finished fourth in points - tied with Brian Boddicker.
Did I mention the 6-foot-3-inch, 190-pound Bruce led NCAA freshmen in scoring his rookie season and was labeled a "Diaper Dandy" by Dick Vitale?
Texas hasn't got a prayer.
Labels: athletics, basketball, Baylor Bears, curse, Dick Vitale, durant, Eddie Matthews, jinx, kevin durant, longhorns, si, sports illustrated, superstition, Texas, ut
posted by BurntOrnge at 12:59 PM
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