The KU #1 Foam Finger Jinx

Friday night I turned on the KU-Michigan game, set it up to record and got comfortable on our couch with a cold drink and my fellow KU fan, Bubbey. She however had no interest in watching the game and begged me to go play outside. 

What the heck. It was the most beautiful night of the Spring and figured it would be good luck and more fun to play outside and listen to Bob Davis and Greg Gurley call the game on the radio. For 37 minutes it was a brilliant plan.

We played 3-on-3 basketball with the girls and the neighborhood kids with Bubbey on my shoulder as the shot-blocking phenom, Bubbey Withey. Hadley and Aubrey made free throw after free throw. Sydney played one-one-one with a future hall of famer. All while listening to the Jayhawks extend their lead consistently over the course of those 37 minutes.

As we added to the lead to put us up by 14, one of the neighborhood kids was heading home with a KU #1 Foam Finger and they took it off and threw it down into our yard. I told him that was bad luck and he needed to put it back on until the end of the game. Come to find out he's not a KU Fan. Just likes to wear foam fingers. Who knew.

As the game was winding down, I started cleaning up the yard from our night of fun. I picked up the Kansas City Star sports page from that day and started reading about Elijah Johnson and his opportunity to extend the season and be a KU Hero vs. a Zero. Greg Gurley urging the team to take their time, take care of the ball and go home with the victory.

Momentum shift. "A little gust from the gods cost me"moment (Tin Cup) if you will. 10 second violation. Pick pocket steal dunk. Burke 3 to cut the lead to 5. Robinson crazy 2-pt shot...Front end of one-on-one missed by E.J. Burke 3-pt miracle. Overtime.

I thrashed the sports page against our somewhat dead tree in front of our house and urged the kids to continue playing hoops outside to bring back the earlier night relaxation and fun mojo.

But it didn't work. Game over.

Any sports fan just wants their team to compete at a high level, even in defeat. KU played awesome tonight for 37 minutes and I'm proud of my team for another great season. But to be up for almost the entire game, only to have it taken away from you is about as bad as it gets. We got Memphis-ed. Why?

1. KU Panicked
2. Michigan Hit Big Shots
3. KU #1 Foam Finger was tossed on the ground

It wasn't until the next day that I found the lonely foam finger laying in our yard, begging someone to put it on and help push the Jayhawks into the 2013 Elite 8.  If only Bill Self would have called timeout before the 10 second call. If we would have made one more free throw at one point in the game. If we would have burned 14 seconds off the clock earlier. If #1 and #2 had not happened. If I had only put on the foam finger during regulation. If, If, If...

"Crap! Crap! Crap!" Papa Rich said it best.

It's always easier to blame something outside our control than to face reality. Sydney said it best when I asked her how KU could have lost that game. "They scored more points, Dad."

Yes they did and clearly their team had more Michigan #1 Foam Finger wearing fans.