Who is America's new cursed franchise?
Jacob Richard
Issue date: 11/3/04 Section: Sports
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So with everyone's favorite cursed team in professional sports finally able to drop the label, which team will pick up the mantle as "the cursed franchise?"
The first and most obvious choice to take the Red Sox's place would be the Chicago Cubs. In fact, according to diehard Cubs' fans, the team has been cursed for almost 60 years.
According to many Cubs' fans, in 1945 a local tavern owner, Sam Sianis, showed up to game 4 of the World Series at Wrigley field with two tickets; one for himself and one for his goat. After the stadium ushers blocked the goat's entry, the disappointed Sianis and his goat left the stadium. Before they left however, Sianis yelled that the World Series would never be played again at Wrigley Field. The Cubs then lost the 1945 World Series to the Detroit Tigers and have not been to a World Series ever since. And so the Billy Goat Curse of 1945 was born.
It almost seems as though Cubs' fans are correct in believing in the curse after 2003's Bartman incident and this year's late-season wild card collapse. With the year in and year out heartbreak of its fan, and the legend of an actual curse, it seems as though the Cubs will change from America's loveable losers to America's cursed franchise.
From America's loveable losers, we move on to our local, not so loveable, inept team, the New Orleans Saints. For years, fans have been showing up to games at the New Orleans Superdome wearing bags over their heads in embarrassment of the "Aints". It took 34 years for the franchise to win its first playoff game, which came against the St. Louis Rams in 2001. Since then, the Saints have not made it to the playoffs despite having one of the most talented teams in the National Football League.
The Saints lineup features NFL All Stars like wide receiver Joe Horn and running back Deuce McAllister as well as Pro Bowl talent in players like quarterback Aaron Brooks and defensive end Darren Howard. However, the Saints seem to have a knack, or curse if you will, to give up players that move on to bigger and better things. In March 2002, the Saints traded offensive tackle Willie Roaf to the Kansas City Chiefs after he spent nearly a decade as one of the team's best players. Since the trade, Roaf has continued to play at an all-pro level and is an important cog in what is considered to be one of the league's best offensive lines.
