The Sports Illustrated Curse

I have been fearing the Baseball Preview issue for awhile now and low and behold Kerry Wood makes the cover. If there is one curse I do believe in its the Sports Illustrated Cover Curse.

In the July 7, 2003 issue Mark Prior and Kerry Wood made the cover of SI's Baseball Midseason Report. Mark Prior's next scheduled start was July 11, 2003 against the Atlanta Braves. We all know what happened in that game.

In that case it looks like the curse was purely after fresh meat, because Kerry Wood was virtually unaffected as he pitched two complete games in a row on July 9 and July 19 while giving up only 1 run.

Sadly the curse gets its revenge later in the season, when on the October 13, issue Kerry Wood makes the cover with the slogan, "Do You Believe?" His next start was game 7 of the NLCS on October 16, against the Florida Marlins. And we all know what happened in that game.

The SI Curse isnt perfect, and some years it takes a year off. I am hoping the SI Curse is asleep at the wheel and drives off a cliff so that it never see's Kerry Wood is on the cover.

The Goat may have claimed Mark Prior as its sacrificial lamb. We don't need a turf war for which curse can out do the other.

I can just see it now....

SI Curse: Man I made those Cubs fans squirm in Atlanta, huh Goat?

Goat Curse: Thats small potatoes compared to what i have set in motion.

SI Curse: Oh really?

Goat Curse: Yeah, you just made Prior fall in a contorted mess on the ground. I am going after his achilles tendon.

SI Curse: Now you wanna get nasty?

Goat Curse: Hey you were all gloating about the Atlanta thing, I just upped the ante.

SI Curse: Ok you want to play like that? Kerry Wood is on the cover April 5th. ITS ON GOAT BOY!!! ITS ON!!!