Viva Murillo!
Do you believe in karma -- the idea that your good and bad deeds have a cause and effect relationship with your future? If so, you might have seen a bit of karma in effect during the NFL playoffs.
Last week I mentioned that the Vikings ran up the score at the end of their game against the Cowboys. That last touchdown didn’t do anything for them in the divisional round, but they sure could have used it against the Saints. One fewer turnover, one less penalty at the wrong time...or one close judgment by the officials going their way and they might be headed to Miami. Maybe not bad karma, but interesting.
How about the Bengals? They lay down in week 17 to prepare for the playoffs and allow the Jets to walk into the post-season, and those same Jets humiliate them the following week. Rather than looking like a team that didn’t belong, New York made Cincinnati look like the ones that didn’t belong. Was karma providing some payback to the Bengals?
The Colts took a lot of heat for resting starters in week 16, abandoning their perfect season and losing to the Jets. I didn’t like the move, either, but the Colts were clear that their only goal was winning the Super Bowl. So what happens? They face those same Jets in the conference title game instead of the Chargers, who have owned them the past few years. The Chargers were a good team but the Jets played much better in their playoff game. Could Cincinnati have beaten San Diego? How about Houston? Is it possible that the Colts avoided their toughest opponent because they stuck to their game plan instead of the tempting shot at history? Did we see a little good karma at play?
As diverse as fantasy football owners are, most of them have one thing in common: They’re a superstitious bunch. Root for an injury and you’re angering the “fantasy gods.” Say your starters will have a great game and you’re surely jinxing yourself. And how many owners do you know who claim to have the worst luck when it comes to starting the right guys each week? Is it such a stretch to believe that karma plays a role in professional football?
Maybe. But if it does, maybe we’re about to enjoy a little good karma. We’ve sat through some unimpressive efforts the last few weeks. The last week of the regular season featured a number of games where at least one team wasn’t really trying. The Cowboys were involved in a couple of playoff games that weren’t close. The Saints embarrassed the Cardinals and the Colts outclassed the Ravens. Sure, a couple of exciting games have unfolded in the playoffs, but overall I think they’ve been kind of lackluster. So perhaps we’re due for another great Super Bowl, with great efforts, exciting plays and invisible referees.
We deserve it, right? Hope that didn’t jinx it. Maybe any bad karma will be absorbed by the Pro Bowl instead. Enjoy the hype week.
You can reach Michael Murillo at vivamurillo@gmail.com.
- Comments [0]
Readers' Comments
Add a Comment
Already a registered user? Please sign in to add comments.
To add comments, you must become a registered user of our site. To register, please click here.
