The Rockies have lost 10 of their last 13 games. We are witnessing another brutal late season swoon that has been hard to watch.
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Tulo is a powerful presence, in more ways than one
Remember when they won 21 of 22 games in 2007. The Rockies went on an unprecedented, historic run to end the season. They steamrolled through the playoffs, swept the Phillies, swept the Diamondbacks, won the NL Pennant, and earned a trip to the World Series. That was a lot of fun to watch.
Then the World Series began, and the Rockies faced the vaunted Red Sox. Although it was amazing what I was watching – the Rockies actually in the World Series – it became hard to watch again.
The Rockies magic had dissipated. They were outmatched, and they were harshly swept in four games.
To make matters worse, I had tickets to Game 5. A game that never existed. Tough break.
To make matters even more depressing, I ended up having to put my childhood dog to sleep on the day that I would have gone to the World Series game. So not only did my baseball team get unceremoniously booted from the big dance, but I had to say good-bye to Nellie, who is named after the great White Sox second baseman Nellie Fox. (My pops is a die hard White Sox fan.) I had requested off from work in anticipation of going to a World Series game, so putting Nellie to sleep became a necessary – albeit very sad – task for the day. Nellie’s health was deteriorating, and since my parents and I had cleared our schedule, it was time.
It should have been one of the happiest days of my life, seeing a live Colorado Rockies World Series game. Plans changed, life threw us a curveball, and it ended up being one of the saddest days of my life.
And because I will always associate the loss of my childhood dog with the Rockies loss in the World Series, I hold a grudge against the Red Sox. Is that immature? Maybe. Nellie was not in good shape with a battle with cancer, and she did not have long regardless. But the timing of the whole situation leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and was the catalyst of my dislike for the Red Sox.
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You would hate the Red Sox too if they indirectly took this cute dog away from you.
Now, four years later, I think I might have exacted a small amount of revenge, with the help of my Tulowitzki jersey.
I was in Boston recently for a wedding, and I made catching a game at Fenway a must. And not only did my fiancé and I scalp some sweet seats, but I attended the game fully decked out in Rockies gear. A white Tulo jersey. Matching Rockies hat. Purple and white Jordan sneakers. And the Red Sox were facing the Rangers. I had to be the only one in the stadium clad in purple pinstripes.
There were a few Bostonians who looked at me perplexed. The guy sitting next to me asked me why I was wearing a Rockies jersey. I told him I was a Rockies fan, just catching a game at Fenway. Little did he did he know, however, of my plan to plant a seed of Rockies mojo in the stadium, unleashing the Curse of the Great Tulowitzki. The plan went into effect immediately. The Red Sox got crushed that day 11-4. Lackey was getting hit like a piñata, including a mammoth homerun by Ian Kinsler that soared over the green monster and outside of the stadium. The capacity crowd was stunned and depressed. I was quiet. But I had a smirk on my face.
Since that game, when I infected the mother ship of Red Sox Nation with the help of Tulo, the Red Sox have gone on an epic freefall. They have lost 16 of their last 21 games. They were 9 games up in the wild card at the beginning of September, sitting pretty going into the playoffs. Now, as October approaches, they are only one game up in the wild card, and they are fighting for their playoff lives.
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This my fiance and I cheesing at Fenway, while also unleashing the Curse of Tulo
The Rockies have sucked hard this September, but they are playing their J.V. players, giving the young guns a shot. The Red Sox have sucked even harder with their Varsity squad. It looks as though the Curse of the Great Tulowitzki is taking hold.
Who knows? Maybe this curse will last as long as the Curse of the Great Bambino, and the Red Sox are entering another era of ineptitude.
- By Zach Cohn. Contact the writer at zscohn@gmail.com.