The Cubs have the curse of the billy goat (still active) and the Red Sox had the curse of the Bambino, (revoked, ever since Ortiz and Ramirez started juicing) so why can’t the A’s have the curse of Jeremy Giambi? Let us stand around the proverbial water cooler and discuss…
It was Game 3 of the 2001 ALDS.
The A’s had a comfortable series lead over the Yankees, 2-0. New York led 1-0 in the seventh with two outs. Jeremy Giambi stood on first as Mike Mussina stared down off the mound at A’s lefty Terrence Long. T-Long ripped a fastball down the right-field line and the not-so-speedy Giambi rounded third. Then the most devastating play (behind the Kirk Gibson home run) in Oakland A’s history happened…
Giambi was called out and the A’s lost the game and eventually the series. Every time I see this replay, I cannot help but ask myself two questions:
1. Why and how did Derek Jeter get to that ball?
2. Why didn’t Jeremy Giambi slide instead of prancing around the tag like a little girl?
The Athletics have a playoff record of 9-16 and a series record of 1-5 since the egregious “non slide” happened. If this doesn’t constitute a curse than I don’t know what does! (The only series win coming in 2006 in which we swept the Twins in the ALDS.)
burn baby burn.
Like Pedro Cerrano in the movie, Major League, I decided to throw away my disbelief in the world of superstition and hocus-pocus mumbo-jumbo and try a little “voodoo.” I happened to have a baseball card with a Giambi autograph on it. The autograph enhanced the “chi” or his essence. This essence would be vital in the process as it had to be burned and sacrificed to the Baseball Gods. Giambi was also wearing a Phillies uniform on the front of the card, and since I hate the Phuckin’ Phillies this would be an even sweeter ride. (Giambi was traded the next season; I suspect because the Oakland fanbase rode him unmercifully for his gaffe.) The card refused to burn at first. I knew it was the gloss, but perhaps it was the Gods trying to spite me. Eventually the card and the chi were sacrificed. The curse has been lifted Oakland fans! We no longer have to worry about the Detroit Tigers and Justin Verlander, or even those stinky Yankees. Take comfort in this….and I’ll see you in October.
World Series bound…why didn’t I do this sooner?
Coco Crisp's Afro 