OK I admit it. I am one of the most superstitious individuals you have ever met. For the longest time I thought I was cured from this affliction, but apparently, I am not. I am a bona fide lunatic when it comes to watching sports. Last year I stopped being that way in watching the New England Patriots. I swore I'd never get crazy like that again. But I should of known better. Remember that last game against the JETS? Of course you do, how could you forget?

Well...that was my fault. I take full responsibility.

I changed venues for the first time since the start of the 2010 season. I had been watching the games over at my buddy Tony's place all year long. And they had found themselves on the cusp of going all the way. You know, one game away from possibly playing in the Super Bowl. And then I went and blew it by buying a 50" wide screen HD TV that I had wanted for so long. I had decided that I would watch the game on my TV. Not at Tony's, where they had been winning. But at home, in front of my new TV.

I'm so sorry to have to tell you all this. I don't blame you for being upset with me.

Well suffice it say. I thought I was over all of that. I mean, any sane person will tell you, that it's delusional to think that where you watch the game, and what you wear has little, or no bearing, on the outcome of any major sporting event. Really? Why did Bill Belichick wear an old gray hoodie for every game during the incredible 2007 season, and then at the Superbowl, wear a Red Hoodie? You all know how that turned out. We lost that freaking game! Thanks Coach.

And the funny thing about this crazy world that I find myself in is...it's only during sporting events. I don't have any crazy superstitious habits for anything else. I mean, I don't do anything out of the ordinary when it comes to surfing. Well...maybe a few things. I have to wear my Molly hat when I go and catch my Molly wave everyday. If I forget it, I turn around and drive home to get it. But I don't do anything else. Like make the sign of the cross when I enter the water.

My late father always made the sign of the cross before he jumped into the water. Blessing yourself is OK. Men and women have done it for years. Especially in War. I used to think that my dad did it during WWII in the South Pacific. I knew guys in Vietnam who did things to keep their luck in check. But that's war. That's a whole different game.

I'm talking about the game of NHL Hockey. The Stanley Cup Finals.

I noticed the other night, that Llongo, the Canuck's goalie, blessed himself three times before the start of game five. I guess I never noticed it before. If he blessed himself during games 3 and 4...you'd think he'd change it up. Maybe Tim Thomas, the Bruin's goalie, got to God first. But who knows...? So how did I become crazy again during the Hockey finals? Easy. I watched the first two games on my New 50" HD TV. They lost both of them.

I was desperate. What should I do? Then it hit me...my late mother's TV! BAM!

Sure enough, downstairs in my "Man Cave" sat my late mother's TV. An old Sony. But she still worked. And that's where I watched games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. And as you fellow looney birds will agree. I had found my new Good Luck spot. Just me and the dog, watching the games on my late Mother's old TV. When my son Max said he wanted to watch the game with me on Friday I told him "No". When my daughter and wife asked to watch the game with me, they were greeted with the same ..."No! Hell No!" They shook their heads. My son understood. He was after all, my son who had endured all kinds of crazy ass Sports Voodoo shit growing up.

Everything was in order. I wore the same clothes I had on during games 3 and 4. Me and my young 8 month old dog were all set. In position...drop the puck!

The Bruins lost in Vancouver 1-0. So what happened?

Well, several things that I could explain on my end. First of all. My dog Patch kept jumping around on the couch, off the coach, grabbing pillows, gabbing me...wanting to play. At one point I had him in the penalty box (dog crate) three times in the first period alone. They were all Interference calls. I kept trying to
tell him how important this game was. He would only cock his head and look
at me like I was crazy. That damn dog was right! I was crazy!

The other things that I could pinpoint were as follows:

My sister, who is a HUGE Bruins fan, usually calls me before the game to discuss the game. She did not call me. I tried to call her several times before the game started. I kept getting her voicemail. I was leaving desperate messages. Finally she called back. But it was between periods. The 1st and 2nd. Still no score. Then she dropped the bombshell on me. She was at my brother's house! "What? Have you ever watched a game there before...?" Silence. "Evamarie...? Have you ever watched a game there before?"
"No...I'm sorry Ralph!" I was stunned. But I quickly regained my composure.
"It's OK, it makes no difference...that's just silly superstitious stuff." I reassured her. Then my next question...it was as it turned out, the final nail in the coffin.

"Evamarie...what are you wearing?"...Silence. "Evamarie?" "I'm wearing the Bruins shirt that Johnny bought me!" "Oh my God! Evamarie we talked about this 3 days ago! You have not worn that shirt since he gave it to you and they have won the last two games. And now you are wearing that shirt and watching the game at his house. Are you trying to make us lose?"

I know what you are all thinking. But trust me. This is my family. This is what we do. I know she has cancer. But she also knows that I love and support her. But cancer or no cancer, this disrupting of the positive vibes, or Good Voodoo, or whatever it is you want to call it, must be kept in order.

I of course forgave her. As I would hope that my family would forgive me for being so freaking crazy, for thinking that I had anything to do with the outcome of a game. But I know I am not alone. In fact, I've known some seriously successful business men and women who could only watch a Patriots game sitting in a chair a certain way, and somewhat turned away from the TV.
It's true. It's crazy, but it's true.

So how did I end up here? Not really sure. I was a Bruins fan back in the day when they were actually winning Stanley Cups. Then I fell out of it. After football this year I could take or leave sports. Then those damn Bruins got hot and made this incredible run, and well...here we are. Game six of the Stanley Cup Finals. If we win on Monday, we go back to Vancouver for game seven.

That's pretty damn exciting stuff.

But make no mistake about this. The Vancouver Canucks who played in Boston on Games 3 and 4, are not the same team that's coming back to Boston. These guys can now taste it. If they can win it in Boston, they will.

Like you, I'm hoping for a Game Seven. And if that happens, how great would it be to win it all in Vancouver? Can you imagine our boys skating around the ice hoisting Lord Stanley over their heads? Their fans will die. It would be poetic justice to finally win in Vancouver...wow you can't script this stuff.

The question is...where should I watch the game? Oh, you already know where
I'll be...in the Man Cave with the puppy. GO BRUINS!