TEXAS, USA — Do you believe in "sports curses?"
Sports fans can be passionately – and sometimes irrationally – obsessed with certain superstitions or curses based on loose coincidences. Some sports curses last decades. Think of the Curse of the Bambino, which started when Babe Ruth, colloquially known as "The Bambino", played for the Red Sox until he was sold to the New York Yankees in 1920.
Some sports fans took the curse seriously, while others mentioned it in a tongue-in-cheek manner. That curse lasted 86 years, which was broken when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004.
Or think of The Madden Curse, where fans believe the cover athlete of the NFL video game was destined for bad fortune – whether it be because of an injury or simply a bad performing season.
For the last few years in Texas, there has been a brewing superstition surrounding one of the state's top politicians: Senator Ted Cruz.
"The Ted Cruz curse" – whether you believe in it or not – has derived from Texas-based teams seemingly losing important games when he is in attendance. Most recently, the legend grew when he attended the Houston Astros ALDS, which ended after losing to the Detroit Tigers. He also famously attended the Texas Longhorns' College Football Playoff game against the Washington Huskies, where UT lost 37-31.
Cruz's opponent in the upcoming election, former NFL linebacker and congressman Colin Allred, even centered a political ad around the "#CruzCurse."
Now, with Texas' biggest game of the season thus far on deck against No. 5 ranked Georgia, one UT fan went so far as to create a change.org petition to deter Cruz's appearance at the game.
"Ted Cruz is just plain bad luck," the petition says. "Last year, his downright sinister energy kept Texas from making it to the NCAA Football Championship, and that's a risk we cannot take again. The Longhorns deserve a season of GREATNESS! We are the best, most passionate fans here in the heart of Texas. We can't let an outsider like Cr*z, someone who didn't even go to UT, who roots for whatever team he thinks will get Texans to like him, ruin Texas Longhorn sports. He should stick to the Aggie sidelines."
There is no indication on whether or not Sen. Cruz will be at the game, but if he does make an appearance, cue the Stevie Wonder music because the superstitious UT fans will let all of us hear about it on social media.
ESPN's flagship college football show, College GameDay, will be live from Austin Saturday morning. Texas and Georgia will kick off Saturday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. CT on WFAA.
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