Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Boston Sports Misery Index
For a second there, I thought Dan was going to wallow again in Sox-horror-show cliches. But it's a good column that puts last Sunday's Pats loss into perspective: It wasn't the worst Boston sports loss in history. I'd agree with Dan's No. 1 choice: the '86 Sox. I'd go with the 2003 Sox over the '78 Bucky Dent playoff game as the second worst loss. But that's just my opinion about Nos. 2 and 3. I agree with Dan's overall top three choices. ... Similar to the economic Misery Index, my Boston Sports Misery Index has two components: 1.) The loss has to be heartbreaking 2.) It had to reflect and reinforce a history of mental pain and anguish. Using the Boston Sports Misery Index, the Pats loss was heartbreaking -- but it followed three Pats Superbowl wins in recent years. Using the Boston Sports Misery Index, the Sox could end this year with a heartbreaking loss -- but the two recent World Series wins would assuage some of the pain. Bottom line: We still live in good times, despite 2008's rough start. ...
P.S. -- The inverse of the Boston Sports Misery Index, i.e. the Boston Sports Nirvana Index, dictates that the 2004 Sox triumph was the biggest Boston sports win in history. No. 2 is close: the '70 Bruins or the 2002 Superbowl Pats. I'd go with the Pats. ... The Celts' wins in '74 and '81 were also sweet, breaking a string of losing years, etc. ... The Celts' '60s dynasty teams don't fit into either index. The most amazing team in Boston sports history, the Russell-led Celts just kept winning and winning and winning. ...
For a second there, I thought Dan was going to wallow again in Sox-horror-show cliches. But it's a good column that puts last Sunday's Pats loss into perspective: It wasn't the worst Boston sports loss in history. I'd agree with Dan's No. 1 choice: the '86 Sox. I'd go with the 2003 Sox over the '78 Bucky Dent playoff game as the second worst loss. But that's just my opinion about Nos. 2 and 3. I agree with Dan's overall top three choices. ... Similar to the economic Misery Index, my Boston Sports Misery Index has two components: 1.) The loss has to be heartbreaking 2.) It had to reflect and reinforce a history of mental pain and anguish. Using the Boston Sports Misery Index, the Pats loss was heartbreaking -- but it followed three Pats Superbowl wins in recent years. Using the Boston Sports Misery Index, the Sox could end this year with a heartbreaking loss -- but the two recent World Series wins would assuage some of the pain. Bottom line: We still live in good times, despite 2008's rough start. ...
P.S. -- The inverse of the Boston Sports Misery Index, i.e. the Boston Sports Nirvana Index, dictates that the 2004 Sox triumph was the biggest Boston sports win in history. No. 2 is close: the '70 Bruins or the 2002 Superbowl Pats. I'd go with the Pats. ... The Celts' wins in '74 and '81 were also sweet, breaking a string of losing years, etc. ... The Celts' '60s dynasty teams don't fit into either index. The most amazing team in Boston sports history, the Russell-led Celts just kept winning and winning and winning. ...
