Sunday, April 18, 2010

Gut Feelings, Good Signs and Bad Omens

Sunday afternoon, 6 hours until Game 3...

Sometimes I get gut feelings. I get them for soccer. Sometimes I just know when it is going to be a bad day on the pitch. I also get them for the Sharks. Sometimes when I analyze them, think them through and digest them completely they don't pan out to fruition. However, when I avoid them, swallow them whole and deny their existence... we are all in trouble.

This morning I woke up nervous. A bad feeling in my stomach. Of course we have a soccer game at 5:00 and the Sharks play at 6:30, so I have a lot of analysis and acceptance to get to this afternoon.

With that aside here are some good signs I have observed over the last few days surrounding and attributed to this series. I went to lunch on Friday at Sonoma Chicken. Do you know what is the first dessert listed on their menu? Shark Attack Chocolate Puck. I'm not kidding. I had never been there before (a new one just opened up in my neighborhood) and there it was. Now, that, is a good sign.

Also, I mentioned that Jacob saw Patty at Sharks Ice yesterday before his game. I guess they were just getting out of practice (and probably heading for the airport?). Patty was chatting on his phone just outside the South Rink (players' entrance) and Jacob yelled over "hey Patty!" And Patty waved back. That has to be a good sign. We never see Patty, ever. He is one of the only Sharks whose autograph we don't have. Some of his pee wee teammates said they saw Seto as they came in and a few others said they saw Nabby and Nichol.

Other good signs are the fact(s) that every series (as of this post) is tied 1-1 (except Chicago/Nashville which has only seen one game so far). The defending Stanley Cup Champ Penguins dropped their first game (at home). The President's Trophy winning Capitals dropped their first game (at home). Vancouver lost game 2 at home and same with Phoenix. Detroit (although the lower seed but still perennial cup contenders and last year's Western Conference Champions) dropped their opener as well. Sharks aren't the only ones. Anyone's character and playoff prowess being challenged in any of those markets? Maybe not at this point but it sure draws the glare of the spotlight away from San Jose. It is always a good thing to fly under the radar of the East loving hockey media.

Another sign... just happened as I started this post. Detroit got scored on (at home, game 3) in the first 29 seconds of the game. See? We aren't the only ones. And? It wasn't even an own goal.

Along with the good I have to mention some of the bad omens that I have to watch out for. First of all I mentioned a few days before that when my son listens to the game on his clock radio they always lose. That can be avoided, I've already told him not to do it. The biggest bad omen is when a friend of mine attends games and I see it on her Facebook status. Every game that she and her husband went to a game this year and she posted on her status (via blackberry) about rockin' the Tank, they have lost. So, Irma? If you are out there. Don't get playoff tickets this year. Just stay home. Please. Also, the last two years that we have gone to the playoffs they have lost. Two years ago we went to game 1 vs. Calgary and game 1 vs. Detroit. Neither went well. Last year we went to game 1 vs. Anaheim. No more round 1 games for us. I told my husband we won't go until the Cup Finals. And even then I might want to re-think that.

Also to be avoided is listening or watching pre-game. We turn on the game 7-8 minutes after the tv start time just in time for the drop of the puck. Also excessive reading or watching highlights of game coverage (pre and post-game) and coverage of the other series games. Just check the scores.

Okay. So have a lot of things to do this afternoon. Biggest thing is to remain calm.

Go Sharks!

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