There's a good reason for the delay in posting this week's entry.  Ok - the delay wasn't so much in the posting of the entry as it was in the actual writing of the entry, but there's no need to split hairs.  The point is, this week's entry was as good as crafted on Monday, and then it happened. 

The SportDork Jinx.

You think the Sports Illustrated cover jinx is strong?  Please.  That's nothing.  Not when you compare it to the power of The SportDork Jinx.  I could probably spend a few paragraphs explaining The Jinx in great detail, but I've come to the conclusion that sharing a story from this past weekend is instead the most compelling way to illustrate its power.

Last Wednesday, we held our fantasy football draft.  Now, in previous years, I focused all of my energies on selecting a couple of quality running backs and a solid quarterback in the early rounds, so by the time I got around to selecting wide receivers, it was slim pickings.  As a result, my fantasy football receiving corps has typically consisted of grizzled, toothless veterans such as these guys:








Amani Toomer and Joey Galloway, who I believe have a combined forty-six years of NFL experience.  Yes, it was either a couple of old farts or high-risk guys who could score anywhere between zero and twenty touchdowns over the course of the season (see Owens, Terrell).  This year, I vowed it would be different.  This year, Free Plaxico! (catchy team name, eh?) would be flush with top-notch wideouts who could be counted on to put up solid numbers week in and week out.  No prima donnas on this squad.  Just hard-nosed, workman-like wideouts who show up, week in and week out. 

Clearly, there was one guy that I had to have.  One guy who's name immediately popped into your head when you read that description.  It was this man:

Hines Ward.  When the third round rolled around, and Hines was still on the board, I snatched him up.  If there's one guy you don't have to worry about committing bone-head plays or twittering on the sideline, it's Hines Ward.  This is a guy who, if you polled the Steelers players and asked them who they would want carrying the football with the game on the line, would be the unanimous choice.  Given Hines' well-earned reputation, it was hardly surprising that the following night against the Titans in the season opener, down by three with about four minutes to go in the game, Ben Roethlisberger found my man, Hines Ward, open in the middle of the field.  When I saw Hines make the catch at the ten yard line and turn up field for the game winning score, I quietly congratulated myself.  Sure, it had been a slow night for Hines, but I knew eventually he would prove why he had been selected by Free Plaxico!, and as usual, he had waited until the most critical moment in the entire game to display his brilliance and build upon his legacy as one of the greatest clutch receivers of all time.  

As Hines got closer to the end zone, I chuckled as I thought about all those poor souls in our league who would suffer so many sleepless nights worrying about what brainless acts their wideouts would commit each weekend, causing them to lose yet another close contest.  Will Chad Ochocinco pull a hamstring attempting to leap into the stands at Lambeau next weekend?  Will Terrell Owens suddenly decide Buffalo is too cold for him and demand a trade?  Will Brandon Marshall decide he doesn't feel like catching passes next weekend?  All possible eventualities I didn't have to concern myself with, because I have Hines Ward. 

And then a strange thing happened.  I don't remember it as clearly as the events that led up to that moment, probably because I think I temporarily blacked out when it happened.  But this is what I remember: as Hines crossed the five yard line, looking, as I expected, completely and totally focused on getting into the end zone for the game winning touchdown, a defensive back came flying in from behind, swiping at the ball with his right hand.  That's when everything went black.  When I came to, the Titans had the ball on their own five yard line, and the Steelers were still down by three.  From what I have been able to piece together, apparently Hines Ward fumbled on his way into the endzone, and the Titans recovered.  I know it sounds impossible, but it's true.  A man who fumbled once last year (and didn't lose the fumble) managed to not only match his season total from a year ago in the first game of the season, but he did it on his way into the end zone for the winning touchdown.  Do you know that in his previous eleven seasons, Hines Ward fumbled a total of nine times?  And how many of those did he lose?  Four. 

I sat there, staring at the tv, trying to figure out how this could have happened, and then it hit me.  The SportDork Jinx!  Within twenty-four hours of drafting him on my fantasy football team, Hines Ward, arguably the biggest 'go-to' wide receiver in the entire NFL, had committed one of the worst turnovers in his entire twelve year career.  Coincidence?  We both know the answer to that one.  At this point, I think all that's left for me to do is write letters of apology to all of my players, since it's pretty clear how their seasons are going to turn out.  And I don't want you to get the impression that this was an isolated incident.  No, The SportDork Jinx struck with a vengeance this weekend.  Need more proof?  Here's a brief summary of my players and their current status:

QB - Tom Brady - Appears to have escaped the Jinx - for now, at least.
WR - Hines Ward - Well covered ground.
WR - Donald Driver - 4 catches, 39 yards.  Possibly suffering from general malaise?  Upset that Favre signed with the Vikings?
WR - Lance Moore - 2 catches, 38 yards.  Had shoulder surgery in April.  Appears to be ok, but clearly is now destined to screw up shoulder again.
WR - Anquan Boldin - 2 catches, 19 yards.  Missed previous three weeks with a hamstring injury.  Did you hear that?  I think I heard a 'pop.'
RB - LaDainian Tomlinson - 'Tweaked' his ankle against the Raiders.  Not practicing.  Also appears to be splitting carries with Darren Sproles.  Super.
RB - Felix Jones - 6 rushes, 22 yards.  Limited because of a 'thigh bruise'.  I'm sure that will heal quickly.
RB - Jonathan Stewart - 11 rushes, 35 yards.  Missed a month of practice with a sore Achilles. That sounds promising.
Defense - Chicago Bears.  Brian Urlacher broke his wrist Sunday night and is out for the season.  He's not critical to their success, is he?

Free Plaxico! put up the lowest point total of any team in the league during the opening weekend - probably because 90% of the team is nursing some kind of injury.  And I know what you're thinking - some of these guys were battling injuries before I drafted them, so the Jinx has nothing to do with them.  But that's where you're wrong - on two fronts.  First, it's painfully obvious that the Jinx is so powerful it can anticipate my next move and strike early.  These guys got hurt because the Jinx knew that subconsciously, I was thinking about drafting them.  Now that's some jinx.  And second, they now have no prayer of recovering from any of these injuries.  Anquan Boldin's hamstring?  It's as good as detached from his femur.  Jonathan Stewart's Achilles tendon?  It's a goner.  And Lance Moore?  He might as well schedule his next shoulder surgery now.

As of Monday morning, I thought I had a thorough appreciation for the power of The SportDork Jinx.  Between Hines Ward and Brian Urlacher, its ability to wreak havoc was indisputable.  But then it struck in a way that was completely inconceivable.  After watching Roger Federer dispose of Novak Djokovic in the semifinals of the U.S. Open on Sunday afternoon in straight sets (and hit this unbelievable shot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37qyvTRVus8), I knew what this week's entry would be all about.  In spite of the fact that it was the opening weekend of the NFL season, it was time to dedicate an entire entry to the greatest tennis player of all time.  The final wasn't until Monday afternoon, but Federer had just pummeled Djokovic, and all that was left to do was take out sixth ranked Juan Martin Del Potro, a twenty-year old Argentine who had a stellar 0 - 6 lifetime record against Federer. 

I began crafting the entry in my mind on Monday, and when I sat down to watch the final on Monday afternoon, I had all the key elements in place.  Did people realize how lucky they were to be witnessing one of the greatest athletes ever?  After Monday's victory, Federer would be the winner of the last three Grand Slams, would have 16 Grand Slam Championships, six straight U.S. Open Championships and would have made it to 17 of the last 18 Grand Slam Finals.  It was time to take a moment to put all of his accomplishments in perspective.  It was time to try and give The SportDork Nation an appreciation for the level of greatness that this man has achieved, and to honor him as only The SportDork can - by ignoring the opening weekend of NFL action in favor of a tribute to Roger Federer - the greatest of all time.  I was excited. 

I started crafting the entry during the first set, inspired by watching Federer mow down Del Potro 6 - 3.  When Federer went up a break in the second set, I could see it all coming together.  Even when Del Potro broke back and then won the second set in a tie breaker, I wasn't so much concerned that the outcome was in doubt as much as I was a little bitter that Roger wasn't going to beat him in straight sets.  I mean, my entry would have even more 'pop' with a straight set victory, right?  I decided a win is a win, though, and watched patiently as Roger got back on track and won the third set.  With R-Fed up two sets to one, I knew it was only a matter of time.  In fact, I could hardly contain myself.  My entry was coming together so perfectly that I even looked over at Mrs. SportDork with a smile and said, "Wait until you see tomorrow's entry.  It's gonna be awesome."  Mrs. SportDork responded with, "Yeah, that was an amazing play, Honey", which is her standard response during football season, as she continued to read her book.  I then turned my attention back to the tv and proceeded to watch Roger lose the fourth set, but it actually didn't cause me much concern.  A five-setter to win the U.S. Open?  That would be much more dramatic than a straight set or even a four set victory.  It was like Roger knew that I was penning a SportDork masterpiece, and he was just doing his part to take it up a notch.  What a guy.  A five-setter with Roddick at Wimbledon wasn't enough.  He has to follow it up with a five-setter for the U.S. Open title.  Such a showman, that Roger.

But then things took a strange and unexpected turn.  I sat and watched as Roger Federer, the greatest of all time, lost his serve in the fifth set on a double fault and proceeded to lose the U.S. Open Final by dropping the final two sets.  In case I haven't made it clear, THIS DOES NOT HAPPPEN.  Roger Federer does not lose the final two sets of a major championship final to a guy he has beaten six straight times - a guy who has never beaten him.  As I watched Juan Martin Del Potro hold up the trophy, I tried to make sense of what had just happened.  Roger Federer had lost the U.S. Open in one of the greatest upsets in Grand Slam history, and my blog entry was totally screwed, but why?  It took a few minutes, but then it all became clear.  The SportDork Jinx.   

Sorry, Rog.