Friday the 13th – I Hate Billy Wagner

Unless you suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia (fear of Friday the 13th) or need to spell the word in a spelling bee (love it when they get a word wrong and that bell rings) this is going to be an informative blog.  

According to the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics.  Friday the 13th showed fewer accidents and reports of fire and theft compared to other Fridays (and my friends think I have too much free time on my hands).  In the past two years, Dutch insurers received reports of an average 7,800 traffic accidents each Friday.  But the average figure when the 13th fell on a Friday was just 7,500.

The number 13.  That is the number that Billy Wagner of the New York Mets wears.  Wagner has been terrible of late.  In his last three relief outings he has entered the game with his team in front.  This is what they call a save opportunity.  Wagner has blown all three of these chances (blown save), twice allowing the opposition to tie the game in the 9th inning and once giving up a game winning home run in the 8th.  I think his teammates now just call him Toast.  (He gets burned, get it?).  Triskadekaphobia (I know, another word for the kids to spell) is the fear of the number 13.  From now on it should be used every time Billy Wagner shows his face in the Mets bullpen.

A 1993 study published in the British Medical Journal titled, “Is Friday the 13th Bad for Your Health?” found that compared to Friday the 6th, “the risk of hospital admission as a result of a transport accident may be increased by as much as 52 percent (maybe Billy Wagner was in town?).  Staying at home is recommended.”  Go find your friends Nigel and Graham and ask them what they think (just don’t mention England and how they are out of Euro 2008 [Soccer/Football reference])?

The number 13.  Wilt Chamberlain (basketball, the guy who slept with 20,000 women) wore number 13.  Dan Marino (football, Nutra System helped him lose 20 pounds) wore 13.  Alex Rodriguez (baseball, he of the $275 million contract) wears number 13.  Steve Nash (basketball) of the Phoenix Suns and Mats Sundin (hockey) of the Toronto Maple Leafs wear number 13 and they are all great players.  One of Iceland’s all time best handball players, Sigurður Sveinsson, wore the number 13 when he played for the national team.  Maybe 13 is not such a bad number.  No, on second thought, Billy Wagner wears number 13.

The Sports Guru’s Sports Daughter’s favorite number is 13.  Colgate University also considers 13 to be a lucky number. They were founded in 1817 by 13 men with 13 dollars, 13 prayers, and 13 articles. To this day, members of the Colgate community consider the number 13 a good omen.  In fact, the campus address is 13 Oak Drive in Hamilton, NY and the all men a capella group is called the Colgate 13. 

The number 13.  The Devil’s luck.  Jack the Ripper, Charles Manson, Jeffrey Dahmer, Theodore Bundy and Albert De Salvo (Boston Strangler) all have 13 letters in their names (Billy Wagner does not, but William Wagner does).  There are 13 witches in a coven (you look it up).  Did I mention Billy Wagner wears number 13?  The Hindus believe it is unlucky for 13 people to gather together for dinner (have you ever tried to get a reservation for 13 at any restaurant?).  The ancient Vikings (not the ones who play football in Minnesota) have a story about this also. 

Twelve gods were invited to a banquet at Valhalla. Loki, the Evil One, God of Mischief, had been left off the guest list (so was Billy Wagner) but crashed the party, bringing the total number of attendees to 13. True to character, Loki raised hell by inciting Hod, the blind God of Winter, to attack Balder the Good, who was a favorite of the gods.  Hod took a spear of mistletoe offered by Loki and obediently hurled it at Balder, killing him instantly (Billy Wagner would have missed him).  All Valhalla grieved. And although one might take the moral of this story to be “Beware of uninvited guests bearing mistletoe,” the Norse themselves apparently concluded that 13 people at a dinner party is just plain bad luck (like rooting for Billy Wagner).

 

Have a Happy Fathers Day.  Watch out for mistletoe, 13 guests and Billy Wagner.

Your Friend in Sports,

 

Dave the Sports Guru (not Billy Wagner)