Washington Redskins
Curses and Elections: Could a Redskins loss equal a Kerry Victory?
By SCOTT STOVER, MOP Squad Sports Staff Writer
Oct 31, 2004 - 4:49:00 PM

Writer’s Note: The following that you are about to read is not a political commentary about this Tuesday’s election and no political views are expressed.

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Could a Washington Redskins' loss on Sunday mean a victory for Democratic Presidential Nominee John Kerry? If you look at recent history with Presidential elections and Washington Redskins home games, you would say absolutely!

In fact, the history between a Redskins win or loss in their final home game before an election has correctly predicted the Presidential winner in the last seventeen Presidential elections dating back to the 1936 election.

If you think these sounds like a bunch of just coincidences, let me share with you the last seventeen election decisions and Redskins decisions and you will see my point.

1936: The Redskins were still in Boston; defeat the Chicago Cardinals at Fenway Park 13-10; President Franklin Roosevelt wins re-election over Governor Alf Landon.

1940: Redskins defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 37-10; President Frank Roosevelt wins re-election over Wendell Wilkie.

1944: Redskins defeat the Cleveland Rams 14-10; President Franklin Roosevelt wins re-election over Thomas Dewey.

1948: Redskins defeat Boston Yanks 59-21; President Harry Truman was “re-elected” over Governor Thomas Dewey. (“Dewey Defeats Truman?”)

1952: Redskins lose to the Pittsburg Steelers 24-23; Dwight Eisenhower (serving as incumbent party since Truman could not seek a third term) wins election over Adlai Stevenson.

1956: Redskins defeat the Cleveland Browns 20-9; President Dwight Eisenhower wins re-election over Adlai Stevenson.

1960: Redskins lose to the Cleveland Browns 31-10; Vice President Richard Nixon (serving as incumbent party since Eisenhower could not be elected to a third term) loses to then Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.

1964: Redskins defeat the Chicago Bears 27-20; President Lyndon Johnson wins “re-election” over Senator Barry Goldwater.

1968: Redskins lose to the New York Giants 13-10; Richard Nixon wins election over Vice President Hubert Humphrey. (Lyndon Johnson chose not to seek re-election.)

1972: Redskins defeat the Dallas Cowboys 24-20; President Richard Nixon wins re-election over Senator George McGovern.

1976: Redskins lose to the Dallas Cowboys 20-7; President Gerald Ford loses re-election to then Governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter.

1980: Redskins lose to the Minnesota Vikings 39-14; President Jimmy Carter loses re-election to Ronald Reagan.

1984: Redskins defeat the Atlanta Falcons 27-14; President Ronald Reagan wins re-election over Senator Walter Mondale.

1988: Redskins defeat the New Orleans Saints 27-24; Vice President George H.W. Bush (acting as part of the incumbent party since Reagan could not run for a third term) wins election over then Governor of Massachusetts Michael Dukakis.

1992: Redskins lose to the New York Giants 24-7; President George H.W. Bush loses re-election to then Governor of Arkansas Bill Clinton.

1996: Redskins defeat the Indianapolis Colts 31-16; President Bill Clinton won re-election over Senator Bob Dole.

2000: Redskins lose to the Tennessee Titans 27-21; Vice President Al Gore (acting as part of the incumbent party since Clinton could not run for a third term) loses to then Governor of Texas George W. Bush.

2004: Redskins lose to the Green Bay Packers 28-14; according to the theory, President George W. Bush “SHOULD” lose re-election to Senator John F. Kerry of Massachusetts.

After giving that nice history lesson, that should be the end of it. The Redskins lost so Kerry should win on Tuesday. However, in this wonderful world of sports we live in, it is necessary to note that 2004 has been the year of the broken streak.

We all know of the Boston Red Sox’s reversal of their curse of not winning the World Series in 86 years. However there are several other “curses” or streaks that were broken in 2004. Of major note, Phil Mickelson won his first major in 43 tries. Peyton Manning and Kevin Garnett won their first playoff game/series. The Astros won their first postseason series. USC and LSU won the college football national championship after long droughts. The Dodgers won a postseason game for the first time since their World Series win in 1988; Northwestern defeated Ohio State in football for the first time since 1971. The Calgary Flames made the playoffs and a Canadian team reached the Stanley Cup Finals: and Washington State beat UCLA in college basketball.

Now what does that say? Tuesday could be the cosmic curse breaker vs. the curse. John Kerry should win based on history, but George W. Bush should win based on the breaking of curses that have taken place this year. It is enough to make anybody’s head spin.

Who will win the election on Tuesday, only you can decide! Do your civic duty and vote on Tuesday and may the best man win…



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