A Harbinger of Things to Come?

Today is Game 1 of a rivalry renewed. This evening, the Los Angeles Lakers will storm into Boston to face the Boston Celtics. While I am actually a Chicago Bulls, I will be rooting for the Celtics if for no other reason than the fact that I hate Kobe Byrant.

But I include his picture today, and write this blog not about the NBA finals, but oddly enough about the Presidential Election. As is now finally clear, this November Barack Obama will face John McCain for the presidency, and if history has anything to say about it, John McCain will win and it will be all Kobe's fault!! Yeah I can hear the laughs, but believe me it is true. I love little weird factoids and this is one that defies logic. If you go back to 1948 when Truman beat Dewey, everytime the Lakers have been in the NBA finals, a Republican has won. And for all but one time that the Lakers were not in the finals, the Democrat has won. Yes it falls down to the fact that the Lakers are the second most stories franchise in NBA history (Behind the Celtics) and the Republicans have won quite a few elections for the last half-century. But if you break it out election by election, it is quite scary.

Years that the Lakers were in the Finals During a Presidential Election (8 for 8 actuality):

1952: Dwight Eisenhower (R) wins
1968: Richard Nixon (R) wins
1972: Richard Nixon (R) wins
1980: Ronald Reagan (R) wins
1984: Ronald Reagan (R) wins
1988: George Bush (R) wins
2000: George W. Bush (R) sort-of-wins
2004: George W. Bush (R) wins
2008: ??? wins

Years that the Lakers were not in the Finals During a Presidential Election (6 for 7 actuality):

1948: Harry Truman (D) wins
1956 Dwight Eisenhower (R) wins
1960: John F. Kennedy (D) wins
1964: Lyndon B. Johnson (D) wins
1976: Jimmy Carter (D) wins
1992: Bill Clinton (D) wins
1996: Bill Clinton (D) wins

So from 1948 - 2004, the Lakers standard was accurate 14 out of 15 times or correct 93% of the time. I'm not saying it means anything, but if you are betting man and not someone who cares about the fate of our country (boy, did I just let that slip) then you should bet on John McCain this fall.

Go Celtics and Go........ (Well, you know where I lean, I don't need to write it on the blog)

Blog with you later!

-SMA-