<p>I always enjoy your texts as you are receptive to my ramblings. Might have found my stat, but still having trouble quantifying it.<br /> <br /> The whole idea started with my very small college (Wofford), which I staunchly believe is not a Division 1-AA team; more like Division 2 or 3 and perhaps even NAIA (which is was when I was there in 1976-1980). Only 1,600 students, half now being women (was only 1,100 in my time and went co-ed in 1976).<br /> <br /> I noticed that in all sports, Wofford fails consistently according to the following formula: big stage + big moment = hex (i.e., losing). Maybe it&rsquo;s the small school mentality (SSM).<br /> <br /> One of the best examples of this is a Halloween night football game against App State in Boone, NC, on national TV perhaps 5 or 6 years ago.<br /> <br /> So the big stage is set, the big moment is to show the country who the heck the Wofford Terriers are and the net result had two phases:<br /> <br /> 1. The first 5 minutes were the best college football I've ever seen, as both teams got into a shootout with both scoring twice before the fizz was off my Coke (okay, thank goodness for hip flasks as I knew I'd need bourbon at some point).<br /> <br /> As Wofford was rolling along and in position to score, the hex effect occurred: an interception in the end zone. Should have been 21-14 Wofford, but App State quickly marched down the field and scored. Then the floodgates opened.<br /> <br /> On national TV, the not-so-mighty Terriers lost/got beaten/whipped/embarrassed/gave up...whatever.<br /> <br /> Final score: 70-24.<br /> <br /> In the subsequent years, I've watched newer teams screw up (ex. last year the football team let the Citadel break a 16-year losing streak), the baseball team went 2 and out of the SoCon tournament, and the basketball team also fared poorly at tournament time.<br /> <br /> Then I began applying my hex theory to pro teams, as I consistently cheered for the eventually loser. I pulled for Jordan Speith at the Masters (was actually there and saw the bogey on five then the par on six the final day. I hexed him by saying, "Well, he's back on track now"). This hexing became so uncanny that now my younger brother has asked me to hex LaBron (seems to be working) and to help the San Diego Sharks, but distance might be an issue for the hex.</p>
<p>I&rsquo;m now trying to connect the hex to statistics. Seems to be a regular case that a team that statistically should win, loses. I think the solution is in your work on the mental game, which might be impossible to quantify.</p>
<p>On another potential stat, I still think I&rsquo;m on to something about why champion golfers are short. It&rsquo;s obvious that tall guys tend to play basketball and it&rsquo;s also clear that basketball players are not good golfers (even Jordan is average). The best cross-sport golfers tend to be baseball players and hockey players because of their hand/eye coordination.</p>
<p>This might yield better stats as height is a known quantity and scores are numerical. Just guessing, but I&rsquo;d say Tiger was at the tipping point in height at 6 foot 2, which might be why he hurt his back: a more downward and chopping swing instead of a more sweeping swing like guys under 6 feet tall. Will continue to ponder this as I know all too well that at 6 foot 5 I&rsquo;m doomed as a golfer. Of course, in my calculations, I&rsquo;ll certainly include a variable for utter lack of talent, which certainly applies to me</p>
<p>Maybe hat size is the missing stat. I wear a hat size of almost 8 inches, so every cap I&rsquo;ve ever owned is too small. This suggest a big bean makes it harder to hit a small bean (a golf ball). If nothing else, I&rsquo;m a pioneer in new excuses for poor scoring at golf. &nbsp;</p>