The Curse of The Shirt

While doing research for my previous post, I stumbled across something very ominous. Fighting Irish fans, beware, for there is a curse upon our very team. More specifically, there is a devious and all-powerful hex on The Shirt, and those who run afoul of it will pay the dearest cost. Check out the design of the 2005 pissrag The Shirt:

The two players standing up in the middle of the circle bear the numbers 16 and 75. Quick, no cheating, which Irish players wore those numbers in the 2005 campaign? You should know this, but just to bring everyone up to speed, #16 was now-graduated Irish tailback Rashaan Powers-Neal, and #75 was returning Defensive End Chris Frome. Two outstanding athletes for the program, and two guys who befell horrible fates in the 2005 season.

Powers-Neal was arrested for DUI early in the season and, as punishment, was kicked off the team permanently. And Chris Frome? Many will remember him writhing in agony on the turf during the USC game, where a serious knee injury shelved him for the remainder of the season.

The Shirt is cursed. Here's hoping that Student Activities has better sense than to put a #10 on the back.


Yarrrr, 'tis cursed. Pity on the soul whose visage e'er appears on her shanty stern.