OFF THE MARK: Brewers in Slump After Fan Forgets Lucky Jacket

by Mark Intentionally

The Brewers lost their fifth in a row on Tuesday afternoon, dropping their record to 5-8. The slow start comes as a disappointment as Milwaukee switched ownership on the offseason and recently signed pitcher Ben Sheets to a formidable 4-year contract. Many fans hoped the Brewers would begin an ascent into contention this season, but the tide may be turning and early, much to the sadness of the Brewers faithful.

The slump is particularly disappointing to Milwaukee fans after they learned the slump may have been turned around if not for Brewers fan Tad Lipman, who forgot to wear his lucky jacket to the game, which was against the L.A. Dodgers.

"I just forgot," Tad said in a postgame interview. "I just forgot it in my closet. What can I say? The Brew Crew never loses when I wear that jacket. Never."

Tad's buddy, Wilson Calbot of Tucsano, Wisconsin agreed with that.

"We only use the jacket in very, very tight spots. We could have used it today against LA. If Tad had his jacket we all would've been patting him on the back for good luck," Wilson said.

The Brews had taken an early lead only to see it slip away by late inning heroics on the Dodgers. Heroics that never would have happened if Tad had been wearing his lucky jacket.

"It never fails," he said. "Next time I won't forget it."

Milwaukee's #1 starter Ben Sheets hopes that Tad won't forget it "next time," tomorrow as Sheets takes the ball to try to reverse the streak.

"It makes the utmost difference," Ben Sheets said. "Not just what Tad is wearing, but what anyone watching the game is wearing. Also, what they are eating, where they are sitting on the couch. That type of thing. It's not a superstition it's a fact. We need all the luck we can get!"