There is no such thing as a jinx. Any person of science will tell you that.
Of course, people of science will tell you a lot of things you don't want to hear or believe.
Every living human has some superstition, none of which has a basis in reality. But hey, we're an imperfect species. We think we're superior to other animals, but can we fly? Can we run as fast as a cheetah, swim as well as a fish, moo with the authority of a cow?
So we have our superstitions. We knock on wood. We avoid black cats and walking under ladders. We don't step on cracks, lest we break our mothers' backs.
But jinxes may exist. In fact, I may be one.
I have not seen the Iowa men's basketball team win once in the five games I've seen it play. When it beat Michigan State Saturday night, I was 400 miles away.
I saw Northern Iowa's football team play once in 2007. It lost, to Delaware in the NCAA playoffs. With me not in attendance, the Panthers were 12-0.
I've seen Iowa's wrestling team compete once. It lost, to Oklahoma State. The Hawkeyes have won everything else they've tried to win this season, including the Midlands and the National Duals.
The last time I saw Iowa's football team play, it lost, to Western Michigan. Of course, 70,000 other people were there for that. So they are jinxes, too.
But I'm a man of science, of reason. I don't believe in ghosts, hexes, or superstitions. I will be in Carver-Hawkeye Arena Wednesday night for the Purdue-Iowa men's basketball game. If the Hawkeyes lose, that's on them, not me.
However, if you're superstitious and feel strongly enough about this to pay me to stay away from Carver ...