There Is No Such Thing As a Good Bye! Red Stars Wait Prolonged

The number three is not Chicago's lucky number at the moment. We think of three straight WPS losses. Three hundred (plus) scoreless minutes. Waiting from May twenty-three until June three to redeem themselves.

Isn't that the way? Byes never come at a good time.

If you're riding high, they kill the momentum. If you're in a slump, they freeze you in defeat. 

We can only hope that the number three will change the luck of the Red Stars when they return to action in Los Angeles at Home Depot Center on the third. 

It doesn't help that LA has remained at the top of WPS standings since game one, and has only briefly ranked below first in the Power Rankings.

On the other hand, Chicago displaced LA in the power rankings, brief as it was.

Sol's success thus far is what most Chicago fans (and probably also the players) expected of the Red Stars until the number three began to work its evil. After scoring four goals against the formidable Boston Breakers, everyone expected the team would just cruise on from there to league domination. 

Instead, the team that set a league record for most goals and highest goal differential in a single game, has not scored since, and some might say, hasn't been seen since.

Who are those impostors in light blue jerseys, and what have you done with the real Red Stars?

But, since the number four was Chicago's lucky number in the Boston match (goals scored, goal differential), perhaps it will not be the number of consecutive losses the team will endure. Perhaps where three (June third) and four (potential losing streak) converge, the curse will expire, the demons will fly back to the crevices from whence they came, and the Red Stars will shine again.

Before you write this off as numerological quackery, consider this. How else do you explain a team loaded with talent, a front office with more rings than fingers, and a coach whose previous team dominated the women's league in England, falling from the pinnacle to the power rankings basement in three games?

How else do you explain a team completely dominating on offense, out-shooting the opponent 12-5, yet losing 2-0?

How do you explain being outplayed by teams you'd previously dominated?

How do you find a rational explanation for any of this?

It has to be sorcery, witchcraft, voodoo. Something beyond headers, bicycle kicks, tackles, and power shots. 

And the worst thing about it, is Bye week. Having to wait 12 days to reverse the curse, change the luck, start a new streak.

But maybe it's a good thing they're waiting twelve days. Not eleven. Not fourteen. Twelve.

What's twelve? Three times four. Unlucky number three, times lucky number four, equals twelve.

Twelve. The perfect number.

I predict a win.