Auburn University men’s basketball has suffered two consecutive losses in its recent games. The team faced its second defeat on Saturday, and the timing of this loss is particularly unfortunate.
A promotional post about ‘A-Day Weekend’ on January 18 was shared on Auburn Athletics’ X account, formerly known as Twitter. The post served as a reminder to fans to save the date for various sporting events, including games in softball, tennis, and baseball, as well as the spring football game at Jordan-Hare.
Although the initial post seemed harmless, it led to an unexpected and potentially jinxing follow-up. Despite any superstitions, the Tigers proceeded without caution.
A fan with the username ‘shaquille oatmeal’ chimed in, reminding Auburn about the significance of that particular weekend. Not only was it A-Day weekend, but it also coincided with the Final Four of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
This is where the Tigers made a significant error.
In response to Mr. Oatmeal, Auburn Athletics made a bold statement, guaranteeing that Bruce Pearl’s team would be among the last four college basketball teams remaining in March Madness. Whoever was behind the keyboard should not have made such a definitive prediction.
It turned out to be an unmistakable jinx, and perhaps it would have been wiser to avoid making the post altogether. This occurred on January 20.
Following the post, the Tigers did secure a victory against the Ole Miss Rebels later that afternoon. However, their fortunes changed on the road.
Auburn faced consecutive losses, first against Alabama on Wednesday and then against Mississippi State on Saturday. Not an ideal outcome!
While two losses don’t necessarily spell disaster for the entire season, especially in a year with a strong SEC, the timing is notable. The Tigers are now 0-2 since the day they confidently guaranteed a spot in the Final Four.
If Auburn falls short of reaching the Final Four after their earlier post, they can expect some ruthless online commentary. Over 100 different profiles have bookmarked the tweet for future reference.
