archwizard80
Spiele-Enthusiast/in
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Darren Sharper, a supporter of John Kerry in the presidential race, maintained Monday that he didn't need to vote.
"No need to - it's guaranteed," Sharper said with a smile.
If history holds, the Packers' 28-14 win at Washington on Sunday portends a victory for Kerry on Tuesday because for seven decades the result of the Redskins' final home game before the presidential election has accurately predicted the White House winner.
If the Redskins win, the incumbent party wins. If they lose, the incumbent party is ousted.
The streak began in 1933, when the Boston Braves were renamed the Redskins. Since then, beginning with Franklin Roosevelt's re-election in 1936, the trend has held, including a 2000 Redskins loss to the Tennessee Titans that predicted George W. Bush's win over Al Gore.
It's been an accurate barometer for 17 straight presidential elections, "so it looks like Kerry's going to be our president," right tackle Mark Tauscher said.
Because the Packers were involved in the big game this year, there's been plenty of political talk in the locker room the last week or so.
Among the Bush supporters is kicker Ryan Longwell, who joked last week that if the game came down to a last-second field goal for trailing Green Bay to win it, he was going to be torn: "Do you figure to save the free world or do you help your team get to 4-4? No, I'm kidding."
Guard Mike Wahle, who attended the Naval Academy, said he's an independent: "I have some issues with both candidates this year. I have a lot of friends who have gone to the Persian Gulf, and for what, exactly, I'm not sure. So, it's going to be interesting."
Safety Bhawoh Jue said he's an undecided voter: "I don't know what I feel about either one of those guys. Kerry's throwing dirt in Bush's face. And Bush is doing the same thing."
Nobody knows how cornerback Al Harris feels.
"I really don't like to talk politics," he said.
Most of the Packers have had fun with the quirky statistic.
Of course, some players said nobody should care what they think when it comes to how to vote on Tuesday.
"You know what really gets me," Tauscher said, "is when Leonardo DiCaprio and those guys come out and say who they're voting for. Like it should matter to anybody else. Who (cares?) I think that's ridiculous."
Damit ist die Sache klar und die Wahl nur noch Formsache. JOHN KERRY FOR PRESIDENT