There is a debate on going on the Kingdom of the Giants website right now following an article on their front page on whether the Giants are cursed or not by the Black Jersey. That story gives the background to the jersey but it all harks back to the 5-0 thashing the Giants took at the hands of the Ayr Scottish Eagles in the 2002 Challenge Cup Final. The Giants had been invincible all season until that fateful day having been leading the Super League since way back on 18th October.

Black Sunday they call it. It remains one of the darkest days in franshise history, a defeat in front of a pack Odyssey, in front of the BBC live cameras and a defeat in a nice new alternate black jersey. The Giants never recovered from that game. They went into a tail spin and never recovered in time for the playoffs and failed to make the final four weekend of a tournament everyone had all but presented them with the trophy for just a month prior.

Anyway enough about the history of that day for now, the debate was whether you believe we are cursed by Black Jersey’s or not?

Well I go with Paddy on this. I don’t believe in superstitions, I don’t have any and don’t want to start either but one line in that KotG article summed it up for me:

“Do I believe in superstitions being held in a club and traditions and rituals giving a club identity? . . .”
– Patrick Smyth, October 2, 2008

Indeed so. Chicago Cubs cursed? Detroit Red Wings Octapus? These are things that relate teams to their fan base and to others as well. You can be if you took a tour of Detroits stadium the Octapus would be mentioned, as would the 100-year curse in Chicago if you were to visit Wrigley Field. The Giants aren’t going to be hosting any Tour of the stadium anytime soon but it is a fun little tradition that the fans can associate with, even if it came by way of a painful memory.

They said they would never wear Black again but that wasn’t true. This year they have a nice black alternate jersey yet again. Can they lift the curse? Well you’ll have to follow the Challenge Cup but if they don’t well it is only that Challenge Cup and our little piece of history continues.

Let me say though, until we lift the so called curse, let’s not risk wearing it in league or playoff games . . . Did I say I wasn’t superstitious?

On the subject: Black Sunday, Challenge Cup | ALL SUBJECTS |

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