ANtics - Episode V: The Byrnes Curse

by louismg on Aug 21, 2005 7:18 PM PDT in News

After a hot two months, the Oakland A's just haven't been the same since longtime fan favorite Eric Byrnes came to town - now in an Orioles uniform. Although he sputtered to an 0-for-13 series at the Coliseum, somehow the once-moribund Orioles took three straight from the home team.

It couldn't have been a coincidence. It turns out that Byrnes worked with the black arts, and cast a curse on the team, at the expense of his own individual stats. The A's have now lost 5 of 6 since his return, and the shine from June and July has turned into a dull August.

In this week's ANtics, we see the A's were caught by surprise by Byrnes' call for revenge. How long will the curse last?

Click to See Larger Comic

ANtics Archive: One | Two | Three | Four

Poll

What Is the Eric Byrnes Curse?

A's outfielders will be diving for years at uncatchable balls.

11 votes

Who cares? Offer Kennedy for Byrnes, straight up.

6 votes

Any team who has him on their roster is doomed.

12 votes

There is no Eric Byrnes Curse, you superstitious nut.

17 votes

The A's will never beat Baltimore again.

2 votes

48 votes | Poll has closed

Tweet Comment 21 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

The Real Curse Is On The O's

Actually, the O's--just swept by Cleveland--are the one's cursed by Bumblin Byrnesy who is now a sterling 3 for his last 35. At this rate, he has a chance to eclipse his 5-108 skid with the A's, a skid even more pitiful than KC's 19 game losing streak.

As I said, Baltimore now has a ByrnesBrain for their Bird Brains. How fitting! :-)>

Oh yeah, one more matter. If you think the A's have played poorly recently, imagine the record the team would have with ByrnesBum istead of Payton and the bullpen w/o Witasick and Kennedy!...

by reztips on Aug 21, 2005 7:31 PM PDT reply actions

Awesome

"Everyone was saying, 'Swisher, you suck!' and I was like, 'OK, we've established that.' "

by oblique on Aug 21, 2005 7:57 PM PDT reply actions

Great stuff

I love the Crosby panel. :D

"A baseball game is simply a nervous breakdown divided into nine innings." -Earl Wilson

by whiteshoes40 on Aug 21, 2005 8:11 PM PDT reply actions

seconded

these get better each time...

by Apricot on Aug 21, 2005 8:20 PM PDT up reply actions

It's harder from here...

Honestly, whenever these get "derived", I have my own personal favorites, and like to guess what will be AN's favorite. I liked the Crosby one best, with Macha second.

Do I get to vote?

by louismg on Aug 21, 2005 10:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Got to make a comic book

out of these when the season ends.

by Hit4TheCycle on Aug 21, 2005 8:26 PM PDT reply actions

Very good.

Royale with cheese.

by ak_A on Aug 21, 2005 8:30 PM PDT reply actions

The best ANtics so far...

Byrnes is gonna kill me on my bet, but the Byrnes curse is killing our A's. :-(

Rich Harden - Cy Young 2005 & Dan Johnson - ROY 2005!

by FoolshGame22 on Aug 21, 2005 8:33 PM PDT reply actions

hey, that explanation is as good as any! ;-)

by OaklandSi on Aug 21, 2005 8:39 PM PDT reply actions

Maybe

The Tide will change when we go visit Byrnes in his new home!

"We play our best ball when we're goofing around and having a good time" ~Bobby Crosby

by BobbyCrosbysGirl on Aug 21, 2005 10:14 PM PDT reply actions

I will be there...

to see the Orioles BEAT the Angels this week, so let the O's stay hot for a little while yet!

by louismg on Aug 21, 2005 10:18 PM PDT up reply actions

Hilarious!

I agree that this is the best yet.

by diabolicslugs on Aug 21, 2005 10:18 PM PDT reply actions

Excellent Again!

Just like last week, I like the Macha panel the best. Though the Croby panel is a close second. Both had me LOL.

Great job!

by indigo on Aug 21, 2005 10:21 PM PDT reply actions

just to be accurate

The pitching didn't "stumble".

If anything, it's gotten better save for a couple of slips by the bullpen.

oaktoon

by oaktoon on Aug 22, 2005 8:17 AM PDT reply actions

chavy

chavy kinda looks like he is pumping his fist after that K

by thefosseposse on Aug 22, 2005 8:58 AM PDT reply actions

thefosseposse

are you new to this board? Welcome!

Celebrate good times, come on!

by gojohn10 on Aug 22, 2005 10:05 AM PDT up reply actions

Life Imitates Art

The bottom middle panel is an apt reflection of Bumblin Byrnesy's OF play. Just yesterday, the Bumbler ran into his CF (whose flyball it clearly was) and the ball dropped for Cleveland's first run...

That's ByrnesBum--the perfect live action cartoon. All guts, no brain. ;-)>

by reztips on Aug 22, 2005 9:02 AM PDT reply actions

All guts

No brain? Sounds just like you.

by Just Me on Aug 22, 2005 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions

does this mean

we have to kill Byrnes now?

by LLawbug on Aug 22, 2005 12:31 PM PDT reply actions

How about a voodoo doll?

Celebrate good times, come on!

by gojohn10 on Aug 22, 2005 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions

ByrnesBrain=Krazy George

Given ByrnesBrain's continued travails, first with the A's, then with the Rockies and finally the O's, I suggest he stop embarrassing himself and make the transitition for what he was truly born to do: make like Krazy George atop dugouts of Class A minor league teams. He may not have the skills of a ballplayer, but he has the attitude and inclinations of a clown. ;-)>

by reztips on Aug 22, 2005 5:16 PM PDT reply actions