I continue to refer to a post card that I sent my dad, a lifelong Cubs fan, from Hawaii over 15 years ago. “It’s a magical place where the Colts and Cubs win all the time.” In 2003, the Colts were down 21-0 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at halftime and 28-7 at the end of the 3rd Quarter. This particular Monday Night Football game was on the big screen in an Island bar sometime in the middle of the afternoon. I remember walking out in disgust but seeing the final score later that day as 38-35 Colts in overtime. I couldn’t believe it! The Colts scored 3 touchdowns in the final four minutes and Mike Vanderjagt hit a game-winning field goal in the extra period for the victory. That’s when I first began to believe in “Maui Magic!”

That same year my wife bought me a Chicago Cubs Hawaiian shirt. After the miraculous Colts comeback victory the night before, I was fashionably ready for the Cubs playoff series against the Florida Marlins. It looked like “Maui Magic” would continue as the Cubs jumped out to a 4-run first inning lead, but in extra-innings they lost 9-8. Fortuitously, I decided to give the gift shirt one more chance and they won three straight by scores of 12-3, 5-4 and 8-3. By that point the shirt and I were inseparable and that’s when I wrote the postcard home. The Cubs needed just one more victory to finally make it to the elusive World Series. Unfortunately, it was time to return home to Indianapolis.

On our Sunday flight back to the mainland, Carlos Zambrano had pitched a scoreless four innings, but in the bottom of the 5th “Maui Magic” turned Tragic! While watching in the Los Angeles airport bar during our layover, the Marlins took a 2-run lead and avoided elimination by a final score of 4-0. Nonetheless, the shirt and I were still confident that the Cubs could certainly win at least one of the final two games, but we would have to do it from the living room couch. I still had a Maui tan but it wasn’t enough, as a 3-0 lead in the 8th started to crumble when Cubs fan Steve Bartman made a bad name for himself. To make an all too familiar nightmare story short, the Cubs ultimately lost the series and the shirt was promptly exiled to the back of my clothes closet.

Now, 15 years later, “Maui Magic” has returned. The Portland Trailblazers have won two consecutive NBA Playoff victories, including a gutsy record four overtime victory last night over the Nuggets. However, I will have to once again leave the island before they can ultimately wrap-up the series. We may even see Game 6 when we’re back in Portland. Unfortunately, I’ve already learned that you can’t take “Maui Magic” home with you. In addition, the Cubs have claimed a series victory over the Cardinals, regardless of tomorrow’s outcome. A grand slam home run by Cubs catcher Taylor Davis, a career first, tied the game after Yu Darvish fell behind 5-1. I knew it would take even More Maui Magic to offset Darvish’s characteristic slow starts. Yu continues to be a disappointing investment, but Javier Baez continued to save the day with his 10th HR of the season. This was after the St. Louis infield muffed his twisting foul pop-up, gifting a game winning second opportunity.

You can’t put “Maui Magic” in a bottle and take it with you. You just have to enjoy it while you’re here. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to work for the White Sox, although they did at least win one game against the Red Sox while we were here. Also, Indiana baseball has lost their series against Illinois, while Oregon State stumbled against Oklahoma State. It continues to be an effective tonic for the Cubs, as the postcard originally proclaimed. Maybe we can come back again to help the Colts!