A Mini Panther Walks Into MetLife Stadium
The black cat that crossed the field at the Giants-Cowboys game is the culmination of centuries of superstition
When I first saw footage online of a black cat bounding across the end-zone of MetLife Stadium during a Giants vs. Cowboys game on Monday night, I only got an inkling of how absurd and beautiful the scene was. Then I watched as a merch-laden fan grimaced at the cat. Then I read news clips that suggested that “some fans” thought the cat was bad luck for the Giants, who lost 37 to 18.
My joy started to complicate into analysis.
When someone asks why I don’t follow sports, I respond with some iteration of, “I don’t need that kind of stress in my life.” The response glibly expresses a bigger truth: I don’t like feeling invested in something I don’t have any control over. In fact, I’m shocked by how many people opt into the turmoil of caring about sports. Perhaps it’s a way to sublimate a common displeasure — feeling out of control of your own life — onto a relatively low-stakes…
