{mosimage} When teams continually lose big games in sports, their fans search for answers. They often blame the players, coaches, officials, or the media when trying to figure out why their team continues to fail. They are constantly searching for a reason to justify the painful losses their teams have suffered over the years. They want to explain the inexplicable, such as a blown lead, or a freak turnover late in a game.

Virginia fans can certainly sympathize after their 2004 Cavalier football team finished with a disappointing 8-4 record. The Wahoo faithful are still stinging with painful thoughts of a season that began with such promise and ended with a stunning 37-34 overtime loss to Fresno State in the MPC Computers Bowl.

There are several directions where the finger of blame is being pointed by Cavalier fans: the 3-4 defense, quarterback Marques Hagans, the play-calling, a weak secondary, or Al Groh hasn't yet adjusted to the college game. Cavalier fans have searched far and wide looking for reasons why one of the most talented teams in Virginia football history failed to meet their lofty expectations, but they have yet to stumble upon a cure to heal their wounds. Well, Cavalier fans search no longer because I have found the perfect elixir for you.

I have an answer for fans that will explain everything. It's the same explanation that Cubs and Red Sox fans have used over the years to explain their misery: a curse. That's right Virginia fans, the Cubs fans have the "Billy Goat" curse, the Red Sox fans have the "Curse of the Bambino", and now you are going to join that exclusive club with the "Curse of the Silverswords." Sure, Virginia fans' misery may only be 22 years old, which pales in comparison to the 86 years of torture for Red Sox fans or the 59 years of suffering for the Cubs fans, but it's certainly been just as painful.

So where did this newly created curse start? It was on that painful day on December 23rd, 1982. It was a day that Virginia fans would love to forget, but one they are constantly reminded of when people bring up the greatest upsets in college basketball history. The Chaminade Silverswords stunned the top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers 77-72 in what was widely considered as the biggest upset in college basketball history. The Honolulu Star-Bulletin tabbed the game as "The day that David dunked on Goliath".