There’s a scene in Winnie-the-Pooh where Owl’s tree blows over in a storm. Owl looks around bewilderedly, asking “Who? Who?” Finally, Owl spots Pooh, and asks, “Pooh? Did you do this?”
“I don’t think so,” says Pooh.
There’s a fundamental Owlness to human psychology. As children, when our thought processes are formed, everything in our world seems to be caused by the willpower of our parents. So we naturally look for human agents (or supernatural ones), whose acts of willpower (or lack thereof) cause every event in our lives.
The Boston Red Sox won the World Series last night. Congratulations!
Who did this? Who? Who? Owner John Henry, was that you? General Manager Theo Epstein, did you do this? Manager Terry Francona? Consultant Bill James? The goddess Venus in eclipse?
And why did it take so long? Babe Ruth? Harry Frazee? Tom Yawkey?
The St. Louis Cardinals got swept. Somebody did that! Was it Tony LaRussa? Walt Jocketty?
The Yankees didn’t win another championship. Who did that? George Steinbrenner? Brian Cashman? Joe Torre? Mel Stottlemeyer?
So Happy Owl Day today! And enjoy the next one on November 3. You know what to do.
Meanwhile, players and voters move on, like the wind.