the buzz log

Amidst the frantic April searches into tax filings and rebate anticipation, people paused to search for tales of sports superstitions and scientific oddities.

Digging Up the Past
One of the month's fastest rising searches involved a tattered Red Sox jersey. A plotting contractor Gino Castignoli planted the offending David Ortiz No. 34 in the new Yankee Stadium. Alas, his telltale heart and lips revealed the plot to the New York Post, and the Steinbrenners had four feet of concrete drilled to remove the jersey. An inspired eBay auction fetched more than $175,000 for charity, and dissolved the Yankees' threat to prosecute Castignoli on criminal mischief charges.

Running back Hershel Walker went on the media circuit to promote his book and reveal that he suffered from "dissociative identity disorder," once called multiple personality disorder. His revelations sparked huge news interest and searches on the condition.

Tiger Woods didn't summon up past luck to win another Masters tournament. Instead, Trevor Immelman of South Africa snagged the $1.35 million purse.

Birth Miracles
Last month, a pregnant man became one of the biggest news stories in Search. While the tale of Thomas Beattie—biologically a woman who is taking male hormones to become a man—continued to attract searches in April, another birth story delivered big with the Indian girl born with two faces.

Other newsmakers among the fastest moving searches in April…

…The death of singer Sean Levert continued to ripple through Search as people sought out the cause. His passing came a few months after that of his brother, Gerald Levert. Gerald's death was among the 10 most searched celebrity deaths in 2007.

…The Texas raid of a fundamentalist Mormon compound sparked interest in the religion as well as the concept of polygamy.

…More than a year after New York resident Sean Bell died in a fusillade of bullets hours before his wedding, a judge acquitted the undercover police who shot the unarmed groom. The case will not rest, as protests continue and the House Judiciary Committee chairman promises a federal follow-up.

….did they or didn't they? Few celebrity weddings have been as anticipated as Jay Z and Beyonce. A private ceremony at the rapper's apartment may have involved an exchange of rings. Meanwhile, tennis player Andy Roddick got engaged, but fianceé and model Brooklyn Decker got the Search glory.

Filed under: Sports, Monthly Wrapup, Recaps, Curses, News, Wrap Up

When the Arizona Diamondbacks knocked the Chicago Cubs out of the playoffs last Saturday, they did more than boost buzz on their franchise and their star players. They also added fire to many fans' belief that the North Siders are cursed.

More than one hex may have the whammy on the Cubs. But according to Search, the curse of a Greek immigrant and his stinky goat carries the most weight. Apparently, the Cubs fan and his four-legged animal were evicted from Game 4 of the 1945 World Series. The Cubs lost—and have never been back. Over the past week, searches like "billy goat curse," "chicago cubs curse," and "cubs goat" darted upwards. 

This week's events also reminded sports fans of the tragic events of 2003, when an overzealous Cubs fan interrupted a key play. Queries for "steve bartman," "steve bartman video," and "steve bartman pics" came slinking back through Buzz. Some searchers demanded to know: "where is bartman."

The Cubs' foul luck dominates the top "curse" searches from the past week. But the boys from Windy City aren't the only ones to labor under an evil eye. The woes of the Cleveland Indians, a clan of Massachusetts bluebloods, and any owner of an ancient blue diamond also surfaced in Search...

Filed under: Baseball, Curses