Gluttons for pain

There's an online poll in the sports section of boston.com, asking readers to decide who the most popular sports team in Boston is: Patriots or Red Sox? I knew the answer before I even voted, but the lopsidedness of it shocked me. 73% in favor of the Sox. This, despite the Pats winning the Super Bowl 2 out of the last 3 years. We just love to watch 'em lose. It's more dramatic that way. The Patriots are too steady for us, Bellichick too calm and in control, Brady too cool under pressure. And that huge winning streak the Patriots had last year? Fuggetaboutit. Not for us. Give us the ups and downs, the breath-taking highs, the dismal lows, and all the uncertainty and possible curses that accompany this team. It's what we psychologists would refer to as a "variable interval schedule of reinforcement", sort of like a slot machine. Maybe this time it will pay off, maybe this time.....