In case anyone hasn't noticed, and judging by the Nielsen ratings you haven't, baseball playoffs started last week.

The interesting aspect is that nearly every one of these teams has a recent or long-term history of futility.

They may have good teams, but they just can't ring the bell.

The most prevalent of these jinxes is the one firmly planted right on the pitcher's mound of Fenway Park.

It's the dreaded Curse of the Bambino and has engulfed Beantown ever since the Red Sox traded Babe Ruth for a few thousand dollars to the Yankees in the early '20s.

The curse lives on as the hitless collar was hung on Mo Vaughn and Jose Canseco this year when they were swept by Cleveland.

If you don't believe in the factuality of this curse, I have two words for you: Bill Buckner.

It's because of this hex that the Red Sox have fallen short once again during these playoffs.

Another nearly as powerful jinx, albeit not as well known outside of Cleveland, is the Curse of Colavito.

Since the Indians traded slugger Rocky Colavito to Detroit in 1960, they have been struggling.

Did I say struggling? The Indians haven't seen post-season action since 1954 and haven't sniffed respectability in years.

That's not struggling; that's withering away.

Colavito's legend is still alive in the Mistake On The Lake and it will be too much for Albert Belle to overcome.

Even the Yankees can't escape these horrible hexes as witnessed this weekend against Seattle as the Mariners rebounded from a 2-0 deficit to beat the Bronx Bombers in five games.

The Pinstripers cannot escape from the Curse of Steinbrenner.

George Costanza explained it best on "Seinfeld" when he reamed Steinbrenner, telling him "that (Steinbrenner) has taken our beloved Yankees and made them a laughing stock."

Steinbrenner has found a way to get his team uptight, or angry, as they have choked as they usually have since 1978.

Seattle suffers from a more physical curse, the Curse of the Kingdome.

Even if Seattle is somehow winning the World Series, a roof tile will probably fall from the dome, decapitating Ken Griffey Jr. and ruining the M's chances.

In the NL, Cincinnati ruined its chances by picking up Ron Gant this season and therefore getting the Curse of the Choker.

Gant has already started to relive his '93 postseason where he batted .185 (.111 with runners in scoring position).

He'll find a way to whiff with the bases loaded at least 10 times during this postseason, taking the Reds' title hopes with him back to the dugout.

The Braves have a hex on them, too, the Curse of Charlie Leibrandt.

Leibrandt, who pitched for Atlanta a few years ago, single-handedly blew Game 6 in both the '91 and '92 World Series by serving meatballs to Kirby Puckett and Dave Winfield.

Unfortunately for the rest of the contenders, the Braves have gotten rid of Leibrandt and are set to finally disprove all those doomsayers comparing them to the Buffalo Bills.

The Braves take the Indians in six games.

Jeremy Cowen is a news communications junior who thinks Frau Hatfield is the greatest German teacher ever and hopes she has mercy while grading his test.