SI Cover Jinx strikes again...and again...and again...and again

The mythical Sports Illustrated cover jinx, which dooms the cover's focus, has seemed to come in spurts over the last few years. Here is some of the latest examples your Uncle Buck has noticed:

May 22: Cardinals star slugger Albert Pujols is the subject of an article on the art of hitting. Pujols is on pace to break Barry Bonds' single season home run record, but a week after the cover story he goes on the disabled list. As if that isn't bad enough, his personal trainer is linked to a steroid sting operation.
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June 5: US Soccer gets a boost with a cover appearance leading up to the World Cup. In the opener against the Czech Republic, however, they get blown out 3-0. Not that they had much support inside the pages of SI...Experts predicted they wouldn't get out of the 1st round pool.

June 12: Miami Heat Guard Dwyane Wade graces the cover of the June 12th issue as the Heat advance to the NBA Finals for the 1st time. The Heat go on to get crushed in the 1st two games of the series in Dallas before squeaking out a win at home in Game 3.

June 19: UB favorite Big Papi David Ortiz is the focus of a feature days after a game winning 3-run home run at Fenway Park. Hours after the cover is released Ortiz goes 0-for-5 with 3 strike outs against his old team, the Minnesota Twins.