I’m sorry. I apologize. It was my fault.

I have come to the realization that I’m the reason the Huskies lost to Purdue two Saturdays ago. I am the bad-luck guy.

As fate would have it, the quarter that I chose to study abroad was also the only quarter a UW team was successful in a major sport. Attempting to follow the team with a nine-hour time difference in Rome for all of winter quarter was not at all fulfilling. As a big sports fan, you need more than just a box score and a game recap. I wanted to be at the games, or, at the very least, see them on TV.

Yes, they have sports in Europe, too. I went to what they call “football” on a weekend trip in Barcelona, and I’ll admit, it was fun. But, I can only take so much soccer before I start longing for American sports. I can’t trick myself into somehow appreciating scoreless soccer games. I just can’t.

A refreshing break came from watching the Super Bowl live, at midnight, at the Hard Rock Café in Rome. It was broadcast in Italian without commercials, but that game was truly amazing.

I do need to make one point very clear, though. Do not, under any circumstances, watch American football around Italians.

While most of the Hard Rock Café was full of tourists, the one group of Italians in the place just so happened to be sitting next my group’s table. They yell on every play. So annoying.

All the while, I knew that if I were in Seattle, I could be watching the Huskies put together one of the best basketball seasons in the program’s history. Fortunately for the team, I wasn’t here.

When I left to go back home for winter break, the Huskies were 5-3 with a loss to Portland. All signs pointed to another mediocre season of UW basketball. Following the winless football season, and the general downward trend of Seattle sports, I figured that being in Europe for the quarter might be a nice escape.

Of course, once I was gone, the team decided to do something I haven’t witnessed in my two-and-a-half years at the UW: win.

This is totally unfair, by the way. I’ve suffered through too many painful seasons of Husky sports to not be here when a team starts winning.

Luckily, I got back from Rome on the first Friday of the NCAA tournament, and with a win in their first game, I was able to watch the Huskies play in the second round.

Again, I am sorry.

Had I realized beforehand that my presence in this city was bad luck for Husky sports, I would’ve stayed out of the country until we won the championship. I take full responsibility for my actions.

The good news is that next year will be my last at the UW, so expect only one more down year for Husky sports before everything turns around.

Studying abroad is a great experience, but I would like to offer one piece of advice: Do it during the spring. You don’t want to miss football or basketball season.

Reach columnist Scott Eisen at sports@dailyuw.com.