Sports Superstitions

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

Many athletes are called "creatures of habit" - They will always wear the same batting glove, always eat some pre-game meal, or always sit in the same spot before a contest.

As an athlete - what superstitions do you have pre-game? Or have you had in the past?

As a viewer - what superstitions do you have to try and "guarantee" your team has the best chance of winning?

I am quite superstitious, both as an athlete and as a viewer.

As an athlete, I will always eat chicken and rice before a big game. I played a lot of football, basketball, and tennis growing up, and I would always do this.

As a viewer, I have to watch games alone. I cannot handle watching my favorite teams in the company of others. I have to watch my favorite teams in solidarity, as I somehow feel this empowers my team.

If a game is going poorly, I will sometimes turn off the game and follow it on gametrack via Espn.com or some other site. I hope that this "change of scenery" will lead to an amazing comeback for my team.

I will also do that for tennis matches of my favorite players. If a match is going poorly, I will change from TV to gametracking.

A few other general superstitions or beliefs I have is to never, EVER, EVER, say that a game is over before it is actually over. It does not matter what the score is. I will never say a game is over til it is officially over. I strongly believe in "jinxing" my teams that are doing well if I appraise them too heavily during contests.

I will also not leave the room for anything when my teams are doing well. I feel like I am "disturbing the flow" if I do so.

So, what kinds of superstitions do you guys have? I will post more when I think of more...I literally have a ton.

Another superstition I have that is actually pretty weird is NOT wearing apparel of my team during a game. I don't like "advertising" my team. I will usually be found wearing it during the week (win or lose), but on game day I will actually NOT be wearing anything related to my team playing..which is quite different from others.

 

[Anet390]

The Astros are beginning to start one called "Power Socks". It is a name for a when a player wears their socks over their pant legs. The current players who do this are essentially the best 3 in the club.

Springer has worn High Socks/Power Socks since his debut (leads the club in HRs)

Altuve began wearing Power Socks at the beginning of last season (batting over .300 and leads the American League in stolen bases)

Castro has been wearing Power Socks for a while (has 2nd most RBIs on the team behind Springer)

Johnathan Villar has worn power socks a few times but isn't a regular, hence why he isn't performing that well.

 

Personally my superstitions aren't overly exciting. I don't play any video games on game day to avoid eye fatigue and I don't eat anything with lactose (lactose intolerant) so nothing exactly exciting.

 

I'm not superstitious at all simply because I don't believe in anything I do in a whole other country have any effect on what occurs half way across the world (I only watch NFL). It's amazing seeing some people's rituals however, perhaps if I were playing sport at a pro level I would develop one.

 

[Anet390]

I'm not superstitious at all simply because I don't believe in anything I do in a whole other country have any effect on what occurs half way across the world (I only watch NFL). It's amazing seeing some people's rituals however, perhaps if I were playing sport at a pro level I would develop one.

Could this be a reason pats aren't winning any superbowls recently? Maybe you should develop a superstition.

 

When I was playing baseball regularly I always had to wear my batting glove under my glove and also made sure to wear just my right glove up to bat. I don't know why, it always worked for me so I never thought to change it.

When I was on deck I always took 5 swings and tapped my cleats three times each. I always thought that by doing the same thing I would be more consistent at bat.

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

When I was playing baseball regularly I always had to wear my batting glove under my glove and also made sure to wear just my right glove up to bat. I don't know why, it always worked for me so I never thought to change it.

When I was on deck I always took 5 swings and tapped my cleats three times each. I always thought that by doing the same thing I would be more consistent at bat.

I too did the batting glove under the glove style

I also did the Rip Hamilton dribble at the Free Throw line. I don't know why I imitated that, but it seemed to calm me down before free throws and it seemed to work.

 

When I used to play football, before every game I had to strap my helmet on specifically and in a precise motion. There are 2 attatchable strap holes on the side and I had to do the ones on the left first

 

[Anet390]

When I used to play soccer pretty actively, before games I would always listen to "The Killers"

 

[Shall Skill]

I have a friend just like you. He's an eagles fan and we always want to watch the games together but this year he was like "Guys I can't fucking stand watching the games with you it makes me so nervous" so he doesn't anymore. Sundays he'll GO HOME before the eagles game starts.

I always wear as much Atlanta gear as I can before games and constantly walk around in the living room. Too many close as games the year before last where Matty Ice just threw the ball down to Julio and I was scared shitless. Too many last second Bryant field goals for wins too.

I play soccer at the D1 level and all my teammates have rituals. We even have a sports therapist that encourages this. It's supposed to relax you and doesn't give you room for outside blame during games which enables you to play better as you take responsibility. I personally bring music and listen to the same playlist, but not in the same order, and always always always wear sweats pulled up a little so my socks are showing

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

I have a friend just like you. He's an eagles fan and we always want to watch the games together but this year he was like "Guys I can't fucking stand watching the games with you it makes me so nervous" so he doesn't anymore. Sundays he'll GO HOME before the eagles game starts.

I always wear as much Atlanta gear as I can before games and constantly walk around in the living room. Too many close as games the year before last where Matty Ice just threw the ball down to Julio and I was scared shitless. Too many last second Bryant field goals for wins too.

I play soccer at the D1 level and all my teammates have rituals. We even have a sports therapist that encourages this. It's supposed to relax you and doesn't give you room for outside blame during games which enables you to play better as you take responsibility. I personally bring music and listen to the same playlist, but not in the same order, and always always always wear sweats pulled up a little so my socks are showing

Usually, if it's a season game, I've grown to people able to watch it in the presence of company. However, the playoffs, especially the NFL or College hoops....no chance I'm watching that with company (if it's my team playing).

 

[Shall Skill]

Usually, if it's a season game, I've grown to people able to watch it in the presence of company. However, the playoffs, especially the NFL or College hoops....no chance I'm watching that with company (if it's my team playing).

Yep you're just like him. There's NO chance seeing him during an eagles game if they're in playoffs

 

[I Bleed Duke Blue]

Yep you're just like him. There's NO chance seeing him during an eagles game if they're in playoffs

Lol damn, it must be really rough for him too because the Eagles have never won a Super Bowl and there's always at least one to two media members who will tout them as a SB favorite year in and year out.

 

Could this be a reason pats aren't winning any superbowls recently? Maybe you should develop a superstition.

Do you have any personally?

 

[Anet390]

Do you have any personally?

Yea, I always watch highlights from the Texans previous games and I tell myself what my gameplan would be if I was the coach. I also like to research the other team and see what kind of weapons they are bringing to the field.

My main superstition is to drink a nice ice cold beer before gametime.

 

I'm not superstitious at all simply because I don't believe in anything I do in a whole other country have any effect on what occurs half way across the world (I only watch NFL). It's amazing seeing some people's rituals however, perhaps if I were playing sport at a pro level I would develop one.

the haka ofc


I always have to warm up the same way. Stretches in the same order and so on.

 

[Naxious]

Well everyone has a unique way to start off. My parents would always say Micheal Philips is a good swimmer because of what he wore when swimming. Then in NBA, Tony Parker frequently makes more points in his homecourt and people say that he plays good in his hometown because he knows where to shoot from, this is a hoax

 

Yea, I always watch highlights from the Texans previous games and I tell myself what my gameplan would be if I was the coach. I also like to research the other team and see what kind of weapons they are bringing to the field.

My main superstition is to drink a nice ice cold beer before gametime.

maybe if you were sober they'd actually win some games?

the haka ofc

God I remember when I was little I used to do this before every All Blacks game that I watched

 

[Anet390]

I just remembered another superstition. When the Astros were in the world series against the white sox in '05, my school friends and I agreed we wouldn't wear white socks for the whole series. We wore black socks or shoes that didn't need socks. Sadly, we were swept. So next time I guess we will wear ONLY white socks. lol

 

[Rocket5]

Eating, then swimming makes you cramp. Hahaha