Rituals and Superstitions

[jleves]

From @McLovin post in the non sports thread:
"My wife, on the other hand is a saint and respects all my pregame rituals / game time superstitions and even has some of her own she’s made."

For me, I can't wear more than one piece of UConn gear on a game day. I have certain things that didn't work out and I never wear them again on game day for the current season. Other things seem to have good mojo and I save them for big games.

If I see times that end in 47, I feel good, if I wake up at 7:47 or see the clock in the kitchen at 10:47, those are good signs (there's a whole other story for 47 for me). If I see times that end in 46, I feel doom. 48 is way better than 46, but not as good as 47. And it only counts when I look, I can't see 46 and wait a minute for 47.

Honestly, for the last 2 years, I have a hard time actually watching an entire game. When I watch, they do stupid things, the other team hits ridiculous shots. I have to double play and watch something else and then check on ESPN to see the score. I can click back from time to time and they'll do ok, but then they do stupid stuff and I have to change it.

So what are your weird rituals and superstitions? And if you can't talk about them, well I get that too .

 

[61cygni]

When I watch, they do stupid things, the other team hits ridiculous shots. I have to double play and watch something else and then check on ESPN to see the score. I can click back from time to time and they'll do ok, but then they do stupid stuff and I have to change it.

Same here, in close games if we go on a bad stretch, I have to follow via box scores and chat instead of the actual game, and things turn around. If I switch back, it will go south again.

Hands clasped and chanting miss when opponent takes FTs.

No hard and fast rule for number of pieces, but I usually use one piece of gear at a time, mainly to determine which piece is the luckiest, to know what to use for important games. Not enough losses to narrow it down, but two pieces have been benched for this season.

For the tourney, in the days leading up to the first game, I watch each championship run (one per day). Wings for big games/tourney games.

 

[firstnline]

Gameday, don't step on the cracks in the sidewalks. Worked wonders for me in Albany last March and throughout the tourney.

 

[Chin Diesel]

From @McLovin post in the non sports thread:
"My wife, on the other hand is a saint and respects all my pregame rituals / game time superstitions and even has some of her own she’s made."

For me, I can't wear more than one piece of UConn gear on a game day. I have certain things that didn't work out and I never wear them again on game day for the current season. Other things seem to have good mojo and I save them for big games.

If I see times that end in 47, I feel good, if I wake up at 7:47 or see the clock in the kitchen at 10:47, those are good signs (there's a whole other story for 47 for me). If I see times that end in 46, I feel doom. 48 is way better than 46, but not as good as 47. And it only counts when I look, I can't see 46 and wait a minute for 47.

Honestly, for the last 2 years, I have a hard time actually watching an entire game. When I watch, they do stupid things, the other team hits ridiculous shots. I have to double play and watch something else and then check on ESPN to see the score. I can click back from time to time and they'll do ok, but then they do stupid stuff and I have to change it.

So what are your weird rituals and superstitions? And if you can't talk about them, well I get that too .

Only thing odd about 47 is the number itself. It's a prime number and those are always good.

I now avoid the chat rooms except for halftime. Video streaming can be up to a minute behind cable feed and chat room comments are made on plays I haven't seen yet.

 

[Tyler2Rings]

I shaved my short beard the day of the SH loss. Of course I blamed the loss on that, and didn't shave again until yesterday. Just hated how the beard was looking and couldn't take it anymore. I figure DePaul can absorb any bad mojo. Hopefully I won't shave again until April!

Also I'm glad there are others who suffer this mental illness

 

[RichCTBB]

I’ve shared this story on the boneyard in the past…Freshman year, in Ellsworth Hall, we had finally beaten Duke in a preseason tournament….when the game had concluded, we noticed that our pizza from Sgt Pepperonis, which was cut into squares had been eaten into the shape of a “W”. The remains of that pizza lived in the drop ceiling for the rest of the year, through move-out day. To this day, I get a pepperoni pizza cut into squares for every elimination game. After last year’s run, My daughter has forbidden me to get pizza until March Madness starts. Home made pizza is still on the table, though. Check my avatar for illustration.

 

[MrSec224]

I have rituals for sure but it needs to start at the right time. For instance, last year after the Marquette loss at MSG I knew I needed to find it for Albany, and wore the same jersey and white undershirt I wore to the PC game on 2 buck beer night. Complete with a pre game grape propel which mimicked my drive to Storrs that night and in game Miller Lites.

This year I brought the propel tradition back at the Xavier game but havent sprinkled specific garb and Miller Lites back in because I expect us to eat a L at some point between now and MSG. Will probably drop the propel after we lose and just see what path I go from there come tourney time.

 

[MrSec224]

I shaved my short beard the day of the SH loss. Of course I blamed the loss on that, and didn't shave again until yesterday. Just hated how the beard was looking and couldn't take it anymore. I figure DePaul can absorb any bad mojo. Hopefully I won't shave again until April!

Also I'm glad there are others who suffer this mental illness

This shave has me anxious

 

[OkaForPrez]

I’ve shared this story on the boneyard in the past…Freshman year, in Ellsworth Hall, we had finally beaten Duke in a preseason tournament….when the game had concluded, we noticed that our pizza from Sgt Pepperonis, which was cut into squares had been eaten into the shape of a “W”. The remains of that pizza lived in the drop ceiling for the rest of the year, through move-out day. To this day, I get a pepperoni pizza cut into squares for every elimination game. After last year’s run, My daughter has forbidden me to get pizza until March Madness starts. Home made pizza is still on the table, though. Check my avatar for illustration.

I love this!

@okaforprez sr will change seats if the other team is going on a run and if there is a domesticated animal around, they have to be pet in big moments. Our poor family cat in '99.

My wife and I both have a pair of red dragon me undies that are worn on game day.

I was in person for the elite 8 through championship in '14 and did not watch a single free throw. I would look away and listen for the crowd. We made a lot of those. I've tried this again more recently and it is no longer effective.

 

[Greedo]

During last year's tournament run I wore the same shirt every game day and never washed it in between. It started to smell by the end. My students never said anything to me about it though.

 

[navery12]

I sat in the same position on the couch for the full 2014 championship run, and did not move a muscle for the entire game. It was brutal and I could barely feel my legs by the end of the game from the position I was sitting in.

It's not as drastic now but I still will just sit and am extremely tense the whole game if it's a tough game and is close. Whoever is watching with me mocks me for it, but it works

 

[McLovin]

From @McLovin post in the non sports thread:
"My wife, on the other hand is a saint and respects all my pregame rituals / game time superstitions and even has some of her own she’s made."

For me, I can't wear more than one piece of UConn gear on a game day. I have certain things that didn't work out and I never wear them again on game day for the current season. Other things seem to have good mojo and I save them for big games.

If I see times that end in 47, I feel good, if I wake up at 7:47 or see the clock in the kitchen at 10:47, those are good signs (there's a whole other story for 47 for me). If I see times that end in 46, I feel doom. 48 is way better than 46, but not as good as 47. And it only counts when I look, I can't see 46 and wait a minute for 47.

Honestly, for the last 2 years, I have a hard time actually watching an entire game. When I watch, they do stupid things, the other team hits ridiculous shots. I have to double play and watch something else and then check on ESPN to see the score. I can click back from time to time and they'll do ok, but then they do stupid stuff and I have to change it.

So what are your weird rituals and superstitions? And if you can't talk about them, well I get that too .

Mostly, my regular season superstitions include wearing the same outfit for each game (currently a Tristen Newton jersey) and sitting on the same seat of the couch. TV volume always set to 24. Jersey has been washed only once, before our last Villanova game, so even though my wife thinks it needs to be washed after every game, she has agreed that the only other time this regular season it gets washed is before the next Nova game.

During the NCAA tournament I'll really dial in a pregame routine. Last year that included going to my local brewery for a beer before each game to settle the nerves. My wife also bought me a Rudy Gay Connecticut jersey for my birthday last year (in March) and I refused to even open the package until UConn either lost or won the championship because I didn't want to mess with the mojo. That took a lot of restraint.

 

[XLCenterFan]

I listen to Eye of the Tiger before every game.

I park in the same place for all home games.

I wear a Taylor Swift-style UConn bracelet that my niece made me to every home game.

 

[Waquoit]

Lite Beer and wings before every NCAA game is about it.

 

[ColchVEGAS]

I wear the same jersey for every game until we lose. If we lose, I retire the jersey and move on to new one the next game. I will bust out the "losing" jersey for games like tonight where a W is practically a certainty to try and reignite the mojo of the jersey so it can make its way back into the cycle, but will immediately go back to the winning jersey after the mojo has been restored.

I have been rocking the Bialosuknia jersey for the past 12 games. I may have to bring out the Sticks jersey tonight to restore mojo but go back to Bialosuknia for Marquette.

 

[SallyH]

Waay back in the dream season I remember keeping track of all the fouls committed by both teams in a little notebook which Tom considered a MoJo artifact. I remember playing Georgetown with their twin towers when we managed to get them in foul trouble. I no longer do that because the announcers are so bad they rarely say who committed the foul. They seem to talk about anything except the game they're supposed to be covering.

 

[MDHuskFan]

I live in Fl. I eat Pizza every game. I’m really sick of pizza at the moment (especially cause this started with being lazy and getting Pizza Hut & I felt like I had to stick with it. I hate Pizza Hut) also, Pizza around me in general sucks

Wear the same jersey and hat every game.

Refuse to do the Big Red chant in game (which can be hard around family who love to do it and try and get me to join in)

Overall, UConn basketball has strained family relationships, while being detrimental to my overall health & hygiene

 

[CbbisGreat]

I absolutely hate when they do not tell you who committed a foul

 

[SoFla Steve]

I don't have any . . . but I am a firm believer in the "Broadcaster's Jinx".
"He's hit 19 straight free throws." <clank>

 

[Dutch Boyd]

I’ve been a Miller Lite and Fireball diet during games. Seems to be working on both ends.

 

[Jaydumo20]

From @McLovin post in the non sports thread:
"My wife, on the other hand is a saint and respects all my pregame rituals / game time superstitions and even has some of her own she’s made."

For me, I can't wear more than one piece of UConn gear on a game day. I have certain things that didn't work out and I never wear them again on game day for the current season. Other things seem to have good mojo and I save them for big games.

If I see times that end in 47, I feel good, if I wake up at 7:47 or see the clock in the kitchen at 10:47, those are good signs (there's a whole other story for 47 for me). If I see times that end in 46, I feel doom. 48 is way better than 46, but not as good as 47. And it only counts when I look, I can't see 46 and wait a minute for 47.

Honestly, for the last 2 years, I have a hard time actually watching an entire game. When I watch, they do stupid things, the other team hits ridiculous shots. I have to double play and watch something else and then check on ESPN to see the score. I can click back from time to time and they'll do ok, but then they do stupid stuff and I have to change it.

So what are your weird rituals and superstitions? And if you can't talk about them, well I get that too .

(I wear my same generic uconn shirt every game)

But... you bring up a great point in this:

It Really does seem that opponent players always hit crazy shots or break trends against us.

1. If the shot clock is running down on them I'm terrified. Even though it's good Defense by us they always seem to hit that huck up 3.

2. Loose ball scrambles off of a missed shot never fall to us and they always score off the scramble.

3. If a player is 0-40 from 3 this year he's gonna catch fire against us. This guy will avg. 2.6 ppg but against us he is 4-4 from 3 and scores 21.

 

[RichZ]

1. I have to wear my UConn sweatshirt on gameday, from the time I get up in the morning until I undress for bed.
2. I turn the sound off on the talking heads and study the half-time box score at half-time. Start watching the game again as soon as 2nd half starts, but don't turn the sound back on until we score. Can't remember when or how that last one started. Some time toward the end of the regular season last year, and it's been pretty damned good since.

 

[NYC_HUSKY22]

Every year I do things a bit different.

in 2014 I had a bottle of Basil Hayden's I'd take a sip out of every win, wasn't much left by the championship game but I polished it off as the season concluded.

2017-2019, during the pre Ollie years I'd vent through the game chat to keep myself from exploding in a blind fury.

The last few years - I've watched every game on my computer in my office space in the condo, even though there is a 65" curved TV just feet away. Though, I suppose this began as a way to save my wife and the rest of my family from game time antics. BET and NCAA Tournament time I'll only drink Miller Lite's during the game, despite loathing American Lagers to bring back the $2 beer night mojo.

If the other team goes on a run I'll swap whatever beer I'm drinking to another, since that brew is clearly not doing the trick. Labyrinth / East Hartford brewing preferred if I happen to have CT beer on hand.

I also check my fitbit / webMD every once in a while to ensure I'm not having a heart attack at 36.

My Wife thinks I'm nuts, but geez as I write this out it really doesn't sound all that crazy, at least relatively.

 

[Hogoff]

Every season I have a shirt I wear for all the games. It only gets washed after a loss. It’s pretty gross right now. But I’m not gonna complain. And my wife understands. She just won’t sit next to me during the games.

 

[ec33]

I feel better about my eating blueberry yogurt every game day "problem" now.

The anxiety problem that makes it hard to watch the defensive end, less so.