20 Bizarre Pre-Game Rituals In Sports
Nathan Johnson
Published
07/08/2015
they take superstition to a whole new level
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1.
Juan Manuel Márquez : Why save the oddest superstition for last. This boxer drinks his own urine every day. At least it’s sterile? -
2.
Caron Butler : While he has gotten over a previous superstition – the need to drink a half liter of Mountain Dew before he takes the court, Caron Butler now has to chew a straw during every timeout. Unfortunately the NBA banned it due to safety concerns. -
3.
Paul Pierce : Paul Pierce also has a pre-game meal. “The Truth” likes to get a few peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before every game. Although it is thought he picked it up from his former teammate and future hall of famer Kevin Garnett. -
4.
Jason Giambi : Baseball is a game full of traditions and superstitions. So when he got into a slump, Jason Giambi actually purchased, and wore during a batting slump, a golden thong. It was so successful that he even got Derek Jeter to give it a try. -
5.
Les Miles : LSU Tigers Head Coach Les Miles really likes to get to know the stadiums he visits. Miles eats the turf at every stadium he visits. -
6.
Ray Allen : Another member of Boston’s recent ‘Big Three’, recently retired Ray Allen is well-known for his meticulous preparation before games. Allen naps from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, then has a meal of chicken and rice an hour and a half later, and a quick head shave before heading to the basketball court at 3:30 pm to get through his rigorous shooting regime. With shots like this, you can’t blame him. -
7.
LeBron James : The best player in the world at the moment doesn’t have a pre-game ritual. He does, however, nervously bite his nails when he sits on the bench. You won’t see it much during these finals, because LeBron is in full beast mode at the moment. -
8.
Daniel Brière : The now retired hockey star’s superstitions pertained to his hockey stick. He would regularly switch out sticks in order to “give them a rest”, particularly if he scored a goal with it. -
9.
Bryce Harper : Washington Nationals superstar Harper has two big superstitions, the first is to eat Eggo Waffles for breakfast, the other is to shower 7 (seven!?) times a day. -
10.
Sam Bradford : With Sam Bradford it is not what he eats, more how he eats it. Everything has to be eaten in groups of three. Eagles fans will be hoping that this doesn’t apply to torn ACLs… -
11.
Michael Jordan : The man most synonymous with the game of basketball, Michael Jordan had an interesting superstition that was mentioned in the movie Space Jam. His Airness would wear his UNC Chapel Hill shorts under his uniform for every game. -
12.
Shaquille O’Neal : Shaq had an interesting and disgusting ritual. He needed to chew 4 pieces of Big Red gum before he takes the court. Interesting. Just as he was going on the court, he would stick his gum under his seat. Disgusting. -
13.
Patrick Roy : During his playing days, Patrick Roy would have to talk to the goalposts before every game. It’s true what has been said, goalies are a strange breed. -
14.
Justin Verlander : The former Cy Young award winner always has dinner from his favorite fast food joint, Taco Bell, the night before every game. Verlander enjoys three crunchy taco supremes with no tomato, a cheesy gordita crunch and a Mexican pizza with no tomatoes for dinner. -
15.
Serena Williams : Serena Williams has a superstition to help her through tournaments when she is playing well. Serena will go the entire tournament wearing the same pair of socks. It obviously works, as Serena just won her 20th Grand Slam at the French Open. -
16.
Tiger Woods : Tiger has hit headlines for his off-course, erm, activities more than on-course in recent years. As a result, his tradition of wearing red on the final day of every tournament doesn’t quite have the same impact it once had. -
17.
Moisés Alou : The former Chicago Cubs star and 6-times All-Star engaged in two unique rituals before each and every game at Wrigley Field. He actually urinated on his hands in order to get them ready. -
18.
Jason Terry : “The JET” takes the term ‘know your enemy’ to an extreme. The night before every game, Terry sleeps in his upcoming opponents’ shorts. -
19.
Sidney Crosby : Sidney Crosby is a man of many superstitions. Not only does the Pirates captain call his mother every day he has a game, but he is consistent which restaurants he eats at. As well as this, he has to be the only one to tape his stick. -
20.
Peyton Manning : Peyton Manning eats the same meal before every game he plays. Try two grilled chicken breasts, a bowl of marinera pasta, with a side of baked potato and broccoli. He washes that down with a Gatorade. Wonder if he works up a sweat first?
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