The Rundown: 5 Bizarre Superstitions in Sports
You can’t talk sports without talking about superstitions. Athletes are some of the most superstitious people around…changing their driving route to the stadium if they had a bad game or growing out facial hair for the playoffs. Therefore, we bring you five of the more unique superstitions we’ve heard of, purely for your enjoyment.
Things are going to get weird,
The Last Night’s Game Team
FIVE BIZARRE SUPERSTITIONS IN SPORTS
Head coach of the University of Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Nick Saban, fuels his fire with a Little Debbie Oatmeal Crème Pie before each game.
Basketball great Michael Jordan wore the North Carolina Tar Heels shorts that he had on when he won the college basketball national championship underneath his Chicago Bulls (NBA - National Basketball Association) uniform.
Hockey’s Sidney Crosby has so many ‘traditions’ that we can’t list them all. Some include wearing the same jock strap for years and not calling/seeing his mom or his sister on game day. He swears every time he does, he gets injured.
The golden thong was worn by former MLB (Major League Baseball) player Jason Giambi to help him break out of hitting slumps. Rumor has it that said tiny undergarment was left in the lockers of his teammates and they all began to hit well. (We warned you it would get weird).
The curse of the cover of the Madden video game is a well-known folk tale. Many of the NFL (National Football League) players featured were ‘cursed’ with a horrible season or a season ending injury after appearing on the front of the video game. Quarterback Tom Brady is on the cover of this year’s game. Hopefully his irrational fear won’t get the best of him otherwise they’ll be holding a séance at Gillette Stadium.
OVERTIME
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Russell Westbrook (NBA) won the regular season MVP on Monday night. In his acceptance speech we saw an emotional side of Westbrook. To top off the night, he also won the inaugural Best Style Award. Here’s how you can dress like Westbrook.
SIDELINE STAT
It was a good week for University of Florida Gators alumni. NFL player turned baseball player, Tim Tebow received a promotion in the New York Mets minor leagues (MLB) and sports reporter Erin Andrews walked down the aisle. Not to be outdone, the Gators’ baseball team won their first ever national championship, defeating LSU (Louisiana State University) last night.
COACHES’ CORNER
Since it’s baseball season, here are two universal superstitions you should know about in the game.
Ball players do not step on the foul lines (the white lines that run down the first and third baseline) when entering/exiting the field for fear of bad luck.
Never discuss a no-hitter or perfect game while it’s in progress. (A no-hitter means no offensive player gets a hit and a perfect game means no offensive player gets on base). Don’t be like Martha Stewart whose tweet allegedly jinxed a New York Yankees perfect game earlier in the season.
The Rundown: When I Met You In The Summer
Summer is here and it’s no more evident than in sports. From weddings to awaiting the announcement of the NBA (National Basketball Association) League MVP to figuring out why blondes have more fun, we have all you need to know to start a conversation with a tan stranger on a beach blanket.
Will you put sunscreen on my back?
The Last Night’s Game team
College Baseball World Series
- Do I know you? The final series in the College Baseball World Series begins tonight. The LSU Tigers (Louisiana State University) will face the University of Florida Gators in the best-of-three series to determine the national champion. These two teams are familiar foes as they play together in the SEC (Southeastern Conference) and shared a regular season title.
- Blondes have more fun. Baseball players are known for being superstitious and LSU player Kramer Robertson is no exception to the rule. He dyed his hair blonde after a previous loss in the tournament and they’re now playing in the finals. Much to the distain of his mother, Baylor University’s women’s basketball coach, he plans on keeping his good luck charm lightened locks. Whatever floats your boat.
MLB (Major League Baseball)
- What no puffy shirt? Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger has continued his home run hot streak, hitting two more on Sunday (yes in one game). Even more impressive (or frightening) than his record-breaking home run streak? He doesn’t know who Jerry Seinfeld is. Apparently, he’s never met Kramer (above) either.
Overtime
- Sports reporter extraordinaire and Dancing With The Stars host, Erin Andrews married hockey player Jarret Stoll this weekend in Montana. The two were introduced by a mutual friend, former NFL (National Football League) player and morning show host, Michael Strahan. See all the pics.
Sideline stat
- Miami Marlins Ichiro Suzuki must have found the fountain of youth. He made history on Sunday, becoming the oldest player (43) to start a game in centerfield, breaking Ricky Henderson’s previous record.
Coaches’ corner
- Sports and music always seem to collide and that’s the case in the “Big 3,” a three-on-three basketball tournament started by rapper Ice Cube. The games have no time limit, the first team to 60 points wins. The players and coaches include former NBA (National Basketball Association) legends like Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Allen Iverson.
You can catch the games on Fox Sports 1 on Mondays for the next eight weeks.