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Thursday, 16 November 2006 |
Superstitions in sports give mental edge
by ERIK RHYNE
Superstitions have been a part of our society for years. Some people tend to push these ideas away, while some stick to them.
In sports, athletes tend to follow superstitions more than most.
For example, Michael Jordan wore his blue University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill shorts under his Chicago Bulls uniform for luck.
He was pretty successful right? He is arguably one of the greatest
players ever, but more than just physical actions are needed to succeed.
If you have ever played a sport, you have probably heard the phrase: “keep your head in the game.”
An athlete may be better than others but they need to believe it.
If you struggle, you work on fixing the problem. It tends to enter an
athlete’s mind that what is truly fixing the problem is something else
– that’s where superstitions tend to come from.
Last season, the Pittsburgh Steelers had to choose the jersey they would wear in the Super Bowl.
Head coach Bill Cowher could go with the home black-colored jerseys or stick with the away white ones.
They were the home team, but Cowher did not want to break their three-game winning streak. They wore white and won.
Many members of the Carolina Hurricanes did not shave during the
playoffs in an attempt to win the Stanley Cup. That is a superstition
that many sports tend to share: the playoff beard.
It is believed that in basketball warm ups, the last shot determines
how good a team will play. The best player usually takes the shot
because if made, the team believes they will have a good game.
Everyone knows of a superstition in sports – you may have even practiced them yourself.
In baseball, when a pitcher is throwing a no-hitter, no one will talk
to him in fear that your distraction may lead to him giving up a hit.
There are some, however, that you may see but not actually notice.
For example, it is considered bad luck in baseball to step on the foul lines when running on and off the field.
Another instance is in the NFL. Whenever a player is sent to a new team, he tries to keep his number.
If he does not, it is bad luck to take a new number. That is why you
sometimes hear about deals players make to buy their number from
someone.
These are just a few examples, but so many others are out there – each athlete has their own ritual.
Some may put their uniform on the same way, while others may never
change their pre-game ritual for as long as they play that sport.
Are superstitions real?
The answer is different for each person. If you think they work, then
you will stick with them. In sports, athletes tend to work on ways to
get an edge, that’s where superstitions arise.
Sometimes, fans are superstitious to help their team win.
A guy I know began to grow his beard before the Appalachian State
University football game against Wofford College this year. Last
season, he grew it out until Appalachian won the National Championship.
To carry on this tradition, beginning the day before the first playoff
game this year, the sports desk at The Appalachian will grow-out our
beards. You can check theapp.appstate.edu during the playoffs for
updates.
So if you see one of us walking across campus, there is no need to tell us we need to shave. We are just superstitious.
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