The wide world of sports is a magical place. So much so, in fact, that obsessive-compulsive tendencies rule its world. A plethora of fans, sports information directors and, of course, the players themselves, have rituals they endure in order to facilitate a positive energy toward their respected teams.
Superstition in sports has been around for decades. Tracing back to ancient tales, timeless traditions, and of course longstanding curses, the majestic ambiance has a rightful place in every arena, field or ballpark.
New Mexico’s junior outfielder Danny Collier said the feeling can be traced to his freshman Sandia High School baseball shorts.
“I’ve worn the same shorts – obviously I wash them – for the last seven years,” he said. “I actually almost lost them this summer and Dalton Bowers was giving me a hard time about giving them back.”
Collier’s old (but clean) baseball shorts are not the only thing that matters before and during every game. In his sophomore campaign, the outfielder was able to hit .346, drive in 28 runs and score 30 times with his peculiar game-day ritual.
Before games, Collier said he must jump into his routine by listening to a specified playlist. Leading up to a contest, the outfielder must sip on some chocolate milk for preparation. And, after Collier hoists his baseball pants over his Sandia High School shorts, he must place his ChapStick strategically in the left rear pocket.
“They’re lucky to me or something,” he said. “If I don’t do every single one of those things, I feel like I’m not prepared.”
Many baseball players know not to bring bad mojo by stepping on freshly painted chalk along the foul lines. They avoid the pitcher’s mound between innings, refuse to talk to a pitcher during a no-hitter, and, of course, wear the late-inning rally caps, but not many have considered the importance of well-placed ChapStick.
Superstitions are not unique to the baseball diamond. Senior Khadijah Shumpert’s pregame rituals stem as far back as to when the forward first started playing basketball.
“When I was really young, I’d get nervous, so I’d have to use the bathroom and I’d end up washing my hands a bunch of times,” she said. “Now I just do it all the time.”
While Shumpert said she has outgrown her nervous bathroom habits, she has not outgrown the necessity to wash her hands exactly five times before every game. The senior forward said she doesn’t find the pregame ritual of listening to Beyoncé or Drake to be weird, nor does she find the necessity to cleanse her hands a precise amount of times to be at all out of the ordinary.
“It has to be exactly five times to be a good game,” she said.
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Shumpert said the superstitions don’t cease with her. The team must undergo serious talks about uniform code before venturing onto the court. While New Mexico dictates team colors for jerseys, shorts, and warmup attire, each member of the team must be wearing matching colors for their accessories.
Although some players choose to opt out of wearing excessive gear aside from their normal uniforms, the players who do choose to accessorize must wear color-coordinated items. She said particular color combinations will generate different results.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if every athlete has a ritual,” Shumpert said. “It’s more like a routine, which goes back to what coaches preach about muscle memory. Everything is a routine.”
While players have their own ways of getting into game-shape, those on the sidelines are not exempt from the perplexing nature of the game.
Frank Mercogliano, the assistant athletic director of communications, said his superstitions have dwindled since his departure from the basketball sports administration director position, when he would fist bump the starting five or stand in the same place during the national anthem. He did say, however, he might still have a bit of influence on some of the outcomes of games.
“I don’t have a ton (of superstitions), but certainly against Hawaii when they lined up for that field goal, I stood almost exactly where I stood when the kid from UNLV... missed last year,” Mercogliano said.
That missed field goal propelled New Mexico to a late run to win its last home game against Hawaii 28-27.
Call it chance, call it coincidence, or call it sheer dumb luck, there is a magnificent force in the sports culture that cannot be denied. At least those in the sports world think so.
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
