Game Day Rituals or Superstitions

[yoder]

I know we had this thread not too long ago over at the P.I. - but The Shack needs it's own.

Quick story: I have an old school 12th man jersey, symbolically passed down to me from Makena in 2004 before we attended our first game at the Clink together. We have attended games at the Kingdome together years ago, but this was my first time in the new stadium. We played the Rams I believe, and won. Not a huge feat, Hawks were dominating the NFCW...but since then, every game I've attended with Mak, with that jersy, we have won (including the "Golden Tate Catch" vs. GB). About 15 games now since I can only afford 1-2 games per year. Perfect record.

Back to the jersey. It is never worn during preseason, always worn during regular/postseason games. So 12 minutes before kickoff, my wife will (reluctantly) kiss it before I put it on. After the game it is ceremoniously and carefully rolled up and placed in a dedicated spot in my closet. The only reason she's reluctant is because it has never been washed since the day it was handed down to me. No beer stains or anything, it's surprisingly clean and carefully worn.

Here's the thing. She was called in for work during the AZ game a few weeks ago. No jersey kiss, we lost at home.

"It's only weird if it doesn't work" - They might be onto something.

[Distant Relative]

I yell a lot at the TV! My wife leaves before the game ( she acts like she's running errands ) then will call me and ask how they are doing around halftime ( to see if it's safe to come home) for an update. I do have a certain sweat shirt that I pull out when the team really needs me, much like your jersey .

Mostly though I'm just sick to my stomach before the big games. This weekend will be no different I'm sure.

[RiverDog]

I yell a lot at the TV! My wife leaves before the game ( she acts like she's running errands ) then will call me and ask how they are doing around halftime ( to see if it's safe to come home) for an update. I do have a certain sweat shirt that I pull out when the team really needs me, much like your jersey .

Mostly though I'm just sick to my stomach before the big games. This weekend will be no different I'm sure.

That sounds like me and my wife. She claims to hate football, refuses to attend games with me, bitches for me to turn down the sound when I'm watching 'another' game, but when the Hawks are on, I catch her watching the game in her own domain, which is not with me in my man cave.

I don't have any rituals, but like you, I can get very anxious prior to the game. I can't remember being as nervous as I was prior to the Rams game two weeks ago.

[rottweiler]

I won't give the details of my game-day rituals.

They are not family-friendly.

[Zorn76]

I won't give the details of my game-day rituals.

They are not family-friendly.

LOL!

Once I gave up game day superstitions, the Seahawks started playing much better:)

[Hawktawk]

Profuse sweating, paranoia, An irrational fear of missing the opening kickoff. Keeping copious quantities of alcohol within easy reach. Mistrusting the refs. Its not fun till its over anymore.......................WTF GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[mykc14]

I am an A$$ during the game. Sometimes I feel sorry for my kids because of how they see me act (there are 3 of them and all under 4 years old) but I came to the realization that if I raise them correctly they will understand when they are older. My wife knows the deal on game days. She is a fan but knows not to talk to me during the game. I never sit down pace around, standing inches from the screen during plays. I wear the same jersey (this year is a wolf grey RW jersey) only wear it on game days and only wash it when we lose. I hate to admit it I am a football snob (only during the Hawks game I actually am a really nice guy besides that) and during the Hawks I have no time for stupid questions about why this is happening or why somebody did this or that. When we were dating she invited a coworker and her husband to watch the game with us she learned that day to never ever ever plan anything around the Hawks game, I was a dick and knew it but didn't care. I wasn't mean to the guy or anything but I acted like a child and didn't talk to him at all during the game. Last year during the Atlanta game my wife watched the first half, decided to take a nap (probably to get away from me).I woke her up right after ML scored to take the lead. She was screaming and happy but I was nervous as chit. As soon as Bryant kicked that FG I looked right at her. We both knew what I was doing and we both knew it wasn't fair but I totally blamed her for that loss (I know I woke her up and it is irrational but I didn't care). We talked about it and I came to the conclusion that she is bad luck. If the Hawks are losing or playing bad I give her a look and she has to stop watching (I don't really know why she loves me but she does). I told her she is no longer cursed when the Hawks win another playoff game. There are only a few guys that I will watch the game with. We live far apart but try to watch most games. We also go to two or three games per year together.

[Feez]

my game day ritual starts with my steve raibel "Touchdown Seahawks!" alarm on my phone , take a shower then wear my seahawks Shirt under my Jersey and my Seahawks colored Nike Air max. I did break protocal a few times this season to include wearing my grey Seahawks shirt with an oversized old school Hawks logo mainly because it is hands down my favorite shirt. I used to drink a Rockstar throughout the game leaving the last drink for the start of the 4th quarter but I stopped drinking anything other than water with the extremely rare coke or rockstar a month or so ago. I've lost 30 lbs so that won't be coming back (rockstar ritual). other than that I am a fairly normal fan aside from deleting my Hawks alert texts immediately after getting them during the game, any time I have forgotten we have lost.... sorry fellas we could be 16-0 if it weren't for me

[wait_a_sec]

The wife must be wearing her SeaSocks!

[THX-1138]

My rituals almost always have to do with my apparel. I own several jerseys but only a current player is worn on game day. This year it's Russell Wilson. I also wear my Hawks jamies but we won't go into that. For Christmas my wife got me a Seahawks watch and I wore it before the Rams game and we won so it hasn't left my wrist. Good thing it's water"resistant". Another ritual is that I prepare food during the third quarter and have the game on within view of the kitchen. This happened during one game where we were getting spanked so I decided to not punish myself watching an inevitable loss, so off to the kitchen I went. And then the comeback happened. Cooking is now part of the program.

I also tend to watch the games by myself, but sometimes when my kids are around they'll sit with dad and take in the game. They're fans too, after all. But if we start losing they get the boot. My son this year, upon returning from basic training, did just that. Seeing me in my Wilson jersey he asked if he could wear one of my old ones. I said sure and grabbed him my Trufant jersey (we used to go to Coug games and followed Tru's career from nearly high school on). This was the Cards game. At halftime I made him take off the jersey and leave the room. Too little, too late.

[Steady_Hawk]

These are pretty funny. I don't have any ritual per se, but one thing is for sure, I don't like watching games with other people except my wife. She's a blast, gets loud and screams when we score TD's, and really angry when things don't go our way. I don't enjoy watching the games with anyone when we lose. I get cranky, semi pissed off and almost toasted our flat screen by accident. Since then I bought a HD projector for the man cave for two reasons. One, Wilson looks really big, Two, I can throw crap at the screen and not break anything! Win/Win if I do say so myself.

[RiverDog]

I am an A$$ during the game.

Mykc, there is no way you could have been any worse than I was when Dave Krieg was our quarterback. I literally almost threw objects at the TV I was so mad and frustrated. I could have embarrassed the meanest, toughest Marine with my use of 4 letter words.

But rest assured that it does somewhat pass with old age. Somewhat.

[Eaglehawk]

I won't give the details of my game-day rituals.

They are not family-friendly.

LOL!

Once I gave up game day superstitions, the Seahawks started playing much better:)

No rituals for me. Except for my alarm clock ringing at 5 or 4AM every Monday morning, since this is when the game starts. Sunday 1pm Seattle time.
Sucks actually, but what can I say. Since I go to work, I can't really drink. Coffee, a couple of eggs and the game. That's my ritual.

EDIT: Just found out the game starts Saturday at 135pm PST. Which is 535AM Sunday morning. YIPPEE!!!!!

[FolkCrusader]

I don't have any real rituals. I like to either cook up a nice breakfast (for early games) or something special for afternoon or late games. Things I have done; big pork roast for pulled pork, salmon, several different flavors of chicken wings, blue cheese burgers, cioppino, chili (no beans!), crabfest, oysterfest, etc. Early game I will usually have a beer or two with clamato. Later games, maybe a beer, maybe hard cider, maybe a seasonal cocktail. I'm not a big drinker. I have only a couple jerseys but several T shirts and what nots. I wear what seems cool that day. If people are coming over I usually wear a jersey. Mostly I watch the game on the big screen LCD, but I have a much smaller LCD in my office and watch some of the game on that (I have some medical things I have to do throughout the day.) Like most of you I can get pretty in to the game. I'm been known to scare dogs off with my hollering.

My wife is a big fan and never leaves the family room and big tv except for the occasional smoke outside. This year my neighbor showed her how to get the gamecenter on her phone. I can't believe I never thought of this before. Of course now I get a lot of so and so is 10 for 10, can you believe that? She keeps track of the whole league for the most part

[NorthHawk]

I don't have any rituals or superstitions, either - just game day habits.

[Hawktawk]

I went out for a walk on the golf course I live on this morning. I found a golf ball sitting on the edge of the #12 fairway. It is a Wilson 3 in perfect condition.So what do my fellow Hawks fans think about this? I think its a good omen.

[Distant Relative]

I went out for a walk on the golf course I live on this morning. I found a golf ball sitting on the edge of the #12 fairway. It is a Wilson 3 in perfect condition.So what do my fellow Hawks fans think about this? I think its a good omen.

Ok, that's it I'm wearing my Wilson jersey today!

[Hawk Sista]

Ok... This thread literally had me in tears.

I am a game day azzhole. I am irrational, irritated quickly and all over the place. I blame any and everyone for things way out of their control. Like MCKY - I understand how obnoxious I am, but outside of heavy medication... There is no cure.

Sometimes I sit quietly with my hat pulled down, other times I'm pacing or charging down the hall swearing. My dog (already clad in his blue/green collar) does not like me on game day. It makes me sad... And when I try to control myself...it only comes out worse later on.... It's best to let the f bombs fly when they need to.

I wear a Seahawk hat and a t-shirt or sweat-shirt, depending on the weather. I like the new unis/colors, but it seems I buy a lot of the retro (47 brand) stuff.

People know not to call/text during the game and everyone knows I will be absent from the Super Bowl party if the Hawks get that far. I love my friends, but when they say things like "what inning is it?" I can't take it!!!

[Hawk Sista]

I went out for a walk on the golf course I live on this morning. I found a golf ball sitting on the edge of the #12 fairway. It is a Wilson 3 in perfect condition.So what do my fellow Hawks fans think about this? I think its a good omen.

Of course it's a good Omen! Thank god you went for that walk... Thanks in advance.

[Zorn76]

Normally, when I curse for 2 straight minutes, things get worse.
Today, it worked:)