Teams and players with bizarre pre-game rituals in pro sports
Discover the weirdest pre-game rituals in sports, from lucky socks to head kisses. Gamdom reveals the iconic routines of legendary athletes.
Between tradition and quirks: Athletes' bizarre pre-game rituals
Athletes across all sports often rely on pre-game rituals to steady their nerves and prepare for competition. While some see these routines as superstitions meant to attract luck, others swear by their psychological benefits, like calming the mind or sharpening focus. From quirky habits to flat-out bizarre practices, Gamdom takes a look at some of the strangest and most effective rituals top athletes follow before they compete.
Key Takeaways
- Some of the top professional athletes display unusual habits like wearing unconventional clothes, channelling their impulses, or eating something weird.
- Pre-game rituals help athletes mentally prepare for a competition. They can offer better focus, a boost in confidence, or allow them to channel their pent-up energy.
- These athletes are aware of their unconventional routines. They continue these rituals because they help improve performance, and some of their fans love them for it. What are these so-called ‘bizarre pre-game rituals’? They can’t be that bad, right? You’ll be the judge of that as you meet some of the most successful athletes in their fields and their sports rituals that caught the internet’s attention. Know it all right here at Gamdom:
Jason Terry is sleeping in his opponent’s shorts
Former NBA player and current assistant coach Jason Terry revealed he sleeps in his opponent’s game-worn shorts the night before each game. Over his career with several NBA teams, Terry collected these shorts from rival players, not replicas or fan gear, but authentic pieces worn on the court.
This practice started as a superstition during Terry’s college days at the University of Arizona, where he played alongside Mike Bibby. It started with him wearing his own team’s shorts to hype himself up for tomorrow’s game, but it soon became a fun ritual for him. Terry says his wife isn’t amused by it, but he finds it entertaining, so it’s more like for fun than superstition now.
Laurent Blanc's big smooch on Fabien Barthez’s head
French football manager and former centre-back Laurent Blanc began most matches at the 1998 World Cup with a kiss on goalkeeper Fabien Barthez’s bald head. It was seen as a gesture for good luck, and fans quickly embraced the tradition. The superstition seemed to work, as the French national team kept winning.
However, the ritual was put to the test when Blanc was suspended for the final against Brazil due to a red card in the semi-final. The team jokingly searched for a replacement, not for his position, but for the role of giving Barthez his pre-game kiss.
To their surprise, Blanc arrived at the scene just to give Barthez’s lucky head kiss. France won the game against Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 World Cup final. This may be one of the weirdest pre-game rituals, but the result speaks for itself.
Les Miles chomps on the stadium grass
Former Louisiana State University (LSU) football coach Les Miles is known for many eccentricities, like the unusual way he claps or wears his hat. The most memorable of which is his habit of eating stadium grass. He said it started in the 1960s, where he would chomp on grass just to get some taste in his mouth. This continued into his coaching days in the 2010s.
Les Miles’ grass-eating is not one of the so-called sport superstitions, just a childhood habit he carried into adulthood. That said, he has developed a taste for stadium grasses, in which he commented that the LSU Tiger Stadium’s ‘celebration grass’ tastes best.
Brian Dawkins dancing for the ball
It wasn’t dancing, per se, but it’s the word often used to describe what former NFL safety Brian ‘Weapon X’ Dawkins does as part of his pre-game athlete rituals. This routine includes avoiding interactions, being the first in the locker room, and then charging onto the field on all fours like a wolverine.
The dramatic entrance is then followed by him holding the ball and a back-and-forth strut in front of a live audience. He places the ball on the ground and then dances with the music while staring intently at it. Variations of his pre-game routine sometimes include him flipping the ball to himself from the back and prancing around while holding it.
‘I felt it… I felt like doing it’. This is what Brian Dawkins says when asked what started his pre-game ritual. He said he’s so worked up before games that he feels suppressed in the locker room. Once he steps onto the field, he releases all that pent-up energy, and this intense entrance is the result.
Liam Picken disconnects from everything
Former Australian rules football player Liam Picken is known to experience more pre-game anxiety than many of his peers, prompting him to develop specific habits to manage it. Family and friends recall how he would maintain a calm, controlled environment at home at least once a week, leading up to games.
That ‘controlled environment’ meant eliminating anything that could stress or distract him from enjoying peace at home. This included avoiding heavy lifting, chores, or visitors. He also banned talking about football at home. The day before the game, he would take time to relax and reconnect with himself and his family.
As far as pre-game routines go, Liam Picken’s approach stands out as one of the healthiest. Everyone needs a time to disconnect from their job and obligations, and just enjoy life slowly and serenely.
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Rafael Nadal’s very specific tendencies
Tennis pro Rafael Nadal is often speculated to show signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While not clinically diagnosed with OCD, he has acknowledged that some of his routines help him manage focus, especially under stress or strong emotions. One of the most noticeable examples is his habit of arranging his water bottles so that the labels face his side of the court.
Fans have also noticed several repetitive behaviors Nadal performs before each serve. He adjusts his underwear, fiddles with his shirt, wipes his mouth, tucks his hair behind his ears, and scratches his nose. When entering the court, Nadal also avoids stepping on lines and always crosses them with his right foot. He waits for his opponent to cross the net first.
When asked by the press why he follows these routines, Nadal said, ‘It helps me focus’, though he admits he would rather not need them. He’s aware of his routines and admits they help him focus, even if he wishes he didn’t rely on them.
Serena Williams’ lucky pair of socks
In professional tennis, every tournament like the Grand Slam can last up to two weeks, where athletes play multiple matches until they’re eliminated or crowned champion. It’s reasonable to assume that players change attire and accessories at least daily, but not Serena Williams. One of the most dominant players in women’s tennis, Williams sticks to the same pair of socks.
She admitted to wearing the same pair from the start of the tournament until the end, without washing them between matches. No laundry for the feet mittens until she either wins or is eliminated. Given how often she wins Grand Slams, those socks truly work overtime.
The tennis star also follows other rituals, like bouncing the ball exactly five times before her first serve and twice before her second. However, that seems trivial compared to her sock superstition, which she has admitted is ‘kind of gross’ but effective. In the world of sport superstition, hers is one that’s earned respect, thanks to her legendary record.
Lyoto Machida’s recycled beverage
Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Lyoto Machida has the weirdest pre-game rituals. It may sound bizarre to most people, but if you're Bear Grylls, maybe not. Machida and his father, Yoshizo Machida, believe in the health benefits of drinking urine.
That’s right, fluids that have already passed through the body get another round, especially during training or leading up to a fight. Both father and son explained that it is for health reasons. In their explanation, the body doesn’t absorb all nutrients efficiently, and drinking urine helps recycle those excess nutrients.
Yoshizo Machida explained that Lyoto started the practice in the early 2000s after struggling with a persistent cough. Medication didn’t help, but a glass of urine reportedly did. It’s an unusual method, but Machida did enjoy a successful career as UFC champion and remained a respected figure in MMA.
Pre-game workout benefits: Science and superstition
Athletes have varying reasons to have a pre-workout ritual. Some say it helps them focus, others say it’s a superstition that grants them luck. In other cases, like with Brian Dawkins, it’s something they felt like doing. All of these are valid reasons, but is it possible that these routines benefit the athlete according to science?
The answer is yes. There is a scientific explanation for why even strange pre-game routines can benefit athletes. Cognitive scientist Dr James Lee believes that repetitive actions activate the basal ganglia. It’s the part of the brain that automates behaviours and reduces cognitive load.
That means a pre-game routine helps the athlete perform actions without thinking or putting too much thought into it. This lets them act faster and more confidently. Athletes perform their pre-game rituals because it puts them in a familiar condition where they are at their best.
Bizarre rituals: Ridiculous or helpful?
Even if a pre-game ritual seems strange, does it matter? In the grand scheme of things, probably not. At the end of the day, what matters is that the athlete knows how to reach their best selves or set the conditions that allow them to. That’s what makes even the weirdest pre-game rituals a valuable routine in competitive sports.
On top of that, it also brings uniqueness to every athlete. Everyone can appreciate something distinct about a person, and these pre-game rituals, ridiculous or not, make them all the more endearing.
