Whether it’s through superstition, hyping, or just plain personality, pregame routines are fully ingrained into sports. Lots of players believe that their abilities are dependent on whether they got their proper routine in before the start of a game. For most players, this may include a certain meal and a specific workout routine. While Brian Dawkins and Ray Lewis will always be remembered for their energy-building walkouts, and LeBron James will be known for his signature chalk-toss, some players will be remembered for much crazier game-day routines.
This is BarDown’s “Craziest Ritual” countdown.
10. Alley Shaq – Shaquille O’Neal
The man they call Shaq is one of the most recognizable faces (and voices) of the NBA. He was a dominating force when he was a player in the league, and has since left his mark on NBA broadcasting world. Basically, his life has been lived under the bright lights with the cameras rolling. What a lot of people don’t know about Shaq’s well-documented basketball life is that he had a unique pre-game ritual when he played for the Phoenix Suns – the “Alley Shaq”.
It’s unclear whether the ritual that would normally occur in the locker room was created out of superstition or whether Shaq’s eccentric personality just simply rubbed off on his bowling pins.
9. Kissing Goaltender – Laurent Blanc
During the 1998 World Cup, French soccer player Laurent Blanc started a very affectionate ritual. Before each game kicked off, Blanc would run up to goaltender Fabian Barthez and give him a big kiss on the top of Barthez’s bald head. When Blanc was suspended for the finals, Frank Leboeuf stepped up and gave the goaltender a crowning smooch.
France won the tournament.
8. The Bromance – Vladimir Tarasenko/Ryan Reaves and Matt Martin/Mitch Marner
Hockey is a sport of brotherhoods. Intense bromances are established as players go through the grueling 82 game NHL season, not to mention the playoffs. Some of these bromances are showcased in pregame rituals between two teammates. Ryan Reaves and Vladimir Tarasenko have come up with a graceful routine that ends in the two clapping into each other, while Mitch Marner and Matt Martin have taken the friendly body check approach
The real question is what happens if one player gets traded? Do they still run the routine when their respective teams face each other?
7. The Helmet Smash – Ben Kline and Owen Schmitt
Hopefully this does not become a full on ritual, but this pregame occurrence is something we have to mention. Ben Kline and Owen Schmitt have both been seen during pregame to essentially start a fight between their heads and a football helmet. Seems pretty obvious who wins that fight but sometimes you have to learn the hard way.
Warning: NSFW language
This may be considered “using your head”, but definitely not “using your brain.”
6. The Ball Inspection – Charles Oakley and Spike Lee
This ritual is intriguing because it involves a celebrity that isn’t an athlete. Accomplished film director Spike Lee is an avid New York Knicks fan and could often be seen at home games. Whenever he did attend, Knicks centre Charles Oakley made sure to give the basketball to Lee for an inspection.
The two developed quite a friendship, with Lee eventually wearing an Oakley jersey out of protest when the towering Oakley was infamously ejected from a Knicks game.
5. The Dunk – Bruce Gardiner
Bruce Gardiner wasn’t in the league long, but his ritual will remain an NHL legend. Upon a rookie season scoring slump, Gardiner consulted veteran teammate Tom Chorske on how best to snap it. Chorske suggested that he is treating his stick too nicely, and that he needs to assert himself to the lumber and show it who’s boss. After a speculative few days, Gardiner decided to give it a go by dipping the tip of his stick in the dressing room toilet.
Apparently it worked, because Gardiner would keep up the tradition for an extended period of time.
4. The Slap – John Henderson
Similar to Kline and Schmitt, Henderson didn’t mind a little pain to start the game. The massive defensive tackle also known as Big John or Big Hen would insist on one of the team’s trainers to slap him before he took the field. This wasn’t a love tap slap either, if it wasn’t hard enough Henderson would ask for a do-over.
At least it wasn’t John Henderson slapping John Henderson.
3. Opposing Pyjamas – Jason Terry
Jason Terry had one of the most baffling pregame rituals in all of sports – he would sleep in the shorts of his opposition the night before. Apparently he wouldn’t just hit the closest sports apparel store either, he would need to sleep in shorts that were actually worn by his battle foes. It’s not exactly clear how Terry would obtain all these shorts.
Terry was drafted in 1999 and is still not retired, so maybe it’s time for other players to start swapping shorts after games.
2. Eating Grass – Les Miles
Being a professional football coach means you need to deal with the big picture situations. For LSU head coach Les Miles, this means eating grass. According to Miles, he has been knawing the tips of grass since he played little league baseball, and has continued to nibble blades ever since. Apparently Tiger Stadium has the best tasting grass, although coach Miles may be slightly biased.
Anyone hungry?
1. Turk Wendell and his extensive list of rituals
When it comes to rituals, nobody takes them more seriously than former MLB pitcher Turk Wendell. Among the quirky pitchers pitching day routines included waving to his centre fielder at the beginning of each inning, and waiting until the outfielder would wave back. He would also often have massive wads of black licorice in his mouth while he pitched, leading to another ritual of brushing his teeth between innings. Wendell would insist that the umpire roll the baseball out to the mound in a lawn-bowling style rather than simply throwing it. If the ball were thrown, he would often let it fly right by him, or even let it hit him. Wendell would also draw three crosses on the mound before each game. Finally, in endearing fashion, Wendell would make sure to crouch each time his catch stood.
When it comes to rituals, nobody beats Turk.
Honourable Mentions:
This list is a compilation of individual rituals, but we would also like to acknowledge the excitement and tradition that stems from team rituals. For example, South Carolina adopted a tradition laid down by former coach Joe Morrison. Before each game, the players would emerge to the booming anthem made famous in Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. The epic music is used to energize the team and fans, and even watching videos of the entrance leaves you with goosebumps.
We finish with probably one of the most iconic rituals in all of sports - the Haka. Made famous by the New Zealand All-Blacks rugby team, the traditional war cry is unique and extremely intimidating. Heavy stomps and aggressive movements are accompanied by passionate cries. You would not want to play against these guys.
