My pre- game routine is a long and lethargic ordeal that starts first thing in the morning. First I go piss, its a processes that is as old as I am. I pull down my pants and aim for the water. Sometimes I miss, some times I dont but no matter what I make sure to clean up and mess I make. I then drink a coffee and have a smoke, this makes me have to take a dump. I never miss doing this but a caffeine poop always leaves cling-ons in my ass hair. So off to the shower I go, its a tug-a-rub-a-dub-dub and I am squeaky clean.
Feeling refreshed and refiled I can now carry on to the morning skate, nothing to interesting about this but its part of what we do to avoid injury's. I manage to get a light meal in consisting of an apple and a chunk of cheese and have a short nap. My pre game nap is never good as i always have nightmares about dictators, politicians and keeping the man down. I take the same street back to the rink, wave at the same crossing guard and whistle at the same hooker on the corner of Harry ST. and Johnson Ave.
Professional hockey goalies tend to have some of the craziest pre-game routines, and Richard C. Hocolate is no exception. The first thing he does in days he starts is he makes what he calls "The Breakfast Of Champions." it consists of 3 scrambled eggs, 1 waffle, 1 pancake, 1 crepe, 1 glass of orange juice(Tropicana no pulp, of course), and 1 bowl of cereal(either cinnamon toast crunch or frosted flakes, depending on how he feels). Next up he plays xbox one for 35 minutes. Why 35? "Its my number" Hocolate says, "its just another little superstition i have." After that he comes to the ice for team practice, usually arriving before everyone else. This is so he can find some way to prank GM Valterri Bottas. "Its not really a superstition, its just fun" Hocolate laughed, "Last time i filled his whole desk with whipped creap! I probably damaged a lot of expensive stuff. Talk about funny, right?" On the ice for practice, he makes sure to face 175 shots, 35 from 5 different positions. After that he suits up as a skater and tries to score a goal on his backup goaltender. "Its not really necessary for my success", says Richard, "It just helps me focus, and i think i perform better on nights i score a goal, so i gotta keep it up." After that, its game time!
Mac Registered
S23, S38 Challenge Cup Champion and wittle pretty princess
For many players, superstition, jinxes, curses, and all other matter of inane bullshit comes with the playing field, but for Dean Colt, he doesn't buy into that shit at all. That's all in your head and the more credability you give it, the more you believe it, the more it is true.
Deans days start nearly all the same, with tired muscles, creaking joints, and wicked awful dry mouth. That's easily quenched with a few cans of Colt 45, sometimes three, to get his body rehydrated and ready for the intense physical action that is about to come.
It starts off with some lower body work, then proceeds to arms, abs come into effect pretty quickly for keeping yourself upright while sitting, but the worst of it is the calves, quads, and hamstrings. But Dean knows what must be done to stay in shape and finally manages to role himself out of the bed.
On his way to the shower, he stops by the kitchen for a steak and a pound of bacon, after he dries off, he heads back to bed, now that his trial run is over and he is adequately full, he can rest assured that next time he gets up won't be nearly as difficult.
Alonzo Garbanzo doesn’t have any kind of specific ritual or routine. He has made it a habit of his career to not focus on superstitions because he feels that those kinds of things lead to rough patches. He thinks that players who think that if they don’t do a specific routine then they will fail ultimately fail regardless and question their entire routine. Garbanzo believes that if you do the right things you will ultimately succeed, and it doesn’t matter the order of those things in any way shape of form. It may be easier to do them a certain way or order, but he doesn’t believe his success depends on it. Alonzo Garbanzo before a game typically has some relaxation time, getting himself in game mindset, then has some pre-game food (assuming it is a home game), drives to the rink early, and gets a pre-game workout in to get the blood going. From there he and the team do their pre-game practice sessions and then he gets to work getting dressed for the game. It is a pretty simple method of getting ready for a game, but he has been pretty successful at it so far in his career. Alonzo Garbanzo believes that if you have to rely on superstitions to get the confidence to win on a given night, you aren’t much of a winner after all.
Alonzo Garbanzo Final Tallies (Among Defensemen):
2nd in Goals (208), All-Time Assists Leader (765)*, All-Time Points Leader (973), 3rd in Hits (2587), All-Time Blocked Shots Leader (1882)* *All-Time Leader Among All Skaters Player Profile | Update Thread
Profesional athletes are an amazing specimen. They are people who have fine tuned their body and mind to get the absolute most out of themselves night in and night out. They are well oiled machines capable of near perfection. Some attribute their success to the time and effort they put in to becoming the athlete they are.
Others? Well, others might attribute it to rituals and superstitions.
When asked about superstitious tendencies, Whalers captain Jon Ross had this to say:
"Do i believe in superstition? Well, I didn't always, but I do now. I remember last season, just over the halfway mark, things wern't going that great for the team or myself personnally. We were about 30 games in and sitting at the bottom of the league. To make things worst, I hadn't even scored a goal yet. It was a pretty rough time.
I remember before one of our games I was taping my sticks and after a few I ran out of tape. I ended up grabbing this roll of white hockey tape i saw laying around and finishing up with that. I usually use black and I figured I wouldn't end up needing one of the white-taped sticks anyways.
Well, during the first period of that game I broke my stick on my first shot. When I got back to the bench I grabbed another stick without paying too much attention to which one. It wasn't until I stepped out on the ice that I realised I had one of the white-taped sticks. I looked back to the bench but both teams were ready to go and the ref was calling me to the faceoff dot. Changing my stick would have to wait.
I scored my first two goals on my next two shots. Both with the stick donning the white tape.
Things just kept getting better and better and I never really consider going back to black tape. I know its something small and it might be silly to think that the colour of my tape affects my play, but that day was a huge turning point for me and with how well things are going, I wouldn't want to change anything and risk throwing something off."
Every morning I wake up with my snake in attack mode. I'm not an overly superstitious person, so I drain the venom in many different ways; sometimes I lean over and pee on the floor, sometimes I'll pull out a Sears catalog from underneath the mattress and strangle the snake for an intense 8.730 seconds, and other times I'll just put on an episode of "The Golden Girls".
After that I'll have a light breakfast, usually just a banana or yogurt. I'll then brush my mullet for 30 minutes and read it a bedtime story so that it rests in place. Nothing too significant happens during the day, but I'll eat an early supper ~three hours before game time, as I don't like the bloating feeling. Two hours after my meal, I head to the treadmill to get my legs going. I usually blast classics like Hanson's "MMMbop" or Nickelback's "Photograph" to push me to the next level.
Fast forward to game time in the locker room with my teammates. I put my equipment on (in no particular order) and tape up my sticks. Before heading onto the ice, I'll fart in a teammate's face. It's a random, but different target each game. I no longer do this on taco night since that one time I sprayed and skunks ran away.
The life of a goaltender in any professional sport is a crazy one. You have so much pressure on your shoulders as you have to stop other professional athletes from scoring on you. Lukas Berger feels tremendous pressure every time he suits up for the Winnipeg Jets and for the Austrian National team. Winnipeg has only had 3 different starts since Season 12. The first is one John McBride who the top goaltender trophy is named after and one Luaris Prikulis who is a first ballot hall of famer. The Austrian National team have no had the best of runs leading up to Berger announcing he would play for them in Season 26. Despite all this Berger doesn't really have a pre game ritual. He just likes to sit in his stall before every game jamming out to music on his iPod. He listens to anything really, pop, country, rock, metal and electric, anything that has a good beat that he can vibe off of. However, this is not what his teammates say about him, Berger doesn't notice but his teammates have said they notice Berger will put on his skates from left to right all the time and he would take them off from right to left. It never fails, every game he does this without noticing it so he believes he doesn't have a ritual. Whatever works for him his teammates think to themselves.
Many players talk about a pre-game routine for luck, or because it helps them focus before a big game, but for Sebastian Strange, his “ritual” goes way beyond that.
Sebastian believes karma is alive and well in the world and in people…. you hurt mother earth, she bites back with storms, floods and earthquakes…. its no different for people, what comes around, goes around. So Sebastian before every game, regardless the city helps out at a local homeless shelter, because those people that are down and out are the people that need our support the most. He then buys 10 seats in every rink for less fortunate kids, or those that have incurable conditions, so they can enjoy something that they might not be able to see ever again.
Sebastian doesn’t do this for gratitude, or because he thinks it will help him score more goals, he does it for one reason only…. because it is the right thing to do. To many rich and famous people get caught up in the parties, the booze and the ladies or men, depending on your interest…but those are fleeting fancies, because when your fame and fortune are gone, so are they…. Karma.
After helping out at the shelter, Sebastian ensures he gets a good night sleep not waking up until mid morning, no big parties or checking out the bars for SHL stalkers, there is time for that when we have days off between games. He wakes up to a triple egg omelette, with Canadian bacon. He then works out, lightly of course, since it is a game day, takes a nice long shower and then goes back to bed for a nap.
He wakes up mid afternoon, has a large carb rich dinner, for energy on the ice in a couple hours and then heads to the rink, making sure he looks good in a fancy European suit. Once he arrives at the rink, usually one of the first, he sits in the locker room, alone, with his iPhone on, listening to his favorite tunes to focus on the game…his mix includes artists like Metric, The National and Sia, among others.
Once focused he grabs his tennis ball he used to play street hockey with as a kid and does stick work in he hallway, its then that he’s ready for the game and he dons his uniform, staring at the team logo on the front and reminding himself he plays for the team and does whatever is needed for the team and not for himself…. Sebastian wants to play this game the right way.
Many players around the league in todays game and in yesterdays game have had the unique, extravagent and sometimes just plain weird pre-game routines, and theres no sign of them slowing down, or becoming more tammed. On the contrary it seems like more and more players are finding routines and its almost like their doing it on purpose to get weirder and weirder.
When we think of some of the weird pre-game "rituals" in the SHLs history, obviously John McBride comes to mind. Putting on all his equipment in the morning as soon as he woke up and just staring at himself in the mirror, imagining this wall that cannot be penetrated.
We also think of Armin Brovalchuk who enjoyed drinking a tea every morning, but also having a tea right before the game and then sleeping for 20 min while his teammates were blasting music n getting pumped.
Today we took a few minutes to ask the rookie sensation Michael McFadden about his pre-game rituals, but his response wasnt as abnormal as wed hoped.
"I pop a couple pain killers before the game, maybe an hour or 2 before tops. I put my contact lenses on 4 hours before the game, I have a good healthy meal, drink a good amount of water all day and the day before, and i have a pre-workout 20 min before game time"
So there you have it, one of these kids whos not all that strange afterall. I wonder whos the strangest ritual in the Riot locker room, and when we asked McFadden that, he laughed and said "hes no longer in Seattle, the crazy German is in Manhattan now, thats who u should be interviewing!"
WeWantTaro Registered
S30, S31 and S33 Challenge Cup Champion
When it comes to superstitions, I think the sport of Hockey has some of the most unique. Every player has those few things they must do every game day. For New England Wolfpack’s winger, Tim Buckner, it all starts the night before. After a practice on the ice, Buckner heads to the locker room for a ritual pre-game ice bath. He forces himself into the bucket like baths full of ice and 32 degree water. Some call him crazy but the mental focus and the relief he feels afterwards keeps him coming back every time. After a solid meal Buckner will pull on his hockey socks he wears underneath his pads and wears them to bed. It’s just the first step to feeling ready and comfortable before 60 minutes of the grueling grind that is the SHL. When he gets to the rink the day of the game Buckner stuffs himself at the team kitchen with 2 waffles, 2 scrambled eggs and home fries which he always tops with his hometown hot sauce, better known as the Rochester Meat sauce. It’s a combination of thrice ground beef and spices which is entirely unique. Because you can’t find it anywhere but his hometown of Rochester NY he carries a jar with him at the rink so he always has it on hand. While his team mates hate the after effects of it, he swears it is the best booster for a solid game. From then on his routine is typical; soccer with the boys, a quick tune up on the bike and taping his sticks. While we’ve seen crazier pregame routines, it’s certainly unique and pumps Buckner up for his high octane style of play. We’re just hoping that in time it converts to more pucks in the net.
Vladimir Lidstrom is no stranger to the world of superstitions. Since he was a young boy watching his father get ready for his wrestling matches by putting on his wrestling attire the same way every time, Lidstrom has developed some unique superstitions of his own. He wakes up every morning to the same song:
Then after a huge steak and a 12 egg omelet for breakfast it's off to the rink before anyone else gets there. And then it gets really strange. Having managed to secure a key to the arena, Lidstrom goes into the locker room and strips out of his $2000 suit and sits on the stool in front of his locker naked. He then starts with the left skate and laces that one up. He stands up to see how it feels and then it's time for the right skate. Same thing. Then he grabs his special Renegades black and silver boa and heads to the ice.
Lidstrom wraps the boa around his neck and hops onto the ice wearing nothing but the boa and his skates. He skates 7 times around the rink clockwise and then 7 times counter clockwise. He then goes through all the pregame drills. He figures if he can picture himself doing this naked when he gets in front of thousands of fans there will be no need to be nervous since he's already been out here with nothing on. After he finishes his drill he heads back into the locker room and slips his boxers on over his skates, hangs up the boa and waits quietly for the rest of the team to show up. He greets every single teammate with a loud Woooooooooooo!!!! as they come through the door. Then he waits until everyone is dressed and on the ice before he slips on the rest of his gear. Road games are a bit tougher to complete this ritual but he's always managed to drop cash in the right place to get into the visiting arenas before everyone else gets there. Lidstrom is possibly on his way to a career season but truth be told he'd follow the same rituals no matter how he was playing because he's the Nature Boy and he can get away with it.
akamai Registered
Handies + S30, S31 and S33 Challenge Cup Champion
Posts:781 Threads: 61 Joined: Mar 2016 Reputation:0
Pronouns: Undisclosed
Plenty of players on the New England Wolfpack are superstitious. Take Mikke Laukkanen, who won't eat any red-colored food on gamedays. Take Mia Landvik, who laces up with her lucky pink skate laces and tapes her stick with hot pink stick tape.
But Mikael Talo is another animal altogether.
"What can I say," he says, laughing. "My whole family is a little bit superstitious, but I'm the worst of them."
One of Talo's two main superstitions comes from his grandmother, who Talo calls "very spiritual". The first he wears around his neck, holding up a leather-corded necklace to show us. "For protection," he explains, his thumb tapping the intricate carvings on the blue stone woven into the middle of the necklace.
The second is a little more off-the-beaten-path. "Tap your right toes three times before you go into a new place," Talo says, as he holds the door open for a few passers-by and then proceeds with his routine. While the rink is nowhere near new to the young man, he clarifies that it's something he does at each building he enters, every time. "I say it that way because Mikke was teasing me, asking why I don't do it when I go into a new room," Talo clarifies. "It's a sign of respect. For the building, for the people in it. If I do it outside, I don't need to do it inside."
Talo, who got his call-up to New England early and has petered out in terms of production since, probably wishes he could click his heels three times and go home to Kelowna instead.
Ballerstorm Registered
S27, S29, S32, S40, S42 Challenge Cup Champion
Written option: Detail your player's pregame routine and/or superstitions. You must meet or exceed the 200 word minimum to earn full points.
There isn't much that Randy Randleman believes in when it comes to pre game routines or rituals to help him play better. He doesn't believe in lucky talismans or a special way to set up his gear. For Randy the only consistent pre game belief he has is that he has to have his Eggs Woodhouse. For Randy it is more than just a breakfast, more than just a pre game meal, it is an essential source of protien, fats, and heaven that fuels him before every game. I for one believe that this meal from the heavens is a source of calm and peace for Randy before he gets to the rink. The meal centers him and helps his mind focus so that he can perform at the high level he is used to playing at. I'm certain that it is mostly in his head but that mental aspect of the game can be the difference between a dominant performance and a career low showing. If having this incredible meal before every game is what it takes for Randy to be where he needs to be mentally then the Calgary Dragons should continue to have their chef perfect the art of Eggs Woodhouse in the same way that they have mastered the perfect chicken parm.
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ej27 Registered
S41 & S42 Challenge Cup Champion and Mikkamigo
(Linna and KEL teammate Landvik used to swap gloves during warmups when they played on a team together. Linna still wears one of Landvik's old gloves in warmups, even though they now play for different teams. Changed jersey color and logo and added name to glove.)
There are few things that go into a pre-game routine that would be considered odd, but Montreal Militia defender and Seattle Riot prospect Viatcheslav Orlov has taken a few traditions and modified them to his personal tastes.
Pre-Game Drink: Athletic Screwdriver
A take on your classic Screwdriver, the water bottles for Orlov are filled with 1 part Stolichnaya vodka, 2 parts orange Gatorade, poured over ice cubes made from the Gatorade. This takes a bit of prep work, but it helps Orlov to loosen up and get in the right confident headspace for the game. It has been known for him to take these "pre-game" drinks into battle.
Pre-Game Meal: Caribou Bahn Mi
Orlov was brought up with traditionally Russian foods, so having caribou in his diet has been a more recent acquisition given the Quebec cuisine palette. Originally a simple caribou stew was the way to go, but with his recent drafting to Seattle, a Vietnamese port mentality has smashed into his caribou meat fanaticism and made the caribou bahn mi sandwich, using the broth from a caribou stew as a dip for the traditionally Vietnamese sandwich. This gets Orlov ready with carbs, protein, and water intake, all with local flavors.
Pre-Game Soundtrack: Local Sports Talk Radio
It may seem out of the ordinary for an athlete to follow radio, but Orlov feels more relaxed listening to the pre-game shows than any other soundtrack. The talk about the opponent (even with a hometown bias for away games) gives another level of scouting for Orlov, and notes on his own Militia (and soon to be Riot) allow him to focus on weaknesses for that game and help guide the younger players to perform better on ice. The most important factor: don't take things personally, just look for the facts after sifting through the hometown chest beating bullshit.
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