I believe growing a beard every time the San Francisco Giants clinch a playoff berth they will go on to win the World Series.
I believe that if I wear the same red Patrick Willis football jersey, camouflage pants, red shoes and war paint I wore during the past two playoff games that the San Francisco 49ers will win the Super Bowl.
I believe in superstitions.
As long as my team wins, then I don't care if I have to wear the same smelly and unwashed undershirt or eat the same food on game days.
It's a sacrifice to show the Sports Gods that I'll do whatever it takes to help my team bring home a big, fat W.
And I'm not alone. My friends are in the same boat. Athletes in all levels of sports also have their own set of superstitions.
You've also seen the television commercials, right?
My favorite is the Niner fan who invites himself to his former apartment to watch the big game with strangers. Why? Because his lucky seat is there.
I totally understand.
Every Niner playoff game I attend I have to sit next to my brother. The one time I didn't we experienced a heartbreaking loss to the New York Giants in last year's NFC Championship.
Don't blame Kyle Williams for fumbling away a shot at the Super Bowl that year. Blame me.
Here are a few other things I HAVE to do on Super Bowl Sunday:
- Drink a Coors Light. Only one — and I have to make it last throughout the whole game. Other beverages during the game are fine. But I need that Coors Light near me.
- High-five every fellow fan — even if they are strangers — within my immediate surrounding area when anything good happens for the Niners.
- Fists closed during crucial plays — like a third down, for example.
I have more, but enough about me. Do you have any sports superstitions? Tell me in the comments section below. I've uploaded a photo of my lucky 49ers jersey and San Francisco Giants shirt. Snap a photo of your lucky charms or outfit, and upload them here (click on the "Upload Photos and Videos" button).
As the Bud Light slogan says for its superstitious commercials: "It's only weird if it doesn't work."
And here's a fact: The last time I wrote about the 49ers for Patch my team won.
Kris, you can't be serious!
I hear ya. I hear ya.
But don't mind me. I'm just going through my check list.
One superstition down, a few more to go.
#QuestForSix
The superstitious Patch Editor Kris Noceda bleeds Red & Gold and is a member of the Niner Empire. He's endured dark seasons under past 49ers Head Coaches Dennis Erickson, Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary. He now lives life under the motto: In Harbaugh We Trust.
But you couldn't pay me enough to watch a pro football or basketball game anymore. I used to watch them. But once those genetic misfit spoiled brats went on strike for more money while pulling down $7m-$15m in salary - I vowed I would never watch another pro game again. And I haven't. I would no more watch the Superbowl than I would eat my dog's leftovers. Whenever my favorite college basketball team (Gonzaga) plays I chew on sunflower seeds while I watch them on TV. It seems to help. Once I munched on tortilla chips and they lost. My favorite college football teams are Boise St. and Oregon. It seems that whenever I lay at a vertical 90 degree angle to the TV set on game day they win. And occasional 4 letter words when the opposing team scores seems to help too. My methods vary and change from season to season. The methods I mentioned were for 2012.