“Don’t step on the crack or you’ll break your mother’s back. Walk on the line and you’ll break your father’s spine.” From an early age, we are all taught the basics of superstitions. Superstitions are illogical beliefs that take over the sanest people. Superstitions are so powerful that many hotels and offices refuse to have a 13th floor. One aspect of life that superstitions take over is sports world.

No matter how crazy or foolish the superstition is, fans don’t want to take the slightest chance of jinxing their favorite team. Fans will do whatever it takes to make sure that their favorite team is riding the destiny-train to a victory. The intensity of the behavior only gets worse as the season progresses and the hopes of a title increase.

For example, there are many fans who wear Patriots jerseys and sit in their special spot on the couch in efforts to see the Patriots win. There were probably many Patriots fans who spent last season eating the same snacks and wearing the same clothes from Week 1 to Week 16 in hopes of contributing to the team’s hopes of going undefeated. Of course, we all know what happened in the Super Bowl. Were the Giants really the better team or was the real problem that Bill Belichick wore his red sweatshirt instead of wearing his gray sweatshirt like he wore all other 18 games? Just saying.

Seriously, there are some extreme fans who truly define superstition in sports. Some fans have been known to climb Mt. Everest to place their team flag at the peak. Fans say that placing the flag reverses any curses or losing streaks that their favorite team might have. Some Detroit Lions fans might want to think about trying that (If Detroit Lions fans still exist!).

Apparently, some fans believe in superstitions in the afterlife. Some die-hard sports fans (some pun intended) when they die have their urn or casket decorated with their favorite team’s logo covering the entire urn or casket. Fans can also have commemorative pictures of their favorite team’s special moments in history put on the urn or casket as well. As much of a die-hard sports fan as I am, I know that being laid to rest in a Yankees casket will not get the Yankees or me to the promised land anytime sooner.

While I do appreciate fans’ enthusiasm for sports and their superstitions, I just don’t see the need for it. I mean, how many superstitious stunts did it take for the Red Sox to finally win the World Series in 2004? The truth is, superstitions are an absolute joke. Sure it’s okay to have a superstitious thought from time to time, but don’t get caught up in the superstitious hype. I already feel bad for the fans that have.

Sources: ESPN.com