TMI: Uncovering CFL stars’ pre-game superstitions
A lot goes into being a professional football player. They spend countless hours at the gym and in the film room to make sure they’re prepared physically and mentally for each and every game.
But even with all of that training, some CFL players still feel like they need a little extra mojo.
That’s where the pre-game superstitions come in. Whether it’s tying their shoes the same way every single game (I’m looking at you, Courtney Stephen) or wearing two pairs of socks (Diontae Spencer) players all across the CFL have unique routines that they have to follow on game day.
I had a chance to ask some of the stars across the league what their superstitions are and you may find a couple to be a little surprising!
Mike Reilly
Edmonton Eskimos
I used to have a lot. I think as I’ve gotten more experienced I’ve learned to kind of let those things go realizing that they have really no impact on the game. But one thing that I do every single game is text my wife 20 minutes before the game starts. We come out here and we do our warmups an hour before the game, we come back in with 20 minutes left and I always grab my phone and I always text her the same exact thing every single time. I basically just tell her I love her and my daughter and that I’m ready for the game. That’s just a message I want them to know every time I go on the field.
Alex Singleton
Calgary Stampeders
Just listen to Bungle in the Jungle before I go out. That’s the last thing I have to listen to before we go out on the field.
Duron Carter
Saskatchewan Roughriders
I always eat a Snickers. I can only have on one pair of socks. I have to cut a bunch of socks to make them look how I want to because I can only have one on my feet. It’s weird. It just feels weird.
Diontae Spencer
Ottawa REDBLACKS
I have to wear two pairs of socks. I kinda try to stay along the same kind of look. Also not putting things on my arms or tape, wristbands. I need to be free on my arms.
Courtney Stephen
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
I’m superstitious. Every single time I tie my shoes, I tie my shoes the same way. I’ll tie them and then I’ll tuck both bows down the shoe laces in the front. I do that every time. It’s not a big thing but it’s a thing that I always do. I always eat a huge breakfast the day of the game. It’s usually the same thing but if I can’t get it, it’s not a big deal. And then right before the game, I’ll usually either chew gum or eat candy. In college, we used to eat Swedish Fish, those were the bomb. Now a days it’s more like Skittles or Swedish Berries. I used to be superstitious about wearing pink because the first time I wore pink in October, I tore my ACL. I’ve gotten over it though because it’s such a great cause that I really want to support it. So now I just wear a little bit of pink.
Henoc Muamba
Saskatchewan Roughriders
I pray. I always have to pray with my wife. She’s always available but if she’s not I’ll call my mother and if she’s not I’ll call my father and if he’s not I’ll call my brother. (I also) visualize, preparing myself mentally to make plays and self talk. I believe in self talk and I do that a lot before the games.
Jerome Messam
Calgary Stampeders
It’s weird. I actually vomit before every game. Not on purpose, it just comes. I’ve got the Willie Beamen syndrome (from Any Given Sunday).
Odell Willis
Edmonton Eskimos
Pray. And that’s every day so that’s not a really a superstition for real though.
Shamawd Chambers
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
None, to be honest with you. The only thing I do in the morning before a game is make sure I have my coffee in the morning.
Antoine Pruneau
Ottawa REDBLACKS
No, I just like to get my head off football. I just like to make sure I’m prepared before the game. I like to walk around. I used to live really close to the stadium and I remember there was a bridge to get there and I used to walk on that bridge and talk to people and talk about the team but they didn’t recognize me so I’d just be like, “what do you think of number six? He’s having a good year!”
Bo Levi Mitchell
Calgary Stampeders
I don’t have any hard, concrete ones… well actually I do! My wife, no matter what, every game day at home, makes me and egg sandwich. She fries eggs and puts it on some toast for me and I have a little bit of fruit. That’s what I eat no matter what every game day at home. That’s really the only one. Every now and then, if I have a decent game I might change one thing up and if I have a great game I might keep it the same.
Adrian Tracy
Hamilton Tiger-Cats
I have this thing with vitamin water. Since I was in university, I’ve had a certain amount of vitamin waters that I drink in a certain order before a game. I’m not going to disclose that information because that’s my little mojo.
