20 Craziest Game Day Routines of Athletes

By Shane Darrow

20 Craziest Game Day Routines of Athletes

Cincinnati Bengals vs Jacksonville Jaguars - October 9, 2005 — I'm all for getting hyped up before a game, but these players take game day routines to a whole new level. Here are 20 of the weirdest, funniest and craziest game day routines.

20. Left Over Right

Ice Hockey - Winter Olympics Day 15

20. Left Over Right

Ice Hockey - Winter Olympics Day 15 — There's a lot of equipment that goes into stepping on the ice, and many hockey players have a specific order that it must go on. This usually means putting all the left pieces of equipment on before the right, or visa versa. I've seen guys untie their skates and redo them if they realize they have tainted their own ritual.

19. Don't Toss Your Cookies

Brian Urlacher

19. Don't Toss Your Cookies

Brian Urlacher — Pre-game meals aren't uncommon, but Brian Urlacher – one of the meanest linebackers of all time – used to eat two chocolate chip cookies before each game.

18. All About the Tape Job

Patrick Kane

18. All About the Tape Job

Patrick Kane — If you've never played hockey, you may never understand the hundreds of different ways there are to tape a stick. From a change in the knob to covering the toe, many NHL players will switch up their tape job if they're in a slump. In 2011, the Ottawa Senators' Zack Smith attributed ending his 43-game goalless streak to changing up the way he taped the knob of his stick.

17. The Chalk Toss

Charlotte Bobcats v Miami Heat Game 2

17. The Chalk Toss

Charlotte Bobcats v Miami Heat Game 2 — LeBron's pre-game routine has spread across the country and influenced many young athletes, as many kids lean over the scoring tables looking for some chalk to toss.

16. Put the Equipment Away!

16. Put the Equipment Away!

College baseball programs have been known for putting on a show during rain delays, but the Tennessee Volunteers' baseball club has an absurd way of putting away equipment. When it's time to put the pre-game equipment away, the men of UT sprint to clean up the field.

15. Touching the Statue

Baseball Stars Testify On Steroid Use On Capitol Hill

15. Touching the Statue

Baseball Stars Testify On Steroid Use On Capitol Hill — Before Roger Clemens was raising his hand in court, he would be sure to touch Babe Ruth's statue every time he pitched at Yankee Stadium. Maybe there was some HGH residue on the statue that no one told us about.

14. The Sprint

Rocker throws a pitch

14. The Sprint

Rocker throws a pitch — John Rocker started the trend, and while it looks intimidating, I've never really understood the idea of tiring yourself out before going to pitch. Then again, I have made zero appearances in the major leagues (so far).

13. Sleepwear is Crucial

Brooklyn Nets v Detroit Pistons

13. Sleepwear is Crucial

Brooklyn Nets v Detroit Pistons — Jason Terry has been known to wear a pair of the opposing teams' shorts before he goes to bed at night, which just has me imagining him having to sift through 29 different pairs of shorts every night.

12. Thou Shalt Score Touchdowns

Hambrick dives for Martin

12. Thou Shalt Score Touchdowns

Hambrick dives for Martin — Legend has it that running back Curtis Martin would read the exact same bible verse before every game, which must have worked considering he ended his career with over 14,000 yards rushing.

11. Just Get Off the Ice, Claude!

Denis Brodeur Collection

11. Just Get Off the Ice, Claude!

Denis Brodeur Collection — When Claude Lemieux was with the Montreal Canadiens, he had a ritual where he would shoot all of the warmup pucks into the opposing teams' net. Well, until May 14, 1987 when members of the Philadelphia Flyers chased him down and jumped him and teammate Shayne Corson for doing so. Before the incident, referees weren't on the ice for warmups, so the brawl was one of the biggest in hockey history.

10. Laundry's Done!

2005 World Series - Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros - Game 4

10. Laundry's Done!

2005 World Series - Chicago White Sox vs Houston Astros - Game 4 — Craig Biggio was known for many things, namely being undersized and being hit by pitches, but he also never washed his helmet, which gave it an iconic, brownish tint.

9. Talking to the Posts

Red Wings v Avalanche X

9. Talking to the Posts

Red Wings v Avalanche X — Hockey goalies are known for all being a little bit nuts, but Patrick Roy took it to another level. During the national anthem before the game, Roy used to zone out the music and instead have full, audible conversations with his posts. I guess with Roy it's true what they say, "the post is a goalie's best friend."

8. 33 Obsession

1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game

8. 33 Obsession

1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game — Many athletes have a reason for wearing their number, but Larry Walker's obsession with 33 took the obsession to new heights. Before games, Walker would have to do everything he did in either 3's or 33's... He even got married at 3:33 p.m. Now, that's commitment.

7. Toilet Humor

Devils V Senators

7. Toilet Humor

Devils V Senators — Bruce Gardiner is another hockey player who had a strange pre-game ritual. Before every game, he would put his stick in the toilet. Why? Because a teammate told him he was treating his stick too nicely and that he needed to punish it so it would listen. Personally, I used to put my stick in the trashcan between every period during my glory days – it's the only way to tell your stick that you're going to score some garbage goals.

6. Stan the Man and His Breakfast

St. Louis Cardinals

6. Stan the Man and His Breakfast

St. Louis Cardinals — Eating the same breakfast every morning may not sound too crazy, but when you play baseball, which has a game pretty much every day, it just had to get old. I can't eat the same breakfast two consecutive days without getting sick of it. Stan Musial would eat an egg, then two pancakes, then another egg for breakfast on every game day.

5. Ovechkin's Sex Capades

Boston Bruins v Washington Capitals - Game Six

5. Ovechkin's Sex Capades

Boston Bruins v Washington Capitals - Game Six — Most athletes might keep their sex lives secret, but not Alex Ovechkin, who admitted that he likes to have sex before games in order to have his testosterone levels peaked for puck drop.

4. Get up, get, get, get down

Intro2

4. Get up, get, get, get down

Ray Lewis was never afraid to look like a lunatic before games and dance like no one was watching. Unfortunately for him, a lot of people were watching.

3. Let Me See That Thong

Chicago White Sox v Cleveland Indians

3. Let Me See That Thong

Chicago White Sox v Cleveland Indians — Baseball players will do anything to get out of a slump, but for Jason Giambi it was just a change of skivvies. Giambi would wear a gold thong whenever he was slumping and was even known to lend it to other teammates who were having their own struggles.

2. Come on, It's Sterile

Moises Alou

2. Come on, It's Sterile

Moises Alou — Moises Alou is a guy who I would avoid in the handshake line after a game. Alou used to urinate on his hands before games because he believed that they would help prevent callouses. This just in, Moises - it doesn't.

1. Now THAT's Intensity

1. Now THAT's Intensity

There's getting hyped up for a game, and then there's what Owen Schmitt did before this game. Someone should have told him that helmets don't really have a lot of give.

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