(S3) - PT #2 - Lucky Charms

[HalfEatenOnionBagel]

Micah Hendrix isn’t superstitious by any means, but he is definitely a man of routine. Wake up same time every day, eat the same thing for breakfast and lunch every day, and his weekly schedule is almost the same every day. It’s this routine that gives him a sense of comfort and normalcy that balances out the hectic lifestyle of travel and training that accompanies being a professional football player.

Micah’s pregame routine is much the same, going through the same motions before a game is something that helps to keep him calm and focused on gameday. For a home game, he’ll show up the same amount of time before every game and listen to the same playlist that he’s listened to before every game since college. It’s a mix of rap music and classic rock and he’s never added or removed a single song on the list.

Before finally putting on his gear for the game, Hendrix always takes a moment to read a passage from his Bible, the same one he's had since he was a kid. He has it bookmarked because it’s the same one every game, Hebrews 12:11-12, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” It's a reminder that in life and on the field that all good things take hard work and sacrifice. When it’s late in a game, those words resonate with him and give him the motivation and strength to keep fighting.

So, that’s all there is to it, just a simple routine and it seems to suit him and his style well. Every day he just goes about his business and puts in the work without making a scene, whether it’s just a day of practice or a primetime game.

[runrunpasspunt]

Ryan Fitzfatrick is not a superstitious man. But he does like to do something to get his head straight. He likes to write about 200 words on his computer before a game so that he can clear his head for the big game. Usually, the 200 word stories he writes about aren’t very well written or fun to read, but alas he does it anyway. Typically, usually, most of the time, he’ll use many words that mean the same thing to get to that 200 word cap and prepare himself for the football game.

You see, writing these 200 word stories is meditation for Ryan. Just a very calming way to take whatever’s on his mind and have it recorded for future use. You ever think about something and then force yourself to keep thinking about it so you don’t forget it? Maybe a funny joke to tell later, or just something to do. Fitzfatrick wanted to try a pizza taco after his first recorded game, but because he had forgotten to do his 200-word ritual, he became agitated concentrating on thinking about it and committed unnecessary roughness against one of those shitty O-liners pushing him around, creating a 15-year penalty and free first down that allowed San Jose to get the game-winning touchdown.

So Ryan will stick to writing because he likes having a job.

226 words

[BrotherP]

I added my Outlaws championship bracelet with a dead Hawk on it and my lucky cereal. I eat a full box before every game.

[HENDRIX]

Kurt Hendrix takes his lengthy pregame routine very seriously. For 8pm eastern game days, Kurt's day starts exactly twelve hours prior. He wakes up, and gets a good lift in. Like the weight room hero he is squat reps of 500 pounds are used to wake himself up and get the blood pumping. This works up a serious appetite. The 320 pound man inhales 15 eggs, 8 strips of bacon, and five slices of toast all washed down with a liter of Gatorade. After breakfast he drives over to the stadium in his '84 Sheepdog to meet up with the coaches and team for a final game walkthrough and preparation. In the final few hours before the game, Kurt and the team head over to the locker room arcade to play some air hockey, billiards, and ping pong. Two hours before kick offs the team heads out onto the field to do light warm-up drills with heavy metal blaring over the stadiums sound system. A half hour before kickoff the team is in the locker room gearing up and listening to the pregame speech. After that, the team is introduced to the crowd as they sprint onto the field ready to kick some ass. (204)

[TimPest]

these are my lucky ice skates and outlaw shirt

[Bwestfield]

Good old lucky charms. Not always the cereal (but sometimes), just a charm that will bring you luck during a game. Some players live and die by the lucky charm. Some find it bologna and don’t even give it a second look. In the beginning for Bradley Westfield he never thought about it. He would see his fellow teammates doing a ritual like banking their head against a board for 30 minutes before the game, looking at you JJ Reigns, or some others not washing their socks after a win. He always thought of himself as a good player, never great. There seemed to be a mental block. Something he just couldn’t overcome. He has all the talent, the measurables but never top 5. So for this year he thought he would give it a shot. Give the old lucky charm a go. This year he decided to eat a bowl of lucky charms before every game. With the Otters seemingly doing so well and Westfield receiving the benefits of these stellar games it seems to be working, but how long will it last. Hopefully he has conquered this mental hurdle and will take his game to the next level.

[Bzerkap]

Mat Akselsen does not believe in luck. He believes in hard work, something that Jayce Tuck with his god given athleticism will never understand. Mat has had to work for every inch he's gotten, he takes it. There is one thing that Mat always has on him during gamedays however, a bone fragment from a wolf skull.

It was his rookie year, and having just been drafted by the Wraiths, Mat decided to explore the town of Yellowknife and see the sights. He went to the hotel, town center, and the local pub. It all took about 30 minutes, so he decided to check out the wilderness. It was only a bit after noon but it being the dead of winter, the sun was already lowering in the southern sky. There was a forest near the town that he headed toward, and the deeper he got the more sure of his direction he became as if something were guiding him. He saw a ghostly visage in the distance and approached it with caution. When he got within five feet of it, the ghost faded away. Mat was drawn to the snow beneath it and when he dug around he found the bone fragment, the power clearly visible in it. Mat is not a superstitious man, but he felt this a sign from the land that he would have a purpose in Yellowknife. He has kept it on him every day since.

[DeathOnReddit]

Arbin Asipi's lucky charm is calling his mom before every game. His teammates use to make fun of him, but after winning back to back ultimus games, they usually are sitting right next to him and making sure he calls her. Every time its the same conversation. Hi, how are you, good luck, love you, bye. Some of his teammate have also started calling their moms as well. Its worked for the team, and Arbin has always been a momma's boy. Of course his dad also listens in, and after winning his first ultimus Arbin decided to buy his parents their own house. And winning the 2nd ultimus with a even better record, maybe he needs to buy them a mansion! Arbin always remembered his parents buying him gifts even when they fell on hard times, and there was no way he would let them work any longer. Unlike other players parents who used their kids for money, Arbins never tried to use him for money like that. While at first they wanted him to go to college for a different reason than football, Arbin could understand. He knew they were worried about him not making it, and not have a good degree to find a nice paying job.

[Zoone16]

Code:

223 words

Alexandre LeClair is not very superstitious but does stick to a pre-set order of doing things come game day regardless if it’s at home or away. It all starts in the morning where breakfast is the same; 2 eggs, bacon and a healthy dose of potatoes. During the morning warm-ups, he runs back and forth along every 10yd line and a few along the whole length of the field. Then comes lunch where LeClair eats pasta & chicken; his favourite game day food. This can be cooked differently but without fail his plate will have these on game day. The coaches have long tried to get him to eat like the rest of the team and at this point have given up and let him do his own thing. Alexandre LeClair likes that. He’s a simple guy with a simple routine.
Come game time, LeClair is always among the first players ready to go. He often gets to the arena earlier than the team bus, it’s too cramped in there anyways. Legs, armor, uniform, cleats, gloves. This is the order that he puts his gear on. Always from left to right. And just before putting his helmet on, he gives the shiny Legion logo a good polish and a gentle headbutt. Simple things for a simple man, just the way he likes it.

[jaskins811]

Joseph Askins is an avid believer in superstitions. He has always prepared for his games in the same ways since his high school days to ensure that he performs to his maximum capability on game days. The night before a game, he always eats a large amount of spaghetti with meatballs to carb load his body for the long game ahead of him. He washes down this meal with a cold glass of whole milk to finish it off. In the morning he cooks himself 4 slices of bacon and eats that along with a glass of milk as well. Before the game he always has a protein bar to give him his last boost of energy.

He also likes to wear similar clothes. Ever since his state championship game in high school, he has worn the same pair of socks for every game. Although they are getting old by now, he still believes that they help him perform at a higher level. He likes to listen to the same music while warming up, as it gives him a rush of nostalgia which puts him in the right mindset to play some football. With all of these preparations that have been made routine by Askins, he always feels confident when lining up on the field to play a game.