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Before we begin, I just want to give Christopher Gates over at Daily Norseman a shout-out for always coming up with good questions that other less creative folks like myself can crib off of. Solid work all around. The latest DN topic to inspire me? What's Your Game Day Ritual?
It's an interesting question whose answer often varies greatly from fan to fan. Some folks I know are relently superstitious. They'll wear the same jersey when watching games until the Gophers lose. Then its time for a different jersey, sweatshirt, whatever. Other folks just wear whatever maroon & gold gear they decide the like best that Saturday and show up to watch a game at the time that best suites them. Some folks are creatures of habit, always getting to their lot or the stadium at the same time in the AM to allow for maximum fun. Some fans are prideful, always driven to be the first person in the tailgate lot. When it's basketball and hockey season I'm sure some people always pregame at the same campus bar. Heck, I've even read about fans who no longer go to games because they think they're bad luck and their ritual is to always watch the game on TV. But whatever drives fans to follow (or not follow) a game day ritual, to me the core of every variation on this theme is to have a good time.
/cues Pitbull music
//ducks before @gopherstate can glare at him
My ritual is pretty simple.
This the core of my gameday plans. Maroon & gold Zubaz pants or shorts. Home or away. It's my constant. Outside this biggie, I have a few other rituals:
- The Zubaz are currently reserved for football and outdoor hockey games only. I may revisit this decision in the future, but for now they are not worn for basketball games or indoor hockey.
- Whenever I'm driving to MN from WI (this is all the time, not just for football) I have to play the Rouser when I cross the border. I know the exact spot on 94 in Hudson to start the Rouser so that the drum cadence intro ends and the Rouser begins while over the center of the St. Croix. If for any reason I do not have access to the full version of the Rouser available to me, I hum or sing it to myself and all occupants of the vehicle (or on one trip, to myself and my friend who was on the phone with me at the time).
- If possible, the first food item I will eat in the tailgate lot is always a polish sausage. Don't know why, I just like the taste of a good polish to start my grilled meat and beer gorging.
- Wisconsin beer is never to be consumed before any Gopher game. I don't care how delicious the selection might be, it's just wrong.
- This isn't my ritual so much as it's my wife's, but on a college FB Saturday she'll never let me sleep in so late that I miss Corso's GameDay pick. Did I mention she is awesome?
Yes, I am weird. No, I do not care that people think so. If there is one thing any good Minnesotan familiar with our state's staid nature should be familiar with, it's the importance of rituals and traditions. And something tells me I'm not alone here.