KU fans share superstitions ahead of Final Four matchup with Villanova

By Conner Mitchell Mar 30, 2018

Contributed

Left: Photo contributed by Lane Stanberry, Middle: Photo contributed by Jackson Schneider, Right: Photo contributed by Brad Roosa, Bottom: Photo contributed by Ryan Miller.

Ahead of Kansas’ Final Four appearance on Saturday against the Villanova Wildcats, we asked you to share your gameday quirks as the Jayhawks gear up for their biggest matchup of the season.

Nearly 100 readers reached out via social media — and while we can’t share every response, these were some of the superstitions that stood out:

Andrew, 29

“If I watch KU in the tournament and they lose I won’t ever watch them again at that location. Lots of places crossed off…”

My dad always has to have the cops show on the other channel. Every commercial he’s looks to see who’s getting arrested as a way of calming down. It’s worked for the whole tournament…

— Anna “you forgot the EN in my last name” MenENdez (@peacemusicblkbt) March 28, 2018

Blake Savage, 34

” [I wear a] Tyshawn Taylor jersey from the ’52 Champs [throwback] game. Long sleeve KU shirt underneath. KU socks and shoes. It’s the combination I found for this year. Once KU loses whatever I’m wearing is never worn on GameDay again.”

Lane Stanberry, 20

“I wear the same three jerseys, same undershirt, same KU SnapBack (snapped 4 notches) with same jeans, same socks and same shoes for every game successively since the Big 12 Tournament. The first being an 06-07 Darnell Jackson, followed by 06-07 [Mario] Chalmers, followed by 06-07 [Julian] Wright with dark blue jeans, two semi-ripped Nike socks, and black Converse.”

http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2018/mar/30/324778/

My younger daughter, age 9, developed a superstition this year of going off to take a “panic shower”….but it was when KU is close/down in a game. It’s worked since conference play!

— BP (@brianpowellinfo) March 28, 2018

Jackson Schneider, 22

“I wear a pink bow tie to broadcast every game on KJHK. KU has never lost when I wear that bow tie.”

http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2018/mar/30/324779/

Daniel O’Neil, 20

“My buddy and I are in the band and we lost a bet on the bus ride to the first game of the Big XII tournament so we had to bite into a banana sideways and eat it like that. We proceeded to beat OSU without [Udoka Azuibuike]. We jokingly continued the ritual before K-State only to win again. By the WVU final it was our thing. We’ve bitten into bananas sideways on the road to the arena before every game of postseason and plan on TWO MORE BANANAS and a Natty.”

I know Kansas’ record when wearing every Kansas shirt I own. I won’t take a shirt out of rotation for 1 loss, but for a big game, it will be passed over. My gf got me one for Xmas and it is 4-0 so far, including the duke game. 1 shirt for both OSU games, is now a gym shirt.

— Michael Simpson (@NY_Hawk44) March 28, 2018

Brad Roosa, 48

“This is the TV I watched the 2008 run on. It came out of the attic before the Penn game and so far so good. Nearly killed myself getting it out of the attic and am almost positive I ruptured a hernia, but, WORTH IT. This weekend, I’ll be wearing the same red KU shorts I wore watching the last run. Also, I live in Houston and had tickets to the San Antonio Final Four run in 2008, but couldn’t make it. After we beat Duke, the same friend offered me tickets this year and I declined again because I’m too superstitious and MUST watch the game on this TV in my red shorts. Can’t disrupt the ‘mojo’.”

http://www2.ljworld.com/photos/2018/mar/30/324780/

My dad & I have to watch every single game in the exact same seats at his house. We once had some family over during a game and he insisted that they had to move so we could sit in our assigned seats ???? Plus we have a ninja-turtles like handshake we must do before each game, lol!

— Sarah Hardy (@Sarahlynn321) March 28, 2018

Tyler Bowles, 20

“I have to have twitter open, with my text messages open in the background; I have to have the tv volume on 30; I have to be wearing a blue KU shirt with my gray KU pullover; my phone is face up to the right side of me; and I take a bathroom break with 3:00 left in the game. #truestory”

Mandi Frost, 31

“My husband, best friends and I are the most superstitious. Since we’re going to San Antonio we have made TexMex food for the games, we wear the same shirts as we have the whole tournament, we have to sit in the same seats and we have a ritual of turning on a KU spotlight throughout the game. We also only drink Free State! We’re nuts!

https://twitter.com/bderek3/status/979028476354277376

Alec Vobach, 18

“During the Clemson game Friday, me and my friend Jack got dippin dots ice cream at halftime. During Duke halftime when losing we got the same dippin dots as we did Friday. For Saturday were going to the store to get the SAME dippin dots as we did in Omaha. Rock chalk baby”

Danny Van Orsdel, 29

“-Volume at 15 (Mario)

-Put hands on dog and ask for all his luck before each game

-If we come out of TV timeout well, I’ll repeat the same words I said to my dog during the timeout at the next timeout

-My hands stay in same position whole game if winning. Change if we have bad stretch

-Never washing jersey of course”