Firstly, apologies to those who have YET to download this week’s Token Skeptic episode – it was up briefly and then technical hiccups struck again (they apparently also struck the Skeptoid podcast, so do make sure you check and download them too!). Thanks to everyone who has been subscribing to the podcast; it’s only been a few weeks and I’m getting over two thousand downloads per episode already!
To make up for the mishap, there’ll be another episode out tomorrow as a bonus, after I was inspired by a question posed to me on Twitter. Thanks to everyone for their support!
Here’s a topic that I briefly touched upon in episode #5 ‘On Sports Superstitions‘. From ABC News: ‘Olympic Superstitions Include Lucky Undies, Socks’ -
Years of training, special diets and elite coaching may not be enough to win an Olympic medal. That’s when athletes turn to special socks, pictures of their kids or fortune cookies.
…”If I have a good race, whatever socks I’m wearing, whatever turtleneck I’m wearing, that tends to be the go-to,” said ski crosser Casey Puckett. “It generally is the undergarments.”
..Speed skater Chad Hedrick puts his faith in fortune cookies. “Before the 2006 games, a fortune said `your golden opportunity is coming soon,’” said Hedrick, who went on to win gold, silver and bronze medals in Turin. As a result, he tends to keep the fortunes he likes, with a supply of 25 to 30 on hand.
Naturally, as I said in the podcast, you have to stop and wonder. Are they reporting the likelihood because it makes for a quirky news story? Just how seriously is it taken by Olympic hopefuls?
A few accounts included in the article indicate some differing attitudes, including some that support my comment in the podcast about ‘repeatable routines’ rather than actual objects:
Performance coach Jonathan Katz has a more benevolent view. He said superstitions can reduce anxiety and give athletes something they can control. “I don’t have a problem with superstitions as long as they don’t become too cumbersome to the person,” Katz said.
Sports psychologist Sam Maniar of Cleveland said competition routines — such as a baseball player swinging the bat the same number of times before stepping into the box — are more valuable than superstitions. Such routines keep them focused on the moment, rather than wandering to the past or future, he said.
There’s even a few challenges to superstitious behaviours too - ‘”I think superstitions and lucky charms are for people that don’t have confidence,” said freestyle skier Jeret “Speedy” Peterson.”‘
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