Maybe it’s because I was a big fan of late-night talk show host David Letterman, but I have always liked Top 10 lists. Of any type. Sports, movies, music, whatever. In that vein here is my Top 10 list of sports traditions.
10 – The playing of the National Anthem before sporting events. Let’s face it, if it wasn’t for sporting events, we would rarely hear our National Anthem. And as a proud American, that would be sad. Bonus points for when the National Anthem is played after a US athlete wins a gold medal at the Olympics. It always sends a chill down my spine.
9 – The winner putting on the green jacket at The Masters. I’ll admit, I’m not a big golf fan, but this simple act is an honorable & time-honored tradition that even non-golf fans can appreciate.
8 – Speaking of green, no stadium or ballpark feature matches that of the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Standing 37’ 2” high, it is captivating to see it in person and I always enjoy watching a home run fly into the netting (or now the seats) above the The Wall (as it was once known) or hearing a line drive ping off The Monster. As a side note, the wall was painted green in 1947 and prior to that was covered with advertisements.
7 – Let’s continue with the green theme. Watching Green Bay Packers players doing the Lambeau Leap into the stands after scoring a touchdown is the best celebration of a touchdown there is.
6 – NASCAR crashes. Not really a tradition and I certainly don’t wish any harm to the drivers, but the car crashes are exciting and unlike anything else you will witness during a sporting event.
5 – The Super Bowl. Football betting pools, halftime shows, commercials, parties and, oh yeah, there is a game too. The entertainment doesn’t end. It is an all-day event and is usually the #1 watched TV show of the year.
4 – March Madness. The fact that this tournament crowns the NCAA basketball champion is secondary. March Madness is more about the upsets, buzzer beating game winning shots, giving the little guy the opportunity to compete against the Goliaths of college basketball and a plethora of games in a short period of time. And let’s not forget the associated tradition of filling out the brackets.
3 – OK, this one is for the South Florida football fans. The Canes running out of the tunnel through the smoke. Always cool, even though some of the Hurricane’s performances on the field have been tough to watch over the past 20 years. Hang in there Canes fans, the glory days will return. For the non-Canes fans I will substitute the Ohio State bands dotting of the i.
2 – The singing of “Take me out to the ballgame” at Cubs games during the 7th inning stretch. Participating in this tradition in person at Wrigley Field is on my bucket list, but in the interim I never get tired of seeing it on TV whether it be with a celebrity or the videos of Harry Caray leading the fans in the song.
1 – The NHL’s post playoff handshake. NHL playoff series can be physical, emotional and, at times, downright nasty. But after the series ends, all of the players lineup to shake hands as if there were long lost brothers. The ultimate show of sportsmanship & respect for your fellow players. P.S. The Stanley Cup is also the best trophy in sports.
So, there you have it. My Top 10 of sports traditions. If I have overlooked some traditions that you think deserve to be on this list, let me know.
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