Inside Iowa State

March 11, 2005

What do you do to help the Cyclones win?

by Anne Krapfl

It's basketball tournament time, with the Cyclone men's and women's teams competing in the Big 12 conference tournament in Kansas City this week, and awaiting word this weekend of national tournament bids.

Inside inquired about pre-game or game rituals, habits and routines of several campus fans. Superstitions? Nah. This stuff really works. Here's what a few of your colleagues do to help lock up another Cyclone "W."

Todd Sirotiak, civil, construction and environmental engineering

"I tease my students that if it's a bad game, I'll write a harder test. They cheer like holy heck for the team!"

Mary Jo Glanville, Engineering communications

"When the Cyclone women play on the road, I don't listen to games on the radio. I get too nervous, and if I do turn it on -- say, if I happen to be in the car -- I jinx them; they get creamed.

"When the men's games are televised, I set my VCR to record the telecasts. If I watch a telecast live, they lose."

Nancy Evans, educational leadership and policy studies; Jim Trenberth, theater department

"We have to be 'in uniform' -- cardinal and gold sweatshirts -- whether they play at home or away. [Nancy] forgot to change when they played at Nebraska last month, and it jinxed them. We all know how that one turned out.

"We have all the photo inserts from the game programs on our refrigerator, side by side, in rows, to keep the team on our minds. When we couldn't attend a home game, Jim drove over to buy a program so we wouldn't be missing one of the women. They will stay up until after the national tournament."

Pam Mundt, human resource services

"At Hilton, I always wear my red suede shoes. Four of us bought them at the Big 12 tournament several years ago.

"When the teams play on the road, I don't listen to the radio broadcasts. I just can't do it. If they're on TV, the last two minutes of the game I pace in circles in the kitchen (regardless of the score)."