Tar Heel Hangover: The superstitions at home

Welcome to the Tar Heel Hangover. After a long season with a lot of losses and a long offseason already with a lot of time at home, let’s try to figure out what can be done for next year. I’m not writing about the players leaving or those coming in. I’m not worrying about when students will return to campus or what is happening on the recruiting trail.

I am only thinking about what happens in the home of fans.

What did you wear at home for all the games? It was wrong. What chair did you sit in? That was not right either. Tar Heel fans need to collectively make some changes to support the team. Time to look at the options.

Coach Roy Williams made it well known during the season that he throws away his tie following a loss. That resulted in a lot of discarded laundry during the season. The lucky tie, however, can only work for the master on the court.

What should fans do at home? This is a great topic to consider the week. Here are a few possibilities that could dictate the outcome of the upcoming year.

1. What are you wearing? Yes, superstitions may be silly. Sure, its possible that whatever you do within the comfortable confines of your home while watching the beloved Tar Heels may not matter at all. But what if it does? What if your choice of game day gear made all the difference?

For me, the keys are shoes, socks, shorts, shirt, and visor. There are countless combinations. In the good years, the visor is purchased on Franklin Street in the fall during a football game visit. Everything is color coordinated.

All fans have their own attire. The lucky sweatshirt. The worn hat. The spiky blue wig. The tee shirt that makes fun of a rival. Whatever you wore last year, do not wear it again. Pull the Roy Williams and throw it out.

2. What are you drinking? There is something to be said for both what is in the vessel and what vessel it is. Everyone has their game day go to. I have a very odd system for the beverage. Sometimes it is a frosty brew. Sometimes a Kentucky small batch. Whatever it may be, the container always turns as the game clock winds. At tip off, the logo or face of the glass is at 12:00. By half time, it has rotated clock-wise to 6:00. The pivot continues as game moves on.

Unfortunately, last year had too many opponent shots falling as the glass struck 12:00 again.

3. Where are you sitting? Perhaps your domicile has different rooms and some of them are good for the road games and some are good for home wins. Maybe it is the same room but a different chair. What volume does the sound have to be on? These are all of the issues that surround watching a game at home.

It could be that watching at home is not the best spot for the team. A local bar or restaurant may be the spot. Getting to the live game at the Dean Smith Center is always the best but that may not be a viable option for those living far away. A bar stool, a recliner, or perhaps just pacing around the room; whatever works for the team works for the ans’ collective happiness.

These are just a few of the possible combinations. The outfit could make all the difference. It could be the beverage that both calms the nerves and fuels the victory. Perhaps it is the location more than the attire and the liquid refreshment that makes the difference.

Whatever the outcome of this debate, please do something different next year. Post in the comments your opinions on these three categories and any others that I missed.

Stay safe. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your face.

Go Heels.