You probably won’t find people in any walk of life more superstitious or conscious of talk of hoodoos than professional athletes.
I’d like to think I’m at the lower end of the scale. There are a few routines I go through before a game, but I think that’s probably more a habit than a superstition.
Put it this way, I’m not hung up on putting my left sock on with my right hand like some people are!
When you think about it logically, there is absolutely no reason why any of the foibles that sports people have should have an impact on what happens on the court, rink, pitch, or wherever.
But you can’t underestimate the psychological side of sport.
If somebody thinks it makes a difference, then it puts them in a better mental place, and if you’re in a better mental place then you’ve got a stronger chance of performing well.
It’s the same with talk of hoodoos and bogey teams.
The build-up to St Johnstone’s Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen has been dominated by Saints’ poor record in semi-finals and against Aberdeen as a team.
I know from experience things like that can get into your head.
For some reason Denmark were the team I could never manage to beat for a while.
They weren’t the best rink by any means, but we kept losing to them.
We knew it, they knew it, so it became a factor.
Once we did it the first time, it became irrelevant.
So until Saints win their first Scottish Cup semi, even though it has been different teams over the years, it will be in their minds.
That’s where the manager and his backroom team will come in.
They have to make sure the players strip away the stuff that they can’t affect, and just do their own jobs to the best of their ability.
The good news for Saints is that I might be a lucky charm, and I’m going to the match on Sunday! All the girls are. The club have been kind enough to invite us along to Ibrox.
I can’t remember seeing Saints lose since I was a kid, and they played really well the last time I watched them against Hibs.
Just like hoodoos and superstitions sometimes things are just meant to be in sport, and I’ve got a good feeling that this could be their time.
I’ve kept May 17 free in my diary.
Hopefully they’ll do it, but not after extra-time and penalties because we have to rush away quickly after the game!
* There is always more interest in the London Marathon when one of our track stars steps up to that distance.
It happened with Liz McColgan and Paul Radcliffe, and now it’s Mo Farah’s turn.
There’s no doubt he will bring out the crowds.
Hopefully he’ll be fit and well after the race and for the next few months, because it would be a big blow for the Commonwealth Games if he couldn’t make it to Glasgow.
* Sir Chris Hoy has become the latest sportsman to miss the buzz of competitive sport and is going to take up racing cars.
It happens time and time again. I’m sure he won’t need the money but there’s obviously a gap that hasn’t been filled since he retired from cycling.
I think it’s especially true for the adrenalin junkies like Sir Chris and Amy Williams, who swapped sliding down the ice for hurtling round in a rally car.
Curling’s played at a bit more sedate pace, so maybe I’ll be OK when I retire if I just play a bit more golf. I’m certainly not going to get much of a chance to get the clubs out this summer though, going by my diary!