From downing Cheetos to growing out beards: KIRO Newsradio’s wild Mariners superstitions

As the Seattle Mariners play in the ALCS against the Toronto Blue Jays, fans are hoping their Mariners superstitions will take the team to the World Series.

The KIRO Newsradio crew shared their wild rituals.

Charlie Harger, co-host of “Seattle’s Morning News”: “So you’ve probably heard Rick Rizzs talking about Cheetos. He’s eating Cheetos to make sure the Mariners win. Well, on Friday night, the whole Harger family, we were all downing Cheetos that entire 15-inning game, and guess what—we won. So I guess the Cheetos work.”

Luke Duecy, KIRO Newsradio reporter: “Here’s my superstition. So what I’d usually do is lay out all my Seattle Mariners ball caps and all my jerseys, and then I have to, during the game, pick and choose different combinations, because it’s up to me. If I’m wearing the wrong combination and they’re losing, then it’s obviously my fault, so I have to pick the right combination throughout the game. I probably go through about six or seven hat combinations and jersey combinations throughout a game.”

Aaron Granillo, KIRO Newsradio anchor: “I don’t think I have an impact on the game. I used to as a younger kid, not anymore. I just wear my Mariners gear, my Mariners hat. I got a Griffey jersey, but it’s up to the players. Not me. I got no say in what happens on the field.”

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Newsradio traffic reporter: “It’s kind of weird. I don’t have any Mariners superstitions because I didn’t watch every game of the regular season, so it’s only kind of hit or miss. Now came to football, my son’s games, Seahawks. Oh, yeah. But the Mariners, it’s kind of hit or miss. Friday night, hat on backwards, lot of alcohol, that worked. Sunday, my hat was on backwards. Little bit alcohol wasn’t working, so I had to flip it around. Pop another and there you go. You saw what happened? Works for me. I wouldn’t recommend it for you, got an iron liver. Go Mariners.”

Paul Holden, KIRO Newsradio producer: “Well, if you follow the show, you know I’m not necessarily a born and raised Mariners fan, but I’ve hopped on the bandwagon and hopped on the superstition with the old playoff beard. Haven’t shaved since the playoffs started. Let the beard ride to see if they could beat the Rockies to get into the postseason. And now we’re gonna see if we can ride it all the way to the World Series. It’s getting itchy. It’s getting scratchy, but anything for the team to help the Mariners head to that first World Series ever. But as always, gotta sneak in that go Rockies.”

Manda Factor, co-host of “Seattle’s Morning News”: “Mine is simple. I have hopped on the Rick Rizzs Cheetos bandwagon. They have to be the crunchy kind. That’s it. Go, Mariners.”

Jake Skorheim, co-host of “The Jake and Spike Show”: “My superstition is that I have to be eating the same foods. I have to be wearing the same clothes. So on Friday night, when the Mariners went 15 innings, I was wearing this jersey. So I had to wear it again on Sunday. So I did, and then now I’m wearing it today. So they better win today. If they don’t win, I suppose I have to burn all these clothes, which would be a shame, because I do like the jersey. So yeah, it’s just replicating and just doing your part, just to make sure that everything is the exact same, so that the team can be in their best shape to win. I don’t know how much I’m affecting it. I’d say probably no more than 1 or 2% of the outcome is based on the clothes that I’m wearing and the foods that I’m eating, but every little bit helps.”

Frank Sumrall, MyNorthwest lead editor: “My superstition is, because I work here super early in the morning, so when I get out of here in the early afternoon, the Mariners have had the best success if I’ve made my scrambled eggs before the game. They have lost every time I haven’t. If it’s five o’clock, first pitch, two o’clock first pitch—I need to make my scrambled eggs and eat it before the game starts. So far, that’s worked. Go, Mariners.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.