Despite changes that we are observing in the world of sports today, there is one aspect that cannot be changed – traditions. The sports world is filled with all sorts of traditions from the fans to the players, and I felt it necessary to give my rankings on some of the best.

(click on the name to watch a video of each tradition)

5.  Milwaukee Brewers Sausage Race

Anyone who has gone to a Major League Baseball game has seen some variation of a mascot race. Well, all these races can be traced back to the Klement’s Sausage Race that takes place at every Milwaukee Brewers home game since the early 90’s. There’s just something about seeing oversized sausages race each other night in and night out. I mean who, besides Randall Simon, doesn’t get a kick out of watching Brett Wurst the bratwurst, Stosh Jonjak the Polish sausage, Guido the Italian sausage, Frankie Furter the hot dog, or Cinco the chorizo battle it out on a nightly basis?

4. Detroit Red Wings Octopus Throw

Any PETA supporters might want to avert their eyes for this one. This playoff tradition of throwing an octopus onto the ice all started for Detroit Red Wings fans in 1952. The thought process behind doing so was that the eight arms on the octopus would co-inside with the eight wins needed to win the Stanley Cup and bring some good luck, which it ended up doing and the tradition has been around ever since. Nothing gets the people more fired up and ready to go for a home playoff than seeing a soft-bodied eight-armed mollusk fly through the air and smack against the ice.

3. New Zealand All Blacks’ (National Rugby Team) The Haka

The Whatta? The Haka is by far the most fascinating tradition on this list. The Haka itself is a traditional war cry and dance that is seen as a challenge from the Maori people, ancestors of New Zealand. This barbaric war cry would leave me befuddled if I was lining up on the opposing sideline, feeling extra intimidated. Nonetheless, its sheer uniqueness made it a no-doubter for this list.

2. Texas A&M Baseball Ball 5 Chant

Rolling right along with the intimidation factor is this chant from the Texas A&M baseball fans. Once an opposing pitcher has dealt a four pitch walk, they chant in unison predicting the next pitch (i.e. after four pitch walk; BALL 5, BALL 5, BALL 5) and continue to do so until the pitcher throws a strike, which brings about a sarcastic applause. It would take all I had as a person to not curl up into a ball and cry as an opposing pitcher if this chant was bellowing around the stadium.

1 . Iowa Football Wave

I swear I’m not crying, just sweating from my eyes. This heartwarming tradition started just this year with the Iowa Football fans, players, and opposing players waving to the new Children’s Hospital which overlooks the stadium after the 1st Quarter. This tradition is neither comical, befuddling, or intimidating, which so far has been my criteria in determining my Top 5. One does not have to be a fan of sports to truly grasp just how special this tradition is.

These traditions are as much apart of the sports that we all know and love as the game itself. These traditions of old and the ones that we continue to establish is an example of just how special sports truly are.