Loom band fad has us in a twist

Forget the cancer scares and environmental worries — the loom band craze will only last so long, says Mark Evans

SUPERSTITION among sportspeople is almost always contained among those who partake in team events. You will find plenty of rituals among footballers but not too many among snooker players. Psychologists say it’s all to do with how much individual control they have over their sport’s outcome. If they have to rely on those around them to win, there’s more chance they will have a pre-match ritual. Golfers too were always ones to depend on science and rarely messed about with religious blessings or silly dances on the first tee box. So, there were plenty of raised eyebrows after Rory McIlroy raised the idea that his fantastic year should be attributed to a charm made out of small rubber bands which he sported throughout the summer.

“It was given to me by Stephen Gallacher’s little girl [Ellie] before the [British] Open and I still haven’t taken it off,” said Rory in July. “Stevie said that when I was on my way to winning at Hoylake, she was watching on TV and jumping up and down. Maybe I should be thanking her.”