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Octopus twirl now illegal, punishable by $10,000 fine (NHL)
Mlive/AP ^
| 4-20-07
| George James Malik
Posted on 04/20/2008 12:27:16 PM PDT by Darren McCarty
Posted by George James Malik April 19, 2008 08:29AM According to the Free Press's Helene St. James, the NHL has banned Al Sobotka's classic twirling of octopi at Joe Louis Arena:
April 18, Detroit Free Press: Just a little tidbit from Joe Louis Arena: The NHL has decided octopus twirling doesn't fit in with league image, or something to that effect.
The Wings have been told by the league that if Al Sobotka (or anyone else) twirls the octopus that's thrown onto the ice before playoff games, it'll cost the team $10,000.
I know opposing general managers have complained of this tradition because stuff flies off the octopus and sticks to the ice, but this is such a recognizable Detroit tradition.
One landed, just after the game, on the ice before Game 5, as usual. Nashville defenseman Greg Zanon skated by and whacked it aside with his stick.
........
Chris Osgood describes the situation as any Red Wings fan would:
"Certain teams and certain traditions, they should just leave them alone," the Wings' Chris Osgood said. "It's a shame. It's great for the atmosphere, and the fans love it. The league should ask the fans first before they do anything. That's who pays to get into the rink and see the game."
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.mlive.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Michigan
KEYWORDS: garybettman; hockey; nhl; octopus; octopussy; octopustwirling; redwings
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To: Popman
Weird to me too. Thanks for the picture. He could never get away doing that to Squidward.
21
posted on
04/20/2008 12:52:55 PM PDT
by
processing please hold
( "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.")
To: martin_fierro
And why do they call them tentacles when they’re only eight of ‘em?
22
posted on
04/20/2008 12:53:41 PM PDT
by
mikrofon
(Total Non-seq)
To: Darren McCarty
Can't say that I can think of a comparable sport ritual involving the desecration of a real dead animal's body.
They used to throw rubber chickens on the ice for a bad call, and hats for a “hat trick.”
I'm no animal right wacko, but this is just weird.
To: martin_fierro
Is peta involved in this decision? I see no harm in it.
24
posted on
04/20/2008 12:54:18 PM PDT
by
processing please hold
( "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.")
To: Squawk 8888
It looks like an innocent enough tradition. People sure do get twisted in a knot easily today.
25
posted on
04/20/2008 12:57:01 PM PDT
by
processing please hold
( "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.")
To: RGSpincich
26
posted on
04/20/2008 12:58:04 PM PDT
by
processing please hold
( "It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.")
To: ridesthemiles
When you are stuck in Detroit for the winter, Fixed.
27
posted on
04/20/2008 12:58:31 PM PDT
by
mc5cents
(Show me just what Mohammd brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman)
To: Darren McCarty
Mmmm! Octipus tenderized tentacles for the tailgate party outside. Put me at the front of the line.
To: Darren McCarty
Better images
To: RGSpincich
It was twirling a dead cat over your head, at midnight, in a cemetary. Wart removal.
To: afortiori
They used to throw rubber chickens on the ice Throwing a rubber octopus onto the ice would make the PC boss happy?
I think you have something there!
31
posted on
04/20/2008 1:01:24 PM PDT
by
TYVets
To: Paleo Conservative
Indeed, the origins of some traditions are hard to explain.
To: Darren McCarty; All
33
posted on
04/20/2008 1:08:14 PM PDT
by
Stoat
(Rice / Coulter 2012: Smart Ladies for a Strong America)
To: afortiori
Octopus twirl, dead cat bounce, dog days of summer, wabbit season, no, duck season.
34
posted on
04/20/2008 1:09:27 PM PDT
by
EQAndyBuzz
(Shouldn't the libs love a Hunter Thompson ticket in 08?)
To: Darren McCarty
I hope these octopi are dead already. I’m no animal rights nut, but twirling and throwing a live one around seems cruel. However, if it’s dead already, up yours, Bettman!
35
posted on
04/20/2008 1:09:39 PM PDT
by
Tolerance Sucks Rocks
(To the liberal, there's no sacrifice too big for somebody else to make. --FReeper popdonnelly)
To: Darren McCarty
Abusing or tormenting any kind of animal is despicable and cowardly. It shows a lack of humanity.
36
posted on
04/20/2008 1:15:56 PM PDT
by
Krankor
(kROGER)
To: Krankor
To: driftdiver
38
posted on
04/20/2008 1:24:41 PM PDT
by
Krankor
(kROGER)
To: processing please hold
No if PETA were involved they would inject them with poison and then dump them in a garbage bin.
To: ridesthemiles
The tradition of throwing octopus on the ice began back in 1952. Brothers Pete and Gerry Cusimano, being from a fish market family, thought that an octopus would be the perfect good luck symbol for the Red Wings. It had eight legs, and the Wings needed eight straight wins for the Stanley Cup. Made sense to them, anyways.
They brought their first octopus to Game 3 against the Canadiens. Pete threw the octopus on the ice after Gordie Howe scored his first goal. Official George Hays, one of the portlier linesman, skated over to remove it from the ice. When he reached down and saw what it was, both skates came off the ice and he skated away.
Seeing this, Detroit defenseman Marcel Pronovost skated over and hit it with his stick. This caused one of the tentacles to move, and Pronovost decided to skate elsewhere. The players stood around nervously until a groundskeeper removed the octopus with a shovel.
The good luck charm worked, it seems, as Detroit did win in eight straight. [excerpt]
From George Plimpton's "Open Net" book, the Octopus story of which a paraphrased version can be read
HERE
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