The Detroit Red Wings' most eagerly anticipated tradition is throwing of an octopus on the ice during the playoffs. The bizarre fan ritual began back when only four NHL teams made the playoffs, and the eight legs symbolized the eight wins needed to win the Stanley Cup. Attendants are booed if they use a shovel to remove the octopus and cheered if they use their bare hands.
When the Stars moved to Dallas years ago, the tradition of the octopus followed with the new Dallas fans. PETA and the Humane Society got upset and demanded a stop to this. They said that it was cruel to the octopus. These two stupid groups thought that you could go to a pet store and buy these creatures. They did not know that they were already dead and came from a seafood market.
Best ever octopus in Detroit was during the Stanley Cup Finals against NJ during Detroits first home game. Detroit scored the first goal and a guy threw an octopus on the ice that was immense. As usual a guy came out with a bucket to put it in. Big problem, octopus was too big. As is also tradition, the guy who picks up the octopus swings the octopus around his head in the air.
He picked up the octopus to remove it from the ice and held his arm up and it was still dragging on the ice! The crowd started cheering for him to do the "swing". He attempted, but it was too large and he could only get it around once.
They found and interviewed the guy who threw it and asked him where he got such a big octopus. Answer... Mexico!