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Blue Jackets on alert for Octopi

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This article makes it sound like octopi are a year-round tradition.

"We have not had one (octopus thrown) this season," Granger said, adding that arena personnel know what to look for after witnessing octopi hit the ice during previous seasons.

No kidding you have been successful. You have never hosted a PLAYOFF game!

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Guest Shoreline

I'm gonna laugh my ass off if there's one thrown, now that the attention is on the octopi. :lol:

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You know that it's going to happen, we are very resourceful people. :thumbup:

One found it's way onto the ice in Pittsburgh last year and the fish markets checked I.D. before selling them. :octo:

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What a bunch of *******. Sounds like they are butthurt about being down 0-2 so they have to focus on the octopi. I hope someone gets one out to smite them. A bunch of fans on the Columbus forum basically said they would play police officer if they saw anyone attempting it.

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Seems like there was a cool story last year where a Wings fan bought 2 tickets knowing he would be kicked out just to throw a pus on the ice.

Anyways, its not a matter of if one will be throw, its when.

Edit: here it is

PITTSBURGH -- Splat!

Advertisement

The octopus hit the ice of Mellon Arena to a chorus of boos just after the national anthem Saturday.

But the tentacled toss didn't come from a Michigander. Zach Smith, 19, of Cleveland, an avid Red Wings fan and adrenaline junkie, hurled the slimy creature.

Then he got tossed. Security guards threw him out.

"You're outta here," Smith said they told him. "Come back in and you get arrested."

But Smith and his two friends from metro Detroit, who asked not to be identified, had a plan.

They had bought an extra ticket in anticipation of his booting. That's an extra $300 from a scalper.

And Smith was wearing a regular T-shirt, instead of Red Wings gear, when he threw the octopus.

Outside, he quickly threw on a Red Wings sweater and walked back into Gate 3.

"I feel great," Smith said as he roamed around the arena. "I'm not nervous. Anything with an adrenaline rush, I love it."

The plan began Friday as Smith was visiting his girlfriend in metro Detroit. They bought an octopus at Superior Fish Co. in Royal Oak, stored it in a cooler and drove to Cedar Point.

On Saturday, they completed the journey to Pittsburgh. The octopus was uncooked, cold and smelly.

Smith wrapped it in a plastic bag and taped it to his belly, under his shirt.

"Before the national anthem, we made our way down there and stood there," he said. "I got it out and just tossed it."

As the guards took him out, fans screamed obscenities.

"I hate Pittsburgh more than anything," he said, noting the rivalry between Cleveland and Pittsburgh. "It was great. I loved the rush."

Jay Roberts, general manager of Mellon Arena, wasn't impressed.

"You're not allowed to throw things on the ice in the building, and we kick people out for throwing all sorts of things," he said. "That could have hit somebody."

What about hats during hat tricks?

"That's part of the game, and they are allowed to throw the hats," Roberts said.

Little did Roberts know that Smith had reentered the building and reunited with his friends.

Red Wings fans applauded Smith for representing them.

"Even if he got kicked out, that's true Detroit pride," said Trevor Staahl, 23, of Grosse Pointe Woods. "That's how we do it in Detroit."

"They got their traditions, we got ours," said Mike Gadsby, 45, a Penguins fan and native Pittsburgher who lives in Livonia. "He shouldn't have been tossed."

Gadsby's buddy, Michael Gelorme, 45, of Pittsburgh, disagreed.

"I'm glad they threw him out," Gelorme said. "You can't come in here and throw the octopus."

Edited by Statts

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I feel bad for the Nationwide employees, im sure octopi stink alot, but so will the Detroit fans. It's going to be hard to figure out if the detroit fan has one in their bag or if they just smell that bad...

jk, it will be hillarious to see octopi thrown on the ice, it's a great tradition

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Guest Four

Easy way of getting this in..

I already own a cheap 50$ Columbus jersey that I could wear to "show my support" for their team. They'll think less of me as I scroll in with a octopus hanging from my thigh and get in easy, and switch to my red wing jersey.

..If only I lived in USA this would work atleast >.>

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i am so sick of everyone not respecting one of the greatest traditions in hockey. i know that you mainly throw an octopus on the ice during playoff time. but during the fall i was interning in chicago in a well known sports department. when the hockey season began and they found out chicago was playing the wings in the classic, you wouldve thought that chicago stole the name hockeytown. people jumped on the hawks bandwagon so fast and many of the SPORT WRITERS could not name more than five blackhawks on the team. i took so much crap at work that for the first detroit chicago game, i bought an octopus and threw one on the ice after the national anthem... though i bought two tickets expecting to get kicked out i didn't. here is a picture of me practicing throwing the octopus in the streets of chicago.

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Edited by chet1530

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i am so sick of everyone not respecting one of the greatest traditions in hockey. i know that you mainly throw an octopus on the ice during playoff time. but during the fall i was interning at the chicago suntimes in their sports department. when the hockey season began and they found out chicago was playing the wings in the classic, you wouldve thought that chicago stole the name hockeytown. people jumped on the hawks bandwagon so fast and many of the SPORT WRITERS could not name more than five blackhawks on the team. i took so much crap at work that for the first detroit chicago game, i bought an octopus and threw one on the ice after the national anthem... though i bought two tickets expecting to get kicked out i didn't. here is a picture of me practicing throwing the octopus in the streets of chicago.

Nice form, got time to make a trip to Columbus?

Agreed that it's a great tradition but I'm not sure I can fault other teams for not wanting it in their building. As for Chi-town they been waiting awhile for a team to root for.

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i am so sick of everyone not respecting one of the greatest traditions in hockey. i know that you mainly throw an octopus on the ice during playoff time. but during the fall i was interning at the chicago suntimes in their sports department. when the hockey season began and they found out chicago was playing the wings in the classic, you wouldve thought that chicago stole the name hockeytown. people jumped on the hawks bandwagon so fast and many of the SPORT WRITERS could not name more than five blackhawks on the team. i took so much crap at work that for the first detroit chicago game, i bought an octopus and threw one on the ice after the national anthem... though i bought two tickets expecting to get kicked out i didn't. here is a picture of me practicing throwing the octopus in the streets of chicago.

Haha nice, I've been hanging my Wings flag throughout Roscoe Village but I need to find an Octopus to complete the set.

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I've been on this board every day for almost 2 years and thought with this topic it was time to register.

I'm heading to Columbus for games 3 and 4.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I WILL BE THROWING AN OCTOPUS.

Wings fan for life and I cannot wait to carry on the tradition in Columbus.

I've got 2 tickets just like the guy in pittsburgh last year.

You heard it here, look for it, it will happen.

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I've been on this board every day for almost 2 years and thought with this topic it was time to register.

I'm heading to Columbus for games 3 and 4.

Just wanted to let everyone know that I WILL BE THROWING AN OCTOPUS.

Wings fan for life and I cannot wait to carry on the tradition in Columbus.

I've got 2 tickets just like the guy in pittsburgh last year.

You heard it here, look for it, it will happen.

Go forth and fling thy cephalopod! :patriot:

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May the force be with each and every one of you with the guts to toss the squid. I love it!

The ushers at the Anaheim Pond/Honda Center were always on the lookout, but as far as I know they never knew how to detect them. Probably the same in Columbus!

Good luck.. I will be watching!

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I don't think the question will be if, but how many. There should be a decent Wings presence there. Not like having to play in San Jose or something.

Edited by zettie85

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