Fight in the stands

[SiLkK19 67]

There's really only one message I want to send to octopi bashers: GET OVER IT!

We don't care if it's our arena or yours. We don't care if you beat us up and kick us out. We're there to support our team just as much as you are - and part of that support is the throwing of the octopi. How people seem to think that throwing punches is somehow a just punishment for doing it is beyond me. Did the octopus punch you? Did it harm you in any way? No. All it did was piss you off because GOD FORBID we have to stop the game for two minutes while the octopus is shoveled off the ice.

Teams do this every year and it never ceases to amaze me. Not only do 90% of the fans have NO IDEA why we throw the octopus to begin with, but there's always heightened security to keep an eye out for the octopus.. and yet, they almost always make it on the ice. Is it really that surprising that one made it on the ice in Columbus? No freakin' way. And don't me remotely surprised if one makes it there next time, either.

We're fans of our team. We enjoy empowering our team.. and part of that empowerment is throwing the octopus. What do you think the team is going to notice more? Holding a couple signs 25 rows back or throwing an octopus smack in the middle of the ice?

We're not going to stop because you heighten your security. We're not going to stop because you want to throw some wussy punches. And we certainly aren't going to stop just because you're feeling territorial. Get over it.

Well said! :octo:

[jollymania 162]

eh the pics show enough you dont really need vid do you heh

[Hocketownwest 11]

After watching the video it looks like he was prodded by the girl he was with to go do it, he kept trying to sit down and she kept pushing him to go do it.

Lessons to take from this.

5) Wait for a stop in play.

4) Take off your Wings jersey to camouflage yourself and give yourself more time for the element of surprise.

3) Don't hesitate giving the opposition the opportunity to see what you may be doing.

2) Don't waste time trying to stuff it through the camera hole, go find a row not blocked by the net and throw.

1) Never let your girlfriend tell you WHEN to do it

[Donaldjr2448 43]

Not only have our players gotten into their teams head, but now our fans have gotten into their heads!! This is simply awesome!! I hope that the kid is ok!

I have a Michigan Football Sticker on my car, and when I drive through Ohio on my way to Michigan, I always get people that flip me off, and I love it!! I just simply blow them a kiss back, they want us to puch back, so blowing the kiss just pisses them off even more!!

N-Dog said it, there are good people in Ohio, its too bad that a couple of idiots ruin it for everyone there. I would like to think the BlueJackets fan N-Dog for coming on here and basically not sticking up for his idiot fan! That takes guts dude!! You should give the guy some lessons!!

If there is a game 5, please, please, please, Wings Fans do not do anything to a Jackets fan at the JLA!! Let them bury themselves!!

GO WINGS!!!

[South Dakota wings fan 7]

Ohio is sort of an odd state. I'm from Cleveland originally but live in Cincinnati now. Bengals fans are atrocious. I don't even wear my Browns jersey to games here anymore b/c I went to two games in back to back years and ended up in fights in both of them. Just not worth it.

On the flip side, Browns fans can be pretty ornery too when it comes to the Steelers or Ravens coming to town.

As for the BJ's, my assumption would be that it was simply some drunken, "tough guy" ******* pissed about losing, etc..... From my experience, Ohioans are pretty nice people. But we're hard. We love our sports and after living here for almost all of my 32 years can attest to the fact that Ohioans don't mind getting into fights at sporting events.

I blame it on the reputation we have as a farming state with nothing but a bunch of hillbillys riding tractors on the street and such. The good ol' boy syndrome.

Being married with 2 small children, I find it best now not to represent any team when I go to a sporting event. I just mind my own business, cheer when appropriate and avoid the mess. People don't realize that all it takes is 1 punch for you to end up a vegetable or in prison. Not worth it.

Some might call this the difference between career guy and job guy. Career guy doesn't want to go to games anymore because he doesn't want to get drunk and make a fool of himself or be around guys who do. I have been to games in Tampa, Nashville, and Minny, and for the most part people have been decent. But you just never know.

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

Where is the link to the video? I missed that post.

[jollymania 162]

Where is the link to the video? I missed that post.

i never posted it, unless someone else did

[I Red Wings I 40]

Also, I feel like pointing out that when ESPN did their "50 States of SportsNation" poll or whatever it was called a year or two ago, the Wings outvoted the Jackets for favorite NHL team in Ohio. Thing of beauty. Thanks Toledo!

No problem We're all about MI sports in T-Town

[xxoutlawtorn 0]

Found this little quote on the Columbus Dispatch website. It was in a live chat transcript with the Dispatch's Aaron Portzline.

[Lee] Aaron, It's amazing to me that Detroit fans don't seem to understand that Columbus fans don't like them throwing Octopi on the ice. I find it a total sign of disrespect. Am I wrong? Is this a great tradition and we just don't get it?

[Portzline] No, but justice was meted out properly last night. The worst possible situation would be for a Red Wings fan to throw octopus on the ice and get no grief. From what I heard, the Red Wings fan who got one on the ice last night was eating knuckles before the slimy beast hit the ice. That's how it's supposed to be. Just like Blue Jackets fans getting roughed up for waving the flag in Detroit. Being a fan isn't easy.

All Red Wing allegience aside, is this really the message that should be written in a newspaper? That violence is supposed to be expected if you show up at another teams venue. That is how "it's supposed to be" Thats just ridiculous.

[C-TownWing 0]

Found this little quote on the Columbus Dispatch website. It was in a live chat transcript with the Dispatch's Aaron Portzline.

[Lee] Aaron, It's amazing to me that Detroit fans don't seem to understand that Columbus fans don't like them throwing Octopi on the ice. I find it a total sign of disrespect. Am I wrong? Is this a great tradition and we just don't get it?

[Portzline] No, but justice was meted out properly last night. The worst possible situation would be for a Red Wings fan to throw octopus on the ice and get no grief. From what I heard, the Red Wings fan who got one on the ice last night was eating knuckles before the slimy beast hit the ice. That's how it's supposed to be. Just like Blue Jackets fans getting roughed up for waving the flag in Detroit. Being a fan isn't easy.

All Red Wing allegience aside, is this really the message that should be written in a newspaper? That violence is supposed to be expected if you show up at another teams venue. That is how "it's supposed to be" Thats just ridiculous.

So basically, the guy who got one on the ice got jumped too. Interesting.

I think that's the thing that gets me the most. Not that a fight happened, that happens when you get enough alcohol and emotion in one place, but the way the others almost universally, and now including the team's beat writer side with the guy. Normally in civilization, you'd see most intelligent fans and the media piling on the guy for making them look like drunken a-holes.

[Happy Pancake 6]

Despite the man-crush people around here have, I'm going to have to go ahead and add Caps fans to that list. Of all the away games I've been to (Nashville, Boston, Dallas, even Colorado) I've never encountered bigger prick fans. You've got people trying to spit on you, throw beers at you, I've been in a fight outside the stadium, people in passing cars calling you a ****** even when little kids are around. That's why I will continue to say f*** the Caps and GO RANGERS.

Really? I've been many times to Capitals games living in the area. Sure there are douches that start fights at every game, Capitals included, but even with my Yzerman sweater on when the Red Wings are in town people have been quite friendly. Most of them just asking if I was from Michigan or what brings me to Virginia.

[Vincanni 1]

[Portzline] No, but justice was meted out properly last night. The worst possible situation would be for a Red Wings fan to throw octopus on the ice and get no grief. From what I heard, the Red Wings fan who got one on the ice last night was eating knuckles before the slimy beast hit the ice. That's how it's supposed to be. Just like Blue Jackets fans getting roughed up for waving the flag in Detroit. Being a fan isn't easy.

Yeah, by stadium security not some wannabe-vigilante D-bag who then brags about it the other day to fellow classless jackasses looking for some pittance of false heroism in there sad lives. I'm sure any "roughing up" by security was almost certainly victim precipitated anyways, as this "Top Shelf" loser strikes me as some obvious headcase who's goes around looking for trouble.

[Statts 4]

Yeah, by stadium security not some wannabe-vigilante D-bag who then brags about it the other day to fellow classless jackasses looking for some pittance of false heroism in there sad lives. I'm sure any "roughing up" by security was almost certainly victim precipitated anyways, as this "Top Shelf" loser strikes me as some obvious headcase who's goes around looking for trouble.

Apparently throwing a pus on the ice in Columbus is too!

We see the octopi throwing as tradition, BJ fans dont. They see it as disrespect. Add the emotions and booze and things are bound to boil over.

Not a big deal though IMO... its basically a friday night at any bar, USA.

[Mike 0]

Found this little quote on the Columbus Dispatch website. It was in a live chat transcript with the Dispatch's Aaron Portzline.

[Lee] Aaron, It's amazing to me that Detroit fans don't seem to understand that Columbus fans don't like them throwing Octopi on the ice. I find it a total sign of disrespect. Am I wrong? Is this a great tradition and we just don't get it?

[Portzline] No, but justice was meted out properly last night. The worst possible situation would be for a Red Wings fan to throw octopus on the ice and get no grief. From what I heard, the Red Wings fan who got one on the ice last night was eating knuckles before the slimy beast hit the ice. That's how it's supposed to be. Just like Blue Jackets fans getting roughed up for waving the flag in Detroit. Being a fan isn't easy.

All Red Wing allegience aside, is this really the message that should be written in a newspaper? That violence is supposed to be expected if you show up at another teams venue. That is how "it's supposed to be" Thats just ridiculous.

It's true, everyone from Ohio is a huge ****** bag. Justice was not meted out properly. The fan should have been escourted out of the arena, not savagely beaten. You can give the fan grief for throwing the octopus, but grief is not beating him, that's unnecessary violence.

No BJ fan got roughed up for waving the flag at the Joe. The BJ fans would not stop waving it and they were disrupting the view of the people behind them. Security was called over and asked the guys to stop, they wouldn't and got kicked out. Before every game they play a video that says you can't be doing stuff like this and they chose to ignore the rules. Not one person threw a punch at those guys because they were waving the flag.

This just goes to show that this kind of behavior is encourage when people in the media are praising these illegal acts. Columbus fans can throw their punches, but Wings fans can celebrate a first round domination of the BJs.

BJ fans = classless

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Sad to say that this is expected to a certain degree. True, the Wings fan was asking for it to a certain degree being a visitor in the home team's barn, but it's just stupid to me how fans can take stuff too far sometimes. I'm all for fan taunting in most cases but when it turns into fists and fights, that's just not right in my book.

[softshoes 83]

Well, everyone has had time to sober up, reflect on their actions and in the light of a new day Columbus thinks everything was business as usual.

Did anyone really think the other octopus tosser got out alive? There is just no video of it. We got one on the ice last night so just go enjoy the game tonight fellas. The next tosser may really need an ambulance.

[Rebound 22]

The Freep copied an article from the Columbus Dispatch about the guy that did manage to throw the 'Pus:

Freep Link

They didn't mention what exactly happened to the guy in the photo. Probably because their stupid fans beat him up...

On edit:

Another article from the Freep, with this little gem at the end:

There is ignominy in being swept. There is embarrassment when the broom finishes the job on home ice. I hope the Jackets find a way to leave a mark on the Wings. Columbus fans deserve to see it.

In Game 3, they filled Nationwide Arena and did their job right to the end. They stood behind the Jackets and took care of at least one of the two octopus-throwers.

2nd Freep Link

That's awesome, Mr. Michael Arace. Apparently it's ok with him that they beat the guy up.

Stay classy, Columbus.

Edited April 23, 2009 by Rebound

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Haha I love the link you post, the guy that threw it seems cool about the whole thing.

[egroen 384]

After watching the video it looks like he was prodded by the girl he was with to go do it, he kept trying to sit down and she kept pushing him to go do it.

Lessons to take from this.

5) Wait for a stop in play.

4) Take off your Wings jersey to camouflage yourself and give yourself more time for the element of surprise.

3) Don't hesitate giving the opposition the opportunity to see what you may be doing.

2) Don't waste time trying to stuff it through the camera hole, go find a row not blocked by the net and throw.

1) Never let your girlfriend tell you WHEN to do it

Also, I think you are far less likely to get "jumped" the earlier you throw the octopus.

For instance, in this last game with 2 minutes left in a losing game, "top Shelf" was probably not too concerned with losing his seat and missing the rest of the game. I doubt too many Columbus bad-asses will have bought two tickets "just in case" they have to assault a Red Wings fan.

[egroen 384]

“As I was being held downstairs, Gary Bettman and his security guys walked by,†Goloborodko said. “Like any good hockey fan, I recognized my commissioner and yelled out, ‘Hey, Commissioner.’

“I heard Bettman say, ‘I’m not happy about this one bit.’ I don’t know if he was responding to me or talking about something else.â€

LOL!

What an ass... and I am close to the point of thinking the reason he was pissed the Red Wings were winning.

[Mors 201]

Really? I've been many times to Capitals games living in the area. Sure there are douches that start fights at every game, Capitals included, but even with my Yzerman sweater on when the Red Wings are in town people have been quite friendly. Most of them just asking if I was from Michigan or what brings me to Virginia.

I dunno, I was at the Wings-Caps a few months back in DC with my girlfriend and another guy (both attending their first ever hockey game, not in Wings' garb) and I made it about 1/2 block in my Shanahan jersey before the first random passing car told me to "Take off that ****** jersey and go back to Detroit". I've been going to the games down there since about '95 (including the 98 finals) and haven't had much of a warm welcome

[Rivalred 630]

Wings fans should be in disguise next time, wear a Columbus Jersey and at the last moment, take the Oct out and throw!

[Jersey Wing 1,521]

Here's my story about attending a sporting event in Ohio....

I'm a Browns fan and after the previous year's 10-6 record I wanted to go see them play the Cleveland Browns Stadium, and chose the first game fo the year, national TeeVee vs Dallas.

Never again will I EVER go to Cleveland Browns Stadium, by the end of the afternoon I was ashamed to call myself a Browns fan.

My wife and I went and were sitting next to an African American couple from Columbus, they were really great people and we were talking about what they like to do in Columbus as we have good friends there and have been a few times. Good people. Apparently their 'problem' was they were Dallas fans. He had on a vintage Emmit Smith jersey and she had on a Dallas t-shirt. As soon as the two rows behind us fllled in it started. Not even good natured ribbing "F*** You Cowgirl C***" "I heard the word *****. The guy did as he should have and went and got ushers (who god love 'em, tried to do a good job all day they were simply overwhelmed by jackass stupidity at it's highest levels). The ushers told everyone in those two rows, about 20 people, they weren't going to deal with it, they'd be bounced out. It kept up and kept up and they got drunker and louder. "Romeo Crennell can't coach, stupid fing milk dud, get a white coach". "Catch the ball Braylon you stupid n*****". I mean ALL game long. Finally one of the idiots behind us made some comment to the guys wife. He again went to get the ushers. They were delayed at another fight and as he got back to his seat three guys behind him dumped beer on him, his wife, MY wife, and me. I'm a BIG guy, a big STRONG guy, former military. After they dumped beer on him three of them, THREE grabbed him and started punching on him, I moved my wife to the aisle and started swinging on these guys to defend the poor guy. I was physically PULLING guys off of him. One then another then another. I had hauled one guy out into the aisle and was about to wreck his afternoon him when security finally arrived and dragged 20 people, those two rows out, kicked them out.

F You N***** all of them on the way out. As we started to sit back down I looked into the Dawg Pound and saw no less than FIVE fights going on between Browns fans and police.

Like I said, I've never been more embarrassed to be a fan of a team. I'll never go back. I called the Browns and they later told me they cancelled 3 sets of season tickets that were in those seats but still, I'm never going back. I CERTAINLY got the opinion by the sheer level of stupidity this behavior was the norm, not the exception.

Stay classy O-HI-O

[spydrwebb 0]

Wings fans should be in disguise next time, wear a Columbus Jersey and at the last moment, take the Oct out and throw!

might work... OsGod fits the bill, maybe he'd be up for it?

after all, he's rick nash b*tch!

[ManLuv4Clears 7]

WOW Jersey Wing, that's a horrible story. I can't beleive people would resort to that type of s*** on a man and his wife. Kudos to you for helping the poor guy out. I've gone to Lions games in Chicago and Green Bay and for the most part the fans were really cool with the exception of an occasional comment ot two. Packer fans were tailgating and playing beer pong with us, it was great. We did stay low key though, no real trash talking or making asses of ourselves. We there to see the Lions so it's not like we had anything to brag about anyway. Stories like your's make me question the gene pool sometimes.