295 replies to this topic

[Howard He Do It?!]

Okay, so it's a city ordinance that the police are required to enforce, that the NHL is supporting the enforcement of. So let's target our frustrations at both the NHL for supporting it and the city for lumping octopi in with dangerous projectiles like glass bottles and rocks.

That still doesn't equate to blaming the cops who are doing their jobs in enforcing this city ordinance.

People will blame the cops for anything, even if it isn't their fault. Some officer at the game doesn't have the clout to decide what he/she is and isn't going to enforce. It's coming from high up in the chain and it is all being instigated by the NHL and Mr. "I hate the Red Wings and playoff traditions" Bettman.

[WizardOfOz30]

I love you, Beth. You rock. (See above post by Beth, aka Electrophile.)


So, this is a city ordinance that the NHL has requested the city to enforce upon the Flinging of the Octopi.

All the City Council has to do is add a clause that this shall not apply to properly thrown (i.e.: boiled, thrown during the playoffs, thrown after goals, after the anthem, at the end of the game, etc.) and the NHL can't ask them to enforce it against octopi.

The NHL can still ban people and eject them, but at least there won't be a civil fine.

Plus the City Council members would be putting themselves in a good position for re-election.

Case closed.

I'm sure someone can make this happen as long as they go to the council for the right price.

[Konnan511]

I don't know what magical land you live in but the NHL has no authoritative force over the Detroit police department. There are plenty of laws on the books that are selectively enforced or not enforced at all.

Great job missing the point. In my magical land I read this in my magical newspaper as i was riding my magical unicorn...Brian:

The Red Wings organization released a statement Friday: "The throwing of objects onto the ice surface is prohibited by the National Hockey League and persons caught doing so may be subject to prosecution for violating local and state laws."

Detroit Police spokeswoman Sgt. Eren Stephens said the incident violated city ordinance 38-5-4, which prohibits throwing objects on the playing area during sporting events. .


From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110415/SPORTS0103/104150429/Wings-fan-says-he-was-fined-$500-for-Game-1-octopus-toss#ixzz1JcSQ3C3W

So the NHL says it's illegal. The Red Wings say it's illegal. Detroit says it's illegal.

It's not a question of authority over Detroit police, it's the authorization of Detroit police enforcing the law.

If the NHL and the board of governors said it was illegal to wear hats in NHL sanctioned games, you better believe NHL patrons would get arrested. That doesn't mean the NHL "owns" the police, it means the police are enforcing the laws.

[vladdy16]

There's nothing about this anywhere else. I realize the Wings official site is usually way behind LGW, but I find it hard to believe that with a home game pending tomorrow that there wouldn't be some kind of warning issued there. For now, I call BS.

[Howard He Do It?!]

Great job missing the point. In my magical land I read this in my magical newspaper as i was riding my magical unicorn...Brian:

So the NHL says it's illegal. The Red Wings say it's illegal. Detroit says it's illegal.

It's not a question of authority over Detroit police, it's the authorization of Detroit police enforcing the law.

If the NHL and the board of governors said it was illegal to wear hats in NHL sanctioned games, you better believe NHL patrons would get arrested. That doesn't mean the NHL "owns" the police, it means the police are enforcing the laws.

Is there a federal law, state law, or city ordinance that says it is illegal to wear hats at an NHL sanctioned game or any sporting event? If there isn't then you cannot be arrested for wearing a hat to an NHL sanctioned game. You can be ejected from the venue because by buying a ticket you agree to the terms set forth by the NHL and the team but you cannot be arrested. The NHL doesn't create laws. Does it say that in your magical newspaper?

The NHL can create a policy prohibiting the throwing of objects onto the ice but what they cannot do is have people arrested for violating said policy. The only reason that any arrests can occur is because there is a city ordinance prohibiting the throwing of any object onto the playing surface at any sporting event. The arrest is a result of the city ordinance, not the NHL policy.

Your precious, magical newspaper even says that it is prohibited by the NHL but made illegal by the city ordinance. Try understanding what you read rather than simply reading it.

The throwing of objects onto the ice surface is prohibited by the National Hockey League and persons caught doing so may be subject to prosecution for violating local and state laws.

From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20110415/SPORTS0103/104150429/Wings-fan-says-he-was-fined-$500-for-Game-1-octopus-toss#ixzz1JcXHyXsA

Edited by Howard He Do It?!, 15 April 2011 - 02:22 PM.

[LAW]

If the NHL and the board of governors said it was illegal to wear hats in NHL sanctioned games, you better believe NHL patrons would get arrested. That doesn't mean the NHL "owns" the police, it means the police are enforcing the laws.

Not exactly, you could be removed from the game, but not arrested.

[BigWillieStyle]

So is this the same NHL that runs a 2 minute "commercial" about the great tradition that was started by Pete and Jerry Cusimano in 1952, on their own NHL Network.f****** hypocrites. 60 years of tradition. It started before Bettman was even born.

[Konnan511]

Ozzie makes a great point in his interview:

"If you are spot picking throwin' an octopus on the ice, fans will need to start throwing their hats into the upper bowl during hattricks so their hats don't go on the ice. This is tacky."

[HankthaTank]

[sleepwalker]

Dear police:
Please ignore Law X because it's unfair and stupid.

You mean like they have for years, until Gary Bettman got involved the other day?

Police are public servants, not Bettmans servants. They should be looking out for the public in the area they are sworn to protect, the people who pay their salaries. In this case, the public has made it 100% clear they do not want this enforced, as it is tradition and has never been enforced in the past.

But some multi-billion dollar corporation head from the other side of the country calls the local police and says "start enforcing the law anyways" and the police immediately roll over and comply? Who are they really serving here... Seriously, think about it. Thats some scary s***, right there...

[edicius]

Twitter, Facebook and hockey blogs are exploding with this story. Look for it to get a LOT more play in the next few days.

EDIT: And now Puck Daddy's picked it up as well.

Edited by edicius, 15 April 2011 - 02:46 PM.

[Mabuhay Red Wings]

I hope every single red wing uses this as motivation to score a hat trick.

[HankthaTank]

What's the playoff Arby's giveaway?

[Howard He Do It?!]

What's the playoff Arby's giveaway?

If 3 or more Red Wings fans are arrested for throwing octopi then bring a copy of the box score to any local Arby's where you are entitled to a free Jr. Roast Beef sandwich.

[HankthaTank]

If 3 or more Red Wings fans are arrested for throwing octopi then bring a copy of the box score to any local Arby's where you are entitled to a free Jr. Roast Beef sandwich.

Shouldn't we bring a copy of the receipt for the $500 fine?

I'm thinking Wings fans are arrested nightly in the playoffs going forward with this news coming out

[vladdy16]

Maybe we should take our Money on the Board and use it to pay fines!

[Howard He Do It?!]

Shouldn't we bring a copy of the receipt for the $500 fine?

I'm thinking Wings fans are arrested nightly in the playoffs going forward with this news coming out

If you present your citation then you are allowed a free small curly fry as well.

Edited by Howard He Do It?!, 15 April 2011 - 02:58 PM.

[8 Legged RedWing]

Just curious, this has probably been discussed somewhere in the 7 pages of this thread but aren't we a democracy? Don't laws like this have to be voted on by the people to get passed? Who other than opposing teams or Bettman really have a problem with this? I understand the civil fines and jail time when this happens in opposing arenas but at the Joe, how could the majority of people have any problem with it at all? Maybe I am just confused on how laws come to be and get enforced.

Regardless... as I said in my first post a few pages back, This isn't going to stop 60 years of tradition. Guarnsheed.

[LAW]

Just curious, this has probably been discussed somewhere in the 7 pages of this thread but aren't we a democracy? Don't laws like this have to be voted on by the people to get passed? Who other than opposing teams or Bettman really have a problem with this? I understand the civil fines and jail time when this happens in opposing arenas but at the Joe, how could the majority of people have any problem with it at all? Maybe I am just confused on how laws come to be and get enforced.

Regardless... as I said in my first post a few pages back, This isn't going to stop 60 years of tradition. Guarnsheed.

Ordinances (in the City of Detroit) are passed by the Detroit City Council. And we aren't a democracy, we are a republic.

Edited by LAW, 15 April 2011 - 03:08 PM.

[CrimsonFlame]

The officer who apprehended and ticketed the thrower just called into the Vallenti and Foster program. He said that "We don't want to write the tickets because quite frankly we are fans too" and said that "We were forced to write it by the NHL"

Note those aren't exact quotes, slight paraphrasing but still accurate.

Edited by CrimsonFlame, 15 April 2011 - 03:14 PM.