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Will there be a reported incident of "ocupi tossing" during any of the Stanley Cup Playoff games?

Settled as Yes

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5idj3T_FxQDS4gD1i3QUUVotXnFDQD90T8FKG0

Background:

In a sad story..."octopus tossing is banned!"

As the Stanley Cup Playoff Finals are about to begin on Saturday, between the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit fans have a tradition which dates back to 1952 of tossing octubi on the ice....
"The first octopus landed on the ice during the Red Wings' 1952 Stanley Cup run, courtesy of brothers Pete and Jerry Cusimano, who owned a fish market. If you know your cephalopods, you will know that an octopus has eight tentacles. In those days it took eight playoff wins to claim the Cup, hence the supposed symbolism of the gesture."

http://proicehockey.about.com/od/history/f/detroit_octopus.htm

However, since the beginning of the playoffs, the NHL recently threatened to fine the team $10,000 if anyone "dared twirl an octopus thrown onto the playing surface."

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/nhl_experts/post/Why-the-octopus-still-won-t-twirl-in-Detroit?urn=nhl,84176

While there is a chance of this happening live or on tv, settlement will depend on the story being reported though a major news source (perhaps as a result of a fine?)


Settlement details: As reported by a major mainstream news source.

 
Forecast history, %
   Zoom in

Settled

Yes
57%
No
43%
Activity: H$6,361
Settled as Yes on Wed 28th May 1:43am PDT

Suspend date: Sat 7th Jun 6pm PDT Settlement date: Wed 28th May 1:43am PDT

Initial likelihoods: Yes: 50%

Action history:

Created Fri 23rd May 7:38pm PDT by mrperfkt[Admin]
Settlement requested Tue 27th May 3:57pm PDT by anaverageamerican: "Yes", as reported by the AP:

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5idj3T_FxQDS4gD1i3QUUVotXnFDQD90T8FKG0 (market suspended)
Suspended Tue 27th May 3:57pm PDT by anaverageamerican: Suspended pending settlement

Suspend date: Sat 7th Jun 6pm PDT Settlement date: Wed 28th May 1:43am PDT
more info...

 

Predictions (28)

28 predictions

25 weeks ago
supertrampas predicted No (H$100 at 41%)
25 weeks ago
canucksfan9 predicted Yes (H$50 at 59%)
25 weeks ago
scottykr predicted Yes (H$100 at 59%)
25 weeks ago
opie predicted No (H$20 at 41%)
25 weeks ago
mrsprfct predicted Yes (H$50 at 59%)
more

Comments (19)

  1 mork[Power User]
I like how it sticks to the ice like a tongue to a flagpole.
posted 25 weeks ago
best hubquestion ever
posted 25 weeks ago
  3 dieseldog
if i was say a detroit fan, i would throw them at every game in pittsburgh...hehe
posted 25 weeks ago
  4 mrperfkt[Admin]
Thanks!
How about the picture in this story...

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/nhl_experts/post/NHL-declares-war-on-octopus-twirling?urn=nhl,77783
posted 25 weeks ago
The ban was overturned. Twirliing is permitted as long as it is done away from the ice.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080508/BLOG09/80507089/1053/SPORTS05

An octopus was thown onto the ice, and twirled in the zamboni driveway prior to the start of game one, but I can't find a news story reporting such. Since the outright ban was lifted I think it is unlikely there _will_ be a news story about it.
posted 25 weeks ago
  6 mrperfkt[Admin]
Thanks, anaverageamerican.
I couldn't get that link to work for some reason and am having a hard time finding another source.

So, going by what you said, I'm not sure where this leaves the question.
Was the ban lifted completely or just from the playing area or ice? Seems like throwing it away from the ice defeats the purpose.

Going to try to see if I can find another source on the lifting of the ban. I'm hoping this can still be a fun question! Doesn't the NHL know they're interfering with our hubdub questions?!
posted 25 weeks ago
  7 mrperfkt[Admin]
Okay, got the story, which states "The catch is, it has to be done away from the ice - like at the Zamboni entrance."

Although, not worded specifically in the initial question the tradition does bo back to throwing the octupi on the ice. I think the question can probably stand (with or without the fine), although you are probably right that it is less likely to be reported in the news.

What do others think (not that I really wanted to open this up to controversy or a potential void)...
posted 25 weeks ago
i was betting that they would throw it out anyway, despite the ban or the fine...it is a tradition rooted in superstition, and i doubt very much that detroit would mind the 10,000$ fine...
posted 25 weeks ago
  9 mork[Power User]
I think it's still a good question because it should go without saying that, "it has to hit the ice".

If somebody throws an octopus at the zamboni area it may be reported on only because the embarrassingly poor quality of the toss.
posted 25 weeks ago
  10 mrperfkt[Admin]
lol @mork

new hubdub question..."will there be a reported octupi tossing, which is so bad that fans heckle the tossee..." :)

I probably need to brush up on my hubdub rules, but does a picture attached to a news story result in a "yes?"
posted 25 weeks ago
  11 mork[Power User]
Throwing it at the zamboni area would be a waste of a perfectly good octopus and a disgrace to the history of hockey.
posted 25 weeks ago
octopus or octopi...ocupi is a church in south-central louisiana....just fyi...
posted 25 weeks ago
  13 mrperfkt[Admin]
Oops, sorry for the typo. Starting odds for a south-central louisiana church being thrown would have been much lower!
posted 25 weeks ago
LOL...nice retort, no problem, just pointing out the little church's claim to the name... being a coon-ass, we like to point out that louisiana exists....
posted 25 weeks ago
I know the octopus traditionally meant eight wins left to take home the cup, but I think there has to be at least one Detroit fan who possesses the courage, lack of judgement, and total disregard for tradition to make this happen sometime in the next couple of games.

Great question, btw.
posted 25 weeks ago
  16 mrperfkt[Admin]
Thanks! Looks like it's going to take a couple of wins by Detroit now though. Not only the courage, lack of judgement, etc...I just can't see them not throwing the octupi if they end up winning the cup in Detroit.
posted 25 weeks ago
The ban was never about the fans tossing otcopi on the ice, it was a ban on Red Wing employees twirling them around, to excite the crowd, while picking them up. The stated reason for the ban was to prevent "matter" from affecting the quality of the ice, so the compromise is that Red Wing employees can twirl the octopi in off-ice locations such as the zamboni vestibule.

I can't find any news reports about the tossing and twirling, but prior to game one an octopus was tossed onto the ice and twirled in the zamboni ramp.
posted 25 weeks ago
Err octopi, not otcopi. theonecalledmichael, what is an otcopi? 8^)
posted 25 weeks ago
plural of octopus....
posted 24 weeks ago

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