Hockey lovers wish to know: Why do fans throw catfish on the ice at Nashville Predators games? Here's the historical past at the back of the icky custom.
It's a convention that dates back to 2003. Or maybe 1999 — or perhaps even previous, to the Nineteen Fifties. Depending on who you ask, sports enthusiasts were throwing catfish on the ice at Nashville Predators video games for years.
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Why do they throw catfish on the ice? And what do Predators players and the powers that be take into accounts this odd and slightly gross practice? With ice hockey season well underway, here is what you need to know earlier than witnessing dead fish careening across the ice.
So, why do fans throw catfish on the ice at Nashville Predators video games?
According to The Tennessean, Nashville Predators fans first started throwing catfish onto the ice based on Detroit Red Wings fanatics tossing octopi on the ice.
Why octopi? In 1952, eight postseason games were had to win the Stanley Cup — now, 16 postseason wins are required. But of course, an octopus has 8 legs, so, neatly, you get it.
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Former Predators owner Craig Leipold reportedly said (about the first instance of a catfish being thrown on the ice), "I was pleasantly surprised when I realized it was a catfish. I figured it had to be one of our fans mocking the Red Wings. I was not disappointed."
The tradition has persisted till nowadays, with Predators fanatics tossing the dead fish on the ice earlier than the action will get underway, in order to not disrupt the recreation. Not that lovers all the time adhere to that unofficial rule, as you'll see in a video posted to YouTube.
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The Predators formally look down on the catfish follow, but unofficially are all in.
Although the Predators reportedly do no longer endorse enthusiasts tossing catfish on the ice sooner than video games, it certain turns out like the crew embraces the custom. Consider the social media posts shared by means of the crew's professional account, which boast about the fan-loved tradition involving dead fish.
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Fans clearly love the catfish tradition as well, and have long gone to nice lengths to sneak the pungent fish into Bridgestone Arena. Per The Tennessean, mega-fan Wes Collins once secured a 20-pound catfish to his body the usage of plastic wrap, then donned a too-big jersey so that you can no longer lift suspicion at safety.
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Of path, now not everyone seems to be partial to the practice, most significantly animal cruelty advocates. According to the Nashville Scene, PETA presented Predators fanatics loose, squeezable toy catfish to throw on the ice during the 2019 season to spare the lives of real fish.
In a letter to fanatics, the group wrote partially, "Fish are smart, social animals, and just like dogs, cats, and humans they feel pain. They have distinct personalities, and they communicate with each other, form bonds, and can even recognize individual fish and remember past social interactions with them."
Consider too that anyone has to wash up the catfish. ''They are so gross," a stadium employee instructed The New York Times in 2003. "They're large, they're heavy, they stink and they depart this slimy trail on the ice. But, whats up, if it is excellent for the group, I suppose we will be able to maintain it.''
Ultimately, throwing catfish on the ice at Predators games is a tradition that doesn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon.
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