Playoff Traditions

eme · Post by **eme** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 10:02 am

In finland there are some traditions within the playoffs. Ofcourse the games are intense and the atmosphere surrounding the games is just great. But the traditions i'm talking about are bit different.

I'd like to know, if any other countries or leagues have similiar things, or did we actually adapt them from some other place. Because in finland, when a team loses a playoff series, the audience have a habbit of throwing beach balls to the ice, just to let losing team know that their summer holidays just started. Also we have this thing called Playoff parta, Playoff beard in english. Meaning the players and some coaches, and some of the fans too will grow a beard, and will let it grow untill the team gets dropped out.

Do these things only happen in finland, or does this happen in e.g. NHL too (or did we actually steal the ideas from there :p)?

Post by **inSTAALed** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:48 pm

The NHL has playoff beards (Mike Commodore as the Playoff afro

).

Some teams have specific traditions.

Post by **Minstrel** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 1:39 pm

I love the playoff beard... but it seems only the older guys and the old school/throwback type players do it anymore. JS Giguere had a helluva Grizzly Adams look going on when he did it for their run to the finals a few years back. Though some rookies/babyface guys do partake of the tradition and you can't tell

Never heard of the beachballs thing... though in the US it would be ugly because the phrase usually used here is that "All they'll be making now is golf reservations".

Detroit has their now-banned octopus on the ice thing which seemed to end up being more squids than actual octopii to me but hey, it's Detroit. What do you expect?

The genesis of that one though goes all the way back to the Original Six days when getting eight wins meant you'd won the two series you needed to in order to win the Cup.

The Panthers had the ever-escalating rubber mice on the ice after a goal thing that started because Panthers eat mice... voila. It caught on down the stretch and by playoffs it was out of hand and eventually banned

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 1:59 pm

Minstrel wrote: The Panthers had the ever-escalating rubber mice on the ice after a goal thing that started because Panthers eat mice... voila. It caught on down the stretch and by playoffs it was out of hand and eventually banned

Actually, the rubber mice thing came about because a player (Scott Mellanby, IIRC) killed a mouse or rat with his stick in the locker room before a big playoff game that they won. Somehow word got out and the fans went crazy with it.

I've always been a big fan of the playoff beard. Many of the younger players can't really grow beards these days. Most of the guys that do grow them decide to trim them down into a Van CBA or something stylish. While I sport the Van CBA year round, the old fashioned playoff beard is the best. Ray Bourque always grew the best playoff beard, especially back in the late 80's.

Post by **Minstrel** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:11 pm

Oh yeah, now I remember that mice story!!

It would be tough I think to beat Lanny McDonald in a playoff beard contest as he already had the jump on everyone with the giant mustache and an obvious genetic advantage for facial hair growth

bruins72 · Post by **bruins72** » Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:30 pm

You've got to love those old mustaches! Derek Sanderson had a pretty good one back in the day.

http://www.jwen.com/hock/bruins/images/dsand.JPG

hluraven · Post by **hluraven** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 12:04 am

I'm sporting a playoff beard as we speak! Sadly it will have to come off soon

noctambulist · Post by **noctambulist** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 3:44 pm

There was also the Winnipeg "White Out" where the entire audience would wear white. The last time Phoenix was in the playoffs I remember them continueing it. It looked pretty impressive on TV.

Post by **Minstrel** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 10:01 pm

Yeah Phoenix did the Whiteout which was pretty cool.

One "tradition" (notice the quotes and lower-case 't') that I never EVER want to see in a freakin NHL rink is the "Thunderstix" NBA import. I really have a problem with those things visually in a rink, I actually think they are inappropriate for a hockey game.

The greatest playoff tradition though is that no matter how brutal, personal and intense the seven game war you just went through was, at the end you all still lineup and shake hands.

Post by **timmy_t** » Sat Apr 15, 2006 11:42 pm

How about the rally monkies from the Angels' World series run a few years ago? They are fuzzy and cute, and they don't smell like Detroit's octopi.

noctambulist · Post by **noctambulist** » Mon Apr 17, 2006 2:07 am

I agree with Minstrel, the best tradition is the lining up and shaking hands. I think all major sports should do that. Not only does it promote good gamesmanship, but it sets a good example for kids who watch it.