In Calgary, they call it the ‘C of red’, a playoff tradition that dates back 20 years where all Flames fans are asked to wear red for playoff games:

In response, the Flames first round opponent in 1985, the Winnipeg Jets, began the Whiteout, a tradition that has followed the franchise to Phoenix.

But where there are fashion trendsetters, there are always copycats trying to live off the coattails of others success. In response to Calgary’s C of red, the San Jose Sharks asked its fans to create an “Ocean of Teal.” Predictably, it failed miserably. I’m sure Sharks management is baffled, but really, why would anyone voluntaraly own or wear a teal coloured t-shirt? Ooooh, intimidating!

Undaunted, the Philadelphia Flyers have chosen to hop on the fashion bandwagon, encouraging its fans to wear orange. While orange may be a more manly colour than teal, one has to wonder if the Flyers will be able to succeed where the Sharks failed.

It leads me to wonder if Tampa Bay will copy the idea as well. What colour would they wear? A “Black out” to follow home colours? I mean, Lightning does show up most clearly in the dark… Hopefully for Lightning fans, they won’t re-visit Vancouver’s crying towel tradition.

This proves a sad point in the NHL as well — traditions are so rarely born and so often copied… Be it songs played in arenas, things thrown on ice (Rats? To copy octopi? Get real!), or chants by fans. Doesn’t anyone have an original idea to build a tradition? Vancouver having the crowd sing a verse of O Canada during every game is a rare original tradition, and of course the Stars prolonged Goal horn, along with the crowd making sure to pronoucne STARS during the Star Spangled banner, are both original traditions…

Something rare, something unique… Something that foregos the clich?nd actually makes a dent in the fabric of the NHL’s history….

…which hopefully doesn’t become orange crushed.

Yahoo! News - Tampa Bay Lightning May Offer Free Beer

The Tampa Bay Lightning are hoping to tap into larger crowds by offering unlimited free beer to season ticket holders.

During the first Eastern Conference playoff game between the Lightning and the Philadelphia Flyers (news) Saturday, the St. Pete Times Forum’s main scoreboard advertised the offer. Those who paid $100 toward 2004-05 season tickets were eligible for unlimited free beer during the game.
About 25 of the 21,000 people at the game signed up for season tickets, said team spokesman Bill Wickett.
People who are already intoxicated aren’t served beer and free taxi rides are provided to patrons who believe they have had too much to drink, Wickett said.

Usually I have nothing but praise for the Lightning and their marketing…. But this is just going in the wrong direction IMHO. I know that ticket sales are vital for the NHL, I know that filling the arena nightly is something that needs to be accomplished… but FREE BEER to new season ticket holders?! Come on!

Even WITH free taxi service (and free soda’s fro designated drivers) offered to ticket holders who take advantage of this — there’s still the fact alcohol leads to stupid decisions throughout life… How many spousal abuse cases stem from people who have ingested too much alcohol? Assault and battery? Etc.

but then again, I am not advocating blockign alcohol sales… I just think free beer sends the wrong message and is potentially hazerdous. End rant.

From the Trib:

Tampa Bay coach John Tortorella, upset at Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock yelling at his players in the Lightning’s 6-2 loss in Game 2 Monday, fired back at Hitchcock.

“We knew going into the series that Bobby Clarke, their general manager, was going to be working as hard as he could behind the scenes whining about this, that and the other thing as far as what’s going on in the series,” Tortorella said. “We know Hitch is going to be talking about anything that is on his mind. We accept that.

“But when a coach starts bringing that dialogue onto the ice, behind the bench, more or less within the opposing team’s players, it’s wrong. The last time I looked, he’s wearing a suit back there, the same type of suit I’m wearing. He’s not in the battle.

“He should shut his yap. It’s not about him. It’s about two quality teams.”

Told of Tortorella’s comments, Hitchcock kept his simple.

”Tell him to mind his own business,” Hitchcock said.

Methinks Game Three is going to be a real ugly affair, and I ain’t talking about final score.

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