How do you treat the Cup?

by FFSEnough on Nov 19, 2009 2:41 PM EST

Call me selfish, but this post is either to support my thinking that I'm just being crazy, or dispell said fear and realize I'm in the company of other like-minded individuals. What sparked this was a recent visit to @cmasisak22.

What I'm referring to is the game's reverence for it's end-of-year trophy. We hear classic tales of players who refuse to touch it if they have not had their name on it. Players who will bypass attention to lesser team awards (conference trophies, Boston not raising a division banner this year) with their eyes set on the prize. Players treat the SC as an icon that one has to prove they are worthy to be in the presence of. My question to Cap's Nation: Are fans as "reverent" when it comes to the Cup?

When I see references to the SC used in conjunction with the Caps (signs, fan-game-attire, advertisements, Corey's wallpaper on his Twitter page), I feel like something's out of place. I'm crazy, right?

*sorry, had to add a poll option, just for BP

Poll

As a fan how do you treat the Lord Stanley's Cup?

Until my team wins it, I'd prefer to not even see it.

20 votes

It's a trophy for the whole sport, fans of the sport need not wait for their team to grace the rings.

30 votes

It's just a freakin' trophy, not a golden idol.

4 votes

Get an avatar already, dude!

15 votes

69 votes | Poll has closed

If this FanPost is written by someone other than one of the blog's editors, the opinions expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of this blog or SB Nation.

Tweet Comment 27 comments | 1 recs |

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Comments

Of course its not a golden idol. Its made of silver.

by ennisj471 on Nov 19, 2009 4:04 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

I would touch it if the Caps won the cup or if I get a goaltender tryout with the red wings and my team wins the cup.

One guy just drove his semi as a float. I guess semis are cool.

by zephyr on Nov 19, 2009 4:24 PM EST reply actions

Rec’d for the avatar option….

Rock the Red! Rock the White! Rock the Blue! Rock the Pens!

by RedskinFan4Life on Nov 19, 2009 7:55 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

While I have no problem touching it (my potential pro-playing days are dwindling fast); I do have a problem with signs, talk etc about the team and the cup. Unless you just won it, don;t talk about your team raising it. Bad karma and all.

by MetalCap on Nov 19, 2009 9:14 PM EST reply actions

If someone lets me near it I’m touching it. I’d say as a fan you can touch it but you have to respect it. No messing with it or letting your baby crap in it. And no raising it over your head.

As a player, if you won it you get to do whatever the fuck you want with it.

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Rob Parker on Nov 19, 2009 11:02 PM EST reply actions

I, um, sorta kissed it once. (slinks away in embarrassment)

by RedBirdie on Nov 19, 2009 11:23 PM EST reply actions

Why are you embarrassed? I’m jealous.

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Rob Parker on Nov 20, 2009 1:46 AM EST up reply actions

because ever since, Mr. Bird has blamed me for the Capitals lack of Cup.

by RedBirdie on Nov 20, 2009 9:49 AM EST up reply actions

Tell Mr. Bird it’s his fault the Wings can’t sell out a SCF game.

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Rob Parker on Nov 20, 2009 3:20 PM EST up reply actions

ha ha! I will. Maybe he should have touched the damn Cup, after all.

by RedBirdie on Nov 20, 2009 4:14 PM EST up reply actions

I missed a chance to see Andy McDonald take the Cup to my alma mater. Very unfortunate, but I heard they didn’t let anyone get near enough to the Cup to touch it so it takes some of the sting off. I’ll always love McDonald for a) going to Colgate and b) taking the Cup back there instead of some Canadian town where he grew up.

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Rob Parker on Nov 20, 2009 4:26 PM EST up reply actions

taking it back to college is how we got to see the Cup the first time. Brett Hull dragged it up to his summer place in Duluth, and in true Brett Hull fashion, took it to a bar for the evening.

Couple years later I did the $5 donation to St. Jude’s so I could have my picture taken with it when Minny hosted the All-Star game. Now if only I had a scanner!

by RedBirdie on Nov 20, 2009 5:56 PM EST up reply actions

He actually did both. I believe a Colgate alum paid for/allowed him to use his private plane so that he could make an appearance at Colgate in the morning and then go to his hometown in the afternoon.

Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst

by Killer_Carlson on Nov 20, 2009 6:41 PM EST up reply actions

So do I have to take my love down a notch?

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Rob Parker on Nov 21, 2009 2:49 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t see why you would have to. Still impressive that he would spend half his day with the Cup in the middle of nowhere New York.

Of all our iniquities ignorance may be the worst

by Killer_Carlson on Nov 21, 2009 9:22 PM EST up reply actions

If there aren’t a lot of X’s in a row around the 83-84 Oilers team, do what you want to it. If there are, I’d be afraid.

Familiar Rapports: Bald Pollack, F&B, Gould Old Days.

Lobbies: Osala, Perreault, Erskine, Pothier, Neuvirth, Flash.

Fan of: Mean Lars Backstrom, Line Mashing, Cake.

by Whiter Mage on Nov 20, 2009 3:53 AM EST reply actions

Rules for the Stanley Cup

1) Never touch it unless you’ve won it, or someone who has won it offers it to you to touch or hold.

2) If you wish to be photographed with it make sure that none of the Cup is obstructed in shot. Standing behind it, or next to it is fine, but the entire Cup must be visible.

3) If offered to drink out of the Stanley Cup at a celebration by someone who has won it, do not ask what is in it, just drink it.

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Nov 20, 2009 10:20 AM EST reply actions

Rule #1 is out the window for me. I’m with F&B on this one, if I get close enough, I’m putting my greasy mitts on it. You don’t pass up a chance to touch the most revered trophy in sports. Karma, shmarma…

by Cluster on Nov 20, 2009 10:32 AM EST up reply actions

I'll wait...

…for when the trophy is offered to me at the Caps convention by someone on the team. :) I’ve seen it in person any number of times and been photographed with it…. never will touch it until then.

Let's go Caps!

by MikeL-Pivonka on Nov 20, 2009 10:51 AM EST up reply actions

Oops! You picked the wrong cup.

Winterion Game Studios
Visit us online at : http://winterion.com

by winterion on Nov 20, 2009 4:54 PM EST up reply actions

In kind of a question regarding my earlier post on this, we know there are three Stanley cups, right? I assume you’re asking about the presentation cup, which I would not touch unless the Caps have won it. If it’s one of the others, I’d go for it.

Familiar Rapports: Bald Pollack, F&B, Gould Old Days.

Lobbies: Osala, Perreault, Erskine, Pothier, Neuvirth, Flash.

Fan of: Mean Lars Backstrom, Line Mashing, Cake.

by Whiter Mage on Nov 20, 2009 1:26 PM EST reply actions

This is why I figure it’s a moot point for me — I don’t expect to ever be close enough to the ‘real’ Cup for it to matter. I’ve seen the one in the HoF and was appropriately reverential.

"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."

by CapitalCentre on Nov 20, 2009 6:03 PM EST up reply actions

I think a good 50% of the time, the one in the HoF is the Presentation cup. But I’m not 100% sure.

Familiar Rapports: Bald Pollack, F&B, Gould Old Days.

Lobbies: Osala, Perreault, Erskine, Pothier, Neuvirth, Flash.

Fan of: Mean Lars Backstrom, Line Mashing, Cake.

by Whiter Mage on Nov 20, 2009 6:32 PM EST up reply actions

I’m pretty sure the real Cup is in the HoF except when it’s out with the players or at the SCF games. There may be a few promotional events over the year that the Cup goes to but I’m pretty sure it’s at the HoF more than 50% of the time. And the extra rings all live at the HoF permanently.

If consequences dictate the course of action, then it doesn't matter what's right, it's only wrong if you get caught. If consequences dictate the course of action, then I should play God...

by Rob Parker on Nov 21, 2009 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

I don’t remember what time of year I was there, but I remember thinking at the time that the real Cup was probably still out with the players. Although I could easily have been wrong.

"Camaraderie, that's what the Washington Capitals are all about."

by CapitalCentre on Nov 21, 2009 4:11 PM EST up reply actions

Call me Dan Snyder but I hate the signs with pictures of the Cup… maybe this will change i they win one. (For what it’s worth, the helmets with a mini cup attached that kids wear irritate me even more, but probably because it’s just stupid).

On the other hand, I see nothing wrong with fans touching the real thing.. you never know if the opportunity will come again.

by TFG on Nov 23, 2009 10:37 AM EST reply actions