Fan gets lifetime ban for throwing octopus at LCA

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

So I guess they're using the new arena to crack down on the octopus tradition.

I can understand getting kicked out, but a lifetime ban??

From CBC:

Horvath hardly had time to celebrate before security guards grabbed the back of his jersey and whisked him away.

"The crowd was going nuts," said Horvath. "As they were escorting me out people were booing them, 'Let him go!' People were high-fiving me, giving me spanks on the butt, slaps on the butt ... everyone loved it."
Everyone, it turns out, except for staff at the Little Caesars Arena, who escorted him to police, where he was charged with a misdemeanour offence and told he wasn't welcome back to the rink — ever.

"The two supervisors of security told me I'm done," he said. "I think it's very stiff. If they want to fine me I understand, if they wanted to ban me for a year ... I can deal with that, but to get banned forever? That can't happen."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/winds...rst-octopus-at-little-caesars-arena-1.4348201

Click to read more...

 

[TheOtherOne]

Yea man let's make sure we keep the most die hard fans away so we can enjoy hockey without distractions like fun.

 

[Ezekial]

Wow, f*** that bullshit.

 

[izlez]

Absolutely ridiculous policy and terrible decision by the Wings/NHL/LCA.

But at the same time, I imagine professional sports teams have a 0.00% rate of enforcing these type of bans

 

[HisNoodliness]

Man, that's extremely not cool. Poor guy, he certainly doesn't deserve a lifetime ban for keeping up one of our best traditions.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Absolutely ridiculous policy and terrible decision by the Wings/NHL/LCA.

But at the same time, I imagine professional sports teams have a 0.00% rate of enforcing these type of bans

That's what I figured as well.

I doubt that they put a ton of resources into making sure someone isn't allowed back into the arena.

Still a disappointing move by the Wings organization though.

 

[Frk It]

I guess they are feeling the pressure from PETA.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Maybe if he didn't "power through" security, it wouldn't have went down like this.

"He tried to stop me from throwing it and I powered through him," he said. "I powered through him, I got it right over top of him but he had me right away."

http://www.wxyz.com/news/man-kicked-out-of-detroit-red-wings-game-for-throwing-octopus-onto-ice

 

[TheMule93]

so the team actively embraces with octopi tradition with their big blow up octopi that hangs down during the playoffs, but bans anyone who actually participates in the tradition?

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Oh look, another piece of evidence that confirms the assertion the LCA is an emotionless corporate income generator.

Thanks for ruining your father's legacy, Chris.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

God, I hate the corporate culture of sports. Squeezes the life out of everyone. This is ridiculous.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Also, I am pretty sure I saw this guy getting escorted off. Funny enough he was one of two guys in the same area throwing an octopus, and the guy who got away literally ran around the both of them. If I was the guy getting escorted off I would have just ran for it as soon as he let me get back to my seat to grab my stuff. f*** that guy.

I wonder if this is a symbolic gesture of "we don't want your fandom sullying our pristine new arena."

 

[WingedWheel1987]

You can't have videos of Al Sobotka swinging an octopus around his head being played and then ban folks for life for throwing an octopus on the ice.

I get it if a Wings fan does it at another arena, but WTF is this nonsense?

 

[Frk It]

Not coincidentally, PETA put out an article a few days ago on this: https://www.peta.org/blog/peta-asks-detroit-red-wings-ban-octopus-throw/

But I do not believe the Red Wings publicly addressed this request by PETA.

This is what the fan said... I get where he's coming from

PETA has campaigned against the tradition of throwing the "intelligent, sensitive animals" onto the ice, but Horvath said the way he sees it, the octopus is already dead.

"The store is selling it to get eaten. But I made him famous," he said. "He can be famous or cut up into pieces."

Also think it's interesting that he was the same guy who threw the last octopus on the ice at the Joe, and he said they did nothing. Kind of messed up for them to change their tune so drastically just a few months later.

 

[Hammettf2b]

You can't have videos of Al Sobotka swinging an octopus around his head being played and then ban folks for life for throwing an octopus on the ice.

I get it if a Wings fan does it at another arena, but WTF is this nonsense?

Maybe if he didn't act like an idiot this wouldn't have happened

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Maybe if he didn't act like an idiot this wouldn't have happened

He "powered through" because security was looking to stop people from participating in a team tradition.

He shouldn't have had any need to do so. So who made the decision for security to stop octopus throwers at the home rink of the team that has octopus throwers? And why? And why was it never mentioned?

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Maybe if he didn't "power through" security, it wouldn't have went down like this.

"He tried to stop me from throwing it and I powered through him," he said. "I powered through him, I got it right over top of him but he had me right away."

http://www.wxyz.com/news/man-kicked-out-of-detroit-red-wings-game-for-throwing-octopus-onto-ice

It's strange that that article doesn't mention the lifetime ban but the CBC one does.

 

[Hammettf2b]

He "powered through" because security was looking to stop people from participating in a team tradition.

He shouldn't have had any need to do so. So who made the decision for security to stop octopus throwers at the home rink of the team that has octopus throwers? And why? And why was it never mentioned?

It doesn't matter. The rules were clear before hand. If you don't want to follow the rules, then don't complain about the punishment. Although I agree that the rule is lame, its still a rule and you still need to follow it.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

It doesn't matter. The rules were clear before hand. If you don't want to follow the rules, then don't complain about the punishment. Although I agree that the rule is lame, its still a rule and you still need to follow it.

No, you don't get to retroactively start clamping down on rules that you let slide before (because of a tradition that has been a part of Red Wings history for however long) and blame it on the fans for not knowing that the rule was suddenly going to be enforced.

That's a stupid justification.

 

[Hammettf2b]

No, you don't get to retroactively start clamping down on rules that you let slide before (because of a tradition that has been a part of Red Wings history for however long) and blame it on the fans for not knowing that the rule was suddenly going to be enforced.

That's a stupid justification.

Like I said before, maybe if he didn't act like an idiot and blatantly try to go through security, it wouldn't have went down like that. Maybe next time do it but not try to go through security.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

It doesn't matter. The rules were clear before hand. If you don't want to follow the rules, then don't complain about the punishment. Although I agree that the rule is lame, its still a rule and you still need to follow it.

It sounds like the rules weren't clear beforehand.

They've allowed this at the Joe for decades and it doesn't sound like there was any announcement or information anywhere stating that it was prohibited.

 

[jkutswings]

No, you don't get to retroactively start clamping down on rules that you let slide before...

Well, it's not like this has ever happened before with this franchise.

*cough* Zetterberg recapture penalty *cough*

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Like I said before, maybe if he didn't act like an idiot and blatantly try to go through security, it wouldn't have went down like that. Maybe next time do it but not try to go through security.

Maybe if security didn't take a cutthroat stance on the home opener and instead released a legitimate policy indicating they had no tolerance for throwing anything on the ice, they are justified as a group?

This would not have been an issue if the person in question was not banned FOR LIFE for doing something that was to be expected and cheered in a rink that until the home opener was more than willing to have people doing them. If he gets kicked out? Eh, not a big deal. Banned for a year? Not great, but then again he still came come back. Life? Come on, Olympia.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Maybe if security didn't take a cutthroat stance on the home opener and instead released a legitimate policy indicating they had no tolerance for throwing anything on the ice, they are justified as a group?

This would not have been an issue if the person in question was not banned FOR LIFE for doing something that was to be expected and cheered in a rink that until the home opener was more than willing to have people doing them. If he gets kicked out? Eh, not a big deal. Banned for a year? Not great, but then again he still came come back. Life? Come on, Olympia.

I agree with everyone saying its tradition and what not but I think you guys are just ignoring the fact that the guy was physical with security. Thats how I took it with his comments anyway. I think thats the main reason for the ban. If he indeed was not physical with security then yes, i think its pretty stupid, but I'm just going by what the guy said.

 

[chances14]

No, you don't get to retroactively start clamping down on rules that you let slide before (because of a tradition that has been a part of Red Wings history for however long) and blame it on the fans for not knowing that the rule was suddenly going to be enforced.

That's a stupid justification.

I'm willing to guess there may be more to the story that we will never know about that lead to the lifetime ban.

It sounds like the rules weren't clear beforehand.

They've allowed this at the Joe for decades and it doesn't sound like there was any announcement or information anywhere stating that it was prohibited.

it's technically been a rule for a while dating back to the Joe, just never really been enforced before.
Also i wonder if the NHL also pressured the wings into enforcing this more.