Arthur writes:
>>The Princeton Undergraduate fans have started a new tradition of
>>throwing tennis balls on to the ice after the first Tiger goal.
>
>Great. This is exactly the kind of "tradition" the game does NOT
>need, like Cornell and its fish, North Dakota and its gophers, and
>whatever other stupid things fans have come up with to throw on the
>ice at other schools.
 
    For the most part I agree with you, but there is one situation
    where I actually think it's ok and no one at all seems to mind.
    At New Hampshire's Snively Arena, when the Wildcats score their
    first goal, someone throws a big fish onto the ice from behind
    the team benches.  The arena crew comes out and picks it up and
    the game continues.  In fact, once the goal is scored, an arena
    guy starts out onto the ice even before the fish makes its
    appearance.  Everyone knows it is coming and everyone is ready
    for it.  It's one of those things that has been done for years
    and years; maybe someone who knows a little more of the History
    of the Fish can post about it.
 
    I have no problem with the UNH fish.  But I agree that tennis
    balls, cups, gophers, etc. beng thrown on the ice just serves
    as an example of the stupidity of some fans.  And Merrimack fans
    used to have the dumb tennis ball tradition a while ago - not
    anymore.  I think a lot of people saw it as too similar to the
    toilet paper on the court at basketball games, and that quickly
    went the way of the dodo.  I hope fans don't think that paying
    to get into a college (or any) hockey game entitles them to do
    stupid things like this, because it doesn't.
 
 
    - mike