> > I think this is a cool tradition. It's certainly far > less goofy than other practices that have become acceptable (octopus on the > ice, anyone?) > > > It's taunting. Look for the league to ban the practice. It seems to be a few steps beyond taunting, if you ask me. Let me (dis)qualify myself: I haven't physically seen a college hockey game this season, let alone MSU or Miami. I don't know if the "scalping" procedure consists of removing handfuls of slush that naturally accumulates during a game, or physically chipping at the ice with one's skate-heels. But throwing objects on the playing surface (be they octopi, fish, fish sticks or whatever) are traditions (cool or not) started and perpetrated by the *fans*, who cannot always be held to levels of sportsmanship. The only sport that currently allows taunting among participants is pro wrestling. I say "a few steps beyond" taunting because it seems to approach out-and-out vandalism. Again, I don't know what's involved in scalping, but ice surfaces, as we all know from the recent Zamboni/physics thread, require a great deal of care and maintenance. It's tough to get worked up over ice--as noted on MAD ABOUT YOU, it's simply "water, cold and time -- but compare the practice to a team ripping up an opponents football or baseball field and the practice seems less cool. Greg Sorenson [log in to unmask]