Scare tactics email from Gene Nighman

[jtwcornell91]

Every time Cornell-Harvard is televised, Athletics tries to convince us they will behead anyone throwing a fish.  This year is no different:
[Q]
Dear hockey ticket holder,


An important hockey weekend is upon us!  Before the action starts, I
would like to notify you of some important issues.

Harvard game start time
The Saturday game vs. Harvard starts at 5:30 p.m. to facilitate a
live CSTV broadcast.

Fish
Cornell is on notice that if the game vs. Harvard is delayed because
of fish on the ice, or because of other distuptive, unsportsmanlike
fan behavior, the Big Red will be penalized (and the penalty is a
five minute major)! Cornell Police will check everyone at the
entrances to Lynah, and fish will be confiscated.  Anyone found with
a fish will lose his or her tickets to the game. As usual, throwing
objects onto the ice is prohibited, and violators will be expelled
from the rink.

Worthy Cause
Instead of wasting money on fish, risking ejection from the rink or
having the team penalized, why not continue a two-year tradition and
donate a toy to the Cops, Kids and Toys program? Leave the fish at
home and make life a little brighter for area children by bringing a
new stuffed toy to the game. Toys that are collected prior to the
announcement of the starting lineups will be donated to the Cops,
Kids and Toys program which benefits over 600 families and 1,600
children in Tompkins County each year.

Use of Profane Language
People shouting obscenities or using threatening language, signs or
gestures will be ejected from the game and lose their playoff
tickets. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Thank you for supporting Big Red hockey in a positive manner!

Sincerely,

Gene M. Nighman '81
[/Q]

Is there even a provision in the rules for a five-minute major for delay of game, and on a first offense at that?  Sounds like an escalation of FUD.

[canuck89]

I thought it was a two-minute minor bench penalty.  Anyone...?

[daredevilcu]

Does it really matter?  I'd imagine it's a no-penalty situation because your rink staff always clears whatever you toss on the ice very quickly so the game is not delayed at all.  Also, has the Faithful ever let a letter like this stop them before?

[CowbellGuy]

Actually, we've been called for delay-of-game several times, but only when fish was thrown later during play, but never during player intros. At any rate, it is a 2 minute minor, and is being discussed in the "Be nice to Harvard" thread.

[Rosey]

Throw one for me. ::moon::

Maybe I'll order some fish at the Sports Depot and hurl it at the TV...

Kyle

[mjh89]

Throw everything including the kitchen sink on the ice.

[KeithK]

[quote mjh89]Throw everything including the kitchen sink on the ice.[/quote]Throw Gene Nighman on the ice and cover him with fish guts.

[Rosey]

I think appropriate would be a large fish with "Andy Noel can bite my shiny metal ass" prominently typeset in a repeating pattern on a piece of paper tied to the fish.

Cheers,
Kyle

[cth95]

Aren't parents warned not to make threats they do not plan to carry out?  Otherwise the children quickly catch on and no longer listen.  I would think falsely warning us about exaggerated penalties would fall into this category.

[CowbellGuy]

Gene's reply:

[q]Excuse my ignorance. As you probably know my area of expertise is in wrestling not hockey.[/q]

Sarcastic or not, no comment necessary.

[Give My Regards]

[quote canuck89]I thought it was a two-minute minor bench penalty.  Anyone...?[/quote]

Here's the rule, from this year's NCAA rulebook:

"Interference by Spectators
"SECTION 30. a. In the event that objects that interfere with the progress of the game are thrown onto the ice, the official shall blow the whistle and stop the play; and the puck shall be faced off at the spot where play is stopped.
"Fans are not permitted to throw objects on the ice.  At the discretion of the referee, a warning may be issued before the game.
"b.  Spectators are not permitted to use artificial noisemakers, air horns, or electronic amplifiers while the game is in progress.
"c. The band(s) shall not be allowed to play while the game is in progress."
"PENALTIES -- a. through c. -- Warning or bench minor against offending fans' team for delay of game.
"It is the referee's discretion, depending on the severity of the action, whether or not a warning is necessary.
"Note: Conferences or the proper disciplinary authority are encouraged to develop policies in this area if necessary."

I've not heard anything about the ECAC or the "proper disciplinary authority" upping this penalty to a major.  I'm not even sure they'd be able to do so.

Oops, just saw the post above, oh well.  I don't suppose there will be another mass Email saying "minor, not major"?

[calgARI '07]

Here's what I wrote in this week's column on the subject:

What should the policy be on throwing fish this year?

This will probably be published after the official policy is released but if history is any indication, athletics and the administration will probably get it wrong.  Throwing fish on the ice when Harvard's hockey team comes out for the first period is long standing tradition at Lynah.  As long as no fish is thrown after that single occasion, the administration and athletics have no justification for not allowing it.  The last several years, the only time it happens is at this time and the students have been great at not doing it after the original warning announcement is made.  Sure, it delays the game a bit and smells up the rink, but it really does not do any harm.  The students have every right to continue this tradition and no one person – not the president of the university, nor the hockey coach, nor the athletic director - is bigger than it.  It does not have to be encouraged, but it should be allowed and then the warning be made.  
Or here's another idea.  How about Cornell just adopts Colgate's policy on throwing gum onto the ice and actually encourage it while continually threatening a Colgate penalty should it happen again.  Then when more gum is thrown on the ice, officials just send out another warning.

[billhoward]

1) Maybe it's a five-minute major for throwing fish below the size limit, two minute bench minor otherwise.

2) Has the team been penalized ever for fish *before* the opening faceoff?

3) Cornell probably thinks the fish-tossing makes us look like a rural agricultural college rather than an Ivy League institution. Which we are. And it's on TV.

4) Has anyone asked Cornell for the list of forbidden phrases considerd obscene or threatening? Perhaps if it were circulated here, that would help fans understand what they should not say, write or think. Isn't "obscene" a variable term without specifics? Or is this a sports extension to our recent hate crime laws?

[French Rage]

[quote calgARI '07]Here's what I wrote in this week's column on the subject:

What should the policy be on throwing fish this year?

This will probably be published after the official policy is released but if history is any indication, athletics and the administration will probably get it wrong.  Throwing fish on the ice when Harvard's hockey team comes out for the first period is long standing tradition at Lynah.  As long as no fish is thrown after that single occasion, the administration and athletics have no justification for not allowing it.  The last several years, the only time it happens is at this time and the students have been great at not doing it after the original warning announcement is made.  Sure, it delays the game a bit and smells up the rink, but it really does not do any harm.  The students have every right to continue this tradition and no one person – not the president of the university, nor the hockey coach, nor the athletic director - is bigger than it.  It does not have to be encouraged, but it should be allowed and then the warning be made.  
Or here's another idea.  How about Cornell just adopts Colgate's policy on throwing gum onto the ice and actually encourage it while continually threatening a Colgate penalty should it happen again.  Then when more gum is thrown on the ice, officials just send out another warning.[/quote]

Well put.  I think they send the email just so it looks like they're doing something, but if they really were their checks at the door would be more than a chest pat-down.  When it comes time to throw the fish, they always know people have them in there, and just tell you to get it done then and not later.

[atb9]

[quote CowbellGuy]Gene's reply:

[q]Excuse my ignorance. As you probably know my area of expertise is in wrestling not hockey.[/q]

Sarcastic or not, no comment necessary.[/quote]

Maybe he could MC the hockey games?  ::nut::