Tuesday, July 19, 2011

When a day with the Stanley Cup goes wrong

Looks like when he called airline customer
service, Horton heard a "who?" YEEEAHHH
Just over a month after being raised in the air by Boston captain Zdeno Chara, the Stanley Cup was back in the news over the weekend. But unlike game seven in Vancouver, this time the Cup made headlines for not appearing...at least, not when it was supposed to.

Bruins' forward Nathan Horton was scheduled to enjoy his traditional day with the Cup in his hometown of Dunnville, Ont. on Sunday. But the Cup missed its flight, and Horton had to appear in front of the assembled fans empty-handed.

The Cup did eventually arrived for a shortened appearance at the event, and an embarrassed Horton apologized to the crowd. But he shouldn't have felt bad. Despite all the feel-good stories we're used to hearing this time year, Horton is just the latest in a long line of NHL players to have problems with the world's most famous trophy.

Here's a look back at some past champions who had their day with the Cup go badly:

1999 - Brett Hull is half an hour late returning the Cup in violation of the long-enforced 24-hour limit, but everyone agrees to just pretend that rule doesn't exist rather than make a big deal out of it.

2001 - Whitby's Adam Foote is disappointed after spending the entire day showing off the Cup to hockey fans in nearby Toronto, only to discover that none of them recognize it.

2007 - Officials are forced to explain to a disappointed crowd in Fort McMurry that yes, it was easily the biggest goal of his career and yes, it will go down in the record books as the Stanley Cup winner, but no, Chris Phillips still isn't getting a day with the Cup.

1996 - The Cup leaves North America for the first time when it travels to Sweden with Peter Forsberg, then proceeds to spend the rest of the summer annoying everyone by being unable to make up its mind about whether it wants to return.

2003 - Joe Nieuwendyk brings the Cup to this his alma mater at Cornell University, drawing such a huge crowd that the school is forced to cancel that day's scheduled lecture entitled "A detailed theoretical model of why anyone who becomes a general manager some day should probably trade their franchise player at the deadline if he's obviously planning to sign with the Rangers in the summer".

2004 - Martin St. Louis' day with the Cup is ruined when he accidentally tumbles into the bowl and spends the rest of the afternoon adorably squeaking for somebody to come and lift him out.

1995 - After winning the franchise's first championship, members of the New Jersey Devils save everyone time by just going ahead and engraving "A bunch of boring guys playing the trap and making you hate hockey" into the Cup's next ten years' worth of panels.

2005 - In the spirit of the lockout, NHL and NHLPA lawyers each get to take turns bringing the Stanley Cup from town to town and hitting fans over the head with it.

1994 - While spending his sixth day with the Cup in the last ten years, Mark Messier realizes he's really getting tired of all these championships and resolves to sign his next free agent contract with a franchise that has no hope of ever winning one.

2010 - After several intense hours, Jonathan Toews wins the staring contest when the Cup blinks first.

2009 - As he sits alone in front of a giant cake in a balloon-filled gymnasium with a party hat tilted sadly to one side, Joe Thornton begins to realize that fans aren't really interested in helping you celebrate your day with the Presidents' Trophy.

1991 - The Cup is famously left at the bottom of Mario Lemieux's swimming pool during a players' party after nobody goes in to retrieve it, marking the only time in recent NHL history that nobody on the Pittsburgh Penguins is willing to dive.




36 comments:

  1. Why wouldn't people in Toronto recognize the Cup? It is at the Hockey Hall of Fame most of the year, and that's in TORONTO.

    And the Cup is an inanimate object, it can't stare.

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  2. You wanna put a B and an extra S in that user name, Dumas?

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  3. The Chris Phillips one is golden! Same with St Louis! And Nieuwendyk! Jeeez they're all so good, unreal post DGB!

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  4. Dumas, missing a b and an s.

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  5. I am hoping that your posting name is supposed to be a pun.

    Dear god, please let it be that no one is that obtuse.

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  6. 1990 - Mark Messier has to empty the Cup after misunderstanding his teammates wanted it filled with "beer", not "tears".

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  7. Rangers fan here: mike's still an idiot. Dumas is pretty close too

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  8. WAIT...

    Maybe Dumas IS Mike...

    /mindblown

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  9. Sharks fan, 09 still stings...

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  10. I love the St. Louis one. So much.

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  11. The Nieuwendyk one was clever, took me a few seconds to figure it out, than once it clicked I laughed my ass off. Great job as always.

    Dumas has to be a satrical jab at Mike the Flyers Fan. Well played sir.

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  12. I LOL'd re: the Pens diving. Gold.

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  13. I somehow didn't even see the Phillips line. Maybe its my subconscious trying to erase any memories I have of that goal...
    -a Sens fan

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  14. I literally LOLed at the penguins dive and new jersey trap remark.

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  15. I see someone is still raw about the Devils' championships! I love how everyone forgets that the 2000 and 2001 NJ teams were 2nd and 1st in league scoring, respectively.

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  16. 1991 - The Cup is famously left at the bottom of Mario Lemieux's swimming pool during a players' party after nobody goes in to retrieve it, marking the only time in recent NHL history that nobody on the Pittsburgh Penguins is willing to dive.

    LMAO!!!

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  17. Love the photo caption, CSI Miami, a dig at Nathan Horton and a Dr. Seuss reference.

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  18. As it is Verboten to make fun of The Peter Forsberg, I really hated this post.
    So there.

    Ok .... the M St Lois was kinda funny ... and some others too .... but NOT the mean joke about The Peter!

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  19. That Toews line was priceless. :D

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  20. The caption also was killer too

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  21. @Peter, Swedski

    You do realise that the joke in on Sundin, not Forsberg?

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  22. 1994 - While spending his sixth day with the Cup in the last ten years, Mark Messier realizes he's really getting tired of all these championships and resolves to sign his next free agent contract with a franchise that has no hope of ever winning one.

    That really really hurts (Canucks fan, of course). But I laughed to where I couldn't breath.

    And you make up for it with the Penguins comment.

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  23. Wait, I laughed at the Penguins diving and support my team that dove all during the playoffs? Well, I don't like diving but I sure love my team.

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  24. oh, dumas, sweetie. here's an example of why the cup losing the staring contest is funny: http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ll42przIyJ1qdm94a.gif

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  25. I think Brett Hull one went over people's heads. That's the funniest one.

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  26. the Brett Hull one is really toeing the line.

    And this Caniac thinks Mike is a dumas. Fortunately I guess we were spared an embarassing moment in the summer of 06.

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  27. 5 stars, DGB!

    I loved the Martin St. Louis and Penguins jokes especially. :)

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  28. I'd say that this is one of the funniest posts ever, but unfortunately the bar is so high in this blog, that I really can't say so.

    But still, keep these coming, I get great laughs basically everytime reading a blog entry here!

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  29. The Martin St. Louis one. Cracked. Me. Up. I'm still snickering.

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  30. B Hull joke was about the foot in the crease goal v. buffalo?

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  31. looks like dumas is an idiot
    awesome article i loved the thornton part

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  32. Claude Julien spent his day with the Cup in Ottawa today... You HAVE to make a joke about this next time! ;)

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  33. http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpdl4z5N0c1r04qi3o1_500.jpg

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  34. 2009: While celebrating on his balcony, the Cup accidentally falls on a fan outside of Hal Gill's home, severely injuring him. In keeping with Pittsburgh tradition, A Detroit Red Wing is arrested for no good reason, while Gary Bettman smirks and high fives Sidney Crosby.

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  35. I cant pick one to comment with, because I have no idea which one I like best. All are great!

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  36. Dumas-> No the Stanley Cup is in the Hall of Fame always and never leaves. It is in the Bank Vault.

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