One of the amazing things about the NHL is all the traditions wrapped up in the sport. For some reason, even though I'm a huge NBA fan, I cannot think of many traditions from professional basketball.
There are many traditions in college basketball, but that's not what I'm talking about. I want to know about the NBA.
In the NHL you have traditions of the sport itself:
- Throwing hats on the ice when a player scores three goals in one game
- The handshake line at the end of each playoff round
- Players growing playoff beards until their team is eliminated
- The Stanley Cup itself, the most iconic trophy in all of sport
- A new tradition like the Winter Classic played outdoors every year on January 1
- Serenading the opposing team's goalie during the playoffs
- Announcing the three stars of the game to the crowd after every game
There are also countless traditions of individual teams:
- The 'Ole' chant in Montreal (they were in rare form last night - unbelievable)
- The singer holding the mike up and letting the entire crowd sing the National Anthem at Edmonton playoff games
- Throwing octopus onto the ice in Detroit
- Ranger fans chanting 'Potvin Sucks' 5-10 times a game, even though Potvin retired more than 20 years ago. We do not forget what he did
- Blackhawk and Ranger fans completely drowning out the National Anthem with noise, something that has to be seen in person to be believed
- The 'whiteout' that goes back to Winnipeg and Quebec City, when they were in the NHL
- New Jersey losing in the first round every year
- Islander fans going to games dressed as empty seats
(sorry, could not resist the last two!)
- St Louis ringing a loud bell after they score a goal, one ding for every goal they've scored so far in the game
- 'Barney knows hockey' in Carolina
- Flag waving that started with Roger Neilson coaching in Vancouver a long time ago
- The 'C' of red in Calgary
- Playing 'The Rangers Victory Song' at the Garden after a win, a song that goes back to the 1930's
- The Philadelphia Flyers using Kate Smith singing God Bless America as their good luck charm in the playoffs
I'm sure I'm missing a few, that's just off the top of my head.
College football and basketball are laden with these type of traditions, if you would like to start another thread about them please feel free. I can think of a whole bunch in the NFL and MLB too.
It's the NBA where I am coming up short, though. This is what I've thought of:
- The annual Christmas Day game
- The Lebron chalk thing
- The Detroit announcer (Zinkoff?) who has very imaginative ways of announcing 'Detroit basketball' when the ball goes out of bounds
Please help me out here...what am I missing in the NBA?
Thanks
Sandra
There are many traditions in college basketball, but that's not what I'm talking about. I want to know about the NBA.
In the NHL you have traditions of the sport itself:
- Throwing hats on the ice when a player scores three goals in one game
- The handshake line at the end of each playoff round
- Players growing playoff beards until their team is eliminated
- The Stanley Cup itself, the most iconic trophy in all of sport
- A new tradition like the Winter Classic played outdoors every year on January 1
- Serenading the opposing team's goalie during the playoffs
- Announcing the three stars of the game to the crowd after every game
There are also countless traditions of individual teams:
- The 'Ole' chant in Montreal (they were in rare form last night - unbelievable)
- The singer holding the mike up and letting the entire crowd sing the National Anthem at Edmonton playoff games
- Throwing octopus onto the ice in Detroit
- Ranger fans chanting 'Potvin Sucks' 5-10 times a game, even though Potvin retired more than 20 years ago. We do not forget what he did
- Blackhawk and Ranger fans completely drowning out the National Anthem with noise, something that has to be seen in person to be believed
- The 'whiteout' that goes back to Winnipeg and Quebec City, when they were in the NHL
- New Jersey losing in the first round every year
- Islander fans going to games dressed as empty seats
(sorry, could not resist the last two!)
- St Louis ringing a loud bell after they score a goal, one ding for every goal they've scored so far in the game
- 'Barney knows hockey' in Carolina
- Flag waving that started with Roger Neilson coaching in Vancouver a long time ago
- The 'C' of red in Calgary
- Playing 'The Rangers Victory Song' at the Garden after a win, a song that goes back to the 1930's
- The Philadelphia Flyers using Kate Smith singing God Bless America as their good luck charm in the playoffs
I'm sure I'm missing a few, that's just off the top of my head.
College football and basketball are laden with these type of traditions, if you would like to start another thread about them please feel free. I can think of a whole bunch in the NFL and MLB too.
It's the NBA where I am coming up short, though. This is what I've thought of:
- The annual Christmas Day game
- The Lebron chalk thing
- The Detroit announcer (Zinkoff?) who has very imaginative ways of announcing 'Detroit basketball' when the ball goes out of bounds
Please help me out here...what am I missing in the NBA?
Thanks
Sandra
Last edited:
