Is the throwing of things on the ice finally over?

[Magill]

Well, I heard the original Pooh tissue holder that has become Yuzuru Hanyu's trademark by now, came to him originally exactly this way - was thrown onto the ice by a fan for him when he was still a junior and did not have any tisuue holder, carrying around just a tissue box with a very tiny Pooh mascot tied to it. I wonder how this person feels now as they must be aware it was their gift that started all this Pooh madness ...

 

[moonvine]

Not as great a story as that, but Deniss got a stuffed rat that he was particularly pleased with, and he took it home and gave it it's own Twitter account.

 

[surimi]

Glad to hear that there are some skaters that appreciate non-monetary gifts. I think especially plushy-throwing kids in the audience will be happy to hear that.
For me, gifts of all sorts are a tradition in FS that I'd be sad to see disappear, sort of like bouquets as audience gifts used to be popular after classical concerts and theatre performances.
It's practical for skaters to get cash or gift cards with the cold hard digits on them, so kudos to everyone who gifts these, but I myself will keep giving out fan letter/note+small candy/souvenir from my country to my faves. It's likely that skaters are not allowed to eat something like wafers or chocolates in original packaging (not very healthy either, but neither is coffee IMO), but maybe their coaches and rink staff can get it instead.

 

[TontoK]

For whatever reason, this topic continues to fascinate me.

I've discovered that if you're buying in bulk - even in lots of only 10 or so - there are all sorts of stuffy bargains to be found.

Two websites (Oriental Trading and Alibaba) have stuffed animal "collections." many that work out to about a dollar each piece, some even cheaper.

I'm sure these are manufactured by practically child slave labor, but I don't judge. People wearing Nike shouldn't throw stones.

 

[Arriba627]

Not sure how other skaters handle.things, but Jason Brown's former coach told him to never, ever eat any food items that were given/thrown as gifts. It's a shame, because I would think most (if not all) things are given with good intentions. Too risky nowadays.

 

[TontoK]

Not sure how other skaters handle.things, but Jason Brown's former coach told him to never, ever eat any food items that were given/thrown as gifts. It's a shame, because I would think most (if not all) things are given with good intentions. Too risky nowadays.

As well-intentioned as fans might be, it would be almost criminal for a coach to advise an athlete otherwise.

Like all figure skaters, Jason is responsible for what is put in his body. I'm sure Jason is a good guy, but he can't afford the luxury of that level of trust. It must hurt him to some degree to accept those food items with a smile of gratitude, and then dispose of them.

 

[TT_Fin]

This conversation turned interesting. My main thoughts when I opened this thread only time schedule and affect to next skaters warm, effect to concentration if there is much stuff on ice. I have never given skaters gifts in thos few competitions I have been live, but if I do, I probably by something (not eatable) from charity sales. F.ex. in animal shelter where I work as a volunteer are sometimes stuffed smalla cats animals people have made for sale. Many charity associations sell also neutral new things with their logo, like bags, caps beanies etc. I could buy and give some like it. I am not sure how it is abroad, but Finland has thousands of local associations, most of them work compeletely or partly for charity, in addition to the big global ones and they finance their finance their activities by selling charitable products. I could kill two birds with one stone (OT: this is awful expression in English because I love birds, in Finnish we say two flies with one hit which does not sound so bad and I used translator to get the expression in English) buy supporting charity and giving skater of gift. A Finnish association which goal is ssupports some university children's clinics and children's hospitals and it's aspects of sponsorship are pediatric research, patient comfort and the mental health of children and young people. Those teddy bears are though quite expensive at least i one wants to buy many. The goal of that association But I have thought it as a perfect gift for Jason.

I totally understand skaters are not allowed to eat anything given from unknown person.

 

[chaser]

If throwing anything onto the ice is over, that’s good. In what other sport are gifts thrown onto the field of play?

 

[moonvine]

If throwing anything onto the ice is over, that’s good. In what other sport are gifts thrown onto the field of play?

That's what makes it special! It is unique to skating.

 

[Dogo]

Going back to the original question, yes it may very well be over. As an example, there was no plushies at SOI, which makes sense. But I wished we could have had the chance to hand them something (flowers, a gift, or a plushie) near the boards at the end of the Gala (when it was mostly over and the skaters were waving their final goodbyes to the audience).

 

[moonvine]

Going back to the original question, yes it may very well be over. As an example, there was no plushies at SOI, which makes sense. But I wished we could have had the chance to hand them something (flowers, a gift, or a plushie) near the boards at the end of the Gala (when it was mostly over and the skaters were waving their final goodbyes to the audience).

I'm not sure why you believe it is over based on that. Throwing stuffies has never been a thing at shows. Only at comps. Normally one can give presents at the meet and greet (which I intend to do at Ice Dreams). But SOI is being very persnickety with the meet and greet due to Covid. Also presents are given at the FOFS breakfast at US Nationals.

The Cranberry International comp allowed presents, but one had to hand them to a volunteer to give to a skater.

 

[TontoK]

This conversation turned interesting. My main thoughts when I opened this thread...

This is one of my favorite features of GS. The mods let the topic drift a bit, especially when the offshoot discussions are interesting and good-spririted.

 

[readernick]

So much landfill! I cringe when I see it! Anything that reduces landfill has my support! Ban it forever!

I'm with @Greengemmonster on this one. Anything that reduces the waste we are putting into landfills is good! There are definitely more practical and environmentally friendly ways of showing appreciation for skaters. Donate to their GoFundMe accounts. Send them a message of encouragement.

 

[el henry]

If throwing anything onto the ice is over, that’s good. In what other sport are gifts thrown onto the field of play?

Ice hockey. Hat tricks.

although I don't know if they're technically gifts or if the hockey players want them. But they are items thrown onto the field of play.

 

[moonvine]

Ice hockey. Hat tricks.

although I don't know if they're technically gifts or if the hockey players want them. But they are items thrown onto the field of play.

Some team's fans throw octopi. They're very serious about it. I offended someone by saying I thought it was gross. I still think it's gross. Someone has to pick them all up. Ewww.

These people are WEIRD. Nobody better ever talk about me again. They pick it up with their BARE HANDS.

Legend of the Octopus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

By the way, when an octopus is thrown, the game stops until the octopus getter has gotten the octopus. There have been up to 36 octopi thrown in one game, so that actually IS disruptive. There's a whole thing about fetching it and spinning it too.



I've seen oranges thrown when a football team makes the Orange Bowl.

 

[karne]

Going back to the original question, yes it may very well be over. As an example, there was no plushies at SOI, which makes sense. But I wished we could have had the chance to hand them something (flowers, a gift, or a plushie) near the boards at the end of the Gala (when it was mostly over and the skaters were waving their final goodbyes to the audience).

That's because you never throw stuffies at an ice show! It's DANGEROUS. The lights are down and there are NO sweepers. Even before COVID that was not a thing.

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

Some team's fans throw octopi. They're very serious about it. I offended someone by saying I thought it was gross. I still think it's gross. Someone has to pick them all up. Ewww.

These people are WEIRD. Nobody better ever talk about me again. They pick it up with their BARE HANDS.

Legend of the Octopus - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

By the way, when an octopus is thrown, the game stops until the octopus getter has gotten the octopus. There have been up to 36 octopi thrown in one game, so that actually IS disruptive. There's a whole thing about fetching it and spinning it too.



I've seen oranges thrown when a football team makes the Orange Bowl.

Tradition for good luck with the Detroit Red Wings, didn't even need to see the video. LOL They actually have an octopus named Al as their mascot. And a figure of him is in their rink that goes to the rafters (2 of them during playoffs), as well as them selling merchandise. There is no 'suited' mascot though.

 

[skylark]

I've seen oranges thrown when a football team makes the Orange Bowl.

A bit more thread drift that I simply can't resist. Although I tried! When we were living in England, a friend who's a historian told me that when William of Orange invaded England (which he was invited by Parliament to do), along the route he and his army marched, people would line up and cheer, and many would impale an orange on a stick and wave them like flags.

I was fascinated by this, because my aunt once told me that when she was a child (early 1900s), an orange was a very rare treat. One in each child's stocking at Christmas. But that was mid-continent North America, whereas in England in the late 1700s, the sea route between England and the Caribbean islands was well traveled, and there was lots of trade. Also, oranges were imported from Spain and Portugal. So it made sense that people would have oranges.

 

[Amei]

If throwing anything onto the ice is over, that’s good. In what other sport are gifts thrown onto the field of play?

In Nascar the state of Alabama for a long time had a tendency to offer drivers they didn't like a refreshing can of beer when they won a race

 

[Dogo]

That's because you never throw stuffies at an ice show! It's DANGEROUS. The lights are down and there are NO sweepers. Even before COVID that was not a thing.

Yeah, I think someone else did an all-caps reply on this as well. I think the message got through (At least I got it, another person also made a comment that there was no reason to come off with a rude reply). I don't think the other person's intention was to be rude replying with an all-caps and a bit of a condescending tone, but it's hard to not misinterpret the comment's intention (to educate? or to castigate?) if all I have is the text edits (the use of italics in specific words and the all-caps).