mdwsta4 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 When I heard that Bakersfield CA was going to host the ECHL all-star game this year I figured it'd be something fun to go to since I have an account up there for work, have never been to an all-star game, and it was only a few hours north of Los Angeles. Ordered tickets when they first became available, picked up 4 seats 6 rows from behind the players bench for barely over $100! Gotta love minor league hockey. While the gameplay itself was pretty terrible, the event was great. The Meigray guys were there and had a few dozen gamers at large discounts including auctions for each period's jerseys at the game. However, the best part was the Stanley Cup was there! I've seen it at the Hockey Hall of Fame when I was younger, but have never gotten this close to it. They allowed fans to take a picture with it and even allowed you to use your own camera for free! First time, I got a pic by myself, then with my GF. Went back again and decided I was going to touch it. Then I went back again to point out the 2010 Blackhawks, then again to lick it! The guy in charge was laughing because I was the only one that kept coming back, let alone 5 times! Tried to convince him to let me pick it up, but no go. Either way, I can't imagine many people outside of players/families have licked the Stanley Cup. I was like a kid in a candy store. Here's one of the cell phone pics of me licking it wearing my game-worn Steel jersey while the GF wore my TBTC jersey. anyone else have any cup stories? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Dude, do you have any idea how many OTHER people have probably handled and/or did God-knows-what-else to the Cup before you licked it? Congratulations! You now have herpes or some form of STD. Do everyone a favor and don't give it to that lovely young lady you're with, huh? :D To answer your initial question though, given the chance, I wouldn't touch it. You're not allowed to touch the Stanley Cup unless you win it. And since I haven't yet ruled out the possibility of myself making either a league appearance or coaching position, I'll hold off on jinxing myself just yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guam64 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Had the chance to touch it years ago but wasn't going to unless I earned that chance by winning it. So much like Bruce Boudreau, I will probably never get to touch it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdwsta4 Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Haha! We both joked about that exact same thing. Hopefully the beer washed it away. Dude, do you have any idea how many OTHER people have probably handled and/or did God-knows-what-else to the Cup before you licked it? Congratulations! You now have herpes or some form of STD. Do everyone a favor and don't give it to that lovely young lady you're with, huh? :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I must say though, your girl has excellent taste. Any female donning the 1991-92 barber pole is a keeper in my book! Honestly though, I don't think I've ever had the opportunity to even see the Stanley Cup...and that's not just because the Rangers have been the epitome of sub-par hockey for the last fifteen years...but I really do have to get up to the Hall of Fame one of these years and check everything out. I've been to Cooperstown twice but I still haven't gotten across the border to the big TO yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyhighguys94 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 How you gonna explain crabs on your face bro? I would love to see that cup in person. The fact you got to lick it and have a picture of that is pretty sweet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guam64 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 It was actually more fun looking for all the misspellings in the engraving than getting teh superaids from touching it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcdude Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Ive been to the Hall of Fame multiple times and always get my picture with the Cup. Went with my dad last month when we were at the World Juniors (toronto is like 2 hours from Buffalo), and I put my arm around it but WOULD NOT touch it. There's a hysterical picture of me in 8th grade too afraid to get close enough because I just had so much respect for the trophy! Once I figure how to get a F(&^*** job in the hockey business and we win the cup, then I'll touch it, but until then just can't bring myself to do it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NYIJM29 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I will not touch it either, if given the chance, especially now after seeing that picture Thanks for sharing! That is a really cool memory! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BladesOfSteel Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Out of sheer dumb luck, I got to see it one year when it was at the local sports store. Just turned the corner and there it was. I couldn't believe it! They gave out free Polaroids (remember those?). I was a bit more of a gentlemen and only kissed it! :-) ...and yes, the guy with the white gloves from the MasterCard commercial was there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thelonious Sphere Monk Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I myself like TMLFAN or tyler live in the GTA area so I visit Mr. Stanley 2-3 times a year. Yes, I do feel lucky to live so close to the ultimate hockey shrine and I take advantage as much as I can. I've seen it. Touched it (Couldn't resist, Never going to win it). Never licked it though! All the rest of them also. You can feel the history in that room, boy! Reading the spelling mistakes on it is fun. It makes me feel like i'm 13 years old again when I go in. Yet, I like the Lemieux and Orr case's also. They got Mario's Laval voisins jersey from when he scored 282 points in one season! ownage! and Bobbys old Oshawa Generals jersey! how about THAT for vintage! It only a matter of time before they invent the Gretzky trophy. I'm sorry but they might as well rename the Art Ross to the Wayne Gretzky IMO. His name is plasterd all over it anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brilliant! Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Gordie Howe won the scoring title six times. Phil Esposito won it five times too. There was a league before Wayne Gretzky, you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thelonious Sphere Monk Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Gordie Howe won the scoring title six times. Phil Esposito won it five times too. There was a league before Wayne Gretzky, you know. So!?!? Mario's won it six time too! Gretzky won it 10 times man! Better recognize! That's almost double then anyone else! Six ain't s***. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hockey41 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Met the Stanley Cup and Brent Sopel at Casey Morans (bar outside Wrigley Field). It was nothing short of amazing to spend a few minutes with the greatest trophy in all of sport. And yes; I did kiss it as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Me and the cup go way back. I've been in it's glorious presence at least five times now. I'm also not afraid to fondle it's curves for my own personal thrills. The best one was at last year's US Pond Hockey Championships. It was scheduled to be in the main warming tent, only the event was rained out. They still brought the cup and there were maybe 15 people there. My son and I essentially had it all to ourselves for a half and hour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xcdude Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 ...and yes, the guy with the white gloves from the MasterCard commercial was there! Phil Pritchard! What a great guy! Got to meet him at the last MeiGray expo, and he honestly is one of the nicest guys I've met. I asked him if he ever gets tired of being the keeper of the cup, and his response basically was "Its a dream man." I wish I had his job sometimes... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyGagner Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 We need more pictures of your girlfriend and yes I have hugged the Cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LIGHTNING_4 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 In 2004 when the Lightning won the cup a Sports Authority had the cup set up at a table inside the store and they allowed people to take pictures with it.Thats the only time i have ever seen it up close. The also had the Cup at the Lightning Parade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flountown Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 If they won't let you pick it up, you need to lean the top half of your body horizontal while looking like you're holding it, and then take a picture of your torso and the cup, problem solved. I'd have no problem touching the cup, I am never going to have a chance to win it, although it wouldn't mean much to me unless it was after a Flyers victory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dasle Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Got to touch the cup / take pictures with it after the Penguins won it in 2009. I missed the finals that year cause I was studying abroad in France, but they had the cup on display in Pittsburgh again a few days after I got back so I just had to go down. Since I didn't see the finals, seeing the cup kind of made it all real. However, I guess this means that I have to go to France now each time the Pens make it to the finals... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Ullman Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 They had it at the 2004 draft in Raleigh, so a few pals and I made the trip down. I put my arm around it like an old pal...figured I was in no danger of winning it myself anytime soon. Gotta say, though...I've never allowed myself to touch any of the comics industry awards (Harveys, Eisners...). You never know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 I stood next to the Cup on one of its trips to Boise, ID to visit the Idaho Steelheads. Got a picture of it somewhere around here, just gotta find which hard drive it is on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesNordiques Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Been to the HOF few times, so yes I have touched and got photo taken with the "replica" cup. There are actually three Stanley Cups: the original bowl, the authenticated Cup, and the replica at the Hall of Fame. The original bowl, purchased by Lord Stanley and physically awarded to the champion until 1970, is displayed in the vault room at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario.The authenticated version or "Presentation Cup" was created in 1963 by Montreal silversmith Carl Petersen. It is authenticated by the seal of the Hockey Hall of Fame on the bottom, which can be seen when winning players lift the Cup over their heads, and it is the one currently awarded to the champions of the playoffs and used for promotions. This version was made in secret, and its production was only revealed three years later. The replica trophy, called the "Replica Cup", was created in 1993 by Montreal silversmith Louise St. Jacques to be used as a stand-in at the Hockey Hall of Fame whenever the Presentation Cup is not available for display.[54] There are very few differences between the authenticated version and the replica version. The surest way to identify one version from the other is to check the engraving for the 1984 Stanley Cup winning Edmonton Oilers. The authenticated version has x's engraved over Basil Pocklington's name whereas his name is completely missing from the replica version. The more difficult way of distingushing them is with the small dent located on the rim of the authentic cup where it was dropped. No one knows for sure who actually dropped the cup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainKing Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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