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Keepers of the carpet


Survival79

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Keepers of the carpet

Stepping on a team's logo is a no-no in locker rooms

Posted: Friday May 18, 2007 1:38PM; Updated: Friday May 18, 2007 3:41PM

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OTTAWA - Among the myriad jobs of Erin the Intern, the most noticeable one is guardian of the logo.

She stands sentry after practices and games, guarding the team logo that has been imprinted in the Ottawa Senators' dressing room. When the media hordes descend, notepads and tape recorders and cameras at the ready to record the innermost thoughts of Antoine Vermette, Erin the Intern has to steer them around the centurion character in the middle of the room.

Now, my feeling is this: if you don't want somebody to step on something, you probably shouldn't put it on the floor.

But obviously a lot of teams feel differently. Maybe the sanctity of the logo has been around since Gordie Howe cut his baby teeth, but I really became aware of the no fly/no step zone with the Tampa Bay Lightning during their run to the Stanley Cup in 2004. Dave Andreychuk, team captain, had the bright idea to institute the carpet rule for a franchise that had spent most of its history lacking goaltending, defense, scoring and, yes, pride. Indeed, during the Cup final against the Calgary Flames, the Lightning assigned one of the arena security people, a nice enough fellow who was considerably older and beefier than Erin, to shoo people away from the middle of the room and, indirectly, closer to the players in their stalls.

Since then, the idea has spread like crazy. The Los Angeles Kings don't allow anyone to walk on their logo even at their practice rink in El Segundo.

Not every team views the carpet logo with the same fervor. The Detroit Red Wings, who lead the modern-day Senators, Lightning and Kings in combined Stanley Cups by 10-1, have no ban on feet treading on the famous winged wheel. Running Tomas Holmstrom's face into the glass might rile the Red Wings, but they basically shrug when the room is opened to the people who chronicle their achievements. This strikes me as remarkably mature, but then I make sure I wipe my feet before I enter a dressing room.

So there are two schools of thought on this. For some teams, the logo on the floor is something worthy of reverence. For me, it's broadloom.

"If things have gone wrong, I'm talking to myself, and you've got a wet towel wrapped around your head."

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I tend to agree with the idea of not stepping on a logoed carpet-- it just seems wrong. I've even seen doormats on sale with team logos-- that's just plain disrespectful, to wipe mud, crud and dogpoop off on your own team's logo. I relayed this sentiment to my two young daughters, when they suggested we buy an LSU or Saints doormat that we all saw on display at a mall kiosk. When I told them why we wouldn't get it, the five-year old came up with the best response:

"Okay daddy, then let's get an Auburn doormat!" :P

It is what it is.

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Hmm... I was really thinking that this thread was going in a different direction. Ya know, with the pornbots and the naked ladies and the lack of razors and such. :unsure:

*runs away*

"Start spreading the news... They're leavin' today... Won't get to be a part of it... In old New York..."

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In order for the Mets' run of 12 losses in 17 games to mean something, the Phillies still had to win 13 of 17.

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Hence why when you see scenes of the Lightning's locker room Cup celebration, there is a big tarp on the floor. From the picture posted of the Sens room, it appears to be set up the same way, the locker stalls surrounding the wide open area where no one can tread. I know of at least two players who have been hit with the 'carpet fine', Neckar and O'Brien.

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why do they not care about skating over the logo at center ice? I would rather be stepped on than skated on. It looks cool on the floor, but it doesn't need to be there, paint it on the walls, or even cooler, the cieling.

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Penn State Football has an "S" for State on the locker room floor. Anyone who steps on it--even accidentially--owes 10 push-ups. Rumor has it a few years ago even Joe Paterno crossed it and dropped down and gave 10...IDK the validity of that one...

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If you want to make it a thing where nobody on the team can step on part of the carpet, fine. If you're making a playoff run late in the season and/or are in the playoffs and you want to keep everyone else off part of your carpet, fine.

But in all other circumstances, there is only one legitimate way to prevent people from walking on your logo: Don't put it on the ground. Putting your logo on the ground in a high-traffic area and then insisting that people avoid stepping on it isn't showing your "pride." It's being a passive-aggressive child. If you're a guy, and your best friend behaved like that -- say, putting down a rug with his favorite team logo in front of his TV and then yelling at you for stepping on it when you come over to watch the game -- you'd dope-slap him upside the head and tell him to cut it out.

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This is probably the single lamest and stupidest sports superstition I have ever heard of.

The person standing there keeping guard is what pushes it over the top. Put up ropes? Fine. One of those unwritten things? Fine. But this is just lame.

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this was one of the "unwritten rules/traditions" of my high school.....and if one dared to step on the trojan logo on the floor of the locker room, they were pretty much "forced" to get on their knees and kiss it......and then run a couple z-sprints in the gym.....even if they were in street clothes......

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Hmm... I was really thinking that this thread was going in a different direction. Ya know, with the pornbots and the naked ladies and the lack of razors and such. :unsure:

*runs away*

BAHAHAHA! You had me on the floor with that one... :lol:

...but I stayed off the logo while I was down there...

What's the point of protecting a SECONDARY logo?

It will be the primary next season.

I tend to agree with the idea of not stepping on a logoed carpet-- it just seems wrong. I've even seen doormats on sale with team logos-- that's just plain disrespectful, to wipe mud, crud and dogpoop off on your own team's logo. I relayed this sentiment to my two young daughters, when they suggested we buy an LSU or Saints doormat that we all saw on display at a mall kiosk. When I told them why we wouldn't get it, the five-year old came up with the best response:

"Okay daddy, then let's get an Auburn doormat!" :P

Give that kid an increase in her allowance! She earned it!

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Hmm... I was really thinking that this thread was going in a different direction. Ya know, with the pornbots and the naked ladies and the lack of razors and such. :unsure:

*runs away*

BAHAHAHA! You had me on the floor with that one... :lol:

...but I stayed off the logo while I was down there...

... that's for sure...

What's the point of protecting a SECONDARY logo?

Well, I'll be hammed...

I saw, I came, I left.

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