Pittsburgh octopus peddlers finally unite in anti-Detroit policy

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Please recall the 2008 Stanley Cup finals, in which Wholey's Fish Market in Pittsburgh banned anyone tangentially associated with the Detroit Red Wings from purchasing an octopus, for fear that it would be tossed onto the Mellon Arena ice.

That meant hanging signs that literally read: "If you're from Detroit, you're NOT ALLOWED to buy the octopus." That also meant checking ID and listening for Midwestern accents in the store to weed out the offending parties.

But Benkovitz Seafood in the Strip? Winged Wheel sympathizers. From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review last season:

A staffer at the Strip's Benkovitz Seafood is giving Red Wings supporters more leeway. "I would have no problem selling them an octopus," Benkovitz employee Cindy Norman said. "I don't watch hockey."

As if you needed a reminder of how high the stakes have been raised for the Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins in their finals' rematch, Mondesi's House reports that Benkovitz has seen the error of its ways, adopting the security measures from Wholey's. From WPXI:

A sign outside the door to the store tells Detroit fans that they are not welcome. "They might bring a stinky squid in their car from Detroit, but not from my store here," said Horatio Ruiz of Benkovitz Seafoods. "This is for us, and for the Pittsburgh fans only."

Mondesi's House, which should be high on your must-read list with the Penguins back in the finals, summed up this change in loyalty from the almighty dollar to the flightless fowl:

Clearly, a point has been made by residents of Pittsburgh: either you're with us or you're against us. Wholey's gets it. Jerome Bettis gets it. Others might take a little time, but eventually, everyone comes around. Once you get to know us, we're really a lovable group, in an angry-mob kinda way.

Indeed. Glad to see octopus tossing back in the news for the finals. Although here's hoping not every chapter in last postseason's cephalopodic adventures makes a comeback. We really don't want to have to revisit the 1982 Michigan Bodies of Dead Animals Act.

[H/T Mondesi's House]

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1. Posted by RuthenianCowboy Thu May 28, 2009 3:48 pm EDT
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"Once you get to know us, we're really a lovable group, in an angry-mob kinda way."
Just ask Jaromir Jagr, Bill Cowher, Dave Parker and Cliff Stoudt.
2. Posted by RuthenianCowboy Thu May 28, 2009 3:48 pm EDT
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Ooh, First!
3. Posted by RuthenianCowboy Thu May 28, 2009 3:48 pm EDT
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Ooh, First!
4. Posted by Mandingo Thu May 28, 2009 3:54 pm EDT
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"Clearly, a point has been made by residents of Pittsburgh"
It's just not clear what that point actually is.
But, hey, keep obsessing over those octopi. I'm sure whether or not one gets through the impenetrable gates of the Greater Pittsburgh Area Seafood Alliance and Volunteer Militia Force is the thing that's going to turn this series one way or the other.
Meanwhile, I'll worry about the health of Datsyuk and Lidstrom.
5. Posted by A Yahoo! User Thu May 28, 2009 3:57 pm EDT
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Could Pittsburgh get any more juvenile?
6. Posted by Pensfan Thu May 28, 2009 4:02 pm EDT
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After some Emo wings fan managed to throw an octopus on the ice last year, I don't think it's immature for Pittsburgh stores to take an initiative to make sure that doesn't happen again. How one gets an octopus past security is beyond me....
7. Posted by Adam Thu May 28, 2009 4:05 pm EDT
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For the Pitt Penguins players sake, I hope it's the fans and not the players that are paying this much attention to the octipus or it will be quick sweep by the Red Wings.
Oh, what am I saying, it will be a quick series. ;)
8. Posted by Mike Thu May 28, 2009 4:06 pm EDT
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Its not a change brought on by the almighty dollar, but the almighty Pittsburgh bandwagoner. He didn't watch hockey last year, but oh man, now he is PISSED.
9. Posted by breakaway Thu May 28, 2009 4:08 pm EDT
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Oh, hey, that will work. Yup. It's not like it takes less than 5 hours to drive to Pittsburgh from Detroit.
Oh wait.
10. Posted by habs1rule Thu May 28, 2009 4:11 pm EDT
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I would think the smell of a few Octopi would be a blessing to the residents around the Mellon Arena who have been complaining for years about a Sulfuric Stench they cant seem to identify..
11. Posted by Professor Farnsworth Thu May 28, 2009 4:11 pm EDT
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@ MIke i wouldn't call this a bandwagon move. I think he was advised that if he didn't change his ways, the fickle pittsburghers, that we are, would stop going there. He figured it was best for business to play along.
12. Posted by Pensfan Thu May 28, 2009 4:14 pm EDT
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@Habs1Rule...Wow, a Pittsburgh Pollution joke....WHERE DO YOU COME UP WITH THIS STUFF!? IT'S PRICELESS!!!
Please let's not bring the City comparison's into this...that debate will be settled faster than Detroit fans seem to think this series will be over.
13. Posted by TheHornGuy Thu May 28, 2009 4:14 pm EDT
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I thought it was mad cool that that kid from Detroit bought two tickets to the game at the Igloo last season so he could get back in after being ejected for tossing the octopus on the ice.
14. Posted by Mandingo Thu May 28, 2009 4:15 pm EDT
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@ Pensfan
"How one gets an octopus past security is beyond me...."
I know, it's crazy isn't it? They must be using some kind of voodoo witchcraft to discombobulate the crack squad of 75-year-old retirees who man the battlestations at the Mellon Arena entrances.
They're probably using alien technology that the reverse vampires have suppressed in case it's used to uncover Obama's Martian birth certificate.
15. Posted by Flyers97 Thu May 28, 2009 4:18 pm EDT
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who cares at this point except rednecks on the other side of PA? nobody isnt going to watch the finals. NBA is getting ratings NHL can only dream.
16. Posted by knucklehead Thu May 28, 2009 4:18 pm EDT
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Unfortunately for Pens fan, octupi on dry ice cannot be stopped at the border, no not even by Buford T. Justice.
The Pens have much larger seafood to fry than to worry themselves about an 8 legged stink bomb.
17. Posted by Dickey Sis Thu May 28, 2009 4:18 pm EDT
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Franzen from all the other message boards is a TOOL and a POSER and a HOMER!!!!!! (he will inevitably be on this article soon to spew his retarded logic so I just had to put that out there before he does)!!!
LET'S GO PENS!!!
18. Posted by RedWingFan Thu May 28, 2009 4:19 pm EDT
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Who needs Octipi when the Wings can toss Sid "the Squid" all over the ice . . .
19. Posted by What Would Don Draper Do? Thu May 28, 2009 4:20 pm EDT
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If someone was hurling dead cats or dead parrots ("He's resting!") on the ice, wouldn't that be an issue?
20. Posted by Patrick Thu May 28, 2009 4:25 pm EDT
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What a great tradition! It really doesn't matter what the seafood stores do there in the Burgh. There will ALWAYS be some Wings fan who finds some way to chuck that octopus out there. Mark my words.
GO WINGS!!
21. Posted by Michael M Thu May 28, 2009 4:25 pm EDT
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Octopus or not, over-rated defensneman playing or not, Datsyuk or not, AND as much as the WingNuts are going to love this or not.... Pens in 5 Or less.
22. Posted by Munkcy Thu May 28, 2009 4:29 pm EDT
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@ Flyers97 -- "nobody isnt going to watch the finals."
.
Would that double-negative imply that "Everyone IS going to watch the finals?"
23. Posted by knucklehead Thu May 28, 2009 4:30 pm EDT
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It is said that Crosby has recently been working with Detroit area octupi, teaching them properly how to flop onto the ice.
24. Posted by Tim Thu May 28, 2009 4:32 pm EDT
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At #5:
"Could Pittsburgh get any more juvenile? "
You mean more juvenile than disrupting a sporting event by throwing octopi onto the rink?
25. Posted by pensfan1982 Thu May 28, 2009 4:36 pm EDT
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@Pensfan - or faster than the diving economy of Detroit ...................... federal bailouts abound and they still cant keep their heads above water.
Pens in 6 this year ... bring it on home to Mario boys ...