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Plastic rats and playoff beards: Superstitious behaviours in hockey fans and players increase during the playoffs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

By: Terry Eddy, University of Windsor ListenAs the Toronto Maple Leafs recently limped to a third straight defeat to the Florida Panthers, Leafs fans experienced the dreaded rat trick. In this ritual, Panthers fans throw plastic rats onto the ice to summon the energy of past, unexpected successes.A group of extraterrestrials watching this event might be puzzled to see hundreds of otherwise normal people hurling mass-produced rodents at a few dozen tired men with unkempt facial hair. If, as sport fans, we set our past experiences to the side, these superstitions that are so pervasive in sport — especially when the games carry the most weight — really make very little objective sense. https://www.youtube.com/embed/jnPZX0U9-XI?wmode=transparent&start=0 TSN looks at the history of the ‘rat trick,’ when Florida Panthers fans throw plastic rats onto the ice after games.As an ardent sport fan for most of my life — and someone who may or may not have participated in fan rituals — I’m in...

Canada unveils new passport design

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

Canada says its updating one of the most “powerful and respected travel documents world.”Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship said today that the new passport has been redesigned from cover to cover with state-of-the-art security features and new artwork, maintaining its status as one of the most secure and universally accepted travel documents in the world for all Canadians.Security features include a new polycarbonate data page—a technology similar to Canada’s driver’s licences, laser engraved personal information which will make information less prone to tampering, a Kinegram over the main photo and a custom see-through window with a secondary image of the passport holder.The Minister said that the historic designs have been replaced with iconic imagery of Canada’s natural beauty throughout the four seasons. He said that the changes have been made with diversity and inclusion kept in mind.“The new passport will start rolling out l...

Hail piles up on Johnstown street, damages cars in Erie

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

JOHNSTOWN, Colo. (KDVR) — Some neighbors in Johnstown woke up Wednesday morning to a complete whiteout on the street, sidewalks and yards — all thanks to a ton of hail that rolled in during a storm Tuesday night. “We woke up to piles and piles, some of it as deep as my waist and knees," said Kelly Secrest, who lives in Johnstown. She said the hail was only pea-sized so it caused minimal damage, but it fell for about an hour straight."People were trying to scoop it but it was so heavy. It's not like with snow," Secrest said. "I have never seen anything like this in my life." Hail up to 4 inches fell Wednesday in Colorado: See the list Secrest said it took tractors nearly four hours to clean up the road in the Country Acres neighborhood.“I don’t even know, I can't explain it, to be honest. I can't explain it. I've seen things like this on TV but now I've seen it in person," Secrest said "It was different, that’s the best I can come up with. It was different."Over in Erie, the size o...

5 shot in southeast Denver

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Police said five people were shot Wednesday night in southeast Denver.It happened in the area of East Girard Avenue and South Dayton Street, according to the Denver Police Department. The call came in around 9 p.m.Three of the victims were transported to the hospital in an ambulance, police said. Two others transported themselves.Preliminary information indicated that all the victims were adults, according to police.No further information was immediately provided.

Al Stauch speaks one-on-one with FOX31 after verdict in son's murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Two days after his ex-wife was convicted of murdering his son, Gannon Stauch, Al Stauch sat one on one with FOX31. “You can show emotion, you can show feeling, but you can move forward,” Stauch said.Stauch invited FOX31 into his home Wednesday, sharing messages of hope after three years of agony.During the trial, hours of FBI-recorded phone calls between him and his former wife -- now his son’s convicted killer -- played in the courtroom.“I had to put myself in the mind of a killer, which was her mind, to try to get anything I could out of her,” Stauch said. “It was — it was brutal. I would say some of those days were six, eight hours long, and we didn't even hear half of the phone calls. There was so many more that I had to endure through, but I knew that that was my way of helping to find my son.” ‘Love took him out of this world’: Gannon Stauch’s mother reflects after verdict Stauch said the final word from Judge Gregory Werner during sentences re...

M-DCPS names Morningside K-8 Academy’s Mouriño 2023 Principal of the Year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

Miami-Dade County Public Schools honored this year’s winning head of the class.The Dade Association of School Administrators sponsored the award ceremony in West Miami-Dade on Wednesday to honor outstanding principals and assistant principals in the district.This year’s prize went to Leonardo Mouriño, the principal at Morningside K-8 Academy. He has been an educator with the district for three decades.Mouriño took home a $2,000 cash prize, as well as a three-year lease on a new car.

Lance Lynn gives up 4 runs in the 1st on another tough night as the Chicago White Sox lose 9-1 in Kansas City

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

The Chicago White Sox were on the verge of a big first inning when their first two batters, Tim Anderson and Andrew Benintendi, drew walks.A double play and a strikeout ended the threat without a run.The Kansas City Royals made the most of their opportunities in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs. The Sox never recovered, falling 9-1 in front of 12,187 on Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium.“We had a chance to put some runs on the board in the first inning and we didn’t,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “Then came out and gave up four. Momentum switched right there. That first inning right there was a big inning for us.“We had first and second, nobody out. We had them on the ropes there and (Royals starter Brad Keller) was able to get out of it. Gave up four and never got back in it.”It was another tough night for Lance Lynn (1-5), who allowed seven runs on nine hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings.“He had a good game pla...

Wednesday’s high school roundup/scores: Lucas Riley swings mighty bat in Oliver Ames victory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

BASEBALLLucas Riley led the offense with three hits, five RBI and three runs scored for Oliver Ames in a 12-0 win over Hockomock League rival Stoughton. … Austin Campbell tossed a complete-game shutout, striking out eight and giving up just three hits and one walk as Franklin blanked King Philip, 4-0.Jake Joyce cranked a two-run home run, while Jack Fitzgerald, Charlie Dimartino and Dan Surette collected two hits apiece for Braintree in a 15-2 Bay State Conference victory over Brookline. … Sean Zaslaw fanned six and surrendered just two hits in six and two-thirds innings as Weymouth earned a 2-0 win against Milton. … Will Fosberg and Drew George drove in two runs each for Natick (11-2) in a 7-5 win over Framingham.Evan Samsel pitched six and one-third innings of one-run ball, while Tyler Cattaglio went 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI for Bridgewater-Raynham in a 4-1 Southeast Conference win over Dartmouth.Steve Madden drove in two runs on two hits and got the win on the mound ...

Brayan Bello spins gem, Kenley Jansen records 400th save as Sox beat Braves 5-2

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

Brayan Bello is widely considered Boston’s most promising young pitcher, and the 23-year-old righty has been called a future Cy Young candidate by none other than Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez.On nights like Wednesday, you can see why.Bello was terrific, delivering one of his best outings as a big leaguer to help lead the Red Sox to a huge 5-2 win over the Atlanta Braves.He earned the win thanks in large part to Raimel Tapia’s go-ahead pinch hit RBI double in the top of the seventh and Triston Casas’ two-run homer in the ninth, and then relievers Josh Winckowski, Chris Martin and Kenley Jansen closed the door, with Jansen recording his 400th career save against his former team.“That was eye-opening. It’s a testament to who he is, he was a catcher and he’s the seventh reliever to get 400 saves, and shoot, he was throwing 99 today,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said of Jansen. “We’re very proud of him.”At a time where every start...

What to know about Trump’s CNN town hall: Lies about election and abortion, attacks on accuser

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:41:15 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump’s primetime return to CNN Wednesday for the first time since 2016 felt like a throwback: Trump with the long, twisting answers; the interviewer at times struggling to fact-check him or return his focus to the question at hand; and then, eventually, both talking over each other as Trump flings insults her way. Wednesday’s town hall in New Hampshire was the first time in years that Trump faced prolonged questioning from an outlet outside the friendly confines of conservative media outlets of his choosing.He had branded CNN “fake news” and never granted any of its journalists an interview while president. Trump’s campaign said he was appearing on the network now to step outside a GOP comfort zone as he already starts to turn his focus to a potential 2024 general election rematch with Democrat Joe Biden.Trump’s appearance on CNN comes at a time of jarring dualities for the former president: The Republican is facing a crescendo of legal problems yet seems in ...