
The Stanley Cup is already damaged as Panthers go full throttle with boozy celebration
The bowl of the trophy is cracked and the bottom is dented – a result of the team's rambunctious celebrations after winning the title with a 5-1 triumph over the Oilers in Game 6 Tuesday.
As is tradition for teams that win the Cup, the Panthers celebrated with the silver trophy Tuesday night and kept the party going from there, spending Wednesday morning at Fort Lauderdale beach bar Elbo Room.
3 The Panthers cracked the bowl of the Stanley Cup while celebrating their Game 6 win over the Oilers.
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Somewhere along the way, the team managed to damage the 32.5-inch, 34.5-pound trophy.
Not to worry, though, since the keepers of the Cup are taking the necessary steps to repair the trophy before the Panthers' parade on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Hockey Hall of Fame told ESPN.
This isn't the first time the Cup has gotten banged up.
3 The Panthers celebrate with the Stanley Cup at Elbo Room in Fort Lauderdale Wednesday.
AP
The base of the trophy was damaged as recently as 2022, when then-Avalanche forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel lost his balance while skating into Colorado's team photo with the Cup.
Mark Messier damaged the trophy when he took it on a trip to the club after winning with the Oilers in 1987, requiring repair at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.
3 Panthers left-winger AJ Greeg raises the Stanley Cup after Florida defeated the Oilers 5-1 in Game 6.
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
And the Rangers had an incident of their own in 1994, when the team brought the trophy to Belmont Park, only for that year's winner of the Kentucky Derby to damage the Cup while attempting to eat oats out of it.
There have been plenty of other trophies damaged in celebration outside of hockey, of course,
Alabama football shattered the Coaches' Trophy, worth $30,000, after winning the BCS national title in 2012, and Wisconsin football broke the Duke's Mayo Bowl trophy, which included a football-shaped piece of crystal, after quarterback Graham Mertz dropped it in the locker room in 2020.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Rickie Fowler's playoff beard has him looking worthy of a Tour Championship berth
OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Rickie Fowler is in playoff mode. But that scruff growing on Rickie Fowler's face? He wouldn't characterize it as a playoff beard, per se, though he's been playing like a hockey player with Stanley Cup, er, FedEx Cup aspirations. 'I don't know what it is,' he said. 'It was growing for a bit through the British. Got home, Maya, our oldest, she usually tells me, 'Dada, take your hair off.' She's mentioned it. I try and tickle her as much as I can with it, and she was kind of messing with it yesterday. We'll see if she lets me keep it. She kind of dictates a lot of that, but so far she hasn't forced me to take it off yet.' Rickie Fowler has made a comeback Fowler ranked 113th in the FedEx Cup heading into May and still was outside the top 70 to qualify for the playoffs heading into July after missing the cut at the Rocket Classic, the site of his last win in 2023. But the 36-year-old former Oklahoma State Cowboy had some late-season giddyup and rallied to make the weekend in his final four starts of the regular season, including two top-20s. He snuck into the playoffs at the end of the regular season at No. 64. 'I feel like things have been heading in the right direction, and I've been in a good spot for a few months now of knowing where the game is and it's continuing to get better,' he said. Last week, in another do-or-die situation, he delivered his best result of the season and finished T-6 at the first leg of the playoffs and narrowly advanced into the top 50 to qualify for the BMW Championship at No. 48. This week's attitude is nothing to lose and everything to gain. 'Last week was maybe more important with getting inside the top 50,' he said. 'Obviously there's some other implications being inside the top 30 with majors and then going into next week and everyone is starting at zero.I know what I need to do. I need to have a solid finish and play well, but if we can keep continuing what we've been doing, it shouldn't be an issue.' What does Rickie Fowler need to get to the Tour Championship? Just how good a week does he need to get back to East Lake after a one-year absence? 'I heard 13th thrown out. I don't know if that's right or not or how close that is. There's some other situations where it's dictated by where other guys are at and where they finish,' he said. He took care of business on Thursday, shooting 3-under 67 and after the first round was projected to vault to No. 26 and safely inside the top 30 headed to East Lake. But he had already been flipping between No. 29 and No. 31 before he even teed off in the second round (2 p.m. ET), so his status is shaky and there's more work to be done. 'Nice solid start,' he said. 'That's really all I wanted out of a Thursday.' Don't call it a playoff beard but maybe Maya will let it hang around for one more week.


New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
What comes next for Amad at Man Utd after Bryan Mbeumo's arrival?
One of Amad's standout skills comes in his ability to wait. It's a talent he's had to develop since joining Manchester United in the first few days of 2021. He had to wait for his first-team debut (a substitute appearance against Real Sociedad in the middle of that February) and wait further still for his breakout game (scoring a brilliant late winner in extra time to beat Liverpool 4-3 in the 2023-24 FA Cup quarter-finals). He then waited some more for his grand moment in the Premier League (another late winner, this one in the Manchester Derby last December). Advertisement While his position within the squad was previously questioned, by the end of last season, Amad had been crowned the club's new attacking darling. An ankle injury in mid-February left fans howling in anguish, believing United's Premier League season to be over. When he returned to action in early May, it was hoped he'd help power the club to a Europa League final triumph. While he could not solve every attacking issue for the team, supporters entered this summer believing him to be a sure bet for the starting line-up for years to come. Then came the £71million ($96.3m) signing of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, and another reason to pause and take stock. With head coach Ruben Amorim likely to play Mbeumo as the right-sided No 10 in his 3-4-3, where does Amad fit into the team? Will the 23-year-old Ivory Coast international have to readjust to life as United's right wing-back or will he have to wait again, on the bench, for his next chance to break through further forward? Amorim clearly thought Amad could feature at wing-back — five of his first seven appearances under the head coach last season came in that position. The Ivorian started the Amorim era well, registering an assist 80 seconds into his first match in charge — a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in November. 'We chose Amad (at right wing-back) to have one against one outside,' said the Portuguese after the game. 'In that position, the way he receives the ball, if you are right-footed, sometimes you don't have the space to come inside.' Left-footed players operating on the right have been a much-repeated tactical point for Amorim at United. Patrick Dorgu's debut after being signed in February saw him play 45 minutes at right wing-back, and the manager believes having an attack-minded left-footed player at that position gives United greater variation in attack. Advertisement Amad's performance in December's 4-0 win against Everton exemplifies this. Playing behind Bruno Fernandes at the right No 10, he had two assists and was integral to the build-up for a third goal. When operating at wing-back, he serves as an auxiliary playmaker with the ball, and a front-footed defender without it. For Joshua Zirkzee's first goal of that Everton match, he shoots up like a rocket to press first Abdoulaye Doucoure and then Jarrad Branthwaite to regain possession. Zirkzee's second goal of the game happens in much the same way. First, Amad darts wide and to the right when Casemiro clears the ball (frames one and two of the below GIF). Then he exchanges a quick one-two with Marcus Rashford to get past Vitalii Mykolenko (frames three and four). There is a moment where he almost loses possession to James Tarkowski (frame five), but he seizes on the defender's heavy touch and pushes through into the final third, before eventually teeing up Zirkzee. In a game where Rashford and Zirkzee both scored twice, it was Amad who made the most telling contributions from wing-back. When asked about the Ivorian's performance, Amorim cited his 'good control' and brought up his ability to pass, shoot and receive the ball in tight pockets. 'We have, for example, (Noussair) Mazraoui and (Diogo) Dalot who can go inside, because they are fast and strong with the ball. But we chose Amad to have one against one outside. And that is very important to break some pressures, and especially high pressures, and he has that ability. 'And then in that position, you need to have a good physicality. Good physicality is not the size (Amad is 5ft 8in/173cm), but he can run, and that is a key point in that position. So you try to choose players that you can put in that position and then the technical characteristics is perfect for him.' When Amad is used as a right-sided No 10, he's a playmaker who likes to help set the table for team-mates. When he's at wing-back, he works best by snatching food off other people's plates. The signing of Mbeumo means Amorim has another left-footed player who is skilled at receiving passes between the lines and manipulating the ball through tight spaces. United's pre-season tour in the United States offered a glimpse of how Amad could team up with the former Brentford man, and their most recent friendly, at Old Trafford against Fiorentina, included a handful of pleasing moments between the two. Amad was given the licence to push up out of possession when United defaulted to a 4-4-2 shape, with Mbeumo attempting to join Mason Mount and press as a front two. The Cameroon international showed no hesitation in swapping positions with Amad if he collected the ball near the touchline. When the pair stuck to their original positions, they pulled off some neat passes. Partway through the first half, Mbeumo broke into space with Amad holding the width on his outside. When Mbeumo reaches the edge of the penalty area, he slips a through ball to his overlapping team-mate. It's a touch too heavy for Amad to take on his stronger left foot, so he bends his run wider than he initially anticipated having to, before attempting to fire a pass across goal with his right. Unfortunately, the attack fizzles out. Mount — who was playing as a false nine — didn't react quickly enough to the movement of those behind him and was found flat-footed for that final ball. In Amorim's own words, his team 'struggle without a reference as a striker'. New signing Benjamin Sesko should help alleviate this issue, occupying opposition centre-backs with his strong physical presence. This would allow Amad to alternate with Mbeumo at opportune moments. Advertisement A short corner routine in the 28th minute of that match highlighted the smart — and straightforward — playing chemistry that has already developed between the two. The manoeuvre starts with Mbeumo (having taken over corner duties on United's right from Fernandes) passing short to Amad, who has moved towards him. He offers a wall pass back to Mbeumo, who then whips over an inswinging cross with his left foot. The ball finds Leny Yoro at the near post, who has his header saved. Amad and Mbeumo down the right have the makings of an effective attacking pairing for United this season. Both are left-footed, can score and create in equal measure, and also offer the sort of dribbling that Amorim likes to see from his wide players. While Amad is a capable front-footed defender when operating at wing-back, he will need some assistance from whoever is operating at United's right centre-back to help him when he retreats. As we outlined here, the relationship between the centre-back, central midfielder and wing-back is essential to how the wide player receives the ball, defends, and also preserves their stamina within games. Playing wing-back can be exhausting, and Amad — or anyone else given that job — will need support. Against Fiorentina, Amorim positioned Yoro behind Amad. They have worked in tandem in the past — most notably in January's 3-1 defeat of Southampton, where the latter scored a hat-trick. Yoro's athleticism makes him a good fit for Amorim's starting line-up. Both Amad and Mbeumo can play on the 'outside', but are most effective when cutting into central areas to play on their left foot. Yoro has the pace to offer overlapping runs to help both men and the aerobic capacity to get back and defend if the ball is lost. Advertisement If Amorim opts to play Yoro on the left of the back three, as he did during sections of last season, then Mazraoui or Matthijs de Ligt could work as options behind Amad. De Ligt was also used in that defeat of Southampton, adopting a more aggressive and physical approach to defending against the pace of Kamaldeen Sulemana. The Dutchman does not have the recovery pace of Yoro, but can be a 'safety first' option to deploy behind Mbeumo and Amad when facing the stronger teams in the Premier League. Mazraoui's experience as a right-back makes him the happy medium between Yoro and De Ligt. The Moroccan is capable of getting forward and offering the overlapping runs for Amad and others, but also has a greater degree of comfort when defending larger areas of space out wide. The playing aptitude of Amad means he should — in theory — get along well with Mbeumo in front of him, and whoever Amorim opts to play on the right of his back three. One of Amad's many talents comes in his ability to know the right place and the right time to properly inject himself into a game. United will hope to get the best out of him this season. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle


USA Today
8 hours ago
- USA Today
Panthers Wire mailbag: What fans want to know in Week 2 of the preseason
The preseason is well underway, and the Carolina Panthers are looking more and more interesting by the week. From last Friday's exhibition opener against the Cleveland Browns to sorting out the roster moving forward, there's plenty to dive into as we navigate through the rest of the summer. So, let's do it! Here, thanks to your questions, is the latest edition of our Panthers Wire mailbag . . . Making moves after roster cuts Roster cuts are now less than two weeks away. All teams will have until 4:00 p.m. ET on Aug. 26 to get their 90-man summer rosters down to 53. Like last year, when they put in claims on a handful of freshly-released players, the Panthers will almost assuredly look to make some additions. The focus should be on the inside linebacker and cornerback positions, and possibly at safety. As for D.J. Wonnum, he's maintained his health after healing up from quad issues for much of 2024. He's popped up in training camp and recorded a hit on Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders in the preseason opener. Wonnum is currently one of the two projected starters for Carolina at outside linebacker, and will have a chance to produce in a larger capacity this season. Who is the defensive signal-caller? Save for an unexpected addition, free-agent signee Christian Rozeboom is likely to wear the green dot in 2025. He took over the role as the defense's quarterback at the start of camp, after the Panthers parted ways with Josey Jewell. Rozeboom is fresh off a career campaign, where he tallied 135 tackles for the Los Angeles Rams. While he may not shine in coverage, he's a reliable tackler who can help patch up what was a porous run defense in 2024. Causes of the defense's struggles It should be noted that defensive passing game coordinator Jonathan Cooley was the defense's play-caller last weekend. While the blame shouldn't be squarely on him, there were some good features such as timely blitzes and execution from pass rushers. The play-calling under Evero should be different. The struggles overall come from a mixture of issues—such as execution, early preseason rust, and yes, weaknesses at key positions. Plus, the depth of the back seven showcased a dire need for improvement across the board. This is a big year for Evero, who will need to lean on his experienced starters on all three levels to make plays and return to, at least, average play in 2025. Evero being more aggressive? Malte, this will likely be a play-it-by-ear situation, especially with the uncertainty at safety. In theory, the Panthers have the personnel to play more press, not necessarily press-man. But the bigger defenders can create logjams and timing issues for opposing offenses. There will be plenty of zone—mixtures of quarters, cover 2, cover 6 and press-robber from single-high alignments. Some coordinators are stubborn—and while we can't assume a person's feelings toward their work, some looks could remain the same from a coverage aspect. New faces off the edge and in the trenches should help the Panthers be more aggressive in certain situations. Free-agent additions Tershawn Wharton and Bobby Brown III and rookie pass rushers Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen should factor in. (Oh, and Pro Bowler Derrick Brown is back.) While the back-seven defenders still have depth and talent issues in some cases, having a strong pass rush can help in more ways than one. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.