2007-01-02 10:09:46 · 7 answers · asked by professionalmuse4u 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Mythology & Folklore
celebration. its kind of a weird way of sayin' thanks.
2007-01-02 10:12:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes it's water, originally it was Gatorade. Here's some background: It has been a tradition going back a long, long way for champions in a variety of sports (soccer, football, auto racing, etc.) for the victors to celebrate by spraying their teammates and coaches with champagne following a championship.
In 1985, Jim Burt was a pro-bowl nose tackle for the New York Giants. Burt had a reputation in the league for being a really tough S.O.B. who didn't take guff from anyone. Unfortunately for Burt, the Giants' coach at the time was Bill Parcells, another tough S.O.B. well-known for getting his way. In the week running up to a late-season game, Parcells was brutal towards Burt in practice, making him do an enormous number of tricep lifts (like swinging a weighted bat in the on-deck circle, Parcells figured this would make Burt rise up from his three-point stance faster in a real game). Burt did as he was told, but inside he was seething. Sure enough, the Giants won the next game, and Burt played well enough to earn a rare smile and pat on the fanny from coach Parcells. Burt, inspired by the champagne tradition and desiring a little public payback, got an idea. Just before the last play of the game, Burt grabbed a barrel cooler of Gatorade from the bench and hoisted it over Parcells--a "dish" of revenge served VERY cold. Their scores settled, Burt and Parcells had a good laugh about the whole thing after the game, but neither one realized that a monster had been born that day. Parcells was again doused a month or so later by Lawrence Taylor and Harry Carson when the Giants won Superbowl XXI. The next season, just about every NFL coach got Gatoraded at least once.
Since then, the Gatorade (or Powerade, water, etc.) shower has migrated to every sport at every level from youth-league T-ball to World Cup Soccer. This may go a long way to explaining why coaches don't dress in suit and tie like George Halas anymore.
2007-01-02 10:39:12 · answer #2 · answered by brypri 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because it's a way to pay the jerk back and not get in trouble for it. If you did it when you lost...pushups for everybody!
I think it's a pretty cool symbol, though, like the water that the players drank while they were winning is poured over their coach. Like the coach shares the winning power of the almighty Gatorade.
Mmmm. Gatorade.
2007-01-02 10:23:24 · answer #3 · answered by SlowClap 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Probably because it is a way of drawing attention to him in both a grateful and playful way. Likely it also releases some stress after numerous yelling, er, coaching sessions that have led up to that point & no one gets any grief over it!
2007-01-02 10:20:23 · answer #4 · answered by gettin'real 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's kinda like throwing someone into the pool because it's their birthday. It's a guy thing.
2007-01-02 12:40:50 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It beats what losing coaches get dunked into... ;)
2007-01-02 11:03:05 · answer #6 · answered by totnesmartin 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I am always wondering the same thing
2007-01-02 10:14:42 · answer #7 · answered by kiki 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋