Gatorade shower
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The Gatorade shower, also known as the Gatorade dunk and the Gatorade bath, is a sports tradition involving dumping a cooler full of liquid (most commonly Gatorade mixed with ice) over an American football coach's (or occasionally star player or owner's) head following a meaningful win. The tradition began with the New York Giants American football team in the mid-80s. According to several sources, including Jim Burt of the Giants, it began on October 28, 1985, when Burt performed the action on Bill Parcells after being angered over the coach's treatment of him that week.[1] However, former Bears defensive tackle Dan Hampton claims he invented the shower in 1984 when the Bears dunked Mike Ditka upon clinching the NFC Central.[1] The phenomenon gained national attention in the 1986 Giants season. Parcells was doused after 17 victories that season, culminating with Super Bowl XXI.
In 2005, ESPN sports business writer Darren Rovell published a book entitled First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat into a Cultural Phenomenon, a history of Gatorade, in which he, among other things, documented the story behind the Gatorade dunking phenomenon.[2]
Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers was reported to be the first NBA coach to receive a Gatorade shower when his team won the 2008 NBA championship.[3] Paul Pierce dumped a cooler of red Gatorade over Rivers as the Celtics closed out Game 6 to clinch their first NBA title in 22 years.
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Rovell, Darren. "First in Thirst: How Gatorade Turned the Science of Sweat into a Cultural Phenomenon" AMACOM/American Management Association (August 8, 2005) page 90. Except at ESPN.com.
- ^ ibid, pages 77-91
- ^ Stein, Marc (June 18, 2008). Three Party triumph: KG leads, Allen scorches and Pierce takes MVP. ESPN.com. Retrieved on June 23, 2008.
