If the Tampa Bay Lightning try to replicate Tom Brady's epic toss of the Super Bowl trophy at the Buccaneers Super Bowl parade, the Tampa dive team is prepared.
The Bolts won their second consecutive Stanley Cup and will celebrate with another boat parade on Monday. Throwing the 34.5-pound Stanley Cup from one boat to another certainly won't go as smoothly as Brady's Lombardi Trophy toss, and the Tampa Police Department is ready to retrieve Lord Stanley if he decides to take a swim in Tampa Bay, which is 82 feet deep.
We highly advise against this, but, if any @TBLightning player attempts the @TomBrady toss tomorrow and Stanley goes overboard, our Dive Team is ready! Thank you @BeauWTSP for highlighting our team. @10TampaBay #GoBolts https://t.co/O9QVZz226Q
— TampaPD (@TampaPD) July 11, 2021
"My biggest concern for us would be people randomly jumping into the water trying to retrieve it themselves," officer Chris Audet said to 10 Tampa Bay. ". . . If the Stanley Cup does decide to take a swim that day, the TPD dive team is ready to retrieve it."
In February, Brady made headlines for tossing the Lombardi Trophy a little more than 10 feet from his boat to Cameron Brate in another boat. The seven-time Super Bowl champion doesn't necessarily remember all the details but has joked about the situation in the months since.
Idk…everything feels a bit lighter after some tequilla https://t.co/9l5mL8saoq
— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) July 8, 2021
Tampa mayor Jane Castor was asked by reporters following the Lightning's Game 5 win over the Montreal Canadiens if she was concerned about another trophy toss during the victory parade.
She's not worried, according to WTSP.
"It's their day," Castor said. "We are always prepared. We have divers if Stanley gets wet. We'll get him back in short order."
There's no telling what will happen at this year's victory parade for the Lightning. Star forward Nikita Kucherov has already chugged some beers and chirped Canadiens fans, so anything could happen at Monday's celebration.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!