Editing Nashville Predators (section)

===Fan traditions===
Fans of the Nashville Predators have modified [[Legend of the Octopus|the octopus-throwing tradition]] of [[Detroit Red Wings]] fans to show their support: on occasion, a fan will throw a [[catfish]] onto the ice. ''[[The Tennessean]]'' newspaper of Nashville cites the first instance of this as being on October 30, 2003.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/nhl/predators/2019/04/08/why-nashville-predators-throw-catfish/3401793002/ | title=The catfish, a Predators tradition that dates back to 2003, is back | website=[[The Tennessean]]}}</ref> On May 16, 2017, during game 3 of the conference finals at [[Bridgestone Arena]], country music singer, songwriter, and record producer [[Keith Urban]], who had performed the [[The Star-Spangled Banner|national anthem]] prior to the game, was seen on the Jumbotron hoisting a massive catfish that [[Tennessee Titans]] left tackle, [[Taylor Lewan]] had with him at the game.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kuharsky |first1=Paul |title=Taylor Lewan's Tuesday night: Catfish, beer and cheering for Predators |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/tennessee-titans/post/_/id/22492/taylor-lewans-tuesday-night-catfish-beer-and-cheering |website=ESPN.com |access-date=November 27, 2024 |date=May 17, 2017}}</ref> Lewan, along with fellow Titans offensive linemen [[Jack Conklin]], [[Quinton Spain]], [[Ben Jones (offensive lineman)|Ben Jones]], and [[Josh Kline|Josh Klein]], and Titans quarterback [[Marcus Mariota]], served as the hype men prior to the game, another Predators playoff tradition prior to home games, which included them waving gold Predators towels, Mariota encouraging the crowd to get louder, Lewan hoisting the catfish, and the offensive linemen chugging beer.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Prewitt |first1=Alex |title=Catfish-toting Taylor Lewan, Titans adding to Predators madness in Nashville |url=https://www.si.com/nhl/2017/05/18/nashville-predators-tennessee-titans-taylor-lewan-catfish |website=SI |access-date=November 27, 2024 |date=May 18, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.wsmv.com/story/35449022/keith-urban-titans-offensive-line-hype-up-preds-fans-at-playoff-game|title=Keith Urban, Titans Offensive Line Hype Up Preds Fans a Playoff Game|last=Apel|first=Kara|date=May 17, 2017|access-date=March 13, 2018|archive-url=https://archive.today/20180313170532/http://www.wsmv.com/story/35449022/keith-urban-titans-offensive-line-hype-up-preds-fans-at-playoff-game|archive-date=March 13, 2018|url-status=dead|publication-date=May 31, 2017}}</ref>

Section 303 is where a section of fans at the Bridgestone Arena sit, stand, and cheer, colloquially known as ''The Cellblock''. The group refers to themselves as "the loudest section of the loudest arena in the NHL."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=9821|title=Section 303: I came, I saw - I yawned|first=Dominic|last=Bonvissuto|newspaper=Nashville City Paper|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927220726/http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=9821|archive-date=September 27, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> The fan-based organization has been recognized by the Predators' front office. A large banner was produced by the front office for posting on the wall behind the section.

On April 3, 2008, with the Predators clinging to a 3–2 lead with 4:30 in their final home game of the regular season, a sellout crowd at what was then known as the [[Bridgestone Arena|Sommet Center]], gave the team a [[standing ovation]] through the entirety of the final [[Television timeout|TV timeout]]. The Predators went on to win the game against the [[St. Louis Blues]] and advanced to the [[2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs|playoffs that year]], where the "standing O" during the final TV timeout has since become a fan tradition.

The mascot of the Predators is [[Gnash (mascot)|Gnash]], a blue saber-toothed cat. Introduced in 1998, Gnash's trademark includes stunts, such as very fast rappels, zip lines, and a pendulum swing that takes him under the scoreboard and just inches off the ice. To go along with the saber-toothed cat mascot, Predators fans proudly use their ''Fang Fingers'' during each [[Power play (sporting term)|power play]] of the game. There are foam saber-fang gloves that can be purchased, but most fans simply curl their index and middle fingers on each hand into fang shapes and brandish them in an up-and-down motion. Fang Fingers are done to the horror sounds from the [[Alfred Hitchcock]] movie, ''[[Psycho (1960 film)|Psycho]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=527289|title=An Introduction To Smashville|website=National Hockey League|agency=Nashville Predators|date=April 27, 2010}}</ref>

Fans are also known for a variety of chants taunting players of the opposing team, particularly the goalie. For example, after each Predators goal, fans call the opposing goalie's name, accompanied by shouts of "It's all your fault" and other epithets. These cheers are sometimes said to originate from tradition at college football games,<ref>{{cite web|last1=Godfrey|first1=Steven|title=How the Nashville Predators built a fan base in the heart of college football country|url=https://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2015/4/17/8429653/nashville-predators-fan-base-nhl-hockey-south-stanley-cup-playoffs|website=SBNation.com|publisher=[[Vox Media, Inc]]|date=April 17, 2015}}</ref> but some of these derive from traditions held by fans of Nashville's former pre-NHL hockey teams [[Nashville Dixie Flyers]], [[Nashville South Stars]], [[Pensacola Ice Flyers|Nashville Knights]], and [[Nashville Ice Flyers|Nashville Nighthawks/Nashville Ice Flyers]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/stte/nashville-knights-7022.html|title=Nashville Knights hockey team statistics and history at hockeydb.com|website=hockeydb.com}}</ref> This has contributed to the team also being called "Smashville".<ref>{{cite web|title=Preds' postseason run has turned Music City into Smashville|url=http://www.foxsports.com/nhl/story/preds-postseason-run-has-turned-music-city-into-smashville-051117-2|work=Fox Sports|agency=Associated Press|date=May 11, 2017}}</ref>