Tradition Tuesday is a new weekly feature where we’ll explore the history, lore, and culture of the Dark Clouds. Confused about why we sing about Hot Nuts? Which Minnesota player coined “Nuts Of A Warrior”? Why does the section quack every so often? We’ll have the answers in Tradition Tuesday.

quack Quack QUack QUAck QUACk QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! QUACK! QUACK!

What makes 500 or so (mostly) grown people start quacking at a soccer game? It’s the Minnesota United Good Luck Duck! When the duck appeared the Loons seemingly could not lose.

The story starts before the 2015 NASL season. A duck was looking for a spot to put down a nest for her eggs. Looking around Blaine (as you do when you’re a duck) she spotted a lovely patch of manicured grass surrounded on three sides by big, shiny objects that provided lots of shade. Being a mythical, magic duck, she was able to find a spot which would have the best possible karma: Right under the bleachers where the Dark Clouds were to stand at matches in 2015.

Unfortunately the duck mom wasn’t anticipating the racket and smoke that comes with hanging out with a soccer supporters group. Every time the game would start up, the duck would get mad, come out of the stand, and find the closest patch of grass to sit in. That typically happened to be on the pitch right in front of the Dark Clouds

Now MNUFC’s mascot is the loon but somehow the presence of this humble duck inspired our players to great feats of soccering. When the duck come out onto the pitch, MNUFC was undefeated. Feeling the duck’s magical aura, the Dark Clouds began to serenade the duck and sing songs of it’s bravery.

#GoodLuckDuck joined the Dark Clouds for a bit last Saturday. Still undefeated at home with the duck! #MNUFC pic.twitter.com/hQI76x3q72 — Minnesota United FC (@MNUFC) June 2, 2015

First came ‘We’ve Got Ducks Of A Warrior.’ Then the intimidating battle-quacking took hold. But the good times would not last. At some point over the summer, the MNUFC front office relocated the Duck and its eggs to a less stressful spot. Today the Dark Clouds still sing for their lost duck-friend with the following lament:

Oh where oh where has our duck gone?

Oh where oh where could she be?

She’s gone away to southern shores,

I wish she would come back to me.