The Making of "Slap Shot"

"The Making of Slap Shot,"
available on Amazon and most
other vendors

With the NHL hockey teams now back on the ice, it may be time to remember the most notorious hockey team ever captured on film.

Unlike the Flyers or Bruins, this team made its home in the fictional city of Charlestown, and didn’t have the perks awarded to the skaters gunning for the Stanley Cup. But I can guarantee that every NHL player on the ice knows the story of the Chiefs. Why? Because “Slap Shot” has been a fixture showing on the team bus of every minor league hockey team for the past 35 years.

Its notoriety is timeless. In today’s Yahoo! Sports, writer Michael Silver listed his “Baker’s Dozen” of sports sibling combinations. His original point was to show that the Harbaugh brothers are not the most famous. In his opinion (a valid one) the Williams sisters are.

But it was his last paragraph that caught my attention. To make the “Baker’s Dozen,” Wetzel had to throw in a 13th entry. His choice – the fictional Hanson brothers, from “Slap Shot.”

In my humble opinion, the movie, penned by a woman (didya know that?), Nancy Dowd, is the funniest picture ever made. Its mixture of humor and violence, set in a world of lower income desperation, brings the world of minor league hockey front and center to the viewer.

Jonathon Jackson has produced a first rate book on
"The Making of Slap Shot," one of the greatest, and
arguably, the funniest sports movie ever made
Paul Newman starred as the player/coach Reggie Dunlop. In his role, he makes a conscious decision to turn his ragtag bunch of Chiefs into a contender. Knowing that the town mill is about to fold, which will mean the demise of the team, Dunlop decides to make a spectacle of his team, hoping that large crowds at the War Memorial will keep them in business. Before long, the skittish Chiefs are quick to drop the gloves, resulting in some hysterical scenes, both on and off the ice. The opening scene introducing the Hanson’s is three minutes of unadultered,  laugh-out-loud fun.

In later life, Newman said that Dunlop was one of his favorite roles, although he realized he may have taken his role too seriously while sitting at the dinner table at home one evening. In need of a certain spice, he gnarled at his daughter to “Pass the f---in‘ salt!”


One of the most remarkable facts about “Slap Shot” is that, aside from a handful of actors, most notably Newman, but including Michael Ontkean (“The Rookies”), Strother Martin (“what I see here is a failure to communicate”), and M. Emmet Walsh, most of the stars of the film were actually minor league hockey players. Even Ontkean had some background, having played hockey for three years at the University of New Hampshire. And why not? Who else could pull off the skating and hockey moves? The making of the movie is as fascinating as the storyline itself.

Jonathon Jackson has written a must read book – “The Making of Slap Shot,” which captures every nuance behind the filming of this 1977 classic. His story goes deep, from Dowd’s stories of listening to her brother Ned (Ogie Ogilthorpe in the movie) telling his tales of life on the road with the Johnstown Jets to casting, filming to even deeper background material, such as the story of Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe, the real life Ogie.

Jackson was a fan of the movie, and it was that connection which got him started. "I got the idea for the book when i attended a cast reunion, intending to write a magazine article. I realized that there was much more to the story than i would ever be able to fit into a single article. Once I started tracking down other cast members and people who had been part of the film, it snowballed very quickly."

It is amazing to learn some of the names behind the story. In fact, one of the best stories in "Making" tells of Goldthorpe playing for the Syracuse Blazers in 1973 and immediately developing a hatred for their young announcer, a recent Syracuse U. grad named Bob Costas. To quote Jackson’s version:

“He (Goldthorpe) also developed a dislike for Blazers play-by-play broadcaster Bob Costas, leading to a frightening incident on the team bus. As Costas recalls it, he was reading the New York Times when Goldthorpe grabbed the newspaper, tore it to shreds and showered Costas with the pieces. Costas, youthfully stupid, responded by telling the player he would teach him how to read. Goldthorpe had to be restrained by teammates from doing to Costas what he had already done to the newspaper.”

There’s plenty more, as many of the characters were inspired by real life minor league players, coaches and announcers. For example, “Slap Shot” announcer “Jim Carr” was patterned after Bill Wilson, Johnstown announcer with a ‘sensationally ugly” toupee.

The book is a must read for all “Slap Shot” fans – heck, for all hockey fans. It’s view of the minor league hockey life is gritty and unencumbered. There were sure some characters back in the day, and Jackson manages to “capture the spirit of the thing!”

Visiting Parenthood


I have known Ed Nitkewicz for over 30 years. We started out as freshmen at Wagner College in the fall of 1982 - dorm neighbors actually. To see our band of misfits storming the corridors of Harbor View Hall was to see chaos run amuck. It's a wonder that we made it through the year, and actually, not everybody did.
Now, we work together on the Alumni Association Board of Directors at Wagner. Through this work, and several past experiences, I have come to learn more of Ed's life, and especially of the hard work he has done as an advocate for autism.
His writings have always impressed me and made me think because of his ability to cut to the core of an issue. As I told him last weekend after reading this piece, the core is not always a comfortable place to be, but is necessary when to are trying to make a point. This post can also be found on the aweinautism.org website. But, while deciding to invite guest bloggers to share their views on this site, I knew that Ed would be one of the first people I would invite.

By Edward J. Nitkewicz
Recently, I had an opportunity to spend my annual summer vacation with my wife’s family in Cape May New Jersey. It was, for different reasons, the most difficult week of my life. My 14 year old son suffers from autism. Many in the community rail against using the phrase “suffers from.” I however militantly and liberally employ it when my mood dictates. Though I try, I cannot always embrace my son’s disability cheerily with the earthy Lola Granola attitude that his disabilities make him so unique that we are the luckiest family on the planet. His inability to easily express his feelings, to socialize with any other children or to tell me when he feels disappointment, sadness or sheer joy is something he and his parents endure and “suffer.”
Attorney Ed Nitkewicz
of Long Island, NY
is a school board member
 in Huntington (NY) ,
as well as an advocate for
autism issues
I have spent the entirety of the past 14 years developing a different perspective on what “fatherhood” could be for me. It is certainly not what I planned on or prepared for. As I have offered many in my circumstances, “people plan and God laughs.” Sometimes however, I don’t feel like I am in on his joke. Other times, I just don’t have the emotional strength or desire to celebrate my “unique parenthood.” Sometimes, I just feel bad that my son suffers the significant limitations that come with having autism.
Over the past week, I have visited (albeit as a surrogate) the parenthood I always thought I would have. At the shore house in Cape May, New Jersey, I am the “awesomist uncle in the universe.” That does not represent a baseless boast. It is the title on the portrait of me drawn by one of my niece in laws. It is the term used when I take any of three teams rotating throughout the week for the daily $50 “candy run.” It is the battle cry yelled when the “pool fight” to drown and defeat the evil (yet still awesome) Uncle Ed ensues each day at 2PM after the last hot dog is consumed.
Watching seven children burying each other up to their heads in the white sand is unforgettable. Having them teach me how to boogie board “tasty waves” (as Jeff Spicoli once taught us) is priceless. And seeing them narrowly avoid a sugar coma from literally eating a grocery bag of candy every night is hilarious. It is heartbreaking that my son is not right in the middle of the daily blizzard of activity.
“It is acceptable to feel bad for our child, for our family, and for ourselves. The key is not letting it consume and define you.”
It is watching Edward’s cousins grow from babies to tweeners, witnessing them develop personalities and the accompanying “attitudes”, and seeing them move swiftly towards adulthood in a “typical” way, that cause me to experience a complex combination of joy, admiration, envy and pain. Professionals often push parents of impaired children to celebrate their unique qualities. I get that. However, grief requires that we allow for those moments in our life when we just feel sad for what our children aren’t. It is acceptable to feel bad for our child, for our family, and for ourselves. The key is not letting it consume and define you. This week, as I spent a week in a beach house in New Jersey with seven children related to me only through marriage, I was at once as happy and as sad as I have been in a very long time. I visualized what the world would look like if my son, the first and thus oldest cousin, were “typical.”
I am grateful that Edward has so many terrific cousins on both sides of his family. But as I enjoy their company, I can’t help but wonder in my heart which one among them will take the lead in looking out for my son when I am gone. After this week, I am confident the answer is “all of them.” And, I am eternally grateful to them for allowing me to visit the parenthood I once planned to have.

Weekend at the Virginia Duals

I was pleased to have been asked again to cover the Virginia Duals wrestling extravaganza for the DAILY PRESS. The Duals are a must see for the grappling enthusiast. This year, 76 college, high school and middle school teams took part. As mentioned ad nauseum in my articles, the fun of watching the Duals is that most of the time, 10 matches are taking place at once, making the sole announcer the most focused person in Hampton Coliseum. The focal point can change at any second, and for any reason. One minute, a grappler from Kent State can be spinning out of a hold on Mat 3, and then the next a 12-year old is throwing down an opponent for a pin on Mat 10.

Hampton Coliseum, site of the annual
Virginia Duals
The other highlight, and certainly not one that ever got mentioned in an article, is the food. It's a well known secret that the volunteers do a tremendous job at the Duals. But the cooks are the stars of the show. The fare is usually seafood, and to quote my younger runners, it's BANGIN' !! Saturday dinner in the Hospitality Room of Hampton Coliseum consisted of homemade clam chowder, scallops, clams, fried oysters, flounder stuffed with crab imperial, fries, salad. And I missed about half a dozen trays. So help me, i gained five pounds at the Duals, Very ironic in an arena where thousands of wrestlers were working hard to drop pounds for weigh-in. I almost felt guilty. Almost.

Here are some of the highlights from my two days of wrestling coverage, as posted on HRVarsity.com and printed in the Saturday, Sunday and Monday sports pages of the DAILY PRESS.

Day 1 results - Four teams win first-round matches

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-virginia-duals-feature-0112-20130111,0,5248548.story

Day 2 results - Hampton HS places fourth in Black and Blue Division

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/highschool/dp-spt-virginia-duals-feature-0113-20130112,0,426368.story

Conclusion - VA Tech defeats U. VA for National College Division title

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/dp-spt-virginia-duals-notebook-0113-20130112,0,2458112.story

Feeling the Power of the "HIPS"


Last month, I sent out (and posted) a holiday update noting some of the projects that are coming on the horizon for both the blog and McGrath Educational Services. In spite of the company name, the business is involved in many more things than simply tutoring.

I had mentioned a couple new projects, but left out one of the more important ventures with the idea of holding the thought until April. However, after continued thought, I decided, why wait?
 
Here’s the backstory. Leslie Dupree is a gospel singer and actress – she is originally from Williamsburg, but now lives in Newport News. About seven years ago, she was a student in my technical writing class at Centura College. For our final project, the students were required to write a proposal – an honest assignment requiring 10-15 pages of effort to push a real or imagined business endeavor.

My advice to students was this -- if you’re going to make the effort to develop a proposal, make it something that you really want to do. After all, you can put the plan out “on the street.”

Well, Leslie took this to heart and presented a creditable proposal for a record company. To my amazement, soon after the assignment was completed, she found a financial backer from her proposal and recorded her first CD,”Full Circle,” quite a heroic testimony which used the power of gospel music to tell the story of one woman overcoming personal struggles and finding light on the other end. You can do the Google search – the CD is available through ITunes, Amazon and quite a few other outlets.

Leslie Dupree, writer and director
of the stage play "HIPS," which will
debut in Newport News on June 1.
I knew this venture was serious when learning that she had received permission from Anita Baker’s record company to cover one of Baker’s songs, because according to record execs, “you’re the only other person who can sing it!”

Others may know Leslie from her work in the starring role of Fluorine in the nationally touring stage play, “Chaos in the House.” When they brought the show to the historic Kimball Theatre in Colonial Williamsburg, people from the outside started hovering around the front door because the sound of the singing and laughter in the theatre was loud enough to draw people off the street. Eventually, the fire marshal had to come and stop letting people in because of crowd issues. Imagine, the first African-American based play to hit CW in over 30 years, and they ran out of seats!

Making a long story short, her Les D Records has now become Les D Entertainment, and Leslie’s latest endeavor is another combination of drama, song and dance, brought to the viewer with a hard dose of honesty which will be sure to make one laugh, cry, but most importantly, think. I am delighted that Leslie has asked me to help with the promotion of her new play, “HIPS, “as it prepares for its opening night on June 1st. For today, however, I’ll let Leslie introduce her play:


"HIPS" is an unorthodox, multicultural, informative, raw stage play about how pop culture and men views Plus Size women. It gives you a personal peek into the horrific betrayal of Danielle (the main character) by her husband, friends, society and her own body! In addition, the story-line brings awareness to the elusive, incurable disease SARCOIDOSIS, which prevents her from controlling her weight! Thus, leaving her trapped in a shell that causes a variety of attacks!
The writer, Leslie L. Dupree is directing this production through her own company, Les D Entertainment! She is taking this brave opportunity to expose some very private issues that she currently is living with, while bringing awareness to SARCOIDOSIS! Leslie also wrote "HIPS" to give a voice to Plus Size women; letting them know that you still can be beautiful, sexy, alluring, self-confident, creative and successful, in a word coined by Leslie herself, "HIPS-O-LICIOUS"!
The show is riddled with drama, comedy, unforgettable dance routines, witty dialogue, sultry solos, a Broadway styled duet and scenes that will have you on the edge of your seats!
"HIPS" - The Stage play will debut Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 7 PM at The WOODSIDE THEATER, located on 13450 Woodside Lane in Newport News, Virginia. For those near the Peninsula region of Virginia, this is right off Ft. Eustis Blvd. and Exit 250 on Route 64.
Don't miss the opportunity to be a part of History in the Making!
I can already report that this will be much more than a one-night show. In fact, there is already enough buzz that the play will be made into an independent film – and this has been managed five months before opening night! Stay tuned for more updates.