This one came out of left field this morning but now that I have had time to reflect on it a bit. Apparently he died of complications from some secret surgery but that is not official yet. You know what, it doesn’t even matter. It is still a great loss even for hockey fans. I think every hockey fan knows where I am going on this one.
Paul Newman played Reggie Dunlop…that loveable loser….in Slap Shot. Slap Shot is a must see for any hockey fan that claims to be a true diehard of the sport. The movie is a classic with a good con artist playing the ultimate con on a team and then in the end, it doesn’t really matter anyway. But inbetween, there is enough craziness to fill a library full of one liners and quotes from the movie that you will never forget.
For me, this was my favorite Paul Newman movie…mainly because he was a believable hockey guy who would do anything for his team and of course he had those undeniable hockey player stereotypes working for him….well sort of. The ladies did not exactly clamor for him…really they drove him crazy. Yet, he kept playing on and did it his way throughout the entire movie. That is what made Slap Shot such a great movie. For all its slapstick comedy, it still had a human side that made you at the very least think about hockey as you were still laughing hysterically of course.
Everyone remembers the strip scene on the ice…that was apparently Paul Newman’s idea as well. Add in the Hanson brothers and the rough and tumble style of the movie and well you get something that is truly special. Mr. Newman, you were a great man who did many great things. More importantly you helped make one hell of a hockey movie. You may be gone now but you will never be forgotten.
