Best Detroit Red Wings Pop Culture References
By John Curran
Apr 18, 2015; Tampa, FL, USA; Detroit Red Wings left wing Tomas Tatar (21) is congratulated by teammates after he socred a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amalie Arena. Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Detroit Red Wings 5-1. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off:
This classic 1980’s movie may feature the most well-known Detroit Red Wings’ pop culture appearance of all time. To quote the title character Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast, if you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”, or you might miss the Red Wings’ jersey featured throughout most of the film.
If you haven’t seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off you’re either too young, or just completely missing out on one of the greatest coming of age movies of all-time. If you ever pretended to be sick to get out of school, or a planning to, this movie is for you.
But I digress. Ironically enough, the movie takes place in Chicago and follows a high school student and his friends on the most epic sick-day ever. Ferris’ depressed best-friend, Cameron, spends most of the film/day running around the Chicago area in a Gordie Howe jersey like a true bad-ass.
It always seemed a bit odd that Cameron’s character wore a Detroit Red Wings’ jersey in the Chicago-based film, even more so considering that film’s writer/producer/director, John Hughes, spent his teenage years in Chicago and based most of his movies in the area. But before Hughes moved to Illinois, he spent the first twelve years of his life in Grosse Point, Michigan, where he grew up idolizing Gordie Howe.
Speaking of “Mr. Hockey”, it was none other than Howe himself who sent the famously worn jersey to Hughes to be worn and displayed in the film.
"“I sent them the jersey. They asked me for the jersey and I sent it out. It was nice seeing the No. 9 on the big screen.”"
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