Detroit (WWJ) -- It's the Dettoit Red Wings versus the Pittsburg Penguins in the NHL finals. On Friday, the Wings announced they've found a new home for the giant jersey that usually goes on the Spirit of Detroit statue for the Stanley Cup finals.
Officials for the team say the giantic sweater will go on the big Tiger in front of Comerica Park. The Spirit of Detroit was ruled out this year, because it's undergoing renovations.
Meanwhile, a Royal Oak seafood shop wants to get a leg up on Stanley Cup fever--literally.
Superior Fish is hosting a FREE Octopus Taste Fest Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at its store on Eleven Mile near Main. Co-owner Kevin Dean told WWJ that an octopus tastes like a tougher version of calamari (squid).
"It tastes like victory! Octopus has a great flavor. You are what you eat, and the octopus primarily dines on crustaceans, clams, mollusks, lobsters, and I'm sure once in a while it can grab a penguin," he said.
On the menu: octopus chili, octopus salad, barbecue octopus, and octopus spread.
Over in southwest Detroit, 81-year old Mary Szawala has penned more of her polka tribute to the Detroit Red Wings.
In 2002, Szawala wrote a short tune paying tribute to her hockey team, noting that the colors of the Red Wings and her native Poland are both red and white. She hadn't done much on the keyboard since then, and the Wings hadn't done much in the playoffs, either.
"The following year there was no Cup, and the year after there was no Cup, and the year after no Cup. I said 'wait a minute, I think it's time to pull out the tape and start playing again,' she said.
She quickened the pace of her 2002 polka and added more verses, honoring the team's hard play and dedication.
"The Red Wings, they put everything into it. I mean, their heart and soul and they want to make sure that their fans really appreciate them. They're just terrific. You just can't beat them," she said.
Szawala, who's been around music for more than 40 years, finally took the step last week of copyrighting her Red Wings Polka. (You'll have to tune in to WWJ to hear portions of it.)
If Detroit wins the Stanley Cup, Szawala said she would toast them with a traditional raspberry drink popular in Poland, no doubt because of its red and white color. "The Stanley Cup belongs in Hockeytown."
Oh, a final request if you're going to the Octopus Taste Fest: No tuxedos, it'll remind everyone of the opposition.
If you're got a wacky, cool, or outlandish way of honoring the Wings (or Pistons), let us know here.
The Wings have won 10 Stanley Cup championships throughout history, more than any other franchise based in the United States. Game one of the finals is scheduled for Saturday, May 24, at 8 p.m.
(Image from Wikipedia, subject to site's terms of use)
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