'Broad Street Bullies' on HBO
I really enjoyed tonight's fair-minded 'Broad Street Bullies' documentary on HBO (http://www.hbo.com/#/sports/broad-street-bullies/synopsis.html). That early '70s team made me a life-long hockey fan - and a forever Flyers fan. I appreciate the honest yin/yang perspective on their tactical use of rough play but the Flyers clearly meshed elite players (particularly Clarke, Parent and Barber then) with a wild and ornery assortment of role players to achieve their first success. I think the elite part is often forgotten by critics but the blend certainly did establish the ongoing house style for the franchise. Still amazing to watch video of players who wore no helmets in front of goalies 'protected' by fragile masks and who actually had no masks not so long before. What were they thinking??
It was also nice to see Fred Shero get his props. He was definitely a uniquely motivational coach who marched to his own drummer and was well ahead of his time.