Check It Out?

There's a new HBO sport special, Broad Street Bullies, about the violent but successful 1970s Philadelphia Flyers. I'm not sure I'll watch.

Maybe you've heard the Rodney Dangerfield line about how he was at a fight and a hockey game broke out. It's true, hockey has a violent reputation. But I don't really think that's why true fans watch. Anyway, it wasn't what hooked me. Hockey's always had checking, and penalties, and cheap shots, and enforcers, but it's more about speed, finesse, coordination, stickhandling, passing, and so on--a goal (or a great save) is one of the most beautiful things in sports.

The Flyers, on the other hand, were thugs. They may be beloved in Philadelphia, but I never had any use for them. They were one of the new teams created in 1967, when the NHL doubled in size. These expansion teams were a joke at first, but eventually, as new players came into the league, there was parity. But the Flyers couldn't wait to do it wholly through talent--they were also into intimidation, taking the smashmouth style of play to a new level. Led by Bobby Clarke, and featuring Rick MacLeish, Bernie Parent and (superthug) Dave Schultz, they fought and bullied their way to two consecutive Stanley Cups in '74 and '75. Though they remained the "Broad Street Bullies" for a few more years before cleaning up their act, the Flyers haven't won a Stanely Cup since.

I was always a Montreal Canadiens' fan. Starting with the 1967 expansion, they won four out of six Stanely Cups (the Bruins won the other two), and also ended the Flyers' streak in '76, winning the rest of the championships that decade. I was glad to see them win, not because it was personal (though they were my team), but because the game needed to be reminded of what it was about.