34824654
The Philadelphia Flyers might’ve taken the Wachovia Center ice last night trailing the best-of-seven series against the Boston Bruins 2-0, but there is still plenty of fight left in the home squad. Sure they’ve been hit hard by injuries, but that is all part of the game.
If the current squad needs some added inspiration, they may want to catch the new HBO Sports documentary “Broad Street Bullies,” a look at one of pro sports’ most polarizing teams, the legendary Philadelphia Flyers Stanley Cup championship squads of the 1970s, which debuted Tuesday night on the cable network. This exclusive presentation includes the backstories of these engaging and colorful athletes who won back-to-back Stanley Cups in ’74 and ’75 with a bold, aggressive style that sparked controversy and criticism.
The film has received rave reviews from Comcast-Spectacor Chairman and Flyers founder Ed Snider.
“HBO’s Broad Street Bullies is an excellent and well-produced documentary that portrays the evolution of the Philadelphia Flyers,” Snider said in a press release. “It brings back many wonderful memories for me, and it uncovers some new insights into the great story of our two Stanley Cup Championship teams.
“We are truly honored that this part of Philadelphia Flyers history will be seen nationally on HBO.”
The story dates back to the early Spectrum days in which the Flyers rose to prominence under the guidance of coach Freddie Shero. With larger-than-life figures like Dave “The Hammer” Schultz, Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Bernie Parent, Ed Van Impe, Bill Clement, Rick MacLeish, “Moose” Dupont, Bob Kelly, Joe Watson and Gary Dornhoefer, the team won many games, fought in just about all of them and made numerous enemies.
“This film explores how a group of characters, who also happened to be an extraordinarily talented collection of hockey players that enjoyed contact on the ice, formed one of the most prominent and controversial teams in pro sports history,” Ross Greenburg, president, HBO Sports, said. “We are going to re-trace the steps that led to the love affair between the city and the team, and show how to this day these players are revered in Philadelphia and despised elsewhere.”
Upcoming airings are 11 a.m. May 8; 8:30 a.m. May 10; noon May 12; and 6 p.m. May 20. It also will air on HBO On Demand through June 7.
34824659
34824649
