This is the show I've been looking forward to. Last year, the Caps/Pens game, at Verizon Center before the Winter Classic, was absolutely amazing. It seemed like an hour long look into one game.
Another year, another family skate and bad sweater party ... this year for the Rangers (and yes, the Flyers one was before in the 24/7 series). Some amazing sweaters and outfits for the party. You have to love any time someone has a sweater that lights up ha.
I really like Claude Giroux. Glad to see that things weren't too bad, gets right back into the mix, and has some nice banter at the faceoff dot. Laviolette gets to show he's that asshole I talked about last post. Still a fucking joke. It's not like Ott did anything wrong, and Laviolette proves to be a dick yet again. There's no need for him to bust through and go to the locker room ... then to laugh it off at the end of the game proves what a fucking joke he is.
Again, HBO does a great job bringing hockey players to the fan as people. Seeing Gaborik pick out a tree, and then carry it home was pretty funny. There's a bit of the Islanders/Rangers, cross town, rivalry, but too much time has gone by in this episode. Bring on the Flyers/Rangers game ... all cameras on deck.
This game starts with the teams walking into MSG, and dives right into the game. It's time like this where I wonder why Shop.NHL.com doesn't sell any team issued gear. There are some really nice tops that fans can't buy. I'd like to pick up a nice Caps jacket, just like the players wear, but I digress. The hitting in this game is intense, and the HBO cameras are right there to capture it all. Something I've noticed throughout the three episodes so far though is the addition of the coaches being mic-ed up. I don't really like how HBO drops them into situations ... it's a bit distracting actually. Rupp is great, his talk is spot on and right to point. Then, another look into the war room. Just like last year, a look into what goes on during reviews. It's awesome to see that, and see what gets looked at to check those goals. I also love how HBO goes back and forth between coaches at 2nd intermission. Both coaches working on their teams, imploring them to work harder and to score the next goal. Then the Rangers come right out and make it happen ... 3-0 Rangers. The game ends up 4-2, just like Laviolette said, only it's the Rangers that win this one. HBO didn't seem to do as much on this game as they did in the Caps/Pans game last season. Maybe there's more to talk about, or the game wasn't like last year's. Who knows.
Christmas at the Bryzgalov household shows his husky, and then another interview ... talking about the many faces of Iyla. Bryz doesn't seem the happy-go-lucky person he was over the previous two episodes though. The last couple games seem to be getting to him a bit. They haven't turned out great for the guy. Then they go from there to Brian Boyle and his 12 siblings. 13 kids ... that's amazing. It appears that HBO was more about putting together the Flyers and Rangers as "people that just happen to play hockey", instead to putting more into the Flyers/Rangers game. I'm guessing this is the reason.
Then we get to see the rink going in at Citizens Bank Park. This is the point where "Welcome to the Black Parade" became an opening that most Caps and Pens fan equate to a camera getting into Heinz Field. This year also shows some awesome pictures of the rink and the beginning of construction. Going into the Winter Classic, the Rangers are the team that's playing well ... and the Flyers are a bit up and down. One more episode, that concludes with the Winter Classic.
Showing posts with label 24/7. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 24/7. Show all posts
Monday, January 16, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Flyers/Rangers 24/7 HBO Series - Ep. 2
Ok ... so I'm late to this. Moving from place to place, not having HBO, or not having the internet makes it pretty hard to update things. With that being said, I have a place to watch some 24/7 and now updating with my thoughts.
Episode 2 opens up with Henrik Lundvist jamming out with John MacEnroe, for a charity concert. Lundvist seems like an all around great Swede, and not just a great goalie. Much nicer to see him giving to charity and not just giving to his teammates (read: lost credit card roulette in episode 1). Then we get a look at an old friend ... the Capitals losing streak. We saw a lot more of it last year on 24/7, but this year it was just one big loss against the Flyers.
I really like the road trip portions of this show. It shows the watcher how teams get together. Jagr's dry humor is spot on when he asks Bryz to sit somewhere else, and then picks up his food and moves away. Ilya is still fantastically quirky. I really hope next year is just "Ilya Bryzgalov 24/7". Episode 2 has showed me why I have a bit more respect for John Tortorella. His intermission speech helped his team out ... maybe not in the end, but they picked it up and listened to him. Episode 2 also showed me why I can't fucking stand Peter Laviolette. He's an asshole. He's every whiney high school coach. He's a fucking joke. Maybe a good coach, but still a fucking joke.
We also get to see a different side of Torts ... something far different than most fans see on TV. The moments with Liam are pretty cool. You can actually see that Tortorella is happy to talk about this young guy. Plus Liam's room is badass. It's all Rangers in there. It was awesome to hear Torts talk about giving Liam and his family tickets to the Winter Classic. Another reason to think this guy is better than most people see.
Ok ... just when I think Bryzgalov can't get better, he comes off with another interview. He's dead on though, who's more crazy ... him or defensemen ha. Then the next question and subsequent pause, smile, and laughter from cameramen was just hilarious. HBO does the Coyotes/Rangers game like it does. A lot of emphasize on a hard fought game, some referees talking in between periods, and a goal with 0.1 seconds on the clock. HBO turns right around and does the same thing with the Bruins/Flyers game, and more concussion testing on the show. That's pretty interesting to me, to be able to see that kind of stuff. Sucks that this keeps happening throughout the NHL though.
I've left Episode 2 looking forward for Episode 3. These episodes are the ones where HBO gets everything right ... when the two Winter Classic teams play a week or so before the outdoor game. There's nothing better than having 12 or so cameras in one arena, showing fans the game within the game.
Episode 2 opens up with Henrik Lundvist jamming out with John MacEnroe, for a charity concert. Lundvist seems like an all around great Swede, and not just a great goalie. Much nicer to see him giving to charity and not just giving to his teammates (read: lost credit card roulette in episode 1). Then we get a look at an old friend ... the Capitals losing streak. We saw a lot more of it last year on 24/7, but this year it was just one big loss against the Flyers.
I really like the road trip portions of this show. It shows the watcher how teams get together. Jagr's dry humor is spot on when he asks Bryz to sit somewhere else, and then picks up his food and moves away. Ilya is still fantastically quirky. I really hope next year is just "Ilya Bryzgalov 24/7". Episode 2 has showed me why I have a bit more respect for John Tortorella. His intermission speech helped his team out ... maybe not in the end, but they picked it up and listened to him. Episode 2 also showed me why I can't fucking stand Peter Laviolette. He's an asshole. He's every whiney high school coach. He's a fucking joke. Maybe a good coach, but still a fucking joke.
We also get to see a different side of Torts ... something far different than most fans see on TV. The moments with Liam are pretty cool. You can actually see that Tortorella is happy to talk about this young guy. Plus Liam's room is badass. It's all Rangers in there. It was awesome to hear Torts talk about giving Liam and his family tickets to the Winter Classic. Another reason to think this guy is better than most people see.
Ok ... just when I think Bryzgalov can't get better, he comes off with another interview. He's dead on though, who's more crazy ... him or defensemen ha. Then the next question and subsequent pause, smile, and laughter from cameramen was just hilarious. HBO does the Coyotes/Rangers game like it does. A lot of emphasize on a hard fought game, some referees talking in between periods, and a goal with 0.1 seconds on the clock. HBO turns right around and does the same thing with the Bruins/Flyers game, and more concussion testing on the show. That's pretty interesting to me, to be able to see that kind of stuff. Sucks that this keeps happening throughout the NHL though.
I've left Episode 2 looking forward for Episode 3. These episodes are the ones where HBO gets everything right ... when the two Winter Classic teams play a week or so before the outdoor game. There's nothing better than having 12 or so cameras in one arena, showing fans the game within the game.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Flyers/Rangers 24/7 HBO Series - Ep. 1
So ... 1 year ago, HBO stepped into showing everyone (fans and non-fans alike) the inside workings of the NHL. This year seems to be much of the same, just with the Flyers and Rangers, on their way to the Winter Classic in Philadelphia.
This show is still absolutely amazing, however I just don't feel it this season. I say that because I have no love/hate relationship with this series. It's actually quite refreshing to just watch it as a tv show, and not look any deeper into anything that's going on. I like how HBO has changed the one on one interviews a bit. Last season, HBO had some kind of Big Brother "closet confession" type of look to their interviews ... this season, it's a much better version. I don't like how the coaches have such a big part of the first episode. I know that both coaches are big parts of the team, and both are very opinionated. However, neither of them play the game. I feel like HBO figured out, from last season, that both the Pens and Caps coaches were show stoppers. This season, they've decided to force that upon everyone.
The Giroux concussion came off quite sadly. That guy is having a great season, and something freak has him out. It's not like seeing Crosby's concussion in the Winter Classic of 2011, because Giroux seemed more together, but it's still pretty sad to see the training staff having to tell Laviolette about the extent of the injury. Bryzgalov is hilarious ... in a "I'm not quite sure what's so funny" type of way. I honestly feel like Ilya doesn't find anything wrong with what he's talking about, but man he's an interesting person. Ryan Callahan's family ties to Buffalo was cool. It's nice to see families showing up, in a suite, in order to watch their child, grandchild, nephew, etc. do what he loves.
All in all, I feel like this year's 24/7 will be just as well done as last season was. The music throughout is spot on, the camera work is fantastic, and the production of the series is just plain amazing. It's a great series, for the big time hockey fan, the casual hockey fan, and the random sports fan alike. It's really the way that sports should be shown. I'm looking forward to the Flyers/Rangers game coming up this week. Those games are where the series are perfect. HBO really shows, one single game, in the closest access than any fan will ever have.
This show is still absolutely amazing, however I just don't feel it this season. I say that because I have no love/hate relationship with this series. It's actually quite refreshing to just watch it as a tv show, and not look any deeper into anything that's going on. I like how HBO has changed the one on one interviews a bit. Last season, HBO had some kind of Big Brother "closet confession" type of look to their interviews ... this season, it's a much better version. I don't like how the coaches have such a big part of the first episode. I know that both coaches are big parts of the team, and both are very opinionated. However, neither of them play the game. I feel like HBO figured out, from last season, that both the Pens and Caps coaches were show stoppers. This season, they've decided to force that upon everyone.
The Giroux concussion came off quite sadly. That guy is having a great season, and something freak has him out. It's not like seeing Crosby's concussion in the Winter Classic of 2011, because Giroux seemed more together, but it's still pretty sad to see the training staff having to tell Laviolette about the extent of the injury. Bryzgalov is hilarious ... in a "I'm not quite sure what's so funny" type of way. I honestly feel like Ilya doesn't find anything wrong with what he's talking about, but man he's an interesting person. Ryan Callahan's family ties to Buffalo was cool. It's nice to see families showing up, in a suite, in order to watch their child, grandchild, nephew, etc. do what he loves.
All in all, I feel like this year's 24/7 will be just as well done as last season was. The music throughout is spot on, the camera work is fantastic, and the production of the series is just plain amazing. It's a great series, for the big time hockey fan, the casual hockey fan, and the random sports fan alike. It's really the way that sports should be shown. I'm looking forward to the Flyers/Rangers game coming up this week. Those games are where the series are perfect. HBO really shows, one single game, in the closest access than any fan will ever have.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Caps/Pens 24/7 HBO Series - Ep. 4
First and foremost, I'm quite sorry for taking a couple day to get this out. This week has been absolutely amazing, but I've been doing so much that I don't think I really gave too much attention to this show on Wednesday night. I needed some time in order to fully put my thoughts together.
Episode 4 is the final installment of the Caps/Pens 24/7 HBO Series. It's only been one month of this, but it's been an amazing month for hockey. I would almost say "a perfect month for hockey", however I'm really starting to hate the usage of the word "perfect" so I won't say that.
After setting up people and teams in the first 2 episodes, I've been pleasantly surprised that the last 2 episodes have been devoted to the Capitals/Penguins games. The final installment of the series was, and certainly should have been, almost entirely Winter Classic. Ok, maybe not entirely ... maybe it was just 30 minutes but who's counting really? After a bit about how Crosby's point streak ends, and he shaves that awful teenager's mustache, and how creepy Matt Cooke's kid looks in a suit that looks exactly like his dad's, HBO moves right into Winter Classic stuff. I have to say right here, now, and in type ... Marc Andre Fleury is definitely my favorite Penguins player (with Brent Johnson a close second after our New Years Eve experience). The guy is hilarious and came just short of saying "now, go away or I shall taunt you a second time" during the Winter Classic practice shootout. It was really good to see how the NHL executives were sitting around with the weatherman to see what the best time for the game to be played was. I think some people would argue that 8pm wasn't great, since it rained in the 3rd period, but I thought the game was awesome under the lights the whole night.
Then it was game time. Shots going back and forth between locker rooms, and one of the greatest scenes I've seen in reality TV ... Bruce Boudreau taping up that shitbum Mark Madden's article on the white board. The game footage was awesome. I love that HBO had the referees mic-ed up too. It's good to hear that referees aren't cardboard cutouts with a string you pull in order to recite random rules and consequences. There are certainly times I wish I could say some of that to college soccer coaches/players. The game moves on, goals are scored, Crosby runs into Dave Steckel, and Ovechkin is heard screaming "We're going to win it" (or something close to that because all I hear is Adrian yelling at Rocky right now). Ovechkin's joy in winning this one hockey game was extremely prevalent at the end. Then HBO does what it does best ... a montage of sounds, pictures, and quotes that make you love being a hockey fan or makes you really want to become a hockey fan if you weren't one. All in all, this was a fantastic month of hockey.
I leave this show with some thoughts and questions:
Episode 4 is the final installment of the Caps/Pens 24/7 HBO Series. It's only been one month of this, but it's been an amazing month for hockey. I would almost say "a perfect month for hockey", however I'm really starting to hate the usage of the word "perfect" so I won't say that.
After setting up people and teams in the first 2 episodes, I've been pleasantly surprised that the last 2 episodes have been devoted to the Capitals/Penguins games. The final installment of the series was, and certainly should have been, almost entirely Winter Classic. Ok, maybe not entirely ... maybe it was just 30 minutes but who's counting really? After a bit about how Crosby's point streak ends, and he shaves that awful teenager's mustache, and how creepy Matt Cooke's kid looks in a suit that looks exactly like his dad's, HBO moves right into Winter Classic stuff. I have to say right here, now, and in type ... Marc Andre Fleury is definitely my favorite Penguins player (with Brent Johnson a close second after our New Years Eve experience). The guy is hilarious and came just short of saying "now, go away or I shall taunt you a second time" during the Winter Classic practice shootout. It was really good to see how the NHL executives were sitting around with the weatherman to see what the best time for the game to be played was. I think some people would argue that 8pm wasn't great, since it rained in the 3rd period, but I thought the game was awesome under the lights the whole night.
Then it was game time. Shots going back and forth between locker rooms, and one of the greatest scenes I've seen in reality TV ... Bruce Boudreau taping up that shitbum Mark Madden's article on the white board. The game footage was awesome. I love that HBO had the referees mic-ed up too. It's good to hear that referees aren't cardboard cutouts with a string you pull in order to recite random rules and consequences. There are certainly times I wish I could say some of that to college soccer coaches/players. The game moves on, goals are scored, Crosby runs into Dave Steckel, and Ovechkin is heard screaming "We're going to win it" (or something close to that because all I hear is Adrian yelling at Rocky right now). Ovechkin's joy in winning this one hockey game was extremely prevalent at the end. Then HBO does what it does best ... a montage of sounds, pictures, and quotes that make you love being a hockey fan or makes you really want to become a hockey fan if you weren't one. All in all, this was a fantastic month of hockey.
I leave this show with some thoughts and questions:
- Who did you learn the most about throughout the series? Is what you learned good or bad?
- Would you watch the series on HBO next season, even if it's not a team that you specifically follow?
- Did it seem like Matt Cooke even got under the skin of the referees? I think that's when your "agitator role" has gone too far.
To answer my own questions:
- I learned that Sidney Crosby is one hell of a competitor, a good leader, has an awful lot of superstitions, and does seem to complain as much as people speculated. I feel like I've learned some good things that makes me appreciate what Crosby does more than I did before ... as long as he's not playing the Capitals that night. Ditto for Dan Bylsma. That man is just wired to be a hockey coach.
- I would definitely watch this series every year. I think the fact that it was during the season makes for some great banter within the locker rooms. I feel like this year's 24/7 was only the beginning of what's to come in the future.
- Matt Cooke creeps me out. He's the type of player that would really have to get knocked around in order to draw a penalty call. Referees don't like hearing from players all the time, and honestly the more you whine and complain the less a referee sees. It's just the way it goes ... only one sense can be used at a time, I guess.
PS: I love those white Winter Classic jerseys under the lights ... I almost cried when I realized the series was over.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Caps/Pens 24/7 HBO Series - Ep. 3
Wow. Just wow.
Episode 3 is exactly what I wanted out of this HBO show. I kindof lost track of time while watching everything going on, but I'd have to estimate that 30 minutes of the show was devoted to just the Capitals/Penguins game on December 23. Absolutely amazing to see how one game, played by 2 great teams, can be covered when there are 16 cameras and an all-access pass into places that people just don't see/hear.
I'll get this out of the way now ... hearing Crosby bitch and cuss at the referees was amazing (which is nothing more than Mike Green does in the first episode), but not for the reason you think. If you've read this enough, you know I'm a Caps fan ... always have been and always will be. The reason I find the whining so amazing is because you always hear about "Crosby's compete level" ... "Crosby's passion" ... "Crosby's (insert any noun that shows how someone always wants to win)" but we haven't seen it at all in the first two episodes. We finally got to see that. We finally got to see Crosby fighting hard, wanting penalties, and getting pissy when the referee shakes him off. As a hockey fan, it's amazing ... as a Caps fan, it's funny to see what everyone in the league has been talking about for years. Oh, and on a side note ... that "trip" on Ovechkin was a makeup call for Crosby bitching that he got high sticked going to the goal.
I was hoping to see another Mike Knuble type rah rah rant from the Capitals, but it just didn't come. This team was confident ... no matter what the Pens players/coaches/families were saying about Neuvy. It was great to see Ovechkin go off on the referees after that "tripping" call. Nobody talks about how competitive Ovi is, but it comes out in that one scene ... although if you've been watching at all, it's not the first time in this series it's happened. I was saddened by the lack of fist pumping though.
This whole show was just great. HBO got away from the closet confessionals because I was either not paying attention or only saw 2 interviews. I loved how HBO allowed the Caps/Pens game to be the game. There were long stretches of show time where the narrator was just not there. HBO allowed the game to speak for itself ... the players/coaches within the game ... the announcers of the game ... and sometimes even the fans. That was really the only part I had a problem with. The fan interaction with the HBO cameras looked forced or even put on. The "We Want Pittsburgh/Crosby Sucks" chant, although spontaneous during the Devils game seemed like it was started for HBO ... either that or they brought people back to the arena to reenact it. The "OT Video Review Guy" actually scared me. And then, like HBO knew something wasn't right, they cut directly into interaction between the on ice refereeing crew and Toronto. Something else that as a hockey fan is amazing to see.
This show had the normal, family time aspect that shows before had. Which is great to see professional hockey players as normal people like you and me (just with a bunch more money obviously), but what really made the show was that one game. 50 minutes into the show I realized it was almost over, and then thought "didn't both of these teams play again that week". HBO stuffed both the Caps and the Pens games into about 4 minutes of show time, showing both games at the same time. Then added the "money shot". An amazing shot, coming through one of the section entrances at Heinz Field, with the Winter Classic rink being built right there in front of you. A fitting end to a fantastic show and an amazing intro for this weekend's game.
Episode 3 of this 4 part series was masterful. HBO glossed over some of the other games played within the week, but that's understandable. Both Andrew Gordon and Ben Lovejoy got some great praise for scoring their first NHL goals, and that welt on the side of Lovejoy's face looked awful once he got off the plane. I hope next week's show is almost all Winter Classic, and then HBO puts out a DVD box set that shows a lot more footage that just didn't make it into the shows. I'll be first in line the day that hits the shelves.
Episode 3 is exactly what I wanted out of this HBO show. I kindof lost track of time while watching everything going on, but I'd have to estimate that 30 minutes of the show was devoted to just the Capitals/Penguins game on December 23. Absolutely amazing to see how one game, played by 2 great teams, can be covered when there are 16 cameras and an all-access pass into places that people just don't see/hear.
I'll get this out of the way now ... hearing Crosby bitch and cuss at the referees was amazing (which is nothing more than Mike Green does in the first episode), but not for the reason you think. If you've read this enough, you know I'm a Caps fan ... always have been and always will be. The reason I find the whining so amazing is because you always hear about "Crosby's compete level" ... "Crosby's passion" ... "Crosby's (insert any noun that shows how someone always wants to win)" but we haven't seen it at all in the first two episodes. We finally got to see that. We finally got to see Crosby fighting hard, wanting penalties, and getting pissy when the referee shakes him off. As a hockey fan, it's amazing ... as a Caps fan, it's funny to see what everyone in the league has been talking about for years. Oh, and on a side note ... that "trip" on Ovechkin was a makeup call for Crosby bitching that he got high sticked going to the goal.
I was hoping to see another Mike Knuble type rah rah rant from the Capitals, but it just didn't come. This team was confident ... no matter what the Pens players/coaches/families were saying about Neuvy. It was great to see Ovechkin go off on the referees after that "tripping" call. Nobody talks about how competitive Ovi is, but it comes out in that one scene ... although if you've been watching at all, it's not the first time in this series it's happened. I was saddened by the lack of fist pumping though.
This whole show was just great. HBO got away from the closet confessionals because I was either not paying attention or only saw 2 interviews. I loved how HBO allowed the Caps/Pens game to be the game. There were long stretches of show time where the narrator was just not there. HBO allowed the game to speak for itself ... the players/coaches within the game ... the announcers of the game ... and sometimes even the fans. That was really the only part I had a problem with. The fan interaction with the HBO cameras looked forced or even put on. The "We Want Pittsburgh/Crosby Sucks" chant, although spontaneous during the Devils game seemed like it was started for HBO ... either that or they brought people back to the arena to reenact it. The "OT Video Review Guy" actually scared me. And then, like HBO knew something wasn't right, they cut directly into interaction between the on ice refereeing crew and Toronto. Something else that as a hockey fan is amazing to see.
This show had the normal, family time aspect that shows before had. Which is great to see professional hockey players as normal people like you and me (just with a bunch more money obviously), but what really made the show was that one game. 50 minutes into the show I realized it was almost over, and then thought "didn't both of these teams play again that week". HBO stuffed both the Caps and the Pens games into about 4 minutes of show time, showing both games at the same time. Then added the "money shot". An amazing shot, coming through one of the section entrances at Heinz Field, with the Winter Classic rink being built right there in front of you. A fitting end to a fantastic show and an amazing intro for this weekend's game.
Episode 3 of this 4 part series was masterful. HBO glossed over some of the other games played within the week, but that's understandable. Both Andrew Gordon and Ben Lovejoy got some great praise for scoring their first NHL goals, and that welt on the side of Lovejoy's face looked awful once he got off the plane. I hope next week's show is almost all Winter Classic, and then HBO puts out a DVD box set that shows a lot more footage that just didn't make it into the shows. I'll be first in line the day that hits the shelves.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Caps/Pens 24/7 HBO Series - Ep. 2
Ok ... so I watched this last night, after the Faceoff Hockey Show: Christmas Edition. I'm hoping I took in all that I saw at 11pm, but will certainly update this later (once I watch it for the second time).
The first thing I took from this episode ... George McPhee is the [expletive deleted] man. He's amazingly cool, calm, and collected as he's taking the losing streak in stride. That's not to say he's not feeling the pressures of it, it's just that he's not showing it to us and especially not showing it to the players/coaching staff of the Capitals. I think I like Matt Hendricks more than I did before. He's been great for this team, and filled a role that needed to be filled. It was good seeing the behind the scenes stuff again ... as this show really should be all about. It was good to see the Capitals happy, for the first time since this show started shooting, and better to watch Karl Alzner and John Carlson try to dance (to the Unofficial Victory Anthem of the Capitals. Absolutely amazing. The Penguins pieces of this week seemed to be toned down a bit. Maybe the 2 game losing streak changed the mood, or maybe it was the way the show was cut. It's good to see Malkin playing well, and not injured, it's interesting to see the trials of Jordan Staal, and it was cool to see Mario put down the chicken fingers and get back on the ice. I've never been a huge Lemeuix fan, but you can't deny the fact that he has amazing hands and could finish. He still looks like he skates just as fast as he used to also. Matt Cooke is a(n) [expletive deleted] (insert whatever expletive you want to really), but the jokes he played on Biznasty were kindof funny. I wonder how long it took him to get those pieces of bubble gum from the gloves lol. The best Penguins part of the two shows so far has been the player evaluation meetings after games. How Tony Granato doesn't have a head coaching job somewhere is beyond me. There's a wealth of riches when it come to that Penguins coaching staff.
24/7 has been great for any casual sports fan and the hardcore hockey fan alike. The amazing thing about the show, is that I fully expect it to get better in the last 2 episodes. Tonight's Caps/Pens game will be awesome, with about 16 HBO cameras descending on the Verizon Center. This will certainly be the most coverage that one hockey game has ever gotten. I almost wish they could do a whole hour show just on tonight's game. Maybe that'll be in a DVD form in the future. Then you'll have a bit more filler for next week before the crescendo into the Winter Classic. 2 Caps/Pens games within 10 days is perfect for HBO, viewers of the 24/7 series, and hockey fans alike.
I know I'm excited for the next 10 days of my life.
UPDATE: How did I completely forgot about Arturs Irbe? Man it's good to see that guy, and hopefully he brings some stability to the Caps goaltending. It's great having a goalie coach that played in the NHL for so long, and can communicate quite well with the Capitals young goaltending tandem.
The first thing I took from this episode ... George McPhee is the [expletive deleted] man. He's amazingly cool, calm, and collected as he's taking the losing streak in stride. That's not to say he's not feeling the pressures of it, it's just that he's not showing it to us and especially not showing it to the players/coaching staff of the Capitals. I think I like Matt Hendricks more than I did before. He's been great for this team, and filled a role that needed to be filled. It was good seeing the behind the scenes stuff again ... as this show really should be all about. It was good to see the Capitals happy, for the first time since this show started shooting, and better to watch Karl Alzner and John Carlson try to dance (to the Unofficial Victory Anthem of the Capitals. Absolutely amazing. The Penguins pieces of this week seemed to be toned down a bit. Maybe the 2 game losing streak changed the mood, or maybe it was the way the show was cut. It's good to see Malkin playing well, and not injured, it's interesting to see the trials of Jordan Staal, and it was cool to see Mario put down the chicken fingers and get back on the ice. I've never been a huge Lemeuix fan, but you can't deny the fact that he has amazing hands and could finish. He still looks like he skates just as fast as he used to also. Matt Cooke is a(n) [expletive deleted] (insert whatever expletive you want to really), but the jokes he played on Biznasty were kindof funny. I wonder how long it took him to get those pieces of bubble gum from the gloves lol. The best Penguins part of the two shows so far has been the player evaluation meetings after games. How Tony Granato doesn't have a head coaching job somewhere is beyond me. There's a wealth of riches when it come to that Penguins coaching staff.
24/7 has been great for any casual sports fan and the hardcore hockey fan alike. The amazing thing about the show, is that I fully expect it to get better in the last 2 episodes. Tonight's Caps/Pens game will be awesome, with about 16 HBO cameras descending on the Verizon Center. This will certainly be the most coverage that one hockey game has ever gotten. I almost wish they could do a whole hour show just on tonight's game. Maybe that'll be in a DVD form in the future. Then you'll have a bit more filler for next week before the crescendo into the Winter Classic. 2 Caps/Pens games within 10 days is perfect for HBO, viewers of the 24/7 series, and hockey fans alike.
I know I'm excited for the next 10 days of my life.
UPDATE: How did I completely forgot about Arturs Irbe? Man it's good to see that guy, and hopefully he brings some stability to the Caps goaltending. It's great having a goalie coach that played in the NHL for so long, and can communicate quite well with the Capitals young goaltending tandem.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Caps/Pens 24/7 HBO Series - Ep. 1
So ... first of all, I know what you're thinking. 2 posts in the same week, man this guy must be bored. On some levels that is certainly correct, but this is the calm before the storm. Come January, all hell breaks loose at work ... so get 'em while you can.
On to the real reason I'm back ... back again. The Capitals/Penguins 24/7 HBO Series kicked off on Wednesday, however I got around to watching it last night. I have to say, it's damn good and not just the parts that are about the Capitals. The Penguins players showed to have personalities ... at least the ones on the episode 1. Max Talbot showed to have a pretty hilarious personality. I still find him full of himself, and episode 1 didn't do anything to change that perception, but hey he's having fun being who he is. Pascal Dupruis has a big family that he leaves for Pens away games, and he has a huge TV in his living room too. It was also interesting to see how some players were a bit shy when a camera was put into a place that it's not normally in their lives. One of the funnier parts of the first episode was when MA Fleury and others put an entire hotel room's worth of furniture into the hallway, for the rookies to clean up and put back into their room. All in all, as a Capitals fan (and someone that's predestined to hate the Penguins), the Penguins came off in a decent light after episode 1. The Capitals side to everything was quite interesting to me, or probably was to anyone who's grown up with sports being a big piece of their life. Yes, this is a job for these players ... Yes, they are playing a sport and getting paid a ton of money for it ... But in no way does that change the passion they have for hockey. Like I said earlier in the week, the Caps have had a rough go of things lately. I believe they're evolving into a better team, but that's a post for another day. When the coach gets so incensed with the way the team plays that a full 30 second timeout is devoted to dropping F-bombs ... that shows passion. I might have to head back to the iTunes and listen to the "uses for the work f*ck". About halfway through the show, I think Bruce Boudreau had "Bingo" on his card. I'm certain of one thing though, the fact that the Caps are in a losing streak and the Pens are in a winning streak certainly showed the contrasts between the two emotion sets. I'd like to see some Caps winning and Pens losing, just to see how the Pens handle adversity for a bit.
It wasn't all good though. The interview sections of the show really creep me out. I feel like they could have done away with the Big Brother type of closet confessional. The camera is way too close to the player's faces, and I'm not sure what's going on with the lighting from below. Although, I'm sure the ladies loved seeing Brooks Laich, up close and personal.
In the end, this is exactly what hockey needs. The games ... being shot from multiple angles, and with players mic-ed up (which catches some of Ovechkin's brilliance when he tells the referee that John Michael Liles might just have sensitive skin after Alex Semin cuts him with a cross check). The players ... shown having personalities and being people, with lives and families. The management ... having to make decisions on who to bring up, who to sit, how to deal with injuries and sickness. All in all, this is truly an all access look into hockey, and it's more than most fans will ever see. However, being around sports for most of my life ... it's exactly what I was hoping to see.
On to the real reason I'm back ... back again. The Capitals/Penguins 24/7 HBO Series kicked off on Wednesday, however I got around to watching it last night. I have to say, it's damn good and not just the parts that are about the Capitals. The Penguins players showed to have personalities ... at least the ones on the episode 1. Max Talbot showed to have a pretty hilarious personality. I still find him full of himself, and episode 1 didn't do anything to change that perception, but hey he's having fun being who he is. Pascal Dupruis has a big family that he leaves for Pens away games, and he has a huge TV in his living room too. It was also interesting to see how some players were a bit shy when a camera was put into a place that it's not normally in their lives. One of the funnier parts of the first episode was when MA Fleury and others put an entire hotel room's worth of furniture into the hallway, for the rookies to clean up and put back into their room. All in all, as a Capitals fan (and someone that's predestined to hate the Penguins), the Penguins came off in a decent light after episode 1. The Capitals side to everything was quite interesting to me, or probably was to anyone who's grown up with sports being a big piece of their life. Yes, this is a job for these players ... Yes, they are playing a sport and getting paid a ton of money for it ... But in no way does that change the passion they have for hockey. Like I said earlier in the week, the Caps have had a rough go of things lately. I believe they're evolving into a better team, but that's a post for another day. When the coach gets so incensed with the way the team plays that a full 30 second timeout is devoted to dropping F-bombs ... that shows passion. I might have to head back to the iTunes and listen to the "uses for the work f*ck". About halfway through the show, I think Bruce Boudreau had "Bingo" on his card. I'm certain of one thing though, the fact that the Caps are in a losing streak and the Pens are in a winning streak certainly showed the contrasts between the two emotion sets. I'd like to see some Caps winning and Pens losing, just to see how the Pens handle adversity for a bit.
It wasn't all good though. The interview sections of the show really creep me out. I feel like they could have done away with the Big Brother type of closet confessional. The camera is way too close to the player's faces, and I'm not sure what's going on with the lighting from below. Although, I'm sure the ladies loved seeing Brooks Laich, up close and personal.
In the end, this is exactly what hockey needs. The games ... being shot from multiple angles, and with players mic-ed up (which catches some of Ovechkin's brilliance when he tells the referee that John Michael Liles might just have sensitive skin after Alex Semin cuts him with a cross check). The players ... shown having personalities and being people, with lives and families. The management ... having to make decisions on who to bring up, who to sit, how to deal with injuries and sickness. All in all, this is truly an all access look into hockey, and it's more than most fans will ever see. However, being around sports for most of my life ... it's exactly what I was hoping to see.
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