ShareThisHBO's "24/7'' series about the Winter Classic outdoor hockey game gave the NHL exposure it has never had -- at least in the United States -- and should give the league some ideas about moving forward.
A couple of years ago, former star Jeremy Roenick suggested the NHL have two U.S. television contracts. One would be the normal games seen on ESPN, Versus or whatever. The other would be on a cable outlet such as HBO or Showtime. For those games, players would wear microphones so fans could hear what was being said. After watching 24/7, that idea sounds better than ever.
Meantime, HBO seems to have found a gold mine with its reality-sports series. "Hard Knocks'' follows NFL teams through training camps, but the hockey series was more compelling because it followed the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals during the regular season.
So where does HBO go from here? The New York Times reported the NBA, oddly, has turned down several requests for a similar show while Major League Baseball said it would be "interested in exploring opportunities.'' HBO Sports president Ross Greenburg said the ''24/7'' platform, originally developed to preview boxing matches, needs a high-profile event on which to focus. New York Times sports media critic Richard Sandomir suggested an event such as the PGA's Ryder Cup would provide a perfect backdrop.
Heading into the Winter Classic finale, it felt like the series had run its course. While it was a fascinating, behind-the-scenes look at the NHL, viewers could watch only so many of the same pregame speeches, morning skates and rapid-fire game highlights before it felt like the same episode over and over again.
That's why it was such a pleasant surprise that the final episode, in many ways, was the best of the series and reminded viewers just how special it was. The show was the best written, particularly the final few minutes, which brilliantly explained that hockey is a fast-paced sport and lifestyle that cannot be captured in a snapshot.
After the Winter Classic, a half-season still remains for both teams. This game was, after all, just one of 82 regular-season games for each. The road continued to another game in another arena in another city. In those final moments -- with the signature shot of soap-soaked jerseys swirling in a washing machine -- the series poetically captured the unrelenting grind of an NHL season.
The highlights of the outstanding series were many, but the best part was it showed players and coaches for who they are -- husbands, fathers, human beings. We saw, among other stories, Penguins coach Dan Bylsma shooting pucks in the basement with his son, Caps coach Bruce Boudreau going Christmas shopping for his wife, Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis having breakfast with his children before he left on a road trip and they headed off to school, and newly acquired Caps defenseman Scott Hannan house-hunting with his wife and 10-month-old baby.
And in the most entertaining parts, the series allowed viewers to listen in to all the nasty things players say to one another and to referees during a game.
For example: Penguins star Sidney Crosby arguing for a penalty shot during the Winter Classic and being told by the ref, "I give you a power play and you're going to (expletive) give me attitude?'' To which Crosby replied, "I watched (expletive) 80 games on TV, and that's a penalty shot every time. By the way, that was a (expletive) hook on the way in, too.''
Ultimately, what made the series so good was not just HBO's all-access coverage, but the players and coaches feeling comfortable enough to be themselves and give us a raw, brutally honest look into their world. Here's hoping HBO revisits the 24/7 format for hockey again next season because just when it seemed like viewers were ready for this edition to be over, we can't wait for another one to begin.
(Contact Tom Jones at jonest(at)stptimes.com.)
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columnMust credit St. Petersburg Times.
