HBO 24/7 Road to the NHL Winter Classic

[EBondo 233]

you like the way bylsma talks to his team when their 20 game record is 16-4. we just happen to get an all access pass during a great time for them. i wonder what he'd be like if his team was on an 8 game losing streak.

i think HBO tapped in during a great period. kind of polar views at this point with pittsburgh on a great run and caps losing everywhere.

either way, i watched the 2nd episode twice. cant wait for the dec 29th episode. i thought there was 4???

The next one will focus on the first Pens/Caps game, and the last on the Winter Classic. So, yes, four.

[shotty 7]

so the finale will be aired after the winter classic?

[Quintin 16]

The Capitals trainer that went to Ovi was an absolute douche. Seemed so half assed and fed up with his job.

[RadioGaGa 162]

you like the way bylsma talks to his team when their 20 game record is 16-4. we just happen to get an all access pass during a great time for them. i wonder what he'd be like if his team was on an 8 game losing streak.

i think HBO tapped in during a great period. kind of polar views at this point with pittsburgh on a great run and caps losing everywhere.

either way, i watched the 2nd episode twice. cant wait for the dec 29th episode. i thought there was 4???

You're right...we're getting a chance to see the team on an absolute high...but I have a feeling that Dan doesn't change his tone/style or message even if it gets rough. I'd like to see some adversity for the Pens during this series, but it doesn't appear that will happen.

[Hradsky 1]

Wow great show, kind of like Cervelo's beyond the peloton: http://www.cervelo.com/en_us/testteam/video-documentary/#video_headline

Except it's hockey :D

[Trooper 8]

The Capitals trainer that went to Ovi was an absolute douche. Seemed so half assed and fed up with his job.

Yeah, his people skills left a lot to be desired but it's kind of surprising an athlete of Ovi's caliber had no idea his hamstring was involved to a high degree in skating and squatting.

[shotty 7]

just shows you how little they know/care about anything besides their on ice performance.

i bet if they were talking to an equipment manager about ROH or stick lie or what have you, it would be the same.

[DarkStar50 679]

When you have that much talent and skill, at that level............

[JKranz24 1]

You're right...we're getting a chance to see the team on an absolute high...but I have a feeling that Dan doesn't change his tone/style or message even if it gets rough. I'd like to see some adversity for the Pens during this series, but it doesn't appear that will happen.

I think Bylsma would be pretty much the same. He doesn't strike me as a Boudreau-type, cursing left and right as if not using the F-word results in a fine...

I think he would probably have that calm, mother demeanor..."I'm not mad at you guys for losing, I'm just disappointed."

[JR Boucicaut 3799]

You're right...we're getting a chance to see the team on an absolute high...but I have a feeling that Dan doesn't change his tone/style or message even if it gets rough. I'd like to see some adversity for the Pens during this series, but it doesn't appear that will happen.

Have things really have gotten rough for Bylsma in PIT ever though?

Just seems like someone who is close to the players because he was one of them a few seasons before...

[camhockey16 5]

are other gm's and coaches normally that close of buddies? bylsma and shero seemed like they were best friends. do other teams gm's and coaches meet after every game to grade the players?

i agree bylsma really hasn't had to deal with any adversity beyond some injuries - but i do think he is very smart and capable.

[jds 20]

So, considering they are calling for a high of 7 degrees (celsius) and thunderstorms on New Year's Day, do you think they will postpone this or play or cancel the whole deal? Lighting and metal skate blades on water doesn't seem like a good idea though it might make Crosby sprout a decent moustache.

[camhockey16 5]

they talked about it a lot today and said worst case the would end up playing the game sunday - but right now its only a 50% chance of rain and it's still 4 days away - a lot could change between now and then

[jds 20]

they talked about it a lot today and said worst case the would end up playing the game sunday - but right now its only a 50% chance of rain and it's still 4 days away - a lot could change between now and then

Man, after all the hype it would be a disaster if it got canned or even postponed. Consider all the apparel that has "Jan. 1. 2011" emblazoned on it.

[DarkStar50 679]

Unless there is a hurricane, the NHL will try to spin any weather problem into a positive somehow.

On a side note, this whole idea of "playing outside like when we were kids" is a bit silly if you think of today's players. As a guy working inside a rink pro shop, how many kids, at least in the US, really spend that much time skating outdoors on a frozen pond? When I was a kid, I did live for pond ice. There were very few indoor rinks to skate at. I knew when the pond would freeze and paid attention to the weather report for the temps. These days, though, if you are a youth hockey player, 99.9% of the time you skate is inside on a rink. All sports are so structured that the idea of playing hockey outside on a pond just for fun is not as easy as it once was.

[BenderHockey 127]

Does anyone have a link or a source to view the second episode un-edited, preferably in HD? It's going to be a slow day at work, and would like to waste some time watching it.

[RadioGaGa 162]

I watched Ep2 (uncensored) in 4 parts on Youtube.

[raganblink 82]

Idk ds, it might just be where u live, I'm definitely not in a hotbed and for the last two weeks our sharpenings have gone up to about 20% I skated on a pond fix me up.

[ibeck 38]

Episode 3 was the best one so far. It was great to see the two teams head-to-head in the same game.

Edit: after watching part 3 again, Im getting the sense that the pens believe in eachother and Bylsma when he says motivational stuff and Boudreau just says it and the players really dont believe in him or in eachother.

[DarkStar50 679]

Left on the cutting room floor from Boudreau's Christmas shopping trip to the mall with his sons:

"Allright you two, stop feeling fucking sorry for yourselves. You two are so fucking lucky to have the greatest fucking mother in the world. So this morning we're going to the mall to buy your mother some fucking Christmas presents, ok. Good, now let's get this fucking over with and get it fucking right. Start grabbing your fucking sack and let's find some fucking presents. Now first is the fucking Haagen-Daaz! Hey you, behind the counter get your fucking head out of your fucking ass and get me a five fucking scoop fucking ice cream cone. I don't care if it's fucking 10 AM, we are going to do this until you get it fucking right. That's better. Now get two more of those fucking cones for these kids and we'll get the fuck out of here."

[goaliemanshark 6]

That episode was simply magical. So well done, so interesting. I want more. How did they know to have a camera in the war room? Thats crazy!

[chippa13 1844]

One of the best lines of the whole episode was the ref's explanation to Hannan:

"I don't like the way he's going to the net. If he's going in like that he's going to take some shit."

I doubt there is a ref on here who hasn't done the same.

[dsjunior1388 81]

Left on the cutting room floor from Boudreau's Christmas shopping trip to the mall with his sons:

"Allright you two, stop feeling fucking sorry for yourselves. You two are so fucking lucky to have the greatest fucking mother in the world. So this morning we're going to the mall to buy your mother some fucking Christmas presents, ok. Good, now let's get this fucking over with and get it fucking right. Start grabbing your fucking sack and let's find some fucking presents. Now first is the fucking Haagen-Daaz! Hey you, behind the counter get your fucking ass out of your fucking head and get me a five fucking scoop fucking ice cream cone. I don't care if it's fucking 10 AM, we are going to do this until you get it fucking right. That's better. Now get two more of those fucking cones for these kids and we'll get the fuck out of here."

Fixed.

[RadioGaGa 162]

This is a great episode. A few things I love (so far)...waiting for part 4 to load on YT.

The way the refs and players interact. Some pretty good explanations for why things are (or aren't called). I also think NHL refs have thicker skin than NBA refs. Ovey would have been tee'd up for sure if that was the Association.

Poor Lovejoy. His face looks like hell! I love the look on Sids face "Oh Benny!" then MAF goes "Holy Shit!" and forgets what he was talking about.

[cemetery 14]

Rupp taking a shot at Green when his daughter is out riding the scooter was classic. That episode was absolutely amazing, made even better by the fact that game was so intense.