Hockey "homer" who holds his own

I've previously written with disdain about sports announcers who wear their team's colors on their sleeves but I've subsequently come to understand that homers have their place. 

Boston Bruins announcer Jack EdwardsAfter listening to this excellent Grantland.com podcast with Boston Bruins announcer Jack Edwards, I'm realizing "homers" can be intelligent, knowledgeable and persuasive. In a fast-paced interview with Grantland's Jonah Keri, Edwards shares bold opinions on a variety of hockey issues, including why fighting is better than legislating violence, why passion and salesmanship are important to announcing, and why late-blooming players often get short shrift among short-sighted NHL officials. 

Does this mean I like "homers"? Nope, but I now have grudging respect for those I can hear making an effort. 

Hockey up close and personal

I've been out of town so just finished watching the third of four installments of "24/7 Pens/Caps: Road to the NHL Winter Classic."

The series culminates with the NHL's outdoor New Year's Day Winter Classic game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals in front of 60,000-plus fans at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, normally the home of the NFL's Steelers. The HBO series itself is a spinoff of the network's successful "Hard Knocks" series tracking an NFL team each preseason.

But this is the first time HBO has followed two NHL teams around the clock leading up to the big game and as a hockey fan I've been glued to each episode. A bum hip forced me into retirement from beer-league hockey but each episode has my adrenaline pumping to the point I feel like lacing up the skates again. 

If you're a newcomer to hockey, this is a great introduction to a beautiful sport and some of the greatest athletes in the world. If you're already a hockey fan, "24/7 Pens/Caps" is a no-brainer. I know what happened on the ice today but come Wednesday's final episode that documents today's action, I'll find out what really happened.