Broad Street Hockey: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Pro Quality. Fan Perspective.
Login-facebook
Around SBN: College Football Preseason Top 25 Rankings

Summer Reading: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

 

Flyers_summer_reading_logo_medium

A recent study showed that at least seventy percent of Flyers fans can be considered functionally literate. We here at Broad Street Hockey like to think that among our readers, the numbers are even higher.

It's with that in mind we bring you a seasonal look at the surprisingly robust canon of Flyers-related literature, for you to read while relaxing on the shore, plowing the fields in Amish Country, on the bus to Atlantic City, or perhaps to send to that special someone with a lot of time to read during their summer vacation at Holmesburg.

Gbu_mediumThe first book we're going to take a look at in this series is 2008's The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping, and Gut-Wrenching Moments from Philadelphia Flyers History, by Adam Kimelman. 

After beginning with the founding of the team, Kimelman, an editor for NHL.com living in Langhorne, breaks up events in Flyers history into three sections.  As you may have guessed, the three sections are "The Good," "The Bad," and "The Ugly."

How much a Flyers fan will enjoy reading each section is indicated pretty well by the title. The "The Good" section details Stanley Cup wins, deep playoff runs, and beating the Soviets, among other highlights.  Reading about the greatest moments in Flyers history in incredible detail back to back will make you pronounce this your favorite book of all time before you've even finished.

But believe me, withhold your judgment.  The second half of the book is some rough stuff.

"The Bad" chronicles just about every heartbreaking loss in Flyers history in nauseating detail.  Fred Shero's departure, getting swept by Detroit, the 2006-07 season--it's not fun stuff.

If you thought that part was miserable, buckle up.  "The Ugly" goes into some even worse lowlights in Flyers history.  Career ending injuries, the death of Pelle Lindbergh, and crappy treatment of Roger Neilsson during his cancer.

By the end of the "Bad" and "Ugly" sections, which together are as long as you'll be wondering why the hell you ever liked the Flyers in the first place.

I recommend Flyers fans get this book, read the first 90 pages or so, then skip to the section on Eric Lindros, which does a much better job of balancing the fun and not-so-fun.  Then go back and read the "Good" section again and again.  Pretend the middle never happened.

You'll be much happier that way, believe me.

0 recs  |  Comment 6 comments |

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

Uh....

’I recommend Flyers fans get this book, read the first 90 pages or so, then skip to the section on Eric Lindros, which does a much better job of balancing the fun and not-so-fun. Then go back and read the “Good” section again and again. Pretend the middle never happened."

Erm…how about no, and read everything? Because a big part of being a fan is being able to take both the good and the bad in strides and still be a fan in the end?

Seriously? Pretend the middle never happened? Isn’t that bandwagon material?

by Boog609 on Jul 13, 2009 10:21 PM EDT reply actions  

Bandwagon?

Hardly. I read the whole book, and as a fan, the middle was just awful, because it brought up plenty of terrible memories that were tough then and I didn’t enjoy reliving.

Would you enjoy watching the a DVD of the Flyers winning the cup in 74? Sure. Would you want to sit down and rewatch the second half of Game 6 vs. the Penguins from 2009? Unlikely. Same deal with the book sections.

Is the middle worthwhile reading to get to know the franchise better? Absolutely. Is it fun? Not as much as the rest.

I think it would have been a lot more digestible if the good, bad and ugly parts had been mixed up. Because slogging through 90 straight pages of the worst Flyer defeats of all time lined up back to back was not fun.

by Ben Rothenberg on Jul 13, 2009 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions  

You guys can read? Oh my god this is terrifying.

Pension Plan Puppets*
* Blog contains less than 2% puppet content by weight.

by Chemmy on Jul 14, 2009 1:14 PM EDT reply actions  

Hukt on phonix werkt fer mi

"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"

by The Dark on Jul 14, 2009 4:48 PM EDT up reply actions  

Speaking of Flyers history, just thought it might be appropriate to note that today is the 10th anniversary of Gene Hart’s passing.

by Ben Feldman on Jul 14, 2009 6:13 PM EDT reply actions  

That’s in the book too! In the “ugly” section. Not sure how much sense that adjective makes for the situation, but whatever…

by Ben Rothenberg on Jul 15, 2009 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions  

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

All the Philadelphia Flyers news and commentary that's fit to print.
Start posting about the Flyers »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

Connect_with_facebook

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recent FanPosts

Headshot-phillies_small
2010/11 BSH Fantasy Hockey Details
Carcillo_small
Solution To Long-Term Cap Issue
Self_portrait_avatar_small
UPDATE: BSH vs. Japer's and Flyers Prospects Game
Photo_3_small
2011 and Carter
Small
QOD Reflection Time
Carcillo_small
Do The Flyers Have The Best Defense?
Self_portrait_avatar_small
UPDATE: BSH vs. Japers' and Flyers Prospects Game
Subgenius_small
The Flyers 09/10 Stanley Cup Playoffs, expressed through the CotN
Assholeheart_small
Off-Topic: The Garrett Klotz Argument Thread
Carcillo_small
All-Decade Flyers Team

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Atlantic Standings

GP W L OTL PT
New Jersey 82 48 27 7 103
Pittsburgh 82 47 28 7 101
Philadelphia 82 41 35 6 88
New York Rangers 82 38 33 11 87
New York Islanders 82 34 37 11 79

(updated 4.12.2010 at 9:21 AM EDT)

SBNation.com Recent Stories

PHILADELPHIA - MAY 16:  A fan of the Philadelphia Flyers holds up a sign reading "Next Goalie" behind goalie Carey Price #32 of the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Wachovia Center on May 16, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Habs Finally Lock Up Carey Price, Sign Goalie To Two-Year Deal

National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman answers questions during a pre-game media availability before the Pittsburgh Penguins season opener against the New York Rangers in a NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Friday, Oct. 2, 2009. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) +25 updates

Ultimatum? NHL Reportedly Threatens To Toss Out Kovalchuk, Luongo Deals Without NHLPA Concessions

Photo +1 updates

Report: Donald Fehr Hands NHLPA List Of Conditions On Becoming Union Leader

More from SBNation.com >


Managing Editor

Headshot-phillies_small Travis Hughes

Staff Writers

Think_sc_cropped_small Geoff Detweiler

Me_minus_kbond_small Ben Rothenberg

D150_small Teemu H

Designer

Self_portrait_avatar_small KreiderDesigns