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Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Surviving The Hockey Holiday Void


By Andrew McGilligan
SN Staff

With the Saint John Sea Dogs on hiatus until Dec. 28 and Nathan Beaulieu and (possibly) Jonathan Huberdeau playing for Canada beginning on Boxing Day, its time to expand your sports watching habits for a few weeks.

There's the NFL.

There's a game on Christmas Day. You've got to respect any sports league that believes its bigger than Jesus.

However, there's some lesser known stuff you can find on your TV and computer that is easily some of the most watchable stuff around.

First off, watch The League. It's the funniest sports-related show on television. The antics of these guys obsessed with fantasy football will strike a chord with any sports fan who meticulously studies their pools. On a related note, did anyone else pick Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Butler in there pool hoping he would be a break out star and are bitterly disappointed.

If you've got a few extra bucks, get the Movie Network and watch the Road to the Winter Classic on HBO starring the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers. Last season's inaugural edition featuring the Penguins and Capitals was amazing and made a star out of Bruce Boudreau and the F-word.

If you're a wrestling fan and don't mind being slightly depressed during the holiday season, log on to E:60 on the ESPN website and find the segment on Scott Hall. Formerly Razor Ramon and a member of NWO, the documentary shows a man ravaged by excess desperately holding on despite terrible health and knowing he's way past his prime. Really great stuff from E:60, which consistently makes some of the best sports documentaries in the world.

Speaking of great sports documentaries, pick up the ESPN 30 for 30 Box sets.

Some great directors were given free range to explore whatever sports stories they wanted to tell from the past 30 years and there are some amazing ones. There's everything from the Gretzky trade to the story of how Colombian drug money influenced Latin American soccer and its role in the death of a national player.

This stuff should help fill the void until the World Junior tournament begins at the Sea Dogs step back on Harbour Station ice.

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