But there was only one true group of Bullies.
"We made everyone fear us and then we went out and beat them," enforcer Dave "The Hammer" Schultz said.He could be talking about on the scoreboard or when the Flyers dropped their gloves.
The 1970s Broad Street Bullies did more than bust and bloody some chops. They slugged their way into the consciousness of the NHL and hoisted a pair of Stanley Cups in celebration at the end.
"We were the best thing that happened to the National Hockey League," Schultz said. "Some might disagree. But we created a lot of excitement in the franchises that were existing then."The Bullies will be celebrated in the documentary "Broad Street Bullies" which premiers at 10 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday on HBO. It's the first NHL documentary ever aired by the premium cable network.
The film explores the backstory of how the Flyers, who had only joined the NHL in 1967, became known as the Bullies en route toward winning the Stanley Cup in 1974 and 1975. They haven't won the championship in the 35 years since.
"Broad Street Bullies" was so stirring it even made a Bully overcome with emotion. Goalie Bernie Parent, who inspired the slogan "Only the Lord saves more than Bernie Parent," was in tears at a recent advance screening at the Wachovia Center. The home of the Flyers put out the red carpet for the debut of the film that took nearly a year to complete.
Source: USA Today
More at: Philadelphia Flyers Documentary on HBO
