Let The Games Begin by Ralph Mellanby with Mike Brophy

In 2007, Ralph Mellanby released an autobiographical book about his life behind the cameras at Hockey Night In Canada called Walking With Legends. It was an interesting memoir from the man who is recognized as the man who has made Hockey Night In Canada the Saturday night institution it currently is.

But Mellanby was much more than just the brains behind Hockey Night In Canada. He's a five time Emmy Award winning producer who has done football, baseball, golf, tennis, horse racing, non-sports related programming, the Pan-Am Games and most importantly, the Olympic Games.

With so much more than just hockey to talk about, Mellanby is back with co-author Mike Brophy another new book, Let the Games Begin: My Life with Olympians, Hockey Heroes and Other Good Sports. The book features a foreword by Canada's face and voice of Olympic television coverage - Brian Williams.

Buy the Book: Amazon.ca - Chapters - Amazon.com

Don't worry hockey fans. The book has plenty of hockey, opening with chapters about HNIC and and his run-ins with hockey legends and hilarity. It is a bit of a re-hash of Walking With Legends, allowing new readers a strong introduction to the man for what he is known for best. For those who have read Walking With Legends, there is plenty of new material here to keep you entertained. There is also lots of hockey content in chapters about Don Cherry, fighting in hockey, the business of sport and of course the Olympics.

The Olympics are every bit of an important part of Mellanby's resume as is HNIC, and are ultimately the focus of this book. Having worked for several networks on both the winter and summer games, he earned five Emmy nominations, most famously for his coverage of the 1980 Miracle on Ice.

Much like his original book, this book is a fun read with some nice insights. In fact it is essentially a carry over title, as Mellanby has just too many stories for one volume. It is an opportune marketing decision by HB Fenn to have a follow up book to the original bestseller, especially given the Olympic content and the Canadian Olympics just weeks away.

It is not the must have book of the season by any means, but it is a fun, enjoyable read, with surprising twists and turns. I personally enjoyed the chapter on the Winter Olympics most, with unexpected stories of Howard Cosell, O.J. Simpson, The Fonz, and John Denver. And it is amazing to read just how much has changed in Olympic television coverage over the years.

By the way, Walking With Legends is available at Chapters in the 80% Off section. Hurry and get your copy now!

Walking With Legends by Ralph Mellanby

As a man who spent his entire adult life in show business, Ralph Mellanby knows controversy sells.

So when promoting his new book Walking With Legends: The Real Stories of Hockey Night in Canada, the 73-year-old former executive producer of Hockey Night in Canada hasn't shied away from sharing his thoughts on NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

"Bettman to me is the real problem for hockey," said Mellanby.

"He's done so much damage to hockey it may never recover. We don't have time to go through the litany of errors."

Mellanby backs his case citing teams in bad hockey markets, ignoring Canadian and European opportunities, a deteriorating product, turbulent labour relations, the reluctance to embrace change and some controversial TV deals.

"Hockey has never been in worse straits," Mellanby said. "I'm an elder statesman now and I feel at times like a lone voice in the wilderness, but I'm not completely alone. The great minds of the game I talk to agree on these things, but no one is listening at the top."

Over his 2 decade career as the man behind Canada's most famous television show, Mellanby has talked to many of hockey's great minds. In fact, he hired many of them.

In his book Walking With Legends, Mellanby pays tribute to the many faces of both HNIC and the NHL. It is somehow fitting that the man behind the most influential program in hockey history is quick to give credit to the people he employed as opposed to getting higher respect himself.

The 5 time Emmy winner Mellanby remembers all the greats on HNIC, looking back at Foster and Bill Hewitt, Danny Gallivan and Dick Irvin, Dan Kelly and Bob Cole and Dave Hodge. Mellanby saves his two best chapters for his two biggest risks and two biggest rewards - Howie Meeker and Don Cherry. And, interestingly, he admits he was completely wrong in thinking that Ron MacLean, arguably the best face of the show, was doomed to fail.

Mellanby also takes a look at the 1972 Summit Series, the 1980 USA Miracle On Ice, Harold Ballard, Gary Bettman, several of the NHL's greatest players over the years, and his son Scott Mellanby, a long time NHL star himself.

All in all Walking With Legends is a solid read with some nice insights, particularly on the HNIC faces we all have welcomed into our homes every Saturday night.