It's no secret that sports are a traditionally a difficult subject to make movies about. Their oft repetitive nature and potential reliance on various sets of information and jargon can lead to uniform plots (like in many western films) or necessarily exaggerated depictions (like in the common sports anime). It's likely for this reason that this drama in particular opted to move away from a depiction of a sport itself but rather into the management of said sport, a truly unique approach. Indeed, it's most common that the management behind sports teams are often the villains of the sports world and rarely the heroes. This fresh- and potentially brave- perspective lends the drama elements of unpredictability and intrigue that serve to make it as captivating as the first drama you've ever seen; that is to say, before you'd experienced that onslaught of trope recycling in every genre.

Don't get me wrong, there are tropes present in this drama, the most notable of course being the premise of the show, in which a brilliant man with a troubled past and a jaded attitude appears and makes everyone upset in the process of putting some well-meaning ignorants in their place. (But I promise he's a nice guy, see? He almost smiled!) Despite this admittedly off-putting central theme, the show managed to surpass my expectations and keep me captivated enough to finish it in a few sittings (quite impressive, with my track record). How? A combination of excellent acting, building tension, and a fast-paced plot. All while managing to develop characters with believable personas and backstories. At this point I'd usually spend about eight paragraphs describing each of these aspects in more detail, but I get the sneaking suspicion no one really cares about the minutia of that.

Unfortunately, there were (in my opinion) a few blunders here and there. Besides the endlessly frustrating trope of a man coming in to do a job better than the woman ever could, there's a bit of plot repetition regarding the main character doing something outrageous, everyone getting upset over it, and then them realizing he was right all along. Also, the reasons he was right can sometimes feel contrived, and other times are contradicted by a later scene. You get the feeling that the writers are hoping some of it will go over your head like with many hospital dramas. And, although I respect the character development they did have, and the character dynamics on the whole were excellent, I feel like we could have seen better explorations of the redemption arcs where they were present.

On the whole, however, this was certainly an excellent show. Even someone like me, who doesn't usually touch sports media with a ten foot pole, finds themselves invested in the conflicts and cheering at the victories. Through excellent execution, production, and perspective, the showrunners created an experience that was utterly interesting and sometimes even moving. And, while the exclusion of a majority of the actual sports aspect of the show is initially jarring, it is quickly revealed for the brilliance that it is: a sports drama without the sports.