February 7, 2003

If you've ever wondered what color underwear Kris Draper prefers, you can find out Sunday.

Draper and his teammates will be featured in the ESPN behind-the-scenes program "The Season: Detroit Red Wings" at 8 p.m. Sunday. In the first of two parts, the hourlong documentary gives fans an excellent and unprecedented look at the Wings on and off the ice.

Actor Kiefer Sutherland hosts the program, which followed the Wings this season from Oct. 16 to Jan. 16. We see the team's trip to the White House, how players horse around in the locker room, how Ken Holland acquired Buffalo defenseman Jason Woolley and what went on at the team's rookie dinner.

The second part of "The Season" will air at 7 p.m. May 8 and covers the team from the All-Star Game up to the second round of the playoffs. But the star of the first episode clearly is Brett Hull. He comes across as humorous, irreverent, earnest, crude, whiny and devilishly smart.

The antithesis of Hull's winning personality is Brendan Shanahan, who appears dour and overly serious. The exception comes when the Wings visit the White House. Standing at the security gate, Shanahan tells a nervous Sean Avery: "Just pretend it's a bar you want to get into, Puppy."

Two comical scenes involve former coach Scotty Bowman and Sergei Fedorov.

Bowman is filmed as he watches the Wings' first game against Colorado since last season's playoffs. It begins with a behind-the-shoulder shot of a balding man in a recliner watching television. Then a close-up of Bowman flashing a quirky smile. It's sort of how you picture Dr. Evil watching "SportsCenter." And there's even a Mini Me. As Bowman talks about the Avs, to his right sits a Bowman bobblehead holding the Stanley Cup.

You can't script this stuff.

Fedorov's scene is as strangely funny as it is surreal. The camera crew follows him to Joe Louis Arena one rainy day. In his Ferrari. He explains his love for the car and invites the crew to his house to play a video game. Sergei, attired in a sleek black suit, parks at the Joe and is greeted by a valet with an umbrella. Yep, just another day at the office.

Fedorov's scene is made funnier when compared to Draper's. In it, Draper is shown as a devoted family man as he packs for a trip and talks on the phone with his 2-year-old daughter, later explaining his reluctance to end conversations with her.

Oh, and the color of Draper's underwear? Let's just say it's as colorful as his personality.