SportsIn 1981, college athletic recruiting changed forever as a dozen big time football programs sat waiting for the decision of a physically powerful and lightning-quick high school running back named Marcus Dupree. Having already graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, Dupree attracted recruiters from schools in every major conference to his hometown of Philadelphia, Miss. More than a decade removed from being a flashpoint in the civil rights struggle, Philadelphia was once again thrust back into the national spotlight. Dupree took the attention in stride, and committed to Oklahoma. What followed, though, was a forgettable c
SportsBo Jackson hit 500 ft. home runs, ran over linebackers, and—for a small window—he was the best athlete we had ever seen. You Don’t Know Bo is a close look at the man and marketing campaign that shaped his legacy. Even without winning a Super Bowl or World Series, Bo redefined the role of the athlete in the pop cultural conversation. More than 20 years later, myths and legends still surround Bo Jackson, and his impossible feats still capture our collective imagination.
SportsJuly 15th, 2008 -- On an evening honoring the rich tapestry of Yankee Stadium's history, the American League found another reason to celebrate the Midsummer Classic -- but it'd have to wait. The Cathedral isn't one to let the spotlight go easily. In the longest All-Star Game in history, Michael Young's sacrifice fly delivered the final blow, allowing the AL to defeat the NL in 15 innings, 4-3, on Tuesday. In the 79th Major League Baseball All-Star Game, it was a memorable finish to perhaps the final national event on the storied Bronx stage. The final twist took hold with the Phillies' Brad Lidge on to work the 15th. Jus
SportsAfter winning a historic gold medal at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, intellectually disabled basketball captain Ramón Torres becomes an unwitting pawn in a shocking fraud that rocks the sports world. As he navigates the aftermath, Ramón must confront betrayal, unravel the truth, and reclaim his identity.
SportsThe sports world was mesmerized by two athletes at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer – Nancy Kerrigan, the elegant brunette and Tonya Harding, the feisty blonde engulfed in scandal. Several weeks prior, at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Kerrigan was shockingly clubbed on the right knee by an unknown assailant and left wailing, “Why, why, why?” As the bizarre “why” mystery unraveled, it was revealed that Harding’s ex-husband, Jeff Gillooly, had plotted the attack with his friends to eliminate Kerrigan from the competition and increase Harding’s chance at a gold medal. Two decades later, The
SportsThe documentary focuses on a legendary cast of characters, including head coach Mike Ditka, QB Jim McMahon and the inimitable William "The Refrigerator" Perry who made Chicago Bears as riveting off the field as they were on it on their way to winning Super Bowl XX.
SportsPractice 1 focuses on a gentle flow when you are feeling tired and have less energy for a dynamic practice. It includes many postures, such as forward bends that calm the mind, sooth your adrenal glands and help relax you to aid in deeper sleep.
Sports1979. Businessman Jerry Buss stakes his fortune on the purchase of the NBA's lackluster Los Angeles Lakers. Meanwhile, the team's head coach, Jerry West, bristles at the prospect of drafting college phenom Earvin Johnson – who must decide if he's ready to live up to the mantle of his nickname: Magic.
SportsThe improbable story of Michael Chang’s rise as a young American tennis star, a child of immigrants who turned professional at 15, and then pulled off an unfathomable and unforgettable upset of Ivan Lendl at the 1989 French Open – a match that unfolded in the shadow of the Tiananmen Square massacre in China.
SportsIn 2001, sports entertainment titans Dick Ebersol and Vince McMahon launched the XFL. The brash audacity of the bid, combined with the personalities and charisma of Ebersol and McMahon and the marketing behemoths of their respective companies — NBC and WWE — captured headlines and a sense of undeniable anticipation about what was to come. At the center of it all was a decades-long friendship between one of the most significant television executives in media history, and the one-of-a-kind WWE impresario.
SportsMarch Madness, 1989. Faced with the last seed in the tournament, sixteen seed Princeton is set to play tournament favorite number one seed in Georgetown. The game was expected to be such a blow out that it wasn’t even originally scheduled to be broadcast on television. Unbeknownst to the Princeton players or their innovative coach, Pete Carril, they were about to play one of the greatest games in college basketball history.
SportsOctober 27, 2004: 2004 World Series, Game 4: Boston Red Sox 3 at St. Louis Cardinals 0, F -- Behind a dominant, three-hit effort by Derek Lowe, the Red Sox completed their World Series sweep of the Cardinals, winning their first title since 1918. Johnny Damon's first-inning home run started the scoring for Boston, and Trot Nixon hit a two-run double in the third. Manny Ramirez was named series MVP.
SportsThe baseball season ends just as the discussion about this Boston Red Sox club's place in the sport's long and layered history begins. It's not enough to simply state that the Red Sox put the finishing touches on their ninth title -- and fourth since 2004 -- with a clear and convincing 5-1 victory over the Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series on Sunday night at Dodger Stadium.
SportsBoston Red Sox 4 at Colorado Rockies 3, F -- There was certainly no 86-year wait this time. The Red Sox used two homers and superb pitching to complete a sweep and propel once-title-starved Boston to its second World Series title in four seasons. It all ended with Jonathan Papelbon, the closer who has been brilliant all year and into the postseason, striking out Seth Smith on 95-mph heat. The fiery right-hander tossed his glove high in the air with joy, took his hat off and then embraced catcher Jason Varitek after saving the World Series clincher for left-hander Jon Lester. From there, it was a sea of Red Sox piling on
SportsWildcard weekend was the battle of the rookie quarterbacks, as Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks traveled to the nation's capitol to face Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. The result was a stunning performance by the Seahawks on the road to beat the Redskins 24-14 and to stay alive in the playoffs. The Seahawks showcased an overall team win, as the defense forced two turnovers and the offense accumulated 224 rushing yards, leaving Wilson as the last rookie QB standing in the playoffs.
Sports35 forwards remain after the 2nd selection at Blue Lock. With a big match against Japan's U-20s in three weeks, Ego announces that the team will be centered around the top 6 players. The tryouts for the rest of the positions begin.
SportsThe Japanese team is resolutely preparing for the match against Germany, aiming to advance to the finals afterward. Captain Byodoin trusts his players, who do not give up despite this challenge.
SportsWith two Heisman trophies, two national championships and one crazed fan, the biggest rivalry in college sports, Auburn vs. Alabama, has reached new heights in the last two years. This is the story of the history between the two programs, the bad blood between its fans and how this intense rivalry came to a pinnacle, just when they ended up needing each other most.
SportsMike Tyson was pound for pound the most dominant boxer during the 1980's. Watch Tyson as he puts fear into his opponents in this edition of Tyson's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2.
SportsOn January 31st, all eyes will be on Las Vegas, as future Hall of Famer Anderson 'The Spider' Silva makes his return to the Octagon to face longtime contender Nick Diaz at UFC 183.
SportsMaya Moore was one of the best women’s basketball players in the world when she stepped away from the sport for a remarkable reason: to fight for a man she believed was wrongly imprisoned. Breakaway chronicles a search for justice, and a relationship that changed the lives of two people forever.
SportsReggie Miller single-handedly crushed the hearts of Knick fans multiple times. But it was the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals which solidified Miller as Public Enemy #1 in New York City. With moments to go in Game 1, and facing a seemingly insurmountable deficit of 105-99, Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds to give his Indiana Pacers an astonishing victory. This career-defining performance, combined with his give-and-take with Knicks fan Spike Lee, made Miller and the Knicks a highlight of the 1995 NBA playoffs. Peabody Award-winning director Dan Klores will explore how Miller proudly built his legend as "The Ga
SportsBaltimore Orioles 0 at New York Mets 5, F -- With the Series tied 1-1, Tommie Agee got the momentum going for the "Miracle Mets" with a home run to lead off the bottom of the first. In the fourth, with runners on the corners and two out, Agee would amaze again with an over-the-shoulder, running grab at the wall to end the inning. And he wasn't finished yet... with bases loaded in the seventh inning, he made a diving grab of a line drive in right-center. The Orioles would remain scoreless, while the Mets scored four more runs, taking a 2-1 Series lead.
SportsOn Thursday, Nov. 7, 1991, Earvin "Magic" Johnson made people stop and watch at the Forum in Inglewood, California. But this time it wasn't his basketball brilliance as a perennial NBA All-Star and three-time MVP that was captivating audiences worldwide. Instead, the 32-year-old ground-breaking point guard was holding a press conference to make the stunning announcement that he was HIV-positive and would be retiring from basketball immediately. More than 20 years after the announcement, director Nelson George gets to the core of Magic’s incredible personal journey and explores how he continues to thrive two decades later
SportsBroke explores the roads to fortune in American sports and eventually, the many detours to bankruptcy. Bernie Kosar, Andre Rison and Cliff Floyd are among the athletes who talk openly about the challenges of managing their money in an era when big contracts don’t necessarily support bigger lifestyles. Sucked into bad investments, stalked by freeloaders and saddled with medical problems, many pro athletes get shocked by harsh economic realities after years of living the high life. A story of the dark side of success, Broke is an allegory for the financial woes haunting economies and individuals all over the world.
SportsThe crime of the century gave way to the trial of the century, which officially began in January of 1995. It would be like nothing before it, nor anything that's come since, and reshape the landscape of the media, and, truly, American culture along the way. It would also be the fight of O.J. Simpson's life.
SportsOn March 13, 2006, a group of Duke University lacrosse players threw a team party that ended up changing lives, tarnishing a university's reputation, and jeopardizing the future of the sport at the school. A look at the party that ignited a national firestorm and resulted in a highly-charged legal investigation with its underlying themes of sex, race, class, and violence.
SportsEver since he shocked the sports world by winning the PGA Championship 25 years ago, John Daly has been one of the most popular - and polarizing - figures in a sport that cherishes its traditions and minds its manners. Directors Gabe Spitzer and David Fine cover Daly's rise and fall, his redemption at the British Open in St. Andrews in 1995, and his struggles with booze, food, gambling, women, and depression.
SportsIn 1989, the Buffalo Bills were a talented team featuring four future hall of famers. Dysfunction and in-fighting ran deep in the locker room, but the team soon transformed into an elite force on the way to an unprecedented run of four AFC Championship victories, and four straight Super Bowl appearances. Of course, that isn't what the Bills are remembered for. This is the story of a team that went down in history for making four straight Super Bowls, and losing them all.
SportsLove him or hate him, there is no denying that George Steinbrenner has been one of the most colorful and successful owners in contemporary sports. Heading up a group that bought the New York Yankees in 1973 for $10 million, “King George” emphatically branded the world’s most celebrated sports franchise as his own. The Boss has boasted 10 pennants, 6 World Series trophies and a corporate net worth more than $1 billion. But for all the glory and riches, the Steinbrenner legacy is also mixed with wasteful and embarrassing spending and countless episodes of tabloid-style soap. Now with George’s health seriously failing
SportsOn August 28, 1982, Cody Webster and a small group of schoolyard friends from Kirkland, Washington, sat anxiously in a dugout waiting to take the field for the championship game of the Little League World Series. Their focus was just about what you’d expect from any 12 year old: hit the ball, throw strikes, cross your fingers and then maybe – MAYBE – you’ll win. Adults in the stands and watching from home saw a much broader field of play. The memories of American hostages and a crippling oil crisis were still fresh; inflation and unemployment – the economic malaise of the late 1970s still lingered; and the ne
SportsGenerational football talent, bigger-than-life personality, forever devoted to his faith… Reggie White was a man of conviction. From his younger days in Tennessee to his standout NFL career in Philadelphia and Green Bay, he lived with his beliefs in a public and unflinching way. And this conviction impacted the lives of all those who passed through his orbit, leaving a complex legacy along the way. THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE chronicles White’s life in all its glory and humanity, from the highs of football stardom and stirring sermons to the lows of discrimination and heartbreak. It details the contradictory ways White emb
SportsIn 1989, one of the most notorious NFL trades was pulled off, sending Herschel Walker from Dallas to Minnesota. The Vikings destroyed what appeared to be a budding dynasty by selling the farm for Walker. Dallas restored its place as America’s Team, became the team of the 1990’s and won three Super Bowls. Most people consider it to be the worst trade ever made. Except for Jimmy Johnson. He’d say it’s the best.
SportsUnder the cloak of secrecy, a rookie pitching prospect attended the New York Mets spring training in 1985. His name was Hayden “Sidd” Finch and he had never played baseball before, had dropped out of Harvard to study transcendental meditation, spoke ten languages, wore one hiking boot and the other foot bare when on the mound, and threw a 168mph fastball. He was about to change baseball, as George Plimpton wrote in his article published in Sports Illustrated on April 1st, 1985. This film follows one of the greatest April Fools’ Day hoaxes the sports world has ever seen.
SportsIn the summer of 2001, a controversy unlike any other led to the disqualification of the Bronx baseball team from the Little League World Series. At the center of the bizarre story was a quiet, unassuming 14-year-old kid named Danny Almonte. Nicknamed "The Little Unit", the hard-throwing left-hander was exposed by Sports Illustrated as being too old to have competed in the tournament.
SportsIn 1977, a 39-year-old aerospace engineer attempted to qualify for the world's most famous race, the Indianapolis 500. In the face of scorn and skepticism, and saddled with subpar equipment, Janet Guthrie shocked the racing world. The reluctant feminist-turned-trailblazer became the first woman to earn a place on the starting grid at Indy, among 33 of the world's greatest drivers. But just as her career should have rocketed forward, it suddenly, inexplicably stalled. Qualified chronicles the mercurial rise of this barrier breaking auto racer and her equally rapid decline. What Janet Guthrie accomplished in the male bastion
SportsLAD 9 at COL 0, F: Hideo Nomo's "Tornado" delivery had been baffling hitters for two seasons when capped an excellent sophomore year by tossing a no-hitter in the unlikeliest of ballparks: the high-altitude, hitter-friendly Coors Field
SportsAfter one of the most spectacular UFC debuts of 2012, Abel Trujillo is back tonight to take on fellow rising star Khabib Nurmagomedov in what should be and epic showdown.
SportsThe jostling for position in the talent-rich women's bantamweight class will begin early this year, as former world title challengers Miesha Tate and Sara McMann meet tonight. Fresh from back-to-back wins over Liz Carmouche and Rin Nakai, Tate hopes to get back in the race for another shot at champion Ronda Rousey with a win over McMann. An Olympic Silver medalist in freestyle wrestling, McMann rebounded from the only loss of her career to Rousey with a hard-fought decision win over Lauren Murphy last August.
SportsPat Healy's an old school competitor who came up the hard way and won six fights in a row in Strikeforce before getting the call to return to the UFC for the first time since 2006 now he faces New Jersey born and bred, Jim Miller with his elite talent level and Garden State blue collar work ethic.
SportsFight of the Night award winner Leonard Garcia's wild swinging style has endeared him to fans around the world and now he pits that style against fellow crowd pleaser TUF's Cody McKenzie who possesses one of the deadliest finishers in MMA today.
SportsUnbeaten as a pro, Hawaii's Yancy Medeiros battled it out locally and in Strikeforce now he gets his chance to shine in the UFC when he battles a fairly new addition to the lightweight roster Russia's Rustam Khabilov; everyone's favorite 2012 rookie.
SportsNew York's Iaquinta was one of the breakout stars of 2014, with his knockout victories over Rodrigo Damm and Ross Pearson moving him from prospect to contender. Now preparing to take another high-profile name off the board, 'Raging' Al faces off with Joe Lauzon. The owner of the most post-fight bonuses in UFC history, Massachusetts' Lauzon is coming off a Fight of the Night win over Michael Chiesa in September, marking his second consecutive victory in a career that has seen him pull off 11 Octagon wins, 10 of them ending before the final bell.
SportsA member of the UFC roster since 2005 who challenged Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight crown in 2009, Alves has been hampered by injuries over the last few years, but in April of 2014 he made a triumphant return with a Fight of the Night winning performance against Seth Baczynski and he expects more of the same against Mein. With Alves forced out of their bout in August of 2014 due to injury, Alberta's "Young Gun" Mein still showed up to fight in Tulsa, blasting out veteran Mike Pyle in just 72 seconds to pick up his second consecutive win and a Performance of the Night bonus. Expect plenty of fireworks from these tw
SportsA former standout on the University of Tennessee's football team, Ovince St. Preux parlayed his athletic ability into a successful mixed martial arts career thus far, but the 30-year-old has to take care of Long Island's Gian Villante tonight if he wants to continue on his road to the top.
SportsFormer teammates on Mayhem Miller's Ultimate Fighter 14 squad, Bryan Caraway and veteran Johnny Bedford now collide in an effort to make a move forward in the crowded UFC bantamweight division.
SportsWell-rounded Alaska native Andy Enz came perilously close to getting his hand raised in his two UFC bouts against Clint Hester and Marcelo Guimarares in 2014, yet even though he fell short on the judges' scorecards, he's shown how far he's come since his Ultimate Fighter 17 bout against Uriah Hall. He hopes to get 2015 off to a winning start against Brazil's Thiago Santos. Owner of a spectacular 53 second knockout of countryman Ronny Markes last March, the hard-hitting Santos can continue to make his mark in the Octagon with a similar finish against Enz.
SportsHighly-ranked flyweight contenders Ian McCall and John Lineker both spoke of fighting each other after their most recent victories, and at UFC 183, they get their chance in a bout that will have significant title implications. Finally hitting his UFC stride, McCall has won two straight over Iliarde Santos and Brad Pickett, once again cementing his reputation as one of the best 125-pounders in the world. A crushing puncher with fight-ending power, Brazil's Lineker has already won four UFC bouts by knockout, most recently taking out Alptekin Ozkilic in a Fight of the Night thriller.
SportsWith a combined five wins in their last seven bouts, respected middleweights Derek Brunson and Ed Herman are closing in on a spot in the top 15, and the winner of tonight's bout may determine who makes that move first. Owner of Octagon victories over Chris Leben, Brian Houston and Lorenz Larkin since coming to the UFC in 2012, Brunson is getting better with each bout, a progression that is coming at precisely the right time. A finalist on season three of The Ultimate Fighter, Herman has seen it all on fight night, and gritty wins over Trevor Smith and Rafael Natal have him ready to push Brunson to the limit.
SportsIn August of 2014, "The Barbarian" Boetsch scored an emotional Performance of the Night TKO of Brad Tavares in his home state of Maine, putting him among the best in the world at 185 pounds and announcing his arrival as a divisional standout. Brazil's Leites has been on a torrid hot streak for a while now, going unbeaten in his last seven fights, a string that includes four UFC wins and back-to-back knockouts of Trevor Smith and Francis Carmont. A win over Boetsch keeps him soaring to the top.
SportsTwo of Brazil's standout talents find themselves in Las Vegas as Ildemar Alcantara moves back to the middleweight division to face another newcomer to the weight class, former Ultimate Fighter competitor Richardson Moreira. Returning to 185 pounds for the first time since 2012, Alcantara believes that he will be a better fighter and finisher here, and Moreira will be his showcase fight to prove it. A leg lock specialist who can end a fight as soon as he gets hold of an opponent, Moreira seeks his first Octagon victory and if he can defeat Alcantara, it will send a warning to the rest of the division immediately.
SportsVeteran middleweights on a mission to take a step to the next level, Tom Watson and Rafael Natal collide in a bout that promises excitement wherever it goes. A popular striker who embraces the battles waged in the Octagon, England's Watson knows that if he can engage in the trenches like he did with Stanislav Nedkov and Sam Alvey, a victory is sure to follow. Brazil's Natal is dangerous on the feet or the ground, and with wins in four of his last six bouts, another victory against Watson could move 'Sapo' into the top 15 at 185 pounds.
SportsTo many observers, the story of the crime of the century is a story that began the night Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were brutally murdered outside her Brentwood condominium. But to truly grasp the significance of what happened not just that night, but the epic chronicle to follow, one has to travel back to much different, much earlier origin points.
SportsOne was the world inhabited by OJ Simpson: wealthy, privileged, and predominantly white. A world where celebrity was power, and where OJ - race be damned - was one of the most popular figures around. But just a few miles away from his Rockingham estate in Brentwood was a very different reality. A reality lived by millions of other black people at the hands of the Los Angeles Police Department and its chief, Daryl Gates.
SportsFew teams in professional sports history elicit such a wide range of emotions as the Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s. For some, the team was heroic– made up of gritty, hard-nosed players who didn’t back down from anyone. And for others, it was exactly that trait – the willingness to do seemingly anything to win – that made them the “Bad Boys”, the team fans loved to hate. Sandwiched between the Lakers’ and Celtics’ dominance of the 1980s and the Bulls' run in the 1990s, the Pistons’ two titles in 1989 and ’90 are often viewed as a transitional period in NBA history, rather than a dy
SportsLong before hip hop superstars filled our airwaves and shopping malls, the Miami Hurricanes brought street values and hood bravado into America’s living room. Recruiting from some of the toughest ghettos in Florida, a football program on the verge of collapse was re-energized with some of the most controversial and brilliant players in football history. With a newly branded swagger, inspired and fueled by the quickly growing Miami hip hop culture, these Canes took on larger-than-life personalities, winning four national titles between 1983 and 1991. Filmmaker Billy Corben (Cocaine Cowboys) tells the story of how these
SportsThe police arrived at the condo on Bundy Drive at 4:25 a.m. on June 13th, 1994. It was a gruesome murder scene, clearly the result of a violent confrontation that had left two people dead - one of whom, they'd quickly discover, was the estranged wife of O.J. Simpson. It was just the start of a chapter of American history like none other, one that would lay bare the realities of race, power, the legal system, the media, and so much more in Los Angeles, California and far beyond.
SportsWhen the night of October 6, 2004 came to a merciful end, the Curse of the Bambino was alive and well. The vaunted Yankee lineup, led by ARod, Jeter, and Sheffield, had just extended their ALCS lead to three games to none, pounding out 19 runs against their hated rivals. The next night, in Game 4, the Yankees took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth inning, then turned the game over to Mariano Rivera, the best relief pitcher in postseason history, to secure yet another trip to the World Series. But after a walk and a hard-fought stolen base, the cold October winds of change began to blow. Over four consecutive days and
SportsIt took less than four hours for them to decide. And on the morning of October 3rd, 1995, it was announced. O.J. Simpson had been found not guilty of all charges. But as the reaction in the courtroom, across Los Angeles, and across the country showed, it was also much, much more than that. Meanwhile, it was also time for O.J. to go home. But if Simpson had hoped that he could return to any semblance of the life he'd enjoyed before the murders, he would quickly learn how much had changed.
SportsHe made perhaps the most dramatic shot in the history of the NCAA basketball tournament. He's the only player to start in four consecutive Final Fours, and was instrumental in Duke winning two national championships. He had looks, smarts and game. So why has Christian Laettner been disliked so intensely by so many for so long? Go beyond the polarizing persona to uncover the complete story behind this lightning rod of college basketball. Featuring extensive access to Laettner, previously unseen footage and perspectives from all sides, this film is a “gloves-off” examination of the man who has been seen by many as the
SportsWhen the 1982-83 college basketball season began, Jim Valvano and his North Carolina State Wolfpack faced high expectations with equally high aspirations. But with ten losses for the season, the Wolfpack's only hope of making the NCAA Tournament was to win the ACC Tournament and earn the conference's automatic berth. Nine straight improbable tournament wins later over the likes of Sampson, Jordan, Olajuwon and Drexler, N.C. State had "survived and advanced" its way to a national championship. Director Jonathan Hock takes a poignant look through the eyes of senior captain Dereck Whittenburg at a dream fulfilled.
SportsIn the spring of 1983, a new generation of superstars was poised to enter the NFL. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first round of that draft - still the most ever. Elway to Marino explores this landmark draft through the eyes of the players, head coaches, general managers, team owners and agents who participated - including Marvin Demoff, who represented both John Elway and Dan Marino, and kept a diary in the months leading up to the most dramatic draft day in NFL history. Learn the inside story of the draft picks, back room deals, and tension between the future Hall of Famers and the teams that selected them.
SportsIn the fall of 1993, in his prime and at the summit of the sports world, Michael Jordan walked away from pro basketball. After leading the Dream Team to an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and taking the Bulls to their third consecutive NBA championship the following year, Jordan was jolted by the murder of his father. Was it the brutal loss of such an anchor in his life that caused the world’s most famous athlete to rekindle a childhood ambition by playing baseball? Or some feeling that he had nothing left to prove or conquer in basketball? Or something deeper and perhaps not yet understood? Ron Shelton, a former minor league
SportsProduced in 2009 for the 30 for 30 series, “The U” took a look at all that was good and bad about the rise of the University of Miami’s football program in the 1980s. But that wasn’t the end of the story. “The U Part 2″ picks up where the original film left off, with the program trying to recover from the devastation left by NCAA sanctions and scandals that had some calling for the school to drop football. The Hurricanes rose from those ashes to win another national championship, only to face new controversies when a booster used a Ponzi scheme to win favor with the program.
SportsPerhaps no family has had more influence on a sport than the Mannings. Written into the pages of football folklore is the Manning legend – a father and his sons. Patriarch Archie Manning, a star quarterback at the University of Mississippi and in the NFL, followed by oldest son Cooper, whose football dreams were cut short by a spinal condition, then sons Peyton and Eli – both of them quarterbacks, All-SEC, number one draft picks, back-to-back Super Bowl champions and MVPs. Director Rory Karpf explores how a tragedy shaped the course of not only Archie’s life, but his family’s as well.
SportsOn Valentine’s Day 1993, 17-year-old Bethel High School basketball star Allen Iverson was bowling in Hampton, Va., with five high school friends. It was supposed to be an ordinary evening, but it became a night that defined Iverson’s young life. A quarrel soon erupted into a brawl pitting Iverson’s young black friends against a group of white patrons. The fallout from the fight and the handling of the subsequent trial landed the teenager, which some considered the nation’s best high school athlete, in jail and sharply divided the city along racial lines. Oscar nominee Steve James (Hoop Dreams) returns to his hometo
SportsIf at its essence, the popularity of professional wrestling has always been about its characters, there's never been a performer more original and more electrifying than Ric Flair. As a pure wrestler, he was beloved. His "Woooo" showmanship was imitated by athletes from other sports, as well as the hip-hop community. But as interviews with family members and Flair himself reveal, his frenzied lifestyle masked the loneliness of a man who could never please his physician father and ran away from his own wives and children, toward an almost unbearable tragedy. It was Ric Flair who popularized the boast, "If you want to be Th
SportsWhile rival drug cartels warred in the streets and the country's murder rate climbed to highest in the world, the Colombian national soccer team set out to blaze a new image for their country. What followed was a mysteriously rapid rise to glory, as the team catapulted out of decades of obscurity to become one of the best teams in the world. Central to this success were two men named Escobar: Andrés, the captain and poster child of the National Team, and Pablo, the infamous drug baron who pioneered the phenomenon known in the underworld as "Narco-soccer." But just when Colombia was expected to win the 1994 World Cup and t
Sports“Eddie Would Go.” It’s a phrase that has long carried deep meaning with countless Hawaiians and surfers worldwide. Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau goes beyond those famous three words and chronicles the remarkable life and power of Eddie Aikau, the legendary Hawaiian big wave surfer, pioneering lifeguard and ultimately doomed crew member of the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokule’a. With a rich combination of archival imagery, contemporary interviews and meticulously researched historical source material, this film is a compelling exploration of the tragic decline and extraordinary re-birth of the Hawaiian cultu
SportsThere is another, unchronicled side to the "Miracle On Ice." The so-called bad guys from America’s ideological adversary were in reality good men and outstanding players, forged into the Big Red Machine by the genius and passion of Anatoli Tarasov. There was a reason they seemed unbeatable, especially after routing the Americans in an exhibition the week before the Winter Games began. And there was a certain shame in them having to live the rest of their lives with the results of February 22, 1980. Director Jonathan Hock ("The Best That Never Was" and "Survive and Advance") explores the scope of the “Miracle on Ice”
SportsPete Carroll's football knowledge, upbeat personality and recruiting skills, propelled Southern Cal back atop the college football world as home attendance skyrocketed and the Trojans put together a 34-game winning streak. As it would be later discovered, though, the program was committing sins that would result in lost scholarships and victories. But those revelations didn't come until after the national championship game in the 2006 against the University of Texas. Featuring interviews with Carroll and others inside the USC program at the time, "Trojan War" looks at Carroll's nine-year USC reign through the prism of t
SportsIn some ways, Barry Switzer and Brian Bosworth were made for each other. The Oklahoma coach and the linebacker he recruited to play for him were both outsized personalities who delighted in thumbing their noses at the establishment. And in their three seasons together (1984-86), the unique father-son dynamic resulted in 31 wins and two Orange Bowl victories, including a national championship, as Bosworth was awarded the first two Butkus Awards. But Bosworth's alter ego – “The Boz” – was taking over. Eventually, he went on a downward spiral and became known as an NFL bust. In "Brian and The Boz," the dual identitie
SportsRequiem For The Big East chronicles the meteoric ascension of the Big East conference, and how in less than a decade, it became the most successful college basketball league in America. Told through the lens of the Big East’s famed coaches and its most iconic players, the film tells the story of an eccentric group of outsiders who rode the success of their teams on the court to become unlikely celebrities in their sport and beyond it.
SportsBefore Lance Armstrong, there was Greg LeMond, who is now the first and only American to win the Tour de France. In this engrossing documentary, LeMond looks back at the pivotal 1986 Tour, and his increasingly vicious rivalry with friend, teammate, and mentor Bernard Hinault. The reigning Tour champion and brutal competitor known as “The Badger,” Hinault ‘promised’ to help LeMond to his first victory, in return for LeMond supporting him in the previous year. But in a sport that purports to reward teamwork, it’s really every man for himself.
SportsFrom 1981-1984, a small private school in Dallas owned the best record in college football. The Mustangs of Southern Methodist University were riding high on the backs of the vaunted "Pony Express" backfield. But as the middle of the decade approached, the program was coming apart at the seams. Wins became the only thing that mattered as the University increasingly ceded power of the football program t o the city's oil barons and real estate tycoons and flagrant and frequent NCAA violations became the norm. On February 25th, 1987, the school and the sport were rocked, as the NCAA meted out "the death penalty" on a college
SportsIn the mid-1990s, Orlando was the center of excitement in the NBA. The young franchise, led by mega-stars Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, beat the mighty Bulls en route to the 1995 NBA Finals. While it was clear Orlando was a dynasty in the making, the Magic's moment on top was never fully realized.
SportsThere are rivalries, and then there is the Celtics vs. the Lakers. In Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies Part One, director Jim Podhoretz chronicles the storied franchises' epic clashes, tracing not only the history, but also presenting a fabulous cast of characters who would change the NBA and open America’s collective mind. At the center of it all in the 1980s was a pair of brilliant players - Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
SportsRandy Moss has long been an enigma known for his brilliance on the football field and his problems off it. “Rand University” gets to the intersection of those aspects of Moss by going back to where he came from – Rand, West Virginia – and exploring what almost derailed him before he ever became nationally known for his extraordinary abilities as a wide receiver.
SportsThe Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots are the last teams standing as Super Bowl XLIX kicks off. Winner takes home the Lombardi trophy in this thrilling battle.
SportsWhat happens when you combine "Goodfellas" with college basketball? You get "Playing for the Mob," the story of how mobster Henry Hill -- played by Ray Liotta in the 1990 Martin Scorsese classic -- helped orchestrate the fixing of Boston College basketball games in the 1978-79 season. The details of that point-shaving scandal are revealed for the first time on film through the testimony of the players, the federal investigators and the actual fixers, including Hill, who died shortly after he was interviewed. "Playing for the Mob" may be set in the seemingly golden world of college basketball but, like "Goodfellas," this is
SportsIn Part Two, the Celtics and Lakers meet in the NBA Finals for the first time in 15 years. A culture clash is brewing on the hardwood and the stakes are huge. Beyond Magic and Bird, there is Abdul-Jabbar and Parish, Worthy and McHale, Scott and Ainge, Buss and Auerbach. Throw in the Forum and the Garden, Chick Hearn and Johnny Most, add a heavy dose of ill will, sprinkle in underlying racial tension, and you have a recipe for a battle royal.
SportsOn August 9, 1988, the NHL was forever changed with the single stroke of a pen. The Edmonton Oilers, fresh off their fourth Stanley Cup victory in five years, signed a deal and exported Wayne Gretzky, a Canadian national treasure and the greatest hockey player ever to play the game, to the Los Angeles Kings in a multi-player, multi-million dollar deal. As bewildered Oiler fans struggled to make sense of the unthinkable, fans in Los Angeles were rushing to purchase season tickets at a rate so fast it overwhelmed the Kings box office. Overnight, a franchise largely overlooked in its 21-year existence was suddenly playing to
SportsOn October 15, 1988, Notre Dame hosted the University of Miami in what would become one of the greatest games in college football history. The coaches and players open up about the fight that started the game, the highly debatable calls that are still being talked, about and the insensitive aspects of the irresistibly popular "Catholics vs. Convicts" t-shirt.
SportsAfter the thrilling 1984 NBA Finals, Part Three explores the saga from 1985 to 1987 as the teams’ disdain for each other gradually turns to respect. The Celtics and Lakers - Bird and Magic in particular - transform the fans' view of the game from simple black-and-white to full-blown Technicolor. By the end of their last battle of the 80s, while there’s still animosity, there’s also a hard-earned respect for each other. It’s a rivalry that forced America to no longer view the league in black and white.
SportsWhen former New York Mets superstars Dwight "Doc" Gooden and Darryl Strawberry were good, they were great. They were the biggest stars on a team that captured the imagination of New York City and won the 1986 World Series. But when life spiraled out of control for both men, they broke the hearts of Mets fans. The pitcher and the power hitter look back on the glory days of the mid-80s and the harrowing nights that turned them from sure Hall of Famers into prisoners of their own addictions.
SportsWith five outs remaining in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS, a foul ball descended from the cold Chicago sky, seemingly destined for the glove of Cubs left fielder Moises Alou. But a flurry of hands reached up and one hand, belonging to Cubs fan Steve Bartman, fatefully tipped the ball away from a frustrated Alou. Most long-suffering Cubs fans, including a chorus of hostile ones in Wrigley Field, quickly became convinced that Bartman had swatted away Chicago’s chance of advancing to the World Series for the first time 58 years. The mild-mannered Bartman released a sincere public apology, but his fate was already sealed by the Cu
SportsIn 1996, the once-dominant New York Islanders were in serious trouble. Lousy performance and poor management were driving away the hockey franchise's loyal fan base. The team hit bottom. Then along came a Dallas businessman named John Spano, who swooped in and agreed to buy the team for 165 million dollars. Things began to look up for the Islanders - way up. But it was all smoke and mirrors. Big Shot goes inside an extraordinary scandal that engulfed the Islanders. Featuring the only interview Spano has ever given about the Islanders deal, this film is an unforgettable tale of a dream that became a lie -
SportsThe Two Bills traces the relationship between coaching masters Bill Belichick and Bill Parcells that spans over four decades. They first worked side by side as assistants with the New York Giants, and after Parcells took over as head coach, they won two Super Bowls together. Buttressed by what he learned from Parcells, Belichick has won five Super Bowls of his own with the Patriots. Through all the ups and downs of their careers, including some memorable games when they were on opposite sides of the field, they forged a bond that few men of their stature have ever experienced.
SportsMore than two decades after his tragic cocaine overdose, the late Len Bias still leaves more questions than answers. When Bias dropped dead two days after the 1986 NBA Draft, he forever altered our perception of casual drug use and became the tipping point of America's drug crisis in the mid-80s. Future generations continue to face the harsh punishment of drug policies that were influenced by the public outcry after his heartbreaking death. Instead of becoming an NBA star, he became a one-man deterrent, the athlete who reminded everyone just how dangerous drug use can be. Amazingly, questions still linger about his death n
SportsIn the midst of boxing’s contemporary golden age - the 1980’s - stood two fighters who established a captivating rivalry. Their pair of bouts within a span of just over 5 months in 1980 had all the trappings of instant classics. Sugar Ray Leonard, an American hero, who had become a household name after a Gold Medal-winning performance at the 1976 Summer Olympics that led to numerous corporate sponsorships, versus the Latino champion, Roberto Duran, the toughest - some said meanest - fighter of all time. It was not just the drama and action of these fights that would endure, but those two words uttered in the se
SportsDo you remember where you were on June 17, 1994? Thanks to a wide array of unrelated, coast-to-coast occurrences, this Friday has come to be known for its firsts, lasts, triumphs and tragedy. Arnold Palmer played his last round at a U.S. Open, in Oakmont, Pa., the FIFA World Cup kicked off in Chicago, the Rangers celebrated on Broadway, Patrick Ewing desperately pursued a long evasive championship in the Garden and Donald Fehr stared down the baseball owners. And yet, all of that was a prelude to O.J. Simpson leading America on a slow speed chase in a white Ford Bronco around Los Angeles. Oscar-nominated and Peabody Award-
SportsWhen Jimmy Connors arrived in New York for the 1991 U.S. Open, the one-time tennis superstar was 8 years removed from his last Grand Slam singles title, ranked 174th in the world and approaching his 39th birthday. Not exactly a recipe for success. But on the verge of a quick first-round exit, Connors suddenly and unexpectedly re-captured the magic, embarking on a stirring and extraordinary run than included an epic contest with Aaron Krickstein on his way to the semifinals. This is What They Want not only illuminates this highly improbably march past a series of talented and youthful adversaries, it also explores how Conn
SportsIn 1984, 17-year-old Ben Wilson was a symbol of everything promising about Chicago: a beloved, sweet-natured youngster from the city’s fabled South Side, and America’s most talented basketball prospect. His senseless murder the day before his senior season sent ripples through Chicago and the nation.
