ESPN CFB 150 Docu-Series
Wondering what everyone thought of the first episode of "Football is US" from the ESPN CFB 150 series that aired after the UM vs. UF game last night. I thought it was pretty interesting and did a good job of exploring the early history of college football and the reasons why it's become a thing that so many people love and look forward to each year while also acknowledging the absurdness of "idolizing 19 year olds and paying coaches millions of dollars" and the inherent dangerousness and violence of the sport. Obviously, not a big fan of the spotlight on Woody Hayes and Urban Meyer but still found the story interesting. I'm looking forward to the rest of the documentaries they have lined up for this season.
August 25th, 2019 at 2:55 PM ^
--- the absurdness of "idolizing 19 year olds and paying coaches millions of dollars" ---
I'm just going to call bullshit on that right now. No one idolizes college players. People may follow recruiting closely or get a little more excited about the progress of college players, but the vast majority of fans don't idolize college players.
And college coaches should make whatever they can get universities to pay them. Successful programs bring in millions in revenue and that is in large part, due to their coaching, recruiting and player development.
August 25th, 2019 at 3:30 PM ^
Following high school players on Twitter, tracking many of their movements and online activity in hope's of finding a nugget of intel on where they want to attend "school", chatting non-stop online or with friends about their ups and downs and how good game they had or will have, tracking what injury bug or how someone's MRI will turn out after that ugly knee twist the week prior...and on and on and on.
Maybe that's not idolizing but it's sure as hell something on par with it. And maybe the "vast" majority don't but there's a looooottttttt who do the above. Shall we call it an obsession and for many an unhealthy one, instead of idolization?!
August 25th, 2019 at 4:09 PM ^
The vast majority of fans do not care one bit about players on their favorite team, or idolize them. They root for a piece of laundry and obsess over recruiting, injuries, performance, etc. only because it affects whether or not that piece of laundry wins games.
Every now and then you get a Chase Winovich type of player who the fanbase loves having around, or a Charles Woodson who has an epic season, but most college players come and go and no one really cares or remembers them.
August 25th, 2019 at 4:11 PM ^
Describing the actions of less than .1 percent of a fan base? I'm sure that a handful of people on Twitter seems like a loooottttt of people, but when compared to the millions of people in any fan base, it really isn't.
August 25th, 2019 at 6:02 PM ^
If you think that’s only .1% of the fan base, you’re sadly mistaking. There wouldn’t be numerous services catering to recruiting if it was that small of an appetite for it. People like Zion wouldn’t have 2.1 million followers on Instagram before he stepped foot on a college campus if fans were not following some players every move.
August 25th, 2019 at 3:37 PM ^
Yea, but coaches aren't the ones on the field actually doing the work.
At the worst it should be 60% coaches 40% players in terms of pay. In reality, it's 90/10 if that.
August 25th, 2019 at 4:13 PM ^
I couldn't disagree with this more. If you follow your own logic (the coaches aren't doing the work on the field), why even give the coaches a 60 percent split?
August 25th, 2019 at 2:57 PM ^
Double post.
August 25th, 2019 at 3:00 PM ^
Negative - didn't know anything about it.
If it's the same one you're talking bout it airs today again at - ESPNNews 1pm & ESPN2 ESPNU 2:30pm all EDT.
Edit - which I'm realizing it is 3pm there now. Derp.
Edit edit - ESPN2 Wednesday 3pm
August 25th, 2019 at 3:40 PM ^
Caught the beginning of it and couldn’t stomach all the Woody Hayes and Urban Meyer crap. Also, talked a lot about Notre dame.
August 25th, 2019 at 3:46 PM ^
I thought it was really well done. My Michigan homer glasses were disappointed with the lack of Michigan history especially considering the Michigan historical perspective claiming the first organized football game. As someone who is not all too well versed with football history but consistently hears about Michigan football history in various podcasts, I expected to hear more about Michigan being involved in the original establishment of American football in the documentary.
That was my only true disappointment. Other than that, I loved hearing more about the foundation and development of the sport that I did not previously know, including learning more about Walter Camp as well as the influence of desegregation on the collegiate landscape surrounding Black athletes - In particular their movement from all Black schools like Grambling to mostly Southern schools. Growing up I was aware of Eddie Robinson's reputation and occasionally saw Grambling on TV, but this helped me understand why Grambling was such a big deal back in the day.
In summary, well worth the watch. Much much more on there than I mentioned here. Highly recommend. Just don't watch with maize goggles, or you may not get as much out of it. The Woody Hayes story is important to tell in the history of football, but intertwining it with Bo's history would have been more entertaining from a Michigan perspective.
One Bo clip, Howard's Heisman return clip, and the Vincent Smith/Clowney hit were the only Michigan inclusions I can remember.
August 25th, 2019 at 3:58 PM ^
I was going to write a similar summary, but you nailed it. They did, though, show a clip of the Colorado Hail Mary in the Big House, and Trouble With The Snap, of course. It would have been nice to see some more positive aspects of Michigan Football (the Yost years, the Ten Year War, Charles Woodson).
August 25th, 2019 at 4:17 PM ^
Ah, yes. Those were the two I removed from my memory bank.
August 25th, 2019 at 4:35 PM ^
It’s a what have you done for me lately world and Michigan hasn’t done shit lately except make blunders on prime time TV
OSU gets so many more national features in the media since they’re still title contenders every season. You wouldn’t even know Michigan is the more historic program in the rivalry.
August 25th, 2019 at 4:36 PM ^
Haven't watched it fully yet, but the fact that they covered Stagg and Rockne so extensively and didn't even MENTION Yost was disgusting to me.
Also, of course trouble with the snap (very special to me as it was on my birthday), the Clowney hit, and the Miracle was shown extensively. Gah.
The 1969 game, perhaps the biggest upset in the 150 year history of the sport, is at it's 50th anniversary. I would have liked to see them say something about that.
ESPN gotta ESPN I guess.
August 25th, 2019 at 5:21 PM ^
I'm kind of upset that (at least for now) its not on demand on ESPN+
Like I was watching the other actual live football game last night and I was expecting to be able to watch it at a later time...
August 25th, 2019 at 6:05 PM ^
I searched it on the ESPN app this morning and you could watch it
August 25th, 2019 at 6:25 PM ^
Ahh. Yes I see it now when I search it. Kinda dumb it wasnt on the front page or anything. You'd think they'd want to push it
August 25th, 2019 at 8:15 PM ^
Agreed. Seems too difficult to find, I’m sure it’s on YouTube somewhere too
August 25th, 2019 at 8:32 PM ^
The full episode is on Youtube now. Better watch it quick before it gets yanked for copyright infringement.
August 25th, 2019 at 5:21 PM ^
I wasn’t very impressed with the first episode but will definitely watch it all.
It seemed at times less of a celebration of college football and more of an apology for it.
I hope the future episodes show more of why we love college football and less of the reasons we shouldn’t.
August 25th, 2019 at 5:24 PM ^
I really like it! I think the allure of college football is it’s tradition, pageantry, reliving the ‘good ol days’ for the older crowd; I think the documentary encapsulated that feeling nicely, while also wrapping up the supercharged emotions.
August 25th, 2019 at 10:31 PM ^
I find the nostalgia of Notre Dame and Rockne interesting however my take from the overshadowing the Michigan early era more about the catholic thing. My view of the the absence of any notable Michigan highlight other than the Desmond TD a result of Michigan being absence of Big Championships or "The Game" losses of late. I love analyzing football schemes and players but not to any "worship level" Over all it give it a B-.
August 26th, 2019 at 1:19 AM ^
Underwhelmed. Nothing like making Woody and Urban about a third of your 90-minute documentary. I found some of the argument around the decline of HBCU football to be a bit oddly posed. And good golly gee how many times did we have to see a clip of Tebow's infamous speech?
In other words, a lot of predictable ESPN mythmaking, low on what actually makes college football so concurrently flawed and magnificent.