JHendo

May 21st, 2012 at 4:24 PM ^

I normally love pretty much everything Lupe Fiasco does, but that mixtape he put out where each track sampled an electronic song (including M83's Midnight City) was just god awful. 

Leaders And Best

May 21st, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^

I doubt you will get anywhere near the truth or full story about Maurce Clarett at this time.  I felt the same way about Catching Hell and the Red Sox 2004 comeback against the Yankees.  You can't tell the story of Bartman without Bartman himself and maybe with the passage of time he would be more willing to reflect.  The Red Sox documentary came out on the heels of the news Ramirez & Ortiz tested positive for steroids in 2003.  Some of these stories are not even a decade old yet and sometimes you need time for them to mature.

Leaders And Best

May 21st, 2012 at 5:38 PM ^

At the time of the Mitchell Report, there was a perception that the Yankees were dirty and the Red Sox were not as no prime Red Sox were named in the report.  This led to a lot of conspiracy theories based on Sen. Mitchell's ties to the Red Sox that were never proven (also Bud Selig's Brewers had no players named in the report).

The perception of those Sox teams changed greatly after the news broke in 2009 that both Ramirez and Ortiz tested postive in 2003 followed by Ramirez positive tests and ban with the Dodgers. Those two were the heart and soul of that Sox lineup like Canseco & McGwire of the A's in the 90s, and the most prominent players on their 2 World Series teams.  That story was something that needed to be included when telling the tale of that team.

Blerg

May 21st, 2012 at 5:56 PM ^

What did I say that you're disagreeing with?  I, however, disagree with "the perception of those Sox teams" changing.  Maybe the perception did change for the ignorant fan, but if you're a level headed baseball fan in the late '90s early '00s I think it was just smart to assume guys were juicing if they were putting up big numbers. As a Sox fan I suspected they were using steroids and certainly was not surprised when the truth came out.

 Just to play devils advocate...the Sox titles came in '04 and '07.  The positive test came out in what '03?  There's no "evidence" that they used in '04 and '07 (though I'm not ignorant, they probably did).  

And just curious wasn't the '07 season after they started testing players? I'm not too sure about that...      

On a side note: that "4 days in October" 30 for 30 is actually an MLB production.  That's probably why any such use of PEDs was not included.  Selig and his buddies love to try to ignore that era if it doesn't involve a profit.

Wolverine Devotee

May 21st, 2012 at 4:08 PM ^

Here is one to think about:

"What Might Have Been: Drew Henson and Kelly Baraka"

If he stays and Baraka plays, with a three-headed monster in the running game with Perry, Askew and Baraka. And not throwing an inexperienced QB in there? Heh, I think Michigan would have gave miami a run for their money that season.

BeatOSU52

May 21st, 2012 at 4:32 PM ^

I don't think they would have won a NC in 2001 if they had Henson and those guys because I don't think their defense was that strong that year.  Well...even if it were, they would have had to beat 2001 Miami in the NC game.  I guess we probably would have beaten Sparty and OSU if we had them.

That story would be interested, though, but would probably only appeal to Michigan fans for the most part.

M-Wolverine

May 21st, 2012 at 4:25 PM ^

Since he died ESPN has lionized him into some sort of saint, but he had some really shady dealings back when he was a coach. I wonder if they'll cover that at all.

I'll be interested in seeing the younger crowd around here react to the Bo Jackson one. He was one of the most amazing athletes I've ever seen. And had some of the coolest commercials.

Mr. Yost

May 21st, 2012 at 7:56 PM ^

One thing to remember though, ESPN doesn't make more produce all of these. They either hire film makers to make the film, or the film was already made (i.e. The U).

Typically you can tell which ones were made for the series and which were already made by if the producer is in it and if there is a heavy slant. It was clear as day "The U" wasn't an ESPN made film and I wouldn't be shocked if recruits watch that documentary all the time with the huge slant and bias in it.

Sopwith

May 21st, 2012 at 5:35 PM ^

the Lawrence Phillips story than Maurice Clarett.  Not even the LP story per se, but the shameful story of his enablers and apologists, from Osborne to Vermeil and the cast of many others, who found his talent too irresistable to ever push any meaningful discipline on a serially violent criminal.  My guess is they didn't want to touch St. Tom, or they'd have to do a "Catching Hell II:  Husker Alums Burn Down Bristol, CT."  

Mr. Yost

May 22nd, 2012 at 8:57 AM ^

#1 I have the 30 For 30's and Pony Excess is the last one...

#2 He's just right...

There are more than just the Fab 5 that aren't a part of it...The Marinovich Project is another. There are probably 5-6 that are just under the "ESPN Films Presents..." project and they aren't 30 for 30.

So please don't talk as if you know for a fact you're right...when you're not, if you want to avoid random people like myself co-signing against you.

Mr. Yost

May 22nd, 2012 at 8:59 AM ^

Fab Five was NOT a 30 for 30...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/30_for_30

List of the 30 for 30 Volume I films

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, each episode length is 60 minutes (including commercials).

 

Overall No. in series Title Directed by U.S. viewers

(in millions)
Original air date
1 1 "Kings Ransom" Peter Berg 0.645[4] October 6, 2009 (2009-10-06)
The 1988 trade of Wayne Gretzky from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings and the effect it had on Gretzky, the fans in Edmonton, and the popularity of hockey in Southern California
2 2 "The Band that Wouldn't Die" Barry Levinson   October 13, 2009 (2009-10-13)
A profile of Baltimore's love affair with football and the Colts, focusing on the Colts Marching Band. After the Colts decamped for Indianapolis in 1984, the band remained in Baltimore and helped promote the eventual return of the NFL to the city. 
3 3 "Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL?" Mike Tollin   October 20, 2009 (2009-10-20)
Fresh interviews and archival footage track the life and demise of the United States Football League in the mid 1980s. A highlight is Tollin's interview with Donald Trump, the former New Jersey Generals owner whose post-interview comments on the league give this documentary its title.[5]
4 4 "Muhammad and Larry" Albert Maysles   October 27, 2009 (2009-10-27)
A look at the October 1980 Muhammad Ali-Larry Holmes fight and its impact on both fighters, featuring fresh interviews with participants and previously unseen lead-up footage from both fighters' camps. 
5 5 "Without Bias" Kirk Fraser   November 3, 2009 (2009-11-03)
The death of Len Bias from a cocaine-induced heart attack, two days after Boston selected him as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, and its impact on casual drug use, especially by the sports community. 
6 6 "The Legend of Jimmy the Greek" Fritz Mitchell   November 10, 2009 (2009-11-10)
The life of Jimmy "the Greek" Snyder, from his career as a Las Vegas bookmaker to his tenure on The NFL Today, from which he was fired in 1988. 
7 7 "The U" Billy Corben 2.368[6][7] December 12, 2009 (2009-12-12)
The racial and cultural evolution of Miami during the 1980s as represented within the University of Miami football team. (2 hours in length)
8 8 "Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks" Dan Klores   March 14, 2010 (2010-03-14)
The impact of Reggie Miller on the New York Knicks in the 1990s, specifically focusing on the 1994 NBA Playoffs, the 1995 NBA Playoffs, and Miller's interaction with Knicks fan Spike Lee
9 9 "Guru of Go" Bill Couturié   April 3, 2010 (2010-04-03)
Paul Westhead's coaching tenure at Loyola Marymount University (1985–1990) features his high-scoring run-and-gun offense and players such as Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers
10 10 "No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson" Steve James   April 13, 2010 (2010-04-13)
The 1993 trial of Hampton, Virginia high school athlete Allen Iverson, convicted for his role in a racially tinged melee, and its impact on both the community and on Iverson's life. (90 minutes in length)
11 11 "Silly Little Game" Adam Kurland and Lucas Jansen   April 20, 2010 (2010-04-20)
Meeting at New York City's La Rotisserie Francaise restaurant in 1980, a group of writers and academics develop Rotisserie Fantasy baseball, only to see it take off in popularity and leave them behind. 
12 12 "Run Ricky Run" Sean Pamphilon and Royce Toni 0.972[8] April 27, 2010 (2010-04-27)
A profile of Ricky Williams focuses on his brief 2004 departure from the NFL, when he sought self-redemption amidst media criticism and fresh rumors of marijuana use. 
13 13 "The 16th Man" Clifford Bestall, Lori McCreary, and Morgan Freeman 0.463[9] May 4, 2010 (2010-05-04)
How hosting (and winning) the 1995 Rugby World Cup and Nelson Mandela's support of the Springboks national team affected post-apartheid South Africa. 
14 14 "Straight Outta L.A." Ice Cube   May 11, 2010 (2010-05-11)
The relationship between the Raiders and the minority fan base in Los Angeles during the team's 13 seasons in L.A. (1982–1994). 
15 15 "June 17, 1994" Brett Morgen   June 16, 2010 (2010-06-16)
Quick-cut archival footage captures the various sporting events on the day in question and the emotions they generated, with O. J. Simpson's run from the police overshadowing an NBA Finals game between the New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, the opening of the U.S.-hosted 1994 FIFA World Cup, the last-ever U.S. Open golf tournament round for Arnold Palmer, Ken Griffey, Jr. hitting a home run to add to his record-setting pace, and a parade in New York after the New York Rangers finally won their first Stanley Cup in decades. 
16 16 "The Two Escobars" Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist   June 22, 2010 (2010-06-22)
The lives of soccer player Andrés Escobar and drug lord Pablo Escobar; the intertwining of crime and soccer in their native Colombia; and the connections between the murders of both men. (2 hours in length)
17 17 "The Birth of Big Air" Jeff Tremaine, Johnny Knoxville, and Spike Jonze   July 29, 2010 (2010-07-29)
The life of Mat Hoffman and his 25-year career of advancing BMX riding, both creatively and promotionally. 
18 18 "Jordan Rides the Bus" Ron Shelton   August 24, 2010 (2010-08-24)
Motivated by the dream his late father had for him, Michael Jordan retires from basketball and has a brief career in minor league baseball
19 19 "Little Big Men" Al Szymanski   August 31, 2010 (2010-08-31)
The Kirkland National Little League team's success at the 1982 Little League World Series, examining why their title win is considered one of the biggest upsets in the event's history. 
20 20 "One Night in Vegas" Reggie Rock Bythewood   September 7, 2010 (2010-09-07)
The friendship of boxer Mike Tyson and rapper Tupac Shakur and the night of September 7, 1996, when Shakur was murdered after attending the Tyson-Bruce Seldon fight in Las Vegas. 
21 21 "Unmatched" Lisa Lax and Nancy Stern, with Hannah Storm   September 14, 2010 (2010-09-14)
A look at the rivalry and friendship between tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova
22 22 "The House of Steinbrenner" Barbara Kopple   September 21, 2010 (2010-09-21)
The legacy of George Steinbrenner's ownership of the New York Yankees
23 23 "Into the Wind" Steve Nash and Ezra Holland 0.894[10] September 28, 2010 (2010-09-28)1
Terry Fox's attempt to run across Canada in support of fundraising for cancer research captures the attention of his fellow Canadians and the world. (This film first aired on Canada's TSN2 on September 19, 2010 (2010-09-19).)
24 24 "Four Days In October" Major League Baseball Productions 1.45[11] October 5, 2010 (2010-10-05)
The remarkable comeback of the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS
25 25 "Once Brothers" NBA Entertainment   October 12, 2010 (2010-10-12)
The story of Croatian Dražen Petrović and Serbian Vlade Divac, NBA players and Yugoslavian national teammates, and how upheaval in their homeland adversely and irretrievably affected their friendship. (90 minutes in length)
26 26 "Tim Richmond: To the Limit" NASCAR Media Group and Rory Karpf   October 19, 2010 (2010-10-19)
The career of NASCAR driver Tim Richmond, his flamboyant lifestyle, and his 1989 death from AIDS. 
27 27 "Fernando Nation" Cruz Angeles   October 26, 2010 (2010-10-26)
The euphoria created by Fernando Valenzuela's 1981 arrival with the Los Angeles Dodgers
28 28 "Marion Jones: Press Pause" John Singleton   November 2, 2010 (2010-11-02)
The successful track and field career of Marion Jones, her 2007 admission of performance-enhancing drug use, and subsequent prison sentence. 
29 29 "The Best That Never Was" Jonathan Hock   November 9, 2010 (2010-11-09)
The 1981 recruiting of high school football player Marcus Dupree by multiple big-time college programs, his resulting injury-prone college and professional career, and how his college and later USFL recruitment changed the recruiting process. (2 hours in length)
30 30 "Pony Excess" Thaddeus D. Matula 2.517[7] December 11, 2010 (2010-12-11)
The rise, fall, and rebirth of the SMU Mustangs football program, which received a 2-year "death penalty" for major infractions after David Stanley blew the whistle on the long-suspected program. (2 hours in length)

[edit] ESPN Films Presents:

Other films were previously announced for the 30 for 30 series but were not included in the series. These films, which began airing in 2011, are a continuation of 30 for 30, dealing with more sports stories that 30 for 30 did not cover. According to 30 for 30 producer Bill Simmons: "We're spinning off the "30 for 30" series next year into something that will probably be called "30 for 30 Presents" or something like that... we're going to be putting out 4–5 sports docs per year on the level of the best "30 for 30" docs and getting the best filmmakers to do them. Same creative team is involved. We have some terrific ideas in the hopper. So even though the SMU doc will be the 30th one (right after the Heisman ceremony) don't think the spirit of the series is going away."[12] These additional films include:

 

Overall No. in series Title Directed by U.S. viewers

(in millions)
Original air date
31 1 "The Fab Five" Jason Hehir 2.74[13] March 13, 2011 (2011-03-13)
The story of the 1991 Michigan men's basketball recruiting class, called the Fab Five, one of whom (Chris Webber) was later involved in a notorious pay-for-play scandal
32 2 "Catching Hell" Alex Gibney 1.379[14] September 27, 2011 (2011-09-27)
The relationship between Chicago Cubs fans and Steve Bartman following Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series
33 3 "Renée" Eric Drath 0.508[15] October 4, 2011 (2011-10-04)
The life of transsexual athlete Renée Richards, who shocked the world with her entry into the 1977 U.S. Open
34 4 "The Dotted Line" Morgan Spurlock 0.939[16] October 11, 2011 (2011-10-11)
Sports agents Peter Greenberg and Eugene Lee are profiled with their clients Johan Santana, Jacquian Williams and Robert Hughes
35 5 "Charismatic" Steven Michaels, Joel Surnow, and Jonathan Koch 0.672[17] October 18, 2011 (2011-10-18)
The run of Charismatic and its jockey, Chris Antley, at the 1999 Triple Crown
36 6 "The Real Rocky" Jeff Feuerzeig 1.386[18] October 25, 2011 (2011-10-25)
A profile of Chuck Wepner, the original inspiration for Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa. Wepner was left out of the “Rocky” glory, and his career took turn after strange turn as he worked to stay in the spotlight: he went on to fight André the Giant as “The Assassin” and twice boxed a 900-pound bear. 
37 7 "Unguarded" Johnathan Hock 1.377[19] November 1, 2011 (2011-11-01)
The story of Chris Herren, a high school basketball star who played in the NBA, struggled with drug abuse his entire career and ultimately, found redemption and personal fulfillment through the game. 
38 8 "Roll Tide/War Eagle" Martin Khodabakhshian 1.698[20] November 8, 2011 (2011-11-08)
The continuing rivalry between Auburn University and the University of Alabama. 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. 
39 9 "The Marinovich Project" Andrew Stephan and John Dorsey   December 10, 2011 (2011-12-10)
The rise and fall of former USC and NFL quarterback Todd Marinovich is chronicled. The film focuses primarily on the complex relationship between Marinovich and his father
40 10 "Goose" Kevin Shaw   February 26, 2012 (2012-02-26)
The life of Reece “Goose” Tatum who played in Negro League baseball and was an original member of the legendary Harlem Globetrotters
41 11 "The Announcement" Nelson George   March 11, 2012 (2012-03-11)
The events and aftermath of former Los Angeles Lakers player Magic Johnson announcing he tested positive for HIV to the world. 
42 12 "26 Years: The Dewey Bozella Story" Jose Morales   March 15, 2012 (2012-03-15)
Life of Dewey Bozella in his 26 years behind bars, where he found strength and purpose through boxing, becoming the light heavyweight champion of Sing Sing Prison. He made it a goal to be proven innocent and box professionally once he was released.