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What ESPN films would you like to see made?


Krz

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Illinois vs. Arizona in 2005 would merit a shorter 30 for 30.  The Patrick Kane scandal absolutely deserves a documentary.  There have already been a few made by various groups, but someday I'd like a thoroughly in-depth and lengthy documentary about the Penn State/Sandusky stuff.  It wouldn't likely be made by ESPN, but still.

 

The Bears 2014 season under Marc Trestman could be meaty.  Locker room was falling apart, Brandon Marshall being a horse's ass, Aaron Kromer selling out Cutler at halftime to the press, the weirdness of Phil Emery, and so on.  I wish that team had the All or Nothing crew with them.  Could've made for fascinating, depressing theater.

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I have often thought that there should be a film about Ron Luciano.  He was such a brilliant presence in the American League.  And then, when he retired from umpiring, he wrote several very funny books.  (I often quote the anecdote in one of the books about a catcher who was arguing over a pitch to Rod Carew that Luciano had called a ball.  Luciano reports that he admonished the catcher by saying "If Mr. Carew doesn't swing, that means it's a ball.")  But, tragically, Luciano later killed himself.  It is now so heartbreaking to see the delightful clips of this man who, to all outward apperances, was full of joy, but who must have been suffering from serious inner turmoil.   The public never found out the source of Luciano's psychic pain, though many people have a guess about what it might have been.  This engaging person deserves a serious biographic treatment.

 

On a less morbid note, I have always wondered what happened with Jerry Tarkanian and the Spurs.  How could such a seasoned professional have flopped so thoroughly so quickly?  I'd like to see a documentary about that.

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I’ve got plenty of ideas. They fall into a few categories.

 

True crime:

- the murder of Melissa James by bodybuilders Craig Titus and Kelly Ryan

- Art Schlichter, NFL bust turned con man

- Hardbody Harrison’s sex slavery ring (it might be better as a Dark Side of the Ring)

- the bizarre tale of boxer Tim “Doc” Anderson and Elvis Parker

Team and town stories:

- 2012-13 Louisville Cardinals

- the 2008 Rays’ rise from the pit

- the creation of the ‘90s Packers

- the 1985-86 Rockets

- baseball’s race to Tampa Bay in the ‘80s and ‘90s

 

Individuals:

- Ben Cousins, former Aussie Rules great turned severe meth addict

- Albert Belle, controversy and just overall dickishness

- Larry Doby, first African-American in the AL

- Keith Hernandez, reflecting on his past

 

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Now that enough time has passed, maybe something about the fallout from the 2010s College Athletics Realignment? "It All Started in Lincoln" Really, it ought to be "It All Started in Austin" because the Big 8 made the mistake of not treating the Texas schools like refugees. They crashed their conference, they're the ones who should have to compromise. Instead, the Big 8 kowtowed to Texas. And now the Big 12 looks to go the way of the Southwest Conference. Glad my Tigers got out while the gettin was good.

 

I'm :censored: at titles.

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Kansas State Football.

 

It would start with the success the program had under HC's Bo McMillin and Lynn "Pappy" Waldorf in the 20's and early-30's. Then, it would talk about Waldorf's departure for Northwestern after one year (1934), and how he went to the College Football HOF (and the K-State program went into the dust, with just a handful of winning seasons from 1935-88).

 

That would set the stage for November 1988, and the hiring of Bill Snyder.

 

I would spend some time on that, especially the fan reaction (there is an article online where some K-State fans and alumni talked about their memories of the hiring. One person said something about the new sucker they hired to run the program. Another said something about never getting a standing ovation ever again when Bill was introduced as HC during a men's basketball game) and Bill's first meetings with the players.

 

Here is the article with comments: https://247sports.com/college/kansas-state/Article/K-State-football-coach-Bill-Snyder-celebrates-his-30th-anniversary-at-the-school-with-his-future-in-doubt-125589510/

 

Then, after that, I would get into the year by year rise of the program on the field, concluding with Snyder's legacy.

 

I can't believe that this hasn't been made into a 30 for 30 already. It would be great.

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Because I listen to Crime in Sports and so many of those stories are incredibly dramatic:

 

- the Gracie family tree and all of the craziness within

- the rise and fall of BJ Penn, UFC fighter/cokehead/drunken street fighter

- Kevin “Artie” Stevens’ long journey through addiction

- Anthony Mason’s craziness on and off the court (he likely inspired Biggie’s “I Got a Story to Tell”)

- “Fast” Eddie Johnson and the horrors he brought

 

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The 2009/10 Wizards are the obvious choice here. Gilbert Arenas bringing guns to the locker room after an argument about cards and real life murderer Javaris Crittenton pointing a loaded gun back in response. Caron Butler, with his life story, managing to avoid someone getting shot. Cops getting called in. The Arenas finger guns pregame dance. All in the same locker room with JaVale McGee, Nick Young, Andray Blatche and Deshawn Stevenson. Abe Pollin’s death. “Dodged Bullets”?
 

Zinedine Zidane would best fit the Jordan style “incredible career that’s having an amazing performance in his last tournament” doc, except it would end in the biggest mistake of his career instead of the game winning shot. 

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On 4/21/2020 at 10:02 AM, Red Comet said:

Now that enough time has passed, maybe something about the fallout from the 2010s College Athletics Realignment? "It All Started in Lincoln" Really, it ought to be "It All Started in Austin" because the Big 8 made the mistake of not treating the Texas schools like refugees. They crashed their conference, they're the ones who should have to compromise. Instead, the Big 8 kowtowed to Texas. And now the Big 12 looks to go the way of the Southwest Conference. Glad my Tigers got out while the gettin was good.

 

I'm :censored: at titles.

You could actually start that doc with the 1984 Supreme Court case that broke the NCAA's hold on college football tv contracts since that's the catalyst for all of conference raids. The initial ACC raid on the Big East was really sleazy since the plan was to announce BC, Miami and Syracuse leaving the Big East at a point on the calendar where the Big East would lose their status as a football conference since they'd be under 8 teams. Since no one could keep a secret the plan got outed politicians in Virginia got involved to hold up UVA's vote so VT could replace Syracuse which allowed lawsuits from the Big East and gave them time to line up some new football members. 

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I could list a bunch that only really appeal to me and people who live within 25 miles of me, but in more general terms, I'd love to see a few about:

 

Emergency Goalies in general. I'm fascinated by that whole thing.

The history of The US International University basketball team.

The Super Bowl Halftime Show

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Not sure if this has been done before (and if it has please point me to it), but I'd love to see documentaries about the relocation of the Browns to Baltimore, the whole 2016 LA relocation stuff with the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders, the Hornets' relocation to New Orleans and George Shinn's trial and that disaster, and the 1995 NFL expansion process. Basically anything about controversial relocations/expansions and the process behind them.

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On 4/21/2020 at 9:23 AM, nickp91 said:

The Houston Comets would be great Winning four straight titles to begin the WNBA and then having the league disband the franchise less than a decade later

I want to say ESPN did a story on this but it wasn't a full 30 for 30 production.

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