Original title
30 for 30
Released
10/6/2009
Origin country
US
Genre
Documentary
Production companies
ESPN Films
Status
Returning series
Number of seasons
4
Number of episodes
135
30 for 30 is the title for a series of documentary films airing on ESPN, its sister networks, and online highlighting interesting people and events in sports history. This currently includes four "volumes" of 30 episodes each, a 13-episode series under the ESPN Films Presents title in 2011–2012, and a series of 30 for 30 Shorts shown through the ESPN.com website. The series has also expanded to include Soccer Stories, which aired in advance of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and audio podcasts. This entry refers to the main Volumes of the series presented by ESPN
An interview with Pete Rose, Major League Baseball's all-time hits leader, at The Forum Shops at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace, where he signs autographs and memorabilia while store employees act as barkers to lure shoppers into the store.
A look at how a young Arnold Schwarzenegger's compulsory service in the Austrian Army played a critical role in his path to international bodybuilding fame.
The career of Alfred Slote, an author of sports-oriented children's books (Jake being his personal favorite) whose interest was not so much the games played but the drama that the characters encountered.
An exploration into the history, mystery, and industry surrounding "The Arnold Palmer", the lemonade-and-iced tea beverage created by the same-named golfing legend that has become a fixture of nineteenth hole lore and American leisure.
The efforts of Muhammad Ali to negotiate with Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein for the release of U.S. civilians taken hostage after Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
The style evolution of New York Knicks player and broadcaster Walt Frazier, from his cool-as-ice look in the 1970s to his use of vibrant colors and patterns today.
The story of the rare and valuable T206 Honus Wagner baseball card—over a century old and valued in the millions of dollars—and the myths and realities that surround it.
During the summer of 2012, a secret meeting took place among the 12 members of the 1972 U.S. men's Olympic basketball team. Reuniting more than four decades after the controversial gold-medal game in which they lost to the Soviet Union and then declined to accept the silver medal, the team members met in Lexington, Kentucky, to make a final decision: to accept, or forever refuse, the medals for a game many of them believe they never lost. And, like with the jury in 12 Angry Men, the verdict needed to be unanimous.
John Tuggle, the 1983 NFL draft's Mr. Irrelevant, was anything but irrelevant to legendary coach Bill Parcells. The normally tough and gruff coach will guide us on an emotional journey as he recounts his own rookie season as the head coach of the New York Giants and the year he came to know this very special athlete who made his team against all odds. But only one year later, a rare and unbeatable form of cancer would change both John's and Coach Parcells' destinies leaving behind a lasting impact on teammates and the life of the coach who understands just how fragile life can be.
Clint Malarchuk was the "Cowboy Goalie." He grew up riding horses with a severe childhood OCD problem. He would ultimately go down in hockey history for suffering one of the most gruesome injuries in sports when he severed his carotid artery by an opposing player's skate blade. "Cutthroat," will cover the injury, his remarkable physical recovery in under two weeks and his grueling emotional and mental one.
An intimate, funny and compelling take on the unique relationship and shared legacy of Tommy John, the chatty Indiana lefty who won nearly 300 Major League games, and Dr. Frank Jobe, the unassuming L.A. orthopedist who conceived and performed a revolutionary elbow operation on John in 1974.
Rarely seen archival footage and interviews with people who lived and worked with Wilt Chamberlain give a fascinating glimpse into the basketball star's experiences in the Borscht Belt during its heyday.
Johnnie Ashe tells of a personal sacrifice: After finishing a tour of service in the Vietnam War, Johnnie, a U.S. Marine, volunteers to serve another tour in place of his older brother, Army 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Ashe. Johnnie's selfless move allows Arthur to continue his budding tennis career.
The intriguing life and tragic death of businessman Donald Aronow, a prominent name in the world of powerboat racing.
Using only a computer, a pencil and paper, and cooperation, the husband-and-wife duo of Henry and Holly Stephenson spent almost a quarter-century creating Major League Baseball's season schedule.
Beginning with stealing a player's warm-up outfit and posing as a player at the 1979 NBA All-Star Game, Barry Bremen begins a playful run fulfilling the average sports fan's ultimate fantasy, sneaking into the fields of play to pose as players, golfers, game officials, and even a cheerleader.
Security guard Richard Jewell received praise in the aftermath of a bombing during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta when he helped clear the area and found the bag that contained the pipe bomb. Praise turned into loss of honor when Jewell was wrongfully accused of planting the bomb in the ensuing investigation.
The battle between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to trade for Alex Rodriguez during the 2003–2004 baseball offseason.
Player Bo Ellis designs a rebellious, nonconformist jersey that would exemplify the Al McGuire-era Marquette men's basketball team.
How the Harlem Globetrotters became unlikely ambassadors during the Cold War when they played a series of games in Moscow in 1959.
A profile of Shawn Bradley, a 7-foot-6 center who spent the majority of his NBA career on the wrong end of epic dunks (the kind usually found on posters), and how he went from a bust on the basketball court to a superstar off of it.
The story behind the iconic, multicolored basketball court Robert Indiana designed for the MECCA Arena, home to the Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette Warriors until 1988, and how one Bucks fan used his family's credit card to rescue the floor from the scrap heap.
When L.A. Dodger Dusty Baker hit his 30th home run of the 1977 season, the first man to greet him at home plate was his friend and teammate, rookie Glenn Burke. Overcome with happiness, Burke did the first thing that came to mind—he put his hand straight in the air and had Baker slap it, thus in fact creating the high five gesture.
A team from The Bronx makes it to the 2001 Little League World Series, only to be disqualified when pitcher Danny Almonte is revealed to be two years too old to play in Little League.
A profile of the mental side of sports focuses on Mackey Sasser, a talented catcher who suddenly couldn't perform the routine task of throwing the ball back to the pitcher, and how confronting boyhood traumas helped in his mental recovery.
Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jimmy Johnson recalls the team's October 1989 trade of Herschel Walker to the Minnesota Vikings, as well as the roster maneuvers involving the players the Cowboys received in return that laid the foundations for the team's success in the 1990s.
A look inside the mindset of legendary Boston Bruins enforcer John Wensink, who endeared himself to fans when he infamously challenged the entire Minnesota North Stars bench to a fight, and the journey his life took following his playing career.
A look at the 1976 Muhammad Ali/Ken Norton fight at Yankee Stadium. The fight's controversial decision is only part of the story, as gang activity and theft in the wake of a NYPD strike was happening right outside the stadium's gates.
Growing up in Hawaii, Reggie Ho always thought he would follow his father's footsteps into medicine, yet he becomes a crucial contributor to Notre Dame's undefeated 1988 season as a walk-on player.
Dr. Robert Cade, a renowned kidney specialist at the University of Florida, leads a research team that develops a drink designed to help replenish body fluids lost by the school's football team – a "magic elixir" that would later be called Gatorade.
A look at the issue of the cryogenic preservation of Ted Williams' body.
Kevin Von Erich was part of a legendary wrestling family (he and fellow brothers David, Mike, Chris, and Kerry). The only surviving brother (the other four were lost to drug addiction or suicide), Kevin now finds peace living off the grid in a remote part of Hawaii.
A recollection of how the Princeton Tigers, a heavy underdog, nearly defeated top-seeded Georgetown in the first round of the 1989 NCAA Tournament, a game that would forever change March Madness.
For Sports Illustrated's April 1, 1985, issue, George Plimpton profiled Sidd Finch, a highly eccentric New York Mets prospect who could throw a fastball at an unheard-of 168 mph... and who was a product of Plimpton's imagination. On the 30th anniversary of the April Fools hoax, the surviving people responsible are profiled, including the Illinois middle-school teacher who posed as Finch for SI.
Aiming to satirize the loveable team mascot craze of the late 1970s and early 1980s, the 1984 San Francisco Giants introduce an "anti-mascot" named "Crazy Crab". With fans encouraged to take the "anti-" literally, Crazy Crab and the actor playing him, Wayne Doba, endure verbal and physical abuse over the course of the Giants' last-place season.
Already a proven broadcasting and sports executive, as well as an America's Cup-winning yachtsman, Ted Turner enters and skippers Tenacious in the 1979 Fastnet yachting race. Here, Turner and Tenacious's crew recall the harrowing race, an event marred by a deadly storm in the Celtic Sea.
The story of Moe Berg, a 15-year veteran of Major League Baseball who went on to become a World War II spy for the United States.
How seeing the treatment of her intellectually disabled sister propelled Eunice Kennedy Shriver to create the Special Olympics.
A profile of Kansas City Chiefs star Joe Delaney, whose reputation for helping others lasted until his drowning death in 1983, when he attempted to save the lives of three boys in a Louisiana pond (though he himself could not swim).
A look at President George W. Bush's ceremonial first pitch at New York's Yankee Stadium prior to Game 3 of the 2001 World Series, just seven weeks after the September 11 attacks in the city.
Though the 1979 Pirates thrilled Pittsburgh with a World Series win, many of their stars succumbed to the lure of cocaine, leading to baseball's first major drug scandal.
A mid-season visit to Kansas City by South Korean native and avid Royals fan Lee Sung-woo is followed by a Royals' surge to the 2014 playoffs. With the team in the World Series, an attempt is made by two Royals fans to bring their "good-luck charm" from Seoul back to KC.
The story of Joy Johnson, who took up running at age 59 after raising four children and went on to run 25 New York City Marathons.
The story behind the Chattanooga Heroes Fund, started by University of Tennessee alum Peyton Manning to benefit the families of the service members and police officers who were killed or wounded in a July 2015 shooting incident in Chattanooga.
A look at the life and legacy of late Philadelphia Eagles owner Leonard Tose.
How diver Greg Louganis dealt with two different pressures surrounding him at the 1988 Olympics—his attempt to defend his double gold medal performance from 1984 and the discovery of his HIV-positive status prior to the Games.
The story of Friedman's, an Atlanta shoe store that specialized in really big (think size 22), really expensive shoes for the six-foot-something athlete.
The story of how the Indiana Pacers avoided financial ruin by holding a telethon in the summer of 1977.
A look at the life of Pete Weber, the self-declared "bad boy of bowling" and the sport's first rock star.
A 16-year-old Yup'ik Eskimo leaves his tiny village and travels across the frozen tundra to compete in an all-Yup'ik basketball tournament and bring pride to his village.
The last consolation game in the NCAA Tournament, held in 1981 between LSU and Virginia, was overshadowed by the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan earlier that day, and also by a postgame comment about Reagan by LSU star Rudy Macklin that haunted him for years.
When Patrick Q. F. Barr found a discarded golf club in the trash, he decided to save it and play street golf in New York City using paper milk cartons stuffed with newspaper, earning him the nickname, "Tiger Hood".
How Elvis Presley became a racquetball enthusiast in the final years of his life, going so far as to build a court at his mansion and proposing a chain of racquetball centers.
The lasting legacy of the 1970 Kentucky Derby has nothing to do with the winner, Dust Commander. Its true impact came from the assignment that Scanlan's Monthly gave to a 32-year-old writer from Louisville named Hunter S. Thompson.
While A. C. Green is well-known for his basketball talents (winning 3 NBA titles with the "Showtime"-era Lakers and playing in a league-record 1,192 consecutive games), he is also known for abiding by his Christian beliefs and remaining celibate throughout his entire NBA career.
How Japanese thoroughbred Haru Urara, who never won a race in her career, became a symbol of hope to her country and saved the racetrack where she was based.
A look back at the aftermath of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, focusing specifically on the removal of Joe Paterno's statue from the campus and the design of its replacement.
It's a long way from Bucharest, Romania to Norman, Oklahoma, and it's been a long time since the 1976 Olympics, where Nadia Comăneci scored seven perfect 10s on her way to three gold medals.
The story of Alexis Argüello, legendary in Nicaragua as both one of the greatest boxers of the 20th century and a political figure.
How jai alai went from drawing crowds of thousands in Miami in the 1970s and 1980s to being fortunate to draw 100 a match today.
A look back at the college career of Gordie Lockbaum, who became a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist in the 1980s at Division I-AA Holy Cross as a figurative throwback to an earlier era of football, sometimes participating in more than 80% of his team's plays (offense and defense) in a given game.
The story of Greg Marino, master forger and target of a 1990s FBI investigation known as Operation Bullpen.
How a team of U.S. Marshals lured more than 100 fugitives to arrest through an offer of free Washington Redskins game tickets.
Examining the heroics of high school football player Zaevion Dobson that lead to his death.
Wally Blasé is assigned to oversee Chicago Bull Dennis Rodman's knee rehab. What followed was 10 days of jet-setting, brushes with celebrity, a lifelong friendship between Blasé and Rodman — and the Bulls' 5th NBA title.
Victoria Arlen had it all as a young girl—athletic talent and a loving family—until falling into a coma at age 11. When she awakened three years later, she was literally trapped in her body, unable to communicate that she was still there. With the help of family and therapy, she came out of her prison unable to walk... but could still swim, all the way to one gold and three silver medals at the 2012 Paralympics. But she wasn't done yet, enrolling in a program called Project Walk—and ending up as a contestant on Dancing with the Stars.
Chronicles the anxiety experienced by Felix Baumgartner during the lead-up to his ultimately successful attempt to become the first human to break the sound barrier without the benefit of engine power.
The story of Mack Beggs and his desire to compete in boys' wrestling in Texas, even though state interscholastic officials, who recognized him as female (Beggs is a trans male), forced him to compete in girls' competitions.
The story of Native American baseball player Louis Sockalexis and his impact on the sport.
The fight of Sacramento and its mayor Kevin Johnson to keep the Kings from moving to Seattle. Episode pulled before airing, intended to be Season 03 Episode 03.
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.
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 stayed behind to help promote the eventual return of the NFL to the city.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The racial and cultural evolution of Miami during the 1980s as represented within the University of Miami football team.
The impact of Indiana Pacer Reggie Miller on the New York Knicks in the 1990s, specifically focusing on the Pacers/Knicks battles in the 1994 and 1995 NBA Playoffs and on Miller's interaction with Knicks fan Spike Lee.
A profile of Paul Westhead's coaching tenure at Loyola Marymount University (1985–1990), where his Lions' team was known for its high-scoring run-and-gun offense, use of talented players such as Bo Kimble and Hank Gathers, and a pall cast by Gathers's on-court death in 1990.
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.
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.
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.
How hosting (and winning) the 1995 Rugby World Cup, combined with Nelson Mandela's support of the Springboks national team, affected post-apartheid South Africa.
The relationship between the Raiders and the minority fan base in Los Angeles during the team's 13 seasons in L.A.
Quick-cut archival footage captures the various US sporting events on the day in question and the emotions they generated, including the opening of the World Cup soccer tournament, the Knicks/Rockets NBA Finals, Arnold Palmer's last round in the U.S. Open, and the New York Rangers' Stanley Cup victory celebration. One event, however, overshadows them all: O. J. Simpson's run from the police.
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 deaths of both men. (2 hours in length)
The life of Mat Hoffman and his 25-year career of advancing, in creative and promotional avenues, BMX riding.
Motivated by the dream his late father had for him, Michael Jordan retires from basketball and has a brief career in minor league baseball.
A look at 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.
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.
A look at the rivalry and friendship between tennis legends Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova.
The legacy of George Steinbrenner's ownership of the New York Yankees.
Terry Fox's attempt to run 5,373 kilometres (3,339 mi) across Canada in support of fundraising for cancer research captures the attention of his fellow Canadians and the world.
The remarkable comeback of the Boston Red Sox against the New York Yankees in the 2004 ALCS.
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)
The career of NASCAR driver Tim Richmond, his flamboyant lifestyle, and his 1989 death from AIDS.
The euphoria created by Fernando Valenzuela's 1981 arrival with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The successful track and field career of Marion Jones, her 2007 admission of performance-enhancing drug use, and subsequent prison sentence.
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 pursuit by college and USFL teams changed the recruiting process. (2 hours in length)
The rise, fall, and rebirth of the SMU Mustangs football program, which received a 1-year "death penalty" for major infractions after former SMU player David Stanley blew the whistle on the long-suspected program. Patrick Duffy, known for starring in TV's Dallas at the time of the scandal, narrates. (2 hours in length)
An exploration of the road to fortune in sports and the eventual detours (for various reasons) to financial difficulties and bankruptcy, as experienced by top athletes including Leon Searcy, Andre Rison, Keith McCants, Bernie Kosar, and Cliff Floyd.
A profile of the Men's 100-meter final at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the lives of the eight men who participated, including Ben Johnson (whose world record of 9.79 seconds was annulled after he tested positive for anabolic steroids) and Carl Lewis (who was awarded the gold medal after Johnson's disqualification).
The story of one fan's obsessive quest to purchase, at a 2010 auction, James Naismith's original rules of basketball, perhaps the most important historical document in American sports history, and to bring it "home" to Lawrence, Kansas, where Naismith taught and coached at the University of Kansas for 39 years. (70 mins in length)
The life of Ben Wilson, a well-regarded Chicago high school basketball star, and how his November 1984 murder (one day before the start of his senior season) had a wide-ranging impact.
Mississippi native Wright Thompson explores tumultuous events of 1962, when the University of Mississippi campus both erupted in violence over integration and swelled with pride over its unbeaten football team, and how those incidents continue to shape the state 50 years later. (60 mins in length)
A profile of Bo Jackson and how his college and professional feats in two sports (baseball and football) captured the public's imagination and made Jackson a cultural (and marketing) icon.
A look at the NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team's successful and improbable championship runs through the 1983 ACC and the 1983 NCAA tournaments. (2 hrs in length)
A look at the 1983 NFL Draft and the six quarterbacks taken in its first round, specifically John Elway (the first overall pick) and Dan Marino (the last QB picked in Round 1). The film features the recollections of Martin Demoff, the agent for both Elway and Marino, who shares a personal diary he kept to chronicle teams' interest in his two future-Hall of Fame clients. This includes the indecision the Baltimore Colts had with drafting Elway with the first pick or trading it away, and how Marino's selection status plummeted after recording weaker senior year statistics and rumors of recreational drug use.
A chronicling of the life of Eddie Aikau, a big wave surfer and lifeguard whose death served as inspiration to an entire spiritual movement.
The story of the colorful figures who made up the American Basketball Association's Spirits of St. Louis, and how Spirits owners Ozzie and Daniel Silna, with their team about to be left out in the ABA's merger with the NBA, managed to negotiate a deal that allowed the brothers' involvement in pro basketball to continue in a most unusual fashion. (60 mins in length)
An inside look at the two boxing matches between Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Durán in the 1980s, with insight from boxing experts, family members and the two fighters themselves.
The story of how young businessman John Spano struck a deal to purchase the New York Islanders in 1996, only to be later revealed as a fraud and being near financial insolvency.
The story of a 39-year-old Jimmy Connors and his unexpected and extraordinary underdog run at the 1991 US Open, where he played as a wildcard entrant and reached the semifinals of the men's singles draw.
A profile of Bernard King and Ernie Grunfeld, their decades-long friendship, and their on-court partnership on the University of Tennessee basketball team, better known as the "Ernie and Bernie Show".
The stories of two Ohio State football figures connected with Youngstown, Ohio, running back Maurice Clarett (a native of the city) and coach Jim Tressel (former head coach at Youngstown State University), their football exploits at OSU (including a national championship in 2002), and their scandalous exits from the school. (2 hours in length)
A profile of a January 6, 1994, incident at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, where an unknown attacker strikes entrant Nancy Kerrigan — an assailant that is later revealed to be a hit man hired by the ex-husband of Kerrigan's rival, Tonya Harding, as part of a plan to prevent Kerrigan from competing in the 1994 Winter Olympics.
A recollection of the original Big East Conference, from its simple beginnings and regional rivalries to its national prominence as one of the most successful college basketball leagues, and how it ended up fighting for its survival in the 2010s during conference realignment.
A look back at the Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Narrated by rapper Kid Rock, a native of nearby Romeo, Michigan. (2 hours in length)
An examination of the competitive nature that teammates Greg LeMond and Bernard Hinault exhibited in the 1986 Tour de France; a film based on Richard Moore's book of the same name.
How Mafia associate Henry Hill orchestrated a point-shaving scheme involving Boston College basketball. Narrated by Ray Liotta, who portrayed Hill in Goodfellas.
A 25-year retrospective of the Loma Prieta earthquake, which struck just before the scheduled start of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series.
A look back at the New York Knicks' championship teams of the 1970s.
Former linebacker Brian Bosworth unveils a storage locker to his son Max that contains memorabilia from his college and brief professional career. The elder Bosworth reflects on his life and career, making note of a emerging second persona, The Boz, that had begun to subsume his life.
The story of Liván and Orlando Hernández, half-brothers who fled Cuba separately and became successful major-league pitchers.
An exploration of former NFL receiver Randy Moss and his humble (and humbling) origins in Rand, West Virginia.
A sequel to The U profiles the Miami Hurricanes football program and its rise from scandal (and calls for the school to drop the sport) to a national championship, only to see new controversy after booster Nevin Shapiro is revealed to have given improper benefits to the program.
An exploration of the Miracle on Ice from the point of view of the defeated Soviet Union team. The film features defenseman Viacheslav Fetisov returning to Lake Placid to recollect his team's defeat.
A look at the life and basketball career of Christian Laettner and the intense dislike some fans still harbor for the former Duke University and NBA star.
A profile of Sonny Vaccaro, who rose from steel town roots in Pennsylvania to become an influential force in both basketball and the athletic shoe industry.
The story of Nick Piantanida, a New Jersey pet store owner and truck driver whose love of parachuting and skydiving puts him on a quest to break the record for the highest recorded parachute jump.
A profile of the rise and fall of USC Trojans football during Pete Carroll's coaching tenure in the 2000s.
An exploration of the turbulent relationship between Olympic wrestling brothers Mark and Dave Schultz and their eccentric benefactor, John du Pont, culminating in the murder of Dave by du Pont.
A look at how Bill McCartney mixed two religions—college football and evangelical Christianity—while serving as head coach of the Colorado Buffaloes in the 1990s, a tenure that included a national championship.
A look at how Evander Holyfield spent years (1989–91 & 1995–96) trying to arrange his first fight with Mike Tyson in an effort to gain the respect he knew he could only gain by defeating Tyson in the ring.
A profile of the Buffalo Bills teams of the early 1990s, when the franchise became the first team to play in—and lose—four consecutive Super Bowls.
A 30-year retrospective on the 1985 Chicago Bears, from how they were assembled to their swaggering, dominant run to Super Bowl victory.
A 10-year retrospective of the Duke lacrosse case, in which a party thrown by members of the school's men's lacrosse team led to an accusation of rape—a claim that, though later proven to be false, ignited both a firestorm that damaged the school's prestige and an investigation that ruined careers.
A profile of the Orlando Magic teams of the mid-1990s, led by Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway, who gained prominence both on the NBA hardwoods and in popular culture, before Shaq's departure to the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency and injury issues for Penny ended the Magic's budding dynasty before it could ever take flight.[62]
A look at the sports curse that befell Cleveland since the NFL's Browns last brought a major pro sports championship to the Ohio city in 1964. The film debuted one month before LeBron James and the Cavaliers' won the 2016 NBA Finals, after which the film was re-released with an updated ending on June 30, 2016.[64]
The connection between the lives and careers of former New York Mets Dwight "Doc" Gooden and Darryl Strawberry.
A profile of the iconic Houston Cougars men's basketball teams of the 1980s, fronted by Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, whose explosive play and highlight-making slam dunks earned the team the nickname Phi Slama Jama.
A look at John Daly's rise from obscurity to two major golf championship wins and fall back to mediocrity.
A look at the notorious 1988 Notre Dame–Miami football game and its personal and cultural impact. Creadon was a senior at Notre Dame when the game took place; his roommate that year was one of the people behind the controversial t-shirt that gave the game and the film its name. (2 hours in length)
Two longtime friends, pro wrestling impresario Vince McMahon and NBC Sports president Dick Ebersol (Charlie Ebersol's father), team to form the XFL; the film follows the league's rushed development, its innovative approaches to televised football, and its rapid implosion. The ending foreshadows McMahon's plans to launch a new XFL in 2020 and the Ebersols' upcoming involvement in the competing Alliance of American Football in 2019.
The life and career of John Calipari, one of the most polarizing figures in modern college basketball, weaving his story around that of his 2015–16 Kentucky team.
A three-part series, initially airing on consecutive nights, exploring the Celtics–Lakers rivalry, focusing mainly on the 1980s era of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson but also examining the entire history of the NBA through the rivalry. (Parts 1 & 3: 2 hours in length; Part 2: 1 hour in length)
The Celtics-Lakers rivalry ramps up in the 1984 Finals as a cast of characters–led by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson–who changed the NBA finally went head-to-head for a title. Directed by Jim Podhoretz and produced by Jonathan Hock.
Conclusion of a look at the 1980s Celtics-Lakers rivalry, focusing on the three years after the 1984 NBA Finals, as the teams’ disdain for each other gradually turns to respect while meeting in two more Finals. From filmmakers Jim Podhoretz and Jon Hock.
The careers of Mike Francesa and Chris Russo, their stormy 19-year partnership on New York City radio; and the duo's influence on their Big Apple audience and sports talk radio in general.
George Best, Northern Ireland's legendary star, remains one of the most naturally gifted soccer players ever. Best's skill and exuberance lifted Manchester United, but his career was essentially over before he turned 29, the result of his battle with alcoholism.
In any other year, the 1988 team from Dallas's Carter High School would have gone down as one of the greatest in Texas football history, featuring 28 players who received college scholarship offers, eight of whom would eventually play professional football. Fighting off racial prejudice and a grades controversy—not to mention the team that would overshadow them in book and film (Odessa Permian)—Carter would claim the state title, only to be rocked to their core when six of their players were involved in an armed robbery that's affected the community's reputation to this day; the grades controversy would ultimately lead the UIL to strip the team of the title.
During the 1987 players' strike, the Washington Redskins field a roster of replacement players that goes 3–0 and helps pave the way for the Redskins' Super Bowl victory. Thirty years on, those players bear the stigma of being dismissed as "scabs" by fans in general and Redskins management in particular.
The unlikely rise and sudden fall of boxer Tommy Morrison.
The life and times of professional wrestling legend Ric Flair.
A look at the relationship between NFL coaches Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick. Co-produced with NFL Films.
The saga surrounding Indiana University firing coach Bob Knight in 2000.
The life of NFL legend Junior Seau, from his upbringing in a Samoan immigrant family, through his path to NFL superstardom and status as a league icon, ending in his seemingly inexplicable suicide in 2012.
A chronicle of Buster Douglas's shocking knockout of the then-undefeated Mike Tyson at the Tokyo Dome on February 11, 1990.
A look at Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, focusing specifically on a 24-hour span in 1992 when he sandwiched an NFL game between a pair of Major League Baseball postseason games in cities separated by 1,000 miles.
The highs and lows of Felipe López, born into a family of Dominican immigrants to become a star high school and (at St. John's) collegiate basketball player, and the contentment he finds after a less-than-successful pro career.
How Janet Guthrie faced scorn, skepticism, and subpar equipment to shock the racing world by becoming the first female driver to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.
A look at one of the biggest rivalries in sports, that of competitive eaters Takeru Kobayashi and Joey Chestnut.
The unfettered and definitive look at the life and career of Dennis Rodman.
The hot-and-cold relationship between MMA fighters Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz, from the start of UFC through its rise in popularity and to the present day.
Part 1 of 2. Chronicling the career of quarterback Michael Vick: his incredible rise, shocking fall and polarizing return. After high school in Newport News, Va., Vick led Virginia Tech to a BCS title game and was drafted No. 1 by the Atlanta Falcons. He was also a star who refused to turn his back on the friends who'd been with him since the beginning. Ultimately, that refusal would portend his downfall. Directed by Stanley Nelson.
Part 2 of 2. Chronicling the career of quarterback Michael Vick: his incredible rise, shocking fall and polarizing return. Vick served nearly two years for crimes related to involvement in a dog fighting ring, going from star athlete to national pariah; from one of the most popular players in the NFL and all of sports to a man as ostracized as virtually any public figure in America. Directed by Stanley Nelson.
Part 1. An in-depth look at the rise and fall of cyclist Lance Armstrong, who won seven straight Tour de France titles before being implicated in one of sport's largest doping scandals. Extensive interviews with Armstrong are featured by director Marina Zenovich.
Part 2. An in-depth look at the rise and fall of cyclist Lance Armstrong, who won seven straight Tour de France titles before being implicated in one of sport's largest doping scandals. Extensive interviews with Armstrong are featured by director Marina Zenovich.
An exploration of the life and legacy of Bruce Lee as an acting and martial arts icon.
A look back at the 1998 home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.
Part 1 of 4. The life of South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, from his childhood during the last days of apartheid, to worldwide celebrity as the first double-leg amputee to compete in the able-bodied Olympics, to his conviction for killing his girlfriend.
Part 2 of 4. The life of South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, from his childhood during the last days of apartheid, to worldwide celebrity as the first double-leg amputee to compete in the able-bodied Olympics, to his conviction for killing his girlfriend.
Part 3 of 4. The life of South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, from his childhood during the last days of apartheid, to worldwide celebrity as the first double-leg amputee to compete in the able-bodied Olympics, to his conviction for killing his girlfriend.
Part 4 of 4. The life of South African Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius, from his childhood during the last days of apartheid, to worldwide celebrity as the first double-leg amputee to compete in the able-bodied Olympics, to his conviction for killing his girlfriend.
The story of the Tarahumara, an indigenous community in Mexico, famed for their legendary running ability, and their preference for running barefoot, who inspired an ultrarunning craze across the world, and what's happened as their homes and communities were ravaged by drug cartels and violence.
Using deepfake technology and content from the NFL Films archives, reconstructions of Raiders owner Al Davis and NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle tell the story of their contentious rivalry, in particular Davis's desire to move his team from Oakland to Los Angeles despite the league's objections.
Maya Moore, one of women's basketball's most decorated players, stepped away from her sport to advocate for a man she believed to be wrongly imprisoned—a cause that changed her life in unexpected ways.
An in-depth examination of the 1986 New York Mets.
An in-depth examination of the 1986 New York Mets.
An in-depth examination of the 1986 New York Mets.
An in-depth examination of the 1986 New York Mets.
Chronicling the controversial "tuck rule" decision in a 2001-2002 Raiders-Patriots playoff game that keyed Tom Brady's first postseason win and helped launch a dynasty under coach Bill Belichick. Raiders DB Charles Woodson discusses the play with Brady, with additional interviews with referee Walt Coleman, and others from the game. Directed by Ken Rodgers and Nick Mascolo.
This documentary examines the legendary career of professional golfer Greg Norman, and how it was shaped by one stunning day at the Masters Tournament in 1996.
The documentary examines how 1990s streetball and the And1 Mixtape transformed basketball culture at large. In the late 1990s, a burgeoning young New York City DJ, Set Free, had the idea to set some grainy streetball highlights to a soundtrack of emerging rap music. The results culminated in what came to be known as the And1 Mixtape, a series of VHS tapes that forever transformed the game of basketball.
At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the USA women’s basketball team dominated the competition. Eight wins. Zero losses. Gold medals around their necks. They made it look easy. But that’s barely the start of the real story of the Women’s Dream Team. Because the truth about how the team came together, and what they endured on their grueling 14-month road leading up to the Olympics, is one of the most unlikely and most complicated tales told in sports history.
At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the USA women’s basketball team dominated the competition. Eight wins. Zero losses. Gold medals around their necks. They made it look easy. But that’s barely the start of the real story of the Women’s Dream Team. Because the truth about how the team came together, and what they endured on their grueling 14-month road leading up to the Olympics, is one of the most unlikely and most complicated tales told in sports history.
At the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, the USA women’s basketball team dominated the competition. Eight wins. Zero losses. Gold medals around their necks. They made it look easy. But that’s barely the start of the real story of the Women’s Dream Team. Because the truth about how the team came together, and what they endured on their grueling 14-month road leading up to the Olympics, is one of the most unlikely and most complicated tales told in sports history.
Jeanette Lee is an Asian-American billiards player who brought strength, sex appeal and skill to pool halls around the world; after her recent cancer diagnosis, Lee looks back on her storied career and opens up about her life.
They were arguably the most dominating defensive team in NFL history – and perhaps the most entertaining club that pro football has ever seen. A behemoth on the field that turned into, literally, one of the classic shows of the reality television era. Now, a little more than two decades after one extraordinary season etched their legacy for all time, the documentary tells the story of a Super Bowl champion for the ages.
Part 1 of 2. The cast and crew of American Gladiators look back on the iconic 90s series which pitted "amateur" contestants against professional "gladiators." It was "part sports, part game show, but all American."
Part 2 of 2. The cast and crew of American Gladiators look back on the iconic 90s series which pitted "amateur" contestants against professional "gladiators." It was "part sports, part game show, but all American."
A multi-part film chronicling the colorful life of basketball Hall Of Famer and Grateful Dead superfan Bill Walton.
Bill was part of UCLA’s 88-game winning streak but when it ended,it devastated him. Despite injuries early in the NBA, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Bill Walton was at the top of his game for the Blazers and his play would earn him an MVP, even as he went up against legends like Kareem.
The decision to leave the Trail Blazers was tough for Bill and a failed stint at the Clippers would lead him to team up with the legendary Larry Bird.
The story of the 1997 Heisman Trophy race and the now-legendary players who vied for the honor of College Football's best player award that season.
A portrait of legendary NFL defensive lineman, Reggie White, who constantly strived to "do right" but found that sometimes there is no easy answer as to what 'right' means.
On June 15, 2011, the Canucks' Game 7 Stanley Cup Finals loss to the Boston Bruins sparks a massive riot in downtown Vancouver. Police cars are overturned and burned, windows are shattered, stores are looted, and waves of young people are caught up in the mayhem.
Butch Reynolds was one of the biggest track and field stars in the world, a talent in his prime on top of his sport. But when he took a drug test in Monaco in the summer of 1990, his career was upended, and his life was forever changed.
A history of Call of Duty clan turned esports organization FaZe Clan and their numerous tumultuous events throughout their decade-plus existence.
A profile of Michael Chang, a Taiwanese-American tennis professional, and his 1989 French Open title win, including his upset over Ivan Lendl.
A look at content creators Dude Perfect, going over their dramatic rise and the sacrifices they went through in the realm of sports-themed entertainment.
Ramón Torres confronts a deception within the Spanish basketball ID team he captained at the 2000 Summer Paralympics: Many of his teammates were revealed to not actually have intellectual disabilities (and were stripped of their gold-medal win as a result).
A nostalgic look back at the sensational defensive line of the 1980s New York Jets. This group of larger-than-life personalities not only terrorized quarterbacks but also captivated an entire city with their flamboyant style and relentless drive.
Tells the story of New York City's distinctive skateboarding culture of the 1990s, which spawned the global brand Supreme and continues to impact the skate scene to this day.
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