‘What if I told you that a movie can change the way you look at sports?”

Class Episodes: These documentaries are a part of the Sports Curriculum.

Volume 1

Season 2

44 (1) Broke (79 minutes / Billy Corben, October 2, 2012) 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.

45 (2) 9.79* (79 minutes /Daniel Gordon, October 9, 2012) 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).

46 (3) There’s No Place Like Home (59 minutes /Maura Mandt and Josh Swade, October 16, 2012) 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quest to purchase, at a 2010 auction, James Naismith’s original rules of basketball, perhaps the most important historical document in American sports history, and to bring it “home” to Lawrence, Kansas, where Naismith taught and coached at the University of Kansas for 39 years.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)

47 (4) Benji (59 minutes / Coodie and Chike October 23, 2012) 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.

48 (5) Ghosts of Ole Miss (51 minutes / Fritz Mitchell, October 30, 2012) 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)

49 (6) You Don’t Know Bo (76 minutes /Michael Bonfiglio December 8, 2012) 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.

50 (7) Survive and Advance (101 minutes / Jonathan Hock March 17, 2013) A look at the North Carolina 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)

51 (8) Elway to Marino (77 minutes / Ken Rodgers April 23, 2013) 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 the indecision the Baltimore Colts had with drafting Elway with the first pick or trading it away, as well as the other teams’ interest in his two future-Hall of Fame clients.

52 (9) Hawaiian: The Legend of Eddie Aikau (88 minutes / Sam George October 1, 2013) A chronicling of the life of Eddie Aikau, a big wave surfer and lifeguard whose death served as inspiration to an entire spiritual movement.

53 (10) Free Spirits (51 minutes / Daniel H. Forer October 8, 2013) 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)

54 (11) No Más (77 minutes / Eric Drath October 15, 2013) 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.

55 (12) Big Shot (77 minutes / Kevin Connolly October 22, 2013) 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.

56 (13) This Is What They Want (51 minutes / Brian Koppelman and David Levien October 29, 2013) 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.

57 (14) Bernie and Ernie (51 minutes / Jason Hehir November 5, 2013) 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”.

58 (15) Youngstown Boys (115 minutes / Jeff Zimbalist and Michael Zimbalist December 14, 2013)] 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)

59 (16) The Price of Gold (77 minutes / Nanette Burstein January 16, 2014) 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. Note: The Price of Gold originally went by the title Tonya and Nancy during production.

60 (17) Requiem for the Big East (102 minutes / Ezra Edelman March 16, 2014 1.456[50] 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.

61 (18) Bad Boys (101 minutes / Zak Levitt April 17, 2014) A look back at the Detroit Pistons of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Narrated by rapper Kid Rock, a native of nearby Romeo. (2 hours in length)

62 (19) Slaying the Badger (77 minutes / John Dower July 22, 2014) 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.

63 (20) Playing for the Mob (77 minutes / Joe Lavine and Cayman Grant October 7, 2014) How Mafia associate Henry Hill orchestrated a point-shaving scheme involving Boston College basketball. Narrated by Ray Liotta, who portrayed Hill in Goodfellas. (90 minutes in length)

64 (21) The Day The Series Stopped (51 minutes / Ryan Fleck October 14, 2014) A 25-year retrospective of the Loma Prieta earthquake, which struck just before the scheduled start of Game 3 of the 1989 World Series.

65 22 When The Garden Was Eden (77 minutes / Michael Rapaport October 21, 2014 N/A A look back at the New York Knicks’ championship teams of the 1970s.

66 23 Brian and The Boz  (51 minutes / Thaddeus D. Matula October 28, 2014 N/A The rise, fall, and post-football life of Brian Bosworth.

67 24 Brothers in Exile (77 minutes / Mario Diaz and MLB Productions November 4, 2014[c] N/A The story of Liván and Orlando Hernández, half-brothers who fled Cuba separately and became successful major-league pitchers.

68 25 Rand University  Documentary about former Patriot Randy Moss. Great to show during New England Patriots Unit. (51 minutes /Marquis Daisy November 11, 2014 N/A An exploration of former NFL receiver Randy Moss and his humble (and humbling) origins in Rand, West Virginia.

69 26 The U Part 2 (102 minutes / Billy Corben December 13, 2014 N/A 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.

70 27 Of Miracles and Men 77 minutes / Jonathan Hock February 8, 2015 N/A An exploration of the Miracle on Ice from the point of view of the defeated Soviet Union team.

71 28 I Hate Christian Laettner 77 minutes / Rory Karpf March 15, 2015 2.319[52] 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.

72 29 Sole Man 77 minutes / Jon Weinbach and Dan Marks April 16, 2015 N/A 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. 73 30 Angry Sky Jeff Tremaine July 30, 2015[b] N/A

Angry Sky 77 minutes /

Volume 3

Disc 01

Kings Ransom (49:23) In 1988, the Edmonton Oilers traded Wayne Gretzky to the L.A. Kings and with the stroke of a pen changed the game forever.

The Band that Wouldn’t Die (1:34:13): In 1984, moving vans secretly packed the Baltimore Colts’ belongings and moved them out of town, leaving a city of fans in disbelief.

Small Potatoes: Who killed the USFL? In 1983, the United States Football League challenged the almighty NFL, but after a respectable start, was forced to go out of business.

Disc 02

Muhammad and Larry: With three heavyweight titles, why did Muhammad Ali fight Larry Holmes for a fourth in 1980? What was left for Ali to prove?

Without Bias When Len Bias dropped dead two days after the ’86 NBA Draft, he forever altered our perception of casual drug use. From potential NBA star to cautionary tale.

The Legend of Jimmy The Greek When CBS added him as an “analyst” on “The NFL Today,” “The Greek” gained an air of respectability never before associated with gamblers.

Disc 03

The U In the 1980s, America was shifting racially and culturally. The University of Miami football team was a microcosm for this evolution. (Fall)

Winning Time: Miller vs. The Knicks The New York Knicks solidified Reggie Miller as Public Enemy No. 1 during the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Disc 04

Guru of Go Paul Westhead wanted to perfect his shoot-first offense at Loyola Marymount. Players Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble gave him the chance.

No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson In 1993, 17-year-old Allen Iverson went bowling in Hampton, Va. What followed ended with the teen in jail and divided a city along racial lines. (Lots of Language)

Disc 05

Silly Little Game Fantasy Sports is a $4 billion industry, but for all of its success, the story of the game’s inception is little known.

Run Ricky Run Ricky Williams recorded himself during his year away from football and beyond. This is the misunderstood athlete’s story in his own words.

The 16th Man A year after South Africa ended apartheid, the nearly-all-white ruby team hosted the Rugby World Cup and Nelson Mandela was their biggest fan.

Disc 06

Straight Outta L.A. In 1982, the Raiders and owner Al Davis captivated black and Latino fans with swagger and charisma that matched the rapidly changing city.

June 17th, 1994 The LAPD chased O.J. Simpson on June 17th, 1994. On the same day a number of unrelated sports occurrences took place.

Disc 07

The Two Escobars Two Escobars uplifted the Colombian soccer team from obscurity. Andre Escobar: team captain. Pablo Escobar: drug lord in the shadows.

The Birth of Big Air Mat Hoffman is one of the pioneers of BMX. His motivation is neither money nor fame; it’s the purity of the sport.

Disc 08

Jordan Rides the Bus The real reason why Michael Jordan quit basketball to play Double-A baseball and subjected himself to what mortal athletes go through daily.

Little Big Men In 1982, the Kirkland, Wash., team played in the Little League World Series Championship. America was facing troubled times and looking for inspiration.

One Night in Vegas Mike Tyson and Tupac Shakur were good friends. In 1996, they were to celebrate after Tyson’s title win, but Shakur never made it.

Disc 09

Unmatched Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova were fierce tennis rivals in the 1970s and 1980s, but through it all they forged an unbreakable friendship.

The House of Steinbrenner A shipbuilder named George Steinbrenner bought the sagging Yankees in 1973. He not only changed the face of a franchise, but also an entire sport.

Into the Wind Terry Fox, an amputee with cancer, attempted running across Canada for cancer awareness. In the process, he captured the heart of a nation. (Marathon Unit)

Disc 10

Four Days in October (Class) The Yankees were leading the Red Sox in the ALCS 3-0, a deficit no team had overcome. The Red Sox defied the inevitable. (October Lesson)

Once Brothers Vlade Divac and Drazen Petrovic were NBA players who were friends from Yugoslavia. Their friendship ended before Petrovic was killed in a car accident.

Disc 11

Tim Richmond: To the Limit NASCAR star Tim Richmond lived fast, until it all caught up with him. He was diagnosed with AIDS, leading to his tragic death.

Fernando Nation In 1981, a pudgy 19-year-old Mexican pitcher, Fernando Valenzuela, took the MLB by storm, shattering America’s image of the ace pitcher.

Marion Jones: Press Pause From Olympic gold to imprisonment for steroids, this is the story of Marion Jones’ evolution.

Disc 12

The Best That Never Was Marcus Dupree was the biggest, fastest running back in high school history. In college, his career ended before it ever truly began.

Pony Excess Southern Methodist University received the “death penalty” in 1987 because of corruption and greed, stripping a community of its identity.

 

Soul Man (1:20:44): Sonny Vaccaro rose from Pennsylvania steel town roots to become one of the most powerful and influential men in the athletic shoe industry and in basketball.

You Don’t Know Bo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFgcCfYFJ2g