ESPN's 30 for 30 and Other Sports Documentaries

30 for 30 Vol 2

Thanks.

Anyone watched any of the second season yet?

I’ve downloaded the first 5 that have been aired so far but haven’t watched any yet.

1 Broke
An exploration of the road to fortune in sports and the eventual detours (through various reasons) to financial difficulties and bankruptcy, as experienced by top athletes including Bernie Kosar, Andre Rison, Keith McCants, and Cliff Floyd.

2 9.79*
A profile of the Men’s 100 meter final at the 1988 Summer Olympics and the lives of the 8 men who participated, including Ben Johnson (whose world-record run of 9.79 seconds was scrubbed after he tested positive for anabolic steroids) and Carl Lewis (who was awarded the gold medal after Johnson’s disqualification).

3 There’s No Place Like Home
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quest to purchase (at a 2010 auction) James Naismith’s original rules of basketball, perhaps the most important historical document in sports history, and to bring it “home” to Lawrence, Kansas, where Naismith taught and coached at the University of Kansas for more than 40 years.

4 Benji
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.

5 Ghosts of Ole Miss
In 1962, the University of Mississippi campus erupted in violence over integration and swelled with pride over an unbeaten football team. Mississippi native Wright Thompson explores the tumultuous events that continue to shape the state 50 years later.

That “Ghosts of Ole Miss” looks like it could be excellent.

Yeah that looks the pick of them.

I watched Fab Five today from the list that didn’t make the first set but still became ESPN Films.

The Best That Never Was the best story for me from the first lot. Unbelievable career for that lad.

benji was on SBS here recently. I thought it was good. Chicago was a very dangerous place back then. crazy murder rate

what sites are ye using to download stuff these days? wouldnt mind getting stuck into these 30 for 30 episodes.

Pirate Bay is still the original and best.

Saw Ghosts of Ole Miss earlier.

Good watch.

Watched it at the weekend - it’s very good alright.

Watched Survive and Advance the other day. Not much of a basketball fan but it’s a terrific story and heartbreaking in parts. Coach seemed like a terrific guy. Recommended viewing.

The SEC docs are worth a watch, the book of manning is excellent.

Archie Manning is a hero.

Have Book of Manning ready to watch next.

The Band Played On is excellent, show what a shower of cunts the Irsays are as well.

[quote=“count of monte cristo, post: 859862, member: 348”]The SEC docs are worth a watch, the book of manning is excellent.

Archie Manning is a hero.[/quote]
Felt a bit sorry for Eli. Probably just the way it was filmed but he was kind of forgotten about and shoehorned into the last 5 minutes, with no reaction from Archie or the other brothers about his achievements

Halfway through The Youngstown Boys (the latest film) and it’s terrific. Directed by the guys who did The Two Escobars.

Link?

[quote=“count of monte cristo, post: 859862, member: 348”]The SEC docs are worth a watch, the book of manning is excellent.

Archie Manning is a hero.[/quote]

Watched it a few weeks ago. Love that family even more after watching it.

Archie is an absolute gent and a legend.

I got it as a torrent from kat.ph

Ceasefire Massacre should be very very interesting.

[SIZE=6]PRESS RELEASE[/SIZE]
Posted by Jennifer Cingari on January 11, 2014

[SIZE=6]ESPN Announces New Film Series, 30 for 30: Soccer Stories, Surrounding 2014 FIFA World Cup on ESPN[/SIZE]
PRINT VERSION[/URL]FILED IN: [URL=‘http://espnmediazone.com/us/category/films-and-documentaries/’]Films and Documentaries[/URL], [URL=‘http://espnmediazone.com/us/category/uncategorized/’]Uncategorized[/URL] TAGGED: [URL=‘http://espnmediazone.com/us/tag/30-for-30/’]30 for 30[/URL], [URL=‘http://espnmediazone.com/us/tag/espn-films/’]ESPN Films

ESPN Films, creators of the critically-acclaimed 30 for 30 film series, will premiere a new series in April surrounding the 2014 FIFA World Cup on ESPN. 30 for 30: Soccer Stories will include a mix of standalone feature-length and 30-minute-long documentary films from an award winning group of filmmakers telling compelling narratives from around the international soccer landscape. In addition, a collection of 10 vignettes about Brazil’s rich culture will be featured throughout ESPN’s FIFA World Cup programming.

“With ESPN being the home of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, we know that sports fans will be looking forward to high quality content focused on what is perhaps the world’s most revered sport,” said Connor Schell, VP of ESPN Films and Original Content. “We feel this is the perfect time to expand upon the success of our 30 for 30 series by focusing this collection on some of the incredible stories of soccer’s legendary past.”

Two feature-length films:

Hillsborough, Directed by Daniel Gordon

25 years ago, on April 15, 1989, the worst disaster in British football history occurred in an overcrowded stadium in Sheffield, England, 150 miles north of London. 3,000 fans flocked through the turnstiles to head to the area reserved for standing, despite a capacity of less than half of that. The result was a “human crush” that killed 96 people and injured 766. Prior to the disaster at Hillsborough, British football was known for the grime of its stadiums, hooligan fans and inadequate facilities, but great change came after the Hillsborough disaster. What emerged is now known as the most rich and powerful soccer league in the world, the English Premier League.

White, Blue and White, Directed by Camilo Antolini; Produced by Juan José Campanella

Although a large number of Argentinian players have found football success around the world, few have made a name for themselves in England’s top league. One notable exception is Ossie Ardiles. Fresh off Argentina’s victory in the 1978 World Cup, Ardiles and his compatriot, Ricky Villa, joined Tottenham Hotspur later that year, when the notion of overseas players was still new to the English league. Helping lead Spurs to victory in the 1981 FA Cup, the Argentinian stars became cult heroes in England. But on April 2, 1982, everything radically changed as Argentinian troops descended on the British-ruled Falkland Islands, asserting rightful sovereignty. A conflicted Ardiles returned to Buenos Aires two days later, his bright future with Spurs suddenly in question.

Six 30-minute films:

Garrincha: Crippled Angel, Directed by Marcos Horacio Azevedo

In Brazil, PelĂ© is “The King.” But his teammate, ManĂ© Garrincha, is also remembered as the one of the best soccer players of all time. In a country where the sport grants its protagonists such royal deference, Garrincha is the jester– an entertainer who amused crowds and turned soccer into an irresistible spectacle, all while helping Brazil capture two World Cups. This, despite his legs being so bent that early in his career doctors deemed him unfit to play professionally. Match after match, he proved them wrong. But his unpredictable moves were of little assistance after his playing career came to an end. Abandoned by the soccer establishment, Garrincha died a victim of alcoholism in 1983. But his fans did not forget him. His body was brought to a cemetery, in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Garrincha’s relatives had to borrow a grave, which turned out to be too small for his coffin. Thousands of people flooded the tiny burial ground, much more than the place could accommodate. After 49 years of a brilliant career and tumultuous life, the man who turned soccer into a “Beautiful Game” was memorably laid to rest. His legend lives on.

Barbosa – The Man Who Made All of Brazil Cry, Directed by Loch Phillipps; Executive Producers: Jonathan Hock & Roger Bennett

In 1949, Goalkeeper Moacir Barbosa and his Brazilian national team are on top of the world, having just won the South American championship by a score of 7-0. Barbosa is one of the heroes, widely considered one of the world’s best goalkeepers. But everything changed during the 1950 World Cup, played for the first time in Brazil. Before the final game against neighbor and rival Uruguay, the Brazilian Football Confederation was so confident of victory it had made 22 gold medals with the names of their players imprinted on them. With 11 minutes left, Uruguay shocked the estimated crowd of 200,000 at Marcana and scored the winning goal – a goal that is still considered to be the greatest sporting tragedy to befall Brazil. The blame was mostly pinned on Barbosa for being out of position on his goal line, tantamount to Bill Buckner letting a baseball roll between his legs. The country went into a deep mourning, fans committed suicide, and Barbosa was nationally blacklisted. Barbosa was considered cursed and he never played in another World Cup. He rotted away, practically penniless and alone. On July 13th, the 2014 World Cup Final will again take place at the Maracana, giving the Brazilian team the chance to write a new ending into Brazilian folklore.

Ceasefire Massacre, Directed by Alex Gibney and Trevor Bunim

New Jersey, June 18, 1994. Giants Stadium is awash with green as Irish soccer fans arrive to watch Ireland’s opening World Cup match against the mighty Italy. The sense of optimism is infectious. The Celtic Tiger is in its infancy, Bill Clinton’s decision to grant a visa to Irish Republican leader Gerry Adams has propelled the peace process forward and Jack Charlton’s team are walking onto the pitch before 75,000 fervent spectators made up of Irish, Italians and Americans of Irish and Italian decent. Amongst the fans is Irish Prime Minister Albert Reynolds who is sitting with members of an American group who’ve been working behind-the-scenes to end the conflict in Northern Ireland. The electrifying mood is shared by the supporters watching the match in the Heights Bar, a tiny pub in the Northern Irish village of Loughin Island, 24 miles south of Belfast. At the half, the Irish are remarkably ahead 1-0. Shortly after the second half begins, two masked gunmen belonging to a Protestant terror group burst into the Heights Bar. Thirty rounds are fired and six innocent men watching a soccer match were killed. Ceasefire Massacre will reveal how the juxtaposition of the jubilation felt inside Giants Stadium against the horrors of what happened in the Heights Bar, encapsulated the mood of the time. After 25-years of conflict, Ireland and her people longed for peace and prosperity but the brutalities of the violence in the North were never far from the surface. The gunning down of innocent men as they watched a soccer match marked both a low-point and a turning-point in the Northern Ireland conflict; one that would ultimately contribute to the paramilitaries on both sides calling ceasefires just weeks later.

The Opposition, Directed by Ezra Edelman

In the wake of the 1973 military coup in Chile, American-backed dictator Augusto Pinochet transformed Santiago’s National Stadium into a concentration camp where political opponents were tortured and assassinated. Only months later, that same stadium was scheduled to host a decisive World Cup qualifier between Chile and the Soviet Union. Despite protests, FIFA’s own investigation, and the Soviet’s eventual boycott, the Chilean team still played the game as planned, qualifying for the 1974 World Cup on a goal scored against no one.

Mysteries of The Jules Rimet Trophy, Directed by Brett Ratner

Inspired by Nike, the Greek goddess of victory, the Jules Rimet Trophy was awarded to the nation that won FIFA’s World Cup and was among the most coveted prizes in all of sports. It is also the sports prize shrouded in the most intrigue – with the whereabouts of the original trophy unknown to this day. This film focuses on the great prize’s first brush with crime – a Nazi plan to steal the Rimet Trophy from Italy during World War II. The story unfolds like a great caper film, where our hero, Ottorino Barassi, a mild-mannered Italian soccer official, attempts to protect a valued treasure.

Maradona ’86, Directed by Sam Blair; Executive Produced by John Battsek

In the 1986 World Cup, Maradona redefined what is possible for one man to accomplish on the soccer field. Already a figure of notoriety, but with one failed World Cup behind him, Maradona took possession of the international stage in Mexico, the spotlight rarely drifting from him as he wrote an indelible history with his feet and, of course, with a hand from God. Delivered with passion and intelligence, Maradona ‘86 is a fascinating, evocative and operatic portrait of Maradona, revealing his inner complexity and contradictions while basking in the joy and passion of his performance on the pitch as he wrote his name on soccer history forever.

10 Vignettes:

Coraçao, Directed by Jonathan Hock; Executive Produced by Roger Bennett

Brazil’s soccer tradition does not compete with other countries’ teams: it exists on a different level. But aside from soccer success, and despite Brazil’s recent economic boom, most Americans know little about the country, its geographical richness, gripping culture, and complex recent history in which the nation has transformed from a military dictatorship to a thriving, if young, republic. This short vignette series will travel from the beaches and favelas of Rio, to Salvador – the former hub of the slave trade – on a journey of music, dance, and history, to discover the stories that lie behind Brazil’s legend and explore how Brazilian soccer is truly the expression of the soul of its people.

About ESPN Films

Created in March 2008, ESPN Films produces high-quality films showcasing some of the most compelling stories in sports. In October 2009, ESPN Films launched the Peabody Award-winning, Producer’s Guild Award-winning and Emmy-nominated 30 for 30film series. Inspired by ESPN’s 30th Anniversary, the films that made up theseries were a thoughtful and innovative reflection on the past three decades told through the lens of diverse and interesting sports fans and social commentators. The strong reaction from both critics and fans led to the launch of 30 for 30 Volume II, which is currently underway. Additional projects from ESPN Films include the critically acclaimed Nine for IX series, SEC Storied and the webby award winning 30 for 30 Shorts.

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Looks excellent.