a 30 for 30 thread

well, they touch on the POSSIBILITY that he knowingly passed AIDS along
and it's worth noting that doc is produced by NASCAR and reads like a preemptive strike, right down to the muted louganis interviews.
just can't get over the hubris of the sister saying something like "these days if you have HIV it's like you're a HERO"

Yeah I think as mild as they made the Richmond doc, it's def an advertisement for awareness/activism. It doesn't go far enough, but it reminds you of how weirded out everyone was about AIDS, I was only little but I remember being terrified of it bc of commercials and news stories.

Made me think about the choice to educate & be an activist, like Lougainis or Magic, versus the road Richmond & others took, hiding and being ashamed. The people he was surrounded by, that sport especially, I understand he felt he had to, and you see what a huge leap of faith it would be for him to be open. Especially if maybe he didn't understand it himself. the way his sister talks about "the AIDS" I got the impression she didn't learn more than she needed to know about it during or after. There's that undercurrent of "why did it have to be that".

It just really gets to me how much shame a *disease* could bring to a person's life, you know? You think about how long did he wait to get tested, maybe he was afraid to, or feared it being public, but fuck... It kills me thinking of him just hiding with it, dying with it. I know there's been millions like him, fuck...it just really gets to me, no matter who it is.

Sorry for rambling

Would love to see a NASCAR documentary series btw.

Lol, "Ken Burns' NASCAR". If only.

Fernando Valenzuela one was excellent. I never knew the circumstances around which Dodgers Stadium was built, but that was a hell of a way to treat people.

I was pretty much guaranteed to like it, but the Fernando one was up in that group where I would have happily watched a three hour version.

A doc on old school NASCAR would be great. NO WAY would today's NASCAR be involved, I guarantee they would try to find a way to kill it behind the scenes. To its credit, the Richmond doc did take some shots at NASCAR.

Definitely. I think for a Nascar produced doc, it was a lot more in depth than I expected. Within the realms of what they were allowed to do, I think they did a good job.

The Fernando one was another that I wish had more visual style. The boilerplate ESPN production style bums me out.

Also, it didn't seem like they knew what to do with it after the excellent first half hour.

I find myself getting really annoyed by the "cue dramatic music" or "insert dramatization" stuff like in that Nascar one, or the RedSox one...it's like, hey guys, you HAVE a story. You don't have to create more of a story with all this extra crud.

I'm looking forward to the Steve Bartman one.

Marion Jones was kind of wtf. I didn't like that Singleton put himself in the doc...it felt like a 60 Minutes interview. Especially since it felt like she was controlling the direction story, not Singleton.

Agreed, that one is way down the list, possibly at the bottom. I thought they really missed a great opportunity with the Raiders in LA one, that kind of sucked. That is a good story that was poorly done.

really? i kinda liked the jones one. Sure it was part of her public rehab but didn't bother me. maybe cuz i always thought she was awesome and am happy she's back in the public eye.
i also agree with singleton's all-but-stated point that it's ridiculous that she served jail time

I didn't mind the Raiders one (wow shockah lol). Cube is a Raider kool-aid drinker all the way, so it was more like a, ahem, love letter than anything. It was a puff piece for the most part, but I thought it had some good stuff in it.

I think I liked the content of the Marion Jones...I mean I find her as a subject fascinating, and I like her story. I just expected something else, I guess.

I didn't mind the Raiders one (wow shockah lol). Cube is a Raider kool-aid drinker all the way, so it was more like a, ahem, love letter than anything. It was a puff piece for the most part, but I thought it had some good stuff in it.

― That is the stench of tyranny (VegemiteGrrrl), Thursday, November 4, 2010 1:55 PM (49 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Makes sense. As a non-Raider fan, maybe I just wanted a little more depth, but I could see if I was a fan that i would enjoy it. I'd love to see one on the 70's Raiders and their relationship to Oakland. I just read that new book about them, I guess they were the one group that brought the Hell's Angels and the Black Panthers onto common ground. Now that would be a killer doc.

I absolutely agree. Something on the relationship between Oakland Raiders and Oakland the city would be awesome, especially in the context of the Panthers and the Angels as you mentioned.

I would like to see something about the relationship between teams and cities in general, along the lines of the Baltimore episode they did, but across the league. Like talking to original Rams fans, and how they felt when the team left, or what it was like for Browns fans to have their team leave and then come back in a different form...or for teams that have stayed, how the organization relates to the city, and how in the early days the teams sort of took on the identity of the city somehow. I dunno, it's something that's always interested me.

What was the book you read, Bill?

Right here:

http://www.amazon.com/Badasses-Legend-Maddens-Oakland-Raiders/dp/0061834300

The author is a total Raider kool-aid drinker, so there is no objectivity. Still, it's a fun read. That was certainly a different era! Some of the stuff they pulled (getting loaded every night during training camp is just one example) couldnt really happen today with such heavy competition for roster spots. Plus i think some of his interview subjects embellished their stories, but thaat's cool. I recommend it.

I'll check it out. That's my favorite Raider era, no contest.

Best part of it: the discussion of the Soul Patrol defensive backfield, more specifically the penchant of Skip "Dr. Death" Thomas to check himself into the hospital on a weekly basis for fun.

Nice! Haha

just discovering these through the (awesome) bill simmons podcast about them, do u guys listen to it?

gonna watch a bunch soon

the 1 tonight on marcus dupree (had nvr heard of this dude) looks good. then the next 1 to air is abt smu & the 'death penalty' which ive been ~anticipating~

aw, only two more of these.

how many are there in total, and what span of time does the entire project cover?

"30 programs for 30 years of ESPN coverage"

you're so huggable sometimes slocks

:D

only 2 left?

(cries)

can't they throw the premise out of the window and just do a story for every year starting in, say, 1930? there's a sportsperson for every year. I know it in my heart. This series needs to be ongoing. NEEDS. TO. BE.

yeah i agree. i wonder if the ratings reflect that.

Besides, this is for the public good!

This Marcus Dupree one is EXCELLENT. I never knew the story before, so I'm on the edge of my seat.

(Also, some of that game film, especially the grainy b&w stuff, is phenomenal! I've never seen someone break tackles like that.)

he looked like walter payton in that footage

just discovering these through the (awesome) bill simmons podcast about them, do u guys listen to it?

gonna watch a bunch soon

― irritable bol syndrome (s1ocki), Tuesday, November 9, 2010 10:52 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark

Ya its a good 'cast, depends a lil on the guest and the topic.

I wish they re-ran more of these, or just had a 30 for 30 channel where they aired constantly. I watched a lot of the early ones, but missed quite a few more recently. Really need to see the Vlade and Two Escobars eps.

just watched the jimmy the greek one cuz i enjoyed the podcast ep

The Jimmy the Greek one is great!

Seems like a topic Cousin Sal would have a lot to say about~

i liked it alTHO i kinda wish i listened to the ep after

Jimmy the Greek was good, except for the chintzy dramatized bits. Its my #1 complaint: if you have a great story, you don't need "devices" to make it more interesting.

I loved the Gretzky one, but where I grew up that trade was a remember where you were when you heard the news event.

I wish they did more hockey ones.

This Marcus Dupree one has ended up being one of my favorites, at least of the football-related films.

Ones that weren't made by Peter Berg

my god the dupree one was so good, definitely in the top five
the whole thing was worth it for the moment where marcus watches his high school self with this mix of awe and sadness and wonder and confusion and it's all right there on his face.

xpost what's wrong with Berg?

Canada should do an all-hockey 30 for 30 series. Would watch.

Would also like a NASCAR 30 for 30 series, and some horseracing stories would be cool.

Kings Ransom was not that great but it was pretty good compared to some of the worst episodes. The footage from the era was terrific.

xpost what's wrong with Berg?

Canada should do an all-hockey 30 for 30 series. Would watch.

Would also like a NASCAR 30 for 30 series, and some horseracing stories would be cool.

― That is the stench of tyranny (VegemiteGrrrl), Tuesday, November 9, 2010 11:06 PM (30 minutes ago) Bookmark

Eh nothing, he's made some good movies, just felt like he dropped the ball on that doc.

Would kill to see Ken Burns' NASCAR.

30 for 30 site doesn't list anything beyond the SMU one. Which is so sad!

Also I kinda want to see a meta 30 for 30 on what the hell happened to the Bartman doc, because it vanished.

think i read its still gonna air but in 2011 maybe?