ESPN provides the best sports product on cable - “SportsCenter” - but the channel isn’t content with just highlight reels.
The channel started creating original pictures a few years back, and the quality is often comparable to some of cable’s better originals. “The Bronx is Burning,” the tawdry tale of the 1978 New York Yankees, recreated that tumultuous season with stunning detail.
ESPN’s newest entertainment division, christened ESPN Films in March, announced its Fall slate of features today. The list includes:
- “Kicking It” - The documentary follows seven soccer players from six countries who played in the 4th annual Homeless World Cup.
- “Game Day with Kobe” - Spike Lee examines the game-day experiences of NBA superstar Kobe Bryant.
- “The Greatest Game Ever Played” - No, it’s not the 1978 one-game playoff between the Yankees and Red Sox, but the Dec. 28, 1958 game between the Baltimore Colts and the New York Giants at Yankees Stadium for the NFL title. NOTE: The project isn’t connected to the Mark Bowden book “The Best Game Ever” on the same subject.
- “A Woman Among Boys” - The story of Ruth Lovelace, the coach of the Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn. Her hard work led to the team appearing in 13 straight playoffs.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
JohnFNWayne 07.11.08 at 1:05 am
I’m going to assume that “The Greatest Game Ever Played” is based on the Mark Bowden book that was recently released. Bowden, who also wrote “Blackhawk Down,” does a sensational job in an excerpt published in Sports Illustrated about Colts wide out Raymond Berry. If the film/show/whatever is half as good as the excerpt, count me as a viewer.
cftoto 07.11.08 at 1:10 am
JohnFNWayne - here’s the rest of the info ESPN sent out regarding that film: “ESPN will create a new broadcast of this landmark event using the original film of the game and intercutting
unique interview pairings of the surviving members of that legendary game and their modern day NFL counterparts from the Indianapolis Colts and the New York Giants.”
I’m going to check with ESPN to see if Bowden’s book is a key source on this … Hope to have an answer tomorrow (July 11)
cftoto 07.11.08 at 1:44 am
JohnFNWayne - the project is NOT connected to the Bowden book.
JohnFNWayne 08.14.08 at 1:51 am
Thanks for the belated tip. It’s much appreciated.