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- DirectorRory KarpfStarsRob LoweChristian LaettnerDick VitaleHe made perhaps the most dramatic shot in the history of the NCAA basketball tournament. He's the only player to start in four consecutive Final Fours, and was instrumental in Duke winning two national championships. He had looks, smarts and game. So why has Christian Laettner been disliked so intensely by so many for so long? Maybe it was the time he stomped on the chest of a downed player, or the battles he had with his teammates, or a perceived sense of entitlement. But sometimes, perception isn't reality. "I Hate Christian Laettner" will go beyond the polarizing persona to reveal the complete story behind this lightning rod of college basketball. Featuring extensive access to Laettner, previously unseen footage and perspectives from all sides, this film will be a "gloves-off" examination of the man who has been seen by many as the "Blue Devil Himself."
- DirectorBrian KoppelmanDavid LevienWhen Jimmy Connors arrived in New York for the 1991 U.S. Open, the one-time tennis superstar was 8 years removed from his last Grand Slam singles title, ranked 174th in the world and approaching his 39th birthday. Not exactly a recipe for success. But on the verge of a quick first-round exit, Connors suddenly and unexpectedly re-captured the magic, embarking on a stirring and extraordinary run than included an epic contest with Aaron Krickstein on his way to the semifinals. This is What They Want not only illuminates this highly improbable march past a series of talented and youthful adversaries, it also explores how Connors became a polarizing and provocative personality who helped make tennis a high-octane spectator sport.
- DirectorCayman GrantJoe LavineStarsHenry HillBruce PearlKevin MackeyThe mob, including Jimmy Burke, become the focus of a point shaving controversy at Boston College.
- DirectorCoodieChike OzahStarsNick AndersonDarrin AndrewsTim BankstonIn 1984, Chicago was in the heady grip of a Black Renaissance. Harold Washington was mayor, Michael Jordan had just signed with the Bulls, Oprah Winfrey was hosting a local morning show, and on the South Side a young man named Ben Wilson was the most talked-about basketball prospect in a city that was known for its great hoops talent. Handsome, gentle and magnetic, Ben Wilson's magical ability on the court was matched by his popularity in his school and neighborhood. In his junior year, he led Simeon High School to its first state championship. And that summer, he was named America's number-one high school basketball player by the nation's leading talent scouts. Then, on the eve of his senior season, the career of this exceptional youngster was abruptly and tragically cut short. Ben's grim fate sent ripples of horror through the city and the country. BENJI tells the story of a legend who might've been.
- 2009– 1h 17mTV-G8.1 (1.7K)TV EpisodeDirectorMichael BonfiglioStarsJames AndrewsDickie AtchisonHal BairdA close look at Bo Jackson, a sports hero of mythical proportions, and how the "Bo Knows" Nike campaign shaped how the world perceived him. Without winning a Super Bowl or World Series, or even having what some consider a "great" career in either sport, Bo will be forever be known as one of the greatest and most famous athletes of all time. This film will look at the marketing of athletes, impossible expectations and the legend of Bo Jackson.
- DirectorMichael TolajianStarsRick AdelmanDanny AingeKenny AndersonDrazen Petrovic and Vlade Divac were two friends who grew up together sharing the common bond of basketball. Together, they lifted the Yugoslavian National team to unimaginable heights. After conquering Europe, they both went to America where they became the first two foreign players to attain NBA stardom. But with the fall of the Soviet Union on Christmas Day 1991, Yugoslavia split up. A war broke out between Petrovic's Croatia and Divac's Serbia. Long buried ethnic tensions surfaced. And these two men, once brothers, were now on opposite sides of a deadly civil war. As Petrovic and Divac continued to face each other on the basketball courts of the NBA, no words passed between the two. Then, on the fateful night of June 7, 1993, Drazen Petrovic was killed in an auto accident. "Once Brothers" will tell the gripping tale of these two men, how circumstances beyond their control tore apart their friendship, and whether Divac has ever come to terms with the death of a friend before they had a chance to reconcile.
- CreatorConnor SchellBill SimmonsJohn DahlStarsBrent MusburgerChuck DLarry BirdA collection of documentary films focused on sports.
- DirectorJonathan KochSteven MichaelsJoel SurnowStarsChris AntleyJay HovdeyD. Wayne LukasIn June of 1999 an unlikely colt named Charismatic, with down and out jockey Chris Antley aboard, headed down the stretch at the Belmont Stakes, just seconds away from becoming the first Triple Crown winner in nearly 21 years.
- 2009– 1h 8mTV-G8.0 (2.2K)TV EpisodeDirectorDan KloresStarsReggie MillerCheryl MillerSpike LeeA film that explores the rivalry between the Indiana Pacers and New York as seen through the eyes and actions of Reggie Miller star player of the Indiana Pacers.
- DirectorBilly CorbenStarsBilly CorbenJohn GreenLuther CampbellAfter years of indifferent results, new coach Howard Schnellenberger revitalizes the University of Miami's football program by introducing fresh blood and fresh attitude into the team.
- DirectorCliff BestallStarsMorgan FreemanJustice BekebekeCliff BestallThis documentary showcases the South African "Springbok" National Rugby Team and its impact on South Africa's transition from segregation to integration. It involves interviews with players and political activists along with vintage video.
- DirectorLisa LaxNancy Stern WintersStarsChris EvertMartina NavratilovaThe first time Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova stepped onto a tennis court together, the world scarcely noticed. Only a few hundred spectators saw the pert 18-year-old beat the scrappy 16-year-old Czech in 1973. "I remember that she was fat," Evert recalled. "She was very emotional on the court, whining if she didn't feel she was playing well. But I remember thinking, if she loses weight, we're all in trouble." Said Navratilova, "My goal was for her to remember my name." Eighty matches later -- amid the extraordinary growth of women's tennis -- Evert not only remembered, but became a tried and true friend and confidante, remarkable considering the two appeared to be polar opposites in upbringing, life styles and personal relationships. Through a series of personal conversations, filmmakers Nancy Stern Winters and Lisa Lax, along with producer Hannah Storm, tell the story of one of the greatest one-on-one sports rivalries and capture these two extraordinary athletes' views on tennis and an ever-changing world.
- DirectorJonathan HockStarsFred AkersLeon BaxtrumJohn BrooksIn 1981, college athletic recruiting changed forever as a dozen big-time football programs sat waiting for the decision by a physically powerful and lightning-quick high school running back named Marcus Dupree. On his way to eclipsing Herschel Walker's record for the most touchdowns in high school history, Dupree attracted recruiters from schools in every major conference to his hometown of Philadelphia, Miss. More than a decade removed from being a flashpoint in the civil-rights struggle, Philadelphia was once again thrust back into the national spotlight. Dupree took the attention in stride, and committed to Oklahoma. What followed, though, was a forgettable college career littered with conflict, injury and oversized expectations. Eight-time Emmy Award winner Jonathan Hock examined why this star burned out so young and how he ultimately used football to redeem himself.
- DirectorRon SheltonStarsMike BarnettEd BradleyDavid BridgersIn the fall of 1993, in his prime and at the summit of the sports world, Michael Jordan walked away from pro basketball. After leading the Dream Team to an Olympic gold medal in 1992 and taking the Bulls to their third consecutive NBA championship the following year, Jordan was jolted by the murder of his father. Was it the brutal loss of such an anchor in his life that caused the world's most famous athlete to rekindle a childhood ambition by playing baseball? Or some feeling that he had nothing left to prove or conquer in basketball? Or something deeper and perhaps not yet understood? Ron Shelton, a former minor leaguer who brought his experiences to life in the classic movie "Bull Durham," will revisit Jordan's short career in the minor leagues and explore the motivations that drove the world's most competitive athlete to play a new sport in the relative obscurity of Birmingham, Alabama, for a young manager named Terry Francona.
- DirectorGary WaksmanStarsBronson ArroyoLenny ClarkeJohnny DamonThe Boston Red Sox overcome "The Curse" and defeat the New York Yankees in the 2004 American League Championship Series. In the process, they also become the first team ever to win a series after trailing three games to none.
- DirectorJeff ZimbalistMichael ZimbalistStarsMaría Ester EscobarFrancisco MaturanaAlexis García V.The rise of Colombian soccer is attributed to the influx of drug money into the sport by Pablo Escobar and the other drug cartels. However, the team's swift decline after Escobar's death results in the murder of star player Andres Escobar.
- DirectorBrett MorgenStarsMarv AlbertRex Julian BeaberChris BermanDocuments on how the events on the day OJ Simpson was pursued and arrested on charges of murdering his ex wife and her boyfriend overshadowed and took precedence over other sporting events from around the country by the media. No additional footage or voiceover was shot and the entire documentary is encapsulated in sound bites from various feeds on the day.
- DirectorSean PamphilonRoyce ToniStarsJohn AndersonJaney BarnesKristin BarnesThis documentary follows the life of Ricky Williams, a star for the Miami Dolphins who walked away from the sport over drug allegations. Ricky tells a different story about betrayal and turning his back on what many value - fame fortune and celebrity status.
- DirectorJonathan HockStarsJeff DanielsViacheslav FetisovSergei MakarovThe story of one of the greatest upsets in sports history has been told. Or has it? On a Friday evening in Lake Placid, a plucky band of American collegians stunned the vaunted Soviet national team, 4-3 in the medal round of the 1980 Winter Olympic hockey competition. Americans couldn't help but believe in miracles that night, and when the members of Team USA won the gold medal two days later, they became one for the ages. But there was another, unchronicled side to the "Miracle On Ice." The so-called bad guys from America's ideological adversary were in reality good men and outstanding players, forged into the Big Red Machine by the genius and passion of Anatoli Tarasov. There was a reason they seemed unbeatable, especially after routing the Americans in an exhibition the week before the Winter Games began. And there was a certain shame in them having to live the rest of their lives with the results of February 22, 1980.
- DirectorBilly CorbenStarsSean AllenAl BladesBennie BladesProduced in 2009 for the 30 for 30 series, "The U" took a look at all that was good and bad about the rise of the University of Miami's football program in the 1980s. But that wasn't the end of the story. "The U Part 2" picks up where the original film left off, with the program trying to recover from the devastation left by NCAA sanctions and scandals that had some calling for the school to drop football. The Hurricanes rose from those ashes to win another national championship, only to face a new controversy when a booster, who made his fortune through a Ponzi scheme, won favor with the program.
- DirectorDaniel GordonStarsDon CatlinLinford ChristieRobson da SilvaIn the history of the Olympics, there's never been a controversy quite like what ensued over the 100 meter race at Seoul in 1988. The match brought together Carl Lewis (USA) and Ben Johnson (Canada) who had been fierce competitors. Lewis was known as a savvy careerist who became an American hero at the previous Los Angeles Olympics. Johnson was his chief rival, considered an underdog due to his recovery from a pulled hamstring. In less than 10 seconds, Johnson edged out in front of Lewis to win the Seoul race. But that wasn't the end. Three days later, in a reversal of fortune, the Olympic committee announced that Johnson had failed a drug test, losing his medal to Lewis in disgrace. A mystery still shrouds the race. Was Johnson exceptional in his drug usage or merely the fall guy for a widespread practice? Six of the eight finalists in the 1988 race have since been implicated for drugs -- although some still deny any wrongdoing. Filmmaker Daniel Gordon, digs into the controversy, conducting extensive interviews with Lewis and Johnson as well as their competitors, coaches and Olympic insiders. He uncovers layers of intrigue, deception and favoritism that change our perception of the way this story has previously been told. The Seoul race wound up being the world's wake-up call to drugs in sports. Now the problem runs rampant throughout professional and amateur athletics. As drug-testing gets more sophisticated, so do means of evading it. This powerful story forces us to question what we expect from our athletes as they pursue records in the name of national pride. This story from the past is vital to understanding the future of sports.
- DirectorJonathan HockStarsBenny AndersRed AuerbachThurl BaileyFollows the life of Jim Valvano. It includes reflections by some players many years later.
- DirectorKen RodgersStarsTom SelleckErnie AccorsiBruce AllenIn the spring of 1983, a new generation of superstars was poised to enter the NFL. Six quarterbacks were selected in the first round of that draft - still the most ever. Elway to Marino explores this landmark draft.
- DirectorEric DrathStarsChristie BrinkleyMike TysonJane PauleyIn the midst of boxing's contemporary golden age -Â the 1980's -Â stood two fighters who established a captivating rivalry; Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran.
- DirectorKevin ConnollyStarsKevin ConnollyWayne GretzkyVanessa JovaIn 1996, the once-dominant New York Islanders were in serious trouble. Lousy performance and poor management were driving away the hockey franchise's loyal fan base. The team hit bottom. Then along came a Dallas businessman named John Spano, who swooped in and agreed to buy the team for 165 million dollars. Things began to look up for the Islanders - way up. But it was all smoke and mirrors. Big Shot goes inside an extraordinary scandal that engulfed the Islanders. Featuring the only interview Spano has ever given about the Islanders deal, this film is an unforgettable tale of a dream that became a lie - and how a scam of such epic proportions initially went undetected.