It's official. Don't call/text/tweet/facebook/smoke signal/carrier pigeon me on Tuesday nights beginning in October. I'm serious bro.
ESPN announced on Friday that it will bring back the highly celebrated 30 for 30 series this fall as Volume II will provide sports fans with six new documentary films for us to enjoy. From knowing broke to knowing Bo, this surely will have all of us captivated once again. Courtesy of ESPN's Media Zone, here are the times and dates, along with a brief summary, of each of the six upcoming docs.
- Tuesday, Oct. 2, 8 p.m. – Broke (Billy Corben): Broke explores the roads to fortune in American sports and eventually, the many detours to bankruptcy. Bernie Kosar, Andre Rison and Cliff Floyd are among the athletes who talk openly about the challenges of managing their money in an era when big contracts don’t necessarily support bigger lifestyles. Sucked into bad investments, stalked by freeloaders and saddled with medical problems, many pro athletes get shocked by harsh economic realities after years of living the high life. A story of the dark side of success, Broke is an allegory for the financial woes haunting economies and individuals all over the world.
- Tuesday, Oct. 9, 8 p.m. – 9.79* (Daniel Gordon): The 100-meter men’s final at the 1988 Seoul Games was the fastest and perhaps most thrilling sprint in Olympic history. But within 48 hours, gold medalist Ben Johnson had tested positive for anabolic steroids, and scandal reigned. This one race still haunts the eight men who took part. But what brought them to the starting line? And what happened to them since?
- Tuesday, Oct. 16, 8 p.m. – There’s No Place Like Home (Maura Mandt and Josh Swade): On December 10, 2010, Sotheby’s auctioned off the most important historical document in sports history — James Naismith’s original rules of basketball. There’s No Place Like Home is the story of one fan’s obsessive quest to win this seminal American artifact at an auction and bring the rules “home” to Lawrence, Kansas, where Naismith coached and taught for more than 40 years.
- Tuesday, Oct. 23, 8 p.m. – Benji (Coodie and Chike): In 1984, 17-year-old Ben Wilson was a symbol of everything promising about Chicago: a beloved, sweet-natured youngster from the city’s fabled South Side, and America’s most talented basketball prospect. His senseless murder the day before his senior season sent ripples through Chicago and the nation.
- Tuesday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m. – Ghosts of Ole Miss (Fritz Mitchell): 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.
- Saturday, Dec. 8, 9 p.m. – You Don’t Know Bo (Michael Bonfiglio): Bo Jackson hit 500 ft. home runs, ran over linebackers, and — for a small window — he was the best athlete we had ever seen. You Don’t Know Bo is a close look at the man and marketing campaign that shaped his legacy. Even without winning a Super Bowl or World Series, Bo redefined the role of the athlete in the pop cultural conversation. More than 20 years later, myths and legends still surround Bo Jackson, and his impossible feats still capture our collective imagination.
Each 30 for 30 film will be available on iTunes the day after its broadcast premiere. A collectible DVD Gift Set including all six films will be available at major retailers in-store and online on December 11, 2012. Just in time for you to buy this for me as a Christmas gift. Here is your pertinent reading material for Tuesday, enjoy.
FOX Sports: Could we Americans be wrong about coverage?
Esquire: Hard to Believe This is Even Lenny Kravitz
Dirty Tackle: Sami Khedira scored a goal with his face, did not enjoy it
Lifehacker: Purchase Airline Tickets at the End of August/Early September for the Best Deals
Gizmodo: Facebook Is Trialling Online Gambling
Smoking Section: Usain Bolt Is A Gangster And A Gentleman
The Well Versed: A Fistful Of Reality: The Jon Jones Dilemma
Uncrate: Nike+ Sportwatch GPS Limited Edition
The Classical: The Dwight Howard Trade Did Not Take Place
LA Times: NFL to use female official for first time
NFL Films: Let the Film Run Like Water
Eddie Maisonet is the founder and editor emeritus of The Sports Fan Journal. Currently, he serves as an associate editor for ESPN.com. He is an unabashed Russell Westbrook and Barry Switzer apologist, owns over 100 fitteds and snapbacks, and lives by Reggie Jackson’s famous quote, “I am the straw that stirs the drink.”
