Documentary
An inside look at the changing role of athletes in our fraught cultural and political environment, through the lens of the NBA.
Prompted by Laura Ingraham’s public criticism of LeBron James and other NBA players' outspokenness on the current political climate, the first episode is an exploration of the league’s social and cultural influence across time. Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson risked their careers and paved the way for generations of future players. Julius “Dr. J” Erving’s style of play laid the groundwork for Larry Bird and Magic Johnson (and David Stern) to catapult the NBA into an era of higher visibility and prosperity.
1984 brought the arrival of the one and only Michael Jordan. MJ breaks barriers when his out-of-context quote, “Republicans buy sneakers too” becomes a signature declaration for a generation of players. In the wake of the Rodney King riots in L.A., two black players, Craig Hodges and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, make their voices heard and pay the price. Allen Iverson rises and becomes a trendsetter unlike anyone before him, even though his defiant style on the court gets him only so far in the NBA.
The very public brawl known as “Malice in the Palace” is the catalyst for new NBA rules. But it is also an opportunity for players to own their brands and create both social and financial equity for themselves. The NBA begins its transition to a “players’ league,” with players reaching unprecedented levels of economic and cultural influence. The murders of Trayvon Martin and Erik Garner create a chance for NBA players to stand up and be heard. In the present turbulent political era, players are now unwilling to just “shut up and dribble."
Narrator (voice)
Self - Former NBA Player
Self - NBA Hall of Famer
Self - Entertainer
Self - Sportscaster
Self - Sportswriter
Self - Professor, USC
English football's famous 'fallen giant' Leeds United is at the start of a journey: to win promotion back to the Premier League. New owner Andrea Radrizzani has recruited a world-class head coach, Marcelo Bielsa, to lead the team back to the promised land. This will be one of the most dramatic seasons in the club's history as fans, players and a city start to dream of a return to the top flight.
The Howard Years was a documentary series about the prime ministership of John Howard produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was divided into four one-hour episodes - one episode for each term Howard served as Prime Minister of Australia - and originally broadcast on ABC1 from 17 November to 8 December 2008.
Nightline, or ABC News Nightline, is a late-night news program that is broadcast by ABC in the United States, and has a franchised formula to other networks and stations elsewhere in the world. Created by Roone Arledge, the program featured Ted Koppel as its main anchor from March 1980 until his retirement from the program in November 2005. Nightline airs weeknights at 12:37 a.m. Eastern Time, after Jimmy Kimmel Live!. It previously ran for 31 minutes, but in 2011, the program was reduced to 25 minutes. When the program moved to 12:37 a.m. ET, the program was expanded to 30 minutes. In 2002, Nightline was ranked 23rd on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time.
Rollergirls was a 2006 A&E Network reality show examining the personalities, antics and motivations of the women involved with the Austin, Texas Lonestar Rollergirls roller derby league. The show focused primarily on the lives of Cha Cha and Venis Envy of Las Putas Del Fuego; Punky Bruiser, Miss Conduct, and Sister Mary Jane of the Holy Rollers; Lunatic and Clownsnack of the Hellcats; and Lux of the Rhinestone Cowgirls. Many other skaters were also highlighted. The league, now known as Texas Roller Derby or TXRD, was founded in 2001 and is run as a "skater-owned and operated" company that continues to this day. The five home teams are the Cherry Bombs, Hellcats, Holy Rollers, Las Putas Del Fuego and Rhinestone Cowgirls. Episodes were initially broadcast on Monday nights beginning on January 2, 2006, with repeated showings throughout the week. Rollergirls was produced by Gary and Julie Auerbach, the creators of MTV's Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. The show ended after one season.
This show demystifies and explores the issues of mixed martial arts in Quebec by following five leading athletes: Corinne Laframboise, Louis and Charles Jourdain, Jade Masson-Wong and Marc-André Barriault. It presents the necessary preparations for the fight, the impact of the sport on their loved ones, and the place of the family in the discipline.
Self - Professor, USC
