As excited as I was for Disney+, I have spent the most time with ESPN+. The 30 for 30 documentaries were a huge selling point for me. Little did I know, there was a whole series of shorts ranging from under ten minutes to half an hour. These bite sized documentaries cover topics that may not work in a longer format. Here are some 30 for 30 Shorts that are as good as the full length documentaries.
Wrestling the Curse (2015)
The Von Erich’s place in wrestling history is a tragic one. Unsurprisingly, it is the subject of many professional wrestling documentaries. Wrestling the Curse looks at the family from a different angle. It focuses less on the history of the wrestling brothers and is more about how Kevin has dealt with everything. A fascinating look at acceptance and denial.
The Anti-Mascot (2015)
Even those who do not like baseball can probably name a mascot from the sport. Who did not get a chance to see the San Diego Chicken as a child or does not recognize the Philly Phanatic? The Anti-Mascot looks at how the San Francisco Giants decided to deflect attention from their awful season and how a crab ignited the fury of Bay Area baseball fans.
No Kin to Me (2016)
There once was a time when there was a consolation game for third place of the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. In 1981, the game was to take place the same day of the Ronald Reagan assassination attempt. LSU player Rudy Macklin made a comment that he would immediately regret. The documentary is an interesting look at how media and people will sometimes overreact to offhand comments.
The Great Imposter (2013)
Someone putting on a disguise and sneaking onto a NBA bastketball court is a scary thought in today’s world. In 1979, Barry Bremen did it at the NBA All Star Game on a bet. This led to a “career” that included sneaking into a series of events including the World Series and a Dallas Cowboys halftime show (as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader!) A loving look back at the man and simpler more innocent times.
Slick, Nancy, and the Telethon (2016)
The best stories are the ones that give you a rooting interest when you initially did not care. The Indiana Pacers were an ABA dynasty. In 1977, the ABA merged with the NBA who took four teams from the soon to be defunct league, including the Pacers. Still, the team was in dire financial straits. A telethon was held to try to save the endangered team. As touching of a story as this is, it probably will not interest non sports fans.
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