ESPN Films Debuts New Film This Weekend

Courtesy: ESPN/ESPNU

ESPN Films will debut a new film in its SEC “Storied” series this weekend.  Miracle 3 will debut this Sunday, March 3^rd at 8pm EST on ESPNU.  The latest in the series focuses on the events of March 14^th, 2008.  It was on that date that an EF2 tornado touched down in the heart of Atlanta, Georgia during a matchup between Alabama and Mississippi State in the SEC tournament.  Alabama was trailing Mississippi State 59-56 in the final seconds of regulation of the first of the tournament’s quarterfinal games.  The game went into OT after Alabama guard Myka Riley hit a three-pointer to tie the game.  The irony of the shot is that not only did it keep the Crimson Tide in the game, but because it extended the game, it may have been to thank for saving thousands of lives.

Because of that shot, the thousands in attendance of the game stayed inside the Georgia Dome instead of going outside.  Had they gone outside, those thousands could have been injured or worse because only minutes after that fateful shot, a tornado touched down just outside the Georgia Dome.  Nobody inside the Georgia Dome was injured.  Though, the arena did sustain enough damage that it forced the remainder of the game to be delayed.  It also caused the last quarterfinal game of the day to be postponed.  SEC officials would end up having to find a new home for the tournament’s final games as a result of the damage to the Georgia Dome so as to finish the tournament on schedule.  The Bulldogs would end up going on to the NCAA tournament after winning three games in a 30-hour span.

The story of Miracle 3 is built around interviews with people involved in those affected by the tornado including players and coaches from teams playing in the tournament, SEC officials, referees, fans, meteorologists, and many more.  Along with airing at 8pm on ESPNU, Miracle 3 will also air earlier in the evening on March 3^rd on ESPN.  It will air at 5pm on ESPN this Sunday evening.

To get the latest news on Miracle 3 and all programming on ESPNU and ESPN, go online to http://www.facebook.com/ESPNU and http://www.facebook.com/ESPN and the official website of ESPNU and ESPN, http://espn.go.com/college-sports/ and http://espn.go.com. 

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ESPN Films, ESPNU Airing New Special Next Week

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN Films is continuing its SEC “Storied” series next week.  The next special in the network’s series is titled, Going Big.  The special centers on former basketball player Sam Bowie.  Bowie’s career in both college and high school was wrought with trials and tribulations.  The 7’1” star got his start at the University of Kentucky.  He was also lucky enough to be a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic basketball team.  Everything seemed to be going well for Bowie in his college career until an accident in a game against Vanderbilt that would end up sidelining the rising star for two seasons.  Though in 1984 he managed to get back on the court, and led his team to the Final Four.

Yet again, his life was on a high note, as he was taken second overall in the 1984 NBA draft after his graduation, right in front of legend Michael Jordan.  Sadly though, just as his college career had hit some bumps, so did his professional career.  While injuries left him sidelined once again, Jordan rose to national fame.  Continued injuries throughout his professional career would lead to a negative reputation around him as having been overrated.  Despite all of his bad luck in the NBA, Bowie has pushed on and found success in another area of life.

Going Big airs next Thursday, September 20^th on ESPNU at 9pmEST.

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ESPNU Airing New “Storied” Special Next Week

ESPNU is presenting a very special presentation next Tuesday, September 25^th as part of ESPN’s “Storied” series.  The network will premiere the special, “Croom” next Tuesday night at 7pm EST. 

“Croom” focuses on famed Mississippi State University coach Sylvester Croom.  He’s seen some very high and some low points.  Croom was part of three SEC Championship teams as a student athlete at the University of Alabama.  He was also the first ever African American Center on the football team.  Croom moved on to the NFL after his college career, where he served as an assistant coach for seventeen years before being considered for the head football coach of his alma mater.  Ultimately, he would be beaten out by Mike Shula.  It would be a year later when Croom took the helm of the embattled Mississippi State football program.  Three straight winning seasons and back to back wins against the Crimson Tide in ’06 and ’07 along with a Liberty Bowl win and Coach of The Year honors would seemingly secure his place at Mississippi State.  But that wouldn’t be the case, as he was surprisingly asked to step down from his post after the season that followed. 

Croom showed that despite being asked to step down from his coaching position, he wouldn’t let that adversity keep him down.  He returned to the NFL and now serves as part of the Jacksonville Jaguars coaching staff. 

This powerful story of success over great odds and adversity is perfect for any college football fan.  It airs on ESPNU next Tuesday night at 7pm EST. 

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it or its companion page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reel-Reviews/381028148587141.  Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at http://philspicks.wordpress.com

ESPNU debuts new special Monday

The 2012 London Summer Olympics are just around the corner.  And just in time to build anticipation for this year’s games, ESPNU will air its newest special, “Lolo.”  “Lolo” airs Monday night at 7pm on ESPNU.

“Lolo” centers on track and field star Lori “Lolo” Jones.  It tells the story of an athlete who started her life with nothing, but through sheer determination and hard work, became one of the greatest names in her sport today.  Director Rory Karpf uses interviews with Jones’ family and friends, and Jones herself to illustrate her story.

Lori “Lolo” Jones’ story starts in Des Moines, Iowa.  She and her siblings grew up hard.  Their father was constantly in and out of the family’s picture.  Their mom struggled to make ends meet.  Jones herself talks about the family’s struggles leading to her having to shoplift food just to make sure she had something to eat and how the family even had to sleep on the floor of a Salvation Army Church because they had nowhere else at one point.  She also recounts how when her father was around, they never had one stable car.  She notes that her dad was always buying cheap cars that broke down quickly.  In the colder months of the year, she would end up having to run from point to point as a result of this.  That, she says, is what started her love of running.  She said of running that, “it [running] was the friend that never left.”

Lolo’s love of running became not just a love, but a genuine talent.  It garnered her a scholarship to LSU.  Jones said of her move to Louisiana that for a girl from Iowa, it was a total culture shock.  As much as it was a culture shock, moving to Louisiana and attending LSU was a turning point for her.  LSU was where she met track and field coach Dennis Shaver.  Shaver would unwittingly become the father figure that Jones needed to nurture her gift.  And he did just that.

Coach Shaver was there for Lolo after she failed to qualify for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.  It was his motivation that kept her going and working her way to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.  Her run in the ’08 Olympics was nothing short of miraculous.  It was also one of the most important moments in her life.  When she came up short of the Gold in her final event, Jones started to question herself.  That led her to doubt herself in other competitions.  But the reality was that her problems may not have been her fault after all.  As a matter of fact, it would turn out that Jones had a problem that came as a surprise to everyone including herself that led to her ups and downs since the ’08 Olympics.

When she went to see a doctor about everything she was going through, he discovered that Jones actually had a problem with her spine.  It turned out that a problem with her spine had caused her to lose sensation to her feet.  That explained her legs and feet not moving the way she had wanted.  She finally had an answer.  After a successful procedure and recovery, Lolo Jones made an amazing comeback with a win at the ’08 U.S. Open.  And now, she will try to make it to this year’s London Olympics at next month’s Olympic Trials, hoping that the third time will truly be the charm.  Needless to say that when she tries out next month, there will likely be a lot of people watching on television and at those trials chanting, “Go! Go! Lolo! 

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