ESPN Films’ Latest Release Debuts April 17th

Courtesy: ESPN

ESPN Films debuts the latest release in its 30 for 30 series next month.

Bad Boys, the latest film from ESPN Films’ hit series, premieres Thursday, April 17^th at 8pm ET on ESPN.  The film was produced by NBA Entertainment and helmed by Zak Levitt.  The film’s story centers on the Detroit Pistons’ heyday of the late 80s and early 90s.  The Pistons of the 80s and 90s was one of those teams that fans either loved or hated.  There was no in between for this squad.  Those that loved the team called it a group of men that wasn’t afraid to work hard and really get in the paint.  It was a team, to those fans, that was afraid of no one.  That same win at all costs mentality is also what led many to despise the team.

The film highlights the highs and lows of the team’s heyday through interviews with the likes of Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, Adrian Dantley, and Mark Aguirre among others.  The interviews give viewers a more personal look at what made the team one of the league’s most talked about. Also included are personal insights from some of the biggest names to face Detroit during the late 80s and early 90s. Those names include: Michael Jordan, Clyde Drexler, Patrick Ewing, Kevin McHale, Dominique Wilkins, and James Worthy.  Former NBA Commissioner David Stern also shares his thoughts on what made the team such a lightning rod in the league at that time.

The premiere of Bad Boys will be followed immediately by Grantland’s Bad Boys Remix, a special one-hour presentation featuring Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose.  The pair will be joined by Isiah Thomas and Doug Collins to discuss the film.  The pair will also share more thoughts on the highs and lows of the Pistons.  Along with their appearance on Grantland’s Bad Boys Remix, Thomas and Collins will be part of Grantland’s “Detroit Week” package, kicking off April 14^th.  Grantland’s “Detroit Week” will include written features about the city of Detroit and its history as well as Detroit-themed podcasts on the Grantland Network.

More information on ESPN Films and its hit 30 for 30 series is available online at http://www.facebook.com/espn30for30, http://twitter.com/30for30, and http://www.espn.com/30for30.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

ESPN Championship Week Presented By Dick’s Sporting Goods Tips Off This Weekend

Courtesy: ESPN

Things are heating up in the world of NCAA basketball.  And as things start to get hot, so is ESPN’s coverage of college basketball.  Beginning Friday, March 7^th, ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods will present ninety-two men’s college basketball conference tournament games from twenty-three conferences across the ESPN family of networks.

ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods starts Friday, March 7^th with nine games from the Big South, Ohio Valley, and Southern Conference tournaments.  Those games will be broadcast online on ESPNU and ESPN3.   It all winds down on Sunday, March 16^th with the title games for the ACC, Sun Belt, and SEC Championships.  The ACC Championship will air on ESPN, while the Sun Belt and SEC Championship games will be broadcast on ESPN2 and ESPN respectively at 1pm ET and 3:15pm ET.

As an added bonus for fans, ESPN Films will debut the latest addition to its 30 for 30 series Requiem for the BIG EAST Sunday, March 16^th at 9pm ET.  The film, directed by Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Ezra Edelman, follows the rise and eventual move of the Big East conference.  The story is told thanks in large part to interviews with Big East coaches such as Jim Boeheim, Lou Carnesecca, Rick Pitino and John Thompson, former Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese, and former Big East standouts Patrick Ewing, Chris Mullin and Ed Pinckney.

Along with the new 30 for 30 film, the ESPN family of networks will also offer special coverage on ESPN Radio, WatchESPN, and ESPN.com.  ESPN’s SportsCenter will also offer a special two-hour broadcast of its special Bracketology Presented by Staples at 7pm ET and again at 9pm ET on ESPN following the conclusion of the SEC Championship.

The complete schedule for ESPN’s Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods is listed below.

                                    Championship Week Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods Schedule

Date	Network	Time (ET)	Game / Commentators	Site
Fri 3/7	ESPN3	11 a.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: First Round Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	Noon	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Matt Hogue & Nate Ross	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	1:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: First Round Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	2 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Matt Hogue & Nate Ross	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	4:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: First Round Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPNU	7:30 p.m.	Ohio Valley Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Rich Hollenberg & Adrian Branch	Nashville, Tenn.
	ESPN3	8 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPNU	9:30 p.m.	Ohio Valley Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Rich Hollenberg & Adrian Branch	Nashville, Tenn.
Sat, 3/8	ESPN3	Noon	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	Noon	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	Noon	Big South Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	Noon	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	2 p.m.	Big South Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Patrick Kinas & Ralph Patterson	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN3	2 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	2:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	2:30 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	6:30 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN2	7 p.m.	Ohio Valley Conference: Championship Rich Hollenberg & Adrian Branch	Nashville, Tenn.
	ESPN3	7 p.m.	Horizon League Tournament: Semifinal #1 * Jim Barbar & Malcolm Huckaby	Green Bay, Wis.
	ESPN3	8 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	8:30 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Darren Goldwater & Dean Keender	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN2	9 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN3	9 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPNU	9:30 p.m.	Horizon League Tournament: Semifinal #2 Jim Barbar & Malcolm Huckaby	Green Bay, Wis.
	ESPN2	11 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
Sun 3/9	ESPN2	Noon	Big South Tournament: Championship Roy Philpott & Paul Biancardi	Myrtle Beach, S.C.
	ESPN2	2 p.m.	Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament: Championship Jason Benetti & Cory Alexander	TBD
	ESPN3	4:30 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	5 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
	ESPN3	7 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Doug Sherman & Rob Kennedy	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN3	7:30 p.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Eric Frede & Frank Sullivan	Albany, N.Y.
Mon 3/10	ESPN2	7 p.m.	Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Doug Sherman & Tim Welsh	Springfield, Mass.
	ESPN	9 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN2	9 p.m.	Southern Conference Tournament: Championship Adam Amin & Mark Adams	Asheville, N.C.
	ESPN2	11:30 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
Tue 3/11	ESPN	7 p.m.	Horizon League Tournament: Championship Bob Wischusen & TBD	TBD
	ESPN2	7 p.m.	Northeast Conference Tournament: Championship Mike Crispino & Miles Simon	TBD
	ESPN	9 p.m.	West Coast Conference Tournament: Championship Dave Flemming & Sean Farnham	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN2	9 p.m.	Summit League Tournament: Championship Clay Matvick & Darrin Horn	Sioux Falls, S.D.
Wed 3/12	ESPN2	1 p.m.	ACC Tournament: First Round #1 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	3 p.m.	ACC Tournament: First Round #2 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	7 p.m.	ACC Tournament: First Round #3 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	7 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: First Round #1 Mike Patrick & Len Elmore	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN2	9:30 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: First Round #2 Dave O’Brien & Doris Burke	Memphis, Tenn.
Thu 3/13	ESPN	Noon	ACC Tournament: Second Round #1 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	12:30 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Quarterfinal #1 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPNU	1 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #1 Mike Patrick, Len Elmore & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN	2 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Second Round #2 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	2:30 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Quarterfinal #2 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPNU	3 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #2 Mike Patrick, Len Elmore & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN2	6:30 p.m.	Big Ten Conference Tournament: First Round #3 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN	7 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Second Round #3 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	7 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #3 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPN2	8:30 p.m.	Big Ten Conference Tournament: First Round #4 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN	9 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Second Round #4 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	9 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Quarterfinal #4 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
Fri 3/14	ESPN or ESPN2	Noon	Big Ten Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN or ESPN2	Noon	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	1 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Quarterfinal #1 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN or ESPN2	2:30 p.m.	Big Ten Conference Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Mike Tirico, Dan Dakich & Allison Williams	Indianapolis, Ind.
	ESPN or ESPN2	2:30 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Sean McDonough, Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPNU	3 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Quarterfinal #2 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN3	6 p.m.	Southland Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1	Katy, Texas
	ESPN or ESPN2	7 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #3 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN or ESPN2	7 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Semifinal #1 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPNU ^	7 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Semifinal #1 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPN3	8:30 p.m.	Southland Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2	Katy, Texas
	ESPN or ESPN2	9:30 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Quarterfinal #4 Dan Shulman, Sean Farnham & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN or ESPN2	9:30 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Semifinal #2 Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPNU ^	9:30 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Semifinal #2 Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
Sat 3/15	ESPNU	12 a.m.	Big West Conference Tournament: Semifinal #2 Mark Jones & Miles Simon	Anaheim, Calif.
	ESPNU	2 a.m.	Big West Conference Tournament: Semifinal #1 ** Mark Jones & Miles Simon	Anaheim, Calif.
	ESPN2	11:30 a.m.	America East Conference Tournament: Championship Bob Picozzi & Tim Welsh	TBD
	ESPN	1 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Semifinal #1 Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale or Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ABC	1 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Semifinal #1 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN	3 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Semifinal #2 Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale or Jay Bilas & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ABC	3 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Semifinal #2 Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.
	ESPN2	4:30 p.m.	Southwestern Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Mark Neely & Jarron Collins	Houston, Texas
	ESPN	6 p.m.	American Men’s Basketball Championship: Championship Dave O’Brien, Doris Burke & Andy Katz	Memphis, Tenn.
	ESPNU	6 p.m.	Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Tom Hart & Stan Lewter	Norfolk, Va.
	ESPN2	6:30 p.m.	Mid-American Conference Tournament: Championship Bob Wischusen & LaPhonso Ellis	Cleveland, Ohio
	ESPNU	8 p.m.	Big Sky Conference Tournament: Championship Roxy Bernstein & Corey Williams	Ogden, Texas
	ESPN2	8:30 p.m.	Southland Conference Tournament: Championship Carter Blackburn & Stephen Howard	Katy, Texas
	ESPN	9 p.m.	Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Championship Brent Musburger, Fran Fraschilla & Holly Rowe	Kansas City, Mo.
	ESPNU	10 p.m.	Western Athletic Conference Tournament: Championship Steve Quis & Jon Crispin	Las Vegas, Nev.
	ESPN2	10:30 p.m.	Big West Conference Tournament: Championship Mark Jones & Miles Simon	Anaheim, Calif.
Sun 3/16	ESPN	1 p.m.	ACC Tournament: Championship Dan Shulman, Dick Vitale & Jeannine Edwards	Greensboro, N.C.
	ESPN2	1 p.m.	Sun Belt Conference Tournament: Championship Rich Hollenberg & Mark Adams	New Orleans, La.
	ESPN	3:15 p.m.	SEC Tournament: Championship Brad Nessler, Jimmy Dykes & Shannon Spake	Atlanta, Ga.

More information on Championship Week Presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods is available online at http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball.  To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it.  Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.