61 (2001) Review

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(More customer reviews)Upon its release, 61* immediately became a classic. The baseball scenes are the best of any movie ever. You never feel like you're watching actors. But the key to the movie is its realism. Thomas Jane and Barry Pepper are extraordinary as Mantle and Maris, respectively. Everything from their batting stances to the way they stand in the lockerroom is perfect. And older baseball fans will love seeing Yankee Stadium at its finest, complete with Bob Shephard as himself. In the broadcast booth comes more of 61*'s subtle brilliance. Behind Mel Allen and Phil Rizzuto is a WPIX 11 sign, which was the Yankees' flagship station for 40 years. It may not seem like much, but it is just part of the painstaking efforts to make the movie as real as possible. What many baseball movies lack is dialogue from broadcasters. They tend to say the score, situation, etc., but rarely tell stories, which---as any baseball fan knows---is how most air time is spent. 61*, however, features several moments where Rizzuto talks about lasagne he ate at a restaurant, wishing happy birthdays to fans, and joking about how the outfielders positioned themselves when he was batting. Baseball fans should eat that stuff up. The movie has minor flaws---Bob Cerv began the season with LA, for instance---but nothing that detracts from its overall greatness. Everyone involved in this movie, from Billy Crystal to all the actors, did their best to recreate the most famous season any sport has ever seen. If you are a baseball fan, you absolutely must see this movie. If you're not a baseball fan, you should still see it. Fifty years from now, 61* will be as much a classic as Field of Dreams or Bull Durham.

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NFL Super Bowl XLIII: Pittsburgh Steelers Champions (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've seen several of these from NFL Films, and they're always wonderfully done. This is basically a yearbook of the Steelers' 2008 season -- a "Season Review" which contains highlights of all the Steelers' games, including the Super Bowl. It also contains various extras. It definitely does not include the complete Super Bowl. If you're looking for a review of the season, this is your purchase. If you're looking for Super Bowl XLIII on DVD/BluRay, I'm pretty certain they'll be releasing that before too long as well. Just want to make sure no one is disappointed!

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On February 1, 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first franchise in NFL history to win their sixth Super Bowl. The title was the Steelers second in four seasons. It was the first under second-year head coach Mike Tomlin. Led by a defense that ranked first in yards allowed per game (237.2), passing yards allowed per game (156.9), points allowed per game (13.9) and second in rushing yards allowed per game (80.3), the Steelers finished the regular season 12-4 to win the AFC North Division title.After defeating San Diego and Baltimore in the AFC playoffs, Pittsburgh culminated its championship run with a victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII.Relive all the thrilling moments of the 2008 Steelers, from Opening Day right through Super Bowl XLIII. NFL Films tells their story with action highlights and exclusive sideline and locker room sound from Pittsburgh\'s record-setting season.Blu-ray bonus content includes, HD Gamecast – 4TH Quarter of 2008 Week 14 vs. Cowboys: Just as it sounds, the Fox broadcast of the 4th quarter is presented in HD without commercial interruption.

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Street Ball - The And 1 Mix Tape Tour (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)this is a great story as ESPN cameras follow the streetballers from city to city....I like the stories about the guys where they started and grew up playing streetball...the game in NYC was like a 'real game' - the and1 players were serious cause they knew the ball players there you couldn't do so many tricks cause they were coming at em....same with oakland's open run....
alimoe talks about being recruited by tarkanian and fresno state, headache talks about the original 5 and1 players with footage from the original video of highlights, hot sauce comes off as the crowd favorite everywhere they go...some good video of ao...as well....its a good dvd
the full entire game played in atlanta is on 2nd disc and its fun to watch the one and only skip to my lou in action...
bottom line if you're interested in seeing real ball players who love the game and play for the competition and thrill of the game - watch these guys and support and1 basketball...yeah its streetball and its not about fundamentals or team basketball but its about players who play in the playgrounds and would play even if they never made a dime doing it....for the love of the game...

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ABC Wide World Of Sports: 40 Years Of Glory (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)The title should have been: "Evel Knievel and Auto Racing". I was hoping for the great moments in TV sports history, with many different sports shown. Instead, all I saw was about 5 or more minutes of Evel Knievel and 5 or more minutes of auto racing, but zero minutes of swimming, skiing, boxing, baseball, basketball, hockey, football etc. etc. It feels like they put very little time into making a exciting sports product that showed the best of sports over the last 40 years. I was very disappointed.

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For the first time ever on DVD, you can relive the greatest moments from one of the most popular and beloved shows in American sports history. For over 40 years, ABC's Wide World of Sports brought America face-to-face with sports pinnacles and perils. Hosted by Jim McKay, the program was an instant classic, showcasing a diverse collection of sports from around the globe that captivated audiences everywhere. From Lance Armstrong's first amazing Tour de France win to Nadia Comaneci's dramatic Olympic feats, and Evel Knievel's death-defying motorcycle jumps, rediscover the unforgettable legacy of Wide World of Sports.
BONUS FEATURES: Vinko Bogataj Update WWOS - Mohammad Ali Jim McKay Tribute

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2008-2009 NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)The DVD recaps the 2008-2009 season for the Lakers, starting with a brief recap of the loss to the Celtics in the 2007-2008 NBA Finals. The first 20 minutes or so covers highlights of the regular season with emphasis on bigger games such as the Christmas Day game against Boston and the road game against Cleveland (giving Cleveland their first home loss of the season), and Kobe's 61 point game in Madison Square Garden. It's also great that they show things such as Bynum getting injured again and the struggle to play without him. The next 10-15 minutes covers the Western Conference playoff matchups (Utah briefly, Houston, and Denver). The Houston and Denver series go more in depth since they were longer, harder fought series. The final 20-25 minutes or so covers each game of the NBA finals against Orlando, with a brief section on Orlando's great playoff run leading up to the Finals. What I love about this DVD is that they not only cover most of the important games I mentioned, but they show some of the most memorable plays from those games and from the playoffs, it really got me hyped up over last season. They show some good locker room footage during the playoffs as well which hasn't been aired before, and they show a fair amount of the parade footage in the credits.
Unfortunately, the main feature is only 60 minutes long, which I wish they would've made into at least 90-120 minutes which shows how epic and long an NBA season (especially the playoffs) is. I wish they would've briefly touched on things like trading Radmanovic for Brown (who really contributed down the strech) and Morrison, and showing a little more of the competition such as showing a little bit about the fight for 1st place against the Cavs, but things like this may have been too insignificant and took away focus from the Lakers so it's understandable why they left things like these out. The main problem I have with this DVD however, is that while ALL the footage is shot in 16:9 aspect ratio, it is presented in 4:3 fullscreen, which means on an HDTV there are large black borders around the entire image, and the feature is much smaller. I assume they did this to cater towards SDTV owners and not have to worry about making different formats or using pan & scan, but it kind of sucks that when many people have HDTVs these days, they're still catering towards old sets. However, this is still not a big deal overall since I got used to it, and the image still looks great.
While the main feature is only 60 minutes, there are plenty of extra features on the DVD to help justify purchasing it. Here's an overview of them:
Kobe Slideshow - A brief interview with Kobe showing him pictures of his career while Kobe discusses them.
Pau Gasol Slideshow - Pretty much the same thing as the Kobe slideshow but with more video and is mostly taken from Inside the NBA with Ahmad Rashad.
Boston at LA, X-Mas Day, All-Access - A really good recap of the Xmas Day game with the best highlights, and good pre-game footage. This feature was a great way of showing how the 2008-2009 Lakers evolved from the previous year.
Cleveland at LA, 1/19/09, All-Access - Same as the Boston one for the most part. Very good as well.
Lakers Roundtable - A pretty good feature which has the Showtime era Lakers sitting around each other talking about their days, etc. It's a good feature, albeit totally unrelated to this year's team.
4th Quarter Game 7 vs. Houston - While being a great series, this game was a blowout and isn't really worth watching by the 4th quarter. I don't see why they put this on the DVD. Pretty much any other game in the series would've been more approriate.
4th Quarter Game 6 vs. Denver - While also a good series, this was another blowout which isn't worth watching really by the 4th. This and the Game 7 vs. Houston shouldn't have been on here, and they should've put Game 4 vs. Orlando and Game 1 vs. Denver.
Timeout: Trevor Ariza - less than 3 minutes long, and is pretty much irrelevant. It shows Ariza answering trivial questions, and seems like the type of video they'd show during a timeout at the game. Hence the title I guess.
Spotlight: Derek Fisher - A 3 minute video of Fisher during the Finals, which seems to show more about Kobe than Fisher and doesn't really show Fisher's significance unfortunately.
Focus: Lamar Odom - Another 3 minute video highlighting Odom's career and showing some good footage of his early career with the Clippers, then moving to Miami, and then the Lakers and his ups and downs there. This video is actually really good at showing Lamar's talent and his career very briefly.
Kobe 81 - My favorite extra feature on the DVD. This doesn't just show highlights of his 81 point game, but it is also an interview with Kobe taken this 2009 season on the road in Memphis in his hotel room, taking about how the game went, how he felt, his emotions quarter by quarter, etc. Also when watching some of the highlights of that game, it's hard to say that Toronto played terrible defense against him (which they still did overall) because many of his shots were so well defended, they just couldn't do anything about it. I really enjoyed this feature even though I've seen the game and the highlights many times before.
Overall, this DVD is a must have for any Lakers fan or any fan of Kobe's. Some of the special features are hit and miss, but it's definitely worth $20 for the die-hard Lakers fan or Kobe fan such as myself.

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NBA Champion fans, be the first to own the only officially licensed DVD of your team s triumphant season. You haven t seen anything until you have seen the official 2008-2009 NBA Champions DVD. Relive the intense victories on the road to the title from a whole new angle. Loaded with clutch bonus features including profiles on your favorite players and in-depth analysis. Experience what is is to be a champion - Own it on DVD Today!

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NFL America's Game Super Bowl I-XL (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I love a good work of fiction but sometimes reality can be very entertaining. This series is well-made and so intense and passionate that it brought me to tears more than one time. Every episode is a unique road to the superbowl by the team who won it and told by 3 important actors of the team. The 1985 conquest of the Bears for example is told by Mike Ditka, Mike Singletary and Jim McMahon. The stories that leads to the big game are fascinating, touching and often surprising. I love the series so much that I was comtemplating buying the first DVDs on the market which focus on one particular team and all the superbowls they won. But now, I was happy to see that they compile everything in one package. The packaging is very well made, the 40 DVDs being separated in 4 eras (66-75)(76-85)(86-95)and (96-05), 10 discs by DVD. Also, an interesting 88 page book with every conquest by every team. On the DVDs you have also a bunch of interviews that we couldn't see on the NFL network. If you love the NFL this is a great work by NFL films and Steve Sabol and a great piece of history to possess. The only thing missing is the Colts Superbowl last year but the documentary is about the first 40 Superbowl so we can't have everything unfortunately.

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There is no bigger or more anticipated game in all of sports than the Super Bowl. Now Warner Home Video (WHV), the National Football League (NFL) and NFL Films are teaming up to give football fans everywhere an extensively researched and crafted 40-disc set that delves into each team that has won the NFL s biggest game.From dynasties to one-shot wonders, from the undefeated to the unexpected, America s Game tells the stories behind the story of all 40 Super Bowl champions. Each episode is a 60-minute documentary featuring key members of the winning team telling behind-the-scenes accounts from their championship season. With classic NFL Films action combined with news clips and photos, highlights from team radio broadcasts, footage from inside team meeting rooms, sideline audio and other exclusive features, America s Game provides an epic and intimate portrait of 40 distinct championship teams, in one groundbreaking series.This was the first NFL Films feature to be screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. The DVD also includes a special edition booklet that offers collectors a valuable insight into the four decades of Super Bowl history, including action photos, history, stats and shots of the famous Super Bowl rings.Narrated by A-list celebrities including Alec Baldwin, Gene Hackman, Laurence Fishburne, Ed Harris, Martin Sheen and Bruce Willis this DVD is sure to impress any football fan. Features: Collectible Booklet covering each team in each season Interviews with: Jerome Bettis, Tom Brady, Joe Namath, John Elway, Brett Favre, Lawrence Taylor, John Madden, Bill Belichick, Bill Walsh, Franco Harris, Dick Vermeil, Joe Gibbs, Mike Ditka, Bill Parcells, Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Bill Cowher, Jerry Rice, Warren Sapp, Roger Staubach, Don Shula, Bart Starr, Ronnie Lott, Joe Theismann, Howie Long, Marcus Allen, Jim McMahon, Phil Simms, Michael Irvin, Jimmy Johnson, Steve Young, Mike Holmgren, Shannon Sharpe, Kurt Warner, Bubba Smith, Larry Csonka, Mean Joe Greene, Lynn Swann, Tony Dorsett, Mike Singletary, Desmond Howard, Charlie Weis and over 75 other superstars.

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3: DALE EARNHARDT STORY (2004) Review

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(More customer reviews)As a huge fan of "The Intimidator", I was very skeptical about how a TV movie would portray the greatest race car driver that ever lived. After viewing "3", I must say that I was impressed by the work. Being that this was a TV movie (And I'm not a big fan of TV movies.), it didn't surprise me that the director would tread very thin on the biographical history and not ruffle feathers any further about his love life, his relationship with his fellow drivers or other tracks. The portayal of Earnhardt by Barry Pepper was great. He captured his style and essence. However, I would have loved to see more about some of his rituals at the track. Maybe this is the first of many films that will try to give fans like myself and others who don't know him a feel of what he was like. This film has my blessing.

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The Boston Red Sox 2004 World Series Collector's Edition (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Bad News First: No games from the series against Anaheim (which were on ESPN rather than Fox), in which David Ortiz put on a hitting clinic--a one-disc overview would have been really nice. Really nice. . . . Thanks, ESPN, for helping out with copyright stuff. . . . That knocks it down to 4 1/2 stars right there. But the real drama came with the Yankees series, though, so I'll survive. I don't have a good enough system to notice some of the more technical picture/color/resolution issues that have been mentioned, so I'm fine with that, too, even though some others have voiced valid criticisms. That's pretty good for bad news. . . .
The Good News: Everything (and I mean everything!) is on these discs. This set of DVDs is a spectacular collection of the most important ALCS in Red Sox history, some of the most exciting baseball to be played in October, and then the World Series, which seemed terribly anti-climactic somehow after Games 4 & 5 against the Yankees and a nice partial comeback by the Cardinals in Game 1 of the World Series. Whatever I might be missing from the Anaheim series, I get back twofold from this set--back up to 5 stars. Easy.
The Games: Aside from a disastrous Game 3 (which might be good to watch just to keep the comeback in even better perspective), the games were close, competitive, and dramatic. Some pretty good drama unfolded in Games 1 & 2, despite the Red Sox losses. Game 4 showcased a classic display of determination (by both teams) within a back-and-forth struggle, "the steal" by Dave Roberts, and the ultimate vintage walk-off home run by Ortiz in the bottom of the 12th inning. Game 5 followed in those big footsteps and provided possibly even more drama, with the Red Sox tying the game in the 8th inning and the two teams playing five more scoreless innings--each team with multiple opportunities to win the game, with the dramatic finish in the bottom of the 14th. That game went close to six hours, and we missed a great game between St. Louis and Houston, because by the time this game was over, the other game was well into the 8th inning. . . . Games 6 & 7 seemed less "exciting," simply because it seemed that the Sox had all of the momentum: Schilling pitched great in Game 6, and Lowe pitched a one-hitter through six innings in Game 7. Every time the Yankees made a move, the Red Sox made a bigger one in response. All of those moments are there, however, to relive in whatever fashion you choose--watch the complete games, skip around, whatever. . . .
The Setup: The games are all there in their entirety. However, half-inning chapter breaks make it very easy to negotiate your way through a whole bunch of baseball (Games 4 and 5 went forever. . .) in much less time than the original games took.
The Packaging: Beautiful. Hitting statistics, pitching stats, box scores, and inning-by-inning summaries make it easy to find a particular at-bat or half-inning (some of our memories are failing, so this feature is particularly helpful. . .). Trivia, attendance, weather info, umpires, quotes from players, pictures of memorabilia, and a host of other things are on the cover of each DVD, making it good reading material, as well. It's all there. All of it. If you need a piece of information regarding these games that is not on the cases, then you need very professional help. . .
The Bonus Features: Some of us love them, and this set includes one disc devoted to just "stuff," most importantly the 2005 Ring & Banner Ceremony, which was not included on any of the other World Series DVDs. Interviews, player bios/features, trip to the White House, celebrity interviews, post-game celebrations, etc. are all included. Complete postseason batting and pitching stats are on the inside of the case, also--Nice bonus. . . !
The Price: Can you beat it. . . ? MLB online was offering each game, but it would have ended up costing more than this set (which I bought for less than $80 at my local Bull Moose store) and would not have had any of the nice packaging offered on this set. I could have pictured really bare-bones discs and cases, but MLB and A&E did a tremendous job putting together a quality package for a very reasonable amount of money.
Bottom Line: If you are a fan of baseball and, in particular, a Red Sox fan, then this set is a virtual "must-have" for your collection. It is the first time that MLB has done such a project, and I hope it is successful. Who wouldn't like to have some past great World Series and playoff series to see in their entirety? This is an invaluable resource for future generations of Red Sox fans and for baseball fans in general--hopefully a trend has been started. The NESN DVD (Faith Rewarded) is a great summary, with some nice local insights and perspectives. The official MLB World Series DVD (one disc) is nice, too, if you want just a summary and a few highlights. Neither can compare to this set, though. Some of us want the whole enchilada, and this set provides it, with a nice salsa on the side. . . .

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The amazing comeback victory over the New York Yankees and World Series sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals requires an equally incredible collection of memories. This unprecedented 12-DVD Collector’s Edition preserves all of the remarkable drama for your viewing now and forever.

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Mantle - The Definitive Story of Mickey Mantle (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)An absolute treasure for fans and historians; for the fans who might expect alot of the same clips and stills and are thrilled to see something "new"; for the historians who can enjoy the high quality of the previously seen and (believed to be) first time viewing of the content.
It's always great to watch a non-overdubbed kinescope and here we have one from '52 with the Voice of The Yankees calling a MM base hit. (I could watch these undoctored clips for days on end...HBO, what do you think?...).
Besides the rare clips we have a chance to enjoy rarely seen Mantle relatives, and famous co-workers such as Bill "Moose" Skowron, Joe Pepitone, and Phil Linz, who are not as visible as some other teammates in similiar packages, in well-produced interview segments.
I was particularly touched by a 1968 (his final year) press conference including a young fan; and what was possibly his very last public statement in 1995.
The viewer/fan might find this documentary remarkably "frank", in comparison with other works which glorify the Mick without mention of his long, sad personal decline, although some of the stills of the dissipated Mantle are somewhat disturbing. I think this necessary, though mildly depressing theme could have actually been balanced with some *on-field* shortcomings - I refer to the 1959 to 1960 fall from grace when he was roundly booed - his batting average dropping 61, then 80 points in two years; an insightful segment could have been wrought in regard to the infamous "bonehead" of August, '60 when Mickey, thinking it was two outs, not one, did not run hard to first base, and caused Roger Maris to get into a double-play break up resulting in an injury which left him with 39 homers and Mantle 40. My idea is that Mick wanted Roger to break Ruth's record the next year because of this situation. There is no mention of the Mantle late '60 to '64 "Comeback".
Another lesser-discussed chapter (not explored here) is his serious shoulder injury in the '57 Series, which permanently affected his uppercut from the left side.
Yes, and it looks like the author also missed a chance to expound on that "lost" season. Not talkin' about '53 or '63, which left a huge gap statistically. It was that 1966 season, that summer, ten years after, when the Mick, coming up to age 35, had a June-July explosion of power, which really has remained unrivaled to this day. Hitting monsterous home-runs in bunches, it only stopped when another miserable injury sidelined him. The round-trippers slowed, but enough energy was sustained for him to end the season at .288 (the previous season was .255). To me, this a very important element of the Legend. Although, I gotta believe, that Mick didn't realy notice. The Yankees finished 10th that year.
I've been a Mantle fan since the '50s and have read many books, essays, and articles on this legend, and I can say that this DVD, despite a few missing pieces which could really have put it in orbit, belongs on the same shelf as *any* exceptional treatment.

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The almost mythic career of Yankee slugger Mickey Mantle is the subject of this acclaimed HBO Sports documentary special. Over 18 seasons with the Bronx Bombers, despite constant nagging injuries, Mantle managed to hit 536 home runs, twice hitting more than 50 in a season. He finished ten seasons with a batting average of .300 or more and suited up for seven World Series. To this day, ?The Mick? remains the greatest switch-hitter in baseball history; however, behind his country charm and good looks there was his wayward lifestyle that harmed his marriage, his relationship with his four sons and ultimately his health.

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Magic Johnson - Always Showtime (NBA Hardwood Classics) Review

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(More customer reviews)I have this one since 1994, and I watch it from time to time and I always get the same good feeling. An outstanding video for all the fans and no-necessarily-fans of the NBA and Magic. Extremely well filmed and narrated -voice of Danny Glover-, this is much much more than just a sports video. I have it on "my golden shelf". If you are a lover of the game or just curious about it or about him, you can't miss this one.

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New to DVD! Update your NBA collection with this classic title with a new branded line look featuring one of the greatest NBA players of all-time. See Earvin as he earns the nickname "Magic," leading Michigan's Everett High School to the State Championship. Relive his memorable march to Final Four glory at Michigan State and then watch Magic bring "showtime" and five NBA titles to the LA Lakers. Included are exclusive in-depth interviews with Magic as well as exciting highlights of his high school, college and NBA career. Narrated by Danny Glover ("Lethal Weapon," "Grand Canyon"). Updated with footage of Magic?s return to the NBA in 1995.

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Dare to Dream: The Story of the U.S. Women's Soccer Team (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Last year, I began coaching my daughter's U-8 team. The girls knew nothing about the glories of the USWNT. I told them about Mia Hamm and got them to read a brief bio on her, but this HBO documentary was the best teaching tool ever.
It is a great story that uses the retirement game for Hamm, Fawcett and Foudy to lok back at the history of the WNT from the first WC in 1991 through the 2004 Olympics.
This movie can't help but increase the self esteem of any young girl just starting the sport to see how good the Americans can be at soccer. Because the Men's World Cup gets more publicity, my girls all thought that Americans just weren't very good at soccer and that it was dominated by a half dozen European and So. American countries. This video points out that historically the US WNT is the best. It really got my daughter interested in the current WNT and we even went to see a game in San Jose last month.
The release is being timed to come just after the beginning of this year's Women's World Cup in China. (The first game for the US team, who are #1 ranked again, is Sept. 11th.
HBO is also selling it directly through their website, but for $5 more.


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From their meager beginning in the 1980s as "the red headed stepchild" of sports through four World Cups and three Olympic games, Dare to Dream examines how Mia Hamm broke through as a media phenomenon, why Brandi Chastain's celebratory moment stirred so much controversy, and how Julie Foudy, Michelle Akers, and Joy Fawcett overcame daunting obstacles to help the team step into history, and in the process lift the aspirations of all young women.

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Never Back Down (Single-Disc Edition) (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just got back from seeing Never Back Down and I have to say this movie was awesome! I really was not expecting much and figured this would be a Fight Club rip off. After watching it it was nothing like I expected and I ended up being really entertained and got in to the whole story. Sean Faris plays Jake Tyler a high school football player, who is dealing with the guilt of his fathers death. When his mom moves the family to Orlando Jakes fighting and angry past follow him. He meets a girl named Baja who is being used by her boyfriend Ryan to get Jake to fight him. Baja lures Jake to a party only to have Ryan beat him up pretty badly. After being humiliated Jake takes his friend Max's advice to learn a mixed-martial from a man named Jean Roqua. He will not only learn valuable lessons and discipline to deal with his angry past, but also to settle a score and define himself. In the tradition of Fight Club, The Peaceful Warrior and a bit of inspiration from The Fast and The Furious movies Never Back Down is one action packed rush!

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Genre: Feature Film-Action/AdventureRating: UNRelease Date: 29-JUL-2008Media Type: DVD

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WWE: Greatest Stars of the '90s (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)If you purchased WWE Greatest Wrestling Stars of the 80s and were disappointed with the profiles and match selections on that disc, WWE redeems themselves with the sequel that focuses on the best of the '90s.
First, the main thing that surprised me about this set was how strong they put over Sting. Sting is currently the world champion of their competition, the dreadful TNA promotion, yet they gave him his due on this release. When you open the 3-disc set up your eyes are drawn to a giant image of Sting on one of the DVD art panels. WWE talent and announcers really talk positively about Sting also and do nothing to make the champion of their rival look bad, very surprising indeed.
OK, on with the rest. Disc one is a 3 hour documentary that focuses on who the WWE considers to be the biggest wrestling stars of the '90s, which is without question the greatest decade in the history of the sport. The recently departed Tazz hosts the documentary and introduces each segment that chronicles each wrestler's career from it's beginning thru 1999. All the major players are covered: The Rock, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, Sting, Ric Flair, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Yokozuna, Triple H, Bret Hart, Lex Luger, Owen Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
The WWE saves Austin for last and Vince himself puts Austin over, and rightfully so, as the greatest star ever in the company. Some may think Bret, Shawn or the Rock are the greatest from '90s, and they're entitled to their opinion, but it's hard to argue with record setting PPV buys, ticket sales and merchandise sales that Austin achieved in the '90s. He's the best, and it's nice to see the company acknowledge it.
If I had to guess, I would say about 40% of the interviews in the documentary are from previous releases, but we do get some new comments from a few guys, most notably from CM Punk (see his comments concerning Lex Luger, he nailed him!). Each wrestler is covered nicely with what they accomplished in the '90s taking center stage.
WWE is famous for taking shots at people in their documentaries, but they really didn't bury anyone here. There are some subtle shots of note though. The most obvious one to me is how during Mick Foley's segment, they showed footage from his "This is Your Life" segment with the Rock from Raw, but failed to say how it was the highest rated segment in the history of Raw, an achievement they've always acknowledged in the past. That was interesting. Also, they take a few digs at Luger, they're fair digs though in my opinion, about how he may have been the total package, but never reached his full potential.
My only complaint with the documentary is that they included Owen Hart and left out a talent like Big Van Vader. I'm sorry, but as nice a guy as Owen was, he was not a main eventer or big draw during his career. Was he good and talented in the ring? Absolutely. Should he be called one of the greatest of the '90s, I don't think so. I would've replaced Owen with Vader. Vader dominated the '90s as a monster heel champion in WCW that helped WCW during a very dismal time in their history. His matches with Cactus Jack, Sting, Ron Simmons and Ric Flair are classics and it would've been nice to see his career highlighted here. That's my only complaint, otherwise it's a very entertaining trip down memory lane. They show a lot of clips and parts of promos during each wrestler's segment that I had forgot about, so there's some great stuff here.
Now, for the match selection. There are some great matches on this set. First, WWE has finally released Flair vs. Hogan from '91 at Madison Square Garden. This feud was going to headline WrestleMania VIII, but Vince scrapped the match after he wasn't impressed with the in-ring work, or the box office results (which I think was unfair because those matches took place during the first steroid scandal and a lot of fans were turning away at this point) from their series of bouts. I have to disagree, this match between Flair and Hogan is great! I never thought Hogan and Flair had good matches in WCW, but they have a pretty good bout here in WWF. It's well worth a look.
Vader is well represented in the match department with a forgotten classic against Sting at Slamboree '94 for the International World Title. For me, this match was worth the price of the set alone.
Other matches of note include: Diesel vs. Razor Ramon for the Intercontinental Title from WWF Superstars (you always knew there was going to be a title change when the belt was defended on Superstars!), Diesel and Shawn vs Yokozuna and Bulldog with all titles on the line from In Your House '95 (great tag match), Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels from Survivor Series '92, Austin vs Undertaker from SummerSlam '98, Sting vs Bret Hart from Halloween Havoc '98 and Triple H vs The Rock in a strap match from Fully Loaded '98.
WWE continues to release one great compilation set after another, and this one's no exception. Well worth a look.
Future sets I would love to see them make: The history of the World Title (and please go all the way back to when it was the NWA title), history of the ECW world title, a rise and fall of WCW set, a greatest gimmick matches set and 3-disc sets for the following wrestlers - Jerry Lawler, Big Show, Terry Funk, Chris Jericho and Ricky Steamboat.

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The 1990s may have been the most turbulent decade in the history of sports entertainment. The biggest fight of the era was not in the squared circle, but rather between rival companies WWE and WCW, and survival was at stake. Like any good match, it saw its twists and turns, particularly when WCW brought WWE to its knees, winning the Monday-night ratings battle for more than 80 consecutive weeks. While WWE eventually prevailed, the real winners of the war were fans who got to see birth and rebirth of some of the biggest stars and factions in the history of sports entertainment. The Greatest Stars of the 90s profiles 15 of them. Hosted by SmackDown announcer and former ECW champion Tazz, the 3-disc set is packed with matches, interviews, comedy, and more.

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Edge of America (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)Chris Eyre (Director Smoke Signals, Skins) dribbles us onto the hard court of Three Nations woman's Basketball. Kenny Williams (James McDaniel) is running from his past. He takes an English teaching position on the Three Nations Reservation in Utah. Unbeknownst to school administrators he is black man. This puts him as a mark for the native students.
Kenny needs some additional income so he thinks of coaching the dismal O'fer Lady Warrior's basketball team. The interim coach Annie (Irene Bedard) is more of a mother than a coach. The local do-it-all Cuch (Wes Studi) convinces Kenny to coach the woman's basketball team. Coach Williams soon learns that he is fighting an uphill battle with teamwork and Native family traditions especially Mother Tsosie. (Geraldine Keams)
I absolutely adored this film and totally related to this film. The woman's balling at my old all Native high school was just as competitive with the more expensed mostly white high schools. The gym, attendance and excitement took me back to the days of playing ball for the love of it and close-knit teammates.
I try not to be a nit pick on an overall good film, but the film started off with some shaky camera angles following Kenny to the Three Nations reservation. (Personal preference) It was probably due to the handheld cameras. After a few minutes it disappeared. Filming the basketball action was comparable to other basketball films that I have seen. But I wished I would have seen the free throws.
Carla (Delanni Studi), Shirleen (Misty Upham) and Marissa (Deanna Allison) are some of the talented actresses that make up the basketball team. Leroy McKinney (Tim Daly/Producer) is the father of Carla who struggles with the loss of his wife. And the angry, outspoken Franklin (Eddie Spears) is Carla's boyfriend plays his character outstanding. This film contains a lot of talented Native actors who are now more popular since filming.
This film was filmed in 2002 for Showtime. Maybe it's just me but these films need to get released to the general public faster. Though, money is always at the root of the problem. I have to give kudos to Annie Humphrey's songs that fit perfectly for this film.

Purchase this DVD for the entire family. There are not many extras on the DVD, but there is a filmography for the main actors.


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From acclaimed director, Chris Eyre, whom People Magazine calls "…the preeminent Native American filmmaker of his time" comes this touching and inspirational story about loyalty, friendship and courage. New man in town Kenny Williams (James McDaniel) has just accepted a position as an English professor at the Three Nations Reservation in Utah. Finding it hard to fit in with the tight-knit Native American community, he decides to take on the challenge of coaching the high school girls' basketball team.

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Code Breakers (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Not really a football movie or a military one, ESPN's made-for-TV "Codebreakers" is really a compelling and powerful coming-of-age film about a group of cadets at West Point, based upon a true story that happened in 1951.
Before the dominance of the NFL among the public, it was college football that received the most attention, and the highest ranked team was usually Army, under Coach Earl "Red" Blaik. With a demanding practice schedule interfering with their studies, and Coach Blaik "do whatever it takes to win" attitude, many of the players found it easy to justify passing answers to exams to each other, even though it was clearly a violation of West Point's revered honor code. This had been going on for many years, supposedly unknown by those in charge, and even Blaik's own son, a junior and quarterback on the team, was a participant.
One football player offered to get answers for an exam for his (non-player) roommate, who went to the commander and blew the whistle on the scandal, only to get shunned by his classmates as well as his own father for his apparent disloyalty to his classmates. The resulting investigation resulted in charges brought against 90 cadets, and threatened the existence of the football program at West Point.
Most of the film deals with the interactions between the cadets involved in the cheating, essentially pointing out that loyalty to the school's honor code in this instance seemed to conflict directly to loyalty to one's fellow cadets and the football team, which many of the players saw as a surrogate family under Coach Blaik. It perfectly captures the spirit of its time, and highlights some commendable performances from its young cast, which include Zachary Bryan ("Home Improvement"), Corey Sevier ("North Shore") abd Jeff Roop. Veteran character actor Scott Glenn turns in a subtle but powerful performance as Coach Blaik.
DVD extras include deleted scenes, documentaries about the Army football team, and an interesting "Making of.." featurette that includes how they "assembled" a huge Army/Navy football game out of pieces shot in different locations.

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CODE BREAKERS - DVD Movie

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Playmakers - The Complete Series (2003) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a fascinating, engaging, television show. A show of true quality that does not talk down to its viewers. That is probably why ESPN cancelled it, and that's a damn shame. The NFL should be brutally ashamed of itself for thinking that its public image would be effected by what is clearly a work of *fiction.* Why does the NFL think its public image is that high anyway? Don't get me wrong I love football, but I hardly consider the game, or its players & coaches to be paragons of virtue. Does anyone? ESPN should be ashamed (though not as much) for caving to the pressure. Hopefully, another network will pick up this fine, fine show so that we can be treated to another season. At the very least, the producers should be allowed to give the show a decent finale instead of leaving it unfinished.

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What generated all the controversy about PLAYMAKERS, ESPN's daring hit series about a fictional pro football team? This eleven-episode, three-disc set lets you immerse yourself in the off-the-field lives of the Cougars from its very beginning. With its lightning-fast pace and great characters, this gritty and edgy drama is as intense a roller-coaster ride as any drama on the field.

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Dhani Tackles the Globe: Season 1 (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Dhani Jones really makes this program. Great personality, sense of humor and a natural in front of the camera. Locations are interesting with a novel approach to learning about other locations from a sports angle. Dhani completely throws himself into each cultural experience. I especially got a kick out of the extra challenges he faced, good-naturedly, in the Cambodia episode. This man has a whole other career waiting for him once he leaves football. I predict we'll be seeing a lot more of him in the future.
Interesting locales, challenges, beautiful photography and a host who feels like a best friend--how can you go wrong? Highly recommended!!


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Famed NFL linebacker Dhani Jones will need more than shoulder pads where he\'s going. He\'ll be embarking on a global sports odyssey that will take him from Australia\'s shores to the mountains of Switzerland! Being the top athlete he is, he throws himself into everything from Ireland\'s hurling to Russia\'s Sambo fighting. More than a football player, he\'s also a true Renaissance man. He explores each country\'s culture by getting to know the locals, taking in the sights and indulging in its cuisine. Experienced by Dhani Jones, this eye-opening, high-energy adventure reveals the world as you\'ve never seen it before!

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