Modern Sports Stories for Future ESPN Documentaries

By Uloop Writer on April 29, 2020

The newest ESPN documentary “The Last Dance” follows Michael Jordan’s final championship run with the Chicago Bulls in the 1997-1998 NBA season. As a result of current events, “The Last Dance” seems to be one of the only available links sports fans have to professional sports action. I, like millions of other viewers, have been tuning in religiously each Sunday to watch the 10-part ESPN documentary unfold, and I have begun to wonder which sports stories from the 2010s could similarly captivate fans in the future?

Over the last 10 years, there have been several moments in sports, both on and off the field of play, that are worth preserving in the form of an ESPN documentary. If these stories were made into productions similar to “The Last Dance,” then they would certainly spark a potent punch of nostalgia in 20 years. Here are five modern sports stories that could become fantastic ESPN documentaries in the future.

5. Colin Kaepernick’s Fall From Grace

From breaking the playoff record for QB rushing in a single game and starting in the Super Bowl as a rookie in the 2012-2013 NFL season, to being essentially blacklisted from the league five years later, the story of Colin Kaepernick’s fall from grace is perplexing, controversial, and would make for excellent television. Allegedly, the NFL closed its doors to the elusive QB for being the first of a series of players to kneel in protest against racial injustice during the national anthem. An act that President Trump vehemently criticized, saying, “You have to stand proudly for the national anthem, or you shouldn’t be playing, you shouldn’t be there. Maybe you shouldn’t be in the country.”

After opting out of his contract with the 49ers in 2017, Kaepernick and NFL fans alike were surprised by the QB’s inability to find work with another team. Concern that NFL owners were boycotting Kaepernick was furthered as other NFL QBs with similar, and even inferior levels of talent were being signed across the league. The lack of opportunity for Kaepernick and other protesting NFL players, such as Ed Reid, forced the QB to challenge the NFL in court for collusion in 2017. The case reached a settlement but was accompanied by a non-disclosure agreement. Reid was able to find a spot on an NFL team during proceedings, while Kaepernick remains unsigned in 2020.

Many sports fans will remember Nike’s viral ad campaign centered around Kaepernick, and the famous portrait of his close up face accompanied by the words, “Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything.” There are many details to Kaepernick’s fall from grace that bide in the shadows, and a future ESPN documentary may be able to give more exposition into why and how this talented QB’s career came to such a jarring, premature conclusion.

4. Houston Astros World Series Scandal

The Houston Astros became World Series Champions in 2017 for the first time in franchise history, which stretches all the way back to the early 1960s, when Houston entered the league as the “Colt .45s”. The Astros were celebrated and recognized by the wide world of sports as legitimate champions despite growing rumors of a sign-stealing scheme between MLB clubhouses. A bench coach from the 2017 championship team, Alex Cora, became the manager of the Boston Red Sox the next year and was able to defy all odds and win the 2018 World Series. Making him a champion two years in a row.The Houston Astros continued to have success after their championship season as well, advancing to the World Series in the 2019 season after second baseman Jose Altuve hit a walk-off homer against the Yankees in the ALCS round.

However, video of Altuve strangely advising his teammates to avoid tearing his jersey off as he approached home plate (after what should’ve been a historic and endearing moment for the city of Houston) gave birth to further skepticism across the league and eventually broke the scandal wide open. The Houston Astros were found guilty of illegally using surveillance against their opponents to garner signs, and using a buzzer system to communicate intel to players. Altuve is thought to have been wearing a buzzer under his jersey at the time of his walk-off home run.

The backlash of the scandal led to the firing of executives behind the Astro’s 2017 World Series run, a five million dollar fine, and lost draft picks. Cora also lost his job with the Boston Red Sox as a result of the scandal, and many sports fans are skeptical of how Cora could have been using similar illegal practices during the Red Sox’s 2018 World Series run. An abundance of voices criticized the MLB’s punishment as far too light, as many of the stakeholders affected believe the franchise should be stripped of their 2017 title, and discipline should trickle down to the MLB players involved. The clandestine, multifaceted nature of this scandal would make for an awesome ESPN documentary in 20 years, as the people involved should be more apt to cast light on the subject.

3. The Four Year War Between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors

Between 2015 and 2018, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors battled in the NBA finals at the end of each season. Making them the first pair of teams in NBA history to compete against each other in the Finals four years in a row. This period of dominance for the two franchises is unlike anything NBA fans had seen before, and potentially unlike anything they will see again. Although many fans grew bored of seeing the same two teams competing in the Finals year after year, there are some undeniably classic games and highlights laced into the two teams’ four-year run.

The Warriors’ backcourt, made up of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, revolutionized the game of basketball forever with their keen allegiance to the three-point shot. Their rapid-fire frequency of long-distance jumpers not only lead them to winning the Finals three out of four times but also made them the top two leaders for three-pointers made in a season in NBA history. A list that has since become more populated with names such as Paul George, James Harden, and Buddy Hield, who have effectively separated Curry and Thompson from being top two. Curry remains number one, but Thompson has dropped to rank eight. Signifying the lasting effect the two shooters had and will continue to have on the game of basketball.

Aside from what the two teams accomplished on the court, fans were also glued to the off-court drama that occurred each year, such as Kevin Durant’s controversial decision to join the Warriors during their 2017 and 2018 run and Kyrie Irving’s decision to leave the Cavaliers after winning the Finals in 2016. There is much more to uncover about these four historic seasons in the NBA, and NBA fans would salivate over an ESPN documentary centered around the four year battle between two powerhouse franchises. It would also be fascinating to see players like LeBron James and Stephen Curry’s uncut reminiscence of that glorious period in their careers.

2. Tiger Woods’ Redemption at the 2019 Masters

One of the most unexpected sports moments of last year is undoubtedly Tiger Woods’ win at the Masters Tournament. Woods’ 2019 victory was his first major championship win in eleven years. The golf icon’s winning drought stemmed from the widespread publicity of Woods’ troubled personal life in late 2009 and early 2010. Woods was forced to take an “indefinite break” from golf and check into a sex addiction program after the fallout between him and his wife at the time, Elin Nordegren. The scandal turned Woods’ public persona to shambles, and forced many of his endorsers, such as Gatorade and Nike, to pull out of their contracts and cease business with the professional golfer.

Then, once Woods returned to the golf course, his game was burdened by constant injury, which forced him to frequently withdraw from several tournaments. Continuing health troubles seemed to follow Woods for years, as he failed to make much noise on the leaderboards for a decade. Analysts and fans alike believed Woods’ career would never again reach the glorious peaks it had prior to his fall from grace. However, despite public embarrassment and multiple surgeries, Woods continued to compete and improve his game in the latter half of the 2010s.

His victory in the Masters Tournament of 2019 was not only a nail bitter, as Woods pulled out the win with a margin of only one stroke, but also was an inspiring moment of redemption for a man who lost it all. The 43-year-old’s comeback demonstrates the magic of sports. How anything can happen on any given day, and Woods deserves a ton of acclaim for what he has proven possible. It would be unmissable television if Woods were to recollect his path to redemption in a future ESPN documentary.

1. Tom Brady Leaves the Patriots After 20 Seasons

As a New England fan, this entry hurts my heart. But it is undoubtedly one of the most fascinating sports stories of this century, and everyone is waiting to see what the G.O.A.T. will accomplish with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The developing story continues to get more interesting, as a longtime tight end for the Patriots and teammate of Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, has decided to come out of retirement and join Brady in Tampa Bay for the upcoming NFL season. Patriots fans everywhere continue to kick themselves daily.

Tom Brady’s decorated career with the Patriots and the franchise’s continual dominance in the NFL caused many fans to deny any possibility of Brady leaving. Nonetheless, Brady was attracted to the Buccaneers because of their premier receiver corp and repelled by the Patriots’ inability to surround him with sufficient offensive weapons. It will be so strange to see Brady in anything other than red, white, and navy blue.

It remains unclear whether Brady and the Buccaneers will thrive in the upcoming season. However, due to Brady’s decorated reputation, it is very difficult to count his new team out of Super Bowl contention, even with the franchise having a losing record last season. How will Belichick and the Patriots respond to Brady’s departure? Will they even make the playoffs? An ESPN documentary following Brady’s entire career would be incredible. But if Brady’s next chapter goes predominantly well, and he wins his seventh Super Bowl, an ESPN documentary specifically focused on Brady’s transition would be eye candy for sports fans. Additionally, there is so much to demystify about Brady’s decision, and an ESPN documentary could illuminate some of the unknown contributors to his departure.

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