Four Nights In October

ESPN's "30 for 30" series was established as a way for 30 different filmmakers to create documentaries on 30 different subjects pertaining to sports in some fashion. Since they're up to something like their 45th film the series may have outlived the usefulness of its name (to be fair 20th Century Fox had the same lack of foresight). However, semantics of the series name aside, it has produced some of the best sports documentaries to date. Ranging on topics such as the events on the Sunday of the O.J. Simpson Bronco chase, Reggie Miller and Spike Lee's verbal sparring, Jordan's stint in minor league baseball, the cautionary tale of the cocaine-induced death of Len Bias and, possibly the best of the lot, "The Two Escobars" which highlighted the strong influence of drug lord Pablo Escobar over Colombian soccer.

My most recent viewing was an enjoyable but brief (like my blogging "career") analysis of the 2004 American League Championship Series during which the Boston Red Sox overcame a 3-0 deficit to win the seven game series against the New York Yankees. This rocked the baseball world in that 1) the Boston Red Sox returned to the World Series after years of an alleged curse stemming from the trade of Babe Ruth 2) a team overcame a 3-0 deficit for the first time in the history of the game 3)the Red Sox beat the Yankees in a playoff series and finally 4) it marked the first time that a left fielder who had urinated behind a left field wall mid-game made it to the World Series.

Pictured: Manny's Fonzie impression and his reaction to the news that steroids are illegal

Anyone who enjoys baseball, an underdog story or any behind the scenes footage of sports as filmed by the players would enjoy spending 50 minutes of their time on this. Even though I am not a Red Sox fan I still have many memories of this series. Most prominent is Boston native and blogger partner Nicholas William Connors running through the halls of our fraternity with his shirt over his head after a Game 7 victory.

I also remember the bloody sock incident in which Curt Schilling pitched a Game 6 victory on a bum ankle that had an ever-growing amount of blood visible on the sock as the game progressed. This visible ailment only added to the impressiveness of his already dominant performance. I'm glad that the filmmaker chose to acknowledge those who said the blood was fake especially since I myself had doubts. After viewing the locker room footage of the ankle before the game I no longer have any doubt.

Pictured: The "holy-hell-did-they-stitch-a-baseball-INTO-your-ankle" opposite of fake

As a bonus this series also gave the nation the added joy of watching Alex Rodriguez stoop so low in competition as to slap the ball out of pitcher Bronson Arroyo's mitt while being tagged. He then proceeded to whine in disbelief that he was called out and the resulting run was called back to third. To think I used to love having him on my Nintendo 64 Ken Griffey Jr baseball team. The most ridiculous and laughable defense A-Rod conjured from the recesses of his brain was that his ball slap (stifles laughter) was part of his natural running motion.

"Get away! Get away! Get away!" This maneuver also works against purse snatchers.

The only thing missing from this story is a nail-biting seventh game. Johnny Damon's two home runs and six RBIs in the first couple frames took care of any late inning drama. Although I'm sure to Red Sox fans no lead was big enough until the game was officially over. I can't imagine the joy and relief. As a Cubs fan I have yet to have my fan moment of the gaggle of silver-back gorillas catapulting off my team's collective backs. It is nice however to live vicariously through the Boston bunch. I will leave any actual Red Sox fan musings to Mr. Connors if he so chooses to elaborate.

This particular documentary would be amusing to anyone except Yankees fans but it's a small sample of how engrossing the "30 for 30" series really is.