Filmography - Sports

This is a selective list of video holdings in the American University Library. Filmographies are created by doing multiple keyword searches in the catalog to capture as many titles on a topic as possible. 

For complete, up-to-date holdings please search the library catalog search box on the Media Services homepage. (http://www.american.edu/library/mediaservices/) Finding Aids on the same page includes other subject oriented content.

For more information take a look at the Streaming Video Guides and Browsing Collections. 

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (102 min.). Straight outta L.A.: "During the 13 short seasons the Raiders played in Los Angeles, the team's colors, aura and superstar players became a cultural phenomenon. As a member of legendary rap group N.W.A., director Ice Cube found himself at the crossroads between the birthplace of hip-hop in Los Angles and the bone-crunching intensity of the L.A. Raider. Straight outta L.A. takes a look at the unlikely marriage between the NFL's rebel franchise and America's glamour capital."--Container. June 17th, 1994: "The New York Rangers celebrated on Broadway, the FIFA World Cup kicked off in Chicago, Arnold Palmer played his last round at a U.S. Open, Patrick Ewing pursued a long evasive championship in the Garden, and yet all of that was a prelude to O.J. Simpson leading America on a slow speed chase around Los Angeles."--Container. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7906

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (102 min.). The best that never was: In 1981, college athletic recruiting changed forever as a dozen big time football programs sat waiting for the decision of a physically powerful and lightning-quick high school running back named Marcus Dupree. Having already graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, Dupree attracted recruiters from schools in every major conference to his hometown of Philadelphia, Miss. Dupree took the attention in stride, and committed to Oklahoma. What followed, though, was a forgettable college career littered with conflict, injury and oversized expectations. Eight-time Emmy Award winner Jon Hock examines why this star burned out so young and how he ultimately used football to redeem himself. Pony excess: In the early '80s, the Southern Methodist University Mustangs were riding high. One of the best teams in the nation, the school was rocked when the NCAA meted out the 'death penalty' on a college football program for the first and only time in its history. A devastating verdict as the football team would lack an identity for more than twenty years. Thaddeus D. Matula, an SMU film school grad, chronicles the rise, fall, and rebirth of this once mighty team. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7912

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (131 min.). Four days in October: When the night of October 16, 2004 came to a merciful end, the Curse of the Bambino was alive and well. The New York Yankees, led by A-Rod, Jeter, and Sheffield, had just extended their ALCS lead to 3 games to none over the Boston Red Sox, and seemed on course to yet another trip to the World Series. But the cold October winds of change began to blow. Over 4 consecutive days and nights, this determined Red Sox team miraculously won 4 straight games to overcome their destiny. Once brothers: Drazen Petrovic and Vlade Divac grew up sharing the common bond of basketball. Close friends as well as teammates, they lifted the Yugoslavian National team to unimaginable heights and both eventually fulfilled their dreams of NBA stardom. But when war broke out between Petrovic's Croatia and Divac's Serbia, long buried ethnic tensions surfaced. These two men, once brothers, were now on opposite sides of a deadly civil war. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7910

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (131 min.). Guru of go: "In the 1989-90 season, rising college basketball star Hank Gathers collapsed during a game and was diagnosed with an abnormal heartbeat. Determined to play, he returned three games later, but in less than three months, he tragically died on the court."--Container. No crossover: the trial of Allen Iverson: "On Valentine's Day 1993, 17-year old Allen Iverson was bowling in Hampton, Virginia when an argument erupted into a brawl, pitting Iverson's African American friends against a group of white patrons. The fallout from the fight and the subsequent trial sharply divided the city along racial lines."--Container. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7904

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (153 min.). Silly little game: "In 1980, a group of writers and academics met at La Rotisserie Francaise in New York City and formed a baseball league of their own, the Rotisserie League. The game quickly grew in popularity, and today, fantasy sports is a multi-billion dollar industry with over 30 million participants."--Container. Run Ricky run: "Take an intimate look at Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams, one of football's most fascinating athletes and misunderstood persons."--Container. The 16th man: "The true story behind the Oscar-nominated film, Invictus. Following the fall of apartheid, Nelson Mandela use sport to achieve national unity, rallying als South Africans around the country's Springbok team during the 1995 Rugby World Championships."--Container. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7905

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (157 min.). Unmatched: No individual sports rivalry can boast the intensity and impact of the one between Chris Evert and Martina Navratilova. Fierce competitors, the two lifted each other to heights that each couldn't have reached without the other. On the court, their battles were fought hard. But even more remarkable is what happened off the court, as they formed a strong and lasting friendship, bonding them to this day. Pull up a chair and join an intimate one-on-one conversation between Chris and Martina. The House of Steinbrenner: Love them or hate them, the Yankees remain the most successful team in American sports history. Behind George M. Steinbrenner, a man who with his passing in July 2010 proved to be as iconic to the team as its pinstripes, the Yankees restored their storied sports stature with 7 World Championships. Through all the ups and downs of his reign, The Boss managed to link the legends and legacy of Yankees past to Yankees present, and in so doing assured the heritage of older generations of Yankee fans would be carried on by younger generations well into the 21st Century. An essential part of that accomplishment included the demolition of the old Yankee Stadium to the construction of the new one, and the hand over of ownership from George himself to his heirs, led by his youngest son, Hal.  Two time Oscar winning filmmaker Barbara Kopple documents this historic moment of transition for the team, the family and its fans -- from the final day at the old Yankee Stadium, to the opening of the new Stadium, and from passage of the George Steinbrenner era to the Hal Steinbrenner era, all of which was magnificently capped off with the Yankees' 27th World Championship. Into the wind: Three years after having his right leg amputated six inches above the knee, Terry Fox set out to spread awareness and raise funds for cancer research by running across Canada. Anonymous at the start of his journey, Fox steadily captured the heart of a nation with his marathon of hope. After 143 days and two-thirds of the way across Canada, Fox's journey came to an abrupt end when newly discovered tumors took over his body. Two-time NBA MVP Steve Nash shares Fox's incredible story of hope. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7909

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (165 min.). Kings ransom: "On August 9, 1988, the NHL was forever changed with the single stroke of a pen when the Edmonton Oilers sent Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Acclaimed director Peter Berg (Friday night lights, the kingdom) presents the captivating story of the trade that knocked the wind out of an entire country and placed a star-studded city at the feet of a 27-year-old kid known simply as 'The Great One'." --Container. The band that wouldn't die: "In late March of 1984, a moving company secretly packed up the Baltimore Colts' belongings and snuck off in the darkness of early morning, leaving a city of deeply devoted fans in shock and disbelief. Academy Awarrd-winning filmaker Barry Levinson (Rain man, The Natural)... tells the story of the city's loss through the eyes of the Baltimore Colts Marching Band."--Container. Small potatoes: who killed the USFL?: "In 1983, the upstart United States Football League signed three straight Heisman Trophy winners and future NFL stars Steve Young, Reggie White and Doug Flutie. Winning over fans with its aura of fun & flamboyance, the new league averaged crowds of 25,000. But with success came expansion and new owners, including a high profile real estate baron whose vision was at odds with the league's founders."--Container. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7901

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (165 min.). Muhammad & Larry: "In October of 1980, Muhammad Ali came out of retirement to become world heavyweight champion for an umprecedented fourth time against his former sparring partner, Larry Holmes. For the first time, here is the compelling never-before-seen footage from the build-up to the title fight."--Container. Without Bias: "When rising superstar Len Bias dropped dead two days after being selected as the second overall pick in the 1986 NBA draft, he forever altered our perception of casual drug use... Director interviews Bias' closest teammates, friends and family in an effort to determine exactly what happened on that fateful night."--Container. The legend of Jimmy the Greek: "Peabody Award-winning filmmaker Fritz Michell takes a uniquely personal look at Jimmy's life, from his rise to respectability to his tragic demise. With interviews from family, friends and co-workers, the film provides a humanizing glimpse into the life and downfall of an American sports icon."--Container. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7902

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (171 min.). The U: "Long before the hip hop culture filled our airwaves and shopping malls, the Miami Hurricanes brought street values and hood bravado into America's living room. Filmmaker Billy Corben (Cocaine cowboys) tells the story of how these Bad Boys of football changed the attitude & ultimately the rules of the game, and how this serene campus was transformed into 'The U'."--Container. Winning time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Yankees: "In the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Reggie Miller solidified his status as Public Enemy #1 in New York City. With moments to go in Game 1, Miller scored eight points in 8.9 seconds to give the Indiana Pacers an astonishing victory."--Container. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7903

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (51 min.). Jordan Rides the Bus: After leading the Dream Team to Olympic Gold and taking the Chicago Bulls to their third consecutive NBA championship, Michael Jordan walked away from the game of basketball. Jolted by the tragic loss of his father, Jordan decided to pursue a lifelong ambition and play baseball. His brief career in the minor leagues was subject to intense media scrutiny and ridicule, but those who knew him best understood his need to honor his father by fulfilling their dream. Little Big Men: On August 28, 1982, Cody Webster and a small group of schoolyard friends from Kirkland, WA sat anxiously in a dugout in Williamsport, PA waiting to take the field for the championship game of the Little League World Series. One Night in Vegas: On the evening of Sept. 7, 1996, Mike Tyson attempted to take Bruce Seldon's WBA title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Sitting ringside was rapper Tupac Shakur, one of the best-selling musical artists in the world. Shakur and Tyson were friends, a feeling of kinship linked them as each rose to stardom from poverty only to be thrown in prison. Following Tyson's victory, Shakur and "Iron Mike" were to celebrate at an after party, but the rap star never arrived. Shakur was brutally gunned down later that night, and the scene in Las Vegas quickly turned from would be celebratory revelry to ill fated and inopportune tragedy. Director Reggie Bythewood, with the full cooperation of Mike Tyson, tells the story of that infamous night and of the remarkable friendship between Tyson and Tupac. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7908

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (155 min.). The Two Escobars: While rival drug cartels warred in the streets, the Columbian national soccer team took a rapid rise to glory, with Andres Escobar its inspirational captain.  Meanwhile the infamous drug baron, Pablo Escobar, pioneered "Narco-soccer".  After a mistake by Andres led to a loss at the 1994 World Cup, less than ten days later he was gunned down outside a bar, a tragedy documented in this thriller about the intersection of crime and sport. DVD includes - The birth of big air: In 1985, at the tender age of 13, Mat Hoffman entered into the BMX circuit as an amateur, and by 16, he had risen to the professional level. Throughout his storied career, Hoffman has ignored conventional limitations; instead focusing his efforts on the purity of the sport and the pursuit of 'what's next.' His motivations stem purely from his own ambitions, and even without endorsements, cameras, fame, and fans, Hoffman would still be working to push the boundaries of gravity. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7907

30 for 30. 2010. 1 videodisc (171 min.). Tim Richmond: to the limit: Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Rory Karpf examines the life and tragic death of one of NASCAR's Tim Richmond. Fernando nation: Nicknamed "El Toro" by his fans, 20-year-old Fernando Valenzuela was one of the most captivating pitching phenoms baseball has ever seen. Virtually overnight, he became a hero to millions of Latinos, proving with his signature look to the heavens and killer screwball that the American dream was not reserved for those born on U.S. soil. Marion Jones: Press Pause: Few athletes in Olympic history have reached such heights and depths as Marion Jones. Her rise to the top culminated at the 2000 Summer Games in Sydney, Australia, where she captivated the world with her beauty, style and athletic dominance, sprinting and jumping to three gold medals and two bronze. Eventually though, her accomplishments and her reputation would be tarnished when she finally admitted what so many had long suspected - that she had indeed used steroids. Calling herself a liar and a cheat in a federal courtroom, Jones was sentenced to 6 months in prison for lying to federal investigators and soon saw her Olympic achievements disqualified. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7911

Bigger, stronger, faster*. 2008. 1 videodisc (106 min.). A look at how Americans see themselves as having to be the best in the world, and what some people will do in order to achieve that title. DVD 4867

Cool runnings. 1999? 1 videodisc (98 min.). Four young men form Jamaica's first bobsled team, in hopes of competing at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta.  Loosely based on a true story. Feature film. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7973

Dogtown and z-boys. 2002. 1 videodisc (91 min.). The story of a gang of discarded kids who virtually revolutionized skateboarding with an aggressive style, awe-inspiring moves and street smarts, and in the process, transforming youth culture forever. Captures the rise of the Zephyr skateboarding team from Venice's Dogtown, a tough "locals only" beach with a legacy of outlaw surfing, who used abandoned swimming pools to sharpen their skills. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 407

Fast company. 2004. 2 videodiscs (93 min.). The story of a corporate-sponsored racing team and the explosive obsessions that speed them through lives of fast cars, fast cash and fast company.  Feature film. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 1398

Have you heard from Johannesburg: Story four- Fair Play? 2006? 1 videodisc (90 min.). Faced with governments reluctant to take meaningful action against the apartheid regime, athletes and activists around the world hit white South Africa where it hurts: on the playing field. International boycotts against apartheid sports teams help bring the human rights crisis in South Africa to the forefront of global attention and sever white South Africans' cultural ties to the West. Knowing that fellow blacks in South Africa were denied even the most basic human rights--let alone the right to participate in international sports competitions--African nations refuse to compete with all-white South African teams, boycotting the Olympics and creating a worldwide media spectacle that forces the International Olympic Committee to ban apartheid teams from future games. The Africa-led coalition leads the fight to exclude South Africa from soccer, boxing, track, cycling, judo, fencing, gymnastics, volleyball and numerous other competitions, barring South African teams from nearly all sports events by the 1970s. Only South Africa's world champion rugby team remains, and citizens in key western countries where rugby is played take to the fields to close the last door on apartheid sports. The sports campaign becomes the anti-apartheid movement's first victory and succeeds in culturally isolating the white minority in an arena of passionate importance. DVD 7924

Jewish women in American sport: Settlement houses to the Olympics. 2006. 1 videodisc (27 min.). From the 1880s into the 21st Century, Jewish women have played a vital role as athletes, administrators, and activists, confronting ethnic and gender constraints in American society. DVD 7759

Match point. 2006. 1 videodisc (124 min.). Former tennis pro Chris Wilton stumbles into good fortune when Chloe Hewett, the daughter of a wealthy businessman and the sister of one of his tennis students, falls in love with him. But when Chris meets Nola, a much deeper passion is stirred. His desire isn't deterred even after he discovers that Nola is already dating Chloe's brother. But when their affair threatens Chris's increasingly cozy lifestyle, Chris begins to consider a drastic solution. Feature film. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 6592

Michel Brault, oeuvres 1958-1974= Michel Brault, works 1958-1974. La collection Maemoire: Collection Maemoire (Montraeal, Quaebec). 2005. 1 videodisc (176 min.). La lutte: Views of some of Montreal's back-street wrestling parlors where well-muscled tyros are drilled, and then to the Montreal Forum for a view of a Carpentier-DeNucci versus Costello-Kalmikoff tag-team match. Shows the grappling, punching, squirming acrobatics of the ring, and the intense involvement of the crowd. Les raquetteurs: A candid view of participants and spectators at a rally of snowshoers held in Sherbrooke, Quebec. Pour la suite du monde: The story of the revival of a traditional whale hunt on the Ile-aux-Coudres in the St. Lawrence River. The aging participants attempt to reconstruct the tactics of their forefathers. Quebec-U.S.A. ou l'invasion pacifique: With an eye to humour, this film shows the people of Quebec taking a look at American tourists who have come to Quebec to take a look at them. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 4341

Olympia. 2004. 1 videodisc (165 min.). Commissioned by the 1936 Olympic Committee as a documentary on the Berlin Olympics, Riefenstahl combines the poetry of bodies in motion with close-ups of athletes in the heat of competitioon, including American track star Jesse Owen's sprint races. Some say that the production tends to glorify the young male body and express the Nazi attitude toward athletic prowess. DVD 1663

One day in September. 2001. 1 videodisc (91 min.). This is the shocking and incredibly true story of the brutal massacre of 11 Israeli athletes by a team of extreme Palestinian terrorists during the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. From terrorist training in Libya to the terrorists sneaking into the Olympic Village to the tension-filled negotiations to the shocking conclusion at a German airport. Told with actual video shot during the crisis. DVD 450

SHORT cinema journal. SHORT cinema journal: Short (QuickBand Networks (Firm)). 2001. 1 videodisc (150 min.). Hate (a comedy): One man. One chicken. No mercy.  Mister smile: Everyone's ecstatic to get an invitation from Mister Smile.  The closet: A killer comedy about two guys in the worong place at the wrong time.  Chuck: Chuck isn;t really selling subscriptions-- he's after something a bit more substantial.  Jimmy McGriff: Blues organist Jimmy McGriff tells the secret of winning over an audience.  House: After 5 years of living in it, designers Charles & Ray Eames document their famous house.  Bass on titles: The legendary designer speaks in depth about his title sequences.  Smash: A fast mving essay on the rhythm of life.  Three tricksters (coyote): Jeff Wood performs his piece deep in the Nevada wilderness.  Scrub: She really likes to clean.  Moods of the sea: Experimental documentary of the crashing sea set to Mendelssohn's Fingal's cave.  Lovely day: A topless woman enthusiastically sings while accompanying herself on piano.  Justice: agony or ecstasy: More than 30 segments of skateboarders' painful spills and amazing achievements, in random viewing order. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 837

Speedo. 2003. 1 videodisc (78 min.). Speedo is a documentary about the tumultuous life and racing career of Ed "Speedo" Jager, one of the country's top demolition derby drivers. "It's an addiction," Speedo says, "like nitro-methane in your veins." DVD 3808

The Color of money. 1999. 1 videodisc (118 min.). Aging pool shark who believes "money won is twice as sweet as money earned", forms a profitable yet volatile partnership with a young pool hustler. Feature film. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 5309

The gladiators Gladiatorerna = Les gladiateurs. 2006. 1 videodisc (ca. 91 min.). To maintain international and internal security and to divert mankind's natural aggression, the UN organizes a series of televised military games, which are often fought to the death. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 1982

Whip it. 2010. 1 videodisc (120 min.). Bliss Calendar is a small-town teenager with a big dream: to find her own path in the world. Tired of following in her family's footsteps of compliance and conformity, Bliss discovers a way to put her life on the fast track, literally. She lands a spot on a rough-and-tumble roller derby team and becomes 'Babe Ruthless', the hottest thing on eight wheels. Feature film. HOME USE COLLECTION DVD 7937