Documentary Tuesday

With yesterday being the travel day for the World Series, and there being no football on, I found myself with nothing to watch on TV. I just happened to be on ESPN when their latest 30 on 30 documentary premiered, Len Bias A Kirk Fraser Film. Admittedly my knowledge of Bias is limited. I knew he was a star in the ACC (Coach K once said that the two toughest players to guard over his career at Duke were Michael Jordan and Len Bias) and a high draft pick of the World Champion Boston Celtics. As a Lakers fan the latter scared my brother, which in turn scared me. I remember my oldest brother being worried about the Celtics because of Bias inclusion on the team. A team Bias seemed to relish playing for. Then almost before it could sink in, Bias was dead from a cocaine induced overdose. I was 10 when that happened, so the social impact of it all was lost on me. Seeing this documentary last night educated me on what a phenomenal athlete Bias was. Hearing about the fateful night he overdosed from his still grieving teammates was raw, tough and emotional. You could tell that with some the guilt and hurt has never gone away. Even more tragic was the shooting death of Jay Bias, Len's younger brother who was shot and killed 4 years later. I was also very stricken with the way Len's parents dragged themselves up from the grieving and were able to help at risk children and preach on the perils of peer pressure. This documentary was a brilliant glimpse into the talented game and tragic ending of an amazing athlete gone too soon.

I then started flipping channels and ended up on HBO, which was playing By The People: The Election of Barack Obama. This was a very in depth look at the effect Barack had on people while on the campaign trail. With unprecedented access (produced by Edward Norton), we were able to see such touching moments as Obama calling his girls from the road and having very fatherly conversations with them. Or such private moments as Obama receiving word that his grandmother had just passed, then having to go onstage and give an amazing speech (where he visibly breaks down and cries). We then get to see the night of the election where America was so filled with hope and promise. On this anniversary of his election, I think its important that we sit back and think about the impact our President has had on us. This film helps illustrate that. Lets not forget Barack's message of hope and acceptance. It's definitely on display throughout this gripping documentary.