May 17, 2012

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel returns March 20

March 14, 2012 By

REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL

PROFILES NEW YORK RANGERS GOALIE HENRIK LUNDQVIST;

GOES BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE HIGH-WIRE WALLENDA FAMILY;

TELLS THE STORY OF THE SEATTLE MARINERS’ STEVE DELABAR; AND

PROBES THE 2001 AND 2011 TRAGEDIES AT OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS MARCH 20, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

Now in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 180th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, MARCH 20 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates:  March 20 (2:30 a.m.), 24 (10:30 a.m. ET, 11:30 a.m. PT, 2:15 a.m. PT), 27 (5:15 p.m., 12:10 a.m.) and 29 (12:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m.), and April 1 (9:00 a.m.) and 4 (10:00 a.m., 7:00 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  March 22 (6:00 p.m.) and 26 (8:30 a.m.), and April 3 (10:00 a.m., 9:00 p.m.), 7 (11:45 a.m.), 9 (2:00 p.m., midnight), 12 (7:00 p.m.) and 15 (3:30 p.m.)

HBO On Demand availability:  March 26-April 16

Segments include:

*King Henrik.  The New York Rangers are currently battling for the best record in the National Hockey League, led by All-Star goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.  The 30-year-old Swede leads the league in shutouts and has already topped 30 wins this season, becoming the first NHL goalie to exceed that total in each of his first seven seasons.  But there is more than meets the eye with Lundqvist.  He frequently appears on “best dressed” lists, plays guitar in a band that also includes tennis legend John McEnroe and participates in a variety of philanthropic efforts in the New York City area.  REAL SPORTS host Bryant Gumbel sits down with the charismatic goalie, who captured gold with the Swedish national team at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games, as he tries to lead the New York Rangers to their first Stanley Cup championship since 1994.

Producer:  Lisa Bennett.

*The Flying Wallendas.  While there are many famous families in the circus business, probably none are more notable than the Flying Wallendas.  Since the early 1900s, this large extended family has been well-known for performing high-wire acts without a safety net, resulting in numerous deaths and debilitating injuries over the course of seven generations.  In this REAL SPORTS/Sports Illustrated collaboration, REAL SPORTS correspondent Frank Deford sits down with members of the Wallenda family to find out what drives them to risk their lives and what keeps the family tradition going strong.

Producer:  Tim Walker.

*Wonder Arm.  While only eight to ten percent of Minor League Baseball players ultimately make a Major League roster, Steve Delabar, currently in camp with the Seattle Mariners in Arizona, defied the odds after a lengthy stint as a career minor leaguer.  For six seasons, the six-foot, five-inch right-handed relief pitcher never went beyond Single-A advanced ball.  Then, after suffering a seemingly career-ending elbow injury in 2009, Delabar left the game and headed back to the classroom to work as a substitute teacher and finish his undergraduate degree.  But his passion for the game never left him, and after participating in the Velocity Program, designed by former Major League pitcher Tom House, he began throwing harder than ever before.  In 2011, Delabar signed a minor league deal with the Seattle Mariners, and by September had achieved his dream of playing in the Major Leagues.  REAL SPORTS correspondent Mary Carillo sits down with the 28-year-old to hear his inspiring story.

Producer:  Nick Dolin.

*Oklahoma State Tragedies.  In Jan. 2001, the Oklahoma State men’s basketball team and staff boarded two small jets and a turbo-prop plane that were to take them home following a loss to Colorado.  But over Colorado, the turbo-prop plummeted 23,000 feet, crashing into a field and killing all on board, including two players, six staff members and both pilots.  Ten years later, in Nov. 2011, tragedy struck Oklahoma State again when women’s basketball head coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna, along with an 82-year-old pilot and his wife, were killed when their single-engine plane crashed during an Arkansas recruiting trip.  REAL SPORTS’ Armen Keteyian returns to the Oklahoma State campus to see how the community is moving on from the latest tragedy and pose the same question he asked in his investigation of the first crash ten years ago:  Could this disaster have been prevented?

Producers:  Jake Rosenwasser, Zehra Mamdani and Brian Hyland.

REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times and has received 22 Sports Emmy® Awards overall.  It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005.  On Jan. 19, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for a series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS.

The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.

Filed Under: HBO

24/7 Mayweather/Cotto debuts April 14

March 2, 2012 By

HBO SPORTS’ 24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO,

A FOUR-EPISODE, ALL-ACCESS SERIES LEADING UP TO THE

PAY-PER-VIEW SHOWDOWN AT THE MGM GRAND IN LAS VEGAS,

DEBUTS APRIL 14, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

NEW YORK, Feb. 28, 2012 – HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured 14 Sports Emmy® Awards, returns in April for its 13th boxing installment with 24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO, an all-new four-episode, all-access series, it was announced today by Ken Hershman, president, HBO Sports.  Debuting SATURDAY, APRIL 14 (9:45-10:15 p.m. ET/ 6:45-7:15 p.m. PT), the series will follow two elite fighters in one of boxing’s most competitive divisions as they prepare for their intriguing pay-per-view showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 5.

“‘24/7’ is all about high energy, great drama, revealing characters and unrestricted access,” noted Hershman.  “We are grateful to both Floyd and Miguel and their camps that they will allow our cameras to chronicle their journeys to May 5th.”

Episodes two and three of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO debut on subsequent Saturdays – April 21 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT) and 28 (9:45 p.m.-10:15 p.m. ET/6:45 p.m.-7:15 p.m. PT) – while the finale debuts Friday, May 4 (8:00-8:30 p.m. ET/PT), the night before the high-stakes super welterweight bout.  All four episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand® and HBO GO®.

24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews, as the fighters prepare for their 154-pound world title fight.     A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., the talented and outspoken 35-year-old Mayweather (42-0, 26 KOs) has evolved into a celebrated superstar, and now resides in Las Vegas.  The pride and joy of Puerto Rico, super welterweight titleholder Miguel Cotto (37-2, 30 KOs), 31, has reinvigorated his brilliant career with wins over Yuri Foreman, Ricardo Mayorga and Antonio Margarito in the past two years.

This fast-paced series will capture the interactions and rigors both men experience in preparing for their contest.  Making his sixth “24/7” appearance, Mayweather is expected to surround himself with a familiar contingent of family and friends as he trains with trusted longtime trainer and uncle Roger Mayweather.  Cotto is making his third “24/7” appearance.

24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO is the latest installment of the acclaimed “24/7” franchise that began in 2007.  At the 2011 Sports Emmy® Awards, “24/7” was recognized with two Emmys® for production excellence and is the most honored sports series on TV over the past four years, earning 14 Sports Emmys® overall.

Newsday.com has observed, “HBO’s ‘24/7’ series is the best sports program on television.  Bar none.”

“Mayweather vs. Cotto” takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, May 5 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

The executive producer of 24/7 MAYWEATHER/COTTO is Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producer, Bentley Weiner; co-producer, Abtin Motia; writer, Aaron Cohen.  Liev Schreiber narrates.

Filed Under: Boxing, HBO

24/7 Pacquiao/Bradley debuts May 26

February 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

HBO SPORTS’ 24/7 PACQUIAO/BRADLEY,

A THREE-EPISODE, ALL-ACCESS SERIES LEADING UP TO THE

PAY-PER-VIEW SHOWDOWN AT THE MGM GRAND IN LAS VEGAS,

DEBUTS MAY 26, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

NEW YORK, Feb. 23, 2012 – HBO Sports’ groundbreaking “24/7” reality franchise, which has captured 14 Sports Emmy® Awards, returns in May for its 14th boxing installment with 24/7 PACQUIAO/BRADLEY, an all-new, three-episode, all-access series, it was announced today by Ken Hershman, president, HBO Sports.  Debuting SATURDAY, MAY 26 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), the series will follow two elite fighters as they prepare for their intriguing welterweight title showdown at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on June 9.

“We are really looking forward to presenting this all-new edition of ‘24/7’ in a style that only ‘24/7’ can deliver,” said Hershman.  “Manny and Tim have contrasting back stories and we will spotlight these two compelling characters against the backdrop of a major title fight.”

Episode two of 24/7 PACQUIAO/BRADLEY debuts SATURDAY, JUNE 2, while the finale debuts FRIDAY, JUNE 8, the night before the high-stakes welterweight title bout.  All three episodes will have multiple replay dates on HBO, and the series will also be available on HBO On Demand® and HBO GO®.

24/7 PACQUIAO/BRADLEY will provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access, along with in-depth interviews, as the fighters prepare for this 147-pound encounter, which pits a worldwide figure who made an improbable climb to the top level of the sport against a hungry young undefeated boxer who believes his time has arrived.

Born amid poverty in the Philippines, where he is currently the lone congressional representative from the Sarangani province, Manny Pacquiao (54-3-2, 38 KOs) has overcome every barrier to become an icon, capturing world titles in eight different weight divisions.  He will be fighting in Las Vegas for the 14th time as he defends his title.  Timothy Bradley, Jr. (28-0, 12 KOs), an engaging fighter and one of the future stars of the sport, will be appearing under the bright lights of Las Vegas for the second time in his pro career.

This fast-paced series will capture the interactions and rigors both men experience in preparing for their contest.  In his sixth “24/7” appearance, Pacquiao, 33, is expected to surround himself with a trusted contingent of family and friends in the Philippines and at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood as he works with longtime trainer Freddie Roach.  Making his “24/7” debut, Palm Springs, Cal. native Bradley, 28, is looking to make a name for himself in the division.

24/7 PACQUIAO/BRADLEY is the latest installment of the acclaimed franchise that began in 2007.  Receiving two Emmys® for production excellence at the 2011 Sports Emmy® Awards, “24/7” is the most honored sports series on TV over the past four years, earning 14 Sports Emmys® overall.

The St. Petersburg Times has noted, “The best sports reality show on television is HBO’s ‘24/7.’ ”

“Pacquiao vs. Bradley” takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, June 9 at 9:00 p.m. (ET)/6:00 p.m. (PT), and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View®.

The executive producer of 24/7 PACQUIAO/BRADLEY is Rick Bernstein; senior producer, Dave Harmon; coordinating producer, Scott Boggins; co-producer, George Jakovic; writer, Aaron Cohen.  Liev Schreiber narrates.

Filed Under: Boxing, HBO

Season Premiere of HBO BOXING AFTER DARK

February 23, 2012 By Leave a Comment

HBO BOXING AFTER DARK®:  DEVON ALEXANDER VS. MARCOS MAIDANA

AND ADRIEN BRONER VS. ELOY PEREZ KICKS OFF A NEW YEAR OF ACTION

FOR THE HIT LATE-NIGHT RING FRANCHISE SATURDAY, FEB. 25

—————————

2 DAYS: PORTRAIT OF A FIGHTER FEATURING JAMES KIRKLAND AT 9:45 P.M.

            HBO’s hit late-night boxing franchise begins a new season with a double dose of action when HBO BOXING AFTER DARK:  DEVON ALEXANDER VS. MARCOS MAIDANA AND ADRIEN BRONER VS. ELOY PEREZ is seen SATURDAY, FEB. 25 at 10:00 p.m. (live ET/tape-delayed PT), from the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, exclusively on HBO.  The team of Bob Papa, Max Kellerman and Roy Jones Jr. will be ringside for the event, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing-impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates:  Feb. 26 (11:30 a.m.) and 27 (midnight)

HBO2 playdates:  Feb. 26 (4:45 p.m.) and 28 (11:00 p.m.)

HBO On Demand availability begins:  Feb. 27

In a welterweight showdown, hometown hero Devon Alexander (22-1, 13 KOs), who as a child found refuge from the hardscrabble Hyde Park section of St. Louis in a boxing gym, takes on the formidable Marcos Maidana (31-2, 28 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina in a scheduled ten-round contest.  A former junior welterweight champ, Alexander brings speed and effective combinations to the ring.  Bouncing back from his only pro loss to Timothy Bradley with a victory over Lucas Matthysse, he is moving up to the talent-rich 147-pound division with the ultimate goal of capturing another title.

Maidana, known for his exciting style and knockout power, returns to the U.S. after a memorable victory over Eric Morales in April 2011, which followed his narrow decision loss to Amir Khan in 2010’s consensus Fight of the Year.  A decisive win could reestablish Maidana on the boxing landscape.

The opening bout is a junior lightweight title showdown of undefeated fighters, with Cincinnati’s Adrien Broner (22-0, 18 KOs) defending his crown against Eloy Perez (23-0-2, 7 KOs) of Salinas, Cal. in a scheduled 12-round bout.  Broner, who has taken the boxing world by storm with impressive wins and thrilling performances, is a budding star.  Perez looks to use his speed and aggressive style to halt Broner’s streak and take his title in this intriguing 130-pound contest.

The night of boxing programming kicks off at 9:45 p.m. (ET/PT) with the debut of a new 15-minute edition of “2 Days:  Portrait of a Fighter,” offering an intimate look at junior middleweight James Kirkland in the lead-up to one of his fights.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV.  HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is Rick Bernstein; producer, Thomas Odelfelt; director, Mike Sheehan.

® HBO BOXING AFTER DARK is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

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Filed Under: Boxing, HBO

Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel: New edition Feb. 21

February 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL

EXAMINES HOCKEY’S TRAGIC YAROSLAVL LOKOMOTIV PLANE CRASH;

PROFILES PROFESSIONAL WINGSUITER JEB CORLISS; AND

CHRONICLES THE SHOCKING FALL OF NFL SUPER AGENT LEIGH STEINBERG

WHEN THE EMMY®-WINNING SHOW RETURNS FEB. 21, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

Now in its 18th season, REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL presents more enterprising features and reporting when its 179th edition, available in HDTV, debuts TUESDAY, FEB. 21 (10:00-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates:  Feb. 21 (1:50 a.m.), 23 (4:00 p.m., 11:55 p.m.), 26 (10:30 a.m.) and 29 (9:15 a.m., 5:30 p.m.), and March 1 (1:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 3 (11:30 a.m.) and 6 (3:05 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Feb. 22 (9:30 a.m., 9:30 p.m.) and 27 (4:55 p.m., 11:00 p.m.), and March 2 (9:00 a.m.), 4 (9:30 a.m.), 10 (1:40 p.m.) and 13 (3:30 p.m.)

HBO On Demand availability:  Feb. 27-March 19

Segments include:

Russian Plane Crash.  On Sept. 7, 2011, Yaroslavl Lokomotiv, one of Russia’s premier hockey teams, boarded a Soviet-era Yak-42 jet at a Yaroslavl airport to travel to a game in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.  A few moments after lift-off, the chartered aircraft crashed about 500 yards from the runway, instantly killing 43 of the 45 passengers, including several NHL veterans.  The model of the aircraft carrying the team had a long history of problems, while the airline currently has one of the worst air safety records in the world.  However, Russian air safety officials confirmed that the crash was caused by basic human error during takeoff.  REAL SPORTS correspondent Bernard Goldberg travels to Yaroslavl to delve further into what happened that tragic September afternoon.

Producer:  Joe Perskie.

Jeb Corliss.  The top competitor in an activity fraught with danger, 35-year-old Jeb Corliss is a professional BASE jumper, skydiver and wingsuiter.  At age 18, he found comfort in what most would deem uncomfortable – jumping out of airplanes – and has since jumped off some of the world’s highest structures, including Paris’ Eiffel Tower, Seattle’s Space Needle and the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  In 2006, he was arrested for attempting to BASE jump from New York’s Empire State Building.  REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel goes behind the scenes with Corliss as he attempts a jump in Cape Town, South Africa and captures his nearly fatal crash on film.

Producer:  Tim Walker.

Leigh Steinberg.  Once the most powerful sports agent in the world, Leigh Steinberg built an empire by making NFL players and himself extremely wealthy.  The 62-year-old lawyer was the agent for a host of stars, including Troy Aikman, Steve Young and Drew Bledsoe, and even branched out into boxing, representing Oscar de la Hoya and Lennox Lewis.  Now Steinberg is living with a roommate in an apartment in Southern California, fighting an addiction that he says cost him everything.  REAL SPORTS correspondent Armen Keteyian presents a no-holds-barred look at the former NFL super agent and his fall from glory.

Producer:  Chapman Downes.

REAL SPORTS has won the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Sports Journalism 14 times and has received 22 Sports Emmy® Awards overall.  It is the only sports program ever honored with the duPont Award for excellence in broadcast journalism, having first been recognized in 2005.  On Jan. 19, REAL SPORTS received its second duPont Award, for its series of investigative reports on concussions, highlighted by the Aug. 2010 story revealing the scientific link between sports concussions and the onset of ALS.

The executive producer of REAL SPORTS WITH BRYANT GUMBEL is Rick Bernstein; Kirby Bradley is senior producer.

Filed Under: HBO

Season Premiere of World Championship Boxing

February 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

HBO SPORTS PRESENTS A DOUBLEHEADER OF FISTIC FIREWORKS WHEN

 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®:  JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. VS.

MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO AND NONITO DONAIRE VS. WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR.

IS SEEN LIVE SATURDAY, FEB. 4

            HBO Sports’ flagship boxing series returns with an action-packed card headlined by two of the sport’s fastest-rising stars when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:  JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. VS. MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO AND NONITO DONAIRE VS. WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR. is seen live SATURDAY, FEB. 4 at 10:00 p.m. (ET)/7:00 p.m. (PT) from the Alamodome in San Antonio, exclusively on HBO.  The HBO Sports team of Jim Lampley, Larry Merchant and Emanuel Steward will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates:  Feb. 5 (8:30 a.m.) and 6 (12:25 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Feb. 5 (3:30 p.m.) and 7 (12:40 a.m.)

After standout matches on HBO in 2011, Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Nonito Donaire of the Philippines begin 2012 against formidable opponents at a venue known for bringing out the best in fighters.

The 12-round, 160-pound main event features Chavez Jr. (44-0-1, 31 KOs) defending his hard-earned middleweight title against an experienced challenger in fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1, 46 KOs).  Only 25, Chavez Jr. will have his work cut out for him in battling a prizefighter with 59 pro bouts under his belt.

The co-feature is an intriguing 12-round junior featherweight title fight pitting fan favorite Nonito Donaire (27-1, 18 KOs) against the formidable Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (21-1-1, 18 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.  Budding superstar Donaire, now residing in San Leandro, Cal., scored one of 2011’s most memorable victories when he knocked out Fernando Montiel last February.  Now, the engaging 29-year-old, who last lost a pro fight in 2001, moves up in weight to the 122-pound division in hopes of adding a new title belt to his collection.   Vazquez Jr., who hails from a boxing family, has other plans.

The night of boxing programming kicks off at 9:45 p.m. ET/6:45 PT when an all-new edition of “2 Days: Portrait of a Fighter” debuts.  The Feb. 4 installment of this revealing and intimate look at a 48-hour span in the life of a boxer in the lead-up to one of his fights will focus on lightweight Brandon Rios of Oxnard, CA.  The feature is approximately 15 minutes.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter at twitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV.  HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Marc Payton.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

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Filed Under: Boxing, HBO

Namath Documentary To Air On HBO Saturday At 9:00 P.M.

January 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

HBO SPORTS AND NFL FILMS EXAMINE THE LIFE OF “BROADWAY JOE”

NAMATH, ONE OF PRO FOOTBALL’S BIGGEST STARS, IN A

DOCUMENTARY DEBUTING JAN. 28, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

          The Emmy®-winning combination of HBO Sports and NFL Films explores the fascinating life and career of one of pro football’s biggest stars when NAMATH, a documentary on New York Jets icon Joe Namath, debuts SATURDAY, JAN. 28 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates:  Jan 28 (1:00 a.m.) and 31 (noon, midnight), and Feb. 3 (5:30 p.m.), 5 (11:15 a.m.), 7 (noon, 3:30 a.m.), 9 (8:00 p.m., 1:30 a.m.), 11 (3:00 p.m.), 15 (11:30 a.m., 5:45 p.m.) and 17 (7:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Jan. 30 (4:30 p.m., 12:50 a.m.) and Feb. 6 (6:30 p.m., 4:30 a.m.), 18 (7:45 a.m.), 21 (12:25 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 26 (8:30 a.m.) and 29 (midnight)

HBO On Demand availability:  Jan. 30-Feb. 28

Born in Beaver Falls, Pa. in 1943, Namath was raised in western Pennsylvania and was a stellar high school athlete in basketball, baseball and football.  He accepted a football scholarship to the University of Alabama and played quarterback for the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant.  Namath led the Crimson Tide to the top of the national polls in 1964 and his stock as a pro football prospect soared.

With entertainment mogul Sonny Werblin at the helm of ownership of the New York Jets, Namath elected to sign with the upstart American Football League for a then-staggering $427,000, and by game five of his first season had become the Jets’ starting quarterback.  He was subsequently named AFL Rookie of the Year, and was one of the first sports celebrity superstars, captivating both the entertainment press and fans with his movie-star looks and bigger-than-life “Broadway Joe” personality.

In a moment that would alter the NFL landscape, Namath led the underdog New York Jets to a world championship title in Super Bowl III versus the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.   His “guarantee” of a Jets upset brought him legendary status.

While his MVP performance in Super Bowl III was the high point, Namath fashioned a high-flying all-star career during his 13 years in pro football, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Now 68, Namath remains engaged in the game with which he has had a lifelong love affair.  He provides radio commentary, is connected to new media initiatives through Facebook and Twitter (@realjoenamath), and hosts his own website destination (broadwayjoe.tv).

Interviews for the documentary include:  family members Frank Namath, Rita Sims and Jessica Namath; family friends Linwood Alford, Wibby Glover, Al Hassan, Jimmy Walsh and Tad Dowd; former New York Jets teammates Matt Snell, John Schmitt, Don Maynard, Richard Castor, Emerson Boozer and John Riggins; former Jets assistant coach Ken Meyer; former Alabama teammate Gaylon McCollough; former Alabama assistant coach Howard Schnellenberger; former Baltimore Colts head coach Don Shula; former NFL players Mike Curtis, Ben Davidson and Fred Dryer; sports journalists Sal Marchiano, Suzy Kolber, Dave Anderson and Rick Telander; producers Larry Spangler and Roger Smith; attorney Mike Bite; and actress Ann-Margret.

HBO Sports and NFL Films have a long history of acclaimed football productions, including the 2010 documentary “Lombardi,” which earned rave reviews and received the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Documentary.

The executive producers of NAMATH are Rick Bernstein for HBO Sports and Steve Sabol for NFL Films; produced by Joe Lavine for HBO Sports and Keith Cossrow for NFL Films; Liev Schreiber narrates; music composed by Dave Robidoux of NFL Films; writer, Ouisie Shapiro; senior coordinating producers for NFL FILMS, Pat Kelleher and Ross Ketover; executive producer for Namanco Productions Inc, James Walsh.

 

Highlights of NAMATH:

Former Alabama teammate Gaylon McCollough:  “He had good command of the Alabama offense.  He was shifty, he was all over the field and he almost left you standing in your boots when you were trying to tackle him.  He had tremendous speed and quickness and agility.  He was like trying to tackle the wind.  He could stop on a dime and throw a jump pass 40 or 50 yards.  It was different from what our opponents had seen in the past.”

Gaylon McCollough:  “One of the tragedies in American sports is that most people never had the chance to see a healthy Joe Namath play, to see how good he really was.  If you had ever seen him at his best, you’d never forget it.”

Former New York Jets offensive coach Ken Meyer:  “[He’s] the only quarterback I’ve ever been around that you didn’t have to look to see when the ball was released…You could hear the ‘whoosh’ when the ball left his hand.  And that is not kidding!”

Sports journalist Rick Telander:  “There had not been anybody like Joe Namath, not in sports.  Long hair, sideburns…a Fu Manchu.  Suddenly it’s like, ‘We got some kind of revolutionary here.’  No, you got a guy who’s growing a Fu Manchu ‘cause the chicks dig it.”

New York sportscaster Sal Marchiano:  “So here was this rascal – not a maverick – a rascal who wore white shoes, wore his hair long, and he went his own way.  He was Mick Jagger in a football uniform.  He wasn’t Pat Boone.  And that’s what America wanted.”

Former Colts head coach Don Shula on Namath delivering in Super Bowl III:  “You gotta give credit where credit is due, and Namath, he made the predictions, then he made ‘em come true.”

Former NFL player Fred Dryer:  “That guy was very important to the game of football as a cultural icon, and how he brought professional football into the television era and with it a whole degree of excitement…The likes of him will never ever, ever pass this way again.”

Joe Namath:  “Something’s been guiding me around throughout my life.  I keep saying, ‘I’m just a lucky guy.’ ”

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Filed Under: Football, HBO

Episode #2 On Freddie Roach Premieres Friday Night on HBO

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

NEW HBO SERIES ON FREDDIE ROACH,

 FROM RENOWNED FILMMAKER PETER BERG,

DEBUTS AN ALL-NEW EPISODE FRIDAY NIGHT

——–

Peter Berg, Jim Lampley, Sarah Aubrey And Michael Price Executive Produce

——–

ON FREDDIE ROACH, the all-new cinéma-vérité series from renowned filmmaker and Emmy® nominee Peter Berg, debuts an all-new episode FRIDAY, JAN. 27 (9:30-10:00 p.m. ET/PT), followed by other episodes on subsequent Fridays at the same time, exclusively on HBO.  Executive produced by Berg (“Friday Night Lights”), the HBO Original Programming presentation is a co-production of Film 44 and Atticus Entertainment.

The unscripted show focuses on Freddie Roach, who owns and operates the famed Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, where he has produced a host of world champions.  This intensely personal look at the world-famous boxing trainer chronicles his life and career against the backdrop of Parkinson’s disease, an ailment very likely linked to his own boxing past.

Episode #2:  “The Wild Card”

Debut:  FRIDAY, JAN. 27 (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

Other HBO playdates:  Jan 28 (11:30 a.m., 12:30 a.m.), 29 (11:30 a.m.) and 30 (7:30 p.m., 11:50 p.m.), and Feb. 1 (7:30 p.m.) and 2 (9:30 a.m., 8:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Jan. 29 (11:00 p.m.) and 31 (9:30 p.m.)

A routine day at the Wild Card Gym is suddenly thrown into chaos.

Episode #1 is available on HBO ON DEMAND and HBO GO.

On Freddie Roach is a Film 44 and Atticus Entertainment production; executive produced by Peter Berg, Sarah Aubrey, Jim Lampley and Michael Price; co-executive produced by Brendan Malloy and Emmett Malloy; produced by Matthew Goldberg, Christopher G. Cowen and Freddie Roach; editors, Brian Johnson and Stephen Strout; director of photography, Niles Harrison; camera operator, Brandon Carroll; music by The Antlers; original music by Rogue Wave.

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Filed Under: HBO

World Championship Boxing Feb. 4: Chavez Jr. vs. Rubio, Donaire vs. Vazquez Jr.

January 6, 2012 By 1 Comment

HBO SPORTS PRESENTS A DOUBLEHEADER OF FISTIC FIREWORKS WHEN

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING®:  JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. VS.

MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO AND NONITO DONAIRE VS. WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR.

IS SEEN LIVE SATURDAY, FEB. 4

HBO Sports’ flagship boxing series returns with an action-packed card headlined by two of the sport’s fastest-rising stars when WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:  JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ JR. VS. MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO AND NONITO DONAIRE VS. WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR. is seen live SATURDAY, FEB. 4 at 10:00 p.m. (ET)/7:00 p.m. (PT) from the Alamodome in San Antonio, exclusively on HBO.  The HBO Sports team will call all the action, which will be available in HDTV, closed-captioned for the hearing impaired and presented in Spanish on HBO Latino.

Other HBO playdates:  Feb. 5 (8:30 a.m.) and 6 (12:25 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Feb. 5 (3:30 p.m.) and 7 (12:40 a.m.)

After standout matches on HBO in 2011, Mexico’s Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. and Nonito Donaire of the Philippines begin 2012 against formidable opponents at a venue known for bringing out the best in fighters.

The 12-round, 160-pound main event features Chavez Jr. (44-0-1, 31 KOs) defending his hard-earned middleweight title against an experienced challenger in fellow Mexican Marco Antonio Rubio (53-5-1, 46 KOs).  Only 25, Chavez Jr. will have his work cut out for him in battling a prizefighter with 59 pro bouts under his belt.

The co-feature is an intriguing 12-round junior featherweight title fight pitting fan favorite Nonito Donaire (27-1, 18 KOs) against the formidable Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. (21-1-1, 18 KOs) of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.  Budding superstar Donaire, now residing in San Leandro, Cal., scored one of 2011’s most memorable victories when he knocked out Fernando Montiel last February.  Now, the engaging 29-year-old, who last lost a pro fight in 2001, moves up in weight to the 122-pound division in hopes of adding a new title belt to his collection.   Vazquez Jr., who hails from a boxing family, has other plans.

Follow HBO boxing news at hbo.com/boxing, on Facebook at facebook.com/hboboxing and on Twitter attwitter.com/hboboxing.

All HBO boxing events are presented in HDTV.  HBO viewers must have access to the HBO HDTV channel to watch HBO programming in high definition.

The executive producer of WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is Rick Bernstein; producer, Jon Crystal; director, Marc Payton.

® WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING is a registered service mark of Home Box Office, Inc.

Filed Under: Boxing, HBO

Rescheduled for March 24–World Championship Boxing: Morales vs. Garcia, Kirkland vs. Molina

January 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

EDITORS, PLEASE NOTE:

Due to illness, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING:  ERIK MORALES VS. DANNY GARCIA AND JAMES KIRKLAND VS. CARLOS MOLINA has been postponed.  Originally scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 28, the HBO Sports presentation is now set for SATURDAY, MARCH 24 at 10:15 p.m. (ET)/7:15 p.m. (PT).

Filed Under: Boxing, HBO
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