Documentary Now

The other night, I caught myself watching a "Forever Broncos", an E:60 feature on ESPN. Sitting there, I felt as I couldn't move, learning more of the tragedy that occurred on April 6, 2018 in rural Canada.

29 people of the Humboldt Broncos, a junior ice hockey team, were either injured or killed in a bus crash as the team traveled to compete in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs.

The story gained international exposure, as people showed support and offered condolences as the community attempted to heal.

I sat in tears as the story was presented showing how the survivors healed. I'm not just referring to the players, but those who lost sons, brothers, husbands, and even daughters.

What started as a typical night of nothing on TV, turned into an emotional rollercoaster due to documentaries like "Forever Broncos", as ESPN aired more features. These stories, you can't find in a boxscore, or in a morning highlight reel.

In my last post I spoke about why I chose to pursue journalism at Appalachian State University, and that was simply to chase the story. Specifically, I find enjoyment in finding the story within the story. Most of the time that is simply talking to people. You can always learn something new simply by speaking to others.

It's why one of the most enjoyable stories I wrote for The Appalachian, was a feature story on Justin Woazeah. The story, which ran in the 2006 football preview, highlighted Woazeah's royal background. In 1990, with war going on in Liberia, his grandfather desired to get his family out of the country for their safety. It's an interesting path that brought Woazeah to Appalachian.

So, it's easy to understand why I jumped at writing this story when I presented with it. I'll admit it was hard not to listen in amazement and forget why I was there as he shared this story. It's why I still have a copy of the article saved in my computer, and framed on the wall. Recently, we reconnected on Facebook and I sent him a copy of it as well.

Stories like these are what I love the most about sports, because you can't simply skim over to find out what happened the night before. It's why shows like E:60, NFL Network's "A Football Life" are two of my favorite shows on TV.

It's on shows like this see more of the humanity in sports. Far too often, I believe people don't see the player outside of the playing field. These are some of the best stories to learn about.

There was the story about Deland McCullough, the running backs coach for the Kansas City Chiefs. While coaching at USC, Pennsylvania passed a law where adoptees could request birth records. McCullough placed a request in and received his birth record. As he searched for his birth parents, he came to find out the man who looked out for him while at college, Sherman Smith, was actually his father. Neither of them knew.

"Pin Kings" started as a podcast, before appearing a part of ESPN's "SC: Featured". The story was centered on two lifelong friends Alex DeCubas and Kevin Pedersen, who ended up wrestling together at Palmetto High School in Miami, Florida in the 1970s. Their lives went different paths, but they reunited years later on opposite sides of the law. DeCubas became deeply entrenched in the drug world, while Pedersen worked with the DEA. The story doesn't end there, as DeCubas was eventually caught and Pedersen eventually retired from the job. What are they up to now? Working together as wrestling coaches. It's a fascinating story.

There are just a few examples of why I love sports documentaries. It tells you more than what your eyes normally see, and reminds you why sports are amazing. It takes you beyond the playing field, and in a way it's poetic.

In a weekend of the NFL Draft, and "Avenger's Endgame", I will take the night to relax and watch a couple of features. These stories remind me of why I have always loved sports, and always find myself around them.

It's why I have aspirations of covering sports in some fashion. I don't want to just talk about the game that I would cover. I want to find that one unique story that people can't find through highlights or a boxscore.

Documentaries bring a humanization to an area few of us get to experience, and remind us why they're great.

Lastly, I want to congratulate former Mountaineers Clifton Duck and Jalin Moore, whom were signed as Undrafted Free Agents by the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, respectively. In my next blog, I'm planning to talk about the potential and pitfalls that came with the annual NFL Draft.