5 ‘30 for 30′ Football Docs to Watch After ‘O.J.: Made in America’

(Photo: Sundance)

If you assumed that FX’s acclaimed and sure-to-be award-winning true crime drama The People v. O.J. Simpson was 2016’s final word on the O.J. Simpson case… think again. On June 11, ESPN unveils O.J.: Made in America, the latest and most expansive entry in its ongoing 30 for 30 documentary franchise, which began as a way to celebrate the TV sports giant’s 30th anniversary in 2009, and is now heading into its seventh year. Told over five installments and nearly eight hours, the Ezra Edelman-directed miniseries doesn’t limit its focus to the Juice’s 1994 trial. Instead, it strives to place his entire life and career in context, illustrating how his gregarious nature and on-field skills transformed him into a pop culture celebrity… and how celebrity took center stage during the heavily documented murder case of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend, Ron Goldman.

Related: Ken Tucker Reviews ‘O.J.: Made in America’: A Brilliant Look at Simpson and Race

30 for 30 has tackled the Simpson trial once before in its 15th installment, June 17, 1994, which originally aired in June of 2010. Directed by Brett Morgan, that hour-long documentary recreated the experience of channel surfing on the titular day in question, when Simpson’s White Bronco made its way down the L.A. freeway, pushing all the other sports news — like the latest results of the World Cup and the Stanley Cup — to the margins of the public imagination. June 17, 1994 is part of the extensive (though not comprehensive) 30 for 30 library that’s available to stream on Netflix where O.J.: Made in America may one day reside after it finishes its run on ESPN. After following the arc of Simpson’s rise and fall, check out these five other memorable football-affiliated documentaries that have been produced under the 30 for 30 banner.

Broke

(Photo: ESPN)

Lucrative commercial gigs and film roles kept Simpson’s bank account flush after he retired from football. Those definitely aren’t luxuries that befall every NFL player, though. Billy Corben’s film follows four athletes — three football vets and one Major Leaguer — as they navigate post-retirement financial difficulties. It’s the non-glamorous part of a sports career nobody really likes to think about — including the players! — which makes it all the more important to discuss.

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Ghosts of Ole Miss

(Photo: ESPN)

As Yahoo TV’s Ken Tucker noted in his review, among Made in America’s many virtues is its cogent analysis of how race factored into Simpson’s career at the height of his success, as well as his later infamy. Ghosts of Ole Miss also explores the complex relationship between race and America’s wide world of sports, looking all the way back to 1962, when the University of Mississippi’s all-white football team enjoyed a winning season even as the campus at large was roiled by protests over integration. It’s a sobering reminder of the achievements of the Civil Rights movement, as well as the impact of transformative sports stars like Ernie Davis, Jim Brown, and Simpson himself.

Small Potatoes: Who Killed the USFL?

(Photo: ESPN)

Before he was a presidential candidate, Donald Trump owned the New Jersey Generals branch of this would-be rival to the still-dominant NFL. Launched in 1983, the USFL got off to a solid start before running into the same problems that have confronted such past challengers as the World Football League and, most disastrously, the XFL. Lawsuits, access to talent, and diminishing audience interest slowly ate away at the USFL, and even Trump’s endorsement failed to sway football fans.

The ’85 Bears

Thirty years after their Super Bowl victory and preceding “Super Bowl Shuffle,” the scrappy 1985 Chicago Bears remain one of the most widely liked teams in sports history. Director Jason Hehir doesn’t set out to challenge their legend, but the film does re-capture an enjoyable moment in pop culture history when a football team could win both the Super Bowl and a Grammy nomination.

The U

(Photo: ESPN)

Another Billy Corben 30 for 30 joint, The U profiles his hometown university’s football outfit, the Hurricanes, which wholeheartedly embraced hip-hop culture in the ‘80s, when society at large still viewed it with hostility. And they backed their braggadocio up with plenty of championships, which further endeared them to their local fans, while enraging non-Miami residents. That latter group had a last Schadenfreude-laced laugh when the program ran afoul of the NCAA amid accusations of financial and ethical scandals. Corben’s follow-up, The U 2, is also available on Netflix and follows the team into the ‘90s.

A selection of 30 for 30 documentaries are currently streaming on Netflix.