PASADENA, Calif. -- Bob Knight can be dramatic enough in
real life. Now ESPN is producing its first made-for-TV movie on the
fiery college basketball coach.
"A Season on the Brink: A Year with Bob Knight and the Indiana
Hoosiers" is based on the best-selling book by John Feinstein. It
will air March 10.
"We don't have any expectation that he's going to be thrilled
with this," producer Stan Brooks said Friday at the Television
Critics Association summer gathering.
Especially since Knight no longer coaches the Hoosiers. He was
fired in September for violating a zero-tolerance behavior policy.
He'll make his debut as coach at Texas Tech this fall.
The movie will chronicle Indiana's 1985-86 season, when Knight
granted Feinstein unprecedented access to the team and its
practices, meetings, and huddles. Knight later denounced the book.
"It'll give our viewers a glimpse of where it all started going
wrong for Bobby," said Mark Shapiro, senior vice president and
general manager for ESPN programming.
Knight's character has yet to be cast, and writer and
co-producer David Rintels figures the pool of actors is small.
"Knight is distinctive, he's a big man, a presence," Rintels
said. "I've got a thought in mind, but I haven't spoken to him
yet. It's not Mickey Rooney."
Rintels is still working on the script. Shooting will begin in
November, but there are no plans to film in Bloomington, Ind.
Brooks said it's possible basketball players may be cast in the
roles of team members.
The movie is ESPN's first foray into original TV movies, and is
one of several additions to the sports cable network's programming.
ESPN is getting into the reality game show genre with an
eight-episode series called "Beg, Borrow and B.S.," which will
air Sunday nights beginning Feb. 3.
Two four-member teams will spend 45 days traveling from New York
to San Francisco with no money and performing 12 sports-related
challenges, including catching a pass from an NFL quarterback,
serving as ring announcer at a boxing match or riding a bike on the
velodrome at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs,
Colo.
Winners will receive two tickets each to four major sports
championship events of their choosing.
"Sports mirrors reality," Shapiro said. "It's going to be
very edgy and competitive."
Potential contestants can apply on ESPN.com or through ESPN The
Magazine beginning July 15. Applicants must sell themselves by
submitting a three-minute videotape and photograph.
Other ESPN news:
ESPNEWS, a re-launch of its 24-hour sports news network. A new
feature will be a continuous ticker of scores, updates and news
stories that will run even during national commercial breaks. Also
planned are in-progress game scores, statistics and updates. Debuts
Sept. 7.
"Pardon the Interruption," a live show based in Washington,
D.C., featuring viewers sounding off on the day's topics, along
with interviews of newsmakers. Debuts Oct. 15.
"College SportsCentury," focusing on college athletes who
became stars. Debuts Oct. 31.
"The Wild Onion," based in Chicago, featuring 32 teams
competing in challenges like kayaking across Lake Michigan and
climbing stairs in the Sears Tower. Debuts Nov. 2.
"Reel Classics Uncut," a behind-the-scenes look at new
sports films, including one on Muhammad Ali and a remake of
"Brian's Song." Debuts Dec. 1.
"World's Sexiest Athletes," a countdown of the top 10
sexiest male and female athletes determined through fan voting on
the Internet and in the network's magazine. Debuts Jan. 20.
"The D League," another reality show focusing on the lives
of players playing in the NBA's developmental league. Debuts Jan.
23.
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