About this season
A monthly sports newsmagazine which was "spawned by the fact that sports have changed dramatically, that it's no longer just fun and games, and that what happens off the field, beyond the scores, is worthy of some serious reporting," according to Bryant Gumbel, the host.
Episodes (5)
1. Episode 5 - Hakeem Olajuwon; 1966 Texas Western; Women's College Basketball
Aired 11 March 1996 • 60 min
Segments include a profile of the NBA's Hakeem Olajuwon by Frank DeFord; a look at the 1966 NCAA basketball championship won by Texas Western---the first all-black team to do so---over an all-white Kentucky squad; and a report on women's college basketball by Jim Lampley.
2. Episode 6 - Lawrence Phillips; Open Wheel Racing Feud
Aired 20 May 1996 • 60 min
Segments include an interview with Lawrence Phillips, the controversial Nebraska back drafted by the St. Louis Rams; a look at the feud between the the new Indy Racing League and the established Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART), and its impact on the Indianapolis 500; and a report on risks in boxing. James Brown, Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant report.
3. Episode 7 - The Olympic Show
Aired 15 July 1996 • 60 min
Segments on the Olympics include a profile of IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch; a look at U.S. weightlifter Mark Henry; visits with Olympic champions Mark Spitz and Bruce Jenner; and a report on the sponsorship of the U.S. decathlon team.
4. Episode 8 - Albert Belle; NFL Drug Testing
Aired 10 September 1996 • 60 min
Filmmaker Spike Lee's profile of Albert Belle is featured. The Cleveland outfielder is one of baseball's top hitters, but has been suspended five times in his turbulent career. Interviewed are Belle, his manager, Mike Hargrove, and teammate Kenny Lofton. Also: a report on the NFL's substance-abuse policy, reported by Jim Lampley.
5. Episode 9 - Shaquille O'Neal; Packers
Aired 12 November 1996 • 60 min
Segments include a look at the Los Angeles Lakers offseason signing of Shaquille O'Neal. Also: a visit with shareholders of the publicly-owned Green Bay Packers; and a report on a high-school football player afflicted with Down's syndrome.