(Update: review of “I hate Christian Laettner”) Bare in mind that the version we watched is a “rough cut,” as ESPN PR told us, and could end up being somewhat different from the version that will air Sunday night for the general public. Still, this one is could be at the top of the ESPN 30 for 30 all time top ten list.
Selection Sunday sees the debut of a new 30 for 30 with perhaps the most compelling title ever: “I Hate Christian Laettner” It’s directed by Rory Karpf (“The Book of Manning,” “Tim Richmond: To The Limit”), and it premieres Sunday, March 15, at 9 p.m. ET after Bracketology on ESPN.
I recently had an exclusive with Christian Laettner, and I did not back down from asking him why he thinks that both and and the Duke program are so polarizing. Hear his answer here.
I also asked him about the movement of college athletes to receive compensation and what, if anything he’s done to capitalize off “the shot” versus Kentucky.
So you’ll want to check out that interview before reading my review and critique of the film tomorrow (I promise no spoilers), but first a quick synopsis of the documentary via ESPN’s promotional blurb about the film:
He made perhaps the most dramatic shot in the history of the NCAA basketball tournament. He’s the only player to start in four consecutive Final Fours, and was instrumental in Duke winning two national championships. He had looks, smarts and game.
So why has Christian Laettner been disliked so intensely by so many for so long? Maybe it was the time he stomped on the chest of a downed player, or the battles he had with his teammates, or a perceived sense of entitlement. But sometimes, perception isn’t reality.
“I Hate Christian Laettner” will go beyond the polarizing persona to reveal the complete story behind this lightning rod of college basketball.
So after viewing the press advance screener, bare in mind this is a rough cut, and could end up quite different from the final version that airs in 11 days, but watch this space tomorrow morning for the here is our “I hate Christian Laettner” review.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with Fox Sports Digital, eBay, Google News and CBS Interactive.
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