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ESPN film on Knight can't live up to book

COMING SUNDAY: John Feinstein takes issue with the movie portrayal of his book, A Season on the Brink, in Hubert Mizell's Sunday Punch.

By SHARON GINN
© St. Petersburg Times
published March 8, 2002

Is it possible to make a profanity-free movie about Bob Knight? Probably not.

As Knight opines in ESPN's first original film, A Season on the Brink, "F--- is the most expressive word in the English language." And Knight, in real life and as portrayed by Brian Dennehy in the movie, finds a myriad of ways to express himself.

ESPN senior vice president Mark Shapiro claims to have wrestled with this issue as producer of the film, which is based on the best-selling book by John Feinstein that chronicles the 1985-86 Indiana men's basketball season. As a result, the network will offer two versions of the movie: bleeped (on ESPN2) and not bleeped (on ESPN).

Both will air simultaneously at 8 p.m. Sunday, shortly after Knight's Texas Tech team receives a formal invitation to the NCAA Tournament. Those who opt for the ESPN version should be prepared for raw language that is startling for basic cable. The network promises it will air content warnings early and often, but there's still a chance a channel surfer could happen upon a Knight tirade and f-word or two -- or 10 -- during the portion of prime time once known as the "family hour."

The profanity has generated plenty of press for the film, while ESPN's hype machine has provided another type of exposure. If all that makes the premiere of A Season on the Brink much-anticipated, well, it shouldn't be.

Dennehy makes for an adequate Knight, capturing much of his essence but unable to generate the piercing glare that is so much a part of Knight's persona. Just about everyone else in the movie, including James Lafferty (as Steve Alford) and Michael James Johnson (as the lambasted Daryl Thomas) has a limited role.

But it's neither the cast nor the profanity that is the biggest problem with the movie.

Anyone familiar with Feinstein's work knows his books are rich in detail and personal insight, all woven expertly into a very readable story. When you finish, you feel a little smarter.

Which is why any film version of A Season on the Brink automatically starts out flawed. There's more to Knight than any two-hour movie could allow us to see, but is he really warmer than he is portrayed? Or, if it's possible, more abusive?

For better answers, and for a deeper look at Knight's relationships with his players, particularly Alford, you'll have to read the book. What you get from the movie is an interesting series of clips that in the end, don't leave you feeling much smarter.

That's because ESPN's version of A Season on the Brink says only what most of the network's viewers probably already know: He can be incredibly mean. Many Indiana fans loved him; some didn't. He is brilliant and sometimes even kind. He has no tolerance for the media.

And he curses a lot.

MORE BASKETBALL: CBS and ESPN will air selection shows for the men's NCAA Tournament. While CBS is airing the selections live at 6 p.m. for the first time in tournament history, on ESPN studio analysts Digger Phelps, Jay Bilas and Dick Vitale will break down the brackets as they are announced during an hourlong SportsCenter. ESPN will follow up with a full selection show at 7.

ESPN will kick off Selection Sunday with the women's tournament special, which airs at 5.

AUTOS NEWS: ABC announced this week it will air four Formula One races this season, beginning with the Grand Prix of Monaco on May 26. The race will follow ABC's coverage of the Indianapolis 500.

The network also will air the Canadian Grand Prix (June 9), Italian Grand Prix (Sept. 14) and the U.S. Grand Prix (Sept. 29).

Also, Speed Channel will kick off its CART programming season with coverage from Mexico City this weekend. Taped coverage starts at 8 tonight, and continues at 8 Saturday. Sunday's coverage, starting with the prerace show at 3:30, will be live.

FINE TUNING: NBC will air a one-hour special on the Opening Ceremony for the Paralympic Games in Salt Lake City, hosted by Hannah Storm and Tim Ryan (2 Saturday). ... The Magic and Sunshine Network announced an extension of their television agreement, effective through the 2004-05 season. Sunshine, which has been airing Magic games since the team's inaugural season in 1989-90, has rights to a minimum of 42 games a season plus available playoff games. ... ESPN's coverage of the PBA World Championship in Toledo, Ohio, last week averaged a 1.39 rating, making it the most-viewed bowling telecast since 1990.

- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.

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