30 For 30 "Benji"

• Fab1b

  

  Watch? Thought it was very good. Took a twist as his killer participated in the film.
• dlazz

  Fab1b;1303312 wrote:Watch?

  No. The event occurred before my time so I couldn't care less.
• Fab1b

  

  Well you missed a great story.
• dlazz

  Fab1b;1303317 wrote:Well you missed a great story.

  He was a Basketball phenom and he got shot and died.
  
  Doesn't seem like that great of a story.
• SportsAndLady

  

  dlazz;1303370 wrote:He was a Basketball phenom and he got shot and died.
  
  Doesn't seem like that great of a story.

  Neither does "Marcus Dupree was a highly touted recruit who didn't live up to the hype."
  
  But that was a really good 30 for 30.
• karen lotz

  

  only watched the first 30 minutes on DVR before falling asleep, will try to finish it tonight.
• raiderbuck

  It was really good. Never heard of this guy before I watched it though (before my time).
• BORIStheCrusher

  

  Watched it, wasn't my favorite but thought it was good. I liked towards the end showing that they pass his number off to the best player on the team.
• Trueblue23

  

  dlazz;1303370 wrote:He was a Basketball phenom and he got shot and died.
  
  Doesn't seem like that great of a story.

  First player from Chicago to EVER be named the #1 high school player in the nation, mixture of MJ and Magic.. yea, pretty great story.
• Rebel_ I.N.S.

  

  Before my time as well. As a basketball junkie I have read many stories about Benji. This was a great 30 for 30.
• cat_lover

  Pretty good story. I have liked just about all of the 30 for 30's.
• reclegend22

  

  I wonder if Duke had a shot at him? Guess it doesn't matter now. Lol.
  
  As for the doc, only saw the last 25 minutes or so and it was powerfully good. Scoop Jackson's last line to end the film -- "He was the greatest cat to ever come out of this city" -- gives you chills. Even if Benji never technically made it out of that city.
  
  It's crazy to think how the landscape of basketball history could be completely different than the one that we know today had young stars like Ben Wilson and Len Bias not died so soon. They might very well have been top ten players of all time or, who knows, maybe even on par with Michael and had taken his place as the star of the '90s. It's much more likely that Michael would still have went on to be the greatest player of his generation, but there's always going to be that what-could-have-been.
• reclegend22

  

  ccrunner609;1303785 wrote:In todays game they could make an impact but late 80's-90's there were way more stars of the game. Top 10 players..not likely.

  As I said, it's highly unlikely that a kid like Ben Wilson, no matter how hyped he is in death, would have ever enjoyed a career anywhere remotely as successful as guys like Jordan or Magic. As you said in a previous post, young sports stars -- basketball and streetball players in particular -- like young rappers, are always more famous after they've been buried. It's just the culture we live in. With that said, there is always the what if.
• reclegend22

  

  Speaking of 30 for 30s, I think the best one I have seen was the film documenting the haunting story of diehard Cubs fan Steve Bartman. With one play, one random foul ball, his life was destroyed. It's a saddening tale and was very well done. Can you imagine if you were personally blamed by the rest of your fellow fan base for your favorite team's century-long drought without championship? That'd suck. I wonder if he even watches baseball anymore.
  
  The Legend of Jimmy the Greek and Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. the New York Knicks were also excellent documentaries.
• dlazz

  Trueblue23;1303688 wrote:First player from Chicago to EVER be named the #1 high school player in the nation

  so what?
• Scarlet_Buckeye

  

  Just finished watching the re-air. All I can say is, "Wow." This one was definitely up there with the best 30for30s. What a great, but heart-wrenching story.
  
  What could have been...
• Fab1b

  

  dlazz;1303885 wrote:so what?

  You made it clear in your first post you didn't give a shit....why repeat?
• dlazz

  Fab1b;1303899 wrote:You made it clear in your first post you didn't give a shit....why repeat?

  
  Because his reasoning was awful. That's why.
• Pick6

  

  All of the 30 for 30s are great.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  Just watched it last night and this morning. Not gonna lie, it creates a lot of prejudice in me (while watching), for inner-city thug/jack ass gang bangers. I don't care if it was in 1984... it's worse now. And people wonder where stereotypes come from...
  
  I'm excited to see what this new prospect can do.
• Fab4Runner

  

  I watched it last night and thought it was really good. His mom seemed like a wonderful woman. No parent should have to bury a child; I thought she handled it remarkably.
• wes_mantooth

  

  Thought it was really good, although I get pissed every time Jesse Jackson gets involved for publicity.
• ernest_t_bass

  

  wes_mantooth;1304065 wrote:I get pissed every time Jesse Jackson gets involved for publicity.

  Amen... they used this poor kid's funeral as a platform to push their stupid fucking agenda. Fuck him.
• SportsAndLady

  

  ernest_t_bass;1304059 wrote:Just watched it last night and this morning. Not gonna lie, it creates a lot of prejudice in me (while watching), for inner-city thug/jack ass gang bangers. I don't care if it was in 1984... it's worse now. And people wonder where stereotypes come from...
  
  I'm excited to see what this new prospect can do.

  There have been 300-400 deaths in Chicago this year. When Benji died, he was (approximately) the 700th death in Chicago that year.
  
  I know that's not what you meant, but holy shit is that a lot of deaths.
• raiderbuck

  ^^homicide. Even worse.