ESPN's 30 for 30 series has profiled a number of individual athletes to date, with most appearing to be sympathetic but flawed individuals. From Allen Iverson to Ricky Williams to Marcus Dupree, the series has shown time after time that when it comes to the elite superstars of American sports, it's nearly impossible to achieve greatness on the field without without encountering serious personal demons on the side.
The story of Bo Jackson, as told in the latest 30 for 30 film "You Don't Know Bo" (which premieres Saturday night at 8 p.m. Central on ESPN), plays out much differently. That's not to say that the Bo Jackson that appears in the film is any less human than some of the other figures that have been profiled during the 30 for 30 series. Jackson's testimonials in the film are heart-felt, emotional and refreshingly honest.
But when it comes to most superstar athletes that grow up in the kind of conditions and circumstances that Jackson grew up in, escaping unscathed is a nearly impossible task. Jackson's emergence from an impoverished childhood in Bessemer to multi-sport superstardom is the stuff of legends, and that's exactly how filmmaker Michael Bonfiglio portrays Jackson's early life - as a legend. The stories about Jackson range from impressive-yet-believable (dunking a stick through a basketball hoop in 8th grade) to fantastical (throwing a rock so hard he accidentally killed a pig).
Bonfiglio turns these oral histories and second-hand stories into animated comic books, embracing the folklore-like quality of Jackson's pre-college athletic career.
Fans of Auburn (or Alabama, for that matter) will particularly enjoy the portion of the film involving Jackson's recruitment and career at Auburn, from the moment neighbors gawked at the phone Bo used to speak to Bear Bryant to Pay Dye's legendary meeting with Jackson and his mother that led to an instant commitment.
Some of the details are well-known by most Auburn and Alabama fans but some parts of the story may be surprising even to the hardcore fan. The possibly intentional move by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that led to the NCAA declaring Jackson ineligible for his final semester of baseball is a particularly interesting bit of intrigue and a crucial mistake by the franchise that ultimately led Jackson to begin his career in Major League Baseball rather than in the NFL.
In an age in which specialization was becoming increasingly important for professional athletes, Jackson defied the trend and became the best at whatever he chose to do. His simultaneous superstardom in baseball and football elevated him to a level that no sports star has reached since.
There have been dozens of highly marketable, superstar athletes that have come and gone since Bo Jackson. The biggest difference between Jackson and the Allen Iversons, Kobe Bryants and Tigers Woods of the sports world comes from a single factor: choice. Every superstar athlete faces the same moments of truth during the course of their careers. The difference is that whenever Jackson had an opportunity to make an important decision, a decision that could affect the rest of his life, he chose wisely.
It's a common criticism of American culture that we place too much faith in our athletes as role models, lifting them up to the status of superheroes. Perhaps it's the ability to make good decisions when it matters the most is the most heroic aspect of Bo Jackson and what has continued to cement his legacy as one of the most admired figures in American sports history despite having his career cut short by injuries.
One of the most common complaints I've seen from the public regarding the 30 for 30 series is that so many of them focus on negative stories, stories that show the worst side of human nature. Whether that's a fair assessment or not, there's no placing "You Don't Know Bo" in that category. It's as inspirational and uplifting a film as ESPN has produced yet for this series and one that everyone, not just Auburn fans, can enjoy and take inspiration from.
You Don't Know Bo airs on Saturday night on ESPN at 8 p.m. Central following the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
