Top Ten Sports Documentaries 

10.  No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson

09. June 17th , 1994

08. The Fab Five 

07. Pony Excess 

06. Ken Burns Baseball 

05. Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies

04. When We Were Kings

03. Senna 

02. The Last Dance

 01. Hoop Dreams 

10. No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson

I didn't even know about this documentary until probably a year ago when I was binging some 30 for 30s and found it , thought it was incredible and told me a ton of shit I really had no idea about or didn't remember. And then with all the recent happenings I put it on again and it's crazy how resonate and poignant it still is. Awesome stuff and beautifully directed by the same guy who did Hoop Dreams. I don't hear it come up often but if you get a chance , I'd definitely watch it.

I didn't write a list because I haven't watched enough documentaries. I DID however see the AI one, because he was a legend and game changer in my time. Dude went through a lot for a little man in a big mans world. That's why he'll always be one of the greatest to ever lace them up.

Never seen it since I don't think I recall it being shown on TSN or ABC. I would watch it though if it ever popped up.

That Lone Gone Summer 30 for 30 this week was pretty good, still wouldn't have cracked my top 10 though.

9. June 17th , 1994 

Didn't make my list , it was surely an incredible day in sports and was fun watching the first time but I never go back to it. I think it's because the director decided to just take clips of the day without narration and talking heads - which is fine and was cool but I like to put on a lot of these docs and background noise as well and thus can't really go back to it as much.

Honestly surprised it wasn't a little higher.

For someone who said they haven't watched enough documentaries, this is now 2 out of 2 I've watched. LOL.

I am fascinated by OJ Simpson and I was blown away to find out how much happened this day. Now that I think about it, this was probably my favorite that I can think of off the top of my head. To also be fair, I haven't watched The Last Dance yet and that'll probably blow everything out of the water for me.

June 17, 1994 was my number 6. It was one of the first 30 for 30's that I watched and was surprised at how much went on that day. I liked the lack of narration and talking heads as it was a different approach, that style of doc also was my number 2 choice. I do remember coming home from school and seeing the Bronco chase, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I hated the New York Rangers so I didn't pay any mind to the parade but I was all in on the NBA and the US Open. I was rooting hard for Ewing to get his long awaited title while it was fascinating to see all those pros melt on the brutally tough Oakmont golf course and the 110 degree heat. Plus seeing Arnie one last time at pretty much his home course was a treat.

Yeah, June 17, 1994 was definitely one of the biggest, and most important days in the history of sports.

Second round of the U.S. Open, and Arnold Palmer's final appearance.
The New York Rangers parade through the Canyon of Heroes.
The kickoff to World Cup '94 in Chicago.
Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

And amazingly, they all took a backseat that night to O.J. and the chase in the White Bronco.

8. The Fab Five 

The Fab Five is the first 30 for 30 (though technically not 30 for 30) that I remember watching and just being absolutely hooked in a story that I knew a little about but either forgot or never even thought of. It's also one of the few I can keep going back too and enjoying because of not only the story of the Fab Five but there are some good personalities and interviews in there. It made my list at #4 for it's rewatchability with me.

Okay lmao. Another one that I watched after thinking I didn’t watch enough. Holy shit. I’m 3 for 3 without making a list.

Not going to lie. I really enjoyed the Fab Five story and now that I think about it, this would’ve been ahead of the 17th one.

They were what AI was to the NBA to college. So much drama too. It almost made me lose respect for Webber to be honest.

The Fab Five was my number 8. I may have stated that I'm not really into college sports but getting Detroit TV for all these years made me a casual Michigan/Michigan St. follower. Rose, Webber, Howard and company were all over the sports coverage in the early 90's so getting a fresh perspective on how they changed the game was really captivating. Plus they got me to revisit the long forgotten 2 Live Crew as they were the soundtrack for the group at that time.

Probably the single most overhyped college team of all-time. They didn't win shit yet get documentaries made about them and were an absolute marketin juggernaut.

FFS the 89 Michigan team actually WON the NCAA tournament and didn't get NEAR this level of hype

Jun 21, 2020 0:54:51 GMT thereallt said:

Probably the single most overhyped college team of all-time. They didn't win shit yet get documentaries made about them and were an absolute marketin juggernaut.

FFS the 89 Michigan team actually WON the NCAA tournament and didn't get NEAR this level of hype

Yeah but they weren’t nearly as entertaining or memorable. They didn’t win but they changed the game.

7. Pony Excess 

I don't think I've seen Pony Excess , if I have I don't remember it. I know the SMU story though and should give it a watch ... again ... or not again.

I had to have seen it once.

It's amazing how this team went from potential National Championship contender, with one of the best running back tandems of all time, to being inexistent in just a few years. Though they would've had to give that National Title back if they'd finish higher than Penn State in that one year.

My brother brought his 30 for 30 dvd set with him when he moved in with me a few years ago. Pony Excess was among the best and most memorable installments of the series. I had it at....#4! Making it the highest ranking 30 for 30 on my list.

I vaguely knew about the SMU scandals, and remember their football team sucking for decades due to the ominously named "Death Penalty," but didn't know all the details until watching this documentary. It really digs deep into all the characters and shenanigans which were going on with the most corrupt college football program in history. Eric Dickerson and Craig James are among the talking heads. Shady booster Sherwood Blount basically comes across as a real life Colonel Robert Parker. 

I remember this one coming out on ESPN just as I started to follow CFB and while it was an interesting story I was just completely confused the whole time about why I supposed to be outraged that dudes were getting paid to play football.

6. Ken Burns Baseball 

I could think of 1,405,541 things I'd rather do than sit through a 14 hour baseball documentary. That sounds like it should be a torture strategy for the military. Gross.

Drawing a big zero so far on this list.

UT is a heathen.

Ken Burns' epic 18 hour look at America's Pastime set the gold standard for sports documentaries. Yet I 'only' had it at #3. Truth is the 18 hour runtime (glorious though it may be!) didn't lend itself to rewatchability the way my breezy Top 2 did.

Still, I was transfixed by this series when it first aired over the course of 9 nights in 1994, and will still plop down in front of the tv during its not uncommon airings on PBS.

Jun 22, 2020 16:06:07 GMT Baker said:

UT is a heathen.

Ken Burns' epic 18 hour look at America's Pastime set the gold standard for sports documentaries. Yet I 'only' had it at #3. Truth is the 18 hour runtime (glorious though it may be!) didn't lend itself to rewatchability the way my breezy Top 2 did.

Still, I was transfixed by this series when it first aired over the course of 9 nights in 1994, and will still plop down in front of the tv during its not uncommon airings on PBS.

Oh I'm sorry. 18 hours. I started falling asleep just reading about the concept of the documentary. 

Make that 2,412,456 things now. Now including watching an actual baseball game which comes in just a shade under 16 hours usually. 

Ken Burns Baseball doc made my lengthy honorable mentions list. I found it an interesting watch but I was way more into baseball back then. I don't think I could sit through it now.

5. Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies 

I love this doc , it's one I go back to often and put on for background noise or to just sit and watch a bit. It was great learning about so much NBA history through the two most dominant and successful franchises in league history and just how much they actually hated each other. The back and forth between decades , the shenanigans and hatred it was all pretty fucking cool and learn more about. It's also crazy how these teams paths always seem to cross at the top of the mountain.

It's a multi part series too which is great and allows the breaks in eras to seem natural and allows them to get more in depth. I'd suggest it to anyone who wants to learn more about the rivalry and some of the history of the NBA.

Celtics/Lakers was my number 3, it was also cool to have Ice Cube narrate the Lakers story and Marky Mark narrate the Celtics side of things. It was also interesting to hear about Boston's race problems and how a lot of African American Boston residents backed the Lakers.