Ariy-El Boynton

Anybody who has watched the 1990 Ken Burns documentary The Civil War has witnessed the “Ken Burns effect” in-person. With a great song, like “Ashokan Farewell” as its guide, Burns fills the viewer’s mind with vivid images and takes the viewer back to 1861.

Burns later made Baseball in 1994, and I feel he should do more about sports. The following is a list which Ken Burns should take and make a series of episodes about:

The dual between current DA RAIDERS! Owner Al Davis vs. Pete Rozelle (ex-NFL commissioner) would be a great story to tell, and an even greater sports story. Davis and Rozelle never got along. These two men loved power and each feared the other. Davis was the former AFL commissioner before the AFL and NFL merger. He gave way to Rozelle who was the NFL commissioner and Davis focused on making the Los Angeles Raiders.

Davis did not like the status quo set by Rozelle and he pushed the envelope unlike many owners of the NFL. Davis saw the power of the NFL in the owners; Rozelle demanded that the power of the NFL was to be in the commission office (similar to the Civil War).

States’ rights conflicting in the feud went to the forefront when Davis saw it as his right to move his Raiders to Oakland from Los Angeles, due to Los Angeles’s refusal to add luxury boxes. Rozelle was against the move and demanded Davis stop trying to move the Raiders. Davis did not care, sued and won. Davis won the case, and the two never got along. It was so bad between them that in 1981 Rozelle handed Davis the Super Bowl trophy with two hands, so he would not have to shake Davis’ hand.

The Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees feud is an epic, which could take 50 hours to fully cover. For starters, check out Roger Clemens, Johnny Damon, Babe Ruth, Wade Boggs, Lee Smith, Jose Canseco, Mike Stanton, Darren Bragg, Otis Nixon, Mike Stanley, David Cone and David Wells who have all worn both the pinstripes and the sox’s of the red color. Not to mention: The Curse, Becky bleeping Dent, Aaron “xxxx” Boone, Ted Williams, Yogi Berra, the hated Yankees, the pathetic Red Sox, Derek Jeter, A-Rod knocking the ball out in 2004?etc?

The Red Sox became the first MLB team to win four games in a row, despite being down 3-0 to the Yankees and they later won the World Series. The Bambino curse is over and a new chapter has been created. Are there any more stories in this rivalry?

The Chicago Cubs deserve something, how many people say, “I hate the Cubs?” The loveable Cubbies and the biggest outdoor sports bar (Wrigley Field) would be a pretty compelling story, although it might be a bit depressing.

How about the fall of Mike Tyson? Mike Tyson at his peak was arguably the greatest fighter ever to wear boxing gloves. Tyson was treated like royalty in Tokyo while he was promoting his fight against James “Buster” Douglas. The experts picked Tyson as the 42-1 favorite; perhaps it would be 41-1 if they knew Douglas’s mother had just died. Buster went on to shock the world and knocked Tyson out in the 10th round with an array of multiple blows, which sent Tyson to the mat for the first time ever. Douglas went on to become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Tyson’s life went on to be a roller coaster of emotion with his biggest embarrassment coming via his mouth. No nothing he said, but he bit Evander “the real deal” Holyfield, not once, but two times, eventually getting disqualified in the fight. A pretty big train wreck for the previously most feared fighter ever.

A documentary on the Michael Jordan era would be a great reminder of a past hero. I bet David Stern (current NBA commissioner) would love to have his “airness” back. Besides dominating the National Basketball Association for many years, there are great story lines. On July 23, 1993 James R. Jordan (Michael’s dad) pulled over on I-95 to get some rest. Two criminals shot and killed James and took the $40,000 Lexus (which Michael gave him) and two NBA championships. One of the murderers used Jordan’s cell phone and later both were sentenced to life in prison. One of the men was wearing a Michael Jordan T-shirt when they were captured. Jordan played a great host for Saturday Night Live. He won a gold medal with the Dream Team, considered one of the greatest teams ever to be part of the Olympics. In the 2003 All-Star Game he was given the starting spot, despite not being voted into it. He was in Space Jam and is one of the most marketable people ever (Gatorade, Nike, Chevrolet, Rayovac, McDonalds, Wheaties, Hanes, WorldCom, Ball Park Franks, MCI, Coca-Cola and his own company) in the history of sports.

Perhaps, my children’s version of Ken Burns will love sports and cover these events. Ah screw it! Someone give me a camera and millions of dollars, and I would do them myself. Wouldn’t that be great?