Review ~ Late Rounders: The Long Hard Road to the NFL

With the combine coming to an end and the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement expiring on Thursday at 11:59PM, I started thinking about football again.  Personally, I think there will be an NFL Lockout.  So, in an effort to keep myself thinking about football, I became curious about a documentary I heard about that chronicles the story of a few football players trying to make it into the NFL.  I requested and received a screener copy of the documentary Late Rounders: The Long Hard Road to the NFL.  I enjoy a good sports movie, but Late Rounders is unique in that it is a documentary focusing on several NFL prospects as they train and prepare for the NFL draft through the NFL combine and pro days. 

The story for Late Rounders is told by the agents from HOF Player Representatives, the players themselves, and those closest to them (i.e. a significant other and trainers).  Many of us are used to only seeing highlight reels for athletes and never get a chance to see what it's like for a player to wait, wait, and wait for their phone to ring on draft day.  There's probably a reason for that.  It's not easy to remain optimistic and hopeful as teams make their selections and a player's name starts to slip and/or remains on the board.

I've never been one to watch the NFL Draft, but I know who Mel Kiper Jr. is.  The NFL draft is notoriously long.  There are SEVEN rounds.  Yes, seven.  It's no secret that basketball is my first love, and I don't even watch the 2nd round of the NBA draft.  ****  To be honest, I only watch the first 20 picks in the NBA draft and then I'm done with it. 

As a spectator, I can't fathom anyone hanging in there for 7 rounds for an NFL draft.  However, for these men (i.e. featured in the documentary) their futures are on the line and they will wait.  As they wait, their friendships grow and their resolve is tested.  If/When their phones ring, it can be the chance they've been working their whole lives for...  They just need their phone to ring, or do they?  There is more than one way to skin a cat, and there is more than one way into the NFL.  If you're not drafted, there's free agency, and players need to understand all of their options.  Not all the roads are the same, and not everyone travels the same path to reach his destination. This documentary is about the journey in addition to the destination.

The road into professional sports isn't easy.  Some people are born with a genetic predisposition to be better at certain sports (i.e. body type, metabolism) but work ethic and desire also play a part in shaping one's future.  As director, Evan A. Marshall takes you through the journey to the NFL for a few players (e.g. John Conner, Corey Peters, Aaron Morgan etc.) you begin to pull for these men as they pursue the "chance" to prove themselves.

These men are not JUST football players.  They are men with an intense desire to play football.  There's a difference.  Late Rounders shows you the human side of the road to the NFL. 

Late Rounders: The Long Hard Road to the NFL will be shown on March 13, 2011 at 3:30PM at the Artisphere Dome Theater; 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209.  There are only 240 tickets available for this session, so be sure to order them in advance at http://www.dciff.org. Tickets are $10 each.

After the screening, some of the stars from the film will be on hand (along with Evan, the director) for a Q&A with the audience.  To see a trailer, sample clips and more info on the film visit: http://www.laterounders.com/  


THE WIRK

Quick thoughts for the day: Hockey, Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Sports Nation

Thoughts for the day:

Olympics

• Hockey will have my attention tonight.  Canada v Russia at 7:30...  I'm not leaving my house until this game is over.

Football

• I saw Ladainian Tomlinson crying (tears running down his face) on TV today ~ his reaction to being let go by the Chargers.  In a world where "Big girls don't cry", I was taken aback to see LT visibly upset
• I don't want to type Ladai..'s name out AGAIN, but let's face it ~ the nickname, "LT" should only be used for Lawrence Taylor .
• On Monday I noticed that LT had been released, and I made the mistake of mentioning it to my friend who used to live in San Diego.  "Can he not play well anymore?" was what I said, and she vehemently came to his defense.  Wow.  If only his many fans had a say in the matter....
• So the NFL wants HGH testing, but the NFL Players Association is against it.  Is anyone really surprised?
• The combine would be more interesting if they'd add events such as arm wrestling, tug of war, etc. then maybe I'd be curious and watch...  Remember the obstacle courses on Nickelodeon's "Double Dare" or the game show "Wipe Out"?  Wouldn't you buy tickets to see the guys perform those types of events ~  and see the speed, strength, and agility that they do/don't have?  I would.  Man...  That'd be great!!!
• I tried to look this up because I distinctly remember watching some show when I was younger where Kevin Willis (i.e. the former NBA basketball player, that I'll always associate with the Atlanta Hawks) had won.  I think the competition was sponsored by Jeep, and was held on the beach and had events like weight-lifting etc.  It was great entertainmet and it was fun to see different athletes compete in different events.

Basketball

• Wizards are playing the Grizzlies tonight.  I thought about going ~ to see OJ Mayo play, but then decided I didn't care enough to spend the money. 
• If anything, if forced to hit a Wiz game this week ~ I choose Friday's match-up v the Knicks.
• The Trailblazers' Marcus Camby sprained his ankle last night...  That means that there's yet ANOTHER injury that needs to be circled on that image of a body during the games...  You know what I'm talking about, right?  Every game I see that has the Trailblazers playing has one of the announcers circling every team injury on that picture.  The poor image looks like the character from the game "Operation"...  Every limb seems to have something circled...  Terrible.  Does Portland even have enough people left to play tonight against the Raptors?  Ok ~ I just checked and it looks like some of the guys are better now, but seriously... 
• Someone in the front office needs to think about changing the uniforms to hospital gowns... 
• According to Michael Lee, the Wizards Insider, the Wizards (i.e. and I) are waiting for Zydrunas to sign the papers for his buyout.  He's expected to pay back between $1 million and $1.5 million of his $11.5 million contract.  He received a trade kicker worth about $600,000 for being part of the trade that brought him to DC.  According to Lee, the "official word" should come out tomorrow but it looks like Zydrunas can re-sign with the Cavs, on March 18. 
• If that's what happens, he'll make his home debut (i.e. at the Q) on Sunday, March 21st against the Pistons.

Baseball

• Can we please stop talking about Mark McGwire? I don't care.  I will not buy the book.  Enough.

Sports Nation

• As bad as I think this show is, today I caught part of again.  Just when I thought it couldn't get worse, today there were guest hosts...  Wow.  Who made the decision to put this show on TV?  Does anyone have/know that person's contact information?  Sports Nation is a discount version of PTI (i.e. Pardon the Interruption), the news segment on Saturday Night Live, and a game show.  It's very strange...

That's all I have.


THE WIRK