Change Your Image
nvlinns-1
Reviews
Greatest Sports Legends (1972)
Great histories in a half-hour package
I can remember watching GSL on VHS in the late '80s. The four episodes I saw detailed the careers of Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Feller, and Willie Mays, respectively. Each show had interviews with the player (although the interviews looked to have been conducted in the mid-'70s) as well as archive footage of highlights from his career.
Not long ago, I received a DVD package with about 15 episodes, ranging from Babe Ruth to Nolan Ryan. The shows are great and pack a lot into 20 minutes or so. Also included on each of the three discs was a highlights section with old newsreels from similar timeframes as the featured players. It was great to watch footage of Mazeroski's Series-ending homer in 1960, the Bambino's alleged called shot from 1932, and JFK tossing out the first pitch for the Washington Senators. The entire package is worth it just to see Jackie Robinson stealing home in the 1955 World Series.
If you're any type of baseball history buff, these are a must-see. You really learn a lot about not only the history of the game, but the perspective of players years after they've retired. Very eye-opening.
The Shield (2002)
A great show that can be hard to stomach
I must say that the first time I watched this show, I hated it. Hated it! It seemed just another bad cop story with hypocritical leadership and completely over-the-top characters. However, with the second and third episode, I began to get into it, and I can honestly say it's my favorite show on TV.
The characters are very real. Say what you will about whether or not cops can actually get away with the stuff Mackey and his team skate through, but as characters, you can see their humanity. Strong characters make the show as strong as it is. But then the plots keep you guessing the whole time. Will they get away with this? Will they survive? What will this mean for the long-term of the Strike Team?
Clearly, this is not a show for everyone, and I can understand why a lot of Law Enforcement would dislike it. But, moral and legal observations aside, it's good TV if you give it a chance.