Monday Night Mayhem

Even though I wasn't around at the time Howard, "Dandy", Frank, and a host of other Monday Night Football commentators were entertaining the continent, I have a large interest in sports history and found this movie an amazing dramatization of this classic television program. This is a wonderful movie based on the lives of the men that made football one of the greatest sports on Earth!

I recently witnessed ESPN's "20 Greatest Sports Movies of the Last 25 Years" going back to 1979. This film was not on that list for obvious reasons -- it portrays a warts and all image of Monday Night Football, showing Howard Cosell's drunkenness in Philadelphia to Chet Forte's gambling addiction. It even shows Cosell (portrayed by the outstanding character actor John Turturro) taking off his toupe in one scene. So ESPN, being an ABC holding, could certainly never embarrass its ownership by giving credence to this movie. But you should give credence to it at your earliest opportunity. TNT was monumentally criticized for this production and seems to have responded by no longer programming it. That is a gigantic mistake, in my view, for this is one of the most truthful movies about professional football since "North Dallas Forty", the Pete Gent book made into a feature film about the Dallas Cowboys of the 1970s. There is one direct parallel between the films -- Don Meredith. He was portrayed in both movies as something of a buffoon. Was he? I don't know. But watching this movie over and over when it first came out was one of the most fun-filled events of my autumn 2002. Apparently I'm going to have to buy the DVD to watch it again. Fortunately, I see someone is selling it for less than $6. Bravo Amazon.com!

"Monday Night Mayhem" is extremely entertaining, even for viewers who don't have much interest in football. My wife falls into that category, and she really enjoyed it.

This was originally a made-for-TV movie (TNT network) depicting the formation and early years of ABC's Monday Night Football. It's fast-paced, funny, occasionally moving, and always interesting. The script is heavily based on the book of the same name, which I would also recommend (authors are Bill Carter and Marc Gunther).

The movie's focus is on Howard Cosell. John Turturro is absolutely terrific as Humble Howard, America's most beloved and most hated sportscaster. John Heard as Roone Arledge turns in an excellent job, too. The rest of the cast is nicely filled out as well. Having several old MNF games from the 1970s on videotape, I can attest that the makers of the movie put a lot of effort into getting the look of the times just right. The soundtrack also does a nice job of bringing those years to life.

I'm fortunate to have grown up watching MNF in the '70s and remember fondly the magic of the early years when MNF was so cutting edge. In those days before cable, there was nothing else like it on TV. As an earlier reviewer put it, it would be nice if another Howard Cosell came along to liven up Monday Night Football again, but it's safe to say there will never be another Howard Cosell.

I highly recommend this movie, both for older folks like me who will enjoy the nostalgia, and for the younger generations who can get a taste of what they missed.