ESPN25: Who's #1?

Season 1

The envlelope, sleaze! Amidst a Las Vegas-laced backdrop of dopey showgirls in gooey gowns (no two-three-kick-turn here), ESPN25: Who's #1? was designed to glitz up the 25th anniversary of a network that permanently altered sports journalism and sports in general. Their mission was to present, in crude cinema verité form, the good, bad, and ugly that have left its fingerprints in the sporting community since ESPN debuted September 7, 1979. All the lists are limited to ESPN's first quarter-century and thus are frozen in place. Remember: whenever you read these lists, to say "The envelope, sleaze!"

Where to Watch Season 1

13 Episodes

  • Best Teams
    E1
    Best TeamsAs might be expected, some of sports' all-time best teams had some of their finest years in ESPN's first quarter-century. There were dynasties in those years.
  • Worst Teams
    E2
    Worst TeamsAs much as you hate to hear this, the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their 0-14 record are ineligible for this list. One team that was eligible is the 2001 Carolina Panthers, who lost 15 games in what was essentially a 15-game season, but they didn't make the list either.
  • Best Sports Movies
    E3
    Best Sports MoviesThis may disappoint you, but Rocky II was ineligible for the list because its release predated ESPN by juat a few months.
  • Best Blunders
    E4
    Best BlundersSome of the victims of this list were emblazoned in IMDb before this TV Tome series guide was created. We promise that this list of subjects and interviewees is correct and complete.
  • Most Outrageous Characters
    E5
    Most Outrageous CharactersYes, my friend, Howard Cosell was eligible for this list (because he was still at ABC when ESPN was born), and he made the list. One surprise: Bobby Knight didn't make it!
  • Biggest Flops
    E6
    Biggest FlopsThese are the biggest broken dreams in a 25-year span. Nightmares such as the 1996 Jets and the new Cleveland Browns did not make the list, and neither did the late Winnipeg Jets of 1980.
  • Best Coaches
    E7
    Best CoachesTom Landry and Chuck Noll were past the championship summit when ESPN got started. But the years 1979-2003 saw plenty of other coaches in all sports produce a lifetime of great moments.
  • Greatest Records
    E8
    Greatest Records
  • Biggest Chokes
    E9
    Biggest ChokesSometimes ""choke"" isn't the correct label. Teams and individuals only choke if they never bounce back. And yes, some of those sad sacks are on this list.
  • Best Plays
    E10
    Best PlaysThe Shot Heard 'Round The World is long ineligible for the list, and ""The Drive"" didn't make it either. But of the 25 plays that do appear, there are moments that have defined athletes and franchises, and sent daggers through the hearts of others.
  • Best Sports Commercials
    E11
    Best Sports Commercials25. Steve Mizerack (Miller Lite) 24. Sugar Ray Leonard and son (7-Up) 23. Terry Tate, office linebacker (Reebok) 22. Dennis Hopper as crazy referee (Nike) 21. Clydesdales play football (Budweiser) 20. John Madden (Miller Lite) 19. I am Tiger Woods (Nike) 18. Mark McGwire: This is SportsCenter (ESPN) 17. Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm (Gatorade) 16. Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in NYC (Nike) 15. Tom Landry (American Express) 14. Young Jordan vs. old Jordan (Gatorade) 13. Charles Barkley: I am not a role model (Nike) 12. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson go one-on-one (Converse) 11. Bubba Smith, Dick Butkus at the opera (Miller Lite) 10. Greg Maddux/Tom Glavine: Chicks dig the long ball (Nike) 9. Charles Barkley & friends at Shady Rest Retirement Home (Charles Schwab) 8. Yao Ming and Yogi Berra ""Yo"" (Visa) 7. Be Like Mike (Gatorade) 6. Michael Jordan and Mars Blackmon (Nike) 5. Bob Uecker: ""I must be in the front row"" (Miller Lite) 4. Michael Jordan &
  • Biggest Controversies
    E12
    Biggest ControversiesIncredibly, Kobe Bryant did not make this list! But it's not to say that the leading controversies were not real nightmares.
  • Best Games
    E13
    Best GamesThis is interesting. I have no idea why the No. 10 game was not listed here. I will try to land the No. 10 when this show re-airs April 20 at 8 P.M. EDT/PDT.

 

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