Spider

No, it's not the character in the Ray Stevens song. As reported in Sports Illustrated today, it will be broadcast on Tuesday, April 29 at 9:00 PM on ESPN2. From SI:

"Over 34 years, Brandon (Fla.) High's wrestling team put together a 459-0 record, the longest high school winning streak in any sport. It ended January, with a loss to South Dade High. This two-hour documentary, intended to highlight a dominant program, instead captures the streak's end."

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"Love never dies." The Beatles

Schlottke

it should be pretty good, definitely good for the sport to get this type of attention for once...

gg121and2

Here's a press release I received from Al Bevilacqua this morning:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

4-25 -08

Wrestling is Breaking Barriers and Appears on Television with The Greatest Winning Streak in Sports

No academic institution, be it collegiate or scholastic, in any sport, has enjoyed a longer undefeated streak than the high school wrestling program in Brandon, Florida. Every year for the last 34 seasons they have walked off the wrestling mats victorious and ESPN has taken notice. Now less than a week away, America will have an opportunity to see how this amazing program was organized, administered and learn from its leadership what it took to keep the success train on the tracks. April 29th at 9PM on ESPN2 the network will air a two-hour sports documentary that is produced by Kelly Ripa (Live with Regis and Kelly) and Mark Consuelos (All My Children).

Al Bevilacqua, President of the Beat the Streets Wrestling Inc. was invited to a private screening on April 24. "It was an amazing evening....obviously seeing Russ Cozart again after so many years was good. Russ did the wrestling community a good service and not only is he an outstanding coach and wrestler, he can now add acting to his resume.

The film is a testament to our sport that Chairman Michael Novogratz is constantly reminding our entire organization that wrestling builds toughness, toughness build leaders. It is a must see for the general public and not just wrestling people. The message is good for everyone."

411 Champions are thrilled as wrestling is making its way onto the television schedule as television validates everything. Please watch as this wets one’s appetite for what is ahead for wrestling shows.

“The telling of this story is story is about 15 years past due,” explained Wade Schalles, Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Executive Producer of Wrestling 411. “What Russ Cozart has accomplished as a coach and the amazing team of professionals he has put together is unparalleled in sports. This program is for real and “the streak” is the sort of thing that spawns folklore.”

J. Robinson, the Head Wrestling Coach at the University of Minnesota feels this way. “Television validates the sport. Having ESPN focus on the amazing accomplishments of the Brandon High School program is very powerful for amateur wrestling. Everyone needs to tune-in on Tuesday and for those who can’t do that, they need to tape the show. The bottom line is the more eyeballs we have watching an incredible show; the greater the benefits will be for wrestling.”

Spider

Bump - it's on tonight.

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"Love never dies." The Beatles

Champ Kind

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I will smash your face into a car windshield and then take your mother, Dorothy Mantooth, out to a nice seafood dinner and never call her again!

Tell me about it, this morning, I woke up and I shit a squirrel, but what I can't get is the damn thing is still alive. So now, I've got a shit covered squirrel running around my office and I don't know what to name it.

r.payton@att.net

THAT must have been the weakest team in the History of the streak - that or Fla .wrestling sucks . The semi-finals the Brandon team won because the HWT. fell on top of a kid who was beating his ass .

The Streak is over . I imagine they won't start a new one with the squad that I saw tonight . Not alot of talent .

JensenS

^ Classy post up there...

Definitely great to see this attention paid to the sport. Bill Simmons gave the special a yell in his "Links" column today as well.

Snackem

Does anyone know if it is possible to buy a DVD copy of this show? I would love to show it to my team next year. It's got a great message about bouncing back and what it takes to win.

furches

I have always respected Coach Cozart and that program, after the show last night, my respect just went up a few notches.

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Snackem

Yeah the way he helped that team deal with a loss and train for a win. Great attitude and a stand up guy.