Checking up on ESPN’s ‘30 For 30′

Image courtesy of the A.V. Club

ESPN is usually the target of so much hate these days — just search #ESPN or #MediaMeltdowns on Deadspin — and most of that is deserved. The sports power is usually so self-congratulating, especially during any important time — see today’s Veteran’s Day coverage — and many of the personalities we once loved are now nearly intolerable, whether because they suck or we’re just bored with seeing them every day/week.*

*For Chris Berman, it’s definitely the former.

However, over, the last six weeks, ESPN provided viewers with six very strong documentaries under the “30 For 30″ moniker, which also serves as a celebration of ESPN”s 30th anniversary. Travis Vogan and I discussed the first three docs on a recent Watchers podcast [check that out here], but I’d argue that the last three have been even better. Those three — tackling Ali v. Holmes, Len Bias and Jimmy The Greek — felt more like “real” docs than the first three for whatever reason, though all are must-watch material.  Sadly, the docs aren’t available to stream anywhere, but you can grab them on iTunes for 2 bucks before the series resumes later this year and into 2010.