Essay on ESPNs 30 for 30 Youngstown Boys

Youngstown Boys is an episode from ESPNs 30 for 30 documentary series that tells the story of two former icons of the Ohio State Buckeyes Football Team. It depicts the lives of Maurice Clarett, a running back, and coach Jim Tressel, exploring their rise to fame, moments of glory, and eventual downfall. The film offers an in-depth analysis of Claretts life, although it also adopts a different theme. Most part of the film looks at the players relationship with Tressel, making it about much more than just the ups and downs of one of the Buckeyes most iconic players.

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The documentary begins by meticulously introducing Clarett as a child talented in football although he is estranged from his father, and Tressel as brilliant upcoming coach. Together, they help the Ohio State University football team win the national championship in 2002, its first in three decades. However, Clarett is suspended for violation of NCAA rules. From that point, the players story changes in several dimensions ranging from a courtroom drama to a tragedy. He files a lawsuit against college football and the NFL in an attempt to obtain the right to turn professional early. Although he initially wins the case, he loses an appeal. By the time he eventually gets a chance to become a professional player, he has already fallen into a depression and started abusing alcohol. Afterwards he is arrested and sent to jail for robbery.

On the other hand, Tressel continues being a coach for another eight years before he is involved in a scandal. He overlooks violation of rules by several players, a situation that eventually leads to his resignation. In my view, although Clarett goes through more trials and temptations, his story overshadows that of his coach. This is seen in the fact that he somehow manages to redeem himself by putting a lot of effort to educate himself while in prison. In the documentary, it appears as if the directors highlighted Tressels fall from grace in a rather slapdash manner, concluding everything too quickly.

After watching Youngstown Boys, I observed that it, to an extent, highlights the hypocrisy associated with college level athletics, especially in NCAAs arcane system. Another theme that I noticed involves the role played by the media in states where people are very enthusiastic about football. Rivalries such as that between Michigan and Ohio State University are given intense scrutiny, ready to swoop on any whiff of scandal or controversy. This media coverage is capable of transforming a young upcoming star or a respectable head coach from fame to nothing in a blink of an eye.

At its core, Youngstown Boys is a story of relationship between fathers and sons. Viewers get drawn to the record-breaking exploits of Maurice Clarett and Jim Tressel on the football field. The documentary also highlights their involvement in two of the most well-known backroom scandals in college football. By looking at the intertwined rise and fall of the two men from Youngstown, the viewer stumbles upon the major role played by family any search for greatness.

Although Youngstown Boys is an excellent documentary, I get a feeling that it focuses too much on the downfall of Clarett and Tressel that it ignores certain positive aspects. For instance, it does not mention that Ohio State University made it back to contention for the national championship two years after Tressels departure. All in all, given ESPN conducts business with such sports institutions, the way it focuses on their shortcomings is recommendable.