If the Super Bowl is the equivalent of an annual summer blockbuster, then the seven-game series is like an 800-page novel full of plot twists, complex characters, joy and heartbreak. A one-and-done championship game can be triggered by a single play, such as a missed field goal or a helmet catch, but a seven-game series gives every player on both teams a chance to rise to the occasion. . That’s why, as the old line goes, the two great words in sports are “Game 7.”
As we enter late October and baseball’s postseason comes to a close, it’s a good time to start thinking about the historical significance of Game 7. Prime Video takes on that challenge with “Game 7,” an engaging and entertaining five-episode documentary starting Tuesday. This documentary features some of the sport’s greatest moments, told by players, coaches and fans who lived the sport.
Mark Messier remembers his playing days. (Courtesy of Prime Video)
The series begins with the 2003 American League Championship Series and features the gritty upstart teams of the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Yes, you’ve probably heard too much about both of these teams already. For generations, New York and Boston have imposed their myths on other sports powers. But 20 years have passed and some of the details of that memorable series have faded, but the first episode explores them, such as Roger Clemens’ defection from Boston to New York and Red’s futility. does an admirable job of refocusing on the details. Sox during the postseason.
The beauty of Game 7 is that it’s like a classic opera, a culmination of all the details sprinkled throughout the series. So the first episode of “Game 7” could show, for example, Aaron Boone joining the Yankees at the end of the year, Boston pitcher Pedro Martinez’s brawl with Yankees coach Don Zimmer early in the series, or New York City. And that’s when elements like Boston come into play. Fans alike live and die on every pitch of every game, so we know it’s going to pay off…and it does.
Perhaps it’s the crisp October air, or perhaps it’s the long tradition of baseball as America’s pastime, but these two baseball episodes are the strongest entries in the “Game 7” series. is. The 2016 World Series, Chicago vs. Cleveland, a game the Cubs finally won after a century of futility, is exhilarating viewing for everyone who isn’t a Cleveland fan. You can feel the agony and ecstasy of both the series and the fanbase. (The dynamic Tom Morello, guitarist for Rage Against the Machine and longtime Cubs fan, is an unexpected high point. Other entries could have used their own Tom Morello.)
Archival footage is essential and perfect. For example, this is why the “Game 7” episode about Bill Mazeroski’s 1960 World Series-winning home run didn’t work. But when you hear the story of the time Cleveland’s Rajai Davis tried to scale the center field wall to catch a home run by the Cubs’ David Ross, and when the younger Davis tried to put his foot into the wall, he slipped. There’s nothing like watching it go away. Small details like that impact both television and sports series.
Two separate episodes include Mark Messier, which isn’t entirely surprising considering Messier is an executive producer on the series. But the hockey episodes, like the 1987 Stanley Cup Final, Edmonton vs. Philadelphia, or the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, Rangers vs. Canucks, lack the energy and vibrancy of the baseball episodes. While the behind-the-scenes practice and locker room footage and current meditations of some of the players involved long ago will no doubt entertain fans of the winning team, it’s the tension of the in-game footage that makes this It conveys the emotions of the species. story.
Roger Kemmens still looks ready to pitch (Courtesy of Prime Video)
The basketball entry, the 2006 Western Conference semifinals between the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs, is plenty lively, especially with Dirk Nowitzki, Mark Cuban, Tony Parker and others reminiscing about the back-and-forth series. It’s full. But compared to many other Game 7s of the 21st century, this is by no means memorable. The 2016 NBA Finals, where LeBron James led the Cavaliers back from a 3-1 deficit to win the title, are an obvious omission, but another possibility is the 2010 NBA Finals, where Kobe Bryant defeated the Celtics. (Leading the Lakers) may have been included. The 1998 Eastern Conference Finals (Michael Jordan’s Bulls vs. Pacers) or the 1994 NBA Finals (Rockets vs. Knicks in OJ Bronco Chase Series).
Perhaps access to the subject complicates these particular possibilities. Jordan and James aren’t exactly lined up to appear in the documentary. Still, there’s something of a Game 7 explosion in some of the “Game 7” pieces. I’m glad the series has progressed this far, but I would have liked a little more competitiveness at the end.
“Game 7” starts October 22nd on Prime Video. Check it out while you wait to see if the World Series goes to seven games. We can always have hope, right?
