September 11 - Brian's Song (2001)

Today’s movie is a sports biography with a scene that happens on September 11. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

BRIAN’S SONG (2001)            

Brian Piccolo and African-American Gale Sayers meet at the Chicago Bear’s 1965 Training Camp. They rub each other the wrong way as Piccolo thinks Sayers is arrogant, while Sayers thinks Piccolo is a guy who tries to get by on personality, not talent. Sayers and Piccolo are directed to start rooming together. On September 11, 1966, [17:10 to 20:16] Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers play in the Bears season opener against the Detroit Lions. Sayers later wins the Rookie of the Year award. Sayers is hurt in a game and wants to give up but Piccolo won’t let him, supervising Sayers rehabilitation in the off-season. Piccolo had replaced Sayers during the last five games of the season. Piccolo is made a fullback, but he keeps losing weight and develops a persistent cough. He is removed as a starter. Piccolo learns he has embryonal cell carcinoma. He undergoes several surgeries. Piccolo bravely refuses to yield to the disease and is supported by his wife and Sayers. When Sayers wins the George S. Halas trophy for most courageous player, he tells the crowd the award should have gone to Piccolo. Piccolo dies from cancer. 

A watchable sports bio. Not quite as maudlin as the original, in this one the order of events has been altered for “dramatic purposes”. Still a compelling story of courage on and off the field.

The film says it’s “opening Day” at 17:11 and the opening day game was against Detroit on this date in 1966 as per The ESPN Pro Football Encyclopedia ed by Pete Palmer, Ken Pullis and Sean Lahman (Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., New York, 2006) at page 915

Producer – John M. Eckert and Dave Mace

Director - John Gray

Screenplay – John Gray and Allen Clare

Runtime – 1 hour 28 minutes

Released – December 2, 2001

Starring –

Sean Maher as Brian Piccolo

Mekhi Phifer as Gale Sayers

Paula Cale as Joy Piccolo

Elise Neal as Linda Sayers

Ben Gazzara as Coach Halas

Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014.