The Captain

Derek Jeter's parents did something many baseball fans cannot. They spoke to their child through a filter that suggests he was their equal and they did this with the wherewithal to understand timing, tone and language, as all parents should. The heroism here is not the thing that made Yankee fans pump their fists. It's in Derek's good fortune to be born to respectful love, where Dad isn't in competition with his gifted son but becomes a part of the flow, the unique river that is Derek Jeter- so poised, especially in NYC, and so intuitive in his confidence to wait to have kids so he could love them and his wife in ways a constantly traveling person cannot. The influential story here is in how his parents loved him and were able to hear him, help him and guide him with only calm and intelligence and peaceful decisions, day in, day out. They taught him how to be the amazing father and husband he is. No small feat - people are "striking out" at this all day today, tomorrow - they don't teach this in school - there'd be no time in the schedule for "American history" ha Now it's your turn. Really lay into me.

Happy Friday from a true baseball fan.

The life of Derek Jeter, former shortstop for the New York Yankees and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Superb documentary on an extremely talented baseball player. Takes you through his life and baseball career, from younger years to Minor Leagues to the Majors and success with the Yankees. Also covers his post-playing career and his personal life.

Not just a linear event-by-event account of his career, but through interviews with himself, his family, former teammates, opposition players and staff, baseball reporters and baseball experts we get to see what made him so great, not just on the field but off it, e.g. Handling the media, PR in general, avoiding the trappings of fame.

Very interesting and illuminating and a blueprint for other aspiring sportspeople.

I watched it and it was interesting but not great. The Michael Jordan one was great, this one not so much. Very much like Jeter always felt calculated as a player in how his "public persona" was handled this documentary seemed very manufactured into "what Jeter wanted you to take from it, as opposed to a real behind the scenes look". Jordan's documentary was much better at getting to see the real Michael Jordan. Not that Jeter owes it to any of us to show the "real Derek Jeter" but if you put a documentary out there then don't script it. If you want privacy, go for it. If you want fame, go for it. But to me this felt like Jeter riding the yellow line and pushing a story that he wanted you to believe about him instead of a behind the scenes look of transparency. I didn't love this one. Would not be high on my list of recommendations. Felt very manufactured to me.

The score is awful, plodding super serious strings sawing away, making it sound like the story will climax in the arrest of a serial killer. The story of Derek Jeter is just not interesting- incredibly paint by the numbers dull. Just dreadful.

Derek Jeter was always an enigma. Some fans practically worshipped him (and what he represented to the Yankees and baseball in general), while others found reasons to pick him apart both on-field and off it. Jeter, being notoriously tight-lipped, never really contributed to those opinions one way or another. Until now--perhaps the first time ever Jeter has been so forthright about his life/career. In truth, his honesty and straightforwardness ends up being the hallmark of the entire experience in "The Captain".

Covering Derek's life from childhood to Miami Marlins ownership (and a little beyond), series producer Kevin Carey does a remarkable job stitching it all together. He is helped by two main factors:

First, Jeter's brutal honesty about all manner of topics. One may not like #2's opinions on all things, but there is absolutely no doubt that he has a discipline and conviction that is unmatched by most. I actually gained a lot of respect for him from watching this, or at very least understand why his career was perceived how it was.

Secondly, there is the nostalgia factor of Jeter having played in what I consider the last era in which the general American sporting public still really cared about baseball (especially the postseason variety). It probably helps that his career started just as I was beginning to fall in love with the sport. Though I of course pseudo-"hated" him at the time (as a Twins fan), I eventually gained the utmost respect for his on-field play. So, seeing all the roughly 1996-2004 material was pure nostalgia for me.

Also, I enjoyed the focus on family throughout the doc. Jeter's parents and sister play a major role, as does wife Hannah in the final few episodes. It was very interesting to see "family man Jeter" and I found that material quite compelling for the way it portrayed a change (if slight and ongoing) in his overall character post-baseball career.

The only two reasons I can't give "The Captain" a full 10/10 stars:

-One episode unnecessarily (and somewhat embarrassingly) skewers a sportswriter for his opinion/comment on Jeter's biracial status. It would have been enough to just hear the guy out and present Jeter's comments on the matter, but the filmmakers here make it a point to absolutely hammer this individual into the ground. The one blip of overly PC-nature in the whole doc.

-There are, on occasion, some blatantly cooked-up adverserial moments. With "The Captain" being modeled after "The Last Dance" (Jordan/Bulls doc that became highly acclaimed), it was as if the filmmakers had to shoe-horn in some "Jordan reacts to a comment" moments with Jeter, and it often feels odd or forced. Fortunately, Jeter handles those with his usual blunt honesty and comes away looking better than anyone.

Overall, though, I found "The Captain" to be a riveting doc that held my interest all the way through. I can't say I agree with or share the same opinions as Jeter on certain things, but his honesty on all matters impressed me and worked well in shaping how this doc played out.