Roll Tide/War Eagle

Roll Tide / War Eagle (2011)

**** (out of 4)

Another excellent documentary from ESPN but saying that is becoming the norm over the past couple years. This time out director Martin Khodabakhshian takes a look at the heated rivalry between Alabama and Auburn and especially over the past two years as both have had Heisman Trophy winners as well as National Championships. The film starts off showing the funny sides of rivalries including married couples who cheer for opposite teams, the banter on talk radio and of course fans of their undying love of their team. The film also goes into good detail about the history of the rivalry and the fact that there was a forty-year period where they didn't play. About the half way mark is when we start looking at the 2009 and 2010 seasons, which had both schools winning titles but the 2010 season was full of controversy due to Cam Newton. Finally, in some of the most dramatic moments, we see Alabama fan Harvey Updyke cross a line by poisoning some landmark trees at Auburn and then this act is followed by a deadly tornado that ripped through the state. If you're a fan of either one of these schools then I'm certainly you're going to have a blast going through the history and I'm sure it will stir up some very heated moments in the rivalry. It's also pretty certain that if you don't live in the state or fully "get" the hate towards the fans then after watching this you're head will be spinning. I'm sure most sport fans have some rivalry that they love but it's pretty clear that the hatred here is rather scary at times. They mention in the film that both sides came together for the tragic tornado but a few weeks later they were back at the cussing and fighting. The documentary really does a fantastic job at showing what a rivalry can be but it also shows the dark side. Bo Jackson, Charles Barkley, Nick Saban, Mark Ingram, Newton and Gen Chizik are just a few of the people interviewed but we also get the crazed fan, which I'm sure is going to get people on both sides a going.

It's funny. I grew up loving sports, but now as a middle-aged man, I have come to pretty much ignore pro and college sports...I've had enough. Now I can't blame it on any one thing, and part of it isn't the fault of sports--I have just come to realize that there are much more important things in my life. But obnoxious athletes, owners who hold cities hostage to get 'cool' stadiums, INSANE college athletics (where education is of no particular value) and fans who need to get their heads examined--all these are ample reasons to re-examine why sports is THAT important to us. And, "Roll Tide/War Eagle" DEFINITELY is a statement about how sports sometimes seems insane. The film is about the intense rivalry between Auburn and the University of Alabama. With this rivalry, folks talk trash, poison trees and lose friends--all because of a stupid football game. FORTUNATELY, towards the end of the documentary, there was SOME hope--but it took a tornado to bring the fans together....for a very, very short time. Folks, get a grip! From a sociological and psychological perspective, this is a must-see. Weird and well made.