Review of Brian's Song

I remember my days at college in the Boston area doing a sports prognostication show. Every Friday at 6:15PM following the news, "Pro Profit" would air. It was 15 minutes radio show emanating from my college radio station WMLN in Milton,Massachusetts. My partner and I would predict the winners of the NFL games played that Sunday. We would write a small account of the upcoming games and reasons why our particular team would win or lose that Sunday. We also gave our spread as well.( Gambling in it's purest form.) Anyway, my friend one Friday on the air predicted the Bears would beat the Vikings despite having terrible team with an eight game losing streak at hand. It also happened to be the anniversary of the death of Smokey the Bear who passed away in a Washington D.C. Zoo two years earlier. My partner closed his prediction as follows, "Except for the great running back Walter Payton, the Bears have no offensive line and a porous defense but their motto is simple, "Win One For Smokey!" I lost it! Uncontrolled laughter filled the air-waves. Now what does this story have to do with this review? Absolutely nothing! "Brian Song" was introduced on Monday Night football by the brash pompous Howard Cosell during halftime. Mrs. Joy Piccolo was interviewed by promoting the made for TV film about her husband who was tragically taken by Cancer at the age of 26. Joy also was raising money for Cancer research. This movie was shown on the ABC network the following week. The movie starts in Chronological order as an errant punt heading past black running back Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) is picked up by white rival running back Brian Piccolo (James Caan) who gives him bogus advice that Coach Halas (Jack Warden) has hearing problem in his left ear. Sayers was called into Halas's office. The coach was puzzled seeing Sayers moving and twisting toward his right side. Sayers kept moving around trying to speak into Halas's good ear. Then the rookie realized he 'd been had. Gale's Revenge on teammate Piccolo comes quickly as the tradition in NFL training camps is for all the rookies to stand up during dinner and sing their College fight song. It's Piccolo's turn to sing his fight song from his Alma Matter Wake Forest University. As he sings Gale put and extra helping of mash potatoes with gravy on his chair. To the displeasure of the Bears players Brian's tone deaf rendition of the song ends, Brian plops down on the chair in disgust and moist mashed potatoes kiss his bottom.. This cements their bond, relationship, as Black player and White set a precedent rooming together as both men make NFL history in racial unity. One reporter asks Gale if he objects to having a white roommate and he replies, "He won't let me use the bathroom." Racial jokes fly throughout the movie in good spirit as Brian who is rehabbing/training Gale after a knee injury to motivate him tries to call him the N word. James Caan does a fine job with the southern drawl although the real Brian Piccolo looks more like Burt Reynolds. I had no problem with the chemistry between Williams and Caan. Jack Warden who always seems to a play a sports coach to some capacity plays the legendary Poppa Bear with compassion and warmth. A heartrending scene when a little girl in the hospital wanted an autographed ball from Brian as Joy Picollo (Shelley Faberes) asked the nurse which room she was convalescing in? The Nurse said that the girl died this morning. The movie had the feel of a Marcus Welby MD episode with the same sets and music. Stock footage of the real Gale Sayers shows his dynamic running style of misdirection fooling opposing defensive linemen. Despite the inaccuracies and continuity issues of the actual places these events were held, it's still a great Television experience winning several EMMY Awards. To Quote Gale Sayers in one of his speeches, "I love Brian Piccolo and I hope all of you love him too."