Latest news with #FullCourtPress
The Herald Scotland
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Peyton Manning goes on 'Full Court Press' with women's basketball
"All the extra film study and all the extra prep - I think people know I was wired that way," Manning told USA TODAY Sports. "I had this great film room in my house in Indianapolis. I would go down there and watch film from 12 at night to 2 a.m. "To have that documented would have been cool." That sentiment is the driving force behind the second season of "Full Court Press," the four-part docuseries by Manning's Omaha Productions that follows USC's Kiki Iriafen, LSU's Flau'jae Johnson and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo through the most recent college basketball season. The last two episodes of "Full Court Press" air Sunday night on ESPN2. Yes, Manning and ESPN are capitalizing on the explosion of interest in women's basketball. But Manning is fascinated by how elite athletes do their jobs, and he's bet others will be, too. "We just want to be a fly on the wall," Manning said. "Get behind the ropes, show their work ethic and not be distraction." Just as in the first season of "Full Court Press," which featured Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice, the Omaha Productions crew was given unprecedented access. It was allowed to film practices and be in the locker room before, during and after games - win or lose. There are extensive interviews with Iriafen, Johnson and Hidalgo, their coaches and their families, and the players all let the crew shadow them off-the-court, as well. Manning said they were intentional about the athletes featured, wanting to have players from different parts of the country, different conferences and at different points in their careers. (Iriafen is a graduate student, Johnson a junior and Hidalgo a sophomore). "Our studies have shown people find these follow documentaries more interesting when you have three people and can see the different ways they operate," said Manning, who has used a similar format with Omaha and Netflix's "Quarterback" series. But what makes "Full Court Press" work is that it centers these women as athletes. Too often, coverage of women athletes has focused on the aspirational and shied away from what makes sports so compelling. The drive. The work. The sacrifice. The grit. But "Full Court Press" embraces and celebrates it. "Hannah Hidalgo, Kiki Iriafen, Flau'jae Johnson - these are women that play for legacy. That are unapologetic. That are badass hoopers," ESPN commentator Chiney Ogwumike says in the first episode. Much of that first episode was devoted to the punishing defense played by Iriafen, Johnson and Hidalgo. Yes, each one can and does score. But it's how miserable they make life for their opponents that sets them apart, and the game footage emphasizes just how relentless they are. Their competitiveness is also a recurring theme. "I've always hated losing more than I love winning," Hidalgo said, a sentiment reinforced by her mother telling the story of her daughter not speaking to anyone for four days after one loss in high school. The last two episodes focus on the end of the season, including USC's intense rivalry with UCLA, Notre Dame's collapse and the leg injury that kept Johnson out of the SEC tournament. There are searching questions and moments of doubt, and "Full Court Press" doesn't sugar coat that. "The thing that will always make me smile is her work ethic. Flau'jae will work. Sometimes she works too much," LSU coach Kim Mulkey says in episode three. "It concerns me because you can wear yourself out." There are light-hearted moments, too, like Johnson's tour of Mulkey's closet filled with her gaudy, game-day outfits, and Iriafen and her grad school classmates trying to flip quarters off their elbows. But Manning knows better than anyone what it takes to get, and stay, at the top of your game, and the main purpose of "Full Court Press" is to give us mere mortals a glimpse of it. Manning said when he first asked Patrick Mahomes to do the first season of "Quarterback," Mahomes was hesitant, uncertain if he wanted to open himself up like that. He asked whether Manning would have done a series like that when he was playing, and Manning said probably not, because he couldn't imagine who would have been making it. "But if it was somebody I knew, who'd played the game and was all in on the work ethic and the extra work and was extremely passionate about it, then maybe so," Manning said. He can be that person, especially knowing what he knows now. "I said to Flau'jae, your grandkids are going to want to know what you used to do, how you went about it," Manning said. "Hopefully we can show that."
USA Today
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Peyton Manning, Omaha Productions reveal what makes athletes tick with 'Full Court Press'
Peyton Manning, Omaha Productions reveal what makes athletes tick with 'Full Court Press' Show Caption Hide Caption Latest on NCAA settlement that would allow revenue sharing for college athletes USA TODAY Sports' Steve Berkowitz discusses the latest on judge's refusal to approve NCAA settlement that would allow revenue sharing for college athletes Sports Pulse Peyton Manning was legendary for his meticulous preparation as a player. He spent countless extra hours at the training facility, working out and going over game plans and scouting reports with the coaching staff. When he left, it was for more of the same. "All the extra film study and all the extra prep – I think people know I was wired that way," Manning told USA TODAY Sports. "I had this great film room in my house in Indianapolis. I would go down there and watch film from 12 at night to 2 a.m. "To have that documented would have been cool." That sentiment is the driving force behind the second season of 'Full Court Press,' the four-part docuseries by Manning's Omaha Productions that follows USC's Kiki Iriafen, LSU's Flau'jae Johnson and Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo through the most recent college basketball season. The last two episodes of "Full Court Press" air Sunday night on ESPN2. Yes, Manning and ESPN are capitalizing on the explosion of interest in women's basketball. But Manning is fascinated by how elite athletes do their jobs, and he's bet others will be, too. "We just want to be a fly on the wall," Manning said. "Get behind the ropes, show their work ethic and not be distraction." Just as in the first season of "Full Court Press," which featured Caitlin Clark, Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice, the Omaha Productions crew was given unprecedented access. It was allowed to film practices and be in the locker room before, during and after games – win or lose. There are extensive interviews with Iriafen, Johnson and Hidalgo, their coaches and their families, and the players all let the crew shadow them off-the-court, as well. Manning said they were intentional about the athletes featured, wanting to have players from different parts of the country, different conferences and at different points in their careers. (Iriafen is a graduate student, Johnson a junior and Hidalgo a sophomore). "Our studies have shown people find these follow documentaries more interesting when you have three people and can see the different ways they operate," said Manning, who has used a similar format with Omaha and Netflix's "Quarterback" series. But what makes "Full Court Press" work is that it centers these women as athletes. Too often, coverage of women athletes has focused on the aspirational and shied away from what makes sports so compelling. The drive. The work. The sacrifice. The grit. But "Full Court Press" embraces and celebrates it. "Hannah Hidalgo, Kiki Iriafen, Flau'jae Johnson – these are women that play for legacy. That are unapologetic. That are badass hoopers," ESPN commentator Chiney Ogwumike says in the first episode. Much of that first episode was devoted to the punishing defense played by Iriafen, Johnson and Hidalgo. Yes, each one can and does score. But it's how miserable they make life for their opponents that sets them apart, and the game footage emphasizes just how relentless they are. Their competitiveness is also a recurring theme. "I've always hated losing more than I love winning," Hidalgo said, a sentiment reinforced by her mother telling the story of her daughter not speaking to anyone for four days after one loss in high school. The last two episodes focus on the end of the season, including USC's intense rivalry with UCLA, Notre Dame's collapse and the leg injury that kept Johnson out of the SEC tournament. There are searching questions and moments of doubt, and "Full Court Press" doesn't sugar coat that. "The thing that will always make me smile is her work ethic. Flau'jae will work. Sometimes she works too much," LSU coach Kim Mulkey says in episode three. "It concerns me because you can wear yourself out." There are light-hearted moments, too, like Johnson's tour of Mulkey's closet filled with her gaudy, game-day outfits, and Iriafen and her grad school classmates trying to flip quarters off their elbows. But Manning knows better than anyone what it takes to get, and stay, at the top of your game, and the main purpose of "Full Court Press" is to give us mere mortals a glimpse of it. Manning said when he first asked Patrick Mahomes to do the first season of "Quarterback," Mahomes was hesitant, uncertain if he wanted to open himself up like that. He asked whether Manning would have done a series like that when he was playing, and Manning said probably not, because he couldn't imagine who would have been making it. "But if it was somebody I knew, who'd played the game and was all in on the work ethic and the extra work and was extremely passionate about it, then maybe so," Manning said. He can be that person, especially knowing what he knows now. "I said to Flau'jae, your grandkids are going to want to know what you used to do, how you went about it," Manning said. "Hopefully we can show that."
02-05-2025
- Politics
ABC News Live Prime: Thursday, May 1, 2025
President Donald Trump removes Mike Waltz as National Security Adviser; SpaceX might get an official municipality in a Texas town; female athletes discuss starring in "Full Court Press."
CNN
07-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Caitlin Clark Fast Facts
Here's a look at the life of basketball player Caitlin Clark. Birth date: January 22, 2002 Birth place: West Des Moines, Iowa Birth name: Caitlin Elizabeth Clark Father: Brent Clark, business executive Mother: Anne Nizzi-Clark, marketing executive Education: University of Iowa, B.B.A in marketing, 2024 Colleges started showing an interest in Clark while she was in middle school. Clark also played varsity soccer for two seasons in high school. McDonald's All-American in 2020. Clark is featured alongside two other top college players in the ESPN+ docuseries 'Full Court Press.' The show follows Clark during her senior season at the University of Iowa. She is also credited as an executive producer of the show. The WNBA's overall attendance increased by 48% year-on-year to its highest level in over 20 years during Clark's rookie season. The phenomenon has been coined 'The Caitlin Clark effect.' November 12, 2019 - Clark announces she will be playing basketball at the University of Iowa. October 2023 - Forms the Caitlin Clark Foundation. February 15, 2024 - Becomes the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women's basketball, surpassing Kelsey Plum's previous record of 3,527 career points. Clark ends the game against the Michigan Wolverines with 3,569 career points. February 29, 2024 - Announces she has decided to declare for the 2024 WNBA Draft, forgoing a fifth year of college eligibility. March 3, 2024 - Clark becomes the NCAA's Division I all-time leading scorer in basketball – male or female – in a win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. She finishes the game with 3,685 points. April 15, 2024 - Selected No. 1 overall by the Indiana Fever in the WNBA draft. April 2024 - It is reported that Clark is set to sign an eight-year deal worth up to $28 million with Nike. May 3, 2024 - Makes her WNBA preseason debut, scoring 21 points against the Dallas Wings. May 14, 2024 - Makes her WNBA regular season debut. The season opener between the Indiana Fever and Connecticut Sun draws an average of 2.1 million viewers on ESPN2, ESPN+ and Disney+, making it the most watched WNBA game in more than two decades. July 6, 2024 - Becomes the first rookie in league history to record a triple-double during a game against the New York Liberty. Clark finishes the game with 19 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds. October 3, 2024 - Named the 2024 WNBA Rookie of the Year in a near-unanimous vote, receiving all but one of the 67 votes from a national media panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. December 2024 - Named Time's Athlete of the Year. February 2, 2025 - The University of Iowa retires Clark's No. 22 jersey.
USA Today
28-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
ESPN to release docuseries on Chiefs dynasty that should feature Super Bowl loss to Eagles
ESPN to release docuseries on Chiefs dynasty that should feature Super Bowl loss to Eagles ESPN to release docuseries on Chiefs dynasty with unprecedented access to the team's 2024 season that should feature Super Bowl loss to Eagles ESPN, Disney+, and Skydance Sports just announced an ESPN Original 6-episode DocuSeries on the Kansas City Chiefs that will premiere later this year on ESPN and Disney+. The series will explore the franchise's place in the NFL's landscape for more than six decades of history while offering an exclusive, revealing chronicle of the team's extraordinary 2024 season. That extraordinary season ended with a 40-22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 59. Kristen Lappas of Words + Pictures will direct the docuseries ('Giannis: The Marvelous Journey,' 'Full Court Press, ''Dream On'), which will be produced by much of the team behind 'The Last Dance' (including executive producers Connor Schell, Jason Hehir, Libby Geist, and Aaron Cohen and showrunner Matt Maxson). 'ESPN and Disney+ know that sports fans are interested in stories that take them beyond the X's and O's, and this series will explore the legacy of the Chiefs franchise while also showcasing the emotional highs and lows of building a championship-winning team,' said Burke Magnus, president of content, ESPN. 'From the brilliance of Patrick Mahomes to the leadership of Andy Reid and the passion of Chiefs Kingdom, this project will showcase the drama, intensity, and heart that make this team a global phenomenon.' The original documentary series – which was filmed throughout the 2024 season and includes unprecedented access into the players' lives on and off the field – details the Chiefs' journey as the club completed a franchise-record 15-win regular season, captured a third-consecutive Lamar Hunt Trophy as AFC champions, and made a third-straight Super Bowl appearance in New Orleans. Since Andy Reid arrived in Kansas City (2013), the team made the playoffs every year (2015-24), won the AFC West Division title nine years running (2016-24), appeared in the AFC Championship Game seven years in a row (2018-24), and ultimately made five Super Bowl appearances over the past six years, raising the Vince Lombardi Trophy three times. The Eagles cost the Chiefs and NBA legend Pat Riley millions when they ruined a 'Three Peat' attempt with their Super Bowl win.
