Earlier this week, ESPN announced that they had greenlit their latest 30 for 30 documentary, and to the surprise and joy of everyone, it will be on trailblazing broadcaster, Stuart Scott.
Scott began his career at the network in 1993 and rose to become a network and industry icon.
His tenure at ESPN began on ESPN2, which was the fledgling network meant for a younger audience. When he got his chance to host his first show, SportsNight, he ran with it and never looked back.
He began hosting SportsCenter on the mothership a few years later and continued his rise by being named host of NBA on ESPN in 2008 and being given various hosting duties with the network’s NFL coverage.
His beloved UNC Tar Heels, where he played football and graduated from, was always a part of his on-air DNA, which also included a strong hip-hop and Black culture influence.
Scott never shied away from who he was and the culture that he loved, and he was the first host to successfully combine news reporting and interviews with a coolness only he could pull off.
His catchphrases, such as “As cool as the other side of the pillow”, “Can I get a witness from the congregation”, and of course “Boo-Yah!” remain legendary and ingrained in pop culture lore.
“Stuart Scott transcended broadcasting, journalism, sports and culture in ways that we’re only beginning to really understand and appreciate now,” said the film’s director Andre Gaines. “He made his mark on so many people, especially young black men, and his legend has only grown since his passing. The opportunity I’ve had now to examine his life, visit his home, get to know his daughters Taelor and Sydni, and understand how incredibly vast and rich a life Stuart lived, I can only hope that audiences find the same catharsis I’ve already experienced in making this film.”
Scott was loved by all and was mobbed by fans wherever he went.
He interviewed the biggest stars, like fellow Tar Heel Michael Jordan, a young LeBron James, and even Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. And he did it all while never compromising his true persona.
In 2007, doctors discovered that he had cancer, and that began a painful few years of chemo. It was thought to be in remission but it returned in 2011, which led to additional rounds of treatment and other methods of dealing with the pain, including taking up MMA.
In 2014, Scott gave an emotional speech while accepting the Jimm V Award at The ESPYs. On stage, he implored everyone to live their life to the fullest and ended the night by bringing his daughter on stage and hugging her.
Less than six months later, on January 4th, 2015, Scott passed away after a long and courageous battle with cancer.
ESPN promises the film will capture the life of the iconic Stuart Scott, including the good and bad times.
“We pride ourselves on telling the stories of true originals who changed the world, and Stuart epitomized that in so many ways,” says Marsha Cooke, Vice President and Executive Producer of ESPN Films. “This film is the perfect tribute to a man who touched lives in front of and behind the camera. Andre Gaines has begun crafting a film that will shine a new light on who Stuart really was–from his relationship with Taelor and Sydni to the many people who saw the world differently just from spending time with him. The film will be Stuart through and through–funny, smart, edgy, touching, and transformational.”
Stuart Scott paved the way for many of the Black broadcasters we see today, and his style has been duplicated by most of them as well.
But there is only one Stuart Scott, and we know all sports fans will tune in to see his life shown in the upcoming 30 for 30.
