Playmakers
Network: ESPN
Years Aired: 2003 – One Season – 11 Episodes
What happens when you have a show that is “too real?” When you have a show that strikes a nerve with a major sports organization? A show that could have lasted longer, but was basically forced off the air? You would have a show called ‘Playmakers.’
‘Playmakers’ aired every Tuesday night on ESPN from August 26, 2003 to November 4, 2003. That means there were only 11 episodes. But each one got better and better. The show was about a fictional NFL team named “The Cougars.” This is not your regular “road to glory” story, though. Actually, the stories in this show take place away from the field more than on the field. The team has a whole cast of characters. Each one seems to have a certain problem. Some you love to hate like the young Prima Donna running back named Demetrius Harris. He is the “Terrell Owens” of the team. Some you cheer for like middle linebacker, Eric Olczyk.
The show becomes addicting for almost any sports fan. You begin to care about what happens to each player and you want to see the next episode to find out what happens next. I think the show can appeal to non-sports fans as well, though, because there is not much action on the field. Usually only highlights of games are shown. The “real” action happens off the field as I have said.
So why did he get cancelled? Simple. The NFL forced it off the air. NFL Commissioner, Paul Tagliabue, hated this show. Why? He said it was too “unrealistic.” That this wasn’t what the “real” NFL was like. That basically means that the show was “realistic” and the NFL didn’t want the show to paint a black eye on them. The fact is that most people know about the problems with any sport. No one is perfect. Maybe they didn’t know about a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff, and maybe that is what the NFL was trying to hide. I am sure you could probably guess it anyways, though.
Some critics would argue that there would be nothing left to tell. ‘Playmakers’ couldn’t have lasted much longer anyways, since the first 11 episodes already talked about every problem or issue in the NFL. Yes…it did cover a lot of issues like egos, drugs, injuries, and criminal activity. That doesn’t mean that there couldn’t be more to talk about. New issues or drama happen every week in the NFL. I am sure the writers could have thought of more stuff to write about. I know they could have.
I never watched the show when it aired on TV. I only saw it on DVD, but if ‘Playmakers’ were to ever get a second season…I would be watching it every week. That will probably never happen, though. ESPN gave into the NFL before this show could continue. But can you really blame ESPN. It has a contract with the NFL to air games including Monday night games next year. It is a big money-making deal. ESPN can’t afford to piss off the NFL and if they continued to air ‘Playmakers’, it would have made the NFL mad. Therefore, money wins again. ‘Playmakers’ was definitely cancelled WELL before it’s time to end! Check it out on DVD!
