http://www.ratinghq.comRatinghq Category Comments Feed for Sports & FitnessRatingHQ (http://www.ratinghq.com)enBuilding upon the lessons presented in Standard Deviants: English Punctuation Part 1, this video teaches the viewer how to use dashes, hyphens, form compound words, the difference between who's and whose and the proper use of single quotation marks. The lessons were co-written by university professors and are a condensed version of what a college student studying English would encounter. The speed of the lessons, the sketches and computer graphics may turn some viewers away, but the option of navigating through the lessons with the remote control may make it worth the effort.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-318/the-standard-deviants-english-punctuation-part-2.html2008-05-17 03:58:27The name Babe Ruth is synonymous with the game of baseball. This biography looks at the man and player who achieved immortality with a bat. The Babe's home-run record stood for decades, and he is still the most revered hero of the great American pastime. Archival clips, photographs, interviews with family, friends, colleagues, and Babe Ruth himself show why he became an American legend.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-341/biography-babe-ruth.html2008-05-17 07:14:38Jeremy Spear is a noted sculptor and conceptual artist who has developed an estimable reputation on New York's downtown art scene. Spear is also an avid sports enthusiast who played shortstop on Yale's baseball team as they made the NCAA finals in the early 1980s. In the late 1990s, a friend asked Spear if he was interested in playing fast-pitch softball on a semi-pro team in Ohio, and soon he was introduced to what he calls "America's last barnstorming sport," which is far removed from both the casual amateur play of slow-pitch softball and the big money and glamour of major league baseball. Fastpitch is a documentary Spear made during his season with the Abbott Labs team, based in Ashland, OH (most American fast-pitch teams are sponsored by businesses), and takes a look at the colorful characters (would-be pro baseballers, Maori immigrants from New Zealand, Native American activists, and eccentric Southern millionaires) who populate a sport where, in an age of multimillion-dollar big league contracts, no one makes much money and the legends of the sport are all but unknown. Fastpitch was named Best Feature Documentary at the 2000 Nashville Independent Film Festival.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-342/fastpitch.html2008-05-17 07:16:04Using an array of game footage and interviews, this video documents the hockey career of Mark Messier. Having won six Stanley Cups and played for over 20 seasons, Messier has earned himself a high rank in hockey history. This film pays a nice tribute to Messier by showing the viewer snippets of his boyhood in Alberta, Canada, his prodigious junior hockey career, and detailing his NHL tenure as a hard hitting center.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-343/mark-messier-leader-champion-and-legend.html2008-05-17 07:17:17Michael Jordan was the most famous, most honored, and probably the greatest professional basketball player of his generation, an athlete whose intelligence, charisma, and dazzling on-court skill helped earn his game a new level of popularity and won Jordan a record six NBA title rings. Michael Jordan to the Max, shot and initially released in the high-definition IMAX film format, takes a documentary look at Jordan's life and career, focusing primarily on the 1999 NBA playoffs, in which Jordan and the Chicago Bulls achieved their sixth professional championship under his leadership, shortly before announcing his final retirement from the court. Along the way, we're offered glimpses of Jordan's early days growing up in North Carolina, his rise to fame, and his successful off-court careers in business and advertising. Michael Jordan to the Max was financed in part by mvp.com, an internet company which Jordan helped to found.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-344/michael-jordan-to-the-max.html2008-05-17 07:19:45Whether viewers agree with Muhammad Ali's self-promotion that he was "the greatest" or not, they may still be moved by this ringside footage and additional coverage of Ali's last fight. In 1981, Ali stepped into the ring with Jamaican-born Trevor Berbick, still thinking he could defeat anyone. The ten-round brawl proved to be more of a challenge than Ali could handle, most likely due to the many injuries he suffered during his career. Though it was the fifth loss of his career, he retired with 56 wins in his favor. This is a two-tape set that shows the entire fight, a pre-fight press conference, and interview footage.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-345/muhammad-ali-vs-trevor-berbick-the-last-hurrah-drama-in-.html2008-05-17 07:21:20Hosted by sports commentator Ahmad Rashad, NBA Courtside Comedy is a comprehensive collection of bloopers that captures some of the funniest NBA regular season events. Compiled from an exhaustive search of the NBA archives, the film features star players having hilarious off-moments--flubbed passes and dribbles--and on-court accidents. You'll witness side-splitting locker room pranks, tongue-tied announcers, and "airborne mascots". Highlights include conversations with players, coaches, referees, and fans, and "shots from out of this world". So sit back and enjoy some of the wackiest-ever sports footage of the greatest athletes in the world.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-346/nba-courtside-comedy.html2008-05-17 07:23:06Patrick Ewing: Standing Tall, a documentary, provides an intimate look at the basketball-focused biography of celebrated NBA center Patrick Ewing and proves that there is more to this man than game-saving blocks and slams. Catch footage of him as a schoolboy star in Boston, revisit his college career at Georgetown, snag a courtside seat for his battles as the centerpiece of the resurgent New York Knicks, and fly with him to Barcelona to be part of the historic "Dream Team." Rare footage and detailed interviews capture some of Ewing's career-building moments and give fans a taste of the celebrity center's friendly demeanor.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-347/nba-patrick-ewing-standing-tall.html2008-05-17 07:24:38Thanks to the powers of DVD, this effort allows the sports fan to hear play-by-play action of monumental plays described not only by commentators, but the players themselves; furthermore, the viewer can choose from not one but a variety of camera angles.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-348/nfl-greatest-moments-in-super-bowl-history.html2008-05-17 07:26:32This highlight reel shows the best blunders of modern rodeo. From rodeo clowns that slip and fall and are dealt some harsh blows to runaway bulls, to hapless riders being tossed and terrorized, Rodeo Action 1: Rodeo Bloopers covers every possible cowboy gaff.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-349/rodeo-action-1-rodeo-bloopers.html2008-05-17 07:28:11Hank Greenberg was the first great Jewish star in baseball; at a time when the game was still racially segregated, Greenberg became a first-class hitter for the Detroit Tigers (a host city not always known for its tolerance, as the career of Father Charles Coughlin will prove), nearly beating Babe Ruth's home run record and becoming one of the game's best loved figures (he was also a friend and confidant to Jackie Robinson as he was breaking baseball's color barrier). Hank Greenberg became a powerful role model in America's Jewish community, and this documentary follows his life and career up to his death in 1986. Director Aviva Kempner includes extensive interview footage of Greenberg filmed in the year before his passing, as well as newsreel footage of Greenberg in action, reminiscences from his teammates and testimonials from his family, friends and fans, including Alan Dershowitz and Walter Matthau.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-350/the-life-and-times-of-hank-greenberg.html2008-05-17 07:29:37One of the most popular portions of the Olympic ice skating competitions has always been the skating exhibitions, in which the winning athletes -- outside of competition -- are allowed to freely express their creativity on ice. This video collects the exhibition skating highlights of the 1998 Winter Olympics, with enough spectacular work to please any ice enthusiast.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-351/1998-olympic-skating-exhibition-highlights.html2008-05-17 07:31:37The biggest names in professional basketball are profiled in this collection of clips featuring such future NBA superstars as Lebron James and Dwight Howard as they play the games that would earn them passage into the big time.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-352/espn-high-school-phenoms.html2008-05-17 07:33:30While being born with physical handicaps presents challenges no matter where you're born or under what economic circumstances, in many respects it's even more difficult when you're raised in Ghana, a Third World nation where much of the country's population lives in severe poverty and conventional wisdom has it that those born with physical deformities have been cursed by the gods, and are fit to do little more than eke out a living as beggars. Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was a 27-year-old Ghanan who was born with only one leg; the shame led his father to abandon the family, but his mother was determined to see her son grow up with strength and dignity, and with the help of a prosthetic leg, Yeboah was able to walk and care for himself. Determined to show his countrymen that the handicapped were capable of more than most were willing to acknowledge, Yeboah contacted an American organization called the Challenged Athletes Foundation, and with their help, set out on an unusual quest -- learning to ride a racing bike, and then piloting it across the nation of Ghana. Emmanuel's Gift is a documentary which chronicles Yeboah's remarkable life and his courageous journey, as well as the impact it had on his family as well as on handicapped people throughout the African continent. Oprah Winfrey serves as narrator.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-353/emmanuel-s-gift.html2008-05-17 07:34:43This documentary about the aspirations of high-school basketball players from inner city Chicago won awards from the Sundance film festival, the New York Film Critics Circle, and the Academy Award (Oscar) for best editing. Two young men are followed during their entire high-school career, beginning with their participation in playground games and ending with their being recruited by colleges. The obstacles these young men face include parental drug addiction, family poverty, and inner-city violence, as well as the usual obstacles that arise in competition, including physical injuries. While each aspires to leave the ghetto, there are many reasons to suppose they may not be able to, despite each beating the odds against them by winning college scholarships.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-354/hoop-dreams.html2008-05-17 07:36:43In 1970, the ranks of Marshall University's Thundering Herd gridiron giants were decimated in a tragic plane crash. It was a story that touched the hearts of sports fans everywhere, and now the story of the Thundering Heard finally comes to the screen in a soul stirring documentary tracing one of the most astonishing comebacks in sports history. With a whole new team and a coach who truly gave it his all, the Thundering Herd would pay tribute to their fallen fellow athletes by emerging as one of the most formidable forces in college football.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-355/marshall-university-ashes-to-glory.html2008-05-17 07:38:56Directed by William Klein, this documentary chronicles the life of the legendary Muhammad Ali, who began his career as an Olympic gold medalist under his birth name of Cassius Clay. With a combination of brute physical power and a famously intimidating personal charisma, Ali not only became notorious in the boxing world, but was also given a large amount of press surrounding his political views and conversion to the Muslim faith. Klein, through archival footage and several interviews, captures the sports icon in his prime years as a boxer and pop cultural figure.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-356/muhammad-ali-the-greatest-1964-74.html2008-05-17 07:41:44Better known as Wheelchair Rugby, Murderball is a game created by quadriplegic athletes that is every bit as aggressive as the name would lead one to expect; played with bone-breaking intensity, a typical game of Wheelchair Rugby involves plenty of trash-talking, a few head-on collisions, and the occasional player being thrown from his modified wheelchair. The game has become an official event at the Paralympics, a worldwide competition for handicapped athletes, and the United States and Canada have become fierce rivals in the event. When Joe Soares was dropped from the top-seated American team, he angrily retaliated by signing on as coach for the Canadian team, which he led to an upset victory for Team Canada in the games. In 2004, filmmaker Henry Alex Rubin and journalist Dana Adam Shapiro followed both teams as they traveled to Athens, Greece, for the 2004 Paralympics, documenting the fierce competition between the two teams (especially the Americans, bitterly stung by what they saw as Soares' betrayal). Murderball offers an up-close look at the 2004 Wheelchair Rugby tournament, as well as the personal stories of the athletes who are passionate, driven, and determined to win -- as one of them says, "I'm not here for a hug, I'm here for a medal." Murderball earned an enthusiastic reception in its premier screenings at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-357/murderball.html2008-05-17 07:44:19It's the nail-biters, not the blowouts that keep viewers watching and NBA Furious Finishes features 90 of the most unforgettable and incredible pro basketball final outcomes in the history of the game. The program takes viewers courtside to relive the greatest buzzer-beating moments with performances by Reggie Miller, Bernard King, John Stockton, Shaquille O'Neal, Alonzo Mourning, and David Robinson. Special highlights of the film include Michael Jordan's game-winning tactics in the NBA playoffs and finals, Hakeem Olajuwon's great performance in the Houston Rockets' 1995 playoff victory, Larry Bird's heroic shots in the 1991 playoffs after coming back from injury, and superstar plays by the Los Angeles Lakers' Jerry West, Magic Johnson, and Nick Van Exel.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-358/nba-furious-finishes.html2008-05-17 07:45:34Featuring basketball greats Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan, this video tells the stories of the heroes of the NBA -- those players who pour their all into every game, setting the pace to team victory while earning the respect and admiration of their fellow players. Unforgettable stories about the unforgettable heroes of the game.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-359/nba-guts-glory.html2008-05-17 07:48:10Star quarterback Chris Leak leads the Florida Gators against Ohio State Buckeyes and Heisman trophy-winnier Troy Smith in this release showcasing all the action of the 2007 Tostitos BCS National Championship game from Ted Ginn, Jr.'s spectacular opening kickoff return right down to the last thrilling seconds.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-360/national-champions-the-story-of-the-2006-florida-gators.html2008-05-17 07:49:46Arnold Schwarzenegger gained his first real notoriety outside body-building circles with this documentary about a group of men training for the Mr. Olympia contest. Arnold had already won the title six times before, and was training for his seventh victory before retiring to fully pursue his acting career (which began to catch fire with his likable turn in Stay Hungry, released the same year) when this was shot. Here he displays an easy charm and wicked sense of humor as he plays mind games with his competitors and explains how getting pumped up for competition always reminded him of sex (which might explain why he seems so cheerful). And what is Arnold smoking in his dressing room after the contest? Future Incredible Hulk Lou Ferrigno is also on hand, and his fierce determination as he goes through a brutal weight lifting regimen shouting "Arnold! Arnold!" speaks both to his own desire to win and how strong a presence Schwarzenegger was in body-building at the time. You don't have to be a body building fan to enjoy Pumping Iron, though Arnold is the one contestant who shows obvious star quality.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-361/pumping-iron.html2008-05-17 07:51:13While boxing was once an exclusively male sport, that's not longer the case, and filmmaker Katya Bankowsky offers an inside glimpse at the small but growing world of female boxing in the documentary Shadow Boxers. Bankowsky starts by following a group of aspiring female pugilists, eventually centering on two: Jill Matthews, a tough and quick-witted Golden Gloves champion, and Lucia Rijker, a high-ranking European kickboxer who has come to the United States hoping to a pursue a career in sports (or the movies). Rijker became the first female fighter to sign with promoter Bob Arum, and Bankowsky documents both her skills in the ring and her effortless charm and intelligence. Shadow Boxers was well received in its screening at the 1999 Seattle Film Festival.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-362/shadow-boxers.html2008-05-17 07:52:51For fans who thought the stakes couldn't be raised any higher and the bar couldn't be lowered any further, the original cast and crew of the stunt comedy sensation that swept the globe return for another round of jaw-dropping feats that are guaranteed to have viewers wincing through their laughter. Jeff Tremaine directs, and Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Steve-O, Ryan Dunn, and Jason "Wee Man" Acuna return to the screen to endure more pain and humiliation than ever thought possible on the big screen.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-363/jackass-number-two.html2008-05-17 07:54:55With painful clarity this video shows why certain sports have been labeled extreme. Filled with many unnerving images of snowboarders losing control, mountain bikers flipping over handlebars and surfers surrendering to the mighty wave, this Madacy Films release is sure to please extreme sports enthusiasts.http://www.ratinghq.com/5-364/extreme-sports-bloopers-sports-gone-wrong-.html2008-05-17 07:56:52