ESPN's Latest "SEC Storied," "Summer of 83: Texas Vs. Tide" Ready to Bow on SEC Network Next Month

The latest SEC Storied from ESPN will take a look at a special moment in history, from the eyes of those who didn't realize how special it was until much later.

What's Happening:

• SEC fans can soon delve into the remarkable story of the 1983 College World Series in the latest SEC Storied. 
• For many, the names Clemens, Larkin, Bonds, Magadan and more are synonymous with Major League Baseball. But in 1983, they were college players with a dream.
• The film showcases this special time with Summer of ’83: Texas vs. Tide, directed by Gaspar González and Castor Fernandez.
• With a field that included future major leaguers Roger Clemens, Calvin Schiraldi, Barry Larkin, Barry Bonds and David Magadan, the 1983 College World Series was one for the ages. The Texas Longhorns, favored to win it all, were powered by the pitching of Clemens and Schiraldi. Standing in their way was the Alabama Crimson Tide, a freewheeling, free-swinging band of overachievers led by Magadan, college baseball’s best hitter. Could the Tide take Texas?  For some of baseball’s biggest names, this was the time of their lives.
• Back in the fall, the documentary was showcased in the Rockport Film Festival and the Key West Film Festival, and even took home the Audience Award for Best Documentary (Short) at Rockport.
• As part of the film, González and Fernandez interviewed former Texas Longhorn, MLB player and coach Mike Brumley. He was later tragically killed in an automobile accident. Summer of ‘83 is a way to experience his voice and energy again following his shocking and untimely loss. 
• Summer of ’83: Texas vs. Tide debuts Wednesday, April 15 at 8 p.m. ET on SEC Network.

What They're Saying:

• Director Castor Fernandez: “Baseball might be America’s most romanticized sport, and everyone who’s ever played has talked about 'the game of their life'. Summer of ’83 is a version of that conversation - told by some of the greatest college players ever assembled, in some cases just months away from Major League superstardom... Summer of ’83 captures that rare moment when these young athletes didn’t yet know who they would become, were unaware that the games they played in that College World Series would become the ones they - and we - would talk about forever."
• Director Gaspar González: “The inspiration for telling the story of the 1983 College World Series (Summer of ’83) dates back to the summer of the title, when I was a baseball-obsessed 14-year-old growing up in Miami. I was no stranger to college baseball - the University of Miami had won the national championship the year before - but there was something about the ’83 series that stood out. The players were not just good, but historically good.”

Early Reception:

• While the doc is getting ready to debut on the SEC Network, it has previously been screened at the aforementioned festivals.
• Summer of 83: Texas Vs. Tide won the Audience Award for Best Documentary (short) at Rockport, which is a strong sign that not only was the film approved by critics, but the audience loved it as well.
• Typically, this means that something about the doc has resonated with audiences emotionally, which in this case and with most sports docs, likely will rely on nostalgia and wonderful storytelling.
• While there hasn't been a large amount of critical reviews yet for the film, we already know of a strong audience response with those award wins, the appealing and nostalgic premise, and the well-regarded SEC Storied branding.