As the credits roll for "Carter High," viewers hear comments from some of the real Carter players, including Evans, who served prison time, talking about the consequences of their actions. However, when it comes to violating the law, at the courthouse it simply doesn't matter than you can run the football.'. I think at some level they were chasing a rush.". Carter High is now playing in Texas theaters and will expand to screens in other cities over the next two weekends. The actor also seems to have had a strong connection to the story and formed a relationship with the real Carter while preparing for the role. Gary Edwards, one of the team's star players, is suing the filmmakers behind " Carter High " for more than $1 million. He also flashed his ability when starting running back D.J. (Lisa Davis/Associated Press). Released in 1996, he has lived quietly for almost 20 years in Houston, building a steady career in the logistics and office supplies business and serving as a plain-spoken object lesson for the virtues - and pitfalls - of willpower. In the end, per ESPN, 21 players off that Carter team were offered college scholarships. Carter High in Dallas took the statechampionship in 1988, but thisnew film about the team is not all about victory. Courtesy of ESPN Films A lot of people already know the story of Friday Night Lights, in which a West Texas high school fights for the state football title. 'I do not know anybody who has gone off to TDC who has come back and become a productive citizen.'. He has been a contributor to Dave Campbell's Texas Football since 1980, serving as high school editor from 1984 through 2000 and as Managing Editor from 1990 through 2004. Coach Carter is a classic movie starring Samuel L. Jackson about a no-nonsense high school basketball coach, but how much of the story is true? Caution, however, can work both ways. The film featured Dallas' 1988 Carter High School football season. Please enter valid email address to continue. EMCC offensive assistant coach Clint Trickett accepted a job with Florida Atlantic as tight ends coach, while rush end Tim Bonner signed with Florida Atlantic and graduated in May. The Coach Carter true story is what helped the sports movie classic reach its iconic status. But Allen is one of the shows more positive stories. Reflecting On Football And Addiction As 'Friday Night Lights' Turns 25, Why The Race Of The New Football Coach At University Of Texas Matters. ', Noting that six of the defendants were members of a Carter football team that experts rank as one of the best in Texas of the 1980s, Kendall said, 'The typical American male lives vicariously through the lives of football heroes. With the exception, he said, of a speeding ticket, he has kept a clean record ever since. But he was also known for his compassion and dedication to get students on track to college and some even to the NFL. The second episode of the season focuses heavily on Johnsons situation, with Johnson acknowledging his mistake and his parents expressing their disappointment. Related: 10 Best Sports Movies Where The Protagonist Loses. When he came to Texas in 1996, the upper Midwesttransplant wouldn't have imagined heading a program that would give him four state championships. Chelsea is an Audience Journalist who promotes Dallas Morning News content on various social media platforms and manages the homepage. 42 overall junior college player in the 247Sports Composite. Focused on East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, Miss., the show captured the win-at-all-costs coach Buddy Stephens, terrific academic counselor Brittany Wagner and a squad of players fighting up from the rungs of small town junior college football to try and earn a shot at the big time. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Coach Freddie James retired from the Dallas school district two decades ago, off to travel and finally work on his wifes honey-do list. I want the younger audience to know that your decision that youre making right now can affect the rest of your life, Muhammad says. But eventually, retirement got him. This is a carousel. The movie Coach Carter is a 2005 film based on the 1998-1999 basketball season of the Richmond High School Oilers in Richmond, California, and the actions of the team's coach, Ken Carter, to enrich the lives of his players. Parents need to know that Carter High is a 2015 movie based on a true story about a group of players for a championship football team whose lawbreaking actions off the field drastically altered their lives. Football is about making good decisions and gambling dont build character. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. And there are only 62 junior college players currently ranked in the 247Sports Composite. "Derric is the same Derric," the director said. Evans and the other former Carter players have praised the accuracy of their former teammate's account, and he now freely discusses his part in the Carter saga, both good and bad. That firestorm began when Russeau moved player Gary Edwards from one algebra class where the teacher insisted Edwards was failing to another that used a school improvement plan system implemented by the principal. 98 junior college player in the 247Sports Composite, Carter shows all the potential of a dominant defensive tackle, which is why he was signed by Penn State out of high school. He wanted to be sure that the film showed a story as close to the truth as possible, making it clear that winning wasn't everything for this team. After the Coach Carter movie came out, Ken Carter became a motivational speaker and is the founder of the Coach Ken Carter Foundation which, just like in the movie, focuses on improving the lives of BIPOC students through education, training, and mentoring. Derric Evans, Gary Edwards, Keith Campbell, Patrick Williams and. But the real issue for opponents was not many people could stop the pass rush. "I think that fight for them was not just about wanting to see their football team win, but about resisting being caricatured in a way, and saying, 'We're not cheaters. I just love it, he said. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. March 1 (UPI) -- Britain's former health secretary allegedly rejected critical advice from the country's top medical officer to test elderly people for COVID-19 and keep them segregated prior to admitting them to care homes. Looking back on their involvement while serving time, Edwards and Evans came to a similar conclusion to their mindset while being a part of the football team. You dont understand, brother. Coach Carter's true story is based on Ken Carter, the real-life basketball coach of Richmond High School in Northern California, and almost all of the events Samuel L. Jackson depicted while playing him actually happened. I just wanted attention. In reality, they had freshman, junior varsity, and varsity teams, all of which Carter coached during his five years at Richmond High. Copyright 2023 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. That story will be told Thursday when ESPN premieres its latest 30 for 30, What Carter Lost.. Muhammad was on that 1988 state championship team. Like most movies based on true stories, certain characters were invented to serve the story. As far as we know, Ken Carter, 61, remains to be a motivational speaker and author today. Click to open player flyout to access more features. You know, they were middle-class kids, they had cars, they had all the clothes they want. British health secretary allegedly ignored COVID-19 advice for elderly care homes. On the Debate of the Best team in Texas History, They were one of the handful of most talented teams ever in Texas High School football. This is just part of the story of ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary What Carter Lost, which premiered Aug. 24. March 1 (UPI) -- Nigerian election officials declared Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 70, the winner of Saturday's presidential election, keeping the country's ruling All Progressive Congress Party in power. Ellis, the executive producer, told The Monday Morning Quarterback that he hopes viewers will take a similar message away from the film. Not the ensuing legal battle that nearly kept them out of the playoffs. For information on the 2017 ESPN 30 for 30 documentary "What Carter Lost," click here. (Vernon Bryant/Staff Photographer). He often refers to her as Vivica now, after actress Vivica Fox who plays her in the movie. He wont be in Boca Raton by himself. But sacks were slow to come for the No. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Staff writer Brad Townsend conrtributed to this report. It was not until football was removed and the hedge, so to speak, was removed that they ventured out and did what they did.. He signed with the University of Houston. "But will got me through being locked up, and will got me where I am today. Samuel L. Jackson enjoyed participating in a movie with a message he truly believed in, and this passion is apparent in his performance bringing Ken Carter to life in Coach Carter. But only 10% of those people were actually taking the drugs, a CDC study found. Solomon: DeMeco Ryans the right coach at the right time, 3 pressing questions facing new Astros GM Dana Brown, Jabari Smith Jr. growing up in NBA with an assist from his father, Poor parent behavior is driving high school sports refs away. 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In real life, Carter locked the gym and kept his undefeated basketball team (who inspired fictional students like Jason Lyle, played by Channing Tatum in his debut movie) from competing because they did not honor the academic and behavioral contracts that he had them sign at the beginning of the season. Raven is a graduate of New York University and UNC Charlotte. Carter did have some pushback from the parents, his players, and the community for his actions, but his focus on academics proved successful in real life, as well. The movie is based on the 1998-1999 season lockout, which made national news. "I've never gone around worrying about getting in trouble again. Thats it. Arguably the greatest high school football team in Texas state history, Carters story is also seemingly made for film or print. He didn't, however, leave the gym locked the entire time, as other sports and classes needed to use the gym. Thanks to a likable cast of characters, Wagners brilliance and a newsworthy season Stephens was ejected for getting into a shoving match with a linesman one game, while a full-team brawl in the final regular season contest resulted in the premature end of EMCCs season the show took off and was quickly renewed for a second season. 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Additionally, keep an eye on quarterback Vijay Miller, who started the first game of the season and had a few positive moments in Last Chance Us second season. Katy football star back in the game in 'Carter'. "The number of scholarships they got, the number of guys who went on to play some form of professional football by every measure this was one of the greats," Hootnick says of the school's reputation. The No. (Ben Torres/Special Contributor). Ellis said his interest in this film was what it could teach. In reality, Carter's basketball players did all graduate from high school, with many attending college. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Eva James says the movie tells people how it really was back in the late 1980s. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Kendall declined to be interviewed for this story, other than to compliment the skills of defense attorneys West and Creuzot. Jackson went on to stress the importance to him of seeing a sports movie that emphasized the value of education for young high school athletes, as so few of them go on to have professional sports careers. This video took me 4 hours to make and edit. '', Judge Kendall sentenced the teen-agers after they had pleaded guilty to holding up a total of 21 restaurants, including some in which they worked. It seems that Ken Carter, the father and former basketball coach who inspired Coach Carter, continues to be a role model to this day. It never crossed my mind after I got out about doing something wrong.". The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) March 2, 2018 Most fans knew Derek Luke for starring in Antwone Fisher in 2002. Among those sentenced was Derric Evans, 17 years old, an all-America defensive back last year at Dallas Carter High School who lost a full scholarship to the University of Tennessee. I just love seeing those little kids coming across and they reach out and catch my hand and I help them across. So I dont feel anything in particular," Russeau said. Most Americans with diabetes don't get recommended new medications. The debate between Yates and Carter in Texas is a popular one. The No. 2 junior college player in the 2018 class. Jul 20, 2018. At the courthouse, it simply doesnt matter that you can run the football. He also went on to carry the Olympic torch in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. It Was Money for Prom Night, Some of the youths had testified that they had committed at least one robbery each so they could have extra money for prom night. NEXT: The Fabelmans True Story: How Accurate It Is To Spielberg's Childhood. 10 Texas Athletes Are Sentenced to Jail Terms for Robberies, https://www.nytimes.com/1989/09/24/us/10-texas-athletes-are-sentenced-to-jail-terms-for-robberies.html.