Verne Lundquist, Mark Cuban, the late Lyle Alzado and Christian Laettner.
Four diverse sports figures with one thing in common. All have had recent documentaries produced about their lives.
The 74-year-old Lundquist, who calls Steamboat Springs home, is profiled in “In Your Life.” The program (11:30 a.m. Saturday on CBS) recounts his sports broadcasting years, which began as a host of “Bowling for Dollars” on a Dallas television station. While several broadcasting contemporaries pay tribute, much of the hour features Lundquist, who talks about his career, which has reached its zenith with his work on CBS coverage of Southeastern Conference football games.
Lundquist and analyst Gary Danielson are — by far — the best college football combo working today.
Lundquist also gained fame working with analyst Bill Raftery on CBS college basketball coverage; they have provided informative coverage spiked with quick wit.
Lundquist has had memorable calls at several Masters golf tournaments. In 2005, he bellowed “In your life … have you ever … ?” as Tiger Woods made a birdie on the 16th hole during the final round en route to winning the Masters.
• It’s certainly appropriate that Cuban owns the Dallas Mavericks. It’s difficult to come up with another owner of a sports franchise who is more of a maverick than the outspoken 56-year-old Cuban, disliked by many NBA owners but revered by his players.
He talks frankly with reporter Bernard Goldberg on why he has spent much of his time challenging the status quo of sports ownership. And there’s footage of his controversial courtside behavior, which has cost him hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Cuban also discusses his hit cult show, “Shark Tank,” on which he is a “shark” investor for hopeful business owners seeking investments and partnerships.
• Broncos fans certainly recall the colorful, sad life of Alzado, who was 43 when he died of brain cancer in May 1992.
His life and career as a star defensive lineman were outlined in a thoughtful documentary aired Friday night and Saturday on “A Football Life,” part of the NFL Network’s excellent biographical series.
(The documentary is being streamed daily on the NFL Network’s mobile system from Verizon. Visit for more information.)
Produced by NFL Films, the documentary covers most aspects of Alzado’s life on and off the field — three NFL teams (the Broncos, Browns and Raiders) and his four wives. Alzado played eight seasons (1971-78) for Denver and was a member of the Broncos’ first Super Bowl team, the 1977 AFC champions.
Longtime fans will recall many episodes of his bigger-than life career, which included an exhibition boxing match against Muhammad Ali at Mile High Stadium.
Several former teammates, including Tom Jackson with the Broncos and Howie Long with the Raiders, weigh in with their assessments of Alzado’s use of steroids. One segment shows a contrite Alzado saying he began heavy steroid use in 1969.
• A documentary scheduled to air early next year on ESPN’s “30 for 30” series has a provocative title. “I Hate Christian Laettner” will examine the polarizing life of the former Duke star and NBA player who still is reviled by many in the sports community.
The program will feature interviews with teammates, rival players and Laettner.
Longtime Denver journalist Dusty Saunders writes about sports media each Monday in The Denver Post. Contact him at tvtime@comcast.net.
Two championship games on Altitude
Altitude cable will produce and televise the Class 4A and Class 5A state championship football games Saturday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High.
The 4A battle between Longmont and Pine Creek is scheduled for 11 a.m. It will be followed at 2:30 p.m. by Cherry Creek vs. Valor Christian for the 5A title.
Todd Romero, Blake Olson and Maya Starks will provide coverage.
