Film - The Program This film was made in the late 1980s and is the absolute epitomy of a college football program at the time. Every kind of scandal and theme is followed in the 90-odd minutes and is one of the best-written sports films I have ever seen. James Caan plays the under-fire head coach of Eastern State, dealing with pressure from his Athletic Director over winning records and funding. Even one of the first sequences where is being briefed by assistants on a potential recruit is probably true, as he then walks into the meeting and claims to have watched this kid throughout his high school career. All of the players have good story lines too, from the hot-shot running back recruit who spends more time trying to get Halle Berry away from her current boyfriend (who also happens to be the starting tail-back) to the steroid-pumping defensive lineman who just wants to play. The quarterback has a drink problem, the back-up QB is a cheat who gets kicked out until the starter is suspended and then the coach drags him back because it is the only way to save his career. But the single most powerful scene has the star middle linebacker being prepped for a test to keep him eligible and he can hardly read. Yet in the next scene, he calls every defensive formation and play perfectly as they appear on the film screen, thereby showing just what his and the college's priorities are. The football scenes are believable enough but the story lines carry this film throughout and for real-life celebrity spotting, Lynn Swann and Bo Schembechler both play themselves. In short, it is a truly magnificent piece of work that should garner a place on your DVD or video library along with the likes of Any Given Sunday and the Bucs' Super Bowl victory. Buccaneer Connections One of the opposing quarterbacks was played by former Buccaneer QB Mike Hold who played for Tampa Bay in the 1987 strike games.