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Comcast SportsNet Special on 2003 Cubs Looks Like a Hit

October 15, 2013 @ No Comments

For those intrigued by the prospect of Comcast SportsNet’s Chicago Cubs documentary “5 Outs … ” that chronicles the 2003 season, there was a preview showing Monday night at the Wit Hotel. Your humble correspondent was among those attending. This is what some of us like to think of as work. And not because there was an hour of food and drink before the premiere (although it never hurts to have liquid refreshment and appetizers).

Comcast SportsNet Chicago’s Sarah Lauch and Ryan McGuffey are all smiles after a special showing of “5 Outs … ” on Monday night.

To add a touch of Hollywood to the proceedings, actor/director Timothy Busfield – who is in town directing a film (which may explain why your humble correspondent ended up parking his car in a garage rather than on the street — thanks to the no-parking signs because of a movie being shot) — wandered through the area where cocktail hour was being held.

Busfield, whom some may recall from the television series “Thirtysomething” or the movie “Field of Dreams” or a variety of other projects, was gracious enough to spend a few minutes for an interview with veteran multi-media threat George Castle and yours truly (see the video below).

OK, enough about that. Back to “5 Outs … ”

An entertaining, informative effort from executive producer of original content Sarah Lauch and senior producer of original content Ryan McGuffey.

Not sure what model Adriana Lima has to do with the Cubs (as if it matters).

The 90-minute show (actually 70-plus plus breaks for commercials) provides revelations about Michael Jordan attending Game 6 of the National League Championship Series at Wrigley Field and about Florida Marlins pitcher Josh Beckett being out on the town after his team’s Game 6 victory. Plus other insights that will become available to the public at 9 p.m. Central time on Tuesday (Oct. 15) on CSN.

“5 Outs … ” provides up-close interviews with some of the folks on the scene for Game 6, which the Cubs lost after leading 3-0 with five outs to go before they would appear in their first World Series since 1945.

I’m not certain folks want to be able to see the pores of some of the interview subjects’ faces, but few people probably will be watching on a screen as large as the one at the Wit.

For those hoping for an outcome different from the Cubs losing the NLCS, you’ll have to wait till… for something else.

So the bad news — from a Cubs fan’s perspective — is the team lost. The good news? Comcast SportsNet already is working on projects for 2014 (Wrigley Field) and 2015 (10-year anniversary of the White Sox winning the World Series).

If those programs turn out the way “5 Outs … ” did, they will be something for baseball fans to look forward to.

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From our department of shameless self-promotion (not to be confused with our department of regular self-promotion or our department of shameful self-promotion), may we offer this: “Sports & Torts” — co-hosted by David Spada and Elliott Harris on Thursdays at noon Central time on Talkzone.com — is urging you and everyone else to vote at podcast.com for the Peoples Choice, Best Produced, Best Video Podcast and Best Sports Podcast. Go to podcastawards.com and type in our show name and URL. Here is the URL: http://www.talkzone.com/shows/155/1660.html. And, yes, we will continue to run this mention until the nomination process closes on Oct. 15.

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