NIMROD NATION {EPISODE 1, 2 & 3} (TV)
Summary
Three installments from the eight-part miniseries focusing on the Nimrods, the high school basketball team greatly loved by its small town of Watersmeet in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In the first episode, elderly Dale Jenkins braves the zero-degree temperatures to plow his street, as he has done for years. He and other residents talk about the small, "homey" town in which everyone knows one another and hunting is a much-loved pastime. The townsfolk explain that they "are all Nimrods" and enjoy cheering on their team. At the high school, coach George Petersen III gives his team a pep talk, discussing their goals for the new season. Another resident and former Nimrod Jeff Zelinski prepares a meal of brawn, or "cheese" made from a pig's brain, and then goes ice fishing with his friends and family members. At the school, Coach Petersen, who is also the principal, explains that they currently have their largest student body ever, with over 240 students, and he fills in for an absent second-grade teacher. The basketball team discusses their strong season in the previous year, noting the high expectations placed on the boys to do well. George Petersen IV, or "Georgie," struggles with his father's tough criticism on the court and goes hunting with his grandfather, eventually shooting and skinning a deer together. Some of the other team members, including the Godeck brothers and team manager Chris Brownell, blow off steam with a bit of target practice. Other townspeople discuss Coach Petersen's strengths as a coach, and soon the day of the first game dawns. The players get ready, as do the cheerleaders, though one Hope Yablonski admits she dislikes her small town and wants to move somewhere warmer. The game gets underway and many fouls are called on both sides, and eventually the Nimrods lose by four points, to everyone's disappointment. Later, the Zelinski family decides to shoot a pig they have raised, though the gun jams several times before going off.
In the second episode, the temperature plummets to 27 degrees below zero, but the Zelinskis head out onto the ice to fish anyway, using a device known as a tip-up. Elsewhere, Nimrod player Brian Aimsback discusses his love of the sport and how the other Native Americans in the area often come out to support him. At the café, some of the older former Nimrods talk about segregation and agree that there are few problems between whites and natives in the small town. At the next game, the national anthem is played at the beginning. The Nimrods do poorly at first, and Coach Petersen lectures the boys in the locker room, reprimanding his own son in particular. During the game, the coach acknowledges Brian, who has scored over 1,000 points, and presents him with the game ball. At the same time, some of the other residents worry about plans to develop a nearby area known as Bond Falls, saying they are "the stewards of the land" and not wanting homes to be built in a natural area that also serves as a tourist attraction. At home, Georgie complains about his father's harsh methods and says that he still owes him $100 for a game from many years ago. At the following game, Georgie too scores his 1,000th point, and a visiting reporter takes his photo for the paper. Brian's mother visits his tribe's chief on the Potowatomi reservation and asks that Brian be celebrated for his achievement, noting that he was not mentioned in the paper and wondering if it is because of race. Coach Petersen, however, says that he often receives criticism from parents and dismisses the controversy as "ridiculous." The Zelinski brothers attend a meeting about the Bond Falls development, but are annoyed when the meeting is simply an information session at which they are not allowed to ask questions. Brian dines at Hope's house and her mother asks about the accusations of racism, but Brian says he is "not going to stress about it." The older townspeople point out that Coach Petersen has no control over the newspaper; later, the coach addresses his team and says that the reporters just happened to be there the day of Georgie's achievement and not Brian's, refuting any claims of bigotry. Georgie then plays a game of one-on-one with his father and finally wins his $100 when he beats him. The Zelinski family travels to the area of Bond Falls for some fishing, possibly for the last time before the development.
In the third episode, the Zelinski family goes out hunting for birds. At the high school, motivational speaker Karl Randall addresses the students about the dangers of drugs and alcohol, telling them about his own poor choices. Elsewhere, George and Suzanne Zelinski sit down to a crowded dinner with the eight children, including pregnant niece Anna, who explains that the baby's father is not involved. At school, Anna's friends ask if she is nervous about giving birth. Hope heads to cheerleading practice, while Brian goes to basketball, mentioning that he is a "shooter" and worrying about his skills. Coach Petersen comments that his scoring average has gone down since he began dating Hope, and the former Nimrods at the café talk about Brian's athletic history and abilities. At the Zelinskis', the parents are annoyed to hear that they have been summoned to a meeting with a truancy officer for one of their children who missed too many days of school. The next basketball game gets underway despite a heavy snowstorm, and after the Presentation of Colors and the national anthem, Anna's water breaks and she heads to the hospital and the Nimrods begin playing, eventually winning the game. The next day, Coach Petersen informs the boys that their next game is a big one, and the Zelinskis attend a schoolboard meeting at which they protest the accusations of truancy, claiming that their son was in bed with pneumonia for some time. Another parent suggests the creation of a bowling team for those who are not good at basketball. Elsewhere, Anna gives birth to a daughter, Paige Marie, and she soon brings the baby back to the Zelinskis', having decided to keep her. Jeff Zelinski tells his brother about the meeting, voicing his annoyance at Coach Petersen's part in the creation of the truancy rules. The Nimrods go up against an undefeated team in their next game; despite their best efforts, they lose, and Brian takes the loss hard, blaming himself for missing the right shots. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: Sundance Channel
- DATE: November 30, 0199
- RUNNING TIME: 1:23:28
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:91485
- GENRE: Documentary
- SUBJECT HEADING: Documentary; High school sports; Wisconsin
- SERIES RUN: Sundance - TV series, 2007
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Adam Pincus … Executive Producer
- Lynne Kirby … Executive Producer
- Samuel J. Paul … Executive Producer
- Laura Michalchyshyn … Executive Producer
- Kevin Proudfoot … Executive Producer
- Brett Morgen … Executive Producer, Conceived by
- Jordan Roberts … Co-Executive Producer
- Lyle Gamm … Senior Producer
- Chelsea Hoffman … Associate Producer
- Todd Lubin … Field Producer
- Jeff Fisher … Field Producer
- Erica Forstadt … Field Producer
- Benjamin Wolf … Field Producer
- Matthew Akers … Field Producer
- Christo Garcia … Field Producer
- Joshua Bennett … Line Producer
- Eliza Hindmarch … Story Producer
- Jeff Danna … Music by
- Brian Aimsback
- Anna Briseno
- Chris Brownell
- Dale Jenkins
- Karl Randall
- George Petersen III
- George Petersen IV
- Hope Yablonski
- George Zelinski
- Jeff Zelinski
- Suzanne Zelinski