eze was asked who in the SEC Cook might remind him of.We didnt play Georgia last year, but he is probably similar to their guy, he said

The incredibly powerful, moving documentary film on Steve Gleasons life opens with his face pressed up close to the camera, having an intimate conversation with his unborn son.But it also feels as if he is talking directly to us, the audience.My No. 1 focus and purpose is to share with you who I am. And to give you as much of myself as I possibly can, while I can, Gleason says.And, wow, does he deliver.Gleason, the former New Orleans Saints special teamer/cult hero, made one of the greatest plays in team history with his blocked punt on the night the Superdome reopened after Hurricane Katrina. Then he became a celebrated champion for those suffering from ALS after he was diagnosed with the merciless disease in 2011. A statue of him titled, Rebirth was erected outside of the Superdome to honor both achievements.But in this film, Gleason reveals things like five minutes after he got home from that statue ceremony, I pooped all over myself and my wheelchair.And I think its crazy that I can go from people saying, Youre my hero to having to be helped onto a toilet with my pants full of s---, Gleason tells the camera, tells his son, tells all of us.Its an incredible example of the polarities and dichotomies and juxtapositions that is my life.Gleason and his wife Michel Varisco share the most intimate moments of their lives in Gleason, which opens Friday in select cities throughout the country. Their greatest triumphs and struggles are equally laid bare for the audience.Tear-jerking moments like the birth of their son Rivers, or the gift they give to a fellow ALS patient as their Team Gleason foundation begins its remarkable mission.Gut-wrenching moments like Gleason screaming to the camera, I want to punch something, but I cant! or wailing to his father, My soul is saved!Intimate moments like Steve apologizing to Michel in the bathroom, or pestering her about why theyve become so distant.And, believe it or not, many moments of biting humor -- even when Gleason is receiving an enema.Honestly, I had no idea that this was gonna be ... Michel says, before catching herself. I probably should have thought of it, because Steve is who he is. But every day, the stuff that they filmed, I had no idea how big it would get.And I think thats why its so raw and real and Im wearing Steves underwear for half the movie.Documenting the true version of GleasonWhat makes the film so raw and so real is that it started out as a series of video journals that Gleason began producing for his child when they first found out Michel was pregnant just six weeks after he was diagnosed -- not knowing if they would ever truly get the chance to know each other.I wanted to be sure he didnt get the storybook sports dad version of me, Gleason said via email this week. I wanted him to know the raw, imperfect, flailing person that we all are, especially me.So he recorded everything -- first by himself with a camcorder or cellphone, then later with young filmmakers Ty Minton-Small and David Lee, who basically moved in with the family.Only later was the idea generated to make a film that could help bring awareness to the plight of those battling ALS around the globe, which was when accomplished documentary filmmaker Clay Tweel joined the project.Im so proud of Steve and Michel, to have the courage and willingness to share their story, said former Saints linebacker Scott Fujita, a close friend who helped spearhead the project as a first-time movie producer. Everyone whos seen this film walks away from it feeling something [even if theyre] unable to articulate exactly what that something is. Theyre angry, theyre excited, theyre happy, they laughed, they cried. But theyre inspired to do something, and thats a good thing.It sticks on you.Gleason admitted that he still gets extremely anxious before each screening of the movie at film festivals or premieres -- much like how he felt preparing for a game during his seven-year playing career.Its exciting. Crazy, but exciting, Gleason said this week. The decision to share the footage was not easy, and I wouldnt say Michel or I are completely comfortable with it. But we also had a feeling that the footage could have an impact on an audience beyond football or ALS. That seems to be the case as the movie has rolled out. People who have no connection to ALS or football are connecting to and being changed by the film.Michel, who is extremely candid in the film about having no desire to be a hero or a saint, said it has been affirming to hear from people like a woman she met after a screening in Washington D.C. who has a spouse with ALS and couldnt wait for all of her friends and family to see the film.Its always gonna feel weird, Michel said. But the more the movie is seen and the more we see how its impacting people and affecting people, its so tremendous that it makes sharing our complete private, intimate life -- it makes it more bearable. It makes it OK. ... It makes me feel proud of all of us.Bringing Gleasons story to the screenAnother of Gleasons former teammates, Drew Brees, signed on with his wife Brittany to help fund the project as a co-executive producer.Brees own 2010 memoir/motivational book was titled, Coming Back Stronger as he shared his story of returning from a major injury. But Brees said when it comes to the idea of overcoming adversity, Gleason is absolutely the best example I could ever think of.Listen, none of us know what we would ever do if we were faced with our own mortality, how that would affect us, Brees said. And I think in this film you see the struggles and the phases that he goes through with coping with that reality. ... And yet, just the power of the mind and the spirit, which he has more than any person Ive ever known, it just gives you so much hope.The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and was quickly bought by Amazon Studios, which is partnering with Open Road Films to release the movie. Gleason has earned rave reviews and awards at various festivals throughout the year -- as well as some Oscar buzz.Fujita admitted those types of things were mentioned in early beer-and-pizza planning sessions with another original producer -- Michels former college roommate, Kimi Culp -- but it never seemed like a realistic goal until much later.Fujita and Culp were the ones who gathered together several investors, including Brees and other NFL players and coaches. And they were the ones who sought out a director to take an estimated 1,300 hours of footage and craft it into a masterpiece.Tweel was the perfect choice, not only for his skills as a director but because of the personal connection he felt with the project. Tweels sister has multiple sclerosis, and his father was Muhammad Alis attorney for 30 years.I got sent a little teaser trailer clip a couple years ago. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once, Tweel said of what attracted him to the project. It just moved me in a way that I havent been moved before, and it was only six minutes long.Tweel said what makes the film so special is not only the intimate footage but Steve and Michel themselves.They are hilarious. And they totally light up a room, and its such a joy to be in their presence, that we wanted to get that across, too, Tweel said.Just a normal fatherAlthough Michel doesnt want to be a hero, she emerges as the co-star -- if not the star -- of this film. The camera often reveals her silent plight -- the fear in her eyes when she notices Steve starting to lose his physical abilities, how drained she looks as she feeds both Steve and Rivers at the same time.And she bluntly delivers lines like, I dont want to be like a devil or a d---face, but I dont want to be a saint either. I just want to be a real person.Another scene stealer is Blair Casey, a family friend of Michels who became an invaluable part of the family as a caretaker.They have more help now, with a small team of caregivers joining that family while Michel is focusing on motherhood and her artwork, and Casey is working full-time for the foundation. But Gleason said, Blair and Michel represent the best of that support.Luckily I had their humor and strength as we adapted to this new life, Gleason said.And then there is Rivers, who isnt featured heavily in the film but remains its heart and soul.As the movie began taking shape, Gleason envisioned it focusing on the relationship between fathers and sons, with his complicated relationship with his own father also dissected in several powerful scenes.One of the many tear-jerking moments in the film comes when Gleason tells Rivers: At this point it looks like were not gonna have the normal father-son relationship. I cant play catch with you ... but Im gonna do everything I can to be a good father, to give you what a son needs from his father. And Im gonna be around, buddy.Its not gonna be easy, but its gonna be awesome. And Im gonna be around until you are able to stand on your own as a man.Rivers is almost 5 years old now, and as I watched that scene, I was taken back to a recent conversation I had with Gleason at a charity softball game, when I asked him about Rivers budding baseball career. Like any typical father, Gleason proudly offered to show off some video clips.If youre looking for a happy ending to Gleasons story, that is it, as much as anything else he and Team Gleason have accomplished with the Steve Gleason Act being signed into law or a state-of-the-art care facility being built in New Orleans or the Ice Bucket Challenge turning into a national phenomenon.With the help of an incredible care crew, and some bad-ass technology, I pick [Rivers] up from school every day, Gleason said. We have excellent conversation. I go to all his practices. Im teaching him the nuances of baseball. We listen to a wide range of music. In many ways, I feel like weve conquered ALS, and its great to have our foundation help others do the same.For Rivers, Im just a normal father. For me, thats very exciting.Wholesale Air Max 90 China . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. Air Max 90 China 2018 . There was no hesitation from the 40th-ranked Pospisil, from Vernon, B.C., who admitted that he cut back on his training sessions over the last few days to conserve energy as the long ATP season finishes next week at the Paris Masters. http://www.cheapairmax90china.com/ . John Tavares, Thomas Vanek and Kyle Okposo were also being counted on to slow down sizzling Rangers forward Rick Nash. That plan didnt go so well early. White Air Max 90 China .Y. - New Orleans forward Anthony Davis was chosen Friday to replace the injured Kobe Bryant in the NBA All-Star game that will be played in his home city. Air Max 90 China Free Shipping . -- Five former Kansas City Chiefs players who were on the team between 1987 and 1993 filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming the team hid and even lied about the risks of head injuries during that time period when there was no collective bargaining agreement in place in the NFL.The two coaches have slightly opposing views of the venue for Monday nights clash between No. 4 Florida State and No. 11 Ole Miss that winds up college footballs opening weekend (ESPN, 8 p.m. ET).Orlandos Camping World Stadium, previously known as the Citrus Bowl, is a mere 4 1/2-hour drive from the Seminoles campus in Tallahassee. The Ole Miss campus in Oxford is 627 miles away as the crow flies and over 150 miles longer when it comes to driving distance.It has its advantages, Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said, noting an immediate introduction for his team to a bowl-game, playoff-like atmosphere and national exposure, not to mention a history that shows the Noles have gone 8-0-2 when they have played in Orlando dating back to 1952.The disadvantage?You have to play a great opponent, he said, laughing.Rebels coach Hugh Freeze had slightly different opinion when the subject was brought up during the summer at the SEC Media Days.I did get a kick out of our AD telling me its a neutral-site game, Freeze said. And Id use that in quotes, neutral site, and I explain to him, Any time you go on the road to a neutral-site game and you have to use silent cadence, it shouldnt be considered a neutral site.So well have a great opposition there in a lot of ways, and it will be an atmosphere that we have to handle.Florida State will be starting a new quarterback in Deondre Francois, who will be the second redshirt freshman starter in the last four seasons for the Seminoles. The other? Heisman winner Jameis Winston.Francois was nammed the starter after fifth-year senior quarterback Sean Maguire all but ended the preseason competition when he fractured a bone in his foot during one of the Seminoles first practices.ddddddddddddBut Francois already had established himself as the front-runner.If you didnt think it was official a long time ago, Fisher said of the decision, Im worried about you.Ole Miss has a veteran and one of the top quarterbacks in the SEC in senior Chad Kelly, a top-ranked prospect according to NFLDraftScout.com, but the Noles have a weapon the Rebels dont have in running back Dalvin Cook. Cook has rushed for 2,699 yards in just two seasons and is only 1,261 yards away from Warrick Dunns school record.Freeze was asked who in the SEC Cook might remind him of.We didnt play Georgia last year, but he is probably similar to their guy, he said, referring to Nick Chubb. He has a lower center of gravity. Makes you miss in space a bit more than the ones you have mentioned it seems to me.Fisher described Kelly as a competitor and said the Seminoles would be wary of opening running lanes with an aggressive pass rush, citing Kellys ability to make big plays with his feet.To me of all the things, you see the physical things, but you see his competitiveness all the time, Fisher said of Kelly.This will be just the second meeting between the two schools. The first was in 1961 with Ole Miss winning 33-0 in Oxford. ' ' '