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Former University of Maine linebacker Stephen Cooper is one of several athletes referenced in an upcoming Outside the Lines special on ESPN.
The latest installment of the award-winning series, titled “Winning at Any Cost”, is hosted by longtime ESPN sportscaster and announcer Bob Ley.
The hour-long special deals with the evolution of performance-enhancing drugs, from their beginning in the mid-1950s to the present, and their impact on sports. The idea for the show was pitched by Civia Tamarkin, executive producer of the show and president of Tamarkin Productions. Tamarkin Productions was approached by ESPN last year to produce a special on Title IX gender-equity legislation and how the law has affected college sports.
The relationship born out of that project led to the current steroid-drug special.
“I had a prior relationship with them, and when we were doing the Title IX story, we’d heard of a high schooler’s death that resulted from using GHP,” Tamarkin said. “So I approached them about doing a show on drugs.”
Cooper’s conviction for possession of illegal steroids is referenced in the special. His case is cited and a quote from an interview given to Nate Long, sports director at Bangor television station WVII, is also used.
“Someone they were talking to in trying to find some information on his case called and asked for the tape of the interview and asked if they could use our material,” said Long. “I think they called me in early April.”
This is the first time Long has had his material used by ESPN, but it’s not the first time his station has worked with the all-sports network.
“Occasionally they’ll call and ask for some stuff if we have some bloopers or whatever, and we get stuff from them when we need to,” Long explained.
The interview was done for a two-part WVII series on Cooper.
“We’re looking at performance-enhancing drugs and tracing performance-enhancing drugs and he’s one of the people we reference,” Tamarkin said. “We look at the impact this is having on young people.”
Tamarkin said she was surprised to learn about the extensive use of and interest in these drugs.
“I was surprised of the use and interest of them. They’re being used by younger and younger kids, some as young as 10th graders.”
The program was originally scheduled to air June 10, but that date has since changed.
“There are some changes, so it may not be running until July 10,” Tamarkin said.
WVII revs it up
Bangor television station WVII is adding a 90-seconds segment to its sports report called Speedzone.
The segment, running each Tuesday from now through October, will profile various local racetracks, drivers and race series. It will also feature race highlights and interviews with drivers and other auto racing personalities.
The show will be hosted by Palmyra’s Elgin Traylor, a Nokomis High School of Newport and New England School of Communication graduate.
Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or ANeff@bangordailynews.net
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