Slain Los Angeles auxiliary bishop was remembered at the Mass of Christian burial as friend of Jesus Christ and of Mary, our Blessed Mother.. 131 | NO. And it paid off. Greater, a 2016 release, tells the life story of Burlsworth, who rose from mediocrity to greatness depending on his faith.Just 10 days after being drafted by the NFL's Indianapolis . Now, if you find yourself at that Colts shop, I told him, You make sure and get us some gear this time.. So I think its normal. Now, I was taking calls from the same stations about Brandons death.. And Ill get a photo of you in your uniform. Weve felt like weve been very involved and kept up to date on what was going on and were very happy with the outcome. In the award's twelfth year, the Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas Walk . He is a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. Some of that was a little bit of filmmaking andwe were fine with it. Burlsworth was too small (260 pounds) when he finished high school. Brandon doesnt start out with all that promise. Greaters response to the problem of evil, to disbelief and nihilism, is not an argument, but an action: a choice to trust. Release Dates Arkansas doesnt have a pro football team I dont even know if a pro team could survive here. (Now we see through a glass darkly ). Perhaps Martys favorite play from Brandons college career is one that occurred in the same game as the play he would most like to forget. 2023 In 1996, he earned himself a scholarship and also sealed his own starting place as a right guard on the offensive line for the Arkansas Razorbacks. Dramatic backlighting and silhouettes create a sense of foreboding and uncertainty, resonating with the themes of tragedy and doubt. By the time he was a senior, we both knew that if we wanted to keep playing football he was going to have to enter the NFL draft. COINCIDENCES. Marty Burlsworth, 55, and who was 38 when Brandon died, says they were approached by Hollywood about making a film around Brandons story many years ago. All this plays out in flashback, with all the usual sports-movie clichs, training sequences, montages, comic relief and so forth. He graduated from high school in 1994 and was recruited as a football player for the University of Arkansas. A shepherd during his younger brother's life, he would become a keeper of his legacy as well. But as I turned the next corner onto Moms street and pulled up to her house, I got a good look at the car. Official Sites At present, through the Burls Kids program, the foundation works towards providing underprivileged youths a chance to visit Razorback and Colts football games. Company Credits Unassuming, devout and a little dense, he never drinks, never swears and never takes anything personally. Brandon didnt dress the first two games of his freshman season, but we found out that hed be on the field for the third. Dang, Marty, what have you been feedin that boy?. Trust. We want Brandon here, but if he cant handle it I can see what I can do to get him to a smaller school, he said. Always why. But Id do anything for that kid. Brian Reindl, writer and producer of "Greater," said he loved the opportunity to tell such an incredible story in his first-ever production. They love to interact with people of all communities and podcast interviews have become a wonderful outlet for that. He shows up at the stadium for practice long before anyone else is there and when one of the coaches finds him, hes idly picking up litter in the parking lot. This was the dream. (as David Hunt) (directed by) Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification Produced by Music by Stephen Endelman . And then apparently that thought process was also out there in California we did hear from some that approached us but one thing I wasnt 100 percent sure [of] was the commitment level over there which was why when Reindls wife said [when] he sets his mind to it, he gets it done, you know, Ive always heard that in Hollywood [scripts] can sit on the shelf forever. Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? Theres no explanation for it. Its unreal. But, you know, how would you make it where it wasnt basically depressing. We had to have the funeral at the high school gym. In 1998 he was selected for the College Football All-America Team and became the first player from Arkansas to be selected for College Football All-America Team since 1993. We didnt want that Sports Illustrated did a feature piece on Brandon. On Aug. 26, the movie about his life, Greater, opens nationwide. We drove it to death. Pope Francis, Biden Commend Peacemaker Bishop OConnell as Memorial Services Begin. Marty's wife, Vickie is also available to speak when their schedule allows. you, Subscribe to The Daily ", Trouble was, every time he asked "what input would the family have" in how the story was told, he got the same answer: "None.". And that spring, the Burls boys found themselves in Indianapolis at the combine. Im sure he just got stuck in traffic, or maybe ran out of gas. So Mom, Brandon and I piled into my minivan and we drove over to Fayetteville. Whether it was in Fayetteville, or in Knoxville or Tuscaloosa, we had an unspoken rule: We were going to Brandons games. McDonough plays Marty, Brandon's big brother and father figure in the film, and he . Sure, bring him on up for a game, he said. Brandon did not get married before he passed away when he was only twenty-two years old. I never used to worry before Brandon died. MORE: Deserving teacher who received $530 from plane passengers surprised with more than . Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. The voices of faith, hope and trust or the voices of doubt, disbelief and despair?. After interning at Super Bowl 46 in Indianapolis, she started full-time with USA Football, the NFLs non-profit partner which led her to her love of mega-events and non-profit work. But as Marty Burlsworth, Brandon's older brother and companion through it all, emphasized in an exclusive interview with The Daily Wire, Brandon made his football goals happen because he was relentless. Brandon Burlsworth, NFL player. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Brazilian Charity Caring for Children Who Survived Abortions Issues Urgent Appeal, Memento Mori: Remember You Are Going to Die, The Meat of the Matter: St. Patricks Day and the Lenten Fast, Pope Francis Inexhaustible Font of Words: 10 Gems From the Heart Over 10 Years. It was my dream, too, and I sure worked hard at it. So by his fourth year at Arkansas, he was already finishing his masters degree. If it meant going over to Moms house to help him with homework, I wanted to be there. When he reached his junior season in 1997, he was selected as one of the captains of the team and in the next two years, he received All-SEC honors. Brandon wanted to do more, though. Burlsworth, 22, died 10 days after his selection on April 28, 1999, in a car crash in Arkansas. Leslie Easterbrook plays Burlsworth's mother, Barbar. Neal McDonough (L) plays Marty Burlsworth in 'Greater' (Hammond Entertainment). barbaraann@burlsworth.com. ", Forgotten? In 2001, "Eyes of a Champion, the Brandon Burlsworth Story" by Jeff Kinley was released. Less than two weeks after he was chosen in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, Brandon was driving home to go to church with his mother. Id do anything I could for him. 77 is one of just two numbers retired in the history of Arkansas football. I dont even think he played one game. director of photography Film Editing by David L. Hunt . He was, with various modifiers, Clark Kent. Locations and showtimes are available onwww.greaterthemovie.com. From anyone who is struggling with God because of a loss theyve faced, especially one as devastating as a close family member, what wisdom would you share with them? Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. The drive would always take around an hour and a half but he never made it. "I was interested," he said of those early calls from Hollywood. His screenplay grew out of the book Through the Eyes of a Champion: The Brandon Burlsworth Story, by Jeff Kinley. http://www.colts.com/news/article-1/Remembering-Brandon-Burlsworth-/01475edd-989c-4a56-b3b0-ec6c138bcf1e, https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/entertainment/2016/august/brandon-burlsworths-story-of-triumph-over-tragedy-is-greater. Burlsworth, 22, was a third-round draft choice (63rd overall) of the Indianapolis Colts just two weeks ago and he and his brother and agent, Marty Burlsworth, were negotiating a contract. And would you believe it, it was the Indianapolis Colts who took him. He found it in routine and repetition, in church and in the trenches, in that place where they call the Hogs and even an Alabama visitor can feel what it means for a young man from Harrison, Ark., to call himself a Razorback. Chris Severio plays Burlsworth (No. In 2002, Brandon was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and later in 2004 he was inducted into the University of Arkansas Letterman's Association Hall of Honor. Along with Brandons rise, Greater equally focuses on the loss experienced by Brandons family, especially his brother Marty, and the questions about Gods goodness that are stirred by the heartache and grief. Possible relatives for Marty Burlsworth include Roselee Arnold, Keshia Flowers, Brady Burlsworth and several . So I did whatever I could to be there for Brandon. He would just say Yeah we did this, we did this, we did this and it was just like this is what were doing, you know he never [said] I cant do this. That just wasnt there because, you know, thats where his faith led him. His Subaru clipped an incoming 18-wheeler and then collided head-on with a tractor-trailer in Alpena, Arkansas. After his death at a young age, the football community came together to pay tribute to his achievements and his family and friends built a foundation in his name. Marty Burlsworth: Burlsworth Photography: Address: 117 W Central Harrison AR 72601 map Phone: 870-741-5111 : Branch Photography : Keith Branch: Branch Photography: Address: 4850 Mission Blvd Fayetteville AR 72703 map Phone: 479-973-0012 It's "Greater." "People are seeing it for the first time, and that's really cool," Marty said. But I knew we still needed a scholarship. There are about eleven,000 human beings in town and one unstated rule: If it's Friday night, you're going to the Harrison High soccer sport. Didn't buy it or rent it or watch it on DVD. Most important to Marty and the Burlsworth family: They kept us in the loop.. John Corbett stars in a remarkable faith-based film, based on a true story, about a dying Tennessee church transformed by an encounter with refugees. The next week, Brandon flew to Indianapolis for minicamp. In 2007, she and her son Marty ventured out to open Burlsworth and Associates. Whether Im driving around town, past the baseball park where we used to play catch, past the Razorbacks signs on front lawns, I feel his presence. When the producer says Today is probably not a good day [to be on set], thats all he has to say. A shepherd during his younger brother's life, he would become a keeper of his legacy as well. There he is, 300 pounds, and he just runs down this linebacker. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. He was my brother and I just wanted everything for him. So we really did have a good comfort level with them plus the agreement with Brian and them having the movie made was that the family would have some say so if something wasnt just right as far as the script goes and things like that and theyve kept us in the loop all along. So that makes it quite a bit easier to revisit because weve never really gone away. Greater, a film about Arkansas offensive lineman Brandon Burlsworth, opens Aug. 26. Ive heard the director say many times what weve done is [put] that [whole] first year [after the accident] in Neals piece in this movie. Over the next two years he reformed his body to become more muscular and went back to a 300lb physique. And every week he was right on time with his little white Subaru parked in Moms driveway. His faith, his family and his football, in that order. They are active members of the Northside Church of Christ. She has 3 sons, Marty, Grady and the late Brandon Burlsworth. The struggles that he had gone through to get where he was were over. And the only element bigger than excessive faculty soccer in Harrison or anywhere else . And the first call I made was to the recruiting coordinator at Arkansas. And I couldnt wait to be right there with him. We planned to move out to Indianapolis with him. Itll be real cool.. What were the vital elements that you knew had to be involved in the movie, no matter who made it, in order to fully capture Brandons life? Anything that wasnt right, wasnt real, wasnt what Brandon was about. After working 11 years on his Brandon Burlsworth biopic Greater, Reindl is within days of seeing his dream project open on 400 to 450 screens across the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest next week.. Burlsworth was an All-American football player for the University of Arkansas, who died tragically in an automobile . Brandon knew what it was like to be doubted, to be told you werent good enough. Steven D. Greydanus is the Registers film critic and creator of Decent Films. But before all that, Brandon made one last trip to Fayetteville to visit with his Razorbacks teammates. We still dont really know what happened that afternoon. Sure, there's some creative license in the movie, but the message rings true. Even his peers saw an innocent kid who just didnt understand why he couldnt make it in college football, and certainly not the NFL. Reindl made another unique promise that he kept. interested in booking Marty for your event? Catholic actor Neal McDonough costars in a Rudy-like faith-based inspirational sports biopic that dares to explore doubt as well as belief. is 61 years old today because Marty's birthday is on 11/13/1960. The family respectfully declined. Proudly created with Wix.com. Meet Marty Burlsworth and his Team of Real Estate Professionals. If there was anything inappropriate in it, of course that was all made up. It was the Razorbacks. It was all over ESPN. Its clear, though, that Martys harshness is meant as the tough love of an older brother obliged to assume a father-figure role in the absence of their alcoholic bum of a father (Michael Parks of the Kill Bill movies in a small but affecting role). His brother Marty, 17 years his senior, berates him "Cheesecake," he calls him for his indolence as well as their mother Barbara (Leslie Easterbrook) for her indulgence. Hed tell me what it was like but hed never say it was really hard and Im not sure I can do this. Marty Burlsworth hasn't provided a bio yet. No, we just kind of kept that to ourselves. Directed by David L. Hunt . He was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL draft, but sadly, after eleven days, he was involved in a road accident. Brandon Burlsworth found certainty in an uncertain world. First, while the films hero is the celebrated Arkansas Razorbacks offensive guard Brandon Burlsworth (Christopher Severio) possibly the greatest walk-on player in college football history the protagonist is not Brandon, but his brother Marty, played by Neal McDonough of Arrow. So before he started his senior year, I started working on getting my certification. But [the death was] not the ending. Became a two-time All-SEC selection and a first-team All-American as a senior in 1998. It demanded an audience larger than you could pack into Razorback Stadium for 60 minutes of weekend celebration in the fall - or into the Harrison High School gym on a spring day of mourning. Marty says the finished product doesnt get everything exact, such as speeding up the time of events and taking conversations that happened over the phone and making them into face-to-face exchanges, but thats not a criticism just a nod to the difference between a book and a screenplay. We wont be there. Especially after it was all over and, you know, that was bad times. Born In: Harrison, Arkansas, United States, siblings: Grady Burlsworth, Marty Burlsworth, place of death: Alpena, Arkansas, United States. His jersey has been retired, his locker encased in glass, his spirit captured in a trophy awarded to the best college football player who started his career as a walk-on. | But that summer Brandon had two things going for him: His work ethic and, luckily, a pretty big growth spurt. And if Brandon was doing whatever he could on the field, then I sure as heck would do whatever I could to help get my brother there. Faith is the river that runs through it all, from Brandon's Christian life to Marty's painful spiritual journey at his death to the care with which those threads are woven together. His high school coaches couldnt believe his size when he came back for his junior season. Greater than my limited understanding of the painful search for meaning every time a life ends so young. At the point when he showed up, he saw the rear of a white vehicle that he from the start thought was Brandon's. Not early or easily when it came to football, but eventually and powerfully. Greater than my previous knowledge of a young man's winding road from small-town walk-on to home-state hero. She has been married to Johnny 20+ years and they have a son, Haden and his wife, Tristen, and a daughter, Haley. This life demanded a movie. Barbara Burlsworth. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. He loved football, Marty said. Marty Burlsworth Discusses the Upcoming 2021 Brandon Pig Trail Nation / Jun 1, 2021 / 04:30 PM CDT. choose Christ at a young age and you will always be a winner in Christ's eyes; excelling at a sport is fine as . Thats pretty tough. And he justdominatedon the field didnt matter if he was on defense or offense. Marty Burlsworth, in the aftermath of Brandon's death, suffers a crisis of conscience that questions his . Cindi Hagood is our Program Director of the Eyes of a Champion program. She is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the foundation and has been with the BBF since 2010. But I didnt have that natural talent. We didnt expect Brandon to go real high, and we had been told that he wouldnt. They put it in more of a condensed form which is the way filmmaking generally always happens. I mean everybody knew. The Passion of the Christ actor talks about the challenges of playing iconic roles and why good movies arent always family-friendly. But he had his priorities right. 2022 by BBF. Marty Burlsworth, Chairman/CEO and founder of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, is a resident of Harrison, Arkansas. | But as good as he was, Brandon was also a late bloomer he was only 17 his senior year and he was still a little undersized for college ball. Harrison, Arkansas, is about as small town as it gets. For the next three years, Brandon started for the Razorbacks. [W]e went back to church services and I had a friend[who] was going to lead a song or two and he started out with [a song saying] God is good and you know God is so good to me and Im thinking man, I cannot believe youre singing that with me in the buildingthats where my mind was then. They couldnt give us any assurances that there wouldnt be a lot of Hollywood going into it. The Vols blocked a kick in that game and the football was picked up by linebacker Al Wilson, who started racing down the right sideline a good 40 yards down the sideline. The mindset, which is inspired by former student Brandon Burlsworth, is all about doing things "the best you can," high school football coach Tommy Tice told "GMA.". I was 16 years older than Brandon, so I was already out of the house, married and raising my own boys by the time he was of any age. Just give us a call at 870-741-5111 . During his first year, he faced a delay in earning his eligibility and worked hard to transform his 300lb chubby physique into a moderate 260lb body.
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