Beyond the Gridiron: Petoskey Film Producer David Crouse Focuses on Woody Hayes

Sept. 15, 2004

Petoskey film producer David Crouse is right on target for the new wave of interest in documentary films. With past projects including films on Newt Gingrich, inspiratio writer Norman Vincent Peale, Christian author C.S. Lewis, and the effects of the world economy on a small industrial town in the Midwest, Crouse has created an unpredictable portfolio of award-winning films which have been aired on PBS, A and the Discovery Channel, among others.
In his latest project, Crouse has teamed up with Chip Duncan of Duncan Entertainment to produce a new one hour public television documentary called “Beyond the Gridiron: The Life and Times of Woody Hayes.” The documentary will air on PBS affiliates nationwide this fall.
The film is the first in-depth television biography ever produced on Woody Hayes. The Crooked Tree Arts Center in Petoskey will present a showing of the film on Friday, September 24 at 8 p.m. CMU Public Television will air the documentary on Sunday, September 26 at 5 p.m. and will rebroadcast it on Tuesday, September 28 at 10 p.m. (CMU Public Television airs in Petoskey on Channel 6.)

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Considered one of the greatest football coaches of the 20th century – and a thorn in the side of Michigan fans – Hayes was a study in contrast. Hard-nosed, demanding, often ill tempered on the sidelines, the film shows that Hayes was genuinely concerned about the young men in his care. He was a mentor. Many players attribute their present success in life to Hayes’ strong influence.
Hayes enjoyed a long and acclaimed career as the head football coach of the Ohio State University Buckeyes. This biographical account provides an in-depth look at Hayes’ life on and off the field, as well as the times by which Woody Hayes was influenced.
From 1951-1978, the football stadium at Ohio State University was ruled by a man whom critics and fans alike called “the most colorful, charismatic, nonconformist, controversial coach in college football.” Coach Hayes was a man who appeared to many fans and national television audiences as despotic, demeaning and combative.
The show features interviews with current OSU head football coach Jim Tressel, golfing legend and OSU alumnus Jack Nicklaus, two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin of Ohio State, and former players Greg Lashutka, Rex Kern, Daryl Sanders, and Alan Natali, author of Woody’s Boys.

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Also interviewed was former Michigan head football coach Bo Schembechler. Bo played for Woody at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and then became an assistant coach for Hayes, first at Miami of Ohio then at Ohio State. When Bo was named head football coach at Michigan in 1969 it began what many would call the greatest rivalry in college football.
Hayes and Schembechler bounced back and forth in a series of games that would determine national champions and Rose Bowl appearances. Four times during the first six years of their rivalry, both teams were ranked in the nation’s top five when they met. While fierce competitors on the field they were very close friends off the field.
According to ESPN, Ohio State vs. Michigan is the “greatest sports rivalry in the history of any sport during the 20th century.”
“Beyond the Gridiron: The Life and Times of Woody Hayes” was recognized at this year’s New York Film Festival, winning a Bronze Medal in the biography category. In June the documentary also won two regional Emmys for “Best Sports Program” and “Best Musical Score.” David Barrett, composer of the music for the documentary, is a Michigan resident and lives within several blocks of the Big House in Ann Arbor.
The film also won a Telly Award at their annual awards ceremony as “Best Documentary for a Television or Cable Program” in 2003.
At the Crooked Tree Arts Center showing, Crouse will discuss his experiences with filming the documentary. There is no charge for this event. The Crooked Tree Arts Center is located in downtown Petoskey at 461 E. Mitchell Street. For more information, contact the arts center at 231-347-4337 or visit www.crookedtree.org. Information on the film is available at
www.CrouseEntertainment.com.