As a former college player, coach and parent of a college player, I tend to be hyper picky about the details in any portrayal of basketball on screen.
Within the constraints of its budget, My Many Sons did well on that count. Getting permission to film on the Lipscomb and Northern campuses helped it feel genuine. The screenplay, though, seemed like a collection of people's favorite Don Meyer stories, rather than a truly cohesive plot. In being honest enough to show his negatives the film makers also came dangerously close to not making Meyer a likable character.
I had the chance to coach against Meyer in Nashville when the Bison were at the peak of their powers, bringing in a small Christian college from out of state that had no real chance to win, but accepted an invite to their tournament because we had some big time alums in Tennessee. Conversing with Don was enjoyable. I got why he won, brought a million kids to his camps and sold tons of his videotapes. But he had a little con running beneath the surface. We were standing outdoors, the skyscrapers of downtown Nashville visible and he insisted he was nothing but a good old country boy who could never hack it in California. đ
The absolute autocrat shown I the movie seemed a little more humble in real life. After we played Lipscomb in the first round and, as expected, got thumped, I asked him if I could observe their shoot around the next day. At one point, he began correcting a player's mistake as they ran through a play, but an assistant coach interrupted, saying "Coach, remember we changed that last week." He thought for a second and said "Yeah, you're right. Sorry, Joe."
My Many Sons was, in the end, worth watching but could've benefitted from smoother development of the main character.
