By Coolero Brown, Rez Metal Magazine
August 6, 2025

Because the truth is, Jim Thorpe’s life wasn’t just about wins and medals. It was about hard work, setbacks, and comebacks. Born in 1887, Thorpe dominated the 1912 Olympics in both the decathlon and pentathlon, then went on to play professional football, baseball, and basketball — something almost unheard of even today. He also served as the first president of the American Professional Football Association, which later became the NFL.

What the Series Needs to Nail

A story like this deserves more than a polished, safe portrayal. Thorpe didn’t coast through life — he got knocked down more than once, had his medals taken away, got benched, underestimated, and had to keep coming back. That’s not a sob story — that’s grit.

If Thorpe captures that, it could be one of the rawest and most inspiring sports series ever made.

 

So here’s the hope: this series doesn’t waste time turning into a lecture or a therapy session. People don’t need another show about being a victim — they want to see a story about a man who went through hell and either made it out or didn’t. That’s the story of life. You hit hurdles. You get bruised. And then it’s on you — not some system — to get back up.

If Thorpe captures that, it could be one of the rawest and most inspiring sports series ever made.

What We Know So Far

  • Title: “Thorpe”
  • Format: Original scripted series (likely streaming, platform TBA)
  • The promo shows a player in a vintage football uniform, suggesting serious attention to historical detail
  • No release date yet, but production is in motion

Final Word

Thorpe’s life has all the makings of a gripping drama: domination, controversy, comebacks, and legacy. Let’s just hope the filmmakers lean into the struggle without sugarcoating it or overcomplicating it. No excuses, no preaching — just a real story about a man who went further than almost anyone else in history, and what it cost him.

Let’s hope for 2 things:

  1. They cast an actual Indigenous person as the main character (you know who I mean).
  2. Keep Wokeism and DEI nonsense out of this series. (Sigh, I’m already worried that there gonna stick black and /or gay characters in it.) Better Don’t!

Rez Metal Magazine will be watching this one closely. If done right, Thorpe could be the kind of story that leaves a mark.