It is located about three miles east of Pahokee, on Muck City Road, in a former migrant worker facility, surrounded by sugar cane fields. Having learned from that collaboration, theyve followed up with a doc that also has deeply personal meaning to Ira. RavensPatriots (1982) . "I'll be there. The film travels into the locker room to capture a speech from Alvin Dean, McKinley's nephew and Bridgett's brother, who says growing up football was all he had. The school was informed Thursday that . NFL . Rabbit hunting as running training for would-be football players. Craig is the digital content producer for Independent Lens, based in San Francisco. Very big." The Blue Devils got close in 1976, with a team that included New Orleans Saints All . Still, the film finds ways to highlight successes. Thats what holds everyone together. Also, to not underestimate towns like Pahokee. Bhawin: Ira gave me the book Muck City [Winning and Losing in Footballs Forgotten Town]. Now you see three documentaries released this year that have woven Zora Neale Hurstons history, which is amazing because its so overdue. (Jason Beede) The 6-foot-3, 230-pound edge rusher was hosted by Miami native Divaad Wilson, who attended the . For someone who doesnt understand the importance of how a local sports team could provide so much to the community, what does football mean to Pahokee? NFL . Bergman stayed in Casablanca. But Blountstown prevailed 12-0, and the citizens of tiny Pahokee (population, according to Thompson, "barely 5,000, counting the babies") yearned ever since for another chance. So they chase rabbits. "They had to warm up to us. Unemployment exceeds 25%. We had to do it through crowdfunding and all this other stuff. One of the most influential figures in Pahokee football history, Donald Thompson died on Monday. They were selling drugs. Thats why Im here. Boldin has earned scholarship offers from some of America's most prestigious universities. When Ira was down there doing all that preliminary research, he had already known about this aspect of the town. Ira McKinley, whose family hails from Pahokee, is a formerly incarcerated activist-turned-filmmaker who first connected with filmmaker Bhawin Suchak for the powerful, personal film The Throwaways, in Albany, New York. The pair were so captured by the Blue Devils and the teams community that McKinley relentlessly scraped together resources to return with film crew in tow multiple times. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. Our No. The years of.. News video on One News Page on Wednesday, 1 February 2023 I didnt want to make another feature doc, to be honest with you [laughs], but I was convinced because Ira had a really incredible story. Dan Calloway, a South Florida Youth Sports organizer, who trained hundreds of players in Belle Glade, Pahokee and . Rather than see it as this relic of the past or something hokey, its really critical and important, especially in todays world. The Hawthorne Hornets (9-0) defeated the Pahokee Blue Devils (8-2) Friday night in the Region 4-1A championship, with a final score of 51-12. Its a country town, and dem boys are country with different aspects, but they survive. When I came back, he was grown [with] kids. I spent some weeks with the fam. But in the end, teams fate wound up on "Outta the Muck" 's cutting room floor. This was in September in Florida. High School: Pahokee (FL) Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: February 5, 2010 Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: August 7, 2010 Presenter: Tom Benson, New Orleans Saints Owner/President. Bhawin: Theres also documentaries coming out that in some form weave in the story of Zora Neal Hurston, which has really not been told in a broad scope. The way Alvin mentored and cared about these young men was important to showthat masculinity can be expressed in many different ways. It was a chance to tell that story. K. E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary School, 37000 Main Street, Canal Point (grades K5). Boldin currently has a 3.9 GPA. Boldin said he's not nervous about what's coming next. These are the barriers weve got to break down. Ira: Stories have been told [about Pahokee] throughout [its] 100 years of history, with Hurston, and Harvest of Shame. And many return, like the NFL stars who founded Muck Tavern, or those who visit when its comes time for the nationally known high school Muck Bowl played against rivals from Belle Glade. The Shepherd's School, 1800 Bacom Point Road, a Christian school (grades K12). I left Florida in 79 and 80 and went back in 2015. Filmmakers have once again ventured to The Glades. He told me about his familys history, the hurricanes, Zora Neale Hurston [who wrote her important novel. All they told me how many doors it would open if I got a degree from there in engineering, so I just knew it was the place to go," he said. "This is a football community," Thompson said. Home. Twice as big. Ira: We are trying to do a workshop right now for youth media [in Pahokee], and the pushback we get on trying to do it is crazy. This time, Tom caught Jerry. Stretch Film Division. They canceled everything after talking all this mess on social media. The decision began a career trajectory that eventually resulted in Rickey's selection to the Pro . People are drawn to them because they care really deeply about each other, the town, and the history because theyve been there for seven generations. NFL . PAHOKEE, Fla. . Hes just with his family and those boys on the football team. That was canceled [laughs]. The city was severely affected, as were the other communities to the south of the lake, by the 1928 Okeechobee hurricane. In 1939, the Federal Writers' Project guide said of Pahokee: "From Christmas until April, Pahokee is a 24-hour town; long trains of refrigerated cars roll out for northern markets day and night." Pahokee edge rusher DeeJay Holmes made an official visit to UCF this past weekend. Emilee Smarr is the high school sports reporter for the Palm Beach Post. Outta the Muck is about his family in Pahokee and Black achievement in an area beset by hurricane disasters, poverty, and personal trauma. Players were carted off the field into ambulances left and right in the game that took over four hours to finish. [8], Pahokee was incorporated in 1922. February 23, 2023 Naji Tobias New Era Prep Staff Writer They rescinded their request as the sheriff's office appealed to the public for help with the investigation. Ira McKinley: The book Muck City. Allowing them to grow into who they are and not judge them, and not demonize them. In the 1930s, it was known as the "Winter Vegetable Capital of the World".[11]. Thats what is powerful about the role that football plays in the community. Zora Neale Hurston talked about it in a different aspect of history and perseverance. Outta the Muck makes its broadcast debut on Independent Lens at 10 p.m. We had all these things they dont even have anymore. Part of what Ira and I are trying to do is use my resources through Youth FX, to bring training to young people to be able to tell their own stories without folks like us coming down there. Hes going down there trying to help educate people and bring this history to the town, but its hard because theres a lot of structural issues there. "The J.V. There was a book called Muck City that came out. Didn't find what you were looking for on Hulu? Hall of Famers, Pro Bowlers, MVPs, Player Linker Tool . On December 18, 2009, Damien Cave, Miami Bureau Chief of the New York Times, wrote an article describing Pahokee's economic plight and the town's hopes that a new marina project might help rejuvenate business. There are other kids, you know, people I havent met. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Ex-Pahokee athlete identified as victim of fatal Muck Bowl party shooting, Former FSU recruit was a top athlete in football, track and field, Gunfire erupts at large gathering after Pahokee football Muck Bowl victory, Three people shot, wounded during 'huge' block party in Pahokee after Muck Bowl, Man shot in Pahokee after annual Muck Bowl football game dies, sheriff's office says, Ex-Pahokee athlete identified as victim of fatal Muck Bowl party shooting. Sorry, an error occurred during subscription. You don't have access to all those things that the people in West Palm have, which is still the same county, and so you have to learn how to survive," Suchak said. People have to really support each other, and everyone looks out for each other and cares about each other. This is something we have been looking forward to for so long. Youll see people sharing their catch, or sharing the rabbits and the fruits and vegetables. My mother and father met in that town and used to date up there. [9] The name "Pahokee" means "grassy waters" in the Creek language. The muck has always been about survival. "He had the biggest stack of rabbits of anybody. "The thing that stood out the most about Georgetown is that the coaches expressed how bad they needed me and how bad they wanted me. "But when you feel it in your heart, it means a whole heap. Its just not what were used to, growing up in the big cities. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Then the next year, when we were in production, which was 2016, they [the Pahokee football team] were undefeated. You can change your choices at any time by visiting your privacy controls. The result is an 80-minute documentary, Outta the Muck, that is making rounds on the independent film circuit and is airing on local PBS stations during Black History Month. If it werent for Pahokee, there would be no me. Were going into this tropical climate, and New Jersey is thinking theyre going to come and play these guys in their hometown and not train. . . [37] It ceased issuing new material in 2016. I went and researched. When Ira was down there doing all that preliminary research, he had already known about this aspect of the town. Weve made a lot of these stories invisible and marginalized as if they were irrelevant. The decision did not go down well in Pahokee. We went there in 2015, and we saw the excitement. Johnson's death was the second homicide this year involving a former Pahokee athlete. I had the story, but Bhawin and his people from Youth FX were the ones that came and documented the story. "Outta the Muck" features longtime Pahokee residents seeking to dispel what they call media-driven narratives that make their home sound like a scary and violent place, while overlooking the communitys hospitality where residents welcome visitors with homecooked meals and families gather for barbecues. So I never actually lived in Pahokee. Johnson was a four-star football recruit who signed with Florida State University in February 2010. We worked on a film called The Throwaways that we released in 2014. Walter Boldin. To me, that is one of the biggest misconceptions. In Belle Glade and Pahokee, football is not just a game. But there was money coming through there, and then migrant workers were no longer as involved because [farms] went from using labor to using machines. That became the core element, even in playing the title, Outta the Muck, as a double meaning. The racial makeup of the city was 25.21% White[40] 56.06% African American, 0.10% Native American, 0.50% Asian, 15.20% from other races, and 2.92% from two or more races. They completely disagreed it was almost like they got set up," Suchak said. "The other schools that were interested were West Kentucky, Western Michigan, Eastern Kentucky, Old Dominion, Brown, Darthmouth, and Yale," he said. Pahokee exemplifies what it looks like for a community to look out for each other and build community because thats what they have. Thompson's answer to the madness was simple. Thats what started it all. Ira: Bhawin has another organization hes running, Im trying to do my own thing, and we dont have the resources. The median income for a household in the city was $26,731, and the median income for a family was $26,265. . Fla. towns", "Worth Watching. "It don't seem through speaking about it that it means so much," Butler said. Bhawin has another organization hes running, Im trying to do my own thing, and we dont have the resources. Bhawin, you spent so much time meeting the people of Pahokee. Volunteer Help the coach manage this team. Yeah, Im very excited because this is such a powerful story that comes at a perfect time in this countrys history. I can't think of anything better that has ever happened to this town.". Gray's mother was not harmed. Ira and I, this is our second film working together. $3K reward offered in block party shooting that killed former Pahokee football star. Bhawin Suchak: I think the process of making a documentary feature is a long one that includes a lot of development and research work before you actually start producing. You can change your choices at any time by visiting your privacy controls. This is a story of what has been happening for centuries there. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.4 square miles (14km2), all land. We are trying to do a workshop right now for youth media [in Pahokee], and the pushback we get on trying to do it is crazy. Lots of history if it's a town", "Pahokee Florida Profile and Resource Guide, City or community of Pahokee, Florida Facts, Information, Relocation, Real Estate, Advertising", "In Pahokee, football serves as a way out", "Storm Victims Filthy Black From Muck Water; Cabins Floating Coffins", "Dissolution talk once again a song on the jukebox in Pahokee", "K. E. Cunningham/Canal Point Elementary School", "A Town's Hopes (and Doubts) Ride on a New Marina", "Rick Scott Showcases Rural Road Improvements in Palm Beach County", "Legend of the Rabbits (ESPN Story) - YouTube", "[365Voice] Muck City Adidas "Chasing Rabbits" Commercial - YouTube", "The Sundance Film Festival is putting Pahokee on the moviemaking map", "Novelist James Patterson chronicles ups and downs in impoverished So. And we just had to figure it out. TWEET. They went to Miami University to train with the AC and all this other stuff. I know thats my roots. Watch: Award-Winning 'The Rabbit Hunt' Short from Patrick Bresnan", "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990", "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades", "Reidel Anthony NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Anquan Boldin NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Rickey Jackson NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Eric Moore Past Stats, Statistics, History, and Awards - databaseFootball.com", "Alphonso Smith NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Antone Smith NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", "Fred Taylor NFL & AFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pahokee,_Florida&oldid=1141962336, Pahokee Elementary School, 560 East Main Place (grades pre-K5). Or write about sports? He doesnt go out. Taxable property values dropped from about $99 million in 2007 to $66 million in 2014. Pahokee football player heading to Georgetown University, Buc-ees to open third location in Florida, Kodak Black learns hell get drug treatment program, then gets Jolly Rancher, Hobe Sound surfer describes bloody mess after being bitten by shark, Missing Port St. Lucie man, 73, found safe on I-95 in Martin County, 3 men arrested in fatal shooting in November, Agents work to combat uptick in migrant smuggling, PBSO: Man arrested in fatal shooting during family gathering, DeSantis launches new book, ratcheting up 2024 speculation. [16], Adjacent to the former hospital, at 230 S. Barfield Highway, is Glades Health Care Center, a 120-bed skilled nursing facility, with about 70 full-time employees.[17]. Pahokee shop teacher Bert Ward said that was how defensive back Mike James, the hero of the Blue Devils' Saturday victory with two interceptions and a punt return that set up three fourth-quarter touchdowns, developed his flash. The shooting occurred about a mile and a half southwest of Pahokee High School, where earlier that night the school's football team had defeated Glades Central in an annual rivalry commonly referred to as the Muck Bowl. We have to come up with the story and the concept. Pahokee Football Roster 2022-23 Players (59) Staff (2) Do you have a team photo? Jan 12, 2017 at 2:52 pm. suggest it has been on the list continually since 1994. The median age was 26 years. As someone whos not from Pahokee, what do you believe is the biggest misconception about this community? In 2000, 72.78% of the population spoke only English at home, while those who spoke Spanish made up 26.65%, and those who spoke French Creole made up 0.56%. . Popular: Tom Brady, Cam Newton, Aaron Donald, Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers, Odell Beckham Jr., J.J. Watt, Peyton Manning, Patrick Mahomes, Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Ben Roethlisberger, Drew Brees, Todd Gurley . Ole Miss February Signing Day preview. The retired football player called Florida Secretary of the Lottery John Davis, a fellow Pahokee native and FSU football alum. Smith is one of three Pahokee players on the Demon Deacons' roster, including D.J. But even in the community, you couldnt find people who know who Zora Neal Hurston is, and the kids dont read her books. Football is big. Others want to try to play football. Enrollment: 857 (2015). To us, that was funny. Pahokee High School is best known for its football program that consistently ranks among the state's best. Enrollment is 68% black, 39% Hispanic, 2% white, 1% other. Theres got to be more hope for the youth and others than playing football. Thats Bridget. The years of hard work, on and off the field . Pahokee football player heading to Georgetown University. Before the machines came, you had people cutting the [sugar] cane. We, Yahoo, are part of the Yahoo family of brands. In 2008, when he was 16-years-old, Felton Jr. was charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery in the death of Pahokee football player Norman "Pooh" Griffith. I think this film shows you that while football is, at this point, a very high-level sport, and theres a lot of money involved when you look at it from the community perspective, its also a place for people to come together and build unity. Find out more about how we use your information in our privacy policy and cookie policy. We had to raise like $10,000 and Bhawins parents helped put money in. Enrollment: 106 (2016). Thats what started it all. It was a different type of thing. It was Jim Crow. They were selling drugs. Stories have been told [about Pahokee] throughout [its] 100 years of history, with Hurston, and. Thats South Florida, bro. Outta the Muck | Official Trailer | Independent Lens | PBS, Today's tech news, curated and condensed for your inbox. Like these guys went through the season and they actually ended up winning the game," Suchak said. Ira Mckinley: While I was doing The Throwaways, things started popping up. Pahokee football player heading to Ivy League school: Today is National Signing Day. ), More on that Pahokee title loss:Dave George: State ruling doesnt erase Pahokees memorable season. If you're interested in British television programming, you'll find plenty of it on Hulu. "What's so incredible about this place, it's literally 40 miles west of West Palm and it's a completely different environment. My mother and father met in Pahokee. From Podcast to Doc: Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow on Their Reparation Collaboration, a formerly incarcerated activist-turned-filmmaker who first connected with filmmaker, , in Albany, New York. Theres another side to this story that you were not showing. All Alvin does is spend time with his kids and his family. I didnt want to just go in there and start filming. There are whole generations [there]. He passes that drive down to Alvin Jr. A child at the time of filming, Alvin Jr. is now a freshman cornerback at West Liberty University in West Virginia. His parents met in Pahokee, though he was born and grew up states, if not worlds away. Its no secret ESPN provides some of the best sports coverage on the planet, and its ESPN+ streaming service is an extension of that. Pahokee is located at 264929N 803935W / 26.82472N 80.65972W / 26.82472; -80.65972 (26.824717, 80.659660).[38]. Bridget said, Well give you the shirt off our back. The last time I was in that area was when we buried my father. I was interested in doing a film that wasnt just about a social issue from a more traditional standpoint, but about showing you something you may have never seen before when it comes to a community like Pahokee. 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