Faith and family they meant everything to Brandon. I know it was hard. It was just one of those things when its time, its time. We had to have the funeral at the high school gym. Not that it got him very far initially. That game was, in a way, a symbol for the highest highs, the lowest lows and the unforeseen. Bob is optimistic about the real estate market in Harrison and is looking forward to meeting the real estate needs of the clients and customers in the area in and surrounding Harrison. Burlsworth attended Harrison High School where he was an All-State selection. His screenplay grew out of the book Through the Eyes of a Champion: The Brandon Burlsworth Story, by Jeff Kinley. Majority of the time she will join him for school appearances. "It was a struggle similar to Brandon's struggle to play college football," Marty Burlsworth said. or school. ", Trouble was, every time he asked "what input would the family have" in how the story was told, he got the same answer: "None.". He joined the team as a walk-on and eventually became an All-American . 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. Brandon was also the first Arkansas football player to complete his Masters Degree before playing his final college football game. He was the kind of guy that we would have plugged in our offensive line for 10-plus years, said then-Colts general manager Bill Polian. He is a permanent deacon in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. Greater than my limited understanding of the painful search for meaning every time a life ends so young. Brandons short-lived career involved true honor and character, and thanks to the new film, his legacy will go further and live on as a model for others. (as David Hunt) (directed by) Writing Credits Cast (in credits order) complete, awaiting verification Produced by Music by Stephen Endelman . Its unreal. But, you know, how would you make it where it wasnt basically depressing. Hed call me or Id call him and we would talk about what practice was like that day. Greater uses Marty to critique misguided or deficient forms of faith prior to Brandons death. 77), who was killed in a car accident days after being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in 1999. By his senior year, Brandon was an all-conference and all-state player and played in the states All-Star Game. But I knew we still needed a scholarship. 131 | NO. Theres no explanation for it. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. Surely, he reasons, God will be merciful; Marty would be, and he cant be more merciful than God. Yeah, lets go buy some Colts stuff.. Over the next two years he reformed his body to become more muscular and went back to a 300lb physique. Brandon Burlsworth was born on September 20, 1976, in Harrison, Arkansas. His jersey #77 was retired at the University of Arkansas as a gesture of honoring his memory. Only 30 of 175 dioceses ordained an average number of priests at or above replacement level over the five years from 2016 to 2021, according to the report. News. The phones calls started coming right after that. His high school coaches couldnt believe his size when he came back for his junior season. He spent his first season of high school football as a sophomore on the sidelines. In 2001, "Eyes of a Champion, the Brandon Burlsworth Story" by Jeff Kinley was released. Now, I was taking calls from the same stations about Brandons death.. Marty and Vickie have three sons, two daughters in law, an adorable granddaughter Blake, and a precious grandson, Carter. 2018 Burlsworth & Associates Real Estate in Harrison, AR He wasthatgood. He said he wanted to hold football camps and bring kids to his NFL games. So because you and your close ones felt like this story could be a film, did you make that known and/or start looking for filmmakers to bring it to life? Give a Gift SubscriptionBless friends, family or clergy with a gift of the Register. podcast interviews Marty and Vickie both have recorded multiple interviews on podcasts across the nation. Neal McDonough (L) plays Marty Burlsworth in 'Greater' (Hammond Entertainment). As the tagline proclaims, Greater tells the incredible true story of dreamer Brandon Burlsworth who set his mind to joining the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and through great effort and commitment, accomplished just that. As far as Brandon goes and reliving everything- through his foundation weve always kept his memory alive and his example out there for kids ever since his accident. Bob has worked in the business community for many years, but his love for working with kids brought him into a teaching career where he is also a teacher in the Mt. Vickie's love for children is hard to escape. So you didnt know if that was going to happen but that wasnt really the main [concern]. Because we dont want to be there- that close- to some scenes thatll be tough to watch even being filmed. And Ill get a photo of you in your uniform. The odds were against him and nobody was looking his way. Even after away games, when the Razorbacks returned to Fayetteville late at . Neal McDonough does an outstanding job as Marty Burlsworth. Brandon Burlsworth bulked himself up to 300 lbs to be an offensive guard and by his sophomore season in 1996, he had earned a scholarship and a starting position at right guard on the offensive line. Two buses of Razorbacks players arrived. One, told in flashback, is a familiar, uplifting Rudy-like arc of an unpromising underdog who makes good despite enormous obstacles. Burlsworth was selected in the 3rd round of the 1999 NFL draft by the Indianapolis Colts but he was killed eleven days later in a car accident near Alpena, Arkansas on April 28, 1999. Everybody knew. Our parents divorced when Brandon was just two years old. Brandon did not get married before he passed away when he was only twenty-two years old. Marty speaks nationwide on developing character and overcoming adversity. Greater has three surprises, which is three more than most faith-based films, particularly of the inspirational sports-movie variety. And I was equally impressed with Missy, his wife [They] live in Fayetteville and they drove over to Harris to meet with us and she said Whatever he sets his mind to, he gets done that resonates with me because that was like Brandon. He slept either in his little room at his mother's house or at his brother Marty's, to be close to his three nephews. Greater is a very emotional movie and it deals with figuring out your faith in times of grief and loss. It was 2005 and the . 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. Burlsworth, 22, died 10 days after his selection on April 28, 1999, in a car crash in Arkansas. That's what Brandon did. Marty Burlsworth hasn't provided a bio yet. She enjoys singing on the worship team at church, riding motorcycles with her husband, photography, and scrapbooking. He went to Harrison High School and graduated from there. Caveat Spectator: Football roughness; some language; some thematic elements including alcoholism and religious questioning. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. I opened the door to Moms house and she was in a state. Greaters response to the problem of evil, to disbelief and nihilism, is not an argument, but an action: a choice to trust. There are about 11,000 people in town and one unspoken rule: If it's Friday night, you're going to the Harrison High football game. Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth was an American football player who played for the Arkansas Razorbacks as an offensive lineman between 1995 and 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. The 22-year-old, drafted 11 days earlier by the NFL's Indianapolis Colts, was headed home to take his mother to church. Brandon, the officer told us, had collided head-on with a semi. Not early or easily when it came to football, but eventually and powerfully. So when Brandon got it in his mind that he was going to be a Razorback, I was all in. Some of his teammates have since told me how red his face would be during practice, how hard he went, how he never gave up. "We want Brandon's message out there. Marty Leo Burlsworth (age 62) is listed at 3775 Savannah Drive Harrison, Ar 72601 and is affiliated with the Optional Party. He put on weight before enrolling at Arkansas, but it was a bad 40 or so pounds that he eventually had to melt before. She has 3 sons, Marty, Grady and the late Brandon Burlsworth. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission, or unlicensed commercial use or | Burlsworth was selected to be of the team captains by his junior season in 1997 for the University of Arkansas. And then we were approached 11 years ago by Brian Reindl whos the producer- who had no experience in the filmmaking industry at all but had a passion for it. The foundation, which symbolizes his ethics and values, works for the benefit of needy children and provides them with physical as well as spiritual support, something Brandon was known for. 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. 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 2022 by BBF. In the film, we see a lot of moments where the Marty character is learning from the persistence and drive of Brandon. A coda sums up the impact of Brandons life: the programs, scholarships and so forth established in his name. I kept track of how many might be left for Brandon.O.K., they gave one to that boy, thats 12 so far. barbaraann@burlsworth.com. Boy, did he have the size and did he have the skills. interested in booking Marty for your event? Dang, Marty, what have you been feedin that boy?. Brandon's passionate yet painful faith story is now captured in a film called "Greater" which is inspired by the book written about the life of number 77. On the way there, Burlsworth died an unthinkable death that shook the entire state. Id do anything I could for him. If you followed the SEC back then, you may remember the Brandon Burlsworth story. is 61 years old today because Marty's birthday is on 11/13/1960. Its what he leaned on to work as hard. Judea school district. He died instantly. His age is 36. Brandon was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the 63rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft. We wont be there. FAYETTEVILLE Marty Burlsworth remembers the day Brian Reindl came to Harrison to pitch his idea of making a movie about the life of Burlsworth's late brother, Brandon.. Second, while Brandons own faith never wavers, the film cross-examines Christian pieties and even faith itself to a greater degree than any other faith-based film I can think of. David Hunt, the movies director, also assisted with the screenplay. Unassuming, devout and a little dense, he never drinks, never swears and never takes anything personally. Marty Burlsworth Discusses the Upcoming 2021 Brandon Burlsworth Football Camps. This one painful scene is wiser than all the movies the Fireproof / Courageous people have made (including their football movie, Facing the Giants). The present-day strand follows preparations for Brandons funeral and Martys internal struggle with doubt and nihilism, a struggle movingly realized by McDonough. A couple of weeks before Brandon left for school, one of the Arkansas coaches called me. Now, more than ever, with the success of GREATER, he enjoys meeting the fans of his brother Brandon and encouraging others to. Bob Edmonson is a lifelong native of Harrison. And the first call I made was to the recruiting coordinator at Arkansas. Barbara Burlsworth has been in real estate since 1997. Cindi Hagood is our Program Director of the Eyes of a Champion program. Jessica Mendoza's greatest pride is her background. | There are few actors in Hollywood brave enough to wear their Catholic faith on . At that moment, we both felt so close to his dream coming true something that wasnt even a possibility for a boy who had been sitting on the sidelines just two years ago. A shepherd during his younger brother's life, he would become a keeper of his legacy as well. As Brandon and I were standing out there, the offensive linemen came out, running on the field with their helmets on. We first meet him as an overweight young couch potato (Ethan Waller) with apparent delusions of grandeur: Hes convinced hes going to attend the University of Arkansas and play for the Razorbacks. And every week he was right on time with his little white Subaru parked in Moms driveway. The drive would always take around an hour and a half but he never made it. But as it got later in the evening and Mom got more and more worked up, I hopped into my own car to head over and see if we could find out what had happened. That's not a boast. Eleven days later he passed on attending a Razorback ring presentation ceremony to drive to his hometown to take his mom to church. Becoming a Razorback As the title suggests, this is the story of the most successful walk-on in the history of college football at the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. It was my dream, too, and I sure worked hard at it. Small sins lead to big sins, and big sins bring about a terrible spiritual darkness. It was all over ESPN. I dont think anyone was at fault. "I wanted Brandon's story to be known. The story unfolds in two strands. The University of Arkansas awarded Marty the prestigious Honorary Alumni Award for his work with underprivileged children. Hes always taking a knee, and he crosses himself (a curious gesture, since from his funeral his family is clearly not Catholic). Brandon was so single-minded, so focused. He told the family, "We don't want to take Brandon's faith out of this movie.". 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. But I didnt have that natural talent. She started her career with Century 21 and then joined Jerry Jackson as he opened his office in 2001. As they chat, Searcy whittles a face on a block of wood, a symbolic quirk with a meaning made nearly explicit in a startling line. While the film might not give Burlsworth enough credit for what talent he did have no one goes from walk-on to All-American without some ability he did always seem to have a knack for doing what seemed impossible. The film covers the issues he had with his weight and his incredible work ethic that earned him a chance. By that point he was about six-foot-two, over 200 pounds and still growing. Although he never played a down in the NFL, he had impressed Mudd enough during mini-camp that the . By all accounts, Burlsworth spent his 22 years on this earth showing everyone in his orbit how to do faith, family and football right. Anything that wasnt right, wasnt real, wasnt what Brandon was about. But that summer Brandon had two things going for him: His work ethic and, luckily, a pretty big growth spurt. It took some time for his skill to catch up to his will, but along the way, he turned doubters into believers and a walk-on opportunity into a scholarship and All-American honors. Catholic actor Neal McDonough costars in a Rudy-like faith-based inspirational sports biopic that dares to explore doubt as well as belief. print and digital media outlets, dedicated to reporting the truth in light of the Gospel and the In the award's twelfth year, the Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, former University of Arkansas Walk . Brandon Burlsworth was born on September 20, 1976, in Harrison, Arkansas. A shepherd during his younger brother's life, he would become a keeper of his legacy as well. At present, through the Burls Kids program, the foundation works towards providing underprivileged youths a chance to visit Razorback and Colts football games. The brothers age difference is the basis for one of the movies running gags, Martys discomfort at being mistaken for Brandons father. Arkansas doesnt have a pro football team I dont even know if a pro team could survive here. I know hes working hard, but hell know and well know., Coach, mark it down. I was just so proud of him. Whether it was in Fayetteville, or in Knoxville or Tuscaloosa, we had an unspoken rule: We were going to Brandons games. What was your first thought when someone approached you about making Greater? In a movie like Gods Not Dead, disbelief is a straw-man villain that exists solely to be vanquished and humiliated by the righteous hero. When we got back home to Harrison, the day of the draft was just filled with anxiety. Sign up for 6 Free IssuesTry us out with a free trial subscription. At that point, Arkansas Razorback Coach, Houston Nutt started the phrase after his demise, "Do it the Burls Way". Greater, though, looks to something more than this: something greater than any loss or tragedy. It was just something that we thought of, you know. Burlsworth was too small (260 pounds) when he finished high school. The school was going to give Brandon a scholarship. Mom and I picked him up at the airport when he came home. And the only element bigger than excessive faculty soccer in Harrison or anywhere else . 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. 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. One of my sons, who was in my car with me, started asking what was wrong, what had happened. During Martys conversation with Searcy this metaphor is further developed; a pattern emerges that Marty cant appreciate without a higher perspective. 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. Marty Burlsworth, Chairman/CEO and founder of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, is a resident of Harrison, Arkansas. I mean everybody knew. Use tab to navigate through the menu items. Even when the coach is impressed with Brandons dedication, he isnt exactly nurturing: I cant think of another movie in which someone compares the hero to horse manure and its meant to be encouraging. choose Christ at a young age and you will always be a winner in Christ's eyes; excelling at a sport is fine as . But Id do anything for that kid. But almost every boy growing up in the state wants to be a Razorback. He could finally reap the rewards of everything he put into the game all the training, all the schooling, all the dedication, all the hard work. Opposing teams made game plans just to handle Brandon. It would take 11 years - with Reindl financing the independent production himself when other investors dried up - but in 2016, "Greater" hit the theaters. Now, at Arkansas and Indianapolis Burls Kids attend games for free. Brian Reindl, writer and producer of "Greater," said he loved the opportunity to tell such an incredible story in his first-ever production. Of course, he was my brother and you do anything for family, but things were a little tougher for him. Bob has been active in the community for many years from volunteer coaching youth sports activities such as soccer, baseball and basketball and also serving in a leadership capacity in community organizations and boards such as United Way, North Arkansas Soccer Association and the Bergman School Board. He wasnt as tall or as heavy as D-I colleges wanted him to be. Mr. Severio sounds like a guy that Brandon Burlsworth would have been proud to have depict him in a movie, as a selfless, hard-working, humble, self-deprecating character. Leslie Easterbrook plays Burlsworth's mother, Barbar. 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. Out of nowhere, Brandon knocks him out of bounds, Marty said. His final game with the team was in the 1999 Citrus Bowl. While others, including Marty's mother, Barbara, have accepted the loss and put their faith in God, Marty can not do that as he does not understand why God would take away his brother on the cusp of his stardom in the NFL. SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. Director Yelena Popovic discusses why this film had to be made. Brandon doesnt start out with all that promise. Official Sites Hell show up and everything will be fine.. He earned 1st team All-SEC honors in 1997 and 1998 and was selected for the 1998 College Football All-America Team. When the pandemic started, I guess we all needed to find hobbies to help us pass the time. For me, it was reading. But I remember going back to churchclose after the accident and after the death had settled a little bit. Marty Burlsworth Discusses Brandon Burlsworth's Nomination for the CFB Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Marty Burlsworth Discusses Brandon Burlsworth's Nomination for the CFB Hall of Fame Class of. He called to check in a couple of times. Greater than my previous knowledge of a young man's winding road from small-town walk-on to home-state hero. Holy Communion From the Chalice Reintroduced in the UK: What About the US? Surely God will hear Brandons prayer, if not his own; the prayer of a righteous man avails much, and if anyone is righteous, its Brandon. Not like my younger brother Brandon. But [the death was] not the ending. arkansas football. He loved football, Marty said. His No. In November 1998, the Razorbacks were 8-0, ranked 10th in the country, and playing at No. The play became known as the Stumble and Fumble, and Tennessee would go on to score the winning touchdown and eventually win the national championship at the end of the season. By Carl Kozlowski. He initially joined Arkansas Razorbacks as a walk-on but later he was handed an athletes scholarship and eventually became an all-American. you, Subscribe to The Daily
Harrison, Arkansas, United States. I dont even think he played one game. Brandon wanted to do more, though. We still dont really know what happened that afternoon. 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. It was composed and produced by Brian Reindl and David Hunt. Actor Chris Severio (left), who plays Brandon Burlsworth in the movie "Greater, " autographs Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2016, a movie poster for Mark Marinoni, 16, of . The struggles that he had gone through to get where he was were over. This life demanded a movie. View Marty Burlsworth's record in Harrison, AR including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Share. 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. If its difficult to describe the love for a brother, its impossible to explain the loss of a brother. But with no scholarship offer coming from Arkansas, Brandon bypassed offers from smaller schools and accepted the invitation to be a preferred walk-on at Arkansas. I want him here, buthellknow andwellknow., Coach, dont worry about it. I never used to worry before Brandon died. 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 .