Bison Square was decorated with spectacular lights, numerous TV screens, refreshments and a red carpet on Monday night to introduce My Many Sons, a film based upon the life of legendary Lipscomb basketball coach Don Meyer.
The film highlights the life of the coach (1975-1999) and follows his journey as he overcomes numerous obstacles in his life, such as how he survived a terrible car accident that caused him to be wheelchair bound for the rest of his life and overcoming cancer. Meyer won the Jimmy V (Jim Valvano) ESPY Award For Perseverance in 2009.
However, this crisis did not stop him from perhaps becoming the winningest coach in NCAA basketball history at one time.
Mark McGee, senior publisher/media relations director with Athletics, made an appearance in the movie as well, playing the role of Chuck Ross.
Ross is known as being the “biggest Bison fan of all time” and is remembered for his legendary school spirit and enthusiasm.
McGee auditioned for the role over the phone and got the part the next day. He was inspired to audition for the film because of his close friendship with Coach Meyer that began his freshman year of college when he took Meyer’s P.E. class.
“It was a fun experience,” McGee said of the film. “I did two days of filming for eight hours a day at West End Middle School.”
Overall, McGee said he had such a positive experience shooting the film that he hopes to extend his movie career one day.
McGee knew Ross personally, so he said it was an easy transition playing the role.
“Chuck used to call us a lot, so after a while I got his voice down,” McGee said. “I knew Chuck for so long that I knew his mannerisms, and people even told me I walked just like him. He was hilarious, and I loved joking around with him.”
McGee covered the basketball games for the school paper in college because everyone else was “scared” of Coach Meyer. McGee even got the opportunity to cover the NAIA tournament in 1986 when the Bisons wons the national championship.
“I really thought a lot of Coach Meyer and loved working with him,” McGee said.
The movie features Judge Reinhold as Coach Meyer, Amy Kay Raymond as Meyer’s wife, Pfeifer Brown as Meyer’s daughter Brittney, Taylor Bugos as his daughter Brooke and Casey Bond as his son Jerry.
Bond, a Lipscomb alumnus and former Bison baseball player, produced the movie along with Brad Wilson.
The film will be released on DVD in Wal-Mart stores, on Amazon.com on Tuesday, October 4, 2016.