Brian's Song: The bromance is back

Some of you are old enough to remember Brian's Song, the tear jerker starring James Caan as Brian Piccolo and Billy Dee Williams as Gale Sayers. The 1971 television movie based on Gale Sayer's memoir I Am Third made everyone weepy, even the guys, and that was back in the day when boys did not cry. Watch the trailer below and tell me you didn't feel it. That theme song, written by Michel LeGrand, really gives schmaltz a good name, doesn't it, with its stirring strings and tinkling piano? The slow mo of the two men running, and the voice over by Jack Warden in his role as Coach Halas of the Chicago Bears captures that period; they just don't make trailers like they used to! 

The movie is the story of the two Chicago Bear football players' deep friendship and affection for each other; it takes place in an era when black players and white players didn't normally socialize. The two men totally supported each other, with Piccolo coaxing Sayers through a difficult physical rehab, and heartbreakingly, Sayers being there for him when Piccolo became ill and ultimately died from cancer. 

So who better than Nicholas Sparks to produce another take on the original bromance? Sparks and his partner Theresa Park have acquired the rights to not only I Am Third but Sayers: My Life And Times as well plus the rights to his life story! Deadline reports that this is not a remake of Brian's Song, the emphasis is to be on their friendship when they were both starting out but I don't know how you make a film about this extraordinarily moving pair without going there. Nicholas Sparks won't pen the script - but will definitely oversee the number of tears per frame requirement - so I guess they're looking for a writer.