In some sports documentaries, there is a moment when viewers wonder if they had taken Gatorade. The fast cuts, rising music, body injuries and psychological pains, triumphant moments and tears on the podium all conspire to touch our feelings.
In Sarah Dowland’s film “Sue Bird: In the Clutch,” this time for reflection comes up as her agent appears for an interview on camera (which happens to be one of its executive producers too). Agent Lindsay Kagawa Colas does indeed know quite a bit about Bird and even more about how women athletes’ marketing has evolved over the years. She also knows that optics matter – it’s irritating that such a blatantly biased cheerleader can be included as a source. (Another red flag: NBA Entertainment was involved in producing this documentary.)
However, interviews with UConn Coach Geno Auriemma, point guard Stephen Curry and parents Nancy and Herschel Bird offer different insights into who she is as a person. This may seem obvious but it makes the movie less packaged. Her highlights are among the best playing one of the most exciting cerebral positions in game while having five Olympic gold medals and four WNBA championships, two NCAA titles and much more.
Beginning from her teenage years in Long Island through her 21-year run with Seattle Storm and being on five winning Olympic teams, Bird often kept cool under pressure; focused her teammates; and pulled off plays like those celebrated by this movie’s title. At times these were three pointers from deep behind the arc or stunning passes to teammates. There is another sign that says “Sue Dishes, Lauren Swishes” referring to past superstar Lauren Jackson of Storm. Both players contributed significantly to team’s first two WNBA championships.
Theoretically speaking, the film follows Bird during her last professional season. When 2021 ended at Climate Pledge Arena fans chanted “One more year! One more year!” Their prayer is answered. The bookend of that post-season game and her 2022 swan song include multiple interviews with No. 10, as well as stories about Bird’s childhood in Long Island, Auriemma’s UConn Huskies, being drafted by Storm and playing 1 WNBA off-seasons in Russia with Diana Taurasi (that doc can’t happen anyway). There is also an interesting story on how Bird met Megan Rapinoe, a soccer star during the 2016 Olympics in Brazil.
Still, this documentary sticks to Bird rather than Rapinoe. In her turn for the camera interviewee Rapinoe tells how she helped her more introverted partner get into the spirit of her final season by openly enjoying it while saying goodbye to her fans. Together they have used their platforms to advocate for social justice.
Bird was a major part of the “Say Her Name” campaign by the league that dealt with bias after Breonna Taylor’s death by the police. Over WNBA history, Bird and Rapinoe’s relationship is accepted as a matter of course in ways that would be unimaginable at its founding. In describing what the league did to its players’ personal lives and early public personalities in relation to society, women’s basketball analyst and former star Rebecca Lobo points to the societal struggles over gender, sexuality, and equality.
Even though “In the Clutch” might look like a career homage, it is a representation of how sports business has changed, especially for female sports. Last year’s “Unfinished Business” documentary by Alison Klayman may not have sparkled as much but was more compelling since it dwelt on the origin of WNBA through New York Liberty the team which serves as its flagship. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert adds in Sue Bird doc that she was very helpful during the period when WNBA had an 8-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with players that started last year.
At the end of this movie, there is another chant from fans. This time it could momentarily confuse viewers in a similar manner as with main actress whether they are saying “Thank You Sue! Thank You Sue!” because they want her to play next season or not. The acknowledgment was given back by Bird herself. For one thing, however any fan who loved her hope thinks bird. “Sue Bird: In the clutch”, but this feature length film feels also like an omen both eminent and farewell all rolled up into one.
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