Let me wring out my handkerchief. Scratch that, let me wring out my bath towel because I could probably flood the house with my tears. This is by far my favorite Van Peebles role.
The Ricky Bell Story is amazing, heartwarming, precious, and sad. Ricky Bell, played by Mario Van Peebles, was an awesome running back out of USC. He was their stud right before Charles White and Marcus Allen. He got drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucs, had a couple of good seasons and went into a serious decline. Before his decline in Tampa Bay he befriended a handicapped boy named Ryan Blankenship, played by Lane Davis. It was a wonderful love filled relationship in which Ricky played the big brother most people wish they had. Ricky took to Lane and had the patience of Job dealing with him.
Eventually, Ricky was stricken with a muscular disease that significantly shortened his career and his life. Ricky died at the very young age of 29. It is sad to see any decent person die in the prime of their life, and it's even sadder when that person is as incredible as Ricky Bell was.
The Ricky Bell Story is amazing, heartwarming, precious, and sad. Ricky Bell, played by Mario Van Peebles, was an awesome running back out of USC. He was their stud right before Charles White and Marcus Allen. He got drafted by the Tampa Bay Bucs, had a couple of good seasons and went into a serious decline. Before his decline in Tampa Bay he befriended a handicapped boy named Ryan Blankenship, played by Lane Davis. It was a wonderful love filled relationship in which Ricky played the big brother most people wish they had. Ricky took to Lane and had the patience of Job dealing with him.
Eventually, Ricky was stricken with a muscular disease that significantly shortened his career and his life. Ricky died at the very young age of 29. It is sad to see any decent person die in the prime of their life, and it's even sadder when that person is as incredible as Ricky Bell was.