Jim Marshall and Alan Page may no longer be in tip-top fighting shape, but they seem more than prepared to hoist former teammate Fran Tarkenton onto their shoulders in a new documentary.
"Scramblin' Fran" is airing on the SEC Network, which means a good chunk of the one-hour film centers on the Hall of Famer's years as a Georgia Bulldog. But there's plenty of testimonials from Minnesota giants.
Ahmad Rashad calls his former passer a "gunslinger." Tony Dungy marvels at how he came across like the team's CEO, juggling field duties while hosting "Saturday Night Live." Bud Grant insists he's the greatest QB of his era. (Conspiciously absent is Tarkenton's co-conspirator in offensive wizardry, Jerry Burns).
Of course, the most generous comments about Tarkenton come from Tarkenton himself, a figure who was never short on modesty. He beams when he recalls how his rebellious nature both on and off field made him a legend.
The doc, narrated by "Lost" hunk Josh Holloway, sidesteps subjects like Tarkenton's questionable business transactions and thoughts on the current state of football. As for his personal life, the film is chiefly interested in his love affair with Georgia and the Bulldogs..
"He wore purple," Holloway says when talking about Tarkenton's first stint with the Vikings, "But his red and black roots always shown through."
"Scramblin' Fran" premieres at 8 p.m. Tuesday on the SEC Network.
