And we were concerned that his faith would take a big backseatAnd we just werent up for that at all. While others, including Marty's mother, Barbara, have accepted the loss and put their faith in God, Marty can not do that as he does not understand why God would take away his brother on the cusp of his stardom in the NFL. As the Burlsworth Trophy has become a success and now the film is being released, Marty said he and the Burlsworth family are thrilled to see Brandon's story continue to be told nationally. Even an idea, you knowa script can sit on the shelf and never see the light of day. It's "Greater." Id do anything I could for him. Marty Burlsworth - Address & Phone Number | Whitepages But that summer Brandon had two things going for him: His work ethic and, luckily, a pretty big growth spurt. Brandon was the first ever Arkansas player to complete his masters degree before he appeared in his final game against the University of Texas. Brandon Burlsworth's Story of Triumph Over Tragedy is 'Greater' In the making of [the movie], sometimes we were able to be on set some days they didnt want us there and we didnt want to be there. interested in booking Marty for your event? He joined the team as a walk-on and eventually became an All-American . EIN 27-4581132 That's what Brandon did. When we got back home to Harrison, the day of the draft was just filled with anxiety. How is the dynamic in reality versus how its shown in the film? Im sure Josh Wheaton, the young apologist in Gods Not Dead, would know all the right things to say to Searcys character, but then Searcy wouldnt be permitted to make his case so eloquently in a movie like Gods Not Dead, if he were allowed to appear at all. From anyone who is struggling with God because of a loss theyve faced, especially one as devastating as a close family member, what wisdom would you share with them? This story focuses on Burlsworth's ambition, work ethic, family relationships, and strong religious convictions; teamwork and courage are strong themes. We understand that your home is important to you and we strive to walk you through the steps to get the most for your dollar. Most important to Marty and the Burlsworth family: They kept us in the loop.. They are active members of the Northside Church of Christ. I kept gaming out who was left. "It was a struggle similar to Brandon's struggle to play college football," Marty Burlsworth said. Thats pretty tough. Wed been to a couple of Razorbacks games before, and Brandon had seen the stadium and sat in the stands. Directed by David L. Hunt . monetization of National Catholic Register RSS feeds is strictly prohibited. Caveat Spectator: Football roughness; some language; some thematic elements including alcoholism and religious questioning. It was the Razorbacks. Greater, a 2016 release, tells the life story of Burlsworth, who rose from mediocrity to greatness depending on his faith.Just 10 days after being drafted by the NFL's Indianapolis . We want Brandon here, but if he cant handle it I can see what I can do to get him to a smaller school, he said. Catholic Church. Marty Burlsworth Discusses Brandon Burlsworth's Nomination - YouTube I think Brandon would be proud of the work were doing in his name. Greater is currently playing in theaters and stars Neal McDonough, Christopher Severio, and Leslie Easterbrook. In her free time she enjoys hiking, watching sports, riding motorcycles with her husband and catching up with friends. The Passion of the Christ actor talks about the challenges of playing iconic roles and why good movies arent always family-friendly. Not like my younger brother Brandon. Greater is a very emotional movie and it deals with figuring out your faith in times of grief and loss. MORE: Deserving teacher who received $530 from plane passengers surprised with more than . Or Kurt Rambis, the funny-looking center for the Los Angeles Lakers. And every week he was right on time with his little white Subaru parked in Moms driveway. Greater (2016) - Full Cast & Crew - IMDb Marty's current home is located at . Not good at all. SubscribeStart your Register subscription today. We didnt want that Sports Illustrated did a feature piece on Brandon. Order Bulk SubscriptionsGet a discount on 6 or more copies sent to your parish, organization Burlsworth, 22, died 10 days after his selection on April 28, 1999, in a car crash in Arkansas. At one point on the gridiron, Brandon argues with a teammate that their perspective on the field is limited; the coach has information from a higher perspective, from a skybox where the whole field can be seen, and they need to trust him. Opposing teams made game plans just to handle Brandon. And it paid off. Black horn-rimmed glasses. Cindi Hagood is our Program Director of the Eyes of a Champion program. Vickie L Burlsworth is also associated with this address. All of Razorback nation mourned along with the shell-shocked residents of his Boone County hometown; after everything he'd overcome to reach all-America status, it seemed impossible even death itself had the power to stop him. Copyright 2023 EWTN News, Inc. All rights reserved. Man, you might get to play at the next level., Ah, I dont know, I just gotta focus on this season.. I wasnt sure. Some of his teammates have since told me how red his face would be during practice, how hard he went, how he never gave up. And I didnt want him to always be wondering what could have been. Mr. Severio sounds like a guy that Brandon Burlsworth would have been proud to have depict him in a movie, as a selfless, hard-working, humble, self-deprecating character. you, Subscribe to The Daily Birthday: September 20, 1976 ( Virgo) Born In: Harrison, Arkansas, United States 113 30 American Football Players #138 Sportspersons #1083 Quick Facts Also Known As: Brandon Vaughn Burlsworth Died At Age: 22 Family: father: Leo Burlsworth mother: Barbara Burlsworth siblings: Grady Burlsworth, Marty Burlsworth Died Young American Football Players This has been a pretty big year for me tra. Brandon Burlsworth movie 'Greater' finally hits theaters - Sports Less than two weeks after he was chosen in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts, Brandon was driving home to go to church with his mother. But as I turned the next corner onto Moms street and pulled up to her house, I got a good look at the car. In the film, we see a lot of moments where the Marty character is learning from the persistence and drive of Brandon. Greater than my previous knowledge of a young man's winding road from small-town walk-on to home-state hero. Marty Burlsworth, Chairman/CEO and founder of the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, is a resident of Harrison, Arkansas. Sign-up for E-NewsletterGet Register Updates sent daily or weeklyto your inbox. His high school coaches couldnt believe his size when he came back for his junior season. When the producer says Today is probably not a good day [to be on set], thats all he has to say. Finally, in the third round Brandon answered the phone and gave us the thumbs-up. Brandon did not get married before he passed away when he was only twenty-two years old. "I was interested," he said of those early calls from Hollywood. I kept track of how many might be left for Brandon.O.K., they gave one to that boy, thats 12 so far. Brandon was selected by the Indianapolis Colts as the 63rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL draft. barbaraann@burlsworth.com. I didn't see it in the theater. COINCIDENCES. Marty Burlsworth Discusses Brandon Burlsworth's Nomination for the CFB Hall of Fame Class of 2021 Marty Burlsworth Discusses Brandon Burlsworth's Nomination for the CFB Hall of Fame Class of. 1 Tennessee. He died instantly. That's not a boast. Release Dates He wasnt as tall or as heavy as D-I colleges wanted him to be. Especially after it was all over and, you know, that was bad times. He graduated from high school in 1994 and was recruited as a football player for the University of Arkansas. In 1998 he was selected for the College Football All-America Team and became the first player from Arkansas to be selected for College Football All-America Team since 1993. His thick black glasses and resemblance to comedian Drew Carey gave him a unique look. 77 is one of just two numbers retired in the history of Arkansas football. Had life turned out differently, Marty Burlsworth might be reflecting on his brother's pro football career during Super Bowl weekend. https://www.ncregister.com/features/sdg-reviews-greater, Man of God A Film of Faith and Tranquility of the Soul for Our Troubled Time, Interview: Jim Caviezel Goes Back to the Bible in Paul, Apostle of Christ, Portuguese Bishops Announce Steps to End Sexual Abuse in the Church, We Know That Hes in Heaven: Thousands Gather for Funeral of Bishop David OConnell in Los Angeles, Archbishop Naumann and Bishop Paprocki Speak Out in Support of Traditional Latin Massgoers in Their Dioceses, Survey: Decline in Vocations to the Priesthood Is Worse Where Priests Serve Larger Flocks, Amber and Dave VanVickle on Finding God in the Midst of Suffering. Third, its beautifully and atmospherically shot by director David Hunt and cinematographer Gabe Mayan. It would take 11 years - with Reindl financing the independent production himself when other investors dried up - but in 2016, "Greater" hit the theaters. Now, more than ever, with the success of GREATER, he enjoys meeting the fans of his brother Brandon and encouraging others to. The movie wouldn't get made until a non-Hollywood type, an Arkansas real estate developer named Brian Reindl, decided this was a story worth telling onscreen with the Burlsworth family's input - and then some. Greaters response to the problem of evil, to disbelief and nihilism, is not an argument, but an action: a choice to trust. The struggles that he had gone through to get where he was were over. By his senior year, Brandon was an all-conference and all-state player and played in the states All-Star Game. The foundation, which symbolizes his ethics and values, works for the benefit of needy children and provides them with physical as well as spiritual support, something Brandon was known for. Subscriber Service CenterAlready a subscriber? I opened the door to Moms house and she was in a state. He did not survive the accident and passed away on April 28, 1999. Then we looked to the TV: Brandons picture came up on the screen and they were calling his name from the podium. The Burls Way: How a Denham Springs man got the lead in 'Greater Why? Here its a nagging voice in a grieving believers heart asking a question that admits no simple, final answer: Why do bad things happen to good people? When Stoerner fell the ball came out and Tennessee recovered. Marty speaks nationwide on developing character and overcoming adversity. Film depicting ex-Arkansas Razorbacks star Brandon Burlsworth to - ESPN A deep dedication to our nations youth is a high priority of the Burlsworth family. She enjoys singing on the worship team at church, riding motorcycles with her husband, photography, and scrapbooking. "People are seeing it for the first time, and that's really cool," Marty said. By the time he was a senior, we both knew that if we wanted to keep playing football he was going to have to enter the NFL draft. One weekend when I was driving with Brandon to campus I think maybe it was his junior year a thought crossed my mind. Brian Reindl, writer and producer of "Greater," said he loved the opportunity to tell such an incredible story in his first-ever production. Marty Burlsworth, 61 - Harrison | Free Public Reputation Profile - MyLife People were swinging by all day. He spent as many days as he could in the weight room getting stronger. It seemed as if the whole town was there to support Brandon and who he was and what he meant to everybody. The family respectfully declined. She called me just before six oclock, with panic and worry in her voice. Proudly created with Wix.com. director of photography Film Editing by David L. Hunt . SDG Reviews 'Greater'| National Catholic Register He was the kind of guy that we would have plugged in our offensive line for 10-plus years, said then-Colts general manager Bill Polian. Brandon Burlsworth studied at the Harrison High School where he was an all-state selection. He slept either in his little room at his mother's house or at his brother Marty's, to be close to his three nephews. But as good as he was, Brandon was also a late bloomer he was only 17 his senior year and he was still a little undersized for college ball. Sometimes Marty goes by various nicknames including Marty L Burlsworth and Marty Leo Burlsworth. As Brandon and I were standing out there, the offensive linemen came out, running on the field with their helmets on. And it was Brandons time. Marty Burlsworth, Brandon's brother, with Neal McDonough, who portrayed Marty in Greater. Trust. Marty Burlsworth hasn't provided a bio yet. He went to Harrison High School and graduated from there. Brandons short-lived career involved true honor and character, and thanks to the new film, his legacy will go further and live on as a model for others. [W]e went back to church services and I had a friend[who] was going to lead a song or two and he started out with [a song saying] God is good and you know God is so good to me and Im thinking man, I cannot believe youre singing that with me in the buildingthats where my mind was then. View Marty Burlsworth's record in Harrison, AR including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Marty Leo Burlsworth (age 62) is listed at 3775 Savannah Drive Harrison, Ar 72601 and is affiliated with the Optional Party. They can assist you with all your real estate needs. If it meant going over to Moms house to help him with homework, I wanted to be there. is 61 years old today because Marty's birthday is on 11/13/1960. Apr 2007 - Present15 years 3 months. After working 11 years on his Brandon Burlsworth biopic Greater, Reindl is within days of seeing his dream project open on 400 to 450 screens across the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest next week.. Burlsworth was an All-American football player for the University of Arkansas, who died tragically in an automobile . His story has been told in a movie that's not "Rudy.". ", Forgotten? It's a show of faith. He told the family, "We don't want to take Brandon's faith out of this movie.". Becoming a Razorback As the title suggests, this is the story of the most successful walk-on in the history of college football at the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. Burlsworth was also Arkansas' first All-American player since 1993 and was also on the All-SEC Academic Honor Roll from 1995 to 1998. The movie will be shown on 800 screens throughout the U.S. on March 21 and March 28. News. The voices of faith, hope and trust or the voices of doubt, disbelief and despair?. As far as Brandon goes and reliving everything- through his foundation weve always kept his memory alive and his example out there for kids ever since his accident. 131 | NO. Bob has worked in the business community for many years, but his love for working with kids brought him into a teaching career where he is also a teacher in the Mt. MARTY BURLSWORTH CONTRIBUTOR Harrison, Arkansas, is about as small town as it gets. And I could see a little white car parked in her driveway. Hed be all over the line, right off the snap. So when Brandon got it in his mind that he was going to be a Razorback, I was all in. Official Sites So you didnt know if that was going to happen but that wasnt really the main [concern]. "I wanted Brandon's story to be known. Hell show up and everything will be fine.. Marty and Vickie have three sons, two daughters in law, an adorable granddaughter Blake, and a precious grandson, Carter. And for the next three years, every Friday at 5:30 p.m., Id close up the photography studio I owned in Harrison, pick up my mom, and my wife and kids, and drive to Brandons football games. Burlsworth died in a car accident on April 28, 1999, and his story of faith and conviction has been gaining recognition in recent years due to various programs and a new biopic called "Greater.". Greater (2016) - Greater (2016) - User Reviews - IMDb For Burlsworth filmmaker, Netflix distribution a thrill