Under Review

It's such a simple idea that you wonder why more broadcasters don't do it: selling uncut games on DVD as an alternative to overproduced, watered-down commemorative highlight reels. ABC has released the four most recent BCS bowl games on DVD, unedited and without commercials. The result is a joy for rabid fans--or anyone who likes listening to Keith Jackson. The discs contain extras (coverage of practices and features on players) that you should find enjoyable--so long as you're a fan of the winning team; the losers are ignored. The best features come with the Rose Bowl. Texas fullback Ahmard Hall, who walked on after serving in combat with the Marines, is profiled, as is Noble Doss. In 1940 Doss made the most famous catch in Longhorns history, snagging a pass over his shoulder to set up the only score in an upset of Texas A&M. The next year he dropped a sure touchdown pass that hit him in the numbers, costing Texas a trip to the Rose Bowl. The interview with a teary 84-year-old Doss, who says he's thought about the play every day since, is heartbreaking. Just about the only things missing are the halftime spectacles; if you saw Ashlee Simpson perform at the Orange Bowl, you'll know this is not necessarily a bad thing. --M.B.