Pony Excess (2010)

In the early 1980s, the private institution of Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas, boasted of the best record in college football, thanks to the Mustangs and their acclaimed "Pony Express" backfield. This golden era, however, was not destined to last. The team's glory was tainted by the shadowed influences of the city's oil magnates and property moguls. The pursuit of victory became an obsession, pushing the university to surrender control of the football program to these power players. The integrity of the sport was jeopardized as flagrant NCAA violations became a common occurrence. As the mid-1980s dawned, the once invincible Mustangs started to unravel. The climax of this disintegration came on February 25, 1987, when the NCAA enforced "the death penalty" for the first and only time in its history. The sentence was severe: SMU would be deprived of football for two years, a punishment from which the team has struggled to recover competitively. This judgment left the fan base without an identity for two long decades, until the Mustangs' triumphant victory in the 2009 Hawaii Bowl. "Pony Excess" is a vivid chronicle of 1980s Dallas, a tale of greed, power, and corruption that spilled from the oil fields, flooded the football fields, and surged to the Governor's Mansion. Directed by Thaddeus D. Matula, an alumnus of SMU's film school, this documentary masterfully unveils the rise, fall, and eventual rebirth of a once mighty team, revealing an unsettling side of college football history. Through its engaging narrative, the film explores the blurred lines between sports, money, and politics, leaving viewers to question the true cost of victory.

Pony Excess is a documentary movie featuring Patrick Duffy and directed by Thaddeus D. Matula.

Pony Excess is currently streaming on Disney Plus.