The true story of the mythical high school Bishop Sycamore stunned football fans across the country. HBO Original Sports debuts Episode 1 of their documentary “BS High” on Wednesday night.
The documentary features the co-authors of “Friday Night Lies,” Andrew King and Ben Ferree, who wrote the story surrounding Bishop Sycamore. The documentary also features Roy Johnson, one of the more controversial figures surrounding the story.
What Is ‘BS High’?
This question is what led to this now well-documented falsehood. “BS High” stands for Bishop Sycamore High, a made-up high school.
HBO is making a documentary on Bishop Sycamore called “BS High” 👀
➖ School claimed it had multiple D-I prospects
➖ Played two games in three days
➖ Not affiliated with the Ohio HS Athletic Association
➖ Lost 58-0 vs. IMG on ESPN“Do I look like a con artist?” pic.twitter.com/kfiVSLGGBT
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 29, 2022
If unfamiliar with the story, you probably reread that last sentence again. Yes, a made-up high school.
Bishop Sycamore was concocted as a way to play against high school football teams. The problem is that Bishop Sycamore wasn’t a school. There was no building, no classrooms, and the players were not students.
Who Is Roy Johnson?
Johnson was the coach of Bishop Sycamore. He was not an accredited coach, and his goal was to create a football team to compete against the best in the country.
One year ago today, Roy Johnson and Bishop Sycamore gave us a memory that we will never forget. pic.twitter.com/loZ2Or1F1y
— Deablo fan account (@DeferredWalkOn) August 29, 2022
Johnson is the catalyst of this story — a part-time hustler, part-time gooddoer. One of Johnson’s quotes from the documentary sums up his approach to life and how Bishop Sycamore came to be in the first place:
“Do what the people with money do, even if you don’t have the money.”
According to the “BS High,” 30 outstanding lawsuits are pending against Johnson.
Who Were the Bishop Sycamore Players?
The Bishop Sycamore players were not students and weren’t necessarily student-age. There were no age restrictions for Bishop Sycamore players, according to Johnson, which flies directly into the face of OHSAA, which limits a player’s age to 20 years old or younger.
In 2021, ESPN televised a high school football game between IMG Academy and Bishop Sycamore High. After IMG won 58-0, it was discovered that Bishop Sycamore wasn’t a school at all.
A new HBO doc revisits the scandal and the conman at its center.https://t.co/257pETP9N0
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) August 23, 2023
How Long Did the Bishop Sycamore Charade Last?
Bishop Sycamore played 11 games over three years with no financial backing. According to “BS High,” many players took out loans to pay to play.
Kevin Hart announces his HartBeat Productions team will be making a docuseries on Bishop Sycamore following the high school’s controversial game on ESPN vs. IMG Academy pic.twitter.com/FTmIVhj4N6
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 3, 2021
Bishop Sycamore would play two games in three days, which is one of the red flags that were raised and highlighted during the documentary.
How Did Bishop Sycamore Play on ESPN?
The wildest part of the story is that Bishop Sycamore played a game on ESPN. How they made it past the personnel at ESPN is remarkable.
Never Forget when Bishop Sycamore played on ESPN 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/yflf78T1K7
— Footballism (@FootbaIIism) October 29, 2022
IMG Academy defeated Bishop Sycamore 58-0, and the embarrassment drew national attention and disbelief from the commentators covering the game. Bishop Sycamore defrauded a nation, and Johnson made no apologies for it.
