Movie Debate III: Top 10 Sports Movies of All-Time
Uncategorized June 12th. 2007, 4:54pm
You reamed us for leaving Back to the Future off the greatest movie triology list, and urged us to seek help for omiting Predator from the list of Arnold’s Top 5 movies of all-time. So we’re switching things up with this week and extending the list to 10 and adding one of the other TBL members (TBL2), plus his friend (TBL2’s Friend), into the mix. The top sports movies has been done before, but Jessica Alba’s new flick doesn’t open for a few more days, so perhaps we can tackle her Top 5 in the coming weeks. Two sports movies you won’t see on this list:Hoop Dreams (documentary) and Rounders (not a sport). And no, Predator did not make the cut.
TBL
1. Rocky IV
2. Remember the Titans
3. Hoosiers
4. Jerry Maguire
5. The Natural
6. Caddyshack
7. White Men Can’t Jump
8. Rocky
9. Million Dollar Baby
10. Varsity Blues
TBL2
1. Hoosiers
2. Rocky
3. Caddyshack
4. Jerry Maguire
5. Varsity Blues
6. Raging Bull
7. North Dallas Forty
8. Bull Durham
9. The Natural
10. All the Right Moves
TBL’s Friend
1. Hoosiers
2. Rocky
3. Field of Dreams
4. Bull Durham
5. Raging Bull
6. The Natural
7. White Men Can’t Jump
8. Caddyshack
9. Jerry Maguire
10. Eight Men Out
Release the hounds!
129 Responses to “Movie Debate III: Top 10 Sports Movies of All-Time”
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June 12th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
I’d just like to point out that Kingpin was my No. 11, followed closely by Bull Durham and Raging Bull. I just haven’t seen either Bull flick in a few years, so that’s why they’re not in my Top 10. And Rocky IV is no misprint.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
Remember the Titans had the single dumbest ending a sports movie ever has. First off, why isn’t the other team just kneeling out the clock with 20 seconds left and secondly even if it caught them by surprise a 75-yard reverse would never work as time expired because every defender would be 40 yards down field
Just a horrible ending to what had been a decent movie (and launched the career of Claire the Cheerleader from Heroes)
June 12th, 2007 at 5:02 pm
D2: The Mighty Ducks is somewhere in my top 10.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:03 pm
Any list that includes Rocky IV on top that isn’t about awful cliches and hilarious Cold War rhetoric, simply cannot be taken seriously. Yes, I realize it’s an opinion, but it’s a frighteningly comical one.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Miracle is probably in my Top 5, maybe higher. I was surprised how well that came off.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
TBL: Varsity Blues beat Kingpin and NO Bull Durham on your list? What?
And what about The Longest Yard (original one with Burt Reynolds)? Oh, and that movie that makes every guy cry: Brian’s Song. I thought every guy loved that one.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
Yeah, not a single mention of the Ducks Trilogy…fresh off their Stanley Cup victory none-the-less!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Why in the heck is Slapshot left off of every list?
I would can “Varsity Blues” and replace with Slapshot. VB was just teen trype.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
No Happy Gilmore?
(and come on guys, it’s spelled “Jerry Maguire”)
June 12th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
I dont have any major beef with anything, I guess you can make a case for all those movies. Here is my top 5 though
5. Mighty Ducks 2
4. Rookie of the Year (Daniel Stern at his finest!)
3. Mighty Ducks
2. Necessary Roughness ( Manu Manu the Slender)
1. The Sandlot
I’m surprised the Sandlot didnt make anyone’s list, Its fantastic and very quotable. “You’re killing me , Smalls”
June 12th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
All movie credibility has already been lost on this site.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:13 pm
Really? Major League is nowhere on anyone’s top 10 list?
The movie was iconic in nature, in the sense that all around the country people new about wild thing ricky vaughn, or “dont give me that O’Lay bullshit” roger dorn.
Pedro Cerrano, and some voodoo anyone?
Not to mention, Willie mays hayes(wesley snipes). “you may run like hayes, but you hit like shit”
Bob Eucker absolutely sold this movie into sports movie history with his many classic lines.
I understand you may want to put substantive, and sometimes based on true stories movies in your top 10 lists, but to leave out Major League over anything with Robert Redford in it is a travesty the likes of which have never been seen.
Jake Taylor is not amused 1 bit
June 12th, 2007 at 5:16 pm
Holy shit Rudy isn’t on any of those lists. Jerry McGuire isn’t a sports movie by the way. Yeah it has to do with Sports, but it’s a romance/drama. A great one, no doubt, but not a sports movie. Holy shit I can’t believe Rudy isn’t even top 10 and Varsity Blues is. These lists make me sad.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
First glaring omission: Major League.
Dammit to hell. That’s bad.
Rudy is Invincible set at Notre Dame.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Seriously, are you guys kidding me? No mention anywhere of Friday Night Lights? You do realize without the movie there’d be no show? For that reason alone it deserves mention. Plus it kicks the cock of Varsity Blues.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:18 pm
You guys, you HAVE to put in Slapshot!!!!!!! Seriously, how could this movie be left off the list? It’s hilarious, it’s well shot (the game scenes used groundbreaking camera work for the time), the cast is great (hello, Paul Newman) AND there’s nudity! I’m disgusted it was left off. It should easily make everyone’s top three!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
“Knockers” is the best movie about women’s topless boxing. It has ot be on the list.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
By all means … offer your top 10.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
1) Remember the Titans
Friday Night Lights
2) Hoosiers
3) Rudy
4) Let It Ride
5) Rocky
6) Slap Shot
7) Bad News Bears
9) Miracle
10) Bull Durham
June 12th, 2007 at 5:19 pm
If I can change…and you can change…these lists can change!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
WOW TBL! HORRIFIC!
Top 5:
Hoosiers (this cannot be argued)
Field of Dreams
The Natural
Rudy
Major League
There are countless movies I would put before Rocky IV and Remember the Titans (?!). And Jerry Maguire is barely a sports movie.
I also really like The Rookie and Seabiscuit in spite of their flaws.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY!!
Thanks for leaving Rudy off. It sucks.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
No, Invincible is Rudy set in Philadelphia. Rudy came first. Not to mention both of those movies are better than Varsity Blues.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
The fact that Field of Dreams is only on one list is a crime. I’m also with everyone on Major League….but the biggest and most glarring omission is…..
THE KARATE KID!
Come on people. Mr. Miyagi taught me more about life than my parents!!!
P.S.- Rad should be on there as well as Gymkata.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:22 pm
INVINCIBLE!!!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Fact: Never seen any of the Mighty Ducks franchise.
Sandlot was outstanding. Probably 15th. Reminds me of summers as a kid. Good times.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Hoosiers
Field of Dreams
Seabiscuit
Remember the Titans
Caddyshack
Knockers
Rocky IV
Rudy
Miracle
The Karate Kid
Remember the Titans would be higher, but I cannot respect a movie featuring people singing “Na na na na, na na na na, Hey hey hey, goodbye” at a funeral all slow and depressing. They might as well have sang “Wake me up, before you go go” by Wham! in a depressing voice.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
I love movie list day!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
1. Hoosiers
2. Slap Shot
3. Bull Durham
4. Caddyshack
5. Field of Dreams
6. The Natural
7. Rocky (or Rocky IV)
8. Rudy
9. Jerry Maguire
10. White Men Can’t Jump
June 12th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Crap, i’d replace Major League with White Men Can’t Jump…
June 12th, 2007 at 5:26 pm
Hey is Baseketball a sports movie? If so, definite omission. And no love for Soul of the Game? Or Cobb? Wow.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Nothing against your list, since we all know about the opinions and assholes cliche. Here’s mine:
1 Major League
2 Caddyshack
3 Bull Durham
4 Diggstown
5 The Longest Yard
6 The Natural
7 Raging Bull
8 Rocky
9 Eight Men Out
10 The Replacements
June 12th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
The G Man: Bad News Bears! You’re totally right. How did I forget that one?
And am I the only one who realizes The Program is an awful movie, but has still seen it more times than I can count?
June 12th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Karate Kid is outstanding. One of the Top 5 movies of the 80s. But there’s no way it’s a sports movie.
Never seen: Slapshot, Seabiscuit, Let it Ride, Bad News Bears
Should I have?
Field of Dreams was 14 on my list. Just to be clear, 11-15 for me were:
11. Major League 12. Kingpin, 13. Bull Durham, 14. Raging Bull, 15. Field of Dreams.
Also, Any Given Sunday was pretty good.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
My top 10… no particular order
1. Happy Gilmore (though golf is barely a sport)
2. Hoosiers
3. The Program
4. Bull Durham
5. Rudy
6. Major League
7. Rocky
8. Eight Men Out
9. Friday Night Lights
10. Raging Bull
June 12th, 2007 at 5:28 pm
Raging Bull, if it’s considered a sports movie, has to be number one.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
If you haven’t seen Seabiscuit you should. Spiderman rides a horse and helps people get through the Great Depression. It’s the shit.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:29 pm
Any given sunday was terrible except for one almost-redeeming scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rFx6OFooCs
Also, I forgot about Cinderella Man, which was somehow omitted by the Academy come awards time.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:30 pm
Any Given Sunday made me nauseous…..and I think you forgot this movie as well.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I feel like a lot of these inclusions blur the line of what most of us would consider a “sports” movie. I think we would all agree that a true sports movie is one that chronicles a sporting event or figure of some sort, and the drama involved in playing that sport. A lot of these are dramas, comedies, or romantic comedies that just happen to have sports as a theme. Would you consider “Forget Paris” a sports movie? Hell no. Just like Jerry Maguire, Happy Gilmore, and Kingpin aren’t really sports movies. At least in my opinion.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
Whoops….wrong link to an already bad joke.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
I think a lot of people making lists haven’t seen Slapshot which would explain why it’s been left off. It is a great movie, Netflix it immediately!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
You all are showing your youth with the glut of movies from the mid 80’s on.
“Slapshot” and the Burt Reynolds version of “The Longest Yard” belong on every top 10 sports movie list. Going back even further, “Paper Lion,” from the mid 60’s, is a gem of a sports movie that few remember, but is a very entertaining movie that also should be considered.
I was happy to see TBL2 list another great 70’s sports flick, “North Dallas Forty.” It has one of the best lines ever about the realities of pro sports. “Every time I say it’s a game, you say it’s a business. Every time I say it’s a business, you say it’s a game.”
And even though it’s a TV movie, “Brian’s Song” deserves mention.
I’m with rs27 on “The Sandlot.” It’s a hugely entertaining flick. I have a big soft spot for “The Sandlot,” being old enough to have a youth much like the kids in the movie, in that we played pick up baseball games every day, morning to dusk.
Now you kids git off my lawn!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Rudy is and was a complete nerd and all the movie did was chronicle his life. And Field of Dreams is one of the most stupid movies I have ever seen. I can’t fathom how people enjoy that.
Does Teen Wolf count as a sports movie?
June 12th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
NSR- I expected to open that clip and find the clip of the guys doing coke off the chick’s boobs..very disappointing..
June 12th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
I suppose nobody over at TBL has ever heard of a movie called “Victory,” starring a post-Rocky, pre Rocky II Sly Stallone, Michael Caine and Pele (Pele!).
Yeah it’s about soccer but so what! TBL pays heartfelt respect to the beautiful game, however infrequently, so y’all shoulda known this was coming.
Why you ask? Allied POWs have a chance to escape at halftime of a an exhibition soccer match against the Nazis. Down 4-1 at halftime the Euros convince the thick-skulled, loping American goalkeeper (Stallone) that he does not in fact suck (he does) and that they should go back out for the second half…..just because. They do, [spoiler alert] they win and their sportsmanship is rewarded by the no-longer-hopeless crowd. They storm the field, cover the Allies in civilian clothes and run them right out the front gate.
Tearfully good.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
Other bad sports movies I like are The Program and Blue Chips. Also loved Cinderella Man (aka Raging Bull II). Miracle is top-five for me due to its accuracy and the great story. Rocky IV? Maybe top 30…
June 12th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
how does majorleague not make any of your lists?…also one of my personal favorites growing up was Mighty Ducks
June 12th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Never heard of Pele.
Cinderella Man WAS awesome. Liked it much. As others have said, it probably falls into the category of drama more than sports movie, but if i had the list to do over, I’d put it in the Top 10.
Clearly, there is no consensus, and I didn’t really have a predator moment this week (although Major League was close), so now back to Jessica Alba on First and 10!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
AB … “Victory” was bumped at the last minute from my list. Good call.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
Awful Announcing, both links cracked me up, thanks very much!
Big Al, you’re right, the Burt Reynolds Longest Yard should definitely be in the top 5, I should have caught that. Anyone who likes sports movies should see it (and slapshot) regardless of their age.
Joe… I’m so disappointed… you’re one of my favorite bloggers, how could you break my heart by saying you hate Field of Dreams!?
June 12th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
“I’d like to say a few words about a guy I know, a friend of mine. His name is Brian Piccolo, and he has the heart of a giant and that rare form of courage which allows him to kid himself and his opponent — cancer.
He has a mental attitude which makes me proud to have a friend who spells out “courage,” 24 hours a day, every day of his life.
Now you flatter me by giving me this award. But I say to you here and now, Brian Piccolo is the man of courage who should receive the George S. Halas award.
It’s mine tonight and Brian Piccolo’s tomorrow.
I love Brian Piccolo.
And I’d like all of you to love him too.
And tonight, you hit your knees:
Please ask God to love him.”
Best sports movie speech ever.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
What’s the matter Willie….forget your invincible juice?
June 12th, 2007 at 5:46 pm
What?
NOBODY so far has mentioned Tin Cup, dammit. Worth an honorable mention if only for spellbinding visuals of Rene Russo’s hot ass.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Cinderella man was pretty BA. Loved that movie.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Ranking Rocky IV above Raging Bull (let alone 13 places above) makes Baby Jesus cry.
Also, if you have never seen Slapshot, TBL, you definitely need to. Pronto. Agree with sportsgal that it’s no-doubt Top 3 material. It’s the movie that brought us the immortal Hanson brothers.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Major League over Bull Durham..Like Bull Durham but it turned into a chick flick…also I didn’t see Days of Thunder…come on I don’t like NASCAR and I love this movie…Rubbin is racin’
June 12th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Varsity Blues?
You know what Johnny Mac would say..
YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS!
June 12th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
If you haven’t seen Slapshot, you shouldn’t try to do Top 10 lists
I’d also rather put in Tin Cup for a Costner entry…I liked it better than Field of Dreams…Bull Durham might be better.
no Bang the Drum Slowly? Horse Feathers? Knute Rockne, All American?
June 12th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Agreed about Raging Bull. It’s either 1A or 1B in the Scorses canon depending on how much you like Goodfellas. It straddles the line of “sports movie” because of how the second half focuses on his decline and life after he leaves the ring, but it’s fucking breathtaking.
” Iget ya’s both in the ring, I’ll give ya both a fuckin’ beatin’, ya both can fuck each other.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:51 pm
Bang the Drum Slowly, great addition.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:52 pm
Didn’t the Allies just tie the game in Victory?
And, for the record, Field of Dreams is the second most-overrated sports movie of all-time, only because Bull Durham has lapped the field.
June 12th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Jim- You’re making me tear up here.
Oh what about Chariots of Fire, American Flyer, and Breaking Away?
June 12th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
“They will break their backs and their necks for you if they believe….if you make them believe. That’s a quarterback.”
June 12th, 2007 at 5:55 pm
Yeah I don’t really have a problem with any on the list, BUT Varsity Blues…I think we need an explanation.
Was it the whip cream? It had to be the whip cream…
June 12th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
Fish that Saved Pittsburgh
Bingo Long and his Travelling All-Stars
June 12th, 2007 at 6:02 pm
Sorry if I missed it in the comments, but has anyone mentioned The Bad News Bears? Definitely a top ten on my list.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Slapshot, Caddyshack, Major league, Raging Bull, Hoop Dreams, Sandlot, Talledaga Nights, Little Giants, Rookie of the Year, Blue Chips, Ladybugs
June 12th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
How is Varsity Blues on this list over Friday Night Lights? If you are solely basing your decision on Ali Larter’s whipped cream bikini, then i agree, but if not, cmon!
June 12th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
Let’s not forget the magic that was Juwanna Man here guys. You see, he dressed up as a lady, and played basketball in a women’s league. I’d like to see any of you come up with something like that.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
No particular order.
Tin Cup
Rookie of the Year
Teen Wolf
Angels in the Outfield
Hoosiers
Caddyshack
Cool Runnings
Major League
A League of Their Own
White Men Can’t Jump
Honorable mention: Over the Top (Possibly the best arm wrestling movie ever)
June 12th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
TBL: Did you actually admit to having never seen The Bad News Bears??? I did not think that possible.
Additionally, did you seriously just cop to not knowing who Pele is??? I thought that even less possible.
In both cases, I will now lead this blog with a slightly different viewpoint of its creator.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:11 pm
Oops, that should be “read this blog” not “lead this blog”.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Frank is right about Victory. *Spoiler alert* They come back to tie it 4-4 (despite some awfully shady officiating that would make even the NBA blush). Just before the clock hits zero, Herr Klaus Bavetta calls a bogus foul in the box; Sly then preserves the tie by making an outstanding save on the PK. The French crowd rushes the field and helps the allied team escape. Oh, and I think the allies end up winning the war too, but I need to check wikipedia on that.
Regardless, it’s an outstanding movie that needs to be in the Top 10. Another sleeper in my Top 10 (mainly because I love classic movies – Casablanca, Citizen Kane, Third Man, etc.) is the Lou Gehrig Story. Yes it’s cheesy and outdated, but it was one of the first sports movies that became a hit. And most people learned the “Luckiest Man Alive” quote not from the original speech, but from Gary Cooper.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
“Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme, come along Jamaica – it’s bobsled time!”
June 12th, 2007 at 6:13 pm
You need Major League, Rocky at #1, and Tin Cup.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
Top 5
1. Hoosiers – Any other answer for #1 all time is just plain ass retarded
2. The Natural
3. Field of Dreams
4. Rocky
5. CaddyShack
June 12th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Top 10 (in no order, except for #1)
Major League (#1)
Bull Durham
The Sandlot
Field of Dreams
For Love of the Game
Caddyshack
Tin Cup
Hoosiers
Slapshot
Miracle
June 12th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Uhhhh, I hate, no loath Charlie Sheen, but seriously, no Major League on any of your lists??? C’mon now, you’re better than that.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Good Call Funke. They did tie 4-4 but Pele’s bicycle kick goal set the standard for the awesomeness scale so it seemed like they won.
And I have newfound respect for the Bing Long and His Travelling All-Stars reference. Richard Pryor, James Earl Jones AND Billy Dee Williams? You couldn’t put together a lineup like that today if you wanted to.
Of course this means you have to include HBO’s Soul of the Game on here now. Where Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson come together with a cameo by Willie Mays? That’s almost as strong as Bingo Long’s lineup.
OK no more rhetorical questions.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:23 pm
In addition to “Victory,” another late cut from my list was “Vision Quest”
June 12th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
I would go:
1-Hoosiers
2-Raging Bull
3-Rocky
4-Field of Dreams
5-The Natural
6-Bang The Drum Slowly (nobody has mentioned this yet???)
7-The Bad News Bears
8-Rudy
9-Caddyshack
10-He Got Game
June 12th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
Jerry Maguire is as much a sports movie as the WNBA is a sport
June 12th, 2007 at 6:33 pm
1- Major League
2- Caddyshack
3-Field of Dreams
4- Rudy
5- White Men Can’t Jump
6- The Great White Hype
7- Friday Night Lights
8- The Sandlot
9- Tin Cup
10- Above The Rim
June 12th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Of course I know of Pele … I just don’t know the movie he’s in.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:41 pm
I forgot about cool runnings..man that movie was so great..Between Malik Yoba, Doug E. Doug, and John Candy I cannot think of a better film..And unlike these poser movies like Jerry Maguire, Cinderella Man and Field of Dreams, it was totally revolved around a sport..I amend my list to this..
5. The Replacements
4. Necessary Roughness
3. Mighty Ducks
2. Cool Runnings
1. Sandlot
June 12th, 2007 at 6:42 pm
1.kingpin
2. great white hype
3. HBO’s only in America
4. Fish that saved Pukesburg
5. Rocky
6. Million Dollar Baby
June 12th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Here’s my list, in no particular order.
Hoosiers
Diggstown
Major League
Sandlot
Rocky
Rudy
Slapshot
Karate Kid
All American (1953)
The Pride of the Yankees (1942)
June 12th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
The Natural
Caddyshack
Hoosiers
Bull Durham
Hoop Dreams
Rocky
Major Leauge
Baseketball
Tron
Honorable Mentions: ‘non sports’ sports movie
Rounders
The Hustler
And finally, eff Jerry Maguire. Eff him right in the A.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
The Replacements is so bad and cliche it hurts. It would make my worst top 10 easily.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Side question – better movie score: Hoosiers or the Natural (I’d even throw Rudy in the mix)?
June 12th, 2007 at 6:50 pm
How Slap Shot didn’t make one of the 3 lists is beyond me.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
“You can trouble me for a warm glass of shut the hell up!”
Ben Stiller to Happy’s Grandmother.
That, alone, puts Happy Gilmore at my Number 1 spot.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
No Bull Durham? No Field of Dreams on any list? Jerry f-ing Maguire is not a sports movie. I think I just stopped reading this blog.
June 12th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
get…to…the…choppahhhhhh!!!
artie lange’s “beer league”…try finding it first, then watch it, then try telling me it’s not instantly #1.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
The one glaring omission I’ve noticed so far is Mystery, Alaska. It was even critically acclaimed by staid and cool reviewers alike, but in spite of that, I still thought it was an exceptional film.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
No “Slap Shot” anywhere? Really? I guess you gotta have your James Vanderbeek. Whatever. Mine in no particular order.
Slap Shot
Bull Durham
Miracle
The Natural
Field of Dreams
Caddyshack
Major League
Hoosiers
Diggstown
Cinderella Man
June 12th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
NO AIR BUD??!?!?!??!
June 12th, 2007 at 7:53 pm
I’ll echo everyone who said Mighty Ducks to has to be in there…
June 12th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
I’ll concur with the original opinion that Mighty Ducks should be nowhere near any list associated with quality. “Quack, quack, quack…quack, motherfucker, quack!”
June 12th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Top 10
1. Bull Duraham
2. Rocky II
3. Hoosiers
4. The Natural
5. Remember The Titans
6. Raging Bull
7. Glory Road
8. The Babe
9. Caddy Shack
10. The Longest Yard – Either One will do
June 12th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
What is wrong with you people? You put Varsity Blues on your lists? What is that all about? Terrible terrible movie.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
This Mighty Ducks fascination concerns me. Is it a big joke I’m not privy to? The trailer was so bad 88 or whatever that I refused to get near that dreck.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Nobody mentioned Rad, the 1986 masterpiece about a group of paperboys who want to make names for themselves in the world of BMX. The movie has it all: cheesy love scenes, shiny clothing, a great 80s soundtrack, gymnast Bart Conner playing a BMX racer (WTF!!??). Wow, that sounds like the description of a gay porn movie, huh? Anyway, it’s a winner.
Also gotta’ mention the movie Youngblood, with Rob Lowe playing the part of Dean Youngblood, “a skilled young hockey prospect hoping to attract the attention of professional scouts.” Great flick.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
1. Happy Gilmore
2. He Got Game (A classic)
3. Hoop Dreams (I’ve only watched half of it)
4. The Sandlot
5. Mighty Ducks 2
Somebody should make a top 50 Sports movies that involved Rick Fox.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:28 pm
This list is tainted! No mention of Cool Runnings or He Got Game until the end. What is the world coming to!
June 12th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
TBL I’ve gotta say (in no particular order):
A League of Their Own
When we were Kings
The Big Lebowski (I know its only tangentially related to
bowling)
Hurricane
Blood Sport (if only because it was on cable late last night)
June 12th, 2007 at 8:33 pm
This is it. Can’t touch this one:
1) Rocky (you watch this start to finish and I guarantee a tear!)
Rounders (OK, a bit of stretch…but before the poker craze).
2) Rocky II
3) Rudy (you guys completely missed that one!)
4) Hoosiers
5) The Natural
6) Field of Dreams
7) The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh (Could be a top fiver)
9) White Men Can’t Jump
10) Bad News Bears (the original – Walter Mathau crushes Bill Bob)
June 12th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
How can Hoop Dreams not be on any list of great sports movies?
June 12th, 2007 at 8:42 pm
In regards to Rudy, you’ll note the skinny asshole quarterback as none other than Vincent (Vince) Vaughn. What a long way that dude has come….
June 12th, 2007 at 8:58 pm
Leaving out Raging Bull on two of the three lists? Terrible!!!
Leaving out Field of Dreams on two of the three lists? Terrible!!
It looks like TBL’s friend is the only one that really has a decent list here… and he/she had the presence of mind to put both those movies in the top 5 where they belong…
June 12th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Ok, here is the CORRECT list of greatest sports movies:
1. Hoosiers
2. Slapshot
3. The Longest Yard (the original, not the shitty Adam Sandler remake)
4. Bull Durham
5. Caddyshack
6. Field of Dreams
7. The Natural
8. Raging Bull
9. Bad News Bears
10. Major League
Any list that doesn’t include slapshot doesn’t count. Period.
June 12th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
1) Hoosiers
The Jackie Robinson Story (Starring Jackie Robinson as himself)
2) Field of Dreams
3) Rudy
4) Rocky
5) Remember The Titans
6) Bull Durham
7) Without Limits (Steve Prefontaine movie)
9) Chariots of Fire
10) The Legend Of Bagger Vance
June 12th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
“The Program” should get some kind of honorable mention; maybe the “Darwin Award for Contributing to the Enrichment of the Gene Pool” for inspiring the most chromosome damaged amongst us to lay in the highway and die a truly stupid (but hilarious) death.
“Slap Shot” is too funny to be left off of the list.
“Rocky IV”, huh? For what? James Brown? Stallone and Dolph on the same screen had to have set some kind of record for monosyllablism and grunts in modern cinema… outside of porn, anyway.
June 12th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
TBL, two things you should know.
1. The Mighty Ducks is VERY popular (they named an NHL team after it!) and its a great sports movie trilogy. If you havent seen them, you shouldn’t be making a top ten sports movie list, especially if you’re putting Jerry f’n Maguire on it.
2. People REALLY love their movies (as you can tell by the 100+ comments here) so if you aren’t a movie afficionado, you probably shouldn’t be putting out all time movie lists. You’re gonna end up alienating some of your readers. Just some constructive criticism.
June 12th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
you are such a whore for comments.
June 12th, 2007 at 11:08 pm
aparently none of you have ever seen a masterpiece known has BaseketBall…….
June 12th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Passion for movies and sports is what makes the commentors tick, no difference here.
June 13th, 2007 at 12:23 am
Yeah but whats the last sports only post that garnered even close to this many comments?
June 13th, 2007 at 12:54 am
Damn, some folks are passionate about their movies. Fun discussion.
BASEketball was easily one of the worst movies, ever. Still remember seeing it in the theater – went with this girl to see something else, it was sold out (or it had already started) so we had to settle for this crap. Walked out in 30 minutes. It’s only one of two times i ever walked out of a theater.
The other time I tried to sneak into JUICE (Mixmaster Massacre, bitch), and we got caught and sent to the shit movie we bought tickets for, which was something with Meg Ryan kissing an old guy and inhabiting his body or some shit … we preferred to swallow the $10 than to sit through that crap.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:50 am
What I find amusing about Mighty Ducks 2 is that they are playing as the Olympic team, representing the U.S. and totally ditch their U.S.A. jerseys in the second half to wear those stupid duck jerseys. Way to have American pride boys.
Since chess is not a sport I can’t choose Searching for Bobby Fisher (even though they show it on ESPN Classic) and no documentaries (We Were Kings and Hoop Dreams) my top five in no order:
Sandlot
Field of Dreams
Cinderella Man
Ali
The Hurricane
A few other thoughts. I actually liked A League of Their Own though I wouldn’t put it in my top twenty and think The Legend of Bagger Vance might be the worst movie ever.
June 13th, 2007 at 3:20 am
Wow, only one mention of Vision Quest? No former wrestlers here?
“It ain’t the six minutes, it’s what happens in those six minutes.”
June 13th, 2007 at 3:59 am
TBL-
I love your site, been here since the Whitlock interview. But come on!
At least you didn’t have a Predator moment this week? Are you kidding me?! One post said you had Sandlot fifteenth, another said you had Field of Dreams at fourteenth (in the same post you put it at fifteenth — Raging Bull was fourteenth). There’s your Predator moment.
You may get a lot of comments from these posts, however its because your movie lists are “I feel bad for you” terrible. Please stop these movie lists so we can maintain some respect for you and this site.
Sorry to be so harsh.
June 13th, 2007 at 5:40 am
A glaring omission is Warren Beatty’s Heaven Can Wait, which was nominated for eleven Academy Awards.
June 13th, 2007 at 5:46 am
First off, I will save my usual “movie list vitriol” for TBL this time, because quite honestly nothing on his list jumped out at me as being that off-base this time (yes, i am taking into account he has Rocky IV first on his list…i get it).
So here’ s mine, and I’ll just say I’m shocked and appalled more people are not standing up for Rocky II, so clearly the best of the series.
Hon Mention: League of Their Own
10. Air Bud (the original…come on now, that dog rocks)
9. Caddyshack (Hey, Wang!)
8. Field of Dreams (cheesy, but Darth Vader’s speech seals it)
7. Victory (a guy lets his arm get broken on purpose! no I in team)
6. Raging Bull (an all-time, not just sports, classic)
5. Rocky (establishes one of the greatest characters of our time)
4. Jerry Maguire (hate me for it, but this IS a sports movie and I absolutely love it. so well done. so quotable. and a hot scientologist kelly preston yelling “don’t…ever…stop…f*$#ing me” while riding Tom Cruise, ’nuff said)
3. The Natural (still makes me feel like an 8-year-old every time I watch it)
2. Rocky II (took said character and gave us the big payoff — a kid for Rock and a belt…”I want you to do one thing….WIN [GONG........GONG....cue "victory" song...cue greatest montage ever])
1. Hoosiers (Nothing has ever come as close to perfection in a sports movie…guaranteed tears every time)
“I love you guys.”
June 13th, 2007 at 8:42 am
not even a North Dallas Forty mention…very odd…
hands down, Raging Bull…though, i don’t really consider it a sports movie, it is and is bloody brilliant…
June 13th, 2007 at 11:00 am
Jerry fucking Maguire? Fags.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Never knew so many hated Jerry Maguire. Guess there are no Tom Cruise fans in the house? Note to self: cross off ‘Top 5 Tom Cruise movies ever’ from the potential list of topics.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
You simply cannot have a list of great sports movies without “The Longest Yard,” and I don’t mean the crappy Sandler remake. The original was directed by an all-time great in Robert Altman, had Burt Reynolds at his apex, and had some of the greatest in-game scenes ever filmed.
Also, omitting “Hoop Dreams” because it’s a documentary is weak. It should be required viewing for anyone who’s ever played basketball.