Sunday, February 3, 2013

Question: Favorite Sports Moment?

In light of the Super Bowl being today, let's take a break from the regular film debate series and ask a simple question: What is your favorite sports moment on film?

76 comments:

shawn said...

I always get a chill when they crank up "wild thing" and Charlie Sheen comes out to the mound wearing his new glasses in Major League.

Also the final round of boxing in Rocky is a winner.

AndrewPrice said...

Shawn, What's funny is that I know that's one of the most manipulative, cliched moments on film, and yet I'm with you -- I love that moment. It's hard not to be excited. :)

Floyd R. Turbo said...

I love the part in Tin Cup where Costner's Roy blows the U.S. Open at the end trying to cross the water.

I'm a sucker to be sure but Roy Hobbs homer in the lightning storm in The Natural gets me everytime... the perfect melding of image, plot and music.

And for a foreign experience to me the surfing documentary Riding Giants has some breath taking footage of Laird Hamilton riding these ginormous waves... truly impressive... Kudos to Warren Miller's "Steep and Deep" extreme skiing documentary as well

Floyd R. Turbo said...

Does the part where the tutor swims in My Tutor count as sports?

AndrewPrice said...

Floyd, This is Commentarama, we have no rules that anyone follows, so it can count if you want it to count! :)

I liked "The Natural" a lot. That was an excellent moment too.

K said...

Also a big fan of "The Natural". More of a movie about ethics and metaphysics IMO than sports though.

BIG MO said...

First, my bride and I watched Coach Carter last year. Pretty good Samuel L. Jackson flick along the same lines as Stand and Deliver, but with basketballs. My favorite part comes when the team doesn't win the big game. Carter's post-game talk with the boys made a good film even better.

Second, I've long been a fan of Eight Men Out. It's a great period piece with a terrific cast. Hard to pick out a favorite moment, though, but it's probably this quote from Buck Weaver, played by John Cusack, describing what it feels like when he's up to bat:

"You get out there, and the stands are full and everybody's cheerin'. It's like everybody in the world come to see you. And inside of that there's the players, they're yakkin' it up. The pitcher throws and you look for that pill... suddenly there's nothing else in the ballpark but you and it. Sometimes, when you feel right, there's a groove there, and the bat just eases into it and meets that ball. When the bat meets that ball and you feel that ball just give, you know it's going to go a long way. Damn, if you don't feel like you're going to live forever."

Nice.

Tennessee Jed said...

Hoosiers, though corny, is a very special film. Hard to pick out one moment. Just Hackman being Hackman, I suppose. DeNiro at the end of "Raging Bull" ("you're the man, you're the man.") Same with "Miracle." But I guess my favorite is Cary Cooper portraying the Iron Horse's tearful speech with the microphone echoing: "today (today, today) I consider myself (myself, myself) the luckiest man in the world."

BevfromNYC said...

Rudy! When the team carries him off the field.

Tennessee Jed said...

Mo - I like John Sayles' work, and "Eight Men Out" is a vastly underrated film. I think a lot of viewers may not realize that it is a pretty accurate description of the 1919 Black Sox scandal that almost ended professional baseball. "Say it ain't so, Joe; say it ain't so." I kind of like the scene at the end where Jackson is playing anonymously in the bush leagues, and a fan thinks he recognizes him.

Costner's line in Bull Durham is my favorite comedic line: "if that ball got out of here any faster, it would have had a stewrdess serving drinks on it."

Tennessee Jed said...

"K" - since when are sports, ethics, and meta-physics not the same thing? :)

Tennessee Jed said...

Another pretty cool scene comes from "Bad New Bears" when the son of the opposing team's coach (Vic Morrow) for the Yankees' little league team, has had enough of his father's bullying, and just walks off the field.

Dave Olson said...

Has to be "Slap Shot". The Chiefs and their opponents get into a massive pre-game brawl. No referees are on the ice to stop them. Smash cut from the fight to the playing of the National Anthem. The players are all bloodied, their glasses are cracked. A referee skates up to a Hanson Brother and warns him against fighting during the game, and the Hanson screams at the ref "I'M LISTENING TO THE F**KING SONG!"

(On a side note, I'd like to hope that Paul Newman DIDN'T have a contract rider that stipulated he got to keep his wardrobe. Imagine the worst 1970s fashion crimes and add another suitcase full of bad taste.)

Tennessee Jed said...

Equine honors go to Big Red running to glory in the Belmont Stakes. With all due respect to Roy Hobbs, Secretariat gives a whole new level of meaning to the term "Best there Ever Was." "Seabiscuit" was probably a better overall film, and, unfortunately, caused "Secretariat" to end up being under rated.

Another fun moment is when Carla Gugino, playing coach Cathy Rush of Immaculata's "Mighty Macs" had to impersonate a nun in order to get a free fare to fly to her own team's playoffs.

AndrewPrice said...

K, Agreed, the sports angle is kind of secondary actually.

AndrewPrice said...

Dave, That was on TV the other night and I haven't seen it in 20 years. It was great. I love it when the Hanson brothers take the rink and you think the film is going make these guys into surprisingly amazing players who turn the season around (the normal sports cliche) and instead they end up the biggest goons on the planet.

AndrewPrice said...

Mo, I haven't see Coach Carter.

As an aside, if you want great coaches, how about Boilermaker in Bad News Bears! :)

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, Rudy was a well done film. It ticked a lot of emotional boxes and it did it quite nicely.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, Hoosiers was good. I'll tell you what I like better though along similar lines is Friday Night Lights.

BevfromNYC said...

TennJ - Great choices! Secretariat and Seabiscuit! I remember watching his run at Belmont when I was a kid. What I most remember was the his lead was so wide that the camera couldn't catch the #2 and #3 horses. The movie is just great.

T-Rav said...

There are a lot of moments from Field of Dreams that I liked. I think the one that might make a lot of baseball fans laugh is when all the old-time greats come onto the field and introduce themselves, and one of them--I forget who now--says, "Yeah, Ty Cobb wanted to come too. None of us liked that SOB when he was alive, so we told him to stick it!" :-) It's both funny and accurate.

Tennessee Jed said...

Andrew - "what does it mean to be perfect?" - Billy Bob Thornton. Loved the movie, but the television series was actually even better!! Boobie Miles, baby! ;)

Bev - agree on them both. I have Secretariat on Blu-Ray, but whenever I see the actual footage, and hear the announcer's call, all my hairs stand on end :)
T-Rav - for most guys, the line "do you want to have a catch, Dad?" brings a tear to the eye.

K said...

T-Jed: since when are sports, ethics, and meta-physics not the same thing? :)

Point taken. It just seems that the time correlation between bad sports behavior and "karma" seems to be lengthening every year.

=Lance Armstrong, Barry Bonds et al.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, Great quote!

I haven't seen the series.

You know another movie I liked, but wish had been better was North Dallas Forty. (I also had a lot higher expectations for Any Given Sunday.... which felt like a tired cliche.)

AndrewPrice said...

K, I'm kind of sick of all the sports scandals. It really has destroy the whole sporting world to me. It's all about cheating and money these days. That's kind of sad.

Tennessee Jed said...

"K" - can't disagree, although just remember "revenge is a dish best served cold!"

Andrew - I loved the book by real life Cowboy receiver Peter Gent. It was a great "insider" book that was quite accurate about life in the NFL in the early 70's. I played football until I blew up my knee playing summer baseball. Football is a tough sport. You pretty much hurt all season long. I can't even imagine the NFL level.The picture was, frankly, a let down . . . at least for me.

As far as Friday Night Lights, it was my first introduction to the actress Connie Britton who plays the coach's wife in both film and series. She currently is in the series Nashville. I can only say if you never see the series, it will be a shame, since it ranks with the best series ever made. BTW, my grandson has had two guest appearances on Nashville, and is scheduled to have a very small speaking part in episode 13!!

Anonymous said...

I'm a sucker for underdog sports movies, like with action movies they don't even have to be great for me to love them, I just like those types of movies.

I can never name just one.

Miracle - Kurt Russell is great in this and even though you know they are going to win, it's a great moment when they do
The Rookie - It's priceless when Dennis Quaids character realizes how fast he just pitched the ball
The Karate Kid - The moment when Daniel-sun realized that all the work he has been doing was actually training!
Invincible - Love the try out scene
Major League - Their motivation to win
Tin Cup - When Roy geats beaten in the longest drive contest
Eight Men Out - The fall out.
61* - Roger and Mickey's relationship
Mystery, Alaska - The payback when the player takes a puck to save a goal
Friday Night Lights - The comeback
The Replacements - Its cheap and corny but it always gets a laugh out of me and I love Shane Falcos line "I wish I could say something classy and inspirational, but that just couldn't be our style. Pain heals. Chicks dig scars. Glory... lasts forever."
Happy Gilmore - The first time he takes a swing.


Australia doesn't make good sports movies, we are generally sports mad but our sports movies are few and far between and usually not that good. I don't even like most American sports but I loves American sports movies.
The Club - My favourite was made in 1980 about our biggest football club and focuses on the behind the scenes drama as well as on a new recruit. Its a good movie though I don't know if Americans will get it.

Scott.

AndrewPrice said...

Jed, I've never read the book, though I really should. I've always wanted to, but just never got around to it.

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, I can't think of very many foreign sports movies actually. Maybe they just don't get shown over here?

I love the cheerleaders in "The Replacements" and how they've kind of become the NFL standard. LOL!

"Major League" is just all kinds of awesome. I love so much of that film.

I should also second "Field of Dreams" which is a great father/son film. And I should add "The Longest Yard" when they let the one guard through the lines and Reynolds blasts him with the ball. That was hilarious!

Anonymous said...

Andrew,

I just think that Americans are the only ones that make a lot of sports movies. The British have Bend It Like Beckham and their remake of The Longest Yard "The Mean Machine" which is about soccer and is better than the Adam Sandler movie but not as good as the original.

It must have something to do with Americas 'dare to be great' spirit and the fact that they are not as self conscious as most other countries. Or something like that. But they are not the only country that loves sport and makes movies but they make more and better sports movies than anyone.

Now I want to watch a few of the movies I mentioned.

Scott.

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, That could be. The American attitude is definitely pretty unique in the world. I would say you all are fairly close to us, but nobody else is.

The rest of the world seems pretty ashamed to stand out actually.

AndrewPrice said...

P.S. Scott, I think that closeness in attitude is why Australian actors do so well over here -- you're like the polite version of Americans and we relate to that. We can't relate to arrogant socialists like the Europeans or the introverted, elitist British.

Anonymous said...

Yes American is different and I think we are somewhere in between you guys and the rest with the difference being we didn't have to fight for independence like you guys did.

In regards to the actors, that makes some sense but I'd also add that there is some pretty good training to be had here which is a good start. So when our actors go over there they are skilled, similar but a little different then the norm.

Scott.

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, You make a good point about our fight for independence. If you look at our history, we basically are the only Europeans to toss of being European and to start fresh. And we started fresh as a nation of middle class people who knew they needed to built it themselves if they wanted it -- no one was going to hand them anything, but at the same time, there were no upper class limits.

The result is a people who are independent, have common sense/practical values, respect achievement rather than accidents of birth, and generally don't want to control anyone because they are busy running their own lives. This explains so much of our culture and our achievements. It's also, apparently, a nearly unique view in the world. The Euros I've met, for example, really are satisfied with waiting for other people to make their lives better.

Unfortunately, in the past few decades, a class of Americans has appeared who aren't like the rest of us (both on the left and the right), and they have taken over and they are trying to change our country at a fundamental level... which is what is killing our image overseas. Average Americans, however, are not like these people.

On actors, I'm not familiar with your system, so I can't comment on that. I can say that British "Shakespearean" actors are hard to take over here because they can't act like normal people. I never see that problem with the Aussies.

Anonymous said...

In Australia we became a country by act of Parliament, England had been taught by the USA that they cannot keep the hold on all of their colonies so they let us go.

So while being independent minded we still didn't have to fight for that independence like the USA did.

We also have a group of idiots who constantly tell us we should be ashamed of ourselves and that we are bad. Most of us ignore them and hopefully one day we can get a government to de-fund these idiots so they don't use our tax dollars to tell us how bad we are.

Scott.

AndrewPrice said...

Our problem is that our class of idiots got smart and took over both sides. So basically, our left and our right are the same type of people only with minor variances. That's what spurred the Tea Party, as people wanted to try to free us from this class of people. But I fear that may be an impossible task. They hold too much power, and the left/right combo is especially hard to break.

BIG MO said...

Andrew -Bad News Bears? Of course! Great flick!

Anyone remember 1979's Fast Break with Gabe "Mr. Kotter" Kaplan? Saw it in the theaters. Only thing I really remember is the final game where one of the star players reveals that he is a she. And as she dribbles toward the basket, the ball is not the only thing ... bouncing.

BevfromNYC said...

I can say that British "Shakespearean" actors are hard to take over here because they can't act like normal people.

Andrew - I beg to differ. Look up Mark Addy. He was on a very middle/working class tv show here called "Still Standing" with Jamie Gurtz. I didn't know until I saw him in "Game of Thrones" that he was very British. Trained at the RADA and a very experience Shakespearean actor. There are many like that who work here.

BevfromNYC said...

"So while being independent minded we still didn't have to fight for that independence like the USA did."

Scott/Anonymous - You can thank us Yanks for that. We accept gifts and/or cash! ;-)

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, The Brits are typecast unless they hide that they are British.


Let me second that to Scott... just don't make the check out to US Treasury, or we'll never see a penny, it will go straight to China. How about a muffin basket? :)

AndrewPrice said...

Mo, The "Bad News Bears" is a movie that really captures the carefree aspects of the 1970s before everyone got so uptight about safety and wrapping kids in bubble wrap.

I recall the name Fast Break, but I don't recall seeing it.

BevfromNYC said...

Scott - You can just make out the check to me and I will make sure that it goes to the right people...really, I will. But muffins are good too!

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, How long before the conspiracy theories start about the power going out?

T-Rav said...

Andrew, are you kidding? They've already started, and you know it.

BevfromNYC said...

I think it was that guy from Airplane! Or Beyonce. Though I'm not sure why they can't play. There seems to be plenty of light.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I know. There are probably already four or five making the rounds.

Personally, I think someone did this to cover something up. How's that for specific! :)

Nuts said...

This is a distraction to get everyone to watch their television so the Fed can sneak money out of the country while no one is looking!! Watch for the black trucks! Watch for the black trucks!!

AndrewPrice said...

Oh jeez... "the league won't say officially what caused the power to go out."

That's the kind the kind of statement that gets repeated by idiots over and over as proof of conspiracy.

BevfromNYC said...

I find it interesting that this happened just at the same time that Downton Abbey is coming on? Maybe it was PBS so they could get people to switch over...

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, Nice! :) Bravo!

BevfromNYC said...

Andrew - It could go deeper than that. Since PBS does get government funding...for now. Just sayin'.

AndrewPrice said...

Bev, I'm not sure I believe this, but I hear that Sesame Street taught the letters "N" "F" and "L" this week and the military has been running operations to invade nursing homes and change the channel on the television.

Again... I'm not saying this really happened... but it did.

T-Rav said...

Yeah, those conspiracy theories are probably in full force right now. Good Lord.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, These aren't conspiracy theories... we're just pointing out some FACTS that people can't consider because they've been SUPPRESSED by a secret CABAL of hot dogs vendors and public television enthusiasts! It's so obvious!!

Wake up people!! Wake up!!

T-Rav said...

Ohhhhhh......Clydesdales commercial....I think I'm gonna cry.

AndrewPrice said...

Clydesdales are tasty. Just ask Burger King. :P

AndrewPrice said...

The Montana stain was the first commercial I thought was any good so far. Except for maybe the Jack in the Box "how I met your mother" commercial.

Anonymous said...

Well, I spent the entire night trying to come up with sports movies that hadn't been mentioned yet. And since the Blackout Bowl's conspiracy theories sent the discussion flying completely off the rails...
I'm going to mention 'The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh.' Why? 'Cause you can't say "WHAT?" *with* your jaw hitting the floor *and* questioning all of existence at the same time without "The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh."

-Rustbelt

AndrewPrice said...

Rustbelt, Speaking of Pittsburgh, how about JC van Damme in Sudden Death. I think that was the Penguins.

Anonymous said...

Andrew, I was debating whether or not to mention that one. And though, like "The Fish," it does have excellent shots of the late Civic Arena (with the roof open, no less!) it really just comes off as a generic '90's actioner. Plus, the Pens are still wearing sweaters with the NHL's WORST LOGO EVER.

That, and to the best of my memory, the only big-name players who were actually mentioned by name were goalie Ken Wregget and forward Luc Robitaille (who I believe was only with the team while they filmed the movie).

All in all, I call it disappointing.

-Rustbelt

AndrewPrice said...

Rustbelt, True. I remember Robitaille mainly from playing for the Kings.

Speaking of the issues you raise, something I hate about the NFL is that they never let their logos get used for teams anymore. I hate seeing generic teams in games.

... which raises one of my favorite "sort of" sports films: Heaven Can Wait. I love the music and it was fun to see the Rams on film.

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen 'Heaven Can Wait,' though I have heard of it.
And, yeah. It does stink how the NFL is getting more and more overprotective of their properties. The days of using actual footage ("Black Friday," "Brian's Song") were definitely something special.
And speaking of movies that actually had real sports teams in them, how about the ending of the 'Naked Gun.?' Leslie Neilson searching the players, solving the 'safe' issue with his firearm, and ultimately how he saved the queen nearly left me dying from laughter. Ah, they don't make 'em that good anymore.

-Rustbelt

Anonymous said...

Also, I think my logo statement may have been misleading. In 'Sudden Death,' both the Penguins and Blackhawks wear their real uniforms. (It's supposed to be game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, which a terrorist is threatening to blow up.)
The logo I was referrng to was the Pens' 'pigeon' or 'triangle' logo that was universally loathed by the fanbase. Thankfully, Mario restored the 'skating penguin' after he bought the team.
However, it may be worth watching just to see the team's real-life announcer, Paul Steigerwald, yell 'Oh, s***!' when the scoreboard explodes.

-Rustbelt

AndrewPrice said...

Rustbelt, Agreed. I think it adds a lot to films to include real footage and to use real players. And I think it's great for the league too because it's like a great product placement. Sadly, they don't seem to get that anymore. They have really become too controlling over their images -- too sterile.

Tennessee Jed said...

One great line I just remembered: "Noonan!"

A couple of good films that I overlooked: Diggstown, and Dodgeball

AndrewPrice said...

Dodgeball! Excellent film. :)

Noonan. LOL!

T-Rav said...

Well, it looks like the favorite commercial of everyone in my neck of the woods was Paul Harvey's "God Made a Farmer." Made me smile, not gonna lie.

AndrewPrice said...

I hate to say this, but to me, the best commercial was Ben Affleck and Seth Rogan for Samsung.

T-Rav said...

Andrew, that was Paul Rudd, not Ben Affleck. He and Rogen are differing combinations of annoying for me.

AndrewPrice said...

T-Rav, I thought it was Rudd, but then I thought he called him "Ben." Either way, I agree -- they are both annoying to me, but the commercial was really funny. It also did a great job of keeping the product name in your face throughout.

Anonymous said...

Bev and Andrew,

I won't give anything to any government, I pay too much in tax as it is. I do realise that we like the rest of the world have a lot to thank the USA have done. But you'll have to settle for my best wishes.

Scott.

PikeBishop said...

"Do you believe in miracles?" yes!

rlaWTX said...

y'all mentioned all the good sports movie stuff - so I'm going to go to the secondary topic: ads

The Paul Harvey - Farmer one was the BEST - partially because I know some awesome, amazing folks who embody those characteristics

The Clydesdale baby horse was pretty epic and teary

the Samsung was ok - only because those 2 dimwits get slammed

the Audi one with the kid at the prom was pretty cool

the godaddy ones were CREEPY

rlaWTX said...

and I can't believe that I forgot the "Miracle Stain"!!!

AndrewPrice said...

Scott, Your best wishes are definitely welcome... though muffins would have been nice. :P

Seriously though, it's good to hear that not everyone around the world hates us. :)

AndrewPrice said...

PikeBishop, I never saw the film, though I saw the event live. I still remember it to this day. That was an amazing moment.


rlaWTX, The Godaddy thing was really creepy. People seem to be talking about that one in a very negative light today.

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