Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Top 10 Sports Games in Movies

10. The Bourbon Bowl
Mud Dogs vs. Cougars
The Waterboy

Game Description: Cougars are up big at half time before Bobby shows up and brings his team back. Boucher throws a touchdown pass on the final play to give the Mud Dogs the win.

Why it's on the List: The Waterboy makes the list over other Adam Sandler sports comedies (Happy Gilmore and The Longest Yard) because it features an exciting game and a protagonist that is very easy to root for. 

MVP: Bobby Boucher. The kid plays all three sides of the game. He is the defensive MVP, forces a key fumble on special teams, and makes the game-winning play on offense.

Best Moment: When Bobby shows up at at halftime and wills his team to victory.

Quote: "Remember the time Bobby Boucher showed up at halftime and the Mud Dogs won the Bourbon Bowl do ya?"

9. The Toon Squad vs. The Monstars Basketball Game
The Toon Squad vs. The Monstars
Space Jam

Game Description: The Monstars take advantage of their physicality to take a "Kinda One-Sided Ain't It?" lead at halftime. But Michael Jordan and the toons use their "secret stuff" to come back in the second half, and with a little help from Bill Murray, they pull off the upset with a Jordan buzzer-beating dunk.

Why it's on the List: Space Jam is such an underrated movie. What's better than Michael Jordan and cartoons? This game is so much fun to watch because it combines two extremely successful mediums (basketball and The Looney Tunes) and adds another exciting finish to the Michael Jordan resume.

MVP: Michael Jordan. According to Deadspin, Jordan scored 44 points (24 on dunks), didn't miss a shot, and made the impossible game-winning dunk.

Best Moment: When Bill Murray shows up at the end and runs a play to come up with a key steal.

Quote: "Woah! Woah! Woah! I didn't know Dan Aykroyd was in this picture."

8. Giants vs. Cowboys Football Game 
Giants vs. Cowboys
Little Giants

Game Description: After the Ice Box enters the game following an injury to Junior Floyd, the Giants overcome a 21 point deficit and Becky makes a game-saving goal line stop in the final seconds. On the last play of the game, the Giants run the Annexation of Puerto Rico and go 99 yards to score the game-winning touchdown.

Why it's on the List: It's so extremely easy to root for and love the Giants. It might be the biggest upset on the list. And features the greatest play on the list in the Annexation of Puerto Rico.

MVP: Junior Floyd. He carries the team offensively the whole game and is the most important part of the Annexation of Puerto Rico.

Best Moment: The halftime speech delivered by Danny that convinces the team that it only takes one chance to beat the Cowboys.

Quote: "Don't be talkin bout my momma!"

7. ADAA Invitational Championship Match 
Average Joes vs. Purple Cobras
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

Game Description: Average Joes battles back after being a 5-1 man disadvantage and force sudden death. In a Peter/White one-on-one showdown, Peter blindfolds himself and eliminates White to win the tournament for Average Joes.


Why it's on the List: A totally different kind of sports movie. Manages to make dodgeball very exciting and still is able to pit the protagonist (Peter) vs. the antagonist (White) with the game on the line. The post-game scenario in which we learn that Average Joes will buy out Globo Gym is also very unique and rewarding.

MVP: Peter LaFleur. Peter gets a key elimination on Me'Shell before winning it in sudden death.

Best Moment: When Chuck Norris votes yes to allow the championship game to take place.

Quote: "I'm being told that Average Joe's does not have enough players and will be forfeiting the championship match." "It's a bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for 'em." 

6. Junior Olympics Gold Medal Game
Team USA vs. Team Iceland
D2: The Mighty Ducks

Game Description: Team USA battles back from a four point deficit and tie the game on Russ Tyler's knucklepuck goal. Julie the Cat makes a glove save on Gunner Stahl's triple deke in a shootout to seal the win for the Ducks.

Why it's on the List: One of the most fun movies on the list. Features a band of characters that we came to love in the first movie and it's very enjoyable to see them succeed again in the sequel.


MVP: Russ Tyler. His fake out knucklepuck goal forces overtime.


Best Moment: When Goldberg and Russ change equipment to trick Team Iceland and set up Russ' game-tying shot.


Quote: "Let's go shake their hands."


5. Indiana State High School Basketball Championship Game
Hickory vs. South Bend
Hoosiers

Game Description: Hickory is matched up against a taller and more athletic team in South Bend. But behind their terrific shooting, Hickory manages to stay in the game. Jimmy Chitwood hits a game-winning shot in the final seconds to give the Hoosiers the win.

Why it's on the List: Hoosiers is the prototypical sports movie. It created what is now a familiar story with pressure on the team to succeed from the community and the town drunk father of one of the players. It also featured the first ever halftime speech and the inspirational ending is now a trademark to the genre.

MVP: Jimmy Chitwood. According to Deadspin, Chitwood scored 40 points in addition to hitting the buzzer-beater at the end. 

Best Moment: Coach Dale's speech at halftime remains to this day one of the greatest sports movie halftime speeches of all time.

Quote: "Jimmy's wet."

4. Virginia State High School Football Championship Game
 T.C. Williams vs. Marshall
Remember the Titans

Game Description: Marshall outplays the T.C. Williams in the first half, using their advanced offense to pick apart the Titan defense. After several halftime adjustments, the Titans are able to come back in the second half. Julius Campbell forces a key fumble in the closing minutes and Jerry "Rev" Harris comes off the bench to score the game-winning touchdown as time expires.

Why it's on the List: The ending of the game involves all of the main characters from the movie. Julius makes the strip, Petey recovers the fumble, and Sunshine and Rev make the final play. Puts a perfect cap on an inspirational movie.

MVP: Ronnie "Sunshine" Bass. Sunshine brings the team back on offense in the second half and makes several key blocks on the final play to clear the path for Rev's game-winning touchdown.

Best Moment: After Campbell makes a great play on defense to force a fumble, Petey recovers the ball to give his team a chance to win it on offense.

Quote: "Fake 23 blast with a backside George reverse. Fake 23 blast with a backside George reverse like your life depended upon it!"


3. World Heavyweight Championship Bout 
Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed
Rocky

Game Description: Rocky goes toe-to-toe with Apollo for the full fifteen rounds. He becomes the first boxer ever to knock Creed down and refuses to quit, even after Mickey tells him to stay down after a knockdown. Creed wins in a split decision.

Why it's on the List: One of the most iconic sports matchups of all time. This fight is the best of all the Rocky movies because it goes the full fifteen rounds...and Rocky doesn't win. Rocky is a smart movie because it knows it can make an impact on the audience even if the hero loses.

MVP: Both boxers give it their all in an evenly matched fight, but let's recognize Mickey for putting Rocky in a position to go the full fifteen with the heavyweight champ.

Best Moment: Rocky comes into the fight an overwhelming underdog; and despite the fact that Creed had never been knocked down before, Rocky catches Apollo with an uppercut in the first round to put him on the canvas. 

Quote: "He doesn't know it's a show. He thinks it's a damn fight!"

2. American League Pennant Game
Cleveland Indians vs. New York Yankees
Major League

Game Description: The game is scoreless until the seventh, when the Yankees score two runs in the top half of the inning. After Roger Dorn gets on in the bottom of the eighth, Pedro Cerrano ties the game with a two-run home run. Ricky Vaughn gets out of a bases loaded jam in the ninth and Willie Mays Hayes scores from second on Jake Taylor's bunt in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Indians.

Why it's on the List: Major League has probably the most exciting finish to a sports movie ever. There is drama with Cerrano's home run, Vaughn's strikeout, Mayes hit/steal, and Taylor's final play. And it feels 100% authentic.

MVP: Jake Taylor. Taylor calls the game from behind the plate and gets the game-winning hit at the end.

Best Moment: Ricky Vaughn faces his nemesis, Haywood, with two outs and the bases loaded in the ninth. Vaughn fires three fastballs by Haywood, the last one reaching 101 MPH, and gives his team a chance to win it in the bottom of the inning.

Quote: "I'm pissed off now, Jobu. Look, I go to you. I stick up for you. You don't help me now. I say 'Fuck you,' Jobu, I do it myself."


1. AAGPBL World Series, Game 7
Rockford Peaches vs. Racine Belles
 A League of Their Own

Game Description: The game remains scoreless until the bottom of the eighth when Racine scores to take a 1-0 lead into the ninth. Dottie Hinson gets a two-RBI single off her sister Kit to take a one-run lead into the bottom of the inning. Kit comes up to bat in the ninth with a runner on and two outs and hits an 0-2 high fastball deep into the outfield. Kit ignores a stop sign at third base and collides with Dottie at home, who drops the ball and gives the game and the World Series to Racine.

Why it's on the List: A League of Their Own is number one because it is a truly unique sports movie ending in that although the events that unfold are unexpected, you feel happy with the result. You realize at the end that you were rooting for Kit all along.

MVP: Kit Kellar. She pitches eight innings of shutout ball and gets the championship winning hit at the end.

Best Moment: Kit's hit at the end. Dottie tells Ellen Sue to throw high fastballs to Kit, which brings the foreshadowing at the beginning of the movie full circle. Kit misses the first two before driving the third deep into the outfield for the World Series winning hit.

Quote: "Henson dropped the ball! Henson dropped the ball!"


*The list criteria were sports games that were created by a screenwriter. This leaves out true stories with realistic depictions of the game (Miracle) but can include true stories with games that were dramatized by the screenwriter (Hoosiers and Remember the Titans).

16 comments:

  1. glad to see the mighty ducks on this list.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Two things: In A League of Their Own, Dottie's name is Hinson not Henson.

    Second, Hinson is her married name, Her maiden name was Keller. Thus Kit's name is Kit Keller.

    ReplyDelete
  3. it's really cool blog. Linking is very useful thing.you have really helped 스포츠중계

    ReplyDelete
  4. Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting? I'm pleased I discovered it though, ill be checking back soon to find out what additional posts you include. artificial pitch resurfacing

    ReplyDelete
  5. A great website with interesting and unique material what else would you need. 토토사이트

    ReplyDelete
  6. Such a very useful article. Very interesting to read this article.I would like to thank you for the efforts you had made for writing this awesome article. Entertainment

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for the blog loaded with so many information. Stopping by your blog helped me to get what I was looking for. movies like inception

    ReplyDelete
  8. Someone Sometimes with visits your blog regularly and recommended it in my experience to read as well. 스포츠중계

    ReplyDelete
  9. Positive site, where did u come up with the information on this posting? I'm pleased I discovered it though, ill be checking back soon to find out what additional posts you include. rugby pitches

    ReplyDelete
  10. Yes i am totally agreed with this article and i just want say that this article is very nice and very informative article.I will make sure to be reading your blog more. You made a good point but I can't help but wonder, what about the other side? !!!!!!Thanks lsm99​

    ReplyDelete
  11. If you are looking for a very impressive word to wish birthday to your loved ones, you will get all those here on this forum in the form of birthday wishes for all of your relations. Here are all those birthday wishes presented below for you
    Birthday Wishes

    ReplyDelete
  12. wow... what a great blog, this writter who wrote this article it's realy a great blogger, this article so inspiring me to be a better person ufabet เว็บหลัก

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great and amazing stuff thanks for your valuable information now i want to know about what is the
    Movers and Packers in Dubai in UAE. I have read about Milimovers in dubai that is a very big and trusted moving company. They are working in the field of moving from last 11 years. Improving moving service is our top priority. is it true or not? i need your honest review.

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  14. LA Security Services
    Allied International Security is completely professional and dedicated in terms of providing reliable and perfect security services in a completely friendly manner. We are offering with the fresh and latest security technology in terms of making sure that we come about with the efficient services that are completely guaranteed to meet upon with the needs and budget of the customers.

    ReplyDelete
  15. C.NET Developer
    Hiring can be a hectic process that often leads to disappointing results. Keeping in mind the requirements and standards of the current major industries in Toronto, Citizen Group helps connect you to the right person.

    ReplyDelete
  16. One shouldn't use either clause in a contract. One shouldn't agree to either clause as written. One should negotiate contractual edits to these clauses through one's entertainment lawyer, prior to signature. Both clauses set forth proposed contractual performance obligations which are, at best, ambiguous. www.newsbreak.site

    ReplyDelete