Parts of sports movies that disappointed you

I've lost all respect for you sir!

I know. I know.

I wasn't alive when it was in theaters and then when I finally saw it, I had already seen things like Terminator and so Star Wars seemed cheesy and for little kids. Full disclosure - - I've only ever seen portions of what I believe was the first one. I've probably only seen a total of 15 minutes of Star Wars.
 

I wonder if it's an age thing. I really like the Sandlot but I didn't love Slap Shot (ducks to avoid things thrown at me).

I also loathe Star Wars. I do not understand the love of the movie.
I was 17 when the Sandlot came out. So I wasn't too much older than the kids in the movie. It's just not my thing. It's fine, but there's at least a dozen baseball movies I'd watch before that.
I like Slapshot, but that's one of those things that came later in my college years through repeated viewings.
 

A couple of things about sports in movies/TV that I am trying to work through, despite all the therapy…

• Current sports equipment/uniforms when the time and setting of the movie takes place years and years ago.
• When they’re in a high school gym and its about the size of a modern-day living room.
• When Michael Oher is first noticed he is dunking and doing all kinds of magical feats, but then when the little kid coaches him up, he is a clumsy idiot.
• Extreme closeups of the actor in action to avoid the obvious…they aren’t athletic.
• Every tackle in a football movie is straight from a professional wrestling video.
• Any actor who portrays a baseball player.
• In a basketball movie, the last 5 seconds of the big game at the end of the movie would in reality be about 45 seconds.
• Running back Axl Heck getting a football scholarship. All 5’-6”, 155 lbs. of him.
 

A couple of things about sports in movies/TV that I am trying to work through, despite all the therapy…

• Current sports equipment/uniforms when the time and setting of the movie takes place years and years ago.
• When they’re in a high school gym and its about the size of a modern-day living room.
When Michael Oher is first noticed he is dunking and doing all kinds of magical feats, but then when the little kid coaches him up, he is a clumsy idiot.
• Extreme closeups of the actor in action to avoid the obvious…they aren’t athletic.
• Every tackle in a football movie is straight from a professional wrestling video.
• Any actor who portrays a baseball player.
• In a basketball movie, the last 5 seconds of the big game at the end of the movie would in reality be about 45 seconds.
• Running back Axl Heck getting a football scholarship. All 5’-6”, 155 lbs. of him.
The real Michael Oher hated the movie because it made him look like an idiot.
 

I own that too! And it would be on the list, but dodge ball is not a sport!

Don't forget the 5 Ds!
Dodge.
Duck.
Dip.
Dive.
and Dodge.

I think I will go watch it right now!
1584565445189.png
 


Thanks Urbandale! A fun read at not a very fun time.
 

Not only that, but running a reverse for sixty yards on the last play isn't ever going to work.

From Wiki:

"The climax of the movie is a fictionalized 1971 AAA state championship football game between T. C. Williams and George C. Marshall High School. The dramatic license taken in the movie was to convert what was actually a mid-season match-up between T. C. Williams and Marshall into a made-for-Hollywood state championship. In reality, the Marshall game was the toughest game T. C. Williams played all year. As depicted in the movie, the real Titans won the Marshall game on a fourth down come-from-behind play at the very end of the game. The actual state championship (against Andrew Lewis High School of Salem) was a 27–0 blowout, played at Victory Stadium in Roanoke, VA.[11] "
 

From Wiki:

"The climax of the movie is a fictionalized 1971 AAA state championship football game between T. C. Williams and George C. Marshall High School. The dramatic license taken in the movie was to convert what was actually a mid-season match-up between T. C. Williams and Marshall into a made-for-Hollywood state championship. In reality, the Marshall game was the toughest game T. C. Williams played all year. As depicted in the movie, the real Titans won the Marshall game on a fourth down come-from-behind play at the very end of the game. The actual state championship (against Andrew Lewis High School of Salem) was a 27–0 blowout, played at Victory Stadium in Roanoke, VA.[11] "
That’s interesting. Thanks for posting.
Still doubt it was a 60 yard reverse to win in.
 

I know. I know.

I wasn't alive when it was in theaters and then when I finally saw it, I had already seen things like Terminator and so Star Wars seemed cheesy and for little kids. Full disclosure - - I've only ever seen portions of what I believe was the first one. I've probably only seen a total of 15 minutes of Star Wars.
I was in the front row of a single screen theater in Rochester, MN that was later turned into a twelve screen cineplex on the opening night of Star Wars! Watching the words scroll up the screen and then the Tantive IV and the Imperial Star Destroyer literally drive over us was pretty freaking awesome and something you cannot replicate these days since there probably isn't a screen that big anywhere.

Plus, as you stated, the special effects are dated now. Still a great movie! And Slap Shot! is a classic!
 



I don't get the love for the Sandlot. Horribly, horribly overrated. MLB.com has a list of the 25 best baseball movies. Sandlot is #8. Major League is #10. Senseless.
Ya, the Sandlot was after my time so I never cared for that one. Unfortunately, I have shared that opinion with others before and I think I would have gotten off easier if I had said something like, I dunno...I took a dump on Mother Teresa's grave.
I grew up in the 70s so we had "The Bad News Bears" and an alcoholic, verbally abusive, drunk-driving coach to laugh along with...and not to mention a 12-year-old dirt bike-driving, cigarette smoking loan shark played brilliantly by seventies go-to juvenile delinquent, Jackie Earle Haley...I mean seriously, at that time didn't Haley epitomize every neighborhood kid/bully you were deathly afraid of?
Good times...
 

Not in the disappointment category, but a fun little baseball movie is The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings. Great cast featuring Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, and Richard Pryor. Nothing profound or earth-shattering, but pretty enjoyable.
 

I learn something new everyday! She was awesome in both roles.
Not in the disappointment category, but a fun little baseball movie is The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings. Great cast featuring Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Jones, and Richard Pryor. Nothing profound or earth-shattering, but pretty enjoyable.
Forgot about that movie. Thanks for the reminder on that one.
 

I'm not surprised no one has mentioned The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh. Although it did have Dr. J and Meadowlark Lemon in it! There was also the Basketball Movie with Denzel as Jesus' dad. That wasn't too bad. Why did the Wolves trade Ray "Jesus" Allen?
 



I'm not surprised no one has mentioned The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh. Although it did have Dr. J and Meadowlark Lemon in it!
Was a huge Dr. J fan as a kid and remember seeing this in a (mostly empty) theater. Jonathan Winters and Flip Wilson, plus NBA cameos from the likes of Kareem, Mychal Thompson, Lou Hudson, Cornbread Maxwell, Bob Lanier and many others. Funky soundtrack, too.
 

A little off topic, but I did like Mr. Destiny with Jim Belushi. Not quite a full blown sports movie, but it did have a lot of stars in it. ⚾
 

Field of Dreams. “Hey dad, wanna have a catch?” And dad throws like a Flippin girl.
 


Brian’s Song. Love James Caan as an actor, but he doesn’t scream NFL tailback to me.
 

When the Game Stands Tall was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. Jim Caviezel played the coach and he was absolutely awful. I was hoping for a Friday Night Lights movie - yeah, not so much.
 


I'm not surprised no one has mentioned The Fish that Saved Pittsburgh. Although it did have Dr. J and Meadowlark Lemon in it! There was also the Basketball Movie with Denzel as Jesus' dad. That wasn't too bad. Why did the Wolves trade Ray "Jesus" Allen?
Dr.J is my favorite athlete from childhood so I own The Fish/Pittsburgh on vhs. Even having Dr.J in it couldn't save the movie. Really bad.
 
Last edited:



I was in college when Slap Shot came out, and I was doing some work-study in the office at the campus ice arena. the Hockey die-hards were really split over Slap Shot. Some hockey people really liked it, but some of the real hockey purists were offended because they said the movie would give people the wrong impression about the sport of hockey.
 

I was in college when Slap Shot came out, and I was doing some work-study in the office at the campus ice arena. the Hockey die-hards were really split over Slap Shot. Some hockey people really liked it, but some of the real hockey purists were offended because they said the movie would give people the wrong impression about the sport of hockey.
Best sports movie ever period. Fact based off of my opinion.
 

I've often wondered what the ground rules were in Field of Dreams for a ball that was hit into the corn. Was it a HR if in the air and a ground rule double if it bounced first? I've spent more time thinking of that in my life than I probably should.
 

I've often wondered what the ground rules were in Field of Dreams for a ball that was hit into the corn. Was it a HR if in the air and a ground rule double if it bounced first? I've spent more time thinking of that in my life than I probably should.
I think you got it right there. That seems to fit with the existing rules.
 

I've often wondered what the ground rules were in Field of Dreams for a ball that was hit into the corn. Was it a HR if in the air and a ground rule double if it bounced first? I've spent more time thinking of that in my life than I probably should.

I grew up playing 4-H softball where the ball fields often were adjacent to crops. The way it was addressed was pretty much as you have laid out here. A couple of the fields were Fenway-esque with a medium-deep pop fly ending up a home run.
 


Did you know the actor who played Maggie was also the underaged girl in Animal House?

"Night putting...just putting at night...with the 15 year old daughter of the dean"

"You know who that guy was Danny?"
 




Top Bottom