Back on July 7, 2003, we posted our very first edition of Top Guns and our topic was motion pictures with a sports theme. Time has a way of altering such lists, especially with the release of new films. Feel free to critique our list, create your own or offer suggested changes. Without further ado, our list in ascending order.
10. Major League
~ An ex-showgirl inherits the Cleveland Indians and desperately wants to move the team to Miami to take advantage of the perks that the City of Miami has promised. But here’s the catch…she can’t break her lease in the City of Cleveland unless attendance falls below 800,000 for the season. (Pete Angelos denies that art imitates life with his 2003 Orioles.) To ensure this occurrence, she assembles a bunch of misfit players that will surely send attendance figures through the floor and free the team to move to Miami. Great cast and great baseball stories, although Corbin Bernsen probably couldn’t start for a beer league slow pitch team. Renee Russo rocks!!
~ Not necessarily a sports movie but it appears here because of all of the Baltimore Colts dialogue, the test and of course the greatest wedding song of all time played upon the church organ ~ The Baltimore Colts Fight Song. Nestor, are you listening?
~ Based upon a true story and set in the 70’s during the early stages of desegregation. Denzel Washington lights up the screen with a blistering performance as a black head coach in a town morally challenged during racially tense times. In the end, the movie triumphs by placing value on character, friendship and teamwork while rendering completely unimportant, the color of one’s skin.
8. Hoosiers
~ Hoops in the Heartland of America. From straw baskets and a graveled road to Indiana University’s Assembly Hall. (Boy that sounds like the lyric from a Lucinda Williams song). Gene Hackman and Dennis Hopper at their best….
7. Rudy
~ Everyone loves an underdog. In this flick, size doesn’t matter (behave). As the Counting Crows once sung, “It’s the heart that matters more.” I loved the scene where Rudy recites Knute Rockne’s speech about “The Gipper” – George Gipp:
“Well, boys … I haven’t a thing to say.
Played a great game…all of you. Great game.
I guess we just can’t expect to win ‘em all.
I’m going to tell you something I’ve kept to myself for years —
None of you ever knew George Gipp.
It was long before your time.
But you know what a tradition he is at Notre Dame…
And the last thing he said to me — "Rock," he said –
"sometime, when the team is up against it — and the
breaks are beating the boys — tell them to go out there
with all they got and win just one for the Gipper…
I don’t know where I’ll be then, Rock", he said – "but
I’ll know about it – and I’ll be happy."
Martin Scorsese tells the story of boxer Jake LaMotta played by the incomparable Robert Deniro. LaMotta battles his inner demons throughout his life. The ring becomes his sanctuary to inflict pain on others and himself while dealing with his tortured psyche. In a way, the world that surrounds him is his punching bag. That is when he’s not beating his brother or his wife. In the end, LaMotta is a sadly remorseful man who blames no one but himself for the volatile and often unhappy life that he’s lived. Based upon this description, this might sound like a real bummer of a movie but Deniro, Joe Pesci and Cathy Moriarty all contribute to make this a classic. The fight scenes are great and depict a grittier style of fighting when men just pummeled each other into oblivion or beyond. Richard Steele would’ve looked like a traffic cop on York and Timonium Roads in LaMotta’s day, stopping fight after fight.
5. The Longest Yard
~ You know the famous line, “I think I broke his f&*(in’ neck!” Loved that part where Burt Reynolds walks to the far end zone after the game to pick up the football. “Shoot him!” And of course, you had to feel the pain of the blitzing Middle Linebacker played by Ray Nitschke. MEAN MACHINE, MEAN MACHINE, MEAN MACHINE
4. Brian’s Song
~ I can remember the first time I saw this classic, sitting at home with my Mom & Dad, watching Mom cry over the sad parts. I can remember trying to be the tough little kid that didn’t cry over movies. It worked back then. Today, when Billy D as Gale Sayers recites “I love Brian Piccolo and I want all of you to love Brian Piccolo”, well fuggedaboutit….I’m gone….croc tears are welling up and about to drop. Just don’t tell anybody…
~ The women will love this movie for Costner’s soliloquy on his beliefs, long wet kisses and Lee Harvey Oswald acting alone. But you sports fans just gotta love the look on the faces of Costner and Robbins after Costner tips off an opposing hitter that the “heat” is coming and the hitter knocks it off the bull in right field. (WARNING: excessive profanity on the clip below)
Starring Sylvester Stallone and Talia Shire. It is the story about a poor, blue-collar gym rat trying to gain self-respect and love by going the distance with the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed played brilliantly by Carl Weathers. The result is a highly entertaining, emotional and inspiring film. Who could ever forget Rocky’s run through the streets of Philadelphia; Rocky’s request to, “cut me Mick” spoken to one of the planets greatest character actors, the late Burgess Meredith; and of course Rocky’s plea at the movie’s end, “Adriaaaaaaaaaan.” I recall standing in the theatre throwing hooks for Rocky. And trust me, I wasn’t alone. I can’t remember another movie that inspired me to get up out of my seat. 1. Field of Dreams
~ “The one constant through all the years Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It’s been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is part of our past Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and that could be again. Oh people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.” These words spoken by James Earl Jones send chills down the spine. They almost inspire me to go down and catch an O’s game. Well, I did say almost….
Slap Shot, 8 Men Are Out, All The Right Moves, The Ravens Super Bowl XXXV Video, The Natural, Jerry McGuire and 61 ~ The Story of Roger Maris.
