Black Wednesday

It's about fathers and sons, I suppose. Brothers. Friends. The competition of sport is the closest that most men (myself included) will ever get to the battle field. Deep bonds are formed. Bitter rivalries grow. Sports have a funny way of bringing out the rawest of emotions. Sports are one of the few things that I'm passionate about. Movies are another. Show me a good sports movie and I will be on my feet cheering in the middle of a crowded theatre.
There are two days each year when there are never any scheduled games in any of the four major US leagues. The day prior to the Major League Baseball all-star game, and today. The day after the MLB all-star game, also known to sports fans as Black Wednesday.
Since there are no games to watch or track tonight, I figured I might pop in a sports movie to quell the pain. Trying to decide which got me to thinking about my favorite sports movies, and I decided to jot them down, in the ever-popular top-ten list format.

First, some honorable mentions:

Any Given Sunday- Strong Performance by Al Pacino, and some pretty cool cinematography.

The Legend of Bagger Vance- If you don't like golf, don't bother, but if you do like golf, this is a really good flick.

Raging Bull- Everybody puts this in their top ten because it's Scorsese. Honestly, it's good but not great.

Blue Chips- Shaq, Penny, and Nick Nolte. This movie is actually a very clever comment on college sports recruiting.

Friday Night Lights- Didn't think this movie was great, but Derek Luke's performance as Boobie Miles is worth the price of a rental.

Chariots of Fire- Stands the test of time.

The Mighty Ducks-Emilio Estevez used to be the balls. What ever happened to him?

Breaking Away- You can't watch this movie and not stand up and cheer during the climactic race. Plus teenage Daniel Stern. Booyah.

The Program- A lot of really compelling characters in this one, and a really cool Guns n Roses football montage.

The Sandlot- A reminder of when baseball was baseball, and the world was a bit more innocent.

Jerry Maguire- "I see a guy comin at me, I say Fuck It. Catch the ball. Booyah! Touchdown! I make miracles happen!"

Wow, how did some of those not make the Top Ten. This list is either going to suck, or it's going to be the ten greatest movies of all time. Either way we'll all have to kill ourselves. I used a lot of criteria as I started to pick movies, but in order to narrow it down to ten, I had to basically look at the climactic scene of each flick. The louder I cheered, or harder I cried, the better the movie. Enough babble:

#10) We have a tie. (Ok, so this is a top 11.)
Number 10A is the Rocky Franchise. (Ok, so this is a top 16.) The first one is an incredible character study, the fourth one is a profound social comment, and everything else just makes you want to go punch people in the face. Stallone's a badass.
-"If I can change... and you can change... then everybody can change!"
Number 10B is Cool Runnings. As long as you don't take yourself too seriously, this movie is hilarious. And if you don't well up a little bit at the end of the bobsled race, you have no soul.
-"Derese, ya dead?"
-"No, man. But I have to finish the race."

#9) Remember the Titans. Admittedly, a little Disneyed out, but the dynamic between the two coaches is great. Denzel kicks some serious ass.
-"I don't want them to gain another yard! If they cross that line of scrimmage every last one of you is coming out!"

#8) Karate Kid. A cog of '80s cinema. I always wanted to be a shower curtain for halloween.
-"Man who catch fly with chopsticks, can accomplish anything."

#7) Field of Dreams. This movie is everything that a movie should be. It has heart. A journey. Magic. Costner. There are so many iconic moments in this film it's hard to pick one.
-"Hey... Dad? You wanna have a catch?"

#6) Cinderella Man. A lot of good boxing movies have been made. For me, this is number one. A guy who just fights to keep the heat on for his family. There is no purer motivation. The ups and downs are almost unbearable. The guy who plays Max Baer is a phenomenal villain. Seeing Jim Braddock beg for money from men that used to be his peers is one of the hardest things for me to see on a screen. Paul Giammatti and Russell Crowe are perfect.
-"Maybe I understand, some, about having to fight. So you just remember who you are... you're the Bulldog of Bergen, and the Pride of New Jersey, you're everybody's hope, and the kids' hero, and you are the champion of my heart, James J. Braddock."

Now the top 5. To me, these were easy. These five films stand head and shoulders above the rest. Putting them in order was difficult. Honestly, you could rearrange them however it pleased you, and I'd be fine with it.

#5) Rudy. The greatest story in the history of possibly the greatest tradition in all of football. On a certain level this is what every boy dreams of. Growing up to put on the jersey and play for the team that they worship. (A year or two ago there was a trade in hockey. A guy who had grown up in the small town of edmonton and realized his dream of playing for his hometown Edmonton Oilers had been traded away. At his press conference, he bawled. Not just choked up. Bawled. This is what I'm talking about.) I think the thing that sets this movie apart is that Rudy never becomes a phenomenal football player. This story is purely about perseverance. It is impossible to watch this movie and not jump up and cheer at the end. And Favreau is the shit as D-Bob.
-"Well, you know what my dad always said. 'Having dreams is what makes life tolerable.'"

#4) Mystery, Alaska. This one, I'm guessing, takes most of you by surprise. This might be the only top ten list that this movie is on. I like small town America. I like David vs. Goliath. And I can't watch this movie without tearing up. If you haven't seen it, rent it. And invite me over. It's funny, it's quirky, and it's compelling. Burt Reynolds is essentially the Mr. Miyagi of Hockey. Talk about a silver fox.
-"I play hockey and I fornicate 'cause those are the two most fun things to do in cold weather."

#3) Hoosiers. The ultimate David vs. Goliath story. Dennis Hopper and Gene Hackman at their best. The score is amazing. Your heart will race. When I was little my parents and I would watch this the night before my first basketball game every year. Then my dad would let me pretend I was Jimmy Chitwood, and shoot a few hoops in the driveway in my pj's before bed. A must-see.
-"Coach, you need one more."
(dramatic pause)
-"My team's on the floor."
(I rip my pants off)

#2) The Natural. In addition to being a super-compelling sports story, this is an incredibly well-made film. On some levels it is personal and real, and on others it is epic and magical. It touches all bases, pardon the pun. Possibly the best SCENE in any of these movies is when Roy Hobbs smashes the final homerun into the outfield lights, and sparks rain down over the field as he rounds the bases. ROD.
-"Pick me out a winner, Bobby."

You guessed it,
#1) Green Street Hooligans. Soccer flick. Enough said. The first time I saw this I was by myself, at the Arclight theatre in Hollywood. It was so intense that I found myself nervously chewing. I ate my ticket stub, and half of my soda cup. No joke. This movie is intense. It's real. Any guy who has ever had guy friends that he thinks of as brothers will cry. I mail-ordered the DVD to get it early and paid like thirty bucks for it. Last week it cost five at Best buy. Totally worth it.
-"We didn't kill your son, Tommy! You did! You shoulda protected him, mate! He was your son!"

Anything I forgot? Feel free to chime in.

I'm forever blowing bubbles. Pretty bubbles in the air. They fly so hi, they reach the sky, and like my dreams, they fade, and die. Fortune's always hiding, I've looked everywhere. I'm forever blowing bubbles, pretty bubbles in the air. United! United!