When you scroll down the rosters of the past 75 Academy Awards, sports movies tend to keep a warm seat at the far end of Oscar’s bench.
But while sports flicks capture our imagination, only three sports movies have won best picture (“On the Waterfront” in 1954, “Rocky” in 1976 and “Chariots of Fire” in 1981).
“The Champ” (1932) was the first sports movie to get nominated, followed by “Here Comes Mr. Jordan” (1941), “The Pride of the Yankees” (1942) and “The Quiet Man” (1952).
“The Hustler” (1962) was the only thing close to a sports movie nomination after that until “Rocky” won in 1976. “Heaven Can Wait” (1978), “Breaking Away” (1979) and “Raging Bull” (1980) drew nominations after that.
“Field of Dreams” (1989) and “Jerry Maguire” (1996) were sentimental favorites but unlikely winners, much like this year’s best picture nominee, the long shot “Seabiscuit.” Will this year’s “Miracle” make next year’s Oscar cut? Not likely, but you can feel free to believe in miracles.
So who needs the Oscar’s silly envelopes anyway? As nominated by the RedEye staff, here’s a list of the Top 10 sports movies of all time, as well as a few lists that needed to be made too.
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1. “Rocky”: Unknown boxer loses but wins.
Adrian: Why do you want to fight?
Rocky: Because I can’t sing or dance.
2. “Caddyshack”:
Chaos reigns at golf country club.
Ty Webb: There’s a force in the universe that makes things happen. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball.
3. “Hoosiers”: Little high school
basketball team that could.
Wilbur “Shooter” Flatch: I know
everything there is to know about
the greatest game ever invented.
4. “Jerry Maguire”:
Disillusioned agent finds meaning of life.
Jerry Maguire: Jump in my nightmare,
the water’s warm!
5. “Bull Durham”: Minor-league
baseball, major-league love.
Crash Davis: Strikeouts are boring,
besides that they’re fascist. Throw some
ground balls, it’s more democratic.
6. “The Bad News Bears”:
Manager makes castoffs contenders.
Coach Buttermaker: Listen, Lupus, you didn’t come into this life just to sit around on a dugout bench, did you? Now get your ass out there and do the best you can.
7. “A League of Their Own”:
Real baseball isn’t just for men.
Dottie Hinson: You ever been married?
Jimmy Dugan: Well, let me think … yeah, twice.
Dottie Hinson: Any children?
Jimmy Dugan: One of them was, yeah.
8. “The Longest Yard”:
Inmates run the asylum and West Coast offense.
Paul Crewe: The most important thing to remember is to protect your quarterback–ME!
9. “Field of Dreams”: Iowa farmer
and Shoeless Joe find redemption.
Ray Kinsella: This is my corn.
You people are guests in my corn.
10. “Seabiscuit”: Three men
and a horse give nation hope.
Tom Smith: You don’t throw away
a whole life just ’cause he’s banged up a little.
Worst 5 movies ever **
1. “The Cutting Edge”:
He’s an ex-hockey player, she’s a
figure skater, and we’re throwing up.
2. “Necessary Roughness”:
Robert Loggia is a good defensive
coordinator. And it’s downhill from there.
3. “Driven”:
Our car expert described it as “Rocky on wheels,”
except he meant, of course, “Rocky V.”
4. “Gymkata”:
Before this movie, Kurt Thomas was a gold-medalist gymnast. Now he’s a punchline.
5. “For Love of The Game”: Kevin Costner has two in the top 10 and one in the bottom 5.
Top 5 Authentic Sports Portrayals
1. “Eight Men Out”
The 1919 Black Sox look so real you can almost smell the cigar smoke in the stands.
2. “Hoosiers”
Satin shorts, pomade and bandbox gyms tell us it’s way past big speech time.
3. “Chariots of Fire”
It’s the Olympics long before Nike
and high-performance tracks.
4. “The Natural”
Robert Redford’s swing wasn’t all
that, but the uniforms put us back in the day.
5. “The Hustler”
Pool isn’t a sport? It involves balls, a stick and beer. Any questions?
Top 5 Amusing Cameos
by Sports Figures
1. BRETT FARVE
The Green Bay Packer QB in
“Something About Mary.”
2. CAM NEELY
Former Boston Bruin as Sea Bass in “Dumb & Dumber.”
3. PETE VUCKOVICH
Former Milwaukee Brewer in “Major League.”
4. HULK HOGAN
Pro wrestler as Thunderlips in “Rocky II.”
5. CHARLIE LAU
Baseball hitting coach as himself in “Max Dugan Returns.”
