The Top 10 Sports Films of All Time

Sports films are quite stereotypical. Or, at least, we all know the ending: the underdog wins the big game at the last possible second. And even more dramatic, it's inevitably the worst, most hapless player on that team who scores the winning point. So considering the predictible nature of a sports film, how does one stand out as being better than the rest? What makes for a truly worthwhile sports film? The following are examples of sports films with that "something extra" that makes them stand out. In no particular order, here are the ten best sports films.

Wildcats - It always makes for a good sports story, albeit cliche: a woman who seemingly doesn't belong in a male-dominated profession struggles to prove her passion and her right to pursue it. Add Goldie Hawn and a cast of lovable cut-ups to the mix, and you've got success. Hawn stepped outside of her usual typecast as the endearing, ditzy beauty to believably portray a determined, tough high school football coach in the 1986 inspiring comedy, Wildcats. Met with ridicule and adversity from opponents, her own team and even her family, Hawn's character, Molly, sets out to create a winning team from a group of rebellious malcontents. All the while, she is fighting to maintain custody of her two daughters against her ex-husband who disapproves of her career choice. It's Goldie as you've never seen her and her tenacity surprisingly outranks tough guy co-stars Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson.
www.amazon.com/Wildcats-Goldie-Hawn/dp/B00008DDXD/ref=sr_1_2

Necessary Roughness - The 1991 comedy Necessary Roughness finds star Scott Bakula with an obstacle of a different nature to overcome. Rather than facing gender bias, Bakula's character, Paul Blake, is faced with mockery and doubt based on his age. Necessary Roughness is the tale of a crudely assembled college football team with no hope of anything better than utter humiliation. After his original, award-winning team is cut due to endless violations, Coach Rig (Robert Loggia) is forced to start from scratch with a whole new team. His reconstruction efforts are thwarted at every turn and he's left with an unlikely group of hopefuls. Bakula's Blake is a reluctant recruit, attempting to rediscover his high school glory days as a quarterback, even though he is fast approaching middle age. Alongside Blake, the equally mature Andre Krimm (Sinbad) and distractingly beautiful Lucy Draper (Kathy Ireland) lead the bumbling team to an unexpected level of victory and respect. Age, lack of experience and gender are all considered weakenesses for the Fighting Armadillos, but of course, even with multiple factors working against them, they come out on top and prove that you never know where you'll strike gold.
www.amazon.com/Necessary-Roughness-Scott-Bakula/dp/B0000541AO/ref=sr_1_1

Jerry Maguire - Who doesn't love Jerry Maguire? It's got the requisite love story of a chick flick with just enough of the sports angle to urge men to pay attention as well. Very little of the movie actually takes place on the football field, but that's just what makes Jerry Maguire unique in the genre of sports flicks. It focuses more on the business end of the sports world than player performance. The title character, played by Tom Cruise, embarks on a crusade for integrity in his role as a sports agent after an attack of conscience, which ultimately costs him his job with a high-powered agency. Though most of his clients opt to remain with the agency, Jerry finds an ally in wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) who remains with him as he launches a solo career. He also finds love with single mother, Dorothy Boyd (Renee Zellweger) who abandons her job at the agency to support Jerry on his quest for moral service. Though Cruise may be the A-list star and top draw, it was Gooding who made the strongest impression, earning an Academy Award for best Supporting Actor in his role. And who can forget "Show me the money!!"?
www.amazon.com/Jerry-Maguire-Tom-Cruise/dp/0800141741/ref=sr_1_1

A League of Their Own - Though fictionalized, 1992's A League of Their Own is based on the true story of the WWII era creation of the first professional women's baseball league in America. Originated to breathe new life into Major League Baseball, the league proved that women could perform in sports equal to the standards of their male counterparts...in a time when the concept was especially unheard of. A drawback to the film is the inclusion of two actresses that I personally find to be exceedingly annoying, Madonna and Rosie O'Donnell. Redeeming is the fact that this is the one film with either of the two that is not completely ruined by their appearance. Also featuring the illustrious talents of Geena Davis and Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own taught us that "there's no crying in baseball".
http://www.amazon.com/League-Their-Own-Tom-Hanks/dp/0800177258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1248582651&sr=1-1

The Karate Kid - It was the first movie that made karate cool for the younger generation. Aside from providing a wealth of quotable lines from the charmingly reserved Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita), The Karate Kid convinced us all that the scrawny kid really can singlehandedly take down a whole troop of menacing bullies simply by learning to do household chores for an equally lanky, elderly Oriental man. Not only was it refreshing to see the abhorrent antagonizers put in their place, but The Karate Kid made us all feel just a little bit stronger. Do your household chores with rigorous pride and conviction and even you can be as accomplished and untouchable as young Daniel-San (Ralph Macchio). It didn't hurt that Macchio was a highly sought-after heartthrob at the time of the film's release, 1984. As a footnote, don't expect the same level of entertainment from the remainder of the sequels in The Karate Kid franchise.
www.amazon.com/Karate-Kid-Special-Ralph-Macchio/dp/B0008JIJ2E/ref=sr_1_1

Happy Gilmore - You certainly cannot expect a serious look at the wide world of sports when Adam Sandler is involved, but give credit where credit is due. Sandler took a sport that is universally perceived as generally boring and turned it into a regular laugh riot. Though some who truly enjoy the sport may take offense to the tongue-in-cheek simplicity of Sandler's concept, Happy Gilmore is a lighthearted look at professional golfing, and it is obviously meant to be seen as such. With that in mind, it's hard to believe that anyone wouldn't appreciate this film for what it is. Besides, who ever thought we'd see such an aggressive side of Bob Barker?
http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Gilmore-Bob-Barker/dp/0783225717/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1248582764&sr=1-4

Heart Like A Wheel - It may be another in the long line of "woman fights to break into a man's sport" films, but Heart Like A Wheel does have a unique angle. Not only is this a biographical account of drag racing star Shirley Muldowney's life, but Muldowney was a pioneer for women's racing long before the ever-popular Danica Patrick even wrapped her hands around a steering wheel. In a time when sexism and stereotyped gender roles was blatant and accepted (the 1950's), Muldowney displayed admirable courage and devotion to the pursuit of her destiny. Despite injuries, harrassment and contempt, Muldowney rose above it all to become a success and in fact, an asset to her sport. While Danica Patrick deserves recognition for her achievements, it was Muldowney who truly paved the way.
www.amazon.com/Heart-Like-Wheel-Bonnie-Bedelia/dp/B0007WQH4Y/ref=sr_1_1

8 Seconds - 8 Seconds is the dramatic true account of the life and untimely death of rising rodeo star, Lane Frost (portrayed by Luke Perry). The 1994 film chronicles not only Frost's career achievements, but his turbulent marriage to fellow rodeo performer, Kellie (Cynthia Geary). Frost saw a premature end to his promising career immediately following a victorious, eight second run with the bull known as "Takin' Care of Business" at a 1989 rodeo, when the bull charged at, and impaled him. A career that ended far too soon, also bringing to a close the unsettled life of an ambitious sportsman.
www.amazon.com/8-Seconds-James-Rebhorn/dp/B00002SSKG/ref=sr_1_1

The Fan - A look at baseball from a unique angle, The Fan stars Robert De Niro as Gil Renard, an obsessed fan fixated on fictionalized baseball great, Bobby Rayburn (played by Wesley Snipes). Wayward Renard, whose life is marred in turmoil and quickly spiraling out of control, becomes consumed with Rayburn's performance on the field as a result of his own attempts at escapism. When Rayburn hits a slump, Renard reacts violently, culminating in violence and the kidnapping of Rayburn's son. Given a harsh ultimatum, will Rayburn be able to deliver on Renard's demands? Like most sports films, everything comes down to the results of one game, but in The Fan, the stakes are much higher than a championship.
www.amazon.com/Fan-Robert-Niro/dp/0800141822/ref=sr_1_1

Major League - An illustrious cast is merely one of the appealing factors of Major League. Starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Rene Russo, Wesley Snipes and Corbin Bernsen, the film is a satirical look at the struggles of creating a winning team from a hopeless gang of duds. The team's roster includes a criminal, a veteran player (whose career took a nosedive following severe knee injuries that were never quite repaired), a cocky newcomer, a narcissist and a powerful, large player who relies on voodoo-like rituals for his performance. Add this to a manager who wants nothing more than to see them fail, and you've got all the makings for a dismal outcome...or a tremendous comedy. And comedy is surely what we get with Major League. Sheen is a highlight as Rick Vaughn, the hot-tempered ex-con that lures the ladies, earning himself the nickname of "Wild Thing". Laughs, relationships and inspiration lace this 1989 hit, but don't expect quite so much from the sequel, which served as an extreme disappointment to the original.
www.amazon.com/Major-League-Tom-Berenger/dp/B00006F7IM/ref=sr_1_6