Or more specifically, David Woronoff, our esteemed publisher (and one of the paper’s owners) came to me and said, “Why don’t you do a column on the top 10 best sports movies ever?”
Then with the enthusiasm that Woronoff possesses, he proceeded to help me with my list. At first, I thought that was fine, but after we talked a while I came to the realization that we weren’t going to agree on the movies that should make the list. So, diplomatically (after all, we are involved in an employer-employee relationship) I said, “Heck, no, you make your list, and then I’ll make a list that makes sense.”
I didn’t really say that, but we did agree to disagree. Sports fans know all about disagreements — it’s part of the beauty of sports. Movie fans know the same thing — disagreements and debate make the reels go ‘round. David’s choices can be found to the right of this column.
It might also be good to point out that SI came back two weeks after running its list and revealed that its summary of the greatest sports movies generated more mail (over 800 letters) than any other story the magazine had run in the past year.
Seems that David and I aren’t the only ones who disagree. One man’s “Citizen Kane” is another man’s overblown black-and-white tribute to a sled called Rosebud.
Oops, I forgot that this is directed toward those who love sports, an audience that isn’t exactly prone to discussing the merits of a film like “Citizen Kane.” (Perhaps that explains why David chose “Rudy” and “Rocky III” for his top 10 list.)
One caveat of mine is that it is necessary to have seen a film before I declare it one of the greatest. Therefore you won’t see me pick “Seabiscuit,” deserving as it may be, as one of the greatest movies, because I haven’t seen it yet. Apparently David has more time on his hands. I have to wait for the video.
1. Hoosiers — The ultimate underdog movie, underscored by the theme of redemption. Gene Hickman and Dennis Hopper shine in this film, based on a true story of small-town Hickory High winning the all-comers Indiana state basketball tournament in 1951. And the basket is still only 10 feet from the floor.
2. Caddyshack — Class warfare fought on a country club golf course with a laugh-out-loud script. Bill Murray is hilarious as groundskeeper Carl Spackler. Poking fun at golf, golfers and country clubs and boasting Rodney Dangerfield in rare form, the movie helps me remember that sports should be fun — especially golf, which some people take way too seriously.
3. When We Were Kings — I love documentaries. Released in 1996, 20-some years after the fight between Ali and George Foreman in Zaire, the film records a moment in time in a timeless way. Ali feeds off the citizens of the African nation, while Foreman appears confused long before he runs into the Rope-a-Dope.
4. Raging Bull — A brutal movie, just like the sport of boxing. Robert DeNiro and director Martin Scorcese deliver a harsh black-and-white treatment of 1950s boxer Jake LaMotta. No punches are pulled in this depiction of a man consumed by rage.
5. Bull Durham — Perhaps the symmetry of “Raging Bull” followed by “Bull Durham” influenced my decision to place a Kevin Costner movie here. I’m not a big fan of Costner, but this movie is really a sports movie, as opposed to “Field of Dreams.” It also makes me smile because it is the first pairing of Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, sure to delight the hearts of all good Republicans everywhere.
6. Rocky — David, David, David. Rocky III over the original? Clubber Lang over Apollo Creed, a villain who comes to admire Rocky as much as the audience? And knowing that the plot mirrors the real-life story of Sly Stallone’s ability to get this movie made despite the lack of industry support only lends credence to its underdog-who-never-gives-up sincerity.
7. The Natural — Based on a Bernard Malamud novel that boasted a different, more cynical ending, Robert Redford’s morality tale dressed in a baseball motif is simply good moviemaking.
8. Beyond the Mat — Talk about revealing the underbelly. This documentary follows several well-known wrestlers now trolling the back roads of fame. Just the shot of Jake the Snake on his motel bed smoking crack cocaine and drifting in-and-out of lucidity makes this a powerful indictment of those who don’t know when to hang up their jockstraps.
9. Chariots of Fire — Perhaps David is right when he says this doesn’t deserve to be in the top 10. This movie was a close call and in retrospect its place might have been best used on any of 10 other movies. But in a disagreement, mistakes can be made. The movie’s soundtrack alone is worthy of the mention.
10. The Longest Yard — David laughed at me when I mentioned this movie, which led to my declaration of independence. At the turning point in this prisoners-versus-guards football movie, Burt Reynolds’ character asks another if doing the time for the crime was “worth it.” I can only say it was.
So there is my opinion versus Woronoff’s. Hopefully, there will be a backlash to our lists, and our readers (who, no doubt, are better qualified as movie critics) will grace the paper with their selections. Feel free to e-mail your choices to hchase@thepilot.com or mail them to Sports Movies, The Pilot, P.O. Box 58, Southern Pines, N.C., 28388.
