“Air Bud” may be the best sports movie of all time
Photo taken from Sports Illustrated
In honor of today being the 20th anniversary of “Space Jam,” I compiled a list of the 10 best sports movies of all time.*
*No list of best movies can be put together objectively, thus this list was put together in the most subjective way possible.
The movies included on the list did not make the list because of cinematic quality, but because I like them. And I like movies that are cheesy, nostalgic, cliché, started clichés and make me cry and/or laugh.
10. Hoosiers — “Welcome to Indiana Basketball.”
An actual classic of the sports movie genre, “Hoosiers” is responsible for creating the mental image I have of every small town in the Midwest. It’s a classic story of a rough-around-the-edges coach taking a team of misfits to glory. It also gives people who watch it an appreciation for how far basketball has evolved as a sport.
9. Rocky — “You’re gonna eat lightnin’ and you’re gonna crap thunder!”
Da-na-na-nah-na-nah-na. “Rocky” is the defining chase-your-dream sports story. It’s the only movie on this list that isn’t necessarily a quote-on-quote sports movie because so much of what happens in “Rocky” is not about boxing, but why Rocky wants to fight Apollo Creed and his relationship with Adrian. It should be noted that Rocky gave birth to many of the sports clichés in today’s cinematic world.
8. Remember the Titans — “Alice, are you blind? Don’t you see the family resemblance? That’s my brother.”
“Remember the Titans” tugs on the heartstrings — Denzel Washington plays the most badass coach in the world and a young Hayden Panettiere plays a hot-tempered young girl. It’s a cliché movie about integration full of terrible acting, but it has an amazing soundtrack and several scenes where the movie reaches over 10,000 on the feels-meter.
7. Air Bud — “Ain’t no rules says a dog can’t play basketball.”
“Air Bud” is about a golden retriever who can play basketball. Logistical impossibilities aside, “Air Bud” capitalized on two things that people love — sports and pets. Its innovation in the sports movie genre earns it a place on the list.
6. White Men Can’t Jump — “I’ll tell you what. Why don’t we take all these bricks and build a shelter for the homeless, so maybe your mother will have a place to stay.”
“White Men Can’t Jump” is a basketball movie starring Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes that is both funny and touching at times. Woody Harrelson’s character lends credence to phrase “Ball is life.”
5. Caddyshack — “In the immortal words of Jean Paul Sartre, ‘Au revoir, gopher.'”
As Ahab hunted Moby Dick, so Bill Murray — who is also in “Space Jam” — hunts the gopher in “Caddyshack.” A sports comedy centered around golf, “Caddyshack” makes the list because it is still funny 30 some years after its release.
4. Gladiator — “At my signal, unleash hell!”
Ancient sports are still sports. I’ll admit there are some other things going on in this movie besides Russell Crowe being a gladiator, but still, the title of the movie is “Gladiator” for a reason.
3. Kicking & Screaming — “All in good time, Connor. But in the event the pizzas don’t arrive, I have already made the decision… that we will eat Byong Sun.”
“Kicking and Screaming” is not only a movie about soccer, but a movie about being a bad parent as well. Here are the things that make it great: Mike Ditka, the Italians, coffee addiction and, of course, Will Ferrell.
2. “Dodgeball” — “If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball.”
Pitting Vince Vaughn against Ben Stiller in a dodgeball tournament for the ages makes this an excellent sports comedy. But it’s Jason Bateman and Rip Torn’s collective lines from this movie that make it an unforgettable part of pop culture.
1. “The Sandlot” — “You’re killin’ me, Smalls!”
Just like P.F. Flyers are guaranteed to make you run faster and jump higher, “The Sandlot” is guaranteed a spot in the nostalgia zone of my brain. If there was ever a retweet if you’re a 90s baby sports movie, “The Sandlot” would be that movie. It’s a coming-of-age story involving a misunderstood dog and a lost baseball.
Honorable Mentions (Participation Awards)
“Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”
“Hot Rod”
“She’s the Man”
“The Karate Kid”
“Bad News Bears”
“Coach Carter”
“The Mighty Ducks”
“Racing Stripes”
“Hidalgo”
“Seabiscuit”
