Best Sports Movies of all Time by Sport (1 Viewer)

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jbutler

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We've talked about the best movies of all time and the best single sports movie of all time, but I'm watching White Men Can't Jump tonight and it got me to thinking which is the best movie for each sport. I would imagine there are some clear winners (Caddyshack) and some close calls (Major League vs. Bull Durham) and even some that arguably shouldn't be considered sports movies even though I do (Jerry Maguire). So I'm thinking:

BASEBALL
Major League
(runners up: Bull Durham, Moneyball, The Fan, Field of Dreams, The Bad News Bears (1976), The Sandlot)

FOOTBALL
Friday Night Lights
(runners up: Rudy, Jerry Maguire, The Program)

BASKETBALL
White Men Can't Jump
(runners up: Hoop Dreams, He Got Game, Blue Chips)

HOCKEY
Slap Shot

GOLF
Caddyshack
(runners up: Tin Cup, Happy Gilmore)

BOXING
Raging Bull
(runners up: Rocky, The Fighter, Creed)

MMA
Redbelt

BILLIARDS
The Hustler
(runner up: The Color of Money)

BOWLING
The Big Lebowski
(runner up: Kingpin)

WRESTLING
The Wrestler

There are a bunch of popular ones that I left out because they just never connected with me personally the way they connected with so many other people, most notably, The Natural and Hoosiers, which I'm sure some will see as insane omissions, but also some less classic but nonetheless adored (by some) movies like Varsity Blues, Talladega Nights, or The Longest Yard (1974).

And I'm sure there are some I totally spaced on, so I'm sure someone will include something that will me feel dumb for forgetting it.
 
Can't disagree with most of what you have here. There is a bowling movie called Dreamer IIRC that I remember being pretty good when I was a kid. I also enjoyed, in the RACING category, Heart Like A Wheel (Shirley Muldowney story). Can't believe No Holds Barred didn't make it for wrestling though. ;)
 
I am def a Hoosiers and The Natural guy. Both movies were HUGE for me as a kid. That said, I think the following are good too:

Baseball: The Rookie, For Love of the Game, Eight Men Out, 42, Mr 3000, Cobb, The Babe

Boxing: The Hurricane, Ali

Football: Wildcats, Heaven can Wait, Remember the Titans, The Best of Times


But hey, I love sports movies.....
 
Baseball: Major League
Runner up: Bull Durham, The Scout

Football: Remember the Titans
Runner up: The Replacements, Necessary Roughness, The Program, Varsity Blues

Basketball: You nailed this list

Hockey: Slap Shot
Runner up: Miracle

Golf: Caddyshack

Boxing: Rocky
Runner up: Raging Bull, Rocky II-IV, Diggstown

MMA: Warrior

Billiards: The Color of Money
Runner up: The Hustler, Poolhall Junkies

Bowling: The Big Lebowski
Runner up: Kingpin

Wrestling: The Wrestler (Non-documentary), Wrestling with Shadows (documentary)
Runner up: Foxcatcher, No Holds Barred (First movie my mom took me and my brother to that wasn't a cartoon. Big Hulksmaniacs as kids. God awful movie, though)

Racing/NASCAR: Days of Thunder
Runner up: Talladega Nights
 
jbutler said:
We've talked about the best movies of all time and the best single sports movie of all time, but I'm watching White Men Can't Jump tonight and it got me to thinking which is the best movie for each sport. I would imagine there are some clear winners (Caddyshack) and some close calls (Major League vs. Bull Durham) and even some that arguably shouldn't be considered sports movies even though I do (Jerry Maguire). So I'm thinking:

BASEBALL
Major League
(runners up: Bull Durham, Moneyball, The Fan, Field of Dreams, The Bad News Bears (1976), The Sandlot)

FOOTBALL
Friday Night Lights
(runners up: Rudy, Jerry Maguire, The Program)

BASKETBALL
White Men Can't Jump
(runners up: Hoop Dreams, He Got Game, Blue Chips)

HOCKEY
Slap Shot

GOLF
Caddyshack
(runners up: Tin Cup, Happy Gilmore)

BOXING
Raging Bull
(runners up: Rocky, The Fighter, Creed)

MMA
Redbelt

BILLIARDS
The Hustler
(runner up: The Color of Money)

BOWLING
The Big Lebowski
(runner up: Kingpin)

WRESTLING
The Wrestler

There are a bunch of popular ones that I left out because they just never connected with me personally the way they connected with so many other people, most notably, The Natural and Hoosiers, which I'm sure some will see as insane omissions, but also some less classic but nonetheless adored (by some) movies like Varsity Blues, Talladega Nights, or The Longest Yard (1974).

And I'm sure there are some I totally spaced on, so I'm sure someone will include something that will me feel dumb for forgetting it.
Click to expand...
Though the legacy of Frank Dux is highly suspect, I have to go with Bloodsport in the MMA genre because it was so awesomely shitty.

(Have to give a shout out to Enter the Dragon as well)
 
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I think this is a great thread.

As for your list, most I completely agree with..., Redbelt was simply stunning... And the ending was pure movie glory! As a practicioner of BJJ, I was in tears at the end..

As for the wrestler.... We saw it on a double date with another couple during a theatrical re-release (after it won such praise), and we all had the reaction, that it was one of the worst movies we'd ever seen. Stunned it had received such critical acclaim. To each their own, I guess..

As to sports movies, I'll add another category

Bicycling:

American Fliers, 1985

(with a nod to Breaking Away, 1979)
 
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Ellasdaddy said:
Baseball: Major League
Runner up: Bull Durham, The Scout

Football: Remember the Titans
Runner up: The Replacements, Necessary Roughness, The Program, Varsity Blues

Basketball: You nailed this list

Hockey: Slap Shot
Runner up: Miracle

Golf: Caddyshack

Boxing: Rocky
Runner up: Raging Bull, Rocky II-IV, Diggstown

MMA: Warrior

Billiards: The Color of Money
Runner up: The Hustler, Poolhall Junkies

Bowling: The Big Lebowski
Runner up: Kingpin

Wrestling: The Wrestler (Non-documentary), Wrestling with Shadows (documentary)
Runner up: Foxcatcher, No Holds Barred (First movie my mom took me and my brother to that wasn't a cartoon. Big Hulksmaniacs as kids. God awful movie, though)

Racing/NASCAR: Days of Thunder
Runner up: Talladega Nights
Click to expand...

Damn the first huge accidental omission by me: Days of Thunder. Also agree with The Wrestler and Foxcatcher, but forgetting Days of Thunder is embarrassing.
 
Trihonda said:
As for the wrestler.... We saw it on a double date with another couple during a theatrical re-release (after it won), and we all had the reaction, that it was one of the worst movies we'd ever seen. Stunned it had received such critical acclaim. To each their own, I guess..
Click to expand...

Maybe give it another shot. Think of it more as a drama than a sports movie per se. Both Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei give phenomenal performances. And made by one of the best directors working today.
 
jbutler said:
Maybe give it another shot. Think of it more as a drama than a sports movie per se. Both Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei give phenomenal performances. And made by one of the best directors working today.
Click to expand...

Maybe.. But I think I'll have a hard time convincing my wife... Lol

I remember the acting being ok


Now speaking of great directors... Akira Kurosawa, now there's a great! If only slicing people up with swords were a sport, I'd have a list great movies for ya.

/thread Jack
 
The best basketball movie of all time is Hoosiers and if you don't agree then go to the hospital because you don't have a human heart.

Baseball - you forgot The Natural and For Love of the Game.

My tops:

Baseball: Major League (but For Love of the Game is a close second - the scenes where Costner is in Yankee Stadium and talking to himself are fantastic).
Basketball: Hoosiers (I grew up in a small basketball-crazed town so this resonates with me).
Hockey: Miracle (unless you're from Russia, in which case, Slapshot).
Football: Rudy

Obviously I'm a sucker for the inspiration / comeback / underdog story line. Who wouldn't be? This is sports and those are the best stories IMO.
 
No love for Mystery, Alaska? wtf?? Also, Hoosiers is far and away the best basketball movie of all time, and while I do love Major League, Bull Durham and the Natural are 1 and 1A and its not even close.

Also, its not number one, but Poolhall Junkies deserves a runner up mention.
 
bergs said:
Baseball - you forgot The Natural and For Love of the Game.
Click to expand...

I actually don't think I've ever seen For Love of the Game. The Natural I know is a crazy omission. Maybe one day it will hit me on a rewatch but despite otherwise being a big Robert Redford fan, it doesn't do it for me.

Miracle I really wanted to like, but I thought it was embarrassingly cheesy.
 
I watch Major League every year when spring training starts, never gets old. Gotta put Bull Durham and Bad News Bears right behind there, loved Moneyball too.
 
I had a good friend that played minor league baseball and he mentioned on more than one occasion that Bull Durham nailed it (including the inability to say "c@cksucker" to an ump and not get ran from the game). Great movie - I guess I do out Bull Durham out in front of For Love of the Game but it's close. Costner and baseball, who woulda thought it?
 
EDIT: Tim Robbins trying to throw a baseball may be the worst sports movie depiction of all time though.
 
Chippy McChiperson said:
Forgot about A League of Their Own, deserves an honorable mention for sure.
Click to expand...

rowlin said:
Over The Top
Click to expand...

I'm embarrassed for forgetting A
League of their Own. One of my overall faves. Plays big in our household.

I've seen Over the Top more times than a functioning man should. What a fun, terrible classic. Arm wrestling!
 
jbutler said:
Miracle I really wanted to like, but I thought it was embarrassingly cheesy.
Click to expand...

I loved Herb Brooks and it crushed me when he was killed, especially because he was in talks to come coach my Rangers. Then I see the movie and the ending hits me like a truck.
 
Movies that need to be added, at least on my list

Baseball; Bang the Drum Slowly
Basketball; Glory Road
Football; Brian's Song
Boxing; Cinderella Man
 
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mooremo said:
Movies that needed to added, at least on my list

Baseball; Bang the Drum Slowly
Basketball; Glory Road
Football; Brian's Song
Boxing; Cinderella Man
Click to expand...

I second that emotion.
For wrestling.... Alex Karras in mad bull
In hoss racing. Seabiscuit. The Story of Seabisciut, secretariat , let it ride
 
Some great movies I didn't see listed (*and some not so great, but I like them anyway)

Football:
Brian's Song
Wildcats
*Lucas

Baseball:
Eight Men Out

Basketball:
Hoosiers
*Teen Wolf

Dodgeball:
Dodgeball

Golf:
Happy Gilmore

Hockey:
Strange Brew

Skiing:
Better Off Dead

Gymnastics:
American Anthem (not a great movie, but young Janet Jones FTW)
 

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