Best Sports Movies (Final)

This is it.

2.) Hoosiers (1986)
Tagline: They needed a second chance to finish first.




There was some debate, just among myself, whether Hoosiers should take the top spot. I believe the sports intself are better, but I love number one too much.
That scene above is pretty inpressive and emotional. I remember seeing on the scoreboard at Brewer games when we were losing in the late innings, which was pretty often. (They would play this, or John Belushi scene in Animal House- classic "When the going gets tough...")
Anyway, the best underdog story ever. Small, small town against the big school. They can barely field a team. I also love the scene where the short player, who barely ever plays makes the free throws underhand to win the game. And the scene where they have a town meeting to decide if the fire the coach or not and the star player final shows up and says if the coach stays he'll finally play. Gene Hackman is perfect. Dennis Hopper is great as the drunk father.
Man, totally the definition of a sports movie. Awesome. And it's based on a true story.

P.S. The definiton of hoosier - an awkward, unsophisticated person esp. a rustic- makes this move even better, a perfect fit.





1.) The Karate Kid (1984)
Tagline: He taught him the secret of Karate lies in the mind and heart. Not in the hands.





Well, #1, we made it. It was a daunting task, but an enjoyable one. But really, was number one ever in doubt? No, the Karate Kid is my favorite movie, or on of my three favorite moives (The Karate Kid, In America, Star Wars). I love it! It's usually not to high on most people's lists, but hey, this is my list.
There is so much greatness, I don't know what to talk about.
Well, first video is brilliant "Get 'em a Body Bag!" totally imprinted on my childhood. Most people don't know about the baller soundtrack- "You're the best", Survivor, and Cruel Summer by Bananarama. Yes!
And the whole relationship between Daniel and Ali (Elizabeth Shue- HOT) is suprisingly great. You got the soccer- he teaches her to juggle, great pick-up move, I gotta try it-, the beach, the school scenes, the Halloween Party, the date at the arcade, the fallout, the country club, the redemption, the support at the tournament, and that hug at the end- beautiful.
And there is the serious side of Mr. Miyagi which people often forget. He's not just this teacher/funny foriegn comic relief charcter. His past is rough. The anniversary scene is deep. His family died in an inturnment camp while he was fighting for the US. Man!

And, then there is the stuff that everybody loves about the Karate Kid- the kid getting back at the rich bullies. Daniel-san really got his shit kicked in a few times. The "wax-on, wax-off", the catching flies with chopsticks.
"Have you ever caught one?"
"Not a-yet"
All the training sequences are pretty raw.
Waxing, sanding, painting, staining- he really did a lot of work. And he got the nice car. The scene where Daniel-san realizes he was actually getting taught something was great.
And there was soccer. Yes. Daniel really railed the heck out of one of the guys that beat him up, but got kicked off the team and loses his chance to make friends and impress Ali. Shoot.
Even Cobra Kai is pretty cool.

"Fear does not exist in this dojo, does it?"
"NO SENSEI!"
"Pain does not exist in this dojo, does it?"
"NO SENSEI"
"Defeat does not exist in the dojo, does it?"
"NO SENSI"
Yeah.

Again, the allure is in the idea that sports can raise you up. It's a way to beat the rich kids, to get the hot girls, to make great friends, to be better than those who are supposedly better than you. It's a truly equal playing field. And this medium then transcends to all other parts of life.

Yeah, so below is the final scene. Touching, famous, emotional. One of the best in movies.
Sweep the leg.
Miya-gee dojo.
Danny Larusso, I love you!
There's much more I could write, but the satisfaction on Mr. Miyagi's face at the end shows it all.