# Greatest sports movies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 6, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871 "2010-01-06T05:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/1 "2010-01-06T05:27:40Z")
I don’t have much to do with sports in real life, but there have been some very powerful movies made with a sports setting. For some reason some of the greatest are set in the world of possibly my least favorite sport: boxing. Maybe it’s the power of the drama of two lone men pitched in battle against each other; very fertile ground for metaphor. For me the number one greatest sports film is _The Setup_ (1947). The rest are listed in no particular order. What have I missed? Maybe we’ll do a poll after some nominations. (For the purposes of this discussion, I’m omitting documentaries: we can do a separate thread on those.) The Setup (1949) Raging Bull (1980) The Wrestler (2007) Breaking Away (1976) The Champ (1931) National Velvet (1947) Eight Men Out (1988) The Bad News Bears (1976) Body and Soul (1947) I’ve left off some obvious titles, but I wanted to contribute only my own favorites, rather than anticipate what others would suggest. ---
**Author:** ![In\_Winnipeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a8b319/32.png) [@In\_Winnipeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Winnipeg)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/2 "2010-01-06T05:33:44Z")
_Slapshot_ has always been one of my favorites. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/3 "2010-01-06T05:37:11Z")
_The Blood of Heroes_ ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/4 "2010-01-06T06:03:02Z")
**Bull Durham** is often described as the consensus greatest baseball movie ever. Deservingly, imho. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/5 "2010-01-06T06:14:57Z")
_The Sandlot_. I don’t even like baseball and I’ve always LOVED this film. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/6 "2010-01-06T06:28:45Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > **Bull Durham** is often described as the consensus greatest baseball movie ever. Deservingly, imho. That’s my vote. We watch it every year. " I just watched “Jerry Maguire” again for about the third time, and it is a freaking good movie, too. ---
**Author:** ![infinitii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e8c25b/32.png) [@infinitii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/infinitii)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/7 "2010-01-06T06:29:07Z")
One of my favourite movies of all time is _Any Given Sunday_. You know how when people say such-and-such movie is about “more than football (or whatever the subject happens to be)”? Well, _Any Given Sunday_ is ONLY about football, but covering every aspect it touches on. Oliver Stone likens it to Balzac, and while I understand that I don’t think it necessarily touches on what is great about that movie. Also, to mention a sport probably no one else will be able to come up with an example for, let me nominate _Stick It_ for gymnastics. A fun movie. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/8 "2010-01-06T07:06:44Z")
Ugh, I found _Stick It_ unwatchable and I’m a big Missy Peregrim fan. (The only reason I tried to watch it in the first place.) I guess I should toss out some obvious omissions: Friday Night Lights Cinderella Man Seabiscuit ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/9 "2010-01-06T07:28:37Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > **Bull Durham** is often described as the consensus greatest baseball movie ever. Deservingly, imho. Ditto. The OP is a quality list, but _Durham_ is essential, and I’d also add _When We Were Kings_ and another vote for _Slapshot_. Not quite in the same league (ha!) but worthy of mention are _Chariots of Fire, Miracle, Lagaan_ (cricket) and _Friday Night Lights_. ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/10 "2010-01-06T07:35:25Z")
Radio Remember the Titans Hoosiers The Natural Field of Dreams Brian’s Song Rocky Bend it Like Beckham The Other Side of the Mountain Murderball ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/11 "2010-01-06T07:45:44Z")
Karate Kid is the best sports movie. Mighty Ducks movies are awesome as well. And, yes, I’m serious. ETA: Saw it in Hazle’s post just as I submitted but I’ll second Bend it Like Beckham. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/12 "2010-01-06T07:49:48Z")
Hoosiers and Rudy are the best for their respective sports. ---
**Author:** ![valleyofthedolls](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a4c791/32.png) [@valleyofthedolls](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/valleyofthedolls)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/13 "2010-01-06T08:00:05Z")
The Hustler The Color of Money Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings Caddyshack Damn Yankees And of course the best example in the large field of blind figure skating movies: Ice Castles. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/14 "2010-01-06T08:25:48Z")
My favorites, per sport: basketball: Hoosiers baseball: The Natural football: The Longest Yard hockey: Slapshot golf: Tin Cup boxing: Rocky martial arts: Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story horse racing: The Black Stallion skating: Rollerball ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/15 "2010-01-06T09:00:02Z")
_Happy Gilmore_. Has there been a movie about dominoes? What about synchronised swimming? I’d love to see a movie about cross-country ski shooting biathlon whatever it’s called. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/16 "2010-01-06T09:10:30Z")
**North Dallas Forty**! I hate football with a passion, but I do love that movie. I 3rd(?) **Friday Night Lights**. Not mentioned yet is **A League of Their Own**. I tend to like most sports movies I see, even though I don’t follow sports. A few titles for the list, not that they would be considered great, but I like them: Invictus (I’m still completely mystified by rugby, but I liked the movie) Victory (it is a John Houston film, after all. My first exposure to football/soccer) We Are Marshall (shut up, I cried) The Final Season (shut up, I have a thing for Sean Astin, I should watch Rudy one of these days) ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/17 "2010-01-06T09:29:22Z")
I don’t care what people say about Kevin Costner… **Tin Cup** is funny. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/18 "2010-01-06T10:20:22Z")
Pride of the Yankees. Makes me cry every time. Cooper might have been a bit too old, but he still nails the part. Plus, I love how ballsy Hollywood was at the time. Lou Gehrig’s speech is one of the most famous speeches in American sports history and they STILL changed it. It’s like making a movie about Lincoln and changing the Gettysburg Address. Balls. ---
**Author:** ![Lantern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d26b3c/32.png) [@Lantern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lantern)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/19 "2010-01-06T10:30:07Z")
Chariots of Fire is probably my favorite. I have also liked Raging Bull, The Hustler, Bull Durham and Iqbal (a Bollywood film about a deaf cricketer) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871/20 "2010-01-06T10:42:39Z")
> [@Cyberhwk](#): > > I don’t care what people say about Kevin Costner… **Tin Cup** is funny. It is, isn’t it? I’m always surprised how much I enjoy that film. Costner, I think, can be very appealing when playing an “ordinary guy”. It’s when he feels the need to act the hero (or the villain) that he stumbles, badly [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-movies/523871.md?page=2)