# Worst sports movie **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [November 26, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159 "2025-11-26T18:22:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/21 "2025-11-26T20:35:23Z")
> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#): > > except that he actually, you know, did get in and play for Notre Dame Which was, _entirely_, a testament to my earlier observation about the “lesson” from his story: > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > “if you are a relentless enough pest, you’ll get something.” ---
**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/22 "2025-11-26T20:44:18Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Which was, _entirely_, a testament to my earlier observation about the “lesson” from his story: > > > [@kenobi\_65](#): > > > > “if you are a relentless enough pest, you’ll get something.” I mean, what you are calling “being a pest”, others might consider “relentless dedication” ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/23 "2025-11-26T20:45:35Z")
> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#): > > I mean, what you are calling “being a pest”, others might consider “relentless dedication” Clearly, one man’s everyday hero is another’s relentless pest. 😉 Edit: Objectively, I’m not at all convinced that Rudy Ruettinger was actually a good enough football player to warrant being on Notre Dame’s “scout” team (where he started out) based on his skills alone, much less being elevated to the varsity team, and getting onto the field during a game. IMO, his “relentless dedication” was more “I have this dream, and I will not let my lack of talent stop me!” And, to that end, it was (IMO) his pestiness that let him achieve his dream. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/24 "2025-11-26T20:48:05Z")
For me, the best part of the movie _Rudy_ was the title card at the end that his experience inspired several of his younger brothers to go to college. ---
**Author:** ![We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/We_re_wolves_not_werewolves)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/25 "2025-11-26T21:15:22Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > ’m not at all convinced that Rudy Ruettinger was actually a good enough football player to warrant being on Notre Dame’s “scout” team (where he started out) based on his skills alone, much less being elevated to the varsity team, and getting onto the field during a game. based on talent alone, I agree he probably wasn’t good enough to be on the scout team, and I guarantee he wasn’t good enough (again, based on talent alone) to actually play in a real game. But he was apparently a “character” guy, and coaches will often keep such players at the expense of better players because they can inspire teammates (the actual good players) and, in their own way, are therefore more valuable than a 4th string punter might be. I’ve coached HS and youth soccer for many years and I have done this exact thing at times. Some guys are really valuable to have on a team apart from their skills or talent at actually playing the game. ---
**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:** [November 26, 2025, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/26 "2025-11-26T22:49:36Z")
I just thought of something: boxing is a sport. And there are probably more bad boxing movies than all other bad sports movies put together. So I’ll start: **Rocky V** , indisputably the worst of the Rocky films. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/27 "2025-11-26T23:23:52Z")
If we stretch the definition of “sport” and allow pro wrestling there is always the late Hulk Hogan’s “acting” debut in _No Holds Barred_. But even worse than that was _Grunt! The Wrestling Movie_ ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2025, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/28 "2025-11-26T23:51:15Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > I nominate _Radio_ with Cuba Gooding Jr. > > It’s the kind of shamelessly false garbage _Tropic Thunder’s_ “Simple Jack” was ruthlessly mocking. I haven’t seen the movie but Radio was a real person, and the movie was based on his life. The school (T.L. Hanna) is like 10 miles from where I live. > **[James "Radio" Kennedy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_%22Radio%22_Kennedy)** > > James Robert "Radio" Kennedy (October 14, 1947 – December 15, 2019) was an American man with an intellectual disability caused from a traumatic brain injury who was known for his association with the T. L. Hanna High School football team, in Anderson, South Carolina. Kennedy first gained prominence in 1996, when Gary Smith wrote an article about him for Sports Illustrated titled "Someone to Lean On." Kennedy's story was then made into a feature film in 2003, Radio, in which he was James Robert K... ---
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/29 "2025-11-27T00:16:34Z")
> [@We\_re\_wolves\_not\_werewolves](#): > > But he was apparently a “character” guy, and coaches will often keep such players at the expense of better players because they can inspire teammates My oldest son. Pretty sure he made his 8th grade, freshman and sophomore basketball teams because he worked hard and listened to his coaches (and both the 8th grade and freshman teams had A and B squads). Also, not to dunk on the ‘dumb jock’ stereotype, but he actually knew the plays and helped his teammates learn them. He eventually grew taller and ended up as the 6th/7th man on varsity as a senior. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/30 "2025-11-27T01:26:26Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > And there are probably more bad boxing movies than all other bad sports movies put together. But without boxing movies we wouldn’t have the boxer’s girlfriend. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/lAGyyZk6GEY/maxresdefault.jpg "Weekend Update: Angel - SNL") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAGyyZk6GEY) ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/31 "2025-11-27T02:50:26Z")
The issue that I see in this thread is the North American bias. Given that I will offer up [United Passions](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2814362/). A blistering 2.1 rating on IMDB. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/32 "2025-11-27T03:00:16Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Given that I will offer up [United Passions](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2814362/). A blistering 2.1 rating on IMDB. I’d not heard of that one; given the cast of some actual good actors, that rating surprised me, until I saw the capsule reviews, and that it was (a) almost entirely funded by FIFA, and (b) is pro-FIFA propaganda. I note this amusing bit from the film’s [Wikipedia entry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Passions#Box_office), about its first (and only) weekend in selected US theaters: > [@](#): > > For its three-day opening (Friday-to-Sunday), it grossed only $918—the worst opening of all time for a film opening in 10 to 15 theatres in U.S. box office history. > [@](#): > > In North America, it ended up becoming the lowest-grossing film of all time, surpassing the previous record held by _I Kissed a Vampire_ ($1,380) in 2012. Seems like a worthy nominee to this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/33 "2025-11-27T03:05:15Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I’m pretty sure that _Rudy_ is one of the worst. I HATED Rudy. I’m glad this one is mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/34 "2025-11-27T03:06:44Z")
I don’t have to watch **The Blind Side** , where Pretty Woman saves a gigantic Black guy, to know it’s God awful. I just sense it. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/35 "2025-11-27T03:23:13Z")
Gotta be a football (aka soccer) movie they are almost universally bad(other than Damned United and Bend it Like Beckham\* ) [The Goal Trilogy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goal!_(film_series)) springs to mind as a contender ‘\*’ - I think it’s ok? I’ve not seen in decades don’t know if it will hold up, but I remember it being ok. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/36 "2025-11-27T03:29:46Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > Seems like a worthy nominee to this thread It would be but that’s not even that bad by the standards of Football movies ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/37 "2025-11-27T03:38:14Z")
The amateur wrestling flick [Backyard Dogs](https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0241218/) is widely considered one of the worst movies of **any** kind ever made. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/38 "2025-11-27T03:43:02Z")
**Victory** Stallone is the most miscast person of all time in that movie, and doubly worse he gets a ton of screentime for really no reason. You got actors who can’t play soccer and soccer players who can’t act, a winning combination. Also has maybe the dumbest ending I’ve ever seen in a film, the heroes win so good the evil Nazis just let them walk away at the end, as opposed to just murdering absolutely EVERYBODY like they would in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/39 "2025-11-27T03:46:21Z")
Honorable Mentions **Thunderstruck** Kevin Durant vanity project about a young kid who gains Kevin Durant basketball powers and plays in the NBA. Only makes this list because the filmmakers were so cheap they couldn’t even license the AC/DC song Thunderstruck for the film. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2025, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159/40 "2025-11-27T11:29:48Z")
_Secretariat_ (2010), with Diane Lane as Penny Tweedy, John Malkovich as Lucien Laurin, and Fred Thompson as Bull Hancock; with Randall Wallace, Director. I saw it once, in 2010 when it was released, and I came away wholly unimpressed. Compared to 1973 when I watched Secretariat win the Triple Crown in an amazing, impressive manner, the 2010 movie was just meh. In the 1973 Kentucky Derby, Secretariat accelerated throughout his entire run. Each ¼ mile he ran was faster than the previous. Here are his ¼ mile splits in the Derby — ► ¼ mile in 25 1/5 seconds ► ½ mile in 24 ► ¾ mile in 23 4/5 ► 1 mile in 23 2/5 ► 1¼ mile in 23 ➤ YouTube, Secretariat’s 1973 Kentucky Derby ➜ [https://youtu.be/e9R52eX5cto](https://youtu.be/e9R52eX5cto) ■ In the Preakness, Secretariat started in last place in the opening stretch, just like he did in the Derby, and in the first turn he exploded and went from last to first, passing the other horses like they were standing still. ➤ YouTube, Secretariat’s 1973 Preakness Stakes ➜ [https://youtu.be/yfWwIyQYkgc](https://youtu.be/yfWwIyQYkgc) ■ And then in the Belmont, Secretariat opened well and went for the early lead, and then he proceeded to blow away the entire field and win by an incredible 31 lengths in what is widely considered to be the greatest race ever run by a thoroughbred racehorse. ➤ YouTube, Secretariat’s 1973 Belmont Stakes ➜ [https://youtu.be/AG\_27cCW5bw](https://youtu.be/AG_27cCW5bw) ■ In all 3 races Secretariat set track records, and those 3 track records still stand to this day, over 52 years later. Secretariat is widely considered to be the greatest American racehorse ever. The movie failed to capture any of that magic. From what I remember of it some 15 years ago, the movie pretty much sucked. ➤ Movie snippet ➜ [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQUpMoiDShK](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQUpMoiDShK) ■ [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-sports-movie/1025159.md?page=3)