I thought about this for five minutes and kept changing my mind. Jerry McGwire is probably at the top of my list, but ask me again tomorrow and it'll be Varsity Blues or Necessary Roughness.
If you ask Oliver Stone to make a football movie, you're going to get an Oliver Stone movie that happens to be about football. Any Given Sunday has too many cringe moments to love it, but too many great moments to hate it.
It's interesting that despite the NFL's popularity, most football films are focused on the high school and college stories. I suppose there are more opportunities for a writer to explore the growth and transformation of their characters from that vantage point.
North Dallas Forty (1979, Nick Nolte and Mac Davis). Leonard Maltin review: “Serio-comic version of Peter Gent’s bestseller about labor abuse in the National Football League is the best gridiron film ever made and one of the best on any sport.” Gent played backup WR for the Dallas Cowboys from 1964-1968. The novel, which is not quite as good as the movie, is a thinly-veiled account of his experience.
I also have a soft spot for Trouble Along The Way (1953, John Wayne and Donna Reed).
Speaking of great names, just popping in to add that University of Washington QB legend Sonny Sixkiller has a cameo in the OG Longest Yard. I think they put him on the o-line.
I was working with German exchange students one time and they informed me that title of "any given Sunday" turns into the German title"Every Damn Sunday" which I found interesting....not that I love that movie, I just found the translating odd.
Remember The Titans or Varsity Blues are my favourites. Titans is just really good, with one of the best film scores ever. Varsity is super fun and a great pastiche of the genre. Totally different, both totally fun and easy to watch again and again and again.
FNL the movie can't compare to the TV series. FNL the TV series is my favourite Football media piece by a distance. So so so good.
Yep it is indeed hard to hear. I’m a hard “no” because I consider it a distraction; I think the producers have to find (drum up?) conflict that’s interesting enough to drive ratings, also a distraction; and I can’t think of a single benefit outside marketing acuity and social media fodder which last I checked, aren’t a stat (or the Cowboys would be 15x Super Bowl champs)
“And everyone reveals more of themselves when they’re on TV.” - I wouldn’t have thought so. I think people are less themselves when there’s a camera around.
I would be more likely to watch if the Hawks were in it. I've tried to watch other teams and just lost interest halfway through. I did find the preseason Giants episodes fascinating though.
Does Hard Knocks advance Hawks chance to win the West? Hell no.
No 2025 Hard Knocks sideshow BS puhleez!
'24 Hawks had a large Pete Carroll shadow. 2025 is the real 1st year -
Macdonald/Schneider still figuring it out. 2025 Hawks are a team in flux, especially w/O houseclean. Hawks don't need made for TV fake drama time waste. Macdonald is frank, low drama. Give em a polite, "not this year", Mike!
With the team potentially coming up for sale I wonder if the NFL would want them on Hard Knocks. I’ve never partook but I can imagine what the show would be like. My only concern is that one of the players I think is great, turns out to be a dirtbag in real life. I’d rather not know.
Thank you Kenneth. If the Seahawks are chosen, what do I need to do to watch it? I assume there‘s a streaming version of HBO somewhere, or do I have to find a friend with cable?
They are also streaming free on lots of free sites. They're not legal, but only the sharer is taking risk. I would leave links, but I bet if you google "hard knocks streaming free" some will come up. You WILL have to x out of an annoying number of ads, but it's worth it. To me, anyway.
Wait until all the episodes have aired, and if you have amazon prime, you can get a 7 day free trial of HBO (MAX), binge watch the series, and then cancel without having to pay.
Good advice. I’m not sure when they pull hard knocks but it’s the only show I know of where Max doesn’t retain episodes from the past. You can’t watch old seasons. It’s weird.
What's your favorite football movie?
I thought about this for five minutes and kept changing my mind. Jerry McGwire is probably at the top of my list, but ask me again tomorrow and it'll be Varsity Blues or Necessary Roughness.
If you ask Oliver Stone to make a football movie, you're going to get an Oliver Stone movie that happens to be about football. Any Given Sunday has too many cringe moments to love it, but too many great moments to hate it.
It's interesting that despite the NFL's popularity, most football films are focused on the high school and college stories. I suppose there are more opportunities for a writer to explore the growth and transformation of their characters from that vantage point.
Semi-Tough is pretty good, if only for the Gene Autry soundtrack and Robert Preston’s eccentric owner.
https://youtu.be/2xqA65m6GO0?si=PcjkTuWFygv4ZO5K
Either The Longest Yard (Burt Reynolds version) or Jerry McGwire. Also liked The Blind Side, which doesn't appear to have any mentions yet
“Hiss-stow-ree!”
North Dallas Forty (1979, Nick Nolte and Mac Davis). Leonard Maltin review: “Serio-comic version of Peter Gent’s bestseller about labor abuse in the National Football League is the best gridiron film ever made and one of the best on any sport.” Gent played backup WR for the Dallas Cowboys from 1964-1968. The novel, which is not quite as good as the movie, is a thinly-veiled account of his experience.
I also have a soft spot for Trouble Along The Way (1953, John Wayne and Donna Reed).
North Dallas Forty, and The Replacements.
ND40 is terrific.
The Longest Yard (Burt Reynolds OG edition)
Jerry McGuire
The Waterboy
Honorable Mention - Point Break (starring former Ohio State QB Johnny Utah [best QB name using a common name and a state that isn't Joe Montana]).
Speaking of great names, just popping in to add that University of Washington QB legend Sonny Sixkiller has a cameo in the OG Longest Yard. I think they put him on the o-line.
"Paper Tiger" w/George Plimpton.
Rudy is a sentimental favorite, I love a good underdog story. Little Giants is an underrated film and great for kiddos.
Friday Night Lights but the mini-series was better.
I was working with German exchange students one time and they informed me that title of "any given Sunday" turns into the German title"Every Damn Sunday" which I found interesting....not that I love that movie, I just found the translating odd.
For a legit answer... i can't decide
Remember The Titans or Varsity Blues are my favourites. Titans is just really good, with one of the best film scores ever. Varsity is super fun and a great pastiche of the genre. Totally different, both totally fun and easy to watch again and again and again.
FNL the movie can't compare to the TV series. FNL the TV series is my favourite Football media piece by a distance. So so so good.
Couldn't agree more with your last paragraph. I like Billy Bob Thornton, but I didn't feel about his family like I did the TV Series which was superb.
Remember the Titans
Does Waterboy count?
of course!
Definitely not Draft Day the way the Seahawks were portrayed in that one.
It's either The Replacements (RIP Gene Hackman) or the original Longest Yard (RIP Burt Reynolds)
I can’t believe they didn’t make draft day believable. It should have been such an easy movie to make but the decisions they made were insane.
The Replacements!
Sam Darnold is Shane Falco. He just needs a chance.
Better get a few extra garbage cans.....
Eurotrip, just for the Vinny Jones cameo which is truly outstanding.
Or seriously, Bend It Like Beckham.
Ohh... you meant *that* kind of football!
The maker of Eurotrip is a SSJer!
Also the best Matt Damon cameo in any film (yes, better than Team America)
Yep it is indeed hard to hear. I’m a hard “no” because I consider it a distraction; I think the producers have to find (drum up?) conflict that’s interesting enough to drive ratings, also a distraction; and I can’t think of a single benefit outside marketing acuity and social media fodder which last I checked, aren’t a stat (or the Cowboys would be 15x Super Bowl champs)
💯
“And everyone reveals more of themselves when they’re on TV.” - I wouldn’t have thought so. I think people are less themselves when there’s a camera around.
Could you add a “Don’t care” option?
I totally read this title wrong. The Seahawks will do what??!!
I would be more likely to watch if the Hawks were in it. I've tried to watch other teams and just lost interest halfway through. I did find the preseason Giants episodes fascinating though.
K I’m
This is one of those things I don't care too much about like uniforms, and memorabilia, though I wish I had saved my superman comics.
I said Sure, as in I'm apathetic. I really, seriously don't care.
I kinda love hate that this makes sense.
I voted no because Pete didn't want anything to do with it. But if McD doesn't mind, I think it'd be awesome to see.
My apologies, I mistakenly referred to this as Sean Payton's second year, when it is in fact his third.
North Dallas Forty or the football game in M*A*S*H. Love for the Seahawks to get ink but I see it as a distraction.
May the Seahawks be with you and go 12s!
Roger Bowen was hilarious in that sequence. “Guess I’ll have to do the old Knute Rockne.”
I love mash...4077 for life
Does Hard Knocks advance Hawks chance to win the West? Hell no.
No 2025 Hard Knocks sideshow BS puhleez!
'24 Hawks had a large Pete Carroll shadow. 2025 is the real 1st year -
Macdonald/Schneider still figuring it out. 2025 Hawks are a team in flux, especially w/O houseclean. Hawks don't need made for TV fake drama time waste. Macdonald is frank, low drama. Give em a polite, "not this year", Mike!
With the team potentially coming up for sale I wonder if the NFL would want them on Hard Knocks. I’ve never partook but I can imagine what the show would be like. My only concern is that one of the players I think is great, turns out to be a dirtbag in real life. I’d rather not know.
Thank you Kenneth. If the Seahawks are chosen, what do I need to do to watch it? I assume there‘s a streaming version of HBO somewhere, or do I have to find a friend with cable?
They are also streaming free on lots of free sites. They're not legal, but only the sharer is taking risk. I would leave links, but I bet if you google "hard knocks streaming free" some will come up. You WILL have to x out of an annoying number of ads, but it's worth it. To me, anyway.
Wait until all the episodes have aired, and if you have amazon prime, you can get a 7 day free trial of HBO (MAX), binge watch the series, and then cancel without having to pay.
Good advice. I’m not sure when they pull hard knocks but it’s the only show I know of where Max doesn’t retain episodes from the past. You can’t watch old seasons. It’s weird.
Nice! Thanks