Number one sports movie ever… I think so!
Hoosiers is defiantly one of the greatest sports movies in history it hits every thing a great sport movie needs to for fill. The movie is the definition of a Cinderella story a team sought out to be an underdog and goes on to win the championship. The movie touches the audience and makes you eager to cheer and root on the team at every turn. You have everything in the movie from a strict coach to the best player not wanting to play because he wants to focus on school. The problems are there but its what makes the movie so intense and interesting. A whole town is behind this team putting all there hopes into them winning. Talk about pressure! Its a movie you cant stop watching.
The movie transports you to 1952 and you feel like your in that time. It touches the watcher and involves you into the movie. If you have ever been a fan or have played in high school then you can relate to this movie. Some scenes I felt that it was my past just a different place and cast. This is all possible because of the cast they are all such great actors.
Having it be a true story that takes place in one of the smallest schools ever just makes it that much better. Then a new coach that people are skeptical of just adds drama. Dale (Coach) decides he wants to coach a certain way that people in the town didn’t agree with. He had kids quitting after the first practice. The movie is the craziest roller coaster movie ever. The team starts with nothing and gradually becomes the best team its just insane.
So the film touches on Drama, Great sports, Inspiration/motivation, love, morals, and of coarse reality. What else do you need? Well maybe thats why Hoosiers is rated 1,2,3, or 4 on every great sports movie list. What is left to say but Hoosiers is just one of the greatest sports movies ever created.
Ali the “King” of Boxing and Political influence
Ali known today as the “King” of boxing, was not always seen as being so great and lovable in the American eye. During the time of the movie Ali was considered old and had recently lost to Frazer. While his opponent Forman just took the heavy weight belt and was considered a great fighter with a “powerful” punch. Ali was also seen in the U.S. as somewhat of a rebel. This was because he decided not to go to the war. Many people looked down on him for it. Ali was in a tight situation.
So what could Ali do to become the “King” again? Ali decided to fight Forman and try to take the belt back. Well that wasn’t gonna be good enough so he had to get politics involved. He brought the fight to Africa to have the fight known as “The Rumble in the Jungle.” This was genius because he was able to draw the press into the fight because it was so radical, but it also was a way for the press/America to see what was going on in Africa. The press ate it all up showing how Ali was bouncing back and how he was embracing his heritage.
Ali wins the fight against Forman. This was huge because people looked at Ali as the “King” again. They saw him as an ambassador for Africa and was trying to make a change. People started to forget about him not going to the war and began to accept him again. They also saw the new Ali who was confident, intelligent, and “fast.”
The movie sat for 22 years before the public was able to view it. It was a shocking movie that gave huge insight of African life and politics that surrounded the fight between Ali and Forman. All the interviews were great and just enhanced the movies message. All the clips off Ali going around talking and even just doing his routine were cool. When it came to fighting vocal battles it was cool to listen to what Ali had to say. Africa was shown though the movie and the poverty made the movie just more powerful.
The movie went on to win an Academy Award and also a prize at the Sundance Film Festival. At the end we saw Ali for the “King” he is and the politics that were going on around the world, but it mainly focused on Africa. Great sports movie to show the history of the world but tie it in with the politics of Americans and its fighters.
“The Express” of race in football
The Express was a great movie to show the racial tension in the U.S. during the era. Ernie Davis was a black individual with a skill in football. The College football programs wanted to use him for his raw skill and thats it. During the whole movie you watch Ernie progress in his career but you also see all the racism and crow laws. When Ernie was at school he could do everything on the field but when it came to the social part of school he was only allowed to hang out with his “kind.” The people warned him that he better not talk to the white girls because he will get run off like the last black kid. As the season goes on the coach and Ernie start to merge and see each other for more then their color or skill. When Ernie is in the cotton bowl is when the story starts to get really dark and racial. This gave a great historical view of the problems existing with racism in the era. To start off he and his other black teammates had to sneak in the hotel because they were not white. Not only did they have to sneak in they had to sleep in the basement in a shitty room. That was so messed up. It gets worse Ernie has to play a game in a stadium full of southern fans who hate blacks. If that wasn’t bad enough he had to play against there sons who were just as fanatic and were willing to do anything to take him down. Unfortunately Ernie had a torn hamstring and this was like raw meat for a wild tiger. The white male athletes from the other team would tackle Ernie then proceed to pummel his leg to show white dominance. Ernie ended up going beast mode and wining the game doing crazy stuff but it was after the game thats what mattered. After the game the whole team went to a black jazz joint to celebrate the win because Ernie was not invited to the MVP dinner. It showed that people could change and become more accepting. The movie stuck to its theme the whole way threw racism and football. There was plenty of football and made it interesting. There was also a lot of racism that mad it historical and controversial. Well Ernie won the heisman trophy and beat all the odds. To win the trophy showed that racism was starting to dwindle and people were seeing athletes for there skills not color. It was a good movie and even though it ended awful with Ernie’s death it was still influential. If you watch this movie you will always have a different view of race in sports… well in general I guess.
Rocky Balboa “The Italian Stallion”
Rocky is a thug from Philly who is working on the docks enforcing for his boss. He lives in the slums and only knows two things hard work and love. Mickey’s Gym is where rocky chooses to work out. Across the street is a little pet store where the girl he loves works at. Rocky liked to drink and smoke which affected his boxing career. It sounds like an average man in America. I liked this because it makes us relate to him. The guy is down on his luck, fighting is all that he knows and he just needs a break.
Fourth of July is coming and Apollo is hosting a fight. Apollo wants to show that the american dream is still alive. He prepossess the an unknown fighter should challenge him in a fight and he would give the fight a chance to take his title. The fight was named Apollo Creed vs. the Italian Stallion. Apollo said it “Sounds like a damn monster movie.” The character Apollo reminds me of the great Muhammad Ali. During the whole movie Apollo would give the press things like “ Stay in school and use your brain. Be a doctor, be a lawyer, carry a leather briefcase. Forget about sports as a profession. Sports make ya grunt and smell. See, be a thinker, not a stinker.” It sounded like the poetry Ali used to say. In the ring Apollo also was a fast fight on his feet which made him look like Ali.
Rocky got the gig because of his name “The Italian Stallion.” The fight was his chance to show what he was made of. Mickey takes Rocky under his wing. He then tells Rocky “You’re gonna eat lightinin’ and you’re gonna crap thunder.” Mickey is a character that we see in most movies an old man with wisdom who in the end is a character we love and respect. Rocky turns into the cinderella hero that we all cheer for in the end.
The movie had a very basic story line… man with problems goes and wins it all. We see this time after time but in Rocky its a little different. See I don’t know if its because of the fighting or the raw determination but the movie motivates me. Its not like the others where you watch them and go oh thats really cool. At the end of this movie you wanna go take on the world.
The action scenes were good and watching rocky fight is always fun. They did make it look realistic. Some times I felt like it was a real boxing match.
You know its a good movie when you get the chills. Well when Rocky ran up those stairs and jumped putting his fist to the sky… you better believe I got the chills. At the end of this movie I was satisfied and was ready to go for a run.
What’s one without the other? (sports essay #1)
Alright, so what would sports be without rivalries? Well my answer to that is Nothing. It is rivalries that created sports in the first place. We have all grown up with our own views on rivalries wether it be sports or not. Well if you don’t believe me look at the olympics. The olympics have been a part of history and it all started with rivalries. It was all about who had the best athlete and shit. Well now its the same concept except sports have evolved. You see rivalries everyday but not everyday do you see a “Miracle“. Well back in the day in 1980 the U.S. olympic team did some cool shit. The dudes were all from college and ended up beating the undefeated soviet union. This was all during the cold war which made this rivalry have a historical purpose. Even though not every game is as intense if you are a true fan you recognize rivalries and take those games as if they were just as important. It is how loyal you are that defines you as a fan. In these days people are so fanatic that sports are turning into a religion. So when it comes to a rival game its like the crusades start up again.
Anyway the point of all this is that rivalries are mad cool and are the reason sports even exist. Rivalries are points of history and a time for people to gain hope, alcohol posion, culture, etc. I cant stress how important rivalries are and how they impact the world. Its up to you to read this and get the message, but I thought I made it pretty clear. If I didn’t and your a little slow here it is one last time : “Rivalries and sports depend on one another. The world started off with rivalries, grew with rivalries, and will end with rivalries.”
