ESPN Top 25 Sports Movies (1 Viewer)

ESPN Top 25 - 25 Years

As picked by ESPN's Expert Panel and a separate list by SportsNation users.

Anyway, I'm sure everyone will agree wholeheartedly with both lists.

How the hell is The Hurricane a sport movie?!

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H

How is Finding Forrester one as well ???

The main character is mainly a basketball player, and it figures to be a big part of his life. He just happens to be gifted in writing.

Searching for Bobby Fischer is the questionable one, but then my definition of sports is pretty strict.

um where's Ben-Hur (1959)?

eeek no Rollerball (1975) either??

Oh jeez I can't see Rocky (1976) on the list, a misprint!!?
Blame the sequels for diminishing any respect the first Rocky had.

The lists are a bit odd. I realize Ruben Carter was a boxer, but The Hurricane isn't a sports movie. And surely the original Rocky deserves to be somewhere on one of those 2 lists.

Well I put 25 years in the link text but I guess I should have been more clear. I think its 1979-2004 (the time period ESPN has been around). I was wondering myself if Miracle got over-looked or if there was a cut-off date. I'm too lazy to look around ESPN for an explanation of the rules/process.

Nevermind. I didn't see the 25 years listing until I went to another page on EPSN.

Fine list, fine list.

- Walter.

I can look at this both ways. The main reason (I think) that it would not be considered a sport, is due to a lack of physical activity. OTOH, chess as played at the highest levels requires considerable physical stamina and discipline in order to concentrate for long periods of time (top tournaments take a while). Certainly there is no question as to the competitive challenge, nor to will and determination to succeed being important components, along with natural talent and the long training that it takes to bring that talent to fruition.

Probably the same arguments can be made about cards. Duplicate bridge comes to mind, and probably the plethora of poker tournaments on TV these days.

Don’t forget that it was ESPN that brought us spelling bees as sports.

I think that the 25 year rule disqualifies all your additions, with the possible exception of Breaking Away (a gem of a small movie). 1979 should be the cutoff year, so I would have thought that this one could have been included.

Hoop Dreams is the one missing that I think should be included (along with Breaking Away if it was eligable (and if it was, perhaps North Dallas Fourty as well).

EDIT: sorry Walter, I did not read your second post.

Rocky not making the list is just wrong. The Color Of Money shouldn't have made the cut in my opinion.

All of their lists are flawed, though. The list of the Top 25 worst teams of all time does not include the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They were the first team (I'm pretty sure) in the modern NFL era to lose every game in a season. The head coach John McKay was the only redeeming value in the entire season with the quotes he would come up with in his press conferences after yet another loss.

When asked what he thought about his team's offensive execution, he replied, "I think that's a great idea!". He also made the suggestion that since his team could not win on the road and could not win at home, that all of their future games be played at a neutral site. It was hillarious.

Lew, I'm pretty sure I remember reading that documentaries weren't eligible. Scott, Rocky came out in 1976 and the earliest possible release year for inclusion was 1979. That also explains the '76 Bucs not being included, as all the lists only encompass the ESPN era (1979-present).

I think Rudy is about 21 places too low on the ESPN experts list. When I voted, my top 5 were:

1) Field of Dreams
2) Hoosiers
3) Rudy
4) Raging Bull
5) Caddyshack

I'm glad the Mighty Ducks didn't make the list. They're not bad movies, just not really good ones.

Thanks Andrew—that would explain it.

My all-time top sports list would include Downhill Racer—which does not seem to be very well known today.

Thanks for the clarification, Andrew. Makes me feel a little better about the choices.

No problem. When ESPN.com is your homepage and the only TV channels you ever watch are ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNews, you tend to know those kinds of things off the top of your head.

I didn't catch the time limit regarding Rocky. That would also explain some other missing films I was wondering about such as Body & Soul, and the ultimate ESPN tough guy chick flick disguised as a guy movie so it's OK for sports fans to cry, Bang the Drum Slowly.

The Sandlot definitely should have made it, expecially over The Hurricane or Finding Forrester.

I just have a problem with films like Field of Dreams or Bang the Drum Slowly being classified as sports films. In films like these the sport is either a metaphor or ancillary to the main action.

I agree, both Breaking Away and The Sandlot should be on the list. Cobb? Only to induce sleep.

I can't believe that Slap Shot didn't make the list.