Faith, ice, and ashes: how real-life underdogs conquered the big screen
Blythe Barrineau, Sports and Visual Arts Editor
Photo courtesy of Tim Foster on Unsplash
For many people, “Remember the Titans” is the clear and obvious choice for the greatest sports movie of all time. Sports movies are all about the passion teams play with and the inspiration we get from watching them. Setting the top-movie aside makes room to recognize other true-story sports films. To make choosing a top three easier, this list only includes movies based on a true story.
Starting at No. 3 we have “Greater” (2016).
“Greater” is a sports drama that tells the true story of Brandon Burlsworth. He is widely known as the greatest walk-on in the history of college football.
Burlsworth was an Arkansas kid whose one goal in life was to play for the Razorbacks. The problem was that he wasn’t exactly D1 material. Despite being told he wasn’t talented enough or fit enough for Division 1 football, his faith and determination drove him to become an All-American offensive lineman. Burlsworth also became a top prospect in the NFL draft and was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts. 11 days after the draft, Burlsworth was killed in a car crash and was never able to play professionally. Even though his career never reached the field in the NFL, his story is a powerful example of how faith and perseverance can get you further than you think.
No. 2 takes us to “Miracle” (2004).
“Miracle” tells the story of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team and its upset victory over the Soviet Union. Coach Herb Brooks (Kurt Russell) pushes a group of college players to become a team capable of facing the world’s best. He has a unique vision and pushes the players through brutal training sessions to make sure they are the most conditioned team on the ice. The Americans faced the Soviets in the middle of the Cold War at the Lake Placid Olympics. The Soviets were heavily favored and despite the U.S. trailing early in the game. They were able to lead a dramatic comeback and win 4-3. The Americans went on to win the gold. The movie focuses on the hard work and coaching philosophy needed to pull off what is still known as the greatest upset in sports history.
The top based on a true story sports movie is “We Are Marshall” (2006).
Based on the true story of the 1970 plane crash that killed most of Marshall University’s football team and coaching staff, the movie focuses on the community searching for hope after this tragedy. Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) is the determined coach that takes on the impossible task of rebuilding the program to help a grieving Huntington, West Virginia, heal. With the help of assistant coach Red Dawson, who barely missed the deadly flight, Lengyel takes the few surviving players, athletes from other sports, and freshmen who were granted a special NCAA waiver to play and make a “Young Thundering Herd.” The movie focuses less on a traditional championship run and more on the emotional victory of getting back on the field. While the team struggled with a losing record for years to follow, the movie celebrates their perseverance that allowed the university’s football legacy to eventually rise from the ashes.
No Top 3 list can be complete without some honorable mentions.
The three movies that almost made the cut:
- “Hoosiers” (1986) tells the story of a small-town Indiana basketball team chasing a state championship.
- “Rudy” (1993) is one of the most famous underdog stories in sports movie history. It tells the story of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger and how he overcomes low grades and a lack of athletic ability to fulfill his dream of playing football for Notre Dame.
- “The Blind Side” (2009) tells the story of Michael Oher, a homeless teenager who is taken in by the Tuohy family. With their support and his own hard work, he becomes an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick.
These three movies show that the best sports stories aren’t just about the game. Whether it’s a team literally rising from the ashes, a group of college kids with a dream, or a walk-on proving everyone wrong, the common theme is the heart and persistence of each.
