Television and media have done everything in their power to water down "inspiration". All the talk shows and reality shows with their perfectly timed instrumental accompaniment leading to the bursting crescendo and streaming tears. We are duped into believing this is inspirational while in reality it is simply pathetic. Everyone wants to give a standing ovation and everyone wants to say they 'made a difference'. The truth is a standing ovation should occur once or twice in a lifetime (ie Bob Knight "...I want they bury me upside down so my critics can kiss my ass." and maybe after the father came out of the stands during the Olympics to help his injured son across the finish line...that one gets me every time). When you give 82 standing Os a year, you know what, they don't mean shit. Why bring this up, you ask? Because I am compiling a list of "The Most Inspirational Moments In Sport's Movie History". The criteria for making the list is somewhat simplistic. 1) This scene has or still does bring about tears, even if you fast forward to that very scene and skip everything preceding and following. 2) This scene has made you get up off of your couch and shoot free throws until dark or run stairs by yourself or look for a barn to throw a baseball through or run through the snow with a wooden beam across your back etc. etc. On to the list. In ascending order, for dramatic effect.
6) Rudy "The Sack"
This is 6th and not higher for mainly one reason and that is Sean Astin. Wasn't he a troll in one of those Lord of the Rings movies? Yes. Still, this moment is close to perfect. Notre Dame Stadium, Touchdown Jesus, Vince Vaughn telling Rudy "that was for you", his dad in the stands "this is the most beautiful sight these eyes have seen". All of this sets the stage for Rudy's game ending sack in a meaningless point of the game. There isn't a time I put this on and don't get a little dusty. A close second in this movie is when all the seniors line up to give up their starting position. Pretty sweet.
5) Rocky IV "Right after Apollo dies"
I am talking about Rocky flying around the streets of Philly at night blaring John Cafferty's "Hearts on Fire" after his boy Apollo gets his skull cracked by the Russian steroid machine. Flashback montages of the great times he spent with Apollo (getting his ass knocked out, getting beat by Apollo in a footrace on the beach). I know the obvious is probably Rocky working out in Siberia, but this one does it for me.
4) Field of Dreams "Dad, you wanna have a catch"- Inspiring? I don't know, but I have to put this one in there because, in a line, it is what growing up in America is all about. Sun setting in the summer, probably right after dinner, the day is cooling down a little and you are headed out into the front yard to have a catch with your dad. It's what we all did and what we will all do someday with our own children. This one surely brings out the "no...i don't know, I think I have something in my eye" excuse for getting a little weepy. Great stuff, even though the guy playing Ray's father throws like my sister throwing with her off hand. Wow! Nice casting.
3) Karate Kid "The Crane"
Alright the move itself is kind of gay and I can't fathom it working but it does, so we have to get past it. What gets you is Ralph Macchio, the all time underdog looking over at Mr. Miyagi at the most crucial of moments and simply getting the head nod from the old man. Porcupine goosebumps! Then he crane kicks Johnny's face off. Wow! That is enough to get you out of your seat and maybe asking your parents for Karate lessons. They of course say no and you go out and shoot hoops, but the inspiration is there..and it is real.
2) Hoosiers "Coach stays I stay...He goes I go" and "I'll make it"
Honestly this isn't even fair. How can you pick one moment from a film that, in its entirety, is the single most inspirational movie that the kids of Indiana have ever seen. There wasn't a red blooded Hoosier who didn't leave the theater that afternoon for their driveway hoop, shooting jumpshots until dinner. But I had to pick one, so I picked two. Chuck Klosterman wrote about the first moment in one of his books...think it was Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs(CORRECTION: This was Bill Simmons and a great article he did on the movie Hoosiers Hoosier Daddy? The Sports Guy ). He said that sometimes after a day of drinking in a bar he pays the tab and then takes the receipt in his hand and says to everyone "Coach stays", while ripping up the paper. Sweet!
While that scene doesn't necessarily make you want to go out and burn up your red, white, and blue net... the next one does. The team, hands on knees, huddled around Coach, Gene Hackman drawing up the final play, using Jimmy as a decoy, getting the ball to another player (I hate myself for not remembering who, it wasn't Olie). Everyone in the huddle then stands up and looks at each other like their Colonel just told them to individually dive on a live grenade. Gene Hackman can't believe what the fuck is going on and then Jimmy Chitwood utters those sweet, sweet words, "I'll make it". Holy shit I get chills writing that sentence. That scene, followed by Jimmy hitting a long jumper through 6 slow motion seconds that seem to last a minute. Pandemonium. It is the best. Honorable Mention: When Gene Hackman tells them all that he loves them before the championship game. whewwwww.
1) The Natural "Suit Up"
First of all this is the greatest sports movie of all time. I won't spend time defending this statement because it needs no defending. (But if you need to know why its the best [ARCHIVE] Everything You Need To Know About Life) Roy has been laid up in a hospital bed for a week and the Knights and the Phillies are all tied up for the pennant. Roy has been scratched form the lineup, Pop is depressed and in the locker room shaving hours before the first pitch. Roy appears and the following ensues:
Pop:Red I wanted to win that pennant worse than I wanted any goddamn thing in my life and you think I could just this once. I didn't care nothing about the series. Win or lose I would have been satisfied. I'd a walked away from baseball and I'd a bought a farm.
Roy (standing in the doorway): Nothing like a farm. Nothing like being around animals, fixin' things. Nothing like being in the field by yourself, with the vegetables and the corn and the winter wheat. Greenest stuff you ever saw.
Pop: You know my mother told me I ought to be a farmer.
Roy: My dad wanted me to be a baseball player.
Pop: Youre better than anyone I ever had. And your the best goddamn hitter I ever saw. Suit up.
Holy shit. I want to cry and hit a game winning homerun at the same time. Baseball is the greatest game and this is the greatest scene in the greatest baseball movie. I am moved. I am inspired.
There you have it. Those are the best. This is fact, not opinion. If your opinion is different, your opinion is wrong.
