It’s a great time of year for sports! Football at every age level is getting underway. Baseball is headed into the home stretch before playoffs being. Even college basketball fans are eagerly awaiting those 2014 commits. We thought it would be a good time to share some of our favorite lines from sports movies. Upon asking the crew here at LTBM for their top three, I discovered most of my fellow writers are not sports movie fans…. I know I know, calm down, I’ve already verbally reprimanded them! You know us Christians can be a little peculiar J (1 Pet. 2:9, KJV). Anyway, we were able to come up with some good ones over the years. Here are some of our favorites.
Gene:
Coach Carter won’t rise to the top of many, if any, top lists of sports movies. But it delivers a message that, more and more, needs to be heard by parents who think their child is the next Jordan, Mays or Montana. We’ve talked here before about priorities. It’s one thing to have your own priorities out of whack, but when your personal dreams of stardom affect the future and life choices of your children, that is a far worse offense. This line from the movie gives encouragement to exceed and be great in the classroom and in life before you worry about dominance on the court.
From Hoosiers
“If you put your effort and concentration into playing to your potential, to be the best that you can be, I don’t care what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, in my book we’re gonna be winners!”
From The Waterboy“Coach, not only will I do it for you, I… I will… I, I… I… yes, yes, I’ll do it for you.”
Elliott:
I’m not much of a fan of sports movies, but there have been a few films from this genre that I have enjoyed. On the top of that list is Remember the Titans. Even though the theme of the movie is centered around football, that’s not what the story is really about. It’s about a community learning to look past race and learn to accept and love each other, despite their differences. This is a top notch movie in every way, the acting is well done, it’s funny, the music is great and best of all the message is meaningful.
From Karate Kid
Daniel: Hey, what kind of belt do you have?
Miyagi: Canvas. JC Penney, $3.98. You like?
Daniel: [laughs] No, I meant…
Miyagi: In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants. [laughs; then, seriously] Daniel-san… [taps his head] Karate here. [taps his heart] Karate here. [points to his belt] Karate never here. Understand?
From The Blind SideLeigh Anne Touhy: If you so much as set foot downtown, you will be sorry. I’m in a prayer group with the D.A., I’m a member of the NRA and I’m always packing.
Logan:
From Remember the Titanshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0SgBOREvb8
From The BlindsideMichael Oher: [after pushing an opponent all the way off the field] Sorry, Coach. I stopped when I heard the whistle.
Coach Cotton: Where were you taking him?
Oher: The bus. It was time for him to go home.
From MiracleCraig Patrick: You’re missing some of the best players.
Herb Brooks: I’m not looking for the best players, Craig. I’m looking for the right ones.
Derek:
From Talladega NightsRicky Bobby: [running around on the track in his underwear] “Help me Jesus! Help me Jewish God! Help me Allah! AAAAAHHH! Help me Tom Cruise! Tom Cruise, use your witchcraft on me to get the fire off me!”
From Happy Gilmorehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sojhjp5y8ZM
From Kingpin“Brother Thomas, you know what it says in the Bible about not forgiving people …”
“Why don’t you tell us what it says, Brother Hezekiah?”
“…well, it’s a … It’s against it.”
Tres:
Varsity Blues is a gritty football movie. Growing up in a town where football players were, and are, kings and able to get by with more than they every should be allowed, I liked how the boys took over the reigns to stand for what’s right. just because a coach has the skill to build a team into champions time and time again, doesn’t mean that he’s a good person or a good example. Here, Mox confronts Coach Kilmer as he’s about the change a players future forever. Standing for whats right against a town hero who people treat like one of the “gods” is tough to do. (Sorry, couldn’t find a PG version of this scene!)
Mox: If you give him that shot, you can find yourself another quarterback.
Kilmer: You about ready to lose that scholarship, boy?
Mox: If it keeps that needle out of his leg, absolutely.
Kilme: Good
Mox: I’m out!
From Major LeagueHarry Doyle: JUST a bit outside
From A League of Their Ownhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKCHvOvlHL0
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Obviously we’ve left a lot of great movies off this short list. Rudy, Rocky, Caddyshack… So let us know what some of your favorite sports movie quotes are!
