Movies: most improbable sporting event/feat?

[Sooga]

Not sure if this has been made a thread or not, but what the hell... what's the most improbable sporting event/feat in a movie? And no, I'm not including comedies like Happy Gilmore. Obviously that's over-the-top improbable. I'm talking just about sports movies that take themselves seriously. I can't think of one off the top of my head, but I find it hard to believe that someone the size of Rocky Balboa could beat Ivan Drago.

[slickpoppa]

This isn't a pure sports movie, but: I remember sscene in "The Last Boy Scout" where a running back who had been paid off by the mob is running for the endzone, pulls out a gun from under his padding and shoots a defensive end, and then shoots himself in the head when he gets to the endzone. When I saw that scene I thought it was a joke.

Side Out

The guy becomes a pro beach volleyball player and wins a tourney after 3 weeks of training, with his only prior experience 'a bit of indoor back in college'

[MrX]

Field of Dreams: Playing baseball with ghosts

[jakethebake]

The one with that kid playing pro baseball?

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
The one with that kid playing pro baseball?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that goes along with the comedy stuff.

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The one with that kid playing pro baseball?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think that goes along with the comedy stuff.

[/ QUOTE ]

But really, even with jordan, the looney tunes characters had no chance against the martians.

[Sooga]

Hmm, 'Space Jam' isn't exactly what comes to mind when I think of sports movies. But I think with Jordan the Looney Tunes have a good shot. They have 1 superstar and good role players.

[miajag81]

The basketball scene in Teen Wolf

[PoBoy321]

That movie where the hockey player gets injured and then becomes like the best figure skater in the world.

[ QUOTE ]
But I think with Jordan the Looney Tunes have a good shot. They have 1 superstar and good role players.

[/ QUOTE ]

And, quite frankly, that's all you need.




** shimmys **

[MD2020]

It's been a while since I've seen it, so my memory might be hazy, but in "Varsity Blues", the QB becomes the lead blocker for the running back on the last play. He proceeds to block like five different defenders, all without breaking stride.

[rohjoh]

Northshore, the guy from Arizona, who learned to surf in a wave pool, going to Hawaii and winning a pro event.

[Sooga]

That's not so improbable, is it? Isn't it possible he was just a natural at surfing?

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
That's not so improbable, is it? Isn't it possible he was just a natural at surfing?

[/ QUOTE ]
not even close to possible

[PoBoy321]

[ QUOTE ]
That's not so improbable, is it? Isn't it possible he was just a natural at surfing?

[/ QUOTE ]

You've OBVIOUSLY never seen North Shore.

[Reef]

that varsity blues last TD just bugs me

[PoBoy321]

The Little Giants when the fat kid turn around and farts and clears the field.

[Eurotrash]

Major League


there's no way that Indians team makes it to the ALCS.

[kurosh]

The Jamaican Bobsled team one... can't remember the name. Cool Runnings?

[Sooga]

Yea, the thing is, that movie was based on a true story.... I'm not sure of the exact story, so exactly how much of that movie is fact is a mystery to me.

[Sooga]

Hmm, I dunno... they seemed to have decent pitching, with a solid veteran rotation and a lights-out closer (Vaughn), and as for their batting, they had a speed demon (Hayes), and a masher (Cerrano), and Taylor and Dorn seemed to be at least average offensively. I'm not saying this team would have run over the competition, but they definitely had talent.

[flatline]

[ QUOTE ]
Yea, the thing is, that movie was based on a true story.... I'm not sure of the exact story, so exactly how much of that movie is fact is a mystery to me.

[/ QUOTE ]

That doesn't necessarily disqualify if, though.

[Josh W]

Miracle.

No way the US beats that Soviet squad.

[Sooga]

Oh i'm not saying it's disqualified.... I'm just wondering if the poster knew it was based on an actual story.

[Sooga]

You know, it's funny you bring that up, because that's EXACTLY what I was thinking about when posting this thread... but then I thought, "Nah, there had to have been something made-up that was even more improbable"... but reading these responses, I think that that US win over Russia truly was the most improbable.

[youtalkfunny]

--Tom Cruise has no idea how to drive a stock car at the beginning of "Days of Thunder", yet wins "five of the last six races, an unprecedented feat" a few months later.

--The umpires don't consider a rain delay during a monsoon at the end of "The Fan".

--Lou Brown brings in The Wild Thing to face a guy who has homered off him every time they have met; Willie Mays Hayes scores from second on a bunt; Jake Taylor BEATS IT OUT??? If they had Butch Hobson playing third base, charging the bunt, panicking, and air-mailing one to the seats behind the dugout, that would've been much cooler--AND the run would still be allowed to score!

--The Sports Guy recently pointed out that Kelly Leak bats in just about every inning of every Bad News Bears movie.

--Jean Claude van Damm stopping a penalty shot.

[Vavavoom]

Mighty Ducks 2 - There is no way they would beat the Iceland Team...

NO F'In Way !!

[ChipWrecked]

Robert Redford yanking a homer into the lights.

[baumer]

[ QUOTE ]
Miracle.

No way the US beats that Soviet squad.

[/ QUOTE ]

The US actually beat the USSR in 1980.

Haven't seen the movie, but it's based on the true "Miracle On Ice"

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Miracle.

No way the US beats that Soviet squad.

[/ QUOTE ]

The US actually beat the USSR in 1980.

Haven't seen the movie, but it's based on the true "Miracle On Ice"

[/ QUOTE ]

Take your sarcasm detector into the shop, it's not working.

[siccjay]

[ QUOTE ]
Side Out

The guy becomes a pro beach volleyball player and wins a tourney after 3 weeks of training, with his only prior experience 'a bit of indoor back in college'

[/ QUOTE ]

This movie is awesome.

[dcasper70]

Anyone remember the fight scene at the end of Youngblood (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092272/)?

Other than that, the only thing I remember about that movie was Cynthia Gibbs' perky ones... /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[siccjay]

Tin Cup

I think any golfer in the world would rather just go ahead and win the tourney.

[ChipWrecked]

[ QUOTE ]
Tin Cup


[/ QUOTE ]

I thought this movie sucked, but it did feature a meal at the Waffle House (aka Awful Waffle), which is one of the things I miss about the South. Possibly the only thing.

Wait, thunderstorms. I miss them.

[Dirk1963]

Except John Daly. Didn't he do something like that in a similar situation ?

Proof:
"John did open 1998 looking more like his old self on the course. Back-to-back fourth-place ties in March—in the Nissan Open and Honda Classic—suggested he was back on the beam. But a week later he pulled a “Tin Cup” at the Bay Hill Invitational, carding an 18 on a hole after dunking six shots into the water on a par-5. John finished the tourney at +10. " from jockbio dot com

But still:
In the bar following the first round of the US Open, the Brickyard 400 NASCAR race is on the TVs. This race is held the first weekend of August every year; the US Open is always in June. ( from IMDB dot com)

[siccjay]

Tin Cup is an awesome movie. Waffle House is also awesome.

[SCfuji]

friday night lights

thought every part of this movie was great except for the part where i think chavez comes flying into the backfield for a sack or something. i dont think the height and angle he came in at is possible for a high school football player.

[The Truth]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
But I think with Jordan the Looney Tunes have a good shot. They have 1 superstar and good role players.

[/ QUOTE ]

And, quite frankly, that's all you need.




** shimmys **

[/ QUOTE ]


Best. Gimmick. Account. Ever.

The "Shimmy" was a work of art.

-blake

[Blarg]

If you're willing to count kung fu movies, which since they're all about athletics I think you should, then almost every one that comes out, especially now that wire work has gone from their secret shame to the norm.

I'll also volunteer the Karate Kid. Complete twerp achieves quick skill by learning from a fat old dude who doesn't really know martial arts or even remotely look like he could do anything athletic at all.

Most any fighting or dancing scenes in most movies. Most people neither fight nor move well, and most don't even move that well, so long shots are out and it's just a bunch of quick cuts that leave me completely unconvinced.

[diebitter]

Snake Plisken's basketball shot in 'Escape from LA'. He's a cool dood, but come on!

[imported_The Vibesman]

[ QUOTE ]
-- Willie Mays Hayes scores from second on a bunt;

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I thought of. I don't even care that Taylor beat the bunt out; Hayes scores from second on a bunt single and there is no error on the play. Sooooo bad.

[siccjay]

He was running on the play and he is really fast. I think stranger things have happened.

[Sooga]

...maybe he was just THAT fast....

[samjjones]

Good thread. Two that immediately spring to mind are Edward Norton dunking in "American History X", and Tom Cruise spiking multiple volleyballs in "Top Gun".

[WDC]

Damn that happened in Remember the Titans also.

BTW the most improbable sports moment in a movie is Robin Williams cathing a long pass from Kurt Russell or Scott Bakula becoming a starting college QB in his 40s.

[fingokra]

Read this entire thread waiting on Tin Cup.

That ending is just insane. No professional golfer would ever do that. At one point he hits a 3W to one foot and it spends back off the green. He continues to fire away saying "I can make this shot." Idiot, you just hit 3W to a foot and spun it into the water from however far. That is the shot. What are you supposed to expect to hole out three wood on the final hole of a major. Take a drop already moron.

Could have been a dozen better endings to this movie. Also he is about to run out of balls and makes his last ball to keep from being disqualified. Only that isn't the rule. He can get more balls.

[WLVRYN]

The improbable part about that play is that the call was for a bunt and run, but Jake points to the fence and he gets dusted by the closer on the first pitch. Willie Mays Hayes wasnt running on the first pitch, but was running on the second pitch when the play actually worked. I guess Jake and WMH are smarter than the Yankees since they knew a high and tight one was coming on the first pitch.

That and the fact that there is one fat guy that runs out of the stands in two separate scenes at the end of movie when they are celebrating. That gets me every time.

[Dave G.]

[ QUOTE ]
If you're willing to count kung fu movies, which since they're all about athletics I think you should, then almost every one that comes out, especially now that wire work has gone from their secret shame to the norm.

I'll also volunteer the Karate Kid. Complete twerp achieves quick skill by learning from a fat old dude who doesn't really know martial arts or even remotely look like he could do anything athletic at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll admit that the Karate Kid's learning curve was extremely quick. 2 months is nowhere near enough to become even remotely proficient at any fighting art. However, I think you're way out to lunch on the last part of your quote.

I train in Kung Fu. I'm still a junior, but a lot of my instructors are, well, fat. Not just slightly, they are pretty overweight. The ones who aren't are very average looking guys, not buffed up or cut or anything. The emphasis at such senior levels of training is on your mind, so physical training falls by the wayside, I guess.

The amount of force these guys can deliver is mindblowing. Their extra weight really just gives them more power to use. Their speed is not hindered at all, they are lightning quick.

So I submit that not only is kung fu not about "athletics" at all, but how "athletic" someone looks is completely uncorellated with how quickly they could beat some ass.

And come on, Mr Myagi was just taking on a few punk kids. The dude fought in wars, I really don't think some mischevious teenagers are going to cause him much trouble. Furthermore, don't knock Mr Myagi. He's hardcore.

There, I've defended Mr Myagis honour. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[StevieG]

[ QUOTE ]
Snake Plisken's basketball shot in 'Escape from LA'. He's a cool dood, but come on!

[/ QUOTE ]

Kurt Russell hit those shots. He insisted on it. You'll note that the final basket is a single shot, with no edits.

Naturally, it took a lot of takes, but he did perform the feat.

"The Color of Money" scene with Cruise dancing to Warren Zeevon, running the table, sinking all those balls, was also real. You can hear the crew applausing spontaneously.

Tom Cruise in "All the Right Moves," however, needs to be on this list somewhere.

[diebitter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Snake Plisken's basketball shot in 'Escape from LA'. He's a cool dood, but come on!

[/ QUOTE ]

Kurt Russell hit those shots. He insisted on it. You'll note that the final basket is a single shot, with no edits.


[/ QUOTE ]

Kurt Russell is King!

[imported_CaseClosed326]

No, he brings in Wild Thing who asks to walk to guy infront of the guy who always homers off of him. Pretty smooth if you ask me. I don't know if I have the sequence right but when Willie steals 2nd then right away goes for third, then right away goes for home...I mean come on.

The fat kid in varsity blues getting all those concussions is pretty lame.

I don't know if this one counts, but everything in the replacements was kinda retarded.

[jedi]

[ QUOTE ]
No, he brings in Wild Thing who asks to walk to guy infront of the guy who always homers off of him. Pretty smooth if you ask me. I don't know if I have the sequence right but when Willie steals 2nd then right away goes for third, then right away goes for home...I mean come on.


[/ QUOTE ]

Major League 2: Worst Sports Movie of all time. And I LOVED Major League 1.

[correia]

Haven't read all of the replies yet so I'm not sure if anyone mentioned this. Sudden Death, Jean Claude is a cop who played hockey while he was in college and in the middle of the movie takes over as goalie for a professional hockey team.

[samjjones]

[ QUOTE ]

"The Color of Money" scene with Cruise dancing to Warren Zeevon, running the table, sinking all those balls, was also real. You can hear the crew applausing spontaneously.

Tom Cruise in "All the Right Moves," however, needs to be on this list somewhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

You'll notice at that shot in the "Color of Money" the position of the balls change as Cruise walks around the table. Somebody was resetting the target ball to make some of the shots a touch easier offscreen.

And what's so unrealistic about a 5 foot 4 150 lb cornerback wanting to play Division 1???

[M2d]

[ QUOTE ]
Miracle.

No way the US beats that Soviet squad.

[/ QUOTE ]
you want to talk improbable [censored] that really happened, what about that movie where the high school coach tries out for a major league team and makes it. happened a couple of years ago, iirc.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
Snake Plisken's basketball shot in 'Escape from LA'. He's a cool dood, but come on!

[/ QUOTE ]

I gotta catch that movie again. It's in my Netflix queue.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you're willing to count kung fu movies, which since they're all about athletics I think you should, then almost every one that comes out, especially now that wire work has gone from their secret shame to the norm.

I'll also volunteer the Karate Kid. Complete twerp achieves quick skill by learning from a fat old dude who doesn't really know martial arts or even remotely look like he could do anything athletic at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll admit that the Karate Kid's learning curve was extremely quick. 2 months is nowhere near enough to become even remotely proficient at any fighting art. However, I think you're way out to lunch on the last part of your quote.

I train in Kung Fu. I'm still a junior, but a lot of my instructors are, well, fat. Not just slightly, they are pretty overweight. The ones who aren't are very average looking guys, not buffed up or cut or anything. The emphasis at such senior levels of training is on your mind, so physical training falls by the wayside, I guess.

The amount of force these guys can deliver is mindblowing. Their extra weight really just gives them more power to use. Their speed is not hindered at all, they are lightning quick.

So I submit that not only is kung fu not about "athletics" at all, but how "athletic" someone looks is completely uncorellated with how quickly they could beat some ass.

And come on, Mr Myagi was just taking on a few punk kids. The dude fought in wars, I really don't think some mischevious teenagers are going to cause him much trouble. Furthermore, don't knock Mr Myagi. He's hardcore.

There, I've defended Mr Myagis honour. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Three things.

First, you overstate your case. Being fat is not at all completely uncorrelated with how good you are at athletics.

Second, kung fu is highly athletic.

Third, Pat Morita moves slowly and without any grace. He's a caricature. The guy just doesn't look impressive.

P.S., I took kung fu too, for years, and helped teach it. Being fat is no asset.

[Your Mom]

Tom Cruise, five foot six, getting a college scholarship to play Cornerback in All the Right Moves.

[Your Mom]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
-- Willie Mays Hayes scores from second on a bunt;

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I thought of. I don't even care that Taylor beat the bunt out; Hayes scores from second on a bunt single and there is no error on the play. Sooooo bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just recently, Marcus Giles, who isn't that fast, scored on a similar play from second without even a throw home. This play is very possible.

I hate Steven A. Smith.

[ QUOTE ]
Robert Redford yanking a homer into the lights.

[/ QUOTE ]

I scanned through this whole thread and this was the only reference to "The Natural".

I was going to say Roy Hobbs hitting the cover off the baseball was more unrealistic. Or him smashing the glass out of a clock tower way up high. I think knocking the cover off the ball is the least feasible of the three.

[bdohaney]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you're willing to count kung fu movies, which since they're all about athletics I think you should, then almost every one that comes out, especially now that wire work has gone from their secret shame to the norm.

Yeah... I am with this guy. Probably the scariest man I have ever seen is Sensei Suenaka. He was like a 70 year old man that could literally send people flying with little or no effort. (9th degree bb in Aikido)
I'll also volunteer the Karate Kid. Complete twerp achieves quick skill by learning from a fat old dude who doesn't really know martial arts or even remotely look like he could do anything athletic at all.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll admit that the Karate Kid's learning curve was extremely quick. 2 months is nowhere near enough to become even remotely proficient at any fighting art. However, I think you're way out to lunch on the last part of your quote.

I train in Kung Fu. I'm still a junior, but a lot of my instructors are, well, fat. Not just slightly, they are pretty overweight. The ones who aren't are very average looking guys, not buffed up or cut or anything. The emphasis at such senior levels of training is on your mind, so physical training falls by the wayside, I guess.

The amount of force these guys can deliver is mindblowing. Their extra weight really just gives them more power to use. Their speed is not hindered at all, they are lightning quick.

So I submit that not only is kung fu not about "athletics" at all, but how "athletic" someone looks is completely uncorellated with how quickly they could beat some ass.

And come on, Mr Myagi was just taking on a few punk kids. The dude fought in wars, I really don't think some mischevious teenagers are going to cause him much trouble. Furthermore, don't knock Mr Myagi. He's hardcore.

There, I've defended Mr Myagis honour. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Tin Cup


[/ QUOTE ]

I thought this movie sucked, but it did feature a meal at the Waffle House (aka Awful Waffle), which is one of the things I miss about the South. Possibly the only thing.

Wait, thunderstorms. I miss them.

[/ QUOTE ]

waitress : "Sir.. how would you like your hashbrowns?"
ChipWrecked : "I'll have em slopped, chopped, diced, sliced, topped, smothered and covered please"

Mmmm the hashbrowns at the wAweful house are great!

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
-- Willie Mays Hayes scores from second on a bunt;

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what I thought of. I don't even care that Taylor beat the bunt out; Hayes scores from second on a bunt single and there is no error on the play. Sooooo bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

Just recently, Marcus Giles, who isn't that fast, scored on a similar play from second without even a throw home. This play is very possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.. this was one of our designed plays when I was in HS.. used it twice in the season. Once successful and the other would have been too, but the guy running home tripped about 10ft from the plate and face planted.. he was out.. but was still pretty damn funny.

[krimson]

Mighty Ducks. A bunch of kids who can barely skate, and 5 years later they're all playing in the NHL!!!

[bravos1]

[ QUOTE ]
Tom Cruise, five foot six, getting a college scholarship to play Cornerback in All the Right Moves.

[/ QUOTE ]

Come on man.. totally possible!! Didn't you see Top Gun? He has mad hops! When thy played volleyball he was a spiking machine! Every point they got was a spike from him. Each time Goose spiked the ball it was dug out.

[hobbsmann]

[ QUOTE ]
Tom Cruise spiking multiple volleyballs in "Top Gun".

[/ QUOTE ]

This was one of the first things I thought of when I opened this thread.

Also would add Keanu Reeves learn to surf massive waves in the dark in 2 days in Point Break.

[youtalkfunny]

[ QUOTE ]
"The Color of Money" scene with Cruise dancing to Warren Zeevon, running the table, sinking all those balls, was also real. You can hear the crew applausing spontaneously.

[/ QUOTE ]

My DOG could run out the shots he had set up for him.

It always bothered me that Newman's reflection in the ball was shooting right-handed. His reflection should be lefty.

And while nit-picking and Major League have been prominent in this thread, let me point out the crowd for the playoff game in Cleveland, in October, was all wearing shorts and t-shirts--and was 60% senior citizens, 30% little kids, and 90% female.

[TheHip41]

[ QUOTE ]
Major League


there's no way that Indians team makes it to the ALCS.

[/ QUOTE ]

Or ANY Indians team for that matter /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[siccjay]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
No, he brings in Wild Thing who asks to walk to guy infront of the guy who always homers off of him. Pretty smooth if you ask me. I don't know if I have the sequence right but when Willie steals 2nd then right away goes for third, then right away goes for home...I mean come on.


[/ QUOTE ]

Major League 2: Worst Sports Movie of all time. And I LOVED Major League 1.

[/ QUOTE ]

You haven't seen Major League 3 then. It makes 2 look like a classic.

[slamdunkpro]

Any of the racing scenes in Days of Thunder – As soon as they started trading paint like that they’d be black flagged.

The final game in Hoosiers - Hickory players double dribble 4 or 5 times.

Tin Cup – The final hole. The ball stops and sits two feet from the pin then rolls back into the water. The slope on the green would have to be about 30 degrees for that to happen. Anyone putting from behind the pin would end up in the water.