Always a fun exercise to piece together a list, any list really. Sports plays a huge role in my life, but I’m more of a spectator than a participant and the old bones start to calcify. So what could be better than coming up with the best of the best sports flicks as a reminder that if you can’t be an athelete, you can at least be an athletic supporter. This is my list. I encourage discussion and comments should you have issue with any selection. Away we go!

Hockey
Slap Shot – From a technical standpoint, Miracle has the best “hockey” sounds, but for pure comedic brilliance, Slap Shot should be considered one of the funniest sports movies ever made. Putting on the foil, coach.

Baseball
Field of Dreams – Of the 20+ movies about baseball that Kevin Costner is in, it comes down to a cage match between Field of Dreams and Bull Durham. Both have excellent supporting casts to prop up Costner, but at the final bell, I’ll have to go with Field of Dreams. Too many memorable speeches about the essence of the game to be ignored.

Basketball
Hoosiers- If this doesn’t tug at your heart-strings, then you are simply mean. I’m getting misty thinking about coach telling his players that he loved them duting the climax of the film.

Horse Racing
Seabisquit – Had a chance to see this again, and even though we already know how the story goes, it’s told incredibly well. No photo finish here. This favorite wins by 16 lengths.

Football
Friday Night Lights- The biggest thing in Texas is football. Period. Although this film about high schoolers overachiving hasn’t been tested by time, this is an incredible look into the religion of football in Texas.

Golf
Caddyshack- Sort of unfair to rank this comedic classic as the best golf movie, but you ain’t beating Caddyshack. Don’t likeit, make your own list. Too many memeorable lines to list here, but Bill Murray in one of his his finest roles, and I quote:

Boxing
When We Were Kings- Ali, Foreman, James Brown, Don King…all in their prime?! In Africa?! unstoppably good boxumentary. I played beer league hoops after watching this and never touched the parkay. The greatest indeed.

Surfing
Big Wednesday - Gary Busey, Jan-Micheal Vincent and surfing legend Jerry Lopez riding massive swells? Is there any point to trying to better the best?