Top 25 Sports Movies
25. 'Friday Night Lights'
It's 'Varsity Blues' plus better acting and directing, minus the whipped cream bikini. With this true-life tale, director Peter Berg paints a moving (and disturbing) portrait of '80s small-town Texas: Racism still rages, the economy is ailing and the hopes of an entire community ride on high school football.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Universal Pictures
24. 'League of Their Own'
A movie about an all-female baseball league formed during WWII isn't exactly the norm for sports flicks -- but that's what we dig about it. With stellar turns from Madonna and Geena Davis and one of the longest on-screen urination scenes in history (courtesy of Tom Hanks), this film is rousing, charming and funny.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
23. 'Miracle'
The U.S. hockey team's unlikely triumph over the Ruskies in the 1980 Olympics is one of the greatest sports stories of our time, and this Disney-on-ice version (don't worry, there's no singing) would move the biggest, baddest penalty-minute leader to tears. (FYI, that's a five-minute major for crying like a baby.)
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Chris Large, Disney
22. 'Bang the Drum Slowly'
Known for its ability to induce the "man-cry" (grown men trying desperately to fight off tears -- and failing), this baseball flick about a pitcher (Michael Moriarty) who befriends a terminally ill catcher (Robert De Niro) illuminates the true meaning of the term "teammates."
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
21. 'Chariots of Fire'
Yeah, so it beat out 'Reds' for the Oscar; but there's more to this film than its underdog status. In portraying the rivalry between two wildly different British runners -- one an upper-class Jew, the other a Scottish missionary -- the film captures the passion to compete that goes beyond money, class or fame. And don't forget that theme song.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
20. 'The Bad News Bears'
There's not an ounce of sentimentality in this comedy about a team of foul-mouthed misfits and their alcoholic manager, and that's what makes it great. One by one, 'Bears' takes aim at three sacred institutions -- sob-story sports flicks, treacly kids' movies and the hell of Little League -- and the result is a down-and-dirty delight.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
19. 'Breaking Away'
Though ostensibly about aspiring bike racers, this affecting drama is really concerned with how racing is seen as a way to escape the confines of a small town -- in this case, Bloomington, Ind., where the four heroes are derisively called "Cutters" by the college kids there. And so it's a universal theme, played out on two wheels.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
18. 'The Set-Up'
One of the first truly great sports movies, Robert Wise's 1949 film noir about an over-the-hill boxer (Robert Ryan) who refuses to take a dive despite dire consequences is one of those classic pictures that surprises us with its intensity and timelessness. We'd say it knocks us out, but we'd never go down so easily.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
17. 'When We Were Kings'
The documentary covering 1974's "Rumble in the Jungle" -- a championship match set up by Don King between Muhammad Ali and then-champ George Foreman -- fulfills the promise of its subject. Ali (stripped of his title for conscientiously objecting to the Vietnam War) is in his way as important as MLK. A king? Certainly.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
16. 'Brian's Song'
Two movies are guaranteed to make men sob: 'Old Yeller' and this made-for-TV biopic about Brian Piccolo, a football player with cancer (James Caan), and his roommate, Hall of Famer Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams). It's not just about sports, it's about an extraordinary friendship -- and you'll need a whole box of Kleenex for the end.
Rent the DVD | Buy the DVD
Everett Collection
Reader Comments (240)
lobkiller at 10:53PM on Jun 12th 2008
What?!?!? No Million Dollar Baby? u gotta be kiddin!!
dan at 10:57AM on Jun 27th 2008
how the hell is rudy not in top 3 top 5 at least come on its fucking RUDY
kevin at 1:42AM on Aug 21st 2008
Let's see...
25. never seen it
24. never seen it
23. I HATE THAT MOVIE WITH ALL THE DEPTHS OF MY SOUL!!!!!
22. never even heard of i
21. never seen it
20. liked the remake
19. never heard of it
18. never heard of it
17. never heard of it
16. boring
15. never seen it
14. HATE that movie
13. love that movie so much
12. never seen it
11. HILARIOUS
10. never heard of it
9. terrible, awful, stupid, disgusting, annoying movie
8. never heard of it
7. eh
6. stupid
5. eh
4. OMG THAT MOVIE IS SOOOO BAD THAT"S RIDICULOUS!
3. never heard of it
2. never heard of it
1. stupid, stupid, stupid movie; just plain stupid
brian at 3:52PM on Apr 3rd 2009
kevin your a retard
Charlie F. at 11:11PM on Apr 4th 2009
Very Funny list.
My list
25. OK
24.Pretty funny
23. Not a fan
22. Depressing Movie & Book
21. Worst piece of boring crap ever! I can't believe this won an Oscar
20. OK
19. Horrible, Horrible Horrible
18. Never heard of it
17. Pretty Good
16. Great tear jerker movie & true story
15. Pretty Good
14. Great
13. Great!!!
12. Very Good
11. Excellent
10. Great
9. Very Good
8. Never saw it
7. Great
6. Funny Funny Funny
5. Great
4. Great
3. Great
2. Awesome
1. Great when it came out
steve at 12:42AM on Apr 5th 2009
WOW...I hardly ever read these comments but the pure stupidity of this half whit made me respond. Why would you even make a comment on this subject if you never saw Raging Bull or The Hustler and the many other all time classics on this list. Anyone that says Caddyshack is a bad movie is insane and the pure fact that you never saw many of these means you are even a movie fan so why bother. Many of these classics completely changed the way sports movies were and are done today. I am just dumfounded why you would even be reading this section let alone commenting on it. While Slapshot was a funny movie, I think I found some solace in the fact that you thought this was a truly great movie amongst all the others that you say are bad. It just lets me know that you truly just dont know and that the GED really goes as far as I would expect it to.
Ray at 9:13PM on Apr 6th 2009
Kevin, you obviously dont play sports if you dont like these movies. You are and idiot. How can you hate Miracle and Rudy? youre just dumb.
Jeff at 11:13PM on Apr 8th 2009
You must be 10 years old.
no name at 2:39AM on Jun 19th 2009
ur an idiot
steve at 2:51PM on Jul 1st 2009
Are you an alien, over 100, or under 12? One can quibble with the order but these are all seminal movies that deserve respect. When anyone who claims to be a movie fan says that he never heard of Raging Bull, you are just showing ingorance.
Brian at 10:55PM on Jan 21st 2010
Kevin, it is painfully obvious that you are a f***ing idiot. You have no business commenting on movies if you have never heard of Raging Bull, or The Hustler. Go insert an iron rod into your anus and hang yourself with a Nerds rope. The world needs less people like you.
ultrawan at 10:16AM on Aug 21st 2008
Missing representation from Steve Prefontaine!!!! Without limits or Pre would be better than most. Also missing Invincible and Without Limits!!!!
Tommy at 6:12PM on Sep 30th 2008
Every week I get excited about these top 25 lists for some reason. Me and my coworker friend love to listed to the show and discuss the movies, and every time I think this is gonna be great because the guru of the industry had to have made this list and every time I am dissappointed. What "hammer the square peg in the round hole" retard made this list. Im no movie critic but here is how the list should be.
1. Rocky
2. Hoosiers
3. The Natural
4. Rudy
5. Raging Bull
6. Field of Dreams
7. Major league
8. Remember the Titans
9. Miracle
10. 61
11. Bull Durham
12. Brian's Song
13. Tin Cup
14. Varsity Blues
15. The Longest Yard (the first one)
16. Cinderella Man
17. Pride of the Yankees
18. Slapshot
19. Invincible
20. The Program
21. Prefontain
22. For Love of the game
23. The Sand Lot
24. Days of Thunder
25. Friday night lights
roloqp at 7:38PM on Aug 21st 2008
no SEABISCUIT? horseracing is the sport of kings! it deserved a mention in this list
T Brown at 10:27PM on Aug 22nd 2008
What no "Major League"? The most quoted sports movie of all time.
pat at 3:31PM on Aug 23rd 2008
kevin- I thin you are the looser.. Raging Bull is a classic- most of the ones you have not seen are probably due the lack of "intelligence" on your part- get a life
Kyle at 2:18PM on Aug 23rd 2008
How is "Caddyshack" on this list, and "Coach Carter" not?
brian higgins at 2:19PM on Aug 23rd 2008
anyone remember WE ARE MARSHALL? watched it the other night it was a very good sports movie
gshort3011 at 2:19PM on Aug 23rd 2008
Who picked these losers, Ward Cleaver and the Beaver?
Sea Biscuit, Any Given Sunday, and North Dallas Forty should all be in the top five.
alan at 2:20PM on Aug 23rd 2008
Hey, how about "Pride of St Louis" and "Jim Thorpe All American"?And "It Happens Every Spring" with Ray Milland? You've included some real crap on this list. I guess if it wasn't made in color, it must suck. HEY. Raging Bull?