Sports movies: they’re a dime a dozen, right? So, which ones stand out among the pack, and why? I did the hard work for you. Just read ahead.

Before I delve deep into the cinematic genre known as the “sports flick,” some may have noticed the “Part I” attached to the title. Do you get a Super Combo Edition where I do a Top 20 separated into 2 Ten-Spot Lists!? No. You don’t. Sorrrryyyyyyyy.

But I did decide that, after doing 22 minutes 46 hours of research, that the list must be split into 2 parts: a Baseball Edition & a Non-Baseball Edition. Every other sports movie ever created is a baseball film. You can blame that on America’s fascination with “their” game, or the need to give Kevin Costner a 25+ year career, but either way, it’s the truth. I’m delivering you the Non-Baseball Edition first, since I’ll keep the other one in my back pocket until Playoff Baseball rears its addicting (and wife-annoying) head.

Let’s get this incredibly divisive list started.

Greatest Sports Movies: Part I (Non-Baseball Edition)

10. Blue Chips

Apparently, I prefer my basketball-based movies with ACTUAL NBA superstars in them. Nick Nolte (someone who shows up, maybe surprisingly, multiple times on this list), plays the coach of a Division I basketball program, one falling behind due to their reluctance at using illegal recruiting tactics to bring in certifiable all stars. Out of these sure fire choices are Neon Boudreaux & Butch McCrae, played respectively by Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. The decision to break the rules slowly eats away at Nolte’s character, leading to one hell of a disastrous press conference to close out the film. The film received mixed reviews when it was released, but I loved it…which probably had nothing to do with my affinity for the Orlando Magic in 1993.

9. Goon

Hailed as a box office disappointment after making only $7 million in theatres, Goon gained some success after being added to Netflix. The story centers around a bouncer named Doug, played wonderfully by Sean William Scott, a man whose heart works twice as hard as his brain. When bad ass hockey player Ross Rhea (Liv Schreiber) is sent to the minors on a suspension, the local team hires Doug to act as an “enforcer” for their star player, a guy victimized previously by Rhea in the NHL. What follows is a funny, at times heartwarming, underdog story lead by a criminally underrated cast. Is Slapshot the better movie? Yeah, probably…I mean, Slapshot is a classic! But if I have the choice to watch one or the other, I choose Goon every time (that’s a bit much. 8 out of 10 times, I guess. Maybe 7).

8. He Got Game

Now, most would argue that Denzel’s other sports related film, Remember the Titans, should be a part of this list. I like RtT, but believe that other than a couple brilliant performances, a beautiful message of inclusion, and a glorified cameo from future A-lister (and forever man crush) Ryan Gosling, the movie overall is overrated. I put Titans in the same category as Radio: great performance from the star, but overall just a decent movie. He Got Game, on the other hand, is a movie that stays with you long after the movie ends. Jesus Shuttleworth, played by NBA All-Star Ray Allen, is the #1 high school basketball player in the country, poised for the NBA should he forgo college ball. Denzel plays his estranged father Jake, imprisoned for a horrible incident occurring years prior. Let out of prison early on the condition he convince his son to go to the chosen college of the Governor of New York, what follows is a heartbreaking tale of father and son, reconciliation and why that’s so damn hard sometimes, and a final showdown between the Shuttleworth men that is is so tense, you’d think you were watching the culmination of a…movie. Spike Lee’s He Got Game is a reminder that most families do not have their proverbial s— together, and it gets better with each subsequent viewing.

7. Little Giants

More often than not, your best sports movies are in turn about the underdog, who most often overcomes “insurmountable” adversity. And what’s more insurmountable than being the rejects that never get picked first for anything, going up against the “cool” kids that win, well, everything. Enter Little Giants, a 1994 film about 2 brothers, one a former all state football player, the other…not… played by Ed O’Neill & Rick Moranis, coaching rival PeeWee football teams. I shouldn’t have to rehash the plot of this film, as every single one of you reading this should own multiple copies of this film, refer to themselves as “Ice Box” whenever they play a game of pickup football, and have a painting of the “Annexation of Puerto Rico” hanging in their living room. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, feel free to a) find this gem on demand and revel in all of its early 90s glory, and b) never @ me about anything, as your opinion on anything no longer matters to me.

6. The Fighter

My favorite Christian Bale performance. Yes, I’m aware he was Batman. Yes, I’m aware he was Patrick Bateman. Yes, I’m aware he is one of this generations greatest actors. and possibly one of the biggest jerks on the planet. I’m also very aware that this movie is based around the underdog story of Micky Ward, an average boxer from Boston in the 80s, played by Mark Wahlberg. Fantastic movie from beginning to end, with solid performances from Mark Wahlberg and Amy Adams, an Oscar winning role for Melissa Leo, and forget scene stealing, a movie stealing performance by Bale, as the f—ed up older brother, Dicky Ecklund. It’s Rocky for a new generation. Not really, but kind of. Actually I don’t know. Whatever. What was I saying? Oh, Christian Bale rules in this movie, and The Fighter is an instant classic.

5. Cool Runnings

“Nuff people say they know they can’t believe!

Jamaica we have a bobsled team!”

The true story of 4 Jamaican sprinters that failed to qualify for the 1988 Summer Games, they end up deciding they want to start a bobsled team…yes, in Jamaica…with the shot of making it to the 1988 Winter Olympics. What follows is a Disney comedy that fits right in with other family films of the era, filled with heartwarming moments, adversity, and some reoccurring jokes that continue to put a smile on my face 25(!) years later. I also can’t watch a Winter Olympics event without singing the Jamaican Bobsled song. If you don’t know it word for word, I’m not sure we can be friends (acquaintances, maybe.)

4. The Mighty Ducks (1&2)

DO I NEED TO EXPLAIN ANY OF THIS!? ADAM BANKS! KNUCKLE PUCK! GOLDBERG! THE HAWKS! ICELAND! HANS! GORDON BOMBAY’S INCREDIBLE MULLET! BASH BROTHERS! “YOU LOST IT FOR YOURSELF!” JULIE “THE CAT” GAFNEY! SHOULD I GO ON!? OKAY! DID I MENTION GORDON BOMBAY’S BEAUTIFUL MULLET!

3. Warrior

One of my all time favorite movies, and in my opinion, one of the most underrated films of all time. Knock-out performances delivered by Tom Hardy, Joel Edgerton, and Nick Nolte ignite a film centered on estranged brothers who both happen to be competing in an top tier MMA tournament. A lesson in family drama & actual MMA skills, the movie ends in a climax that leaves you torn apart for which brother you want to succeed (because, as we know, BOTH of them are not allowed to “win,” because movies). Each one of these men deserved Oscar nods for their performances, with Nick Nolte the only one who landed the nomination. Even if MMA is just not “your deal,” I highly suggest you watch this movie 32 times in the next week. K byyyeeeeeeeeeeee.

2. Jerry Maguire

Yes, this is a sports movie. Sure it centers on a sports agent, and not fully on an actual athlete, but dammit, it’s a sports movie. While Tom Cruise’s turn as the titular “hero” is spot on, and that little kid who talks about how much heads weigh is super cute, the creme de la creme is Cuba Gooding Jr. as the most begrudgingly lovable Wide Receiver in fake-NFL history. Gooding Jr., rightfully so, won the s— out of “Best Supporting Actor” that year. Is it a better film than his classics Boat Trip, Snow Dogs, or Daddy Day Care? ‘Probably not (ESPECIALLY not Daddy Day Care…) but yeah, it’s a pretty good flick.

1. Rocky

I mean, I assume this isn’t a shock to most of you. The 1976 Oscar winner that made a f—ing star out of writer/actor Sylvester Stallone is widely regarded, by fans and critics alike, as the greatest “underdog” film of all time. Spawning several well received sequels/spin-offs (Rocky II, Rocky IV, Creed) and a few that were not so well received (…Rocky V), and arguably the greatest soundtrack song of all time (if I need to tell you, don’t ever return to this article again), with the character of Rocky Balboa becoming a legend in and of itself. Over 40 years later, the legacy of Rocky continues to grow, staying relevant in a way that very few films are able to accomplish. nd don’t lie, you’ve yelled “You Adrian! We did it!” Shutup, I KNOW that’s from Rocky II, but give me a break, it’s iconic.

Okay, there ya go. An awful PART I list that I’m sure everyone will have a problem with. But remember, I’m 35, & it’s not like I left off Caddyshack or something…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Lou Mattiuzzo is a full time teacher, full time husband, full time father & full time superhero enthusiast. If you care about any of the mindless s— he writes, please give him a follow on Twitter

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