Spring Break
Sport flicks follow formula, lack originality in plotlines
Justin Pacheo
Issue date: 1/23/09 Section: Entertainment
01/23/09 - Sports movies are an interesting genre of cinema: it's incredibly hard to do anything but stick to the established formula.
The formula should be obvious to most people by now. One of the best sports movies made, "Hoosiers," seems to be where most sports movies take their ideas from. "Hoosiers" has every cliché now expected from a sports movie - but they weren't clichéd yet when it came out in 1986.
However, there is one sports movie that follows the plot of "Hoosiers" exactly: "The Mighty Ducks"
In "Hoosiers" a small Indiana high school basketball team is struggling. Coach Norman Dale arrives and attempts to turn the team around with his "unorthodox ideas." These ideas include running a lot, passing the ball four times before shooting and an emphasis on defense.
In "The Mighty Ducks" Coach Bombay comes in and has the team practice soft passing using eggs, and teaches his goalie not to be scared of the puck by tying him to the net and having the team fire away.
In "Hoosiers" Coach Dale has a troubled past. He hasn't coached in a decade because he was banned from the NCAA after punching one of his players in the face. His job in Indiana is his last chance.
Coach Bombay is court-ordered to coach the Ducks because of a drunken driving accident. Looking back, it's actually kind of amazing that a children's movie made by Disney turned a drunken driving lawyer into a likable character.
It's safe to say that you won't see a drunken driver as a positive kids' role model again anytime soon.
The next part of "Hoosiers" that shows up in many sports movies including "The Mighty Ducks" involves the team struggling early on followed by an event that forces the team to come together.
In "Hoosiers," Coach Dale forces the team to play with only four men on the court, versus to the normal five. This is done so he can bench a player who wouldn't buy into his system. The team loses, but now respects their coach.
The formula should be obvious to most people by now. One of the best sports movies made, "Hoosiers," seems to be where most sports movies take their ideas from. "Hoosiers" has every cliché now expected from a sports movie - but they weren't clichéd yet when it came out in 1986.
However, there is one sports movie that follows the plot of "Hoosiers" exactly: "The Mighty Ducks"
In "Hoosiers" a small Indiana high school basketball team is struggling. Coach Norman Dale arrives and attempts to turn the team around with his "unorthodox ideas." These ideas include running a lot, passing the ball four times before shooting and an emphasis on defense.
In "The Mighty Ducks" Coach Bombay comes in and has the team practice soft passing using eggs, and teaches his goalie not to be scared of the puck by tying him to the net and having the team fire away.
In "Hoosiers" Coach Dale has a troubled past. He hasn't coached in a decade because he was banned from the NCAA after punching one of his players in the face. His job in Indiana is his last chance.
Coach Bombay is court-ordered to coach the Ducks because of a drunken driving accident. Looking back, it's actually kind of amazing that a children's movie made by Disney turned a drunken driving lawyer into a likable character.
It's safe to say that you won't see a drunken driver as a positive kids' role model again anytime soon.
The next part of "Hoosiers" that shows up in many sports movies including "The Mighty Ducks" involves the team struggling early on followed by an event that forces the team to come together.
In "Hoosiers," Coach Dale forces the team to play with only four men on the court, versus to the normal five. This is done so he can bench a player who wouldn't buy into his system. The team loses, but now respects their coach.
