Fantasy geeks everywhere love a good sports movie. Hell, we love a bad sports movie. Movies based on our favorite sports are those we can’t wait to see in the theater.

My favorite aspect regarding sports movies are the characters created. Who doesn’t love a great sports movie character? I’ve compiled a list of my favorite fictional sports movie characters of all time. Here they are:

10. Apollo Creed (“Rocky”) - Some call Creed a poor man’s Muhammad Ali. Obviously this character was based on “The Greatest of All Time” and definitely lived up to that billing. Creed was a smooth-talking, fast-jabbing artist of boxing. He kicked the hell out of Rocky for two fights but lacked the power to knock the underdog out. He set the stage for the cocky, loudmouth sports characters to follow.

9. Shooter McGavin (“Happy Gilmore”) - Everybody loves Shooter McGavin. He made that movie. He epitomized the arrogant, country club golfer prototype and lived up to everything. His antics and hilarious tag lines against Happy Gilmore were legendary. The sport of golf needs a real-life McGavin clone. It would spice up a boring sport.

8. Ebby Calvin  “Nuke” LaLoosh (“Bull Durham”) - This bonus baby pitcher with a million dollar arm and a five cent head is a main reason why I feel “Bull Durham” is the best sports movie of all time. He was a lovable moron who wore Motley Crue T-shirts underneath his sports blazers — something only guys like him can pull off.

7. Willie Mays Hayes (“Major League”) - This movie has many deserving characters who could qualify on this list such as Jake Taylor, Pedro Cerrano and “Wild Thing” Ricky Vaughn. I feel Willie Mays Hayes was the greatest of the movie. He drove a Volkswagen bug which looked like a Rolls Royce and had the speed of a Ricky Henderson. He was arrogant and overconfident even though he shouldn’t have been. He also had some memorable quotes such as “the American Express card, don’t steal home without it.”

6. Roy Hobbs (“The Natural”) - First off, only Robert Redford could have pulled this one off. Redford’s portrayal of a once legendary baseball prospect turned into a 30-year-old rookie was absolutely amazing. He was the humblest of baseball heroes, a quiet slugger that only wanted to play ball. He had one major flaw, the same flaw many guys have — women. Hobbs had a soft spot for the pretty ladies and his country background didn’t equip him for the fast women of the city life, and Kim Basinger was just down-right sexy in this movie. Gotta love the name, too. Roy Hobbs. It’s just classic.

5. Reggie Dunlop (“Slap Shot”) - If you’ve never seen this movie, please put it on your list of future rentals. “Slap Shot” is one of the best sports movies of all time. It’s based on a minor league hockey team and Dunlop, played by silver screen legend Paul Newman, is the perfect leader. Dunlop is an aging minor league hockey player who serves as both player and coach. He’s creative, brash and gets the ladies. It’s your typical Paul Newman role.

4. Billy Hoyle and Sidney Deane (“White Men Can’t Jump”) - Had to put these two together. Woody Harrelson and Wesley Snipes work perfectly together in this classic hoops flick. Both can actually play ball and seem athletic, which helps the basketball scenes seem real. The dialogue displayed between Hoyle and Deane is probably better than any other sports duo in movie history. I can watch this movie all the time.

3. Eddie Felson (“The Hustler”) - OK, I like Paul Newman. This movie has him playing the role of “Fast” Eddie Felson, a pool hall hustler. This is an older flick, filmed in 1961 but stands the test of time.  “The Hustler” is one of the greatest sports flicks of all time mainly due to Newman and his ability to be loved by both men and women. If you’re a woman and have never seen a Paul Newman movie when he was in his prime, get your girls together and rent “The Hustler.” It’s a movie men and women can watch together and enjoy for different reasons.

2. Rod Tidwell (“Jerry McGuire”) - Tidwell could be at the top of this list as Cuba Gooding, Jr., delivered an Oscar-winning performance as a loud mouth, prima donna wide receiver that thought he deserved to be in the class of Jerry Rice, Cris Carter and Andre Reed. Tidwell’s portrayal of the flamboyant wide receiver such as a Chad Johnson, Terrell Owens or Michael Irvin prototype was right on. Tidwell makes me crack up every time I watch this movie.

1A. Rocky Balboa (“Rocky” series) - Sylvester Stallone created and acted as this character and did a brilliant job in both respects. He was the true underdog raised in the streets of Philadelphia. He wasn’t very skilled in the ring, but proved he could defeat anyone with his amazing ability to take a punch. He wasn’t pretty or fast, but his heart outweighed everything. Rocky was the only sports movie to win an Oscar for best picture.

1. Crash Davis (“Bull Durham”) - The career minor leaguer lit up the silver screen in “Bull Durham” as both a baseball player and tireless romantic. Davis is a legend in movie history and his quick-witted dialogue is something any guy would love to have in his arsenal.

Listen to KUOI’s top sports program, The Johnny Ballgame Show, each Monday at 3:30 p.m. on 89.3 FM or www.kuoi.org.

Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register.