Sports movies take us on a rollercoaster ride of emotions, blending heartwarming, funny, dramatic, and nail-biting moments. But sometimes, they miss the mark when it comes to capturing the true essence of the sport. In their quest to create thrilling scenes, sports movies can sometimes leave die-hard fans feeling a little let down. They take liberties with the rules, presenting us with jaw-dropping plays that would make referees faint, or coaches making mind-boggling decisions that leave us scratching our heads. These moments in sports films transport us to a world of fantasy rather than reality, leaving us wondering, “Could this really happen?”
1. An Eyeball Being Ripped From Its Socket In ‘Any Given Sunday’ Is Super Hollywood
When playing football, there are many risks involved, such as spine injuries, concussions leading to CTE, torn ACLs, and even the occasional finger poking your face. However, one thing you don’t have to worry about (unless you’re playing against a team coached by Al Pacino) is having your eyeballs ripped out and dropped onto the field. The scene in Any Given Sunday may be a classic and gruesome depiction of football horrors, but it’s purely fictional.
While it’s possible for a finger to jab your eye accidentally, the idea of it being cleanly ripped out is just absurd. So, if that scene has haunted you, rest assured that it has never happened on an NFL field. Nowadays, with the emphasis on player safety and the use of facemask visors, the chances of seeing eyeballs on the field are slim to none.
2. The Flying V From ‘The Mighty Ducks’ Is Awesome And Dumb
The Flying V is undeniably impressive when the Mighty Ducks unleash it to defeat their rivals in the league championship. However, let’s be realistic here – this move is far from possible or practical. Auston Matthews, a top NHL player, even called it “the most unrealistic thing I’ve ever seen” during a GQ interview on the realism of hockey movies.
So, what exactly does the Flying V entail? Well, it involves the majority of the team forming a protective V-shape around the player with the puck, effectively blocking defenders. Meanwhile, the player skates down the ice, and at the very end, the team separates to block out their respective assignments. Essentially, it’s like using a football offensive lineman tactic in youth hockey, where such a stunt might have a chance of working.
Interestingly, even the Mighty Duck sequels acknowledge the flawed nature of the Flying V. In both D2 and D3, they attempt to utilize this move, but instead of scoring a goal, they end up conceding one. In simple terms, if the player with the puck doesn’t skillfully navigate through an entire team of defenders to score, the puck will end up in the possession of the opposing team, leaving no one behind to play defense. Clearly, this move lacks practicality, but it sure does look good on the big screen.
3. Cutting The Rope And A Lot More Of ‘Vertical Limit’ Is Utterly Laughable
When Alex Honnold, the world’s most famous rock climber known for his Free Solo fame, criticizes a movie by saying it has “probably the worst scene in all of climbing,” it’s pretty clear that the film doesn’t accurately portray the sport it showcases. Vertical Limit does have some intense scenes with scary rock-climbing moments, but it’s painfully obvious how the characters’ choices are detached from reality and the actual physics of climbing versus what happens on screen.
In a GQ interview, Honnold dissects the infamous scene in the movie where a character cuts the rope holding their father, causing him to fall to his death. He points out several factors that make the scene pure fiction. Firstly, he highlights that if all the climbers were to fall but were initially caught and held up by the mechanism, there is no way it would suddenly lose its grip. If they were destined to fall to their deaths, it would have happened during the initial fall, not dramatically while desperately holding on afterward.
Secondly, Honnold mentions that no sandstone structures in the real world have an overhang like the one depicted in the film. If this were reality, the climbers would have been right up against the wall after their initial fall, able to find a grip, rather than suspended several feet in the air away from it.
Lastly, Honnold brings up the obvious point that in the real world, cutting the rope that’s keeping someone alive, especially your own father, would never be an intentional action. It goes against all logic and common sense.
Overall, it’s safe to say that Vertical Limit fails to accurately represent the sport of climbing. The scene mentioned by Honnold is just one example of the film’s departure from reality and the laws of physics.
4. Henry Doesn’t Meet The MLB Age Requirement In ‘Rookie of the Year’
Henry Rowengarter lived every young baseball fan’s dream in the movie Rookie of the Year, where he got to suit up for the Cubs and pitch for a whole season. However, there was one major issue with this idea. The MLB has strict rules stating that players must be 17 years old or older to participate in the league, and little Henry, despite his magical arm, is only 12 years old. So, although this scenario would never happen in real life, there are more fantastical elements in the film than just the age restriction.
The movie revolves around a kid who may not excel at baseball but has an immense passion for the game. After breaking his arm and having to wear a cast all summer, he discovers that the cartilage in his arm has changed, granting him the extraordinary ability to throw pitches at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. This skill is an impressive feat that only a few professional players can achieve. In a publicity stunt, the Cubs sign him to a major league contract, and he spends the season pitching in Chicago, taking the league by storm. Thus, while he wouldn’t have been permitted to play in the MLB, his ability to effortlessly throw 100 mph fastballs is also highly unlikely. But hey, it’s just a kid’s movie after all.
5. The Final Pass In ‘The Program’ Was Incomplete
Many sports movies tend to sacrifice realism in the final play of a game for the sake of creating the most dramatic outcome. This often results in unrealistic scenes that can be hard to overlook. In the case of The Program, the final play would have been stopped by referees the moment it happened.
During the play, quarterback Joe Kane skillfully evades multiple defenders while maneuvering around the backfield, waiting for a receiver to become open. While in the pocket, he starts his throwing motion but accidentally loses control of the ball, causing it to fall on the ground in front of him. He quickly retrieves it and throws a winning touchdown. However, in the film, the announcers state that he fumbled before recovering the ball. Any knowledgeable football fan would immediately recognize this as incorrect.
In reality, since Joe Kane was in the process of throwing the ball when it slipped from his hand, the play would have been deemed dead instantly, and the game would have concluded without any last-second heroics. If this movie were based on real events, Joe Kane would likely become the subject of ridicule in the world of college football.
6. The Final Putt In ‘Happy Gilmore’ Would Never Happen
Sometimes when you’re watching a comedic sports film, you just have to let go of reality and embrace the absurd. This is especially true when it comes to movies made by and starring Adam Sandler. Prepare yourself for some outrageous and nonsensical moments that have no place in the real world of sports.
Take, for example, a golf ball bouncing off a car windshield, soaring through the air, rolling down a banner, and miraculously landing on a collapsed piece of scaffolding, which then carries it straight into the hole. Now, let’s be clear, this kind of thing would never happen in real life. But hey, the protagonist is using a hockey stick to putt! So, it’s all meant to be silly and over-the-top.
In a proper PGA-sanctioned tournament, Gilmore would have been allowed to move his ball after such a crazy sequence of events. Happy Gilmore is undeniably a fun sports movie, but don’t expect it to adhere to any sense of realism. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the silliness.
7. Brendan Fraser Throws 81 Strikes In A Row In ‘The Scout’
Sometimes it’s just too easy to see the ridiculousness in sports movies when you compare the incredible feats they show with what actually happens in real life. Take Brendan Fraser’s character in The Scout, for example. In the movie, he pitches in a World Series game and manages to throw nothing but strikes. Not only that, but all 27 batters he faces strike out, resulting in a perfect game. Now, let’s put this into perspective.
The most consecutive strikes thrown in a real game, since they started keeping track of the stat in 1988, is 38 by Bartolo Colon in 2012. So, right off the bat, it’s clear that the idea of throwing 81 straight strikes in a game, or even in practice, is completely absurd. It’s like expecting a golfer to get a hole-in-one with every swing or a basketball player to make a half-court shot every time they touch the ball. It’s just not remotely possible.
Think about it. To throw 81 straight strikes for 27 consecutive strikeouts would mean that the opposing team in the World Series, which is supposed to be one of the best teams in the league, couldn’t even make contact with a single pitch. Not to mention, the umpire would have to make absolutely no mistakes in calling balls and strikes. It’s just not realistic.
Now, let’s compare this to real-life baseball. The record for the most consecutive batters struck out is 10, and that happened back in 1970. Since then, only two players have managed to tie that record. So, clearly, the idea of 27 strikeouts in a row is completely impossible. It’s safe to say that whoever came up with the concept of throwing 81 consecutive strikes has probably never even played baseball themselves.
In conclusion, it’s easy to see that The Scout is nothing more than total and utter nonsense when it comes to portraying the reality of baseball. The absurdities in this sports movie become glaringly obvious when you compare them to what actually happens in the game.
8. Everything About ‘Draft Day’ Is A Fireable Offense
Kevin Costner is known for his love of sports movies, but Draft Day takes things to a whole new level of delusion. The NFL draft is a crucial opportunity for teams to improve, and the pressure on executives like Costner’s character is immense. If the players they choose turn out to be a failure, it’s a direct reflection on their abilities. In this film, Costner plays the General Manager of the struggling Cleveland Browns, a position that hangs in the balance due to the team’s poor performance in recent seasons.
Despite the stakes, Costner’s character takes a huge risk by trading away a significant number of assets to secure the first overall pick. This pick is expected to be used on quarterback Bo Callahan, who is believed to be the best player in the draft and someone who could transform the Browns. However, instead of following expectations, Costner surprises everyone by selecting a linebacker, a player not even considered to be in the top-10 picks, let alone the first overall.
It’s difficult to comprehend why Costner would make such a decision. The analysts discussing the linebacker, Mack, clearly state that he is not someone who would be chosen anywhere near the top of the draft. This move not only squanders the team’s original pick but also eliminates their first-round selections for the next three years. This means the Browns will miss out on the opportunity to acquire top young talent for years to come.
This decision is highly questionable, to say the least. Even a casual video game player wouldn’t make such a move in a game like Madden, let alone someone who is supposed to be an experienced and knowledgeable coach in the NFL.
9. The Overhanded Pitching In ‘A League of Their Own’ Would’ve Been A No-Go
A League of Their Own” is undeniably one of the greatest sports films ever made, not just in terms of female-led sports movies. However, it does have its flaws, one of which is the deviation from historical accuracy. In reality, the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) did not allow overhand pitching until several years after its establishment, unlike what is depicted in the film.
The movie revolves around the creation of a women’s baseball league in America during World War II when male players were away fighting overseas. However, since the film focuses only on the AAGPBL’s inaugural season, certain liberties had to be taken with the league’s rules. As most of the players were originally softball players, it took some time for them to adjust to the technique of overhand pitching.
In the actual league, sidearm deliveries were introduced first, followed by some women eventually transitioning to overhand pitching. The decision to portray overhand pitching from the beginning in the movie is understandable. As one of the film’s main messages is that women can compete with the same skill and integrity as men, it would be contradictory to depict them playing the sport differently
10. Knocking The Cover Off The Ball In ‘The Natural’ Is Pure Fantasy
The Natural, a classic baseball movie starring Robert Redford, is a beloved part of sports filmography. However, it’s important to note that the movie doesn’t necessarily reflect reality. The story revolves around Roy Hobbs, a baseball player who missed out on a professional career due to an accident. At the age of 35, he returns to the game and quickly becomes one of the league’s best players. While this concept may seem far-fetched, there have been instances of players excelling after a hiatus, such as Evan Gattis, who made a successful comeback after struggling with substance abuse and working as a janitor.
While The Natural’s premise isn’t entirely implausible, there is one aspect that stretches the limits of believability: hitting the cover off a baseball. Admittedly, this unrealistic and somewhat silly display of strength and ability is not unique to The Natural. Other baseball movies, mainly aimed at children like The Sandlot, also feature such fantastic feats. However, when Roy Hobbs swings so hard in his first professional at-bat that all the stitching on the ball breaks loose, it comes across as more goofy than heroic.
In reality, instances where the stitching comes loose during a game are rare and have a different outcome. Usually, it involves only a slight tear in the red stitches, resulting in the ball barely dribbling in the infield for an out, rather than soaring over the outfield towards the back fence. Even in these rare cases, it’s just a tiny flap of leather that detaches, not the entire ball disintegrating due to extraordinary human strength.
