Thursday, September 8, 2011

2-on-5: Did They Cry?

To borrow from ESPN.com's neat little "5-on-5" feature -- where 5 NBA sports writers take on 5 NBA topics, I'm doing a "2-on-5" here on FVG, featuring me and Lindsey. In this episode, Lindsey and I recall 5 famous scenes from 5 famous sports movies, and discuss whether we cried* or not.

*Crying defined by eyes welling up. Tears dripping is a bonus, but not required.

A League of Their Own

There's no crying in baseball, but there is at the end of this movie...
SCENE: The Rockford Peaches reunite to open the Women in Baseball exhibit at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

DID HE CRY: Yes. Consistently, and surprisingly. I always say to myself, "The reunion's not gonna get me this time. It's just a bunch of old ladies." But then there I am, bawling like Evelyn after missing the cut-off man.

DID SHE CRY: Is that the scene with all the old ladies? And they go to the Hall of Fame and sing? Oh yes, I cried.


The Sandlot

SCENE: Scotty, now all grown-up as the Dodgers play-by-play announcer, calls a game as Benny "The Jet" steals home. 

DID HE CRY: Of course! Benny was so good to Scotty (remember when he fungoed the ball right into his glove?), and look how well it worked out for them. All great young baseball players should befriend geeks with erector sets. It's good karma.

DID SHE CRY: My second-favorite baseball movie after League of Their Own (I only like two baseball movies). The end didn't make me cry, though -- I was distracted by how big the bill of his hat was.


Field of Dreams


SCENE: After a whole movie of seeing dead people without help of Bruce Willis or Haley Joel Osment, Kevin Costner finally gets the moment he's been waiting for: A catch with his late father.

DID HE CRY: Even though "the catch" is kind of drawn out and awkward, yes. Every time. 

DID SHE CRY: I haven't seen this movie. One of them's supposed to be dead?


SCENE: After Vince Vaughn ignores Coach Devine's orders and throws a touchdown pass in a game Notre Dame already had wrapped up, the crowd starts chanting Rudy's name, Coach finally puts him in, and Rudy brings down the house with a game-ending sack after Georgia Tech curiously forgets to block him. Cue the super: "Since 1975, no other Notre Dame player has been carried off the field."

DID HE CRY: ARE YOU KIDDING????? First of all, you could do an entire crying column from this movie alone (scene where he finally gets into Notre Dame, scene where prep team coach tells him he makes the real team, scene where they clap for him when he comes back to practice after briefly giving up, scene where all the ND players put their jerseys down so Rudy can play in their place), but the tears this scene induces washes them all away. This is the scene that makes you pause and ask yourself, "Is this...the greatest movie I've ever seen?" If your answer is yes, I'm not gonna argue.

DID SHE CRY: I love this movie! And I definitely teared up at the end. After all that hard work and constantly being told he couldn't do it, he went out and for one perfect moment, all was right in the world and Rudy did it! Amazing.  

5. And finally...
SCENE: OK, fine -- this is actually a UCONN 2011 National Championship Highlight Film. I hadn't seen it in a while.

DID HE CRY: No tears, but wonderful, wonderful chills.

DID SHE CRY: I'm not watching this.

Crying Standings: Matt - 4, Lindsey - 2


CONFLICTS OF THE WEEK

Saints/Packers vs. Fashion Night Out (Thurs, 8:00 ET): I have no idea what Fashion Night Out is or means, but it's got some nerve trying to co-opt NFL Opening Night.
EDGE: Saints/Packers

Cowboys/Jets vs. Lindsey Comes Home (Sun, 8:20 ET): Lindsey gets back from her trip to Colombia Sunday night. Yay! The later, the better!
EDGE: TBD 


Dolphins/Patriots vs. Our First Night Home Together in Two Weeks (Mon, 7:00 ET): These are the matchups you dread, boyfriends and girlfriends. I cannot miss my team's season opener on Monday Night Football, and she will not be happy about it.
EDGE: Dolphins/Patriots 
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