January 23, 2016
The snow is upon us and, for better or worse, it's just as bad as local news stations had predicted.
Hopefully you listened to their advice and went out to stock up on food and alcohol. But now, you're sitting around flipping through the channels trying to find something to watch. All the local sports games have been cancelled for the night -- although we'll still get the AFC and NFC title games on Sunday -- and that's not sitting well with you.
Don't worry, I'm here to help.
Because no one likes to be stuck in the house all weekend -- and going outside to shovel doesn't count as "getting out" -- here's a list of sports movies you can watch on Netflix this weekend.
In case you prefer to get lost in some side-splitting fiction during the blizzard...
• Major League - If I need to provide a description of this, stop what you're doing immediately, question all your life choices to this point, and then grab a beer and go settle in for one of the funnier sports movies of all time.
• A League of Their Own - A classic in its own right. And somehow, amidst all the funny actresses in this one, it's Tom Hanks that steals ever scene he's in as alcoholic manager Jimmy Dugan.
• Goon - A very underrated hockey movie starring Sean William Scott as, well, a goon, who gets a chance to play the role of a lifetime.
• The Big Green - If you have kids around the house, the movies above may not be the best choices. But when I was little, this was one of my favorite sports movies. It's no "Sandlot", but it's more like "Kicking and Screaming" meets "The Bad News Bears."
I'm going to be honest with you; unless "Blue Crush" is your sort of thing, there isn't much for you in this category.
There are a bunch of these on Netflix, and each one is better than the one before it. I've seen many -- but not all -- of these, and offer the following, somewhat biased, suggestions of which ones to make sure you check out. [Also, if your significant other isn't a huge sports fan, these documentaries will likely still be interesting to him/her. I've seen so many of these in large part because my girlfriend likes these almost as much as I do. They're just really well done documentaries for the most part.]
• The Two Escobars - The intertwining tale of two Colombians named Escobar. One, Pablo, was arguably the most notorious drug kingpins ever and played a pivotal role in the rise of Colombian soccer. The other, Andres, was one of the most celebrated soccer players in the country's history until he was murdered after his own-goal cost his nation a World Cup.
• The U - The controversial -- and unexpected -- rise of the University of Miami football team during the 1980s, which was simultaneously one of the most-loved (locally) and most-hated (nationally) teams of all time. This one was so good that they even made a sequel (The U: Part 2).
• Winning Time - Chronicling Reggie Miller's heated rivalry with the New York Knicks.
• Of Miracles and Men - You've all heard the story of the 1980 U.S. men's hockey team's "miracle" win over the Soviets. Now, hear it told from the perspective of the Russian's who were on the losing side that day.
• June 17th, 1994 - O.J. Simpson's infamous chase in Al Cowling's white Bronco. The New York Rangers Stanley Cup parade. Arnold Palmer's final round at a U.S. Open. And that's only the start of what happened on this day.
• The Prince of Pennsylvania - The tragic story of John du Pont, the Schultz brothers, and the Foxcatcher wrestling team, which trained on the heir's estate in Newtown Square, Pa.
Here are a few other options, in case you've already seen all the 30 for 30s.
• No No: A Dockumentary - A look back at the career of eccentric pitcher Dock Ellis, who threw a no-hitter while on LSD during the 1970 season.
• Happy Valley - The story of how the Jerry Sandusky scandal rocked not only the Penn State football program and the university as a whole, but also the town of State College, Pa.
• Dawg Fight - Examining how bare-knuckle boxing in one of Miami's toughest neighborhoods is a path to not only money, but also respect.
• The Endless Summer - The classic 1966 surfing documentary that will likely result in you booking a trip far from this snow-covered hell in which you're currently residing.
