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SPORTS

‘Titans’ is top sports movie

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by Letters to the Editor

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

As the writers of “Point-counterpoint,” Mike Ackerstein and Tyler Mason argued what was the best sport movie (“Point-counterpoint: Best sports movie ever,” Feb. 20). Ackerstein believed it was “Field of Dreams,” and Mason believed it to be the “Sandlot.” Both movies make good candidates, and I have watched them many times. The scene where Ray Kinsella plays catch with his father is very emotional, but there is a better sports movie that has yet to be brought up. That movie is “Remember the Titans.” The reason I believe that it is the greatest ever is that it combines so many elements.

The first element has to be the racial boundaries that were very real in the early ‘70s. Combining a black high school with a white high school had to be almost impossible then. Not only did the students have to intermix, but the teachers and coaches had to accept the changes as well. The pressures of these racial tensions lead to the football field, where T. C. Williams’ newest head coach — Herman Boone, who is black—had just replaced Bill Yoast, who was white and was slotted to be inducted to the high school coaches’ hall of fame. Eventually, they find out that they are much better together then they are segregated. I still remember the scene when they come out for warm-ups, dancing and singing as one.

After overcoming the huge obstacle of racial tensions, the T.C. Williams football team had to overcome hardship as well, when star linebacker Gary Bertier is paralyzed in a car crash after the team wins. This brings the team even closer together as they realize how precious life is. Being an underdog is a role that many sports movies use to create a plot around, but “Remember the Titans” uses this as little as possible. Once losing Bertier to injury, the team is still able to win the state championship.

The music that is used throughout the movie incorporates the attitudes at the time. Trevor Rabin was the music director of “Remember the Titans,” and he did an amazing job incorporating the music into the setting. The scene in which the team sings “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” together in the locker room can still be pictured in my mind.

The acting in “Remember the Titans” that is done by Denzel Washington and Will Patton can easily be compared to the acting of Kevin Costner and James Earl Jones. The acting in “Sandlot” cannot compare to “Remember the Titans” and “Field of Dreams,” as the names of the actors easily eclipse “Sandlot.” Where “Field of Dreams” loses points on my rating scale is that it cannot connect with everyone, whereas “Remember the Titans” leaves almost everyone accounted for.

Overall, my opinion in the end is still just an opinion. I believe that everyone should be able to decide what the greatest sport movie happens to be. I believe this is why Mike Ackerstein and Tyler Mason write these articles to get people thinking about their own personal opinions.

Taylor Iacarella

UW senior

tiacarella@wisc.edu

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Anonymous (March 25, 2008 @ 8:02am):

Titans was stupid and has nothing on Hoosiers

Anonymous (March 25, 2008 @ 11:56am):

Titans was too disney-fied to be a sports movie. If you had done any cursory research on the movie you'd notice it was blatantly different than the circumstances that occurred in real life. Yes the basic framework was there, but, for example, the team didn't win the state championship on the last play. that was added for dramatic effect. this movie was sooo corny. give me field of dreams any day.

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