Neuman’s Movie Monday-Best Football Movies

With the big game approaching on Sunday, get ready for biggest sporting event in America with the best football movies.

10. The Longest Yard

A lot of people will debate between the original and the remake. I think what makes the remake better is the cast. The remake was able to take huge athletes from the NFL and WWE. Guys like Bill Romanowski, Michael Irvin, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Bill Goldberg, Kevin Nash, The Great Khali, and a handful of entertainers like, Nelly, Chris Rock, and of course Adam Sandler. They even were able to acknowledge the original with Burt Reynolds.

9. Necessary Roughness

Scott Bakula stars as the aging quarterback who still has college eligibility. He goes back to school to lead the local struggling college football team. It's an okay movie with some entertainment. These are the lovable losers trying anything to win. They bring back one of their professors to join the team (Sinbad). The kicker is the first female on the team (Kathy Ireland... yes... THAT Kathy Ireland). This movie made me want a football scarecrow on a spring to throw footballs at. It's a nice callback at the end of the movie. You'll see. (Also... quick nod to the team's announcer, Rob Schneider.)

8. Little Giants

Speaking of the lovable losers... It's the poor Giants versus the rich Cowboys. Not only that, it's brother versus brother coaching these two teams. This family-friendly movie reminds us that this is a kid's game. Can brains and strategy beat experience and brawn? Find out in this kid's classic.

7. The Replacements

With the rich players all on strike, the league will go on with scabs. This is also these guys, second chance on making it, and they can't blow it. It all rests on Sugar Bowl disgrace Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves). These guys are fighting to stay in the league after most feel that the game has passed them. The Washington teams needs 4 wins to get into the playoffs. Can the backup get them there or will the rich guys cross the picket line?

6. The Program

This is a pretty good movie. It's about a big college football program and you see how a team with 50 guys on it, all handle their own problems differently. From drugs, to girls, to having a case of the fumbles. The biggest problem with this movie is that it has some horrible dialog especially the lineman blocking and saying, "Get along little doggies." Ugh... yuk.

5. The Waterboy

The 2nd Adam Sandler movie to make it on the best football movie list. I like the tagline of this film. "Everybody will feel his pain." That is a pretty accurate description for this movie. It's his inner pain that generates the pain he inflicts on the outside. It's both a good football movie and a good comedy. I think everyone wishes that the SCLSU Mud Dogs were a real team. Even if Joe Montanya plays for them.

4. Remember the Titans

I'm sure this is at the top of a lot of people's best football movie lists. The part of them coming together as a team and dealing with their own race-relations internally is more entertaining than any of the football games. They even have a montage going over half their season. There is one part of this movie, I just can't watch. When Gerry Bertier points at the opposing team coach, it gives me hate chills. I shouldn't let that define the whole movie, but I have to turn away when it comes on. Side note: Girls can talk about how hot Ryan Gosling is, but he was an absolute liability at corner....

3. Rudy

The ultimate underdog story. Based on a true story, it's a great triumph story. We, as fans, get spoiled when it comes to football because we just get to watch the games. A lot of players fall out of love with football because it's a lot of practice for very little play. The guys who are on the practice squad get very little credit. So to see the life of a practice squad player is something we don't get to experience. It must be hell to go against guys who are really good every day in practice. Then to get a taste of what it's like on the field must be pretty sweet.

2. Varsity Blues

This is a such a good movie despite many football flaws. The backups don't ever run a difference offense than the starters. (When would they have practiced that?) They never show Mox's JV games before Lance goes down. Do they only have 1 coach? When Kilmer gets chewed out by his team, every assistant coach is nowhere to be seen. Even with all that, it's still one of the best football movies. This movie has it all. Side-note, I know what it's like to have a coach repeatedly bang his whistle against your helmet. It's awful.

1. Friday Night Lights

Another movie that is based on a true story. You really see the pressure put on 17 and 18 year old kids when it comes to varsity football. You can see their struggles on and off the field. Struggles with school, parents, and coaches. We also see the pressure that the coaches are under as well. Everyone in the community will let the coach know their opinions instead of just sitting back and watching the game. This movie is dark and edgy and very entertaining.