ESPN's sports Academy Awards

Though, to kind of spin off the thread theme, what movies would win if the actual Academy Award categories were up for grabs for sports movies alone? Not just best picture, but best supporting actor, best music, score, art direction, etc.

 

"Rudy" was crap. "Fever Pitch" was godawful particularly if you'd read the book.

And what, no "Slapshot"?

One of the best sports movies of all time.

 

No love for Hot Dog, the greatest skiing movie ever?

 

Hmm ... off the top of my head:
Best Picture:Raging Bull (a damn tough choice ... I could be convinced about Rocky, Bull Durham, On The Waterfront or Field of Dreams.)
Best Director: Martin Scorsese, Raging Bull
Best Actor: Robert DeNiro, Raging Bull
Best Actress: Susan Sarandon, Bull Durham
Best Supporting Actor: Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby (I hated this movie, but he was excellent in it. It was close with a few other choices, though.)
Best Supporting Actress:Talia Shire, Rocky
Best Screenplay: Rocky

 

I'll give it a shot.

Feel free to offer suggestions/adjustments (especially in the actress categories, which were a little tough to compile). I gave some weight to performers/directors that were actually nominated for an Oscar for their sports-movie role.

As great as On The Waterfront is, I really don't consider it a sports movie, so it's not here.

Best Picture:
Chariots Of Fire
Field Of Dreams
Heaven Can Wait
Raging Bull
Rocky

Achievement in direction:
John G. Avidson, Rocky
Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
Hugh Hudson, Chariots Of Fire
Philip Alden Robinson, Field Of Dreams
Martin Scorsese, Raging Bull

Actor in a leading role:
Warren Beatty, Heaven Can Wait
Gary Cooper, Pride Of The Yankees
Robert DeNiro, Raging Bull
Paul Newman, The Hustler
Robert Redford, The Natural

Actress in a leading role:
Pier Angeli, Somebody Up There Likes Me
Susan Sarandon, Bull Durham
Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
Elizabeth Taylor, National Velvet
Renee Zellweger, Jerry Maguire

Actor in a supporting role:
Paul Giamotti, Cinderella Man
Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby
Dennis Hopper, Hoosiers
Jackie Gleason, The Hustler
Bill Murray, Caddyshack

Actress in a supporting role:
Barbara Barrie, Breaking Away
Barbara Hershey, Hoosiers
Amy Madigan, Field Of Dreams
Talia Shire, Rocky
Teresa Wright, Pride Of The Yankees

 

I'd take George C. Scott over Gleason as supporting in the Hustler, but other than that, excellent list.

 

Slap Shot

 

I thought Million Dollar Baby was ass, so Joe, I'm going to need you to take that shit off your Best Picture list and replace it with Raging Bull. No comparison.

Thank you,
Chris

 

Raging Bull wasn't on my list? That was definitely a mistake. I planned to have it on there; had about eight movies I narrowed down to five and must have inadvertently deleted it.

Should be fixed now.

 

'The Bad News Bears' should definitely be a nominee.

 

Now that's some good and prompt service.

 

it obviously doesn't have a funny font, either. that was painfully unfunny