When it comes to sports movies, I can be a tough critic, especially if the movie is based on a player or team with which I’m somewhat familiar.
Everyone loves the old classic “The Pride of the Yankees,” about baseball Hall of Famer, Lou Gehrig, but I cringed at the movie's inaccuracies the first time I saw it.
Several years ago, John Goodman starred in a biographical movie about Babe Ruth. The movie didn’t do Goodman or the Babe any justice.
Don’t get me wrong, I have seen some movies that I found very accurate and compelling. “The Blind Side” is one of my favorite movies and I even interviewed the real Michael Oher when he played in a basketball tournament in Fort Walton Beach his senior year in high school.
I also think highly of “61*,” a movie produced by Billy Crystal about Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris as they chased Babe Ruth’s then single season home run record in 1961.
I loved “42,” the movie about Jackie Robinson and — as is the case with “The Blind Side” — the movie is now a part of my library.
The next sports movie I’ll be purchasing in the coming months is “When the Game Stands Tall.” I saw the movie Wednesday and came away extremely impressed.
The movie is based on the De La Salle High School football team of Concord, Calif. De La Salle holds the national high school record with 151 straight wins and the movie focuses on what led to the end of the winning streak and how the team rebounded to regain championship form.
The football in the movie is as real as it gets. I could feel the hits and almost smell the sweat as players battled it out.
Some critics say the movie is corny and sappy; that it lacks a solid storyline. I found it to be inspirational and heartwarming.
The best part is the movie is something you can take your children, grandchildren or grandparents to, and not be embarrassed.
The movie embraced the virtue of team and paid tribute to the game that makes high school football such a great sport.
De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur was more focused about winning in life than he was on the football field. The results of doing the right things the right way helped his players become winners in the classroom, on the football field and in life.
I think we can all benefit from the discipline and commitment taught by Bob Ladouceur.
EmailNews Bulletin Sports Editor Randy Dickson, randyd@crestviewbulletin.com, follow him on Twitter @BigRandle or call 682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SIDELINE OBSERVATIONS: 'When the Game Stands Tall' is a must see movie