Opinion is, apparently, quite divided when it comes to sports comedies. There was a three-way tie for first place, leaving me to choose a winner. Sadly for all you Bad News Bears fans out there, I’ve never actually seen it, so it’s automatically getting knocked out of the running, leaving Happy Gilmore and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story vying for the crown. And in the battle between Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller versus Adam Sandler and Bob Barker, I’m going have to go . . .
. . . with the underdogs. Cause, you know, they have a pirate. Also because I think Pepper and Cotton should be the commentators for every sport ever.
With Bad News Bears and Happy Gilmore getting bumped to second place, the bronze medal goes to another tie, this time between Caddyshack and Major League. Slapshot managed to find one nod, which really gets it nothing, but does save it from the Total Loser Award, which goes to everything else: Talladega Nights, The Longest Yard, Kingpin, and Necessary Roughness.
Of course, I always knew Necessary Roughness was never going to win — it’s the only movie here that doesn’t appear on any of the Best Sports Comedies lists I glanced at prior to making this poll — but I had to include it anyway for nostalgia purposes. In my house, watching football, you can’t get through a game without someone screaming, “Fumbleruski!” or “Fumbalaya!” And some of my very favorite inspirational locker room speeches ever are from this movie, like this one. Also this: “I don’t want to put any undue pressure on you guys, but Gennero’s last words were, “Win, or I’ll die.”
Love you, Wally.
I only voted for Happy Gilmore because you somehow neglected to include my very favorite sports comedy ever, BASEKETBALL! Which would have won hands down. And enormous eight-foot-long-penises down.
Sadly, I’ve never seen it. And by sadly, I mean, oh yeah, I forgot that movie existed, sorry 😛
I missed the poll! Otherwise I would have voted for the clearly superior “Major League” and caused a FOUR way tie.
Pat also just reminded me that Caddyshack wasn’t on the list, which I think is the Gold Standard.
Pat’s a dear, sweet man, but he needs better glasses. Caddyshack WAS on the poll. It tied with Major League.
Too bad. If Major League HAD been in the tie for first place, it probably would have won.
I loved Major League but wouldn’t say it was better than a lot of the other ones in this list. I voted for Bad News Bears but it was a tough call.