Funniest Sports Movies Of All-Time

I recently learned that Will Ferrell and Adam McKay are actually producing a new series for HBO called “Eastbound and Down” which takes us into the world of a burned-out former big league pitcher by the name of Kenny Powers. 

After blowing his talent and sabotaging his own career, Powers is forced to settle into a “normal” life all the while trying to prepare for a second chance at the majors, where he can make his big comeback. 

Now that short description may seem a little boring but I think you’ll find this link to a trailer much less mundane.http://www.hbo.com/eastboundanddown/video/index.html

I was actually watching one of Will Ferrell’s movies earlier this week, Semi-Pro. This was the second time I had seen it.  I don’t remember why I watching it again—boredom, most likely.  But as I watched Jackie Moon’s (Ferrell’s) Flint Michigan Tropics beat an opposing team senseless, during which I found myself laughing uncontrollably, it dawned on me that sports films can be pretty damn funny whether they are fictional or not. 

This begs the question…what makes a sports movie, funny?  The key word here is funny.  There have been hundreds of films made about sports over the years, many of them great movies, definitely worth the two hours they take from your life.  The Natural, The Sandlot, Field of Dreams, Jerry Maguire, Rocky, I could go on forever. 

Interestingly enough, it’s pretty rare that you stumble across a story that you are willing to pay attention to that literally makes you laugh aloud throughout.  These films in my opinion are few and far between.  So before I give you my top five funniest sports movies list (in no particular order) I want to discuss what I think are the elements needed to make a movie about sports, funny, and not just amusing but funny like I need to hit the pause button before I stop breathing funny.

It’s pretty basic stuff.  You need four things: The film must have a character focus (not a team focus), a plot (not necessarily one that makes sense), have an over-the-top aspect to it and is uniquely quotable (this is key).

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