Rudy, The True Underdog Story

So, I just finished watching Rudy for probably the 100th time in the past ten years. It could be the greatest sports movie ever made. I'm not going to lie, I could tear up multiple times during the movie because what Rudy does is so genuine and makes you feel so great you have to root for him. Does that make me less of a man? I don't think so. How can you not admire and root for Ruettiger like that after all the heart he shows after multiple times of failure.

I don't know much about the real Rudy Ruettiger, but I'm hoping the movie captured him perfectly. The fact that he was only 5'6, under 200 lbs and had no athletic abilities still baffles me how he was able to compete for a roster spot on Notre Dame.

Makes me think what would happen if I tried to accomplish a feat like this. I'm a lean 5'9, 150 with no athletic ability. I've got absolutely no hand eye coordination and I'm Jewish. I've been told ever since I was a scrawny little kid that I couldn't do much athletically. Oh well, I'll just have to shape and mold my child to become the next Jewish Jordan.

Why aren't there more stories like Rudy's in today's sports culture?

It's because schools are handing out scholarships left and right and there is so much sponsorship money to be made from the big time collegiate sports that schools cannot even consider taking such a risk of having walk ons over scholarship players. America Amateur sports are in a new time now where size and athletic ability do matter.

Did an era of underdogs die and nobody took notice? I sure hope not