Casting Call: "The Foolish Club" If Only There Really Was a Movie About the AFL!

Spying?

Check.

Lies?

Check.

Clandestine meetings?

Check.

Big money changing hands in suitcases?

Check.

No, I'm not talking about the latest James Bond film.

Hollywood really should take notice of the extreme popularity that professional football enjoys and jump on the football train. Stories like INVINCIBLE and THE BLIND SIDE are fantastic, but really...there are few stories that rival the entertainment potential of the story of the birth of the AFL, decade of AFL playing and eventual merger with the NFL.

With the players association and NFL owners trying to figure out how to divvy up all of the money we give them, (and by the way, they are doing a poor job of it) I thought Hollywood could take advantage of this and take some of that money for themselves by giving us football fans something to watch next season if there is not football. (I realize that it takes much more time than this to put together a film, but one can dream, right?)

The story is a fantastic one with many fantastic characters and great twists and turns. And what better name for a movie about the AFL than the name the founders of that league gave themselves, jokingly...

THE FOOLISH CLUB

But who would play who?

That is the direction of this article. Sit back while I play casting director.

By the way, Hollywood...I already wrote a screenplay if you're interested...

Lamar Hunt, the Founder of the AFL and Kansas City Chiefs Played by Guy Pearce

Lamar Hunt was a character to be sure.

Hunt was the son of oil tycoon H.L. Hunt. He didn't rest on that however, and went to school at Southern Methodist University where he played football, but wasn't very good. He was good in the classroom, however. He also picked a thing or two up from his Dad about business.

In 1959, Hunt was turned down by the NFL for both an expansion team and a purchase of the Chicago Cardinals. That didn't stop Hunt. He proceeded to gather a number of other entrepreneurial businessmen who had also been turned down by the NFL and talked them into forming their own league to battle the NFL, which at that time was thought of as simply foolish.

Hence the name, the foolish club.

Hunt founded the Dallas Texans but quickly moved his team to Kansas City where he hired Hank Stram and gave birth to the Chiefs.

I'm thinking Guy Pearce would make a great Lamar Hunt. Granted, Hunt wasn't quite as striking as Pearce is, but I'm sure Hollywood could "geek up" Pearce a bit. Pearce was great in films such as LA Confidential and Memento.

Pete Rozelle, the NFL Commissioner During the AFL Era, Played by Alan Ruck

Rumor has it that the NFL owners took 23 ballots before deciding on Pete Rozelle as NFL commissioner after Bert Bell's death in 1960. They made a good choice for their leader because little did they know, they would be in for a fight in the first decade of Rozelle's tenure as the commish!

He was smart enough to follow a good idea too.

After seeing how well the revenue sharing plan did in the AFL, Rozelle talked the NFL owners into doing the same thing.

That is a big reason why small market teams such as the Green Bay Packers can win the Super Bowl today.

He led the NFL through tough times and was instrumental in the AFL/NFL merger. He served as commissioner until 1989.

Remember Ferris Bueller's hypochondriac buddy, Cameron? Alan Ruck went on to play characters in shows such as Spin City and the movie Speed. Ruck, the underrated actor could take on this role with gusto, I think.

Joe Namath Was the First Huge AFL Star and Should Be Played by Spock?

Broadway Joe Namath was the first true star of the AFL.

He also guaranteed-and delivered-the first AFL Super Bowl win as the New York Jets defeated the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

Wild hair, white shoes and a fun bachelor lifestyle made Namath the talk of not only the town-but the entire country. Namath almost single-handedly brought the AFL to the table as a legitimate league worthy of competing on the same field with NFL teams.

Zachary Quinto not only shares some of the facial features of Namath, but is also a wonderful actor and would do a great job standing in as one of the first ever playboy quarterbacks.

Fughetaboutit! the Soprano's Leading Man Leads the Raiders. Madden by Gandolfini

While John Madden didn't become a coach in the AFL until the late sixties, his mark is undeniable. He was hired by Al Davis as a linebacker coach and then a year later, was promoted to head coach. He went on to reach the AFC title game many times and coached the Raiders to a Super Bowl win.

After seeing James Gandolfini, best known for his role as Tony Soprano, in the new HBO film, AN AMERICAN FAMILY, I thought this one was a no brainier. Gandolfini is a great actor. Just give the guy a wig and he is transformed into Madden.

From One Coach to Another...Vince Lombardi Played by Deniro. 'Nuff Said.

I heard tell that this was already in the works for another film, so just keep the make-up person and drive over to the set of "The Foolish Club".

Do I really need to give you Lombardi's role in the AFL/NFL movie? Do I really need to give you Deniro's resume? Deniro is a chameleon. Look at him when he played Capone for The Untouchables.

Lombardi won the first two super bowls. His name is on the trophy. Done.

Al Davis Was Once the AFL General in the AFL/NFL Wars. Played by Norton

He wasn't always considered a crazy old man by the NFL.

He was considered a crazy young man by the NFL.

Al Davis was made commissioner of the AFL in 1966 and jumped right in with a very aggressive campaign to steal top stars away from the NFL. These tactics led to the NFL actually trying to hide players in hotel rooms until contracts were signed. Davis was actually mad about the merger. He had intended on bringing the NFL to their knees and wiping them out.

He may have succeeded if Lamar Hunt and others hadn't agreed to a merger behind Davis' back.

Who else to play Davis other than Ed Norton? His performances in films like The Italian Job, where he played a tough villainous leader, made me think he was perfect for the role. He is a very talented actor and could do justice to a character such as Davis.

Bud Adams the Oil Man Played by Kevin James the Comedy Man

Bud Adams, the founder of the Houston Oilers, was a tough business man. He actually lured "Iron" Mike Ditka from the Bears to his upstart Houston based football team.

It is rumored that, when Ditka was asked to come over to the AFL's Texas team, Ditka laughed and told Adams that he already made $125,000 playing for the Bears. Adams smiled and asked Ditka how he'd like to make $250,000. Ditka signed.

Bud Adams was instrumental in the signing wars that ended in a merger between the AFL and NFL.

Call me crazy, but I think that comedians make pretty good actors. I'm thinking about Tom Hanks' two Oscars and Jim Carey and Bill Murray's dramatic roles. I think this could be a good fit for the star of Paul Blart: Mall Cop. Kevin James is the right fit for a boisterous, outspoken Texas oil man and football franchise owner.

Hank Stram Played by the Brother of the Blues Brother, Jim Belushi

He coached the Kansas City Chiefs to the first Super Bowl, a win in Super Bowl IV and three AFL titles.

Hank Stram was an innovative coach, whose use of different formations confused opposing defenses. He coached the Kansas City Chiefs for fifteen years. He insisted on the Chiefs wearing a AFL patch on their jerseys during Super Bowl IV.

Jim Belushi is an accomplished actor with years of experience in film and television. He is the right body type and quite frankly, I don't see Stram's personality being a reach for the often loud and outspoken Belushi.

Harry Wismer, Namath's Boss Could Be Played by Dan Akroyd

Harry Wismer was one of the only AFL founders with actual sports team ownership experience. He had pieces at one time or another of the Detroit Lions and the Washington Redskins.

One of the smartest things he ever did, though-was let Joe Namath be Joe Namath.

He signed Namath to a (at the time) massive deal and then let Namath play football and live life the way he wanted. It was good for the league and it saved his fledgling New York franchise, which he had renamed the Jets after a disastrous start as the Titans.

Dan Akroyd could easily play this smart businessman who took on New York city-and won.

There Are Other Players in This Story, but This Was a Good Start.

There are so many other players in The Foolish Club. Players, owners, media personalities.

This was only the tip of the iceberg.

I'd like to hear your opinions and thoughts on the choices in this article and your ideas for the other players in this amazing story.

So start commenting!

Oh-and Hollywood-remember, my script is available. :)