5 "True" Sports Movies That Weren't Entirely True

We all love sports movies. We especially love sports movies that are based on true stories.

I'm not talking about The Natural or Rocky. They never claimed to be true stories.

I'm talking about the movies that told us they were true stories, and to be fair, they were based on true stories.

But Hollywood tends get carried away and we don't know the true story.

Here are five movies that you might think are entirely true.

And the truth about them.

5. The Blind Side

The Blind Side tells the story of Michael Oher, a homeless over-sized teen, who is taken in by a well-to-do family and eventually adopted.

Once within the loving home, Oher eventually blossoms. He improves as a student and goes on to become a big-time football talent.

When all is said and done, Oher signs with the University of Mississippi, and is later drafted by the Baltimore Ravens.

So What Really Happened?

While Hollywood did a pretty good job with The Blind Side, of course they had to change a few things or it just wouldn't be Hollywood.

While the movie depiction of Oher's adopted mother Leigh Anne Tuohy (portrayed by Sandra Bullock) as the one who first saw Michael and decides to help him...that isn't entirely accurate.

Michael was already enrolled at the Christian school where the Tuohys' children attended. Leigh Anne's husband Sean spotted Michael at a basketball game and realized he didn't have money for food. So Sean began paying for Michael's school lunches.

The movie also fails to mention that Michael lived with several families besides the Tuohys.

Also, you know how Michael had never played football before? Not true. Big Mike had played football before and Leigh Anne certainly never walked down on to the field to tell him to protect his team.

For the record, Michael Oher (pictured) says he has always had a passion for football.

4. Secretariat

The 2010 movie Secretariat tells the story of the 1973 United States Triple Crown-winning horse.

Secretariat may have been the most dominating horse in racing history, setting records at both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes that still stand today.

The film focuses on Penny Chenery, who takes over her father's horse stables. Chenery goes on to succeed in the horse-racing business and owns the greatest racehorse of all time.

So What Really Happened?

The movie tells us a story of owner Penny Chenery and her powerful thoroughbred Secretariat. If Secretariat can somehow win some races, Chenery's farm will be financially saved.

Well... except that Chenery had owned Riva Ridge. And Riva Ridge had won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont the previous year. Riva Ridge earned over $1 million that season. That may have helped the Chenery farm a little.

And there was never any type of performance clause in Secretariat's syndication contract. He didn't HAVE to win the Triple Crown.

It makes for more suspense, though, doesn't it?

3. Remember the Titans

Remember the Titans is a movie released in 2000 that tells the story of a Virginia high school that combines a segregated white school and a segregated black school.

The school hires an African-American head coach who eventually melds together a powerful team that goes undefeated and wins the state championship.

So What Really Happened?

While the real head coach Herman Boone and assistant coach Bill Yoast (both pictured) certainly did an exemplary job of putting together their team, things weren't exactly as Hollywood would have us believe.

Both say that the tension between the team had very little to do with race and was primarily focused on starting positions. There weren't any demonstrations outside the school on the first day, either. Those were added by Disney for effect.

There also wasn't racial tension from the opposing teams that the real Titans would face. Every team on their schedule had also gone through integration.

There were no last-second wins for the real Titans. The closest any team came to beating them in the playoffs was still a 22-point victory.

However one key in the story may have been underrated by the movie. According to the DVD commentary Coach Boone says that a brick was never thrown through his window as depicted in the movie. It was actually a full toilet that was thrown instead.

And Boone says he has never gotten over that heinous act.

2. Hoosiers

Hoosiers is one of my all-time favorite movies. The 1986 movie about a small-town school winning the state championship struck a chord with nearly anyone who has ever had hoop dreams of their own.

Under an old school coach with a questionable past, the Hickory Huskers manage to upset all of the bigger schools, on their miraculous run.

In the championship game with the clock running out, Hickory sharp shooter Jimmy Chitwood hits the winning basket for small schools everywhere.

So What Really Happened?

Hoosiers is actually based upon the 1954 Milan Indians. Tiny Milan High School, with an enrollment of only 161 students, did indeed upset Muncie Central to win the Indiana State Championship.

In real life "Jimmy Chitwood" was named Bobby Plump (pictured No. 25) and he did hit the game winner for the Indians.

However, once again, Hollywood did manufacture a few story lines.

The team had 12 players, not 6 as the movie shows.

"Head Coach Norman Dale" was named Marvin Wood and was only 26 years old during Milan's miracle run. Wood was given the job after the previous coach was fired for purchasing uniforms that were not approved. Wood used to dress and scrimmage with the team at times for practice.

And as amazing as the Milan story is, it wasn't quite the Cinderella story we are led to believe. The Milan Indians had made it to the semi-final round of the state tournament the previous season. In fact, Milan won their playoff games by an average of 16 points per game.

Finally, head Coach Marvin Wood was married with two children. So there was no romance between the head coach and a teacher.

Which means that we could have completely avoided what may have been the most awkward onscreen kiss ever between Gene Hackman and Barbara Hershey.

1. Rudy

Rudy is a 1993 movie that retells the "true story" of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger. Ruettiger dreamed of playing football for the University of Notre Dame but wasn't big enough or good enough to do so.

Rudy ends up overcoming both a learning disability and his athletic shortcomings to make the Notre Dame team. Rudy plays out his career as a backup who never actually gets to suit up with the team on game days.

In his final home game Rudy gets to dress with the team and lead them onto the field. During the game, despite his coach's wishes, he also makes a sack and is carried off the field as the final gun sounds.

So What Really Happened?

Well for starters, there was no former player turned groundskeeper who assisted Rudy in his quest. Nor was there a specific priest who helped Rudy get into junior college. Ruettiger has said those two characters were based on a combination of people who helped him in his life.

Former Notre Dame head coach Dan Devine passed away in 2002 and didn't care for the way he was portrayed in the film. Devine claimed it was actually his idea for Rudy to dress for his final game. So that scene where all of the players turn in the jerseys on Rudy's behalf?

Never happened.

Even Joe Montana, who was a sophomore on the Irish football team, has stated the movie isn't entirely accurate. He says there was no chanting of Rudy's name and that the players who carried Rudy off the field were "kind of playing around."

Montana, however, has also said that Rudy effort was real.

And when you're talking about Hollywood, everything else just might be enhanced.