Thanks to the labor question marks in play right now, we've had to focus primarily on the 2011 NFL Draft. As fun as that might be, it can also get a little repetitive and mind-numbing. We're not going to stop, but I want to try and mix in as much fun stuff as possible to keep folks from getting too burned out on draft.
The folks at Daily Norseman have begun a tournament to determine the best football movie of all time. They got the idea from Twinkie Town (our Twins blog) and have begun a 24-team tournament to determine the best football movie of all time. You're more than welcome to head over there and vote, but I figured we might as well run a similar contest here. In reading over there bracket I feel that some re-seeding will be necessary. There is simply no way The Program can be the 5th seed in the college bracket. And since I can make changes, that's one that will get bumped up. That's like making the undefeated 1990-1991 Runnin Rebels as an 8th or 9th seed in the tournament.
After the jump I've posted the movies they've included. I'd like to use this first post to open the floor for other suggestions. DN had this to say about movies like Jerry Maguire that were excluded:
I apologize in advance if your favorite movie got left off or anything like that. I did my best to limit this to movies where football was central to the plot. . .not something like Jerry Maguire that had football in it, but the movie really wasn't about football, if that makes any sense. (It might not. . .it's about half past midnight here on the west coast while I'm typing this and I could really use some sleep.)
Other possible movies to include that are not on the list after the jump would include Everybody's All American and The Last Boy Scout. I've seen the latter but not the former. I came across this list of possible movies. Feel free to fire off your suggestions if you want to try and make this a 32 movie bracket (or reduce it if you'd prefer).
Also, what I thought might be fun would be to have you guys write reviews on some of these movies. There are quite a few of these that I haven't seen and thus any review I'd post would be something I've found elsewhere. A review could be a few sentences or could be as long as you want in an effort to influence the voters. If you think you'll have time to help out, list some of the movies you've seen and I'll get in touch with folks to get help writing the reviews. Basically, you'd email me a review and I'd post it on behalf of the given movie.
The movies after the jump are in alphabetical order, as opposed to some kind of ranking.
Professional Bracket
Any Given Sunday
Brian's Song
Heaven Can Wait
Invincible
Leatherheads
North Dallas Forty
Paper Lion
The Replacements
College Bracket
The Express
The Junction Boys
Knute Rockne, All-American
Necessary Roughness
The Program
Rudy
The Waterboy
We Are Marshall
"Other" Bracket
The Blind Side
Friday Night Lights
Gridiron Gang
Little Giants
The Longest Yard (original recipe)
Remember The Titans
Varsity Blues
Wildcats