Five best football movies involving Dallas
We are officially in sports doldrums. Usually around this time, Dallas Cowboys fans such as I would be eagerly awaiting training camp. We would be either marveling or cursing free agent acquisitions, and hoping that our draft picks would sign before training camp starts. Instead we are just hoping that there is a training camp, or, for that matter, a season. As we eagerly await the end of the lockout, we must get our football fix in different ways. Like watching movies.Not just any movies… football movies. In particular, football movies in which Dallas makes an appearance. These movies may not feature the Dallas Cowboys themselves, but they do have reasonable facsimiles. And just like the Cowboys, these are teams you either love… or love to hate.
The Longest Yard (2005)
The Adam Sandler remake of the 1974 classic may not have an actual Dallas team, but remains notable because Michael Irvin plays a receiver for the team of convicts. I know its hard consider playing a wide receiver with criminal tendencies acting for Irvin, but its entertaining nonetheless.
Friday Night Lights (2004)
It may be high school, but it portrays the ferver that is Texas football to a tee. Odessa Permian loses its Mojo and the semifinal playoff game against big bad Dallas Carter in this drama based on a true story.
Any Given Sunday (1999)
Oliver Stone's glimpse into the inner workings and turmoil of professional football players, owners, and coaches is vivid and riveting. The on-field drama however culminates with a playoff game with the Dallas Knights, which was actually filmed in the late Texas Stadium.
The Replacements (2000)
In this oh too familiar scenario, the players go on strike over salary disputes, and the owners hire "scab" players to play the season. Hilarity ensues, until, in order to make the playoffs, the Washington Sentinels need to defeat the villainous Dallas Ropers.
North Dallas Forty (1979)
The grandaddy of football movies follows the North Dallas bulls, a team that was undoubtedly meant to resemble the Dallas Cowboys. Once you get past the leisure suits, you will notice that almost every major theme from the first four movies mentioned is touched upon, including the relationship rift between owners and players. Nick Nolte's character even lashes out to the owners "We're not the Team… We're the Equipment!". Films like this one goes to show that although the game has changed in the last 30 years… off the field, its sounds like the same old script.
Bob Gonzales is a longtime Dallas resident and Dallas Cowboys fan. He considers himself a film and music connoisseur, although he may be completely misguided in this belief.
Source : Yahoo Sports
