A Look At The Replacements

With the NFLPA decertifying and the 2011 NFL season in limbo, I would like to take a look at the classic-ish NFL strike movie called The Replacements. Yes, The Replacements, starring Keanu Reeves as Shane Falco, the fictional choke artist of Ohio State and biggest NFL bust in a football related movie. This film also stars Gene Hackman as Jimmy McGinty, the maverick NFL coach, who decides to look at talented players who never got a chance to shine in the pros. I liked this movie because it was really the sum is greater than the parts type of deals with the football team. Individually, this team was pretty bad. Their quarterback was a trademark choker, their running back had a blown knee, their defense was led by a wild crazy SWAT member and a talented, but delinquent, safety, and their number one wide receiver could not catch a ball, despite his unbelievable speed. They had bright spots including an exceptional place-kicker, who got his start in soccer, a deaf tight end, who would've gone in the first round if he could hear, and an amazing tandem of guards, who only work well together. The movie was basically showing the NFL, both players and owners, as bad guys, while the good guys were the replacements, who were given one last chance to prove that they could have made it in the pros. They were less talented and less paid, but they had what truly mattered for a champion. They had heart and they had teamwork. It was definitely an uplifting movie (as well as a TBS movie) because it showed what greatness could happen when you get a second chance. It showed how important glory is, because pain heals, chicks dig scars, and glory is forever.