Quotes from my Favorite Sports Movies Quiz

Answer: Hoosiers

"Hoosiers" uses every old trick in the book of sports cliches. Yet it still manages to bring a smile to my face, sometimes maybe even a fist-pump, as the Hickory Huskers battle against various big-school Goliaths in their quest to bring home the trophy.

The 'paint dry" line is spoken by Dennis Hopper. He plays 'Shooter', a struggling alcoholic whom Coach Dale (Gene Hackman) invites to help with the squad. Dale intentionally gets ejected from a game in order to give Shooter a chance to redeem himself.

Answer: The Longest Yard (1974)

So says Paul Crewe (Burt Reynolds) to his makeshift offensive line. Crewe, a former NFL quarterback who winds up imprisoned in a southern labor camp, is nudged into assembling a team in order to test the warden's semi-pro squad.

Answer: Chariots of Fire

The stirring account of the 1924 Paris Summer Olympic Games earned the Best Picture Oscar for 1981. In the film Eric Liddell (played by Ian Charleson), a Scottish rugby player who also excelled in track and field, explains to his sister that his quest to make the Olympic team isn't for personal glory, but as a means to glorify God.

Liddell did, in fact, make the team. He went to Paris as a competitor in the 400 meters race, because the qualifying heats for his specialty, the 100-meter dash, were scheduled for Sunday, and he believed it was against the Lord's will to compete on the Sabbath. He died 20 years later of a brain tumor, while serving as a missionary in occupied China during World War II.

Answer: Rocky (1976)

In this Best Picture winner of 1976, Sylvester Stallone's portrayal of a two-bit puncher given a chance to be World Champion struck a chord in the hearts of moviegoers around the world, and made Sly a household name.

Answer: Remember the Titans

Spoken by super-sized offensive lineman Louie Lastik (played by Ethan Suplee), during the Titan's pre-season training camp. An inspirational film about how the members of the gridiron squad of a newly-integrated school in Virginia learn to look beyond color and play like champions.

Answer: Raging Bull

Hard to find a quote from this 1980 classic that FT will allow, given the harsh language throughout the film. Robert DeNiro turned in a classic performance as Jake LaMotta, a prizefighter who was tortured as much or more emotionally than he was by any physical punishment he took in the ring. Spoken after taking a merciless beating in a rematch with 'Sugar' Ray Robinson.

Answer: Pride of the Yankees

Gary Cooper starred in the heart-breaking biopic of Yankee superstar Lou Gehrig, whose career and life were cut short by ALS. Gehrig made his farewell speech to the Yankees faithful and to all of baseball on July 4, 1939, and died nearly two years later, in June of 1941.

At a winter meeting of baseball writers in December of 1939, Gehrig was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown by special election.

Answer: Bull Durham

Part of a classic lengthy speech by Kevin Costner, who plays catcher (and minor league fixture) Crash Davis in this great sports comedy from the 1980s. Among other things he believes in, well, there's "the small of a woman's back, the hanging curve ball, high fiber, good scotch... and that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone."

Answer: The Color of Money

This was the 1986 sequel to 1960's "The Hustler". Paul Newman won the Oscar for Best Actor for his portrayal of former pool shark 'Fast' Eddie Felson, who attempts to teach the art of hustling to flaky but talented protege Vincent Lauria (Tom Cruise).

Answer: Caddyshack

From one of the most quotable sports comedies of all time. Ty Webb (Chevy Chase) approaches the game of golf somewhat like a zen master. Here he attempts to disciple Danny, a caddy, by hitting the ball while blindfolded.