After being around boxing her entire life, Jackie Kallen (Meg Ryan) is only able to climb up to being an assistant to a small time boxing promoter simply because she's a woman. But, when disgruntled boxing manager Sam LaRocca (Tony Shalhoub) offers her the contract of Luther Shaw (Omar Epps), a former contender and current drug addict, as a joke, Kallen jumps at the chance. With the help of trainer Felix Reynolds (Charles S. Dutton), Kallen is able to get Shaw back into top form and lands him the title shot he thought was gone for good. Directed by Charles S. Dutton. With Kerry Washington. Categories: Biography, Drama, Sports. Year: 2004.
Against the Ropes
When a precious diamond is stolen by a couple of no good thieves, Air Bud is out to reclaim the stone and put the bad guys in jail. With the game on the line, Air Bud finds a way to save the day, and spike his way to the beach volleyball championships. Directed by Mike Southon. With Katija Pevec, Tyler Boissonnault, Jake D. Smith, Patrick Cranshaw and Edie McClurg. Categories: Comedy, Family. Year: 2003.
Air Bud: Spikes Back
Starting as an up-and-coming professional boxer, Muhammad Ali (Will Smith) punches his way through his personal and professional struggles with religion, politics and fame, eventually becoming an American icon. More than just the greatest fighter of all-time, Muhammad Ali uses his notoriety and gift for verbal fireworks to champion the Civil Rights and anti-war movements. With Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Mario Van Peebles and Jada Pinkett Smith. Directed by Michael Mann. Categories: Biography, Drama and Sports. Year: 2001.
Ali
Uprooted from their lives and forced into internment camps in Utah in the early 1940s, the Nomuras, a Japanese American family, face a country that doubts their loyalty and confines them to prisoners' conditions. The father (Masatoshi Nakamura), a former pro ballplayer, starts a baseball league as a way to find strength and pride during the difficult time. With his older brother Lane (Leonardo Nam) enlisted in the Army, Lyle Nomura (Aaron Yoo) plays against teams mad eup of guards and bigoted minor league players. Directed by Desmond Nakano. With Gary Cole and Sarah Drew. Categories: Drama, Sports. Year: 2007.
American Pastime
After finally winning over his congressman, shipyard welder and amateur boxer Jake Huard (James Franco) is admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy. Dealing with difficult classes and a tough superior named Cole (Tyrese Gibson), Jake gets support from his roommate and his superiors Ali (Jordana Brewster) and Lt. Commander Burton (Donnie Wahlberg), finding the strength to study hard and train for a Navy boxing competition. Directed by Justin Lin. With Chi McBride. Categories: Drama, Sports. Year: 2006.
Annapolis
Cap Rooney (Dennis Quaid) is a football legend and a star quarterback at the top of his game. When a damaging hit forces Rooney to the sidelines, coach Tony D'Amato (Al Pacino) has to find a replacement. Backup Willie Beaman (Jamie Foxx), a benchwarmer with one last chance to prove himself, gets the nod, but his performance and attitude threaten to destroy the team. Off the field, D'Amato must contend with new owner Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz), who blames the old school coach for the teams lack of success. Directed by Oliver Stone. With James Woods, Matthew Modine and LL Cool J. Categories: Drama, Sports. Year: 1999.
Any Given Sunday
Morris Buttermaker (Billy Bob Thornton), an alcoholic and former professional baseball player, is bribed by an uptight lawyer, Roy Bullock (Greg Kinnear), to coach a failing little league team. Although Morris is an unusual choice for a motivational coach, he does manage to help the team achieve a comeback and raise their spirits. Directed by Richard Linklater. With Marcia Gay Harden, Timmy Deters, Sammi Kane Kraft, Seth Adkins, Ridge Canipe and Brandon Craggs. Categories: Comedy, Sports. Year: 2005.
Bad News Bears
Randy Daytona (Dan Fogler), a washed-up former ping pong prodigy, is recruited by FBI Agent Ernie Rodriguez (George Lopez) to infiltrate a mysterious life-or-death tournament held by Feng (Christopher Walken), the ruthless criminal mastermind who kille dhis father (Robert Patrick). With his skills a little rusty, Daytona is sent into training with Master Wong (James Hong) and his beautiful niece, Maggie (Maggie Q). If Daytona plans on avenging his father and keeping his life, he will have to play the best ping pong of his life and defeat his arch-enemy, Karl Wolfschtagg (Thomas Lennon). Directed by Robert Ben Garant. With Terry Crews, Diedrich Bader, Aisha Tyler and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Categories: Action, Comedy, Crime, Sports. Year: 2007.
Balls of Fury
Documentarian Ken Burns delves into the rich history of America's pastime. Using old-time photos and illustrations depicting the game's early years and newsreels and video clips to highlight more recent developments, Burns shows the impact the sport has had on the nation and how it has changed over the years. Players and participants speak in their own words, and sports writers and broadcasters offer commentary on the sport and events they witnessed. With Bob Costas, Billy Crystal and George Plimpton. Categories: Documentary, History, Sports. Year: 1994.
Baseball
Richie (David Spade), Clark (Jon Heder) and Gus (Rob Schneider) have been picked on their entire lives. Hoping to make a change, these perpetual losers team up with a nerd millionaire named Mel (Jon Lovitz) and train to compete in a babeball tournament he's set up against all the Little League teams in the state. It's three against nine, but with Gus on their side the team looks unstopppable - that is until his teammates discover that he was once a bully himself. With the tournament on the line, Gus will have to find a way to make up for his past offenses and set things right with his best friends. Directed by: Dennis Dugan. With Nick Swardson, Reggie Jackson and Craig Kilborn. Categories: Comedy, Sports. Year: 2006.
The Benchwarmers
Jess Bhamra (Parminder Nagra) and Jules Paxton (Keira Knightley) are two young women in England who, although separated by cultural differences, are united by a love for soccer. Though competition over their cute coach (Jonathan Rhys Meyers) and family drama threaten to turn their friendship sour, a love of the game and talent to match keeps them focused on the sport they love and the bond they share. Directed by Gurinder Chadha. Categories: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sports. Year: 2002.
Bend It Like Beckham
After being stripped of their gold medals, rival figure skaters Chazz Michael Michaels (Will Ferrell) and Jimmy MacElroy (Jon Heder) exploit a loophole to return to competitive ice skaking as a pairs team. Michaels is brash, crude and unapologetic, skating with flair, power and charisma. MacElroy is a sensitive artist whose skills have been developed in a strict, protected environment. Training with Coach (Craig T. Nelson), Chazz and Jimmy set out to learn new skills and train to perform a controversial manuever that might be the only way to defeat their main competition, the Van Waldenberg siblings (Amy Poehler and Will Arnett). Directed by Josh Gordon and Will Speck. With Jenna Fischer, William Fichtner, Nick Swardson, Luke Wilson and Rob Corddry. Categories: Comedy, Romance, Sports. Year: 2007.
Blades of Glory