YO ADRIAN! ANY IGGLES FAN OUT THERE? By Michael Rigg

An earlier Blog entry discussed baseball-themed movies. With the onset of September and echoes of autumn in the air, the topic switches to football—not the round-ball kind, either. Today’s blog wants to know, what’s your favorite football (the American version) novel or movie?

As the Philly-centric title suggests, the starting point for our discussion is the 2006 film, Invincible, featuring Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear. The movie is based on the true story of Vince Papale, who played with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 to 1978. Wahlberg plays Vince. Greg Kinnear is Coach Dick Vermeil.

Desperate to turn the Eagles into winners, new head coach Dick Vermeil (Kinnear) will try just about anything. He announces that the Eagles will host open tryouts for anyone, and everyone, who thinks they have the stuff to be a professional football player. Urged by his family and friends, thirty-year-old unemployed teacher Vince Papale, who plays a mean game of sandlot football and whose girlfriend just left him because he was a "loser," gives it a go. Vermeil, impressed by Papale's performance, invites him to training camp. As training camp ends, the final roster spot is down to Papale and a veteran. Against his assistants' advice, Vermeil hands the final spot to Papale.

As Papale's career with the Eagles begins, the team loses all six preseason games and their regular season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Papale plays poorly against the Cowboys, and Vermeil faces pressure from the fans and media. In the midst of Papale’s attempt to make the team, he meets, and falls in love with, Janet.

During the home opener against the New York Giants, Papale opens the game by solo-tackling the kickoff returner inside the fifteen-yard line. After an up-and-down game, Papale gets downfield during an Eagles' fourth quarter punt to tackle the returner, forcing a fumble that he recovers and takes into the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Eagles their first win in Papale's career. Eagles’ fans go wild with joy. It’s a victory for an everyday guy—the typical “Iggles” fan. Papale plays for the team for three seasons and eventually marries Janet, while Vermeil subsequently succeeds in turning the Eagles into a winning team, culminating in an appearance in Super Bowl XV.

So, do you have a favorite football-themed novel or movie? What is it? In addition to Invincible, here are some candidates, in alphabetical order:

·       Any Given Sunday

·       Brian’s Song

·       Draft Day
·       Everybody’s All-American
·       Heaven Can Wait
·       Leatherheads
·       Remember the Titans
·       Rudy
·       The Blind Side
·       The Longest Yard
·       The Replacements
·       The Waterboy
·       We Are Marshall

And, no doubt, there are many more. Tell us your favorite—and why it is your favorite. Inquiring minds want to know.