I was recently shocked when I was talking to my roommate, and he informed me that he had never seen the movie “Hoosiers.” Keep in mind that he is a sports fan and he does not live under a rock. It made me wonder how many other people are out there who have missed countless great sports movies. I decided to use my column space this week to play movie critic. I have picked a bunch of movies from different areas of the sporting world, and I will attempt to do my best Roger Ebert impression and give you a little snippet describing these screen gems. My goal in doing so will be to eliminate the phrase, “there is nothing at the video store” from your vocabulary. Well, at least for the next couple of months. Best movie full of cameos: “Blue Chips”- A tale of greed, point shaving and overall corruption at the college basketball level. Bob Knight makes an appearance, so pay your last respects. Best movie before playing pick-up football: “The Program”- Big-time college football program (it’s not Florida State, but it sure looks like them) recruits big talent, and goes on to win big games. Guys, the “oil change” will make you cringe. Best sports prison flick: “The Longest Yard”- Burt Reynolds forms a football team out of a group of rag-tag inmates for a game against the guards. If you can’t afford the rental, keep your eyes glued to TBS. It is on every other month. Best movie to take a nap to: “Any Given Sunday”- The only thing longer than this yawn fest is a Mike McKnight field goal. (Eating crow is Yummy!) It might be worth renting just to catch Al Pacino attempt to pull off the role of a football coach. Best movie to help reminisce: “Varsity Blues”- Man, does this one make me want to play high-school football again. This Texas-football-meets-Dawson’s Creek scores high in tall important sport movie areas. Interesting characters, good music, good story and great ending. The chills up the spine scale is pretty high for this one. Best comedic football movie: “The Waterboy”- Adam Sandler is an idiot in pads, but oddly this movie works. Good date movie. Best sports story combined with romance: “For the Love of the Game”- This story reflects on the narrated career of a baseball legend while also filling us in on his love life. The play by play of his final game is done by a broadcast legend and really adds to the flavor. Great date movie. Best worst-to-first movie: “Bad News Bears”- Walter Matthau stars in this movie about a hapless, luckless, talentless group of little leaguers who somehow manage to defy the odds. “I drive a Harley Davidson. Does that turn you on?” Best movie to quote lines from: “Major League”- Another worst-to-first but this one does well in other areas too. Charlie Sheen rocks, Wesley Snipes rolls, and the rest of the cast keeps this one funny the whole nine innings. This film also wins the award for worst haircut by a relief pitcher. Best movie about what we think we are capable of: “Tin Cup”- Average, everyday Joe battles to win prestigious golf major. Kevin Costner makes my list again. I guess sports movies really are his bread and butter. Watch for Cheech Marin in this film also. Sorry, no Chong. Best unrealistic golf movie: “Happy Gilmore”- Full of stupid jokes, this movie is perfect for a Friday night with friends. Ben Stiller is worth the rental price alone as he portrays a caretaker for the elderly. Hilarious! Best movie to make you get a speeding ticket: “Days of Thunder”- We should all be so clever with our sugar packets. Tom Cruise crashes his way through this movie but still comes out looking like a million bucks. If you have surround sound, use it and turn it up. Best boxing movie: “Rocky IV”- I know, I know, there may be a strong case to have the original Rocky in this spot, but how can you deny East vs. West. The Italian Stallion vs. Ivan Drago is the best matchup in movie-boxing history. However, make note that also coming in really close is Rocky III. Mr. T and Hulk Hogan really spice that one up. Best running movie that turns sad: “Prefontaine”- I cried, I admit it. This movie portrays the life of one of the greatest distance runners in American history. It sounds boring, but give it a shot. Well worth the money. Best movie with a recognizable theme song: “Chariots of Fire”- Deals with the time around the 1924 Olympics. Makes you question your beliefs and morals, but hey, that might be good for some of us. Best bowling movie, period: “King Pin”- Bill Murray masters the comb over, and Woody Harrelson and Randy Quaid are hysterical. This movie is a must see for the sports fan who likes to laugh. Warning!! The landlady could make you vomit! Best sports movie that might not be a sport: “Rounders”- I love this movie. Personally it is one of my favorites. It deals with poker. I don’t know, is that a sport? Regardless, this movie kicks some hiney, and the ending is the ace in the hole. Best guy movie with wild sports: “Point Break”- This movie is the epitome of a guy movie. Awesome skydiving scenes combined with beach football and some totally radical surfing dude, makes this a can’t miss. It will have you attempting a “stealth mission” on Lake Laverne. Best movie for the girlfriend to rent: “The Cutting Edge”- Ice hockey takes on figure skating. This movie is another TBS favorite. It really does have some cool moments in it, and guys, the girl is really cute! “Toe pick.” Okay, I have dragged on. Hopefully, I have given you enough to get started, but I am not quite finished. I now present to you, in no particular order, the top five sports films of all time. 1. “Hoosiers”- This one does very well on the spine tingly-o-meter. It is a true story of the 1952 Indiana State basketball champions. Trust me here, not boring at all. Great, awesome, fantastic, super, can’t say enough. 2. “Rudy”- This is very possibly the highest you can go on the scale. Every player, regardless of your sport, who is not a starting player should watch this movie. It takes place at Notre Dame and it is also a true story. This will give you the will to take that next test, to ask out that coed, or to just take on life. 3. “The Natural”- Baseball’s greatest film. Watch the sparks fly as Robert Redford sends `em deep. 4. “Field of Dreams”- Makes you proud to be an Iowan. Grab the Kleenex, call your father and get lost in this one. You will want to watch it more than once. 5. “Caddyshack”- The funniest sports movie of all time. This is not Adam Sandler humor. This is Chevy Chase being a comic genius, and it combines with a pretty decent sports story. Bill Murray is beyond-belief-funny as he recounts caddying for the Dali Lama. Well, that is all folks. Hopefully, I have been insightful. At the very least I think Hollywood Video should drop my late fees. Now go rent some movies!