30+ Movies Abut Sports That Get Sports So Wrong

From zany comedies and family-friendly favorites to emotional dramas and intriguing true stories, films about sports are a fundamental part of the American movie scene. Games like Football, Baseball, and Basketball have provided incredible settings for so many types of movie plots. That said, any devoted sports spectator will tell you that these films have a tendency to stretch the truth quite a bit. Often, when it comes to sports movies, the focus on rules, safety measures, and staying faithful to the historical facts is usually ignored. This is done to make the scenes more exciting and dramatic, even if it portrays the sports inaccurately. So, here we are looking at such movies that fail to depict sports accurately.

“The Mighty Ducks”: Flying V

In the funny youth league hockey movie, The Mighty Ducks, the team's strategies may seem clever, but they aren't all that practical. The team, which is a mix of misfits, puts into action a Flying V formation. This formation helps guard the hockey player who has the puck from rival players, enabling him to take a shot and score the final winning goal. Even though it seems impressive on the surface, if we dig a bit deeper, we can see that this isn't how things usually work in a real game of hockey.

Screenshot from "The Mighty Ducks"

In truth, the Flying V is more inclined to provide scoring opportunities to the opposing team, seeing as it leaves their side of the field wide open.

“Vertical Limit”: Cutting the Rope

The movie "Vertical Limit" is full of sweaty-palm scenes where the characters struggle to survive after a dangerous climbing trip turns bad. However, the thrill drops significantly when you figure out that the plot is greatly unlikely.

Screenshot from "Vertical Limit"

The most hard-to-believe part happens after a fall when a character severs the line that's keeping the team safe, causing their dad to tragically plunge to his demise. First off, the device providing their safety wouldn't just give way abruptly. Second of all, with the way the cliff juts out, the climbers wouldn't just be hanging with nothing underneath them. And, lastly, just imagine, who in their right mind would slice through a rope that has their own father tied to it?

“Rookie of the Year”: Age Requirements

In the story of Rookie of the Year, the young hero Henry got to live out a dream many of us have. He signed a major league contract and joined the line-up of the Cubs, pitching for their team at the tender age of 12. But sorry, Henry, the reality of the MLB regulations would have shattered your dream into pieces. The rules are pretty strict. They clearly state that to play, you must be 17 years old or older. So, at just 12 years old, this up-and-coming star would have found himself on the side-line, incapable of playing the game he loves so much.

Screenshot from "Rookie of the Year"

In this film, a young kid acquires magical abilities that enable him to pitch a baseball at an astonishing speed of 100 miles per hour. While this clearly bends the rules of reality a little, we're good with it because it's all part of the fun and magic of the movie.

“The Program”: Final Pass

Just like a lot of sports films, the university football movie, The Program, showcases an intensely gripping final game moment when the main character, quarterback Joe Kane, makes the match-winning touchdown. But only a few moments earlier, there's a scene where the ball unexpectedly slips from his grip just as he's preparing to make a throw. With fierce determination, Kane picks the ball back up and successfully stages a winning throw.

Screenshot from "The Program"

Every true football enthusiast recognizes that this play would have been instantly declared a no-go, the match would be finished and probably, Kane would have faced the music from ridicule echoing through the stadium.