Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Top Ten Movies About Football - Quarterback Edition

If you haven't figured this one out, shame on you. Everybody in the world knows that if you have to line up for one game, this is the guy you want. Sure he has a past and he made some bad decisions, but the guilt alone of living with those decisions is with out a doubt, punishment enough.

#1 - Paul Crewe - "The Longest Yard" (1974)

After a spin around town in the Maserati, beer in hand mind you, Paul gets tracked down by the law and is sent to Pookie. All he wants to do is serve his time, pay his debt to society and move on. Well not in Warden Hazens prison. You see the Warden has a hard-on for his beloved guard staffed football team and he has an even bigger hard-on for Paul Crewe. He basically strong-arms Paul into forming a team of inmates to play against the before mentioned 'Guards' team in what will all likely be a complete beatdown. Well, Paul has had enough of lying down. He has already played the doormat with his point-shaving scheme that got him the boot from pro ball altogether. In what was a highly competitive first half of football, the Warden instructs him that he will be in Prison for a long time if he doesn't lay down. Well the Warden give him his word that the 'Mean Machine' will not be abused after the 'Guards' get up by a few scores. Of course the Warden renigs on his promise and is intent upon destroying the team physically and mentally. After soaking up the pine with a faux knee injury, Paul decides he has had enough of being the coward and taking it lying down. He rallies the team, but first he has to get there trust back. When he does, the 'Mean Machine' starts rolling and pull of the upset of the 'Guards'

Paul is the complete player. He is the exact opposite of Tim Tebow ethically and morally, but he more than rivals him physically and mentally. A great arm, great decision maker, amazing speed and probably the best improvisational QB to ever lace em' up. In addition, he is a great organizer and a scary judge of talent. He took an entire roster of prison inmates who had barely ever had a snap at any level of football and got them to buy into the team and believe in each other and eventually believe in him again.

Paul Crewe: Hey Pop, the time you hit Hazen in the mouth, was it worth 30 years?
Pop: For me it was.
Paul Crewe: Then give me my damn shoe!


Paul Crewe: Nate, if you're thinkin' about winning this game, you're as crazy as he is!
Nate Scarboro: Well maybe so, but you spend fourteen years in this tank, and you begin to understand that you've only got two things left they can't sweat out of you or beat out of you - your balls - and you better hang onto them because they're about the only thing you're gonna have when you get out of here.


Paul Crewe: You know what my problem has been all my life? I've always had my shit together. Always. My problem's been I couldn't lift it.


The Longest Yard (1974)

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