Here at Flavorpill, we can’t help getting a little excited about the US Open, even though we’re not usually particularly sports-focused. However, what with all the action going on right now, we’ve been noticing just how ingrained sports are in our daily lives, even when we’re not noticing it — we hear sports metaphors daily, look out our windows to kids playing ball on the street, and even engage in some healthy activity ourselves every once in a while. To that end, we’ve collected ten great sports scenes from movies ostensibly not about sports, so we can feel inspired to incorporate our US Open mania into our lives with no guilt. Click through to watch our ten favorite sports scenes from dramas, comedies, and other non-sports-based films, and let us know if we’ve missed any of your favorites in the comments!
Luke gets up, Cool Hand Luke, 1967
Luke turns a prisonyard boxing match into something else entirely.
The worst tennis of Richie Tenenbaum’s life, The Royal Tenenbaums, 2001
“There’s obviously something wrong with him. He’s taken off his shoes and one of his socks. Actually I think he’s crying.”
Nobody fucks with the Jesus, The Big Lebowski, 1998
“That creep can roll, man.”
Butch kills Wilson, Pulp Fiction, 1994
The look on his face alone makes this list.
What Lester sees when he watches cheerleading, American Beauty, 1999
That would be a great halftime show.
The quiz, Diner, 1959
Eddie gives his fiance a 140 question quiz on the Colts. She almost passes.
How to ski, Better Off Dead, 1985
“You’re mad about me, aren’t you?” And then suddenly he’s amazing.
Vince Vaughn makes Wayne Gretzky’s head bleed, Swingers, 1996
Now this is a sport for real men. And just look at those graphics.
The Yankees-Dodgers Game, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, 1975
This beats even the wards vs. wardens basketball scene from this movie. (watch here)
Forrest Gump rocks at football, Forrest Gump, 1994
“He must be the stupidest son-of-a-bitch alive. But he sure is fast.”