10 Sports Movie Plot Twists You Won't See Coming

Friday, December 30, 2022

Sports movies are always inspiring and entertaining. One of the main draws of these movies, however, is their ability to keep viewers on the edge of their seat with unexpected plot twists. From inspiring underdog stories to unexpected rags-to-riches tales, there’s nothing quite like a classic sports movie. But when you add an unexpected plot twist into the mix, it takes the movie to a whole new level.

Here are 10 sports movie plot twists that you won’t see coming:

1. The team loses the championship game but still wins the day. In The Karate Kid (1984), Daniel-san (Ralph Macchio) loses the big karate tournament, but his sensei Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) helps him realize that the true victory was in learning the important lessons of life.

2. The coach turns out to be the hero. In The Blind Side (2009), Coach Cotton (Ray McKinnon) helps Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) turn his life around and make it to the NFL.

3. The villain becomes the hero. In Rocky III (1982), Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) turns from villain to hero, helping Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) fight Clubber Lang (Mr. T).

4. The athlete fails to win the game but succeeds in life. In The Cutting Edge (1992), Doug Dorsey (D.B. Sweeney) and Kate Moseley (Moira Kelly) fail to win the pairs figure skating championship, but they find true love instead.

5. The star athlete turns out to be a fraud. In Major League (1989), pitcher Rick Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) turns out to be a washed-up minor-league pitcher who faked his way into the big leagues.

6. The athlete gets an unexpected second chance. In Field of Dreams (1989), Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) gets a second chance to make his father proud when he builds a baseball field in his cornfield and brings back baseball greats from the past.

7. The star athlete retires early. In Rocky V (1990), Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) retires from boxing and moves back to his old neighborhood, where he helps a young boxer named Tommy Gunn (Tommy Morrison) develop his skills.

8. The athlete finds