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Hustler
Aug 13, 2013
Published in
The Athletes
Bernard King played a character named, “Hustler”, which was exactly what he was. As (we thought) the star player for Gabe Kaplan’s Cadwallader University squad, Hustler was to us the man granted some of the best lines in the film, and with his basketball pedigree (and the fact that he looked good here as an actor), we will go out on our limb and say this is our primary nominee for the 1970’s Basketball film you should have seen. Too bad, you probably did not!
Ed Monix
Aug 13, 2013
Published in
The Athletes
There was something a little strange seeing Woody Harrelson in Semi-Pro. It was not because we didn’t buy him as a Basketball player, as he proved it years before in White Man Can’t Jump, but he was the straight man, which was essentially the “sane” man in the Will Farrell vehicle. As Ed Monix, Harrelson was a washed up physically, though he continued to play at a pro level due to his high Hoops IQ. Monix may not have been the star, but a lot of his role comprised (leading man, de facto team leader) had first billing tendencies. Overall, Harrelson was the balance needed to Farrell’s goofiness, and the film would not have been the same without him.
Clarence Withers
Aug 13, 2013
Published in
The Athletes
The on the court talent with the Flint Tropics, Clarence Withers (AKA: Coffee Black/Downtown "Funky Stuff" Malone/Sugar Dunkerton/ "Jumping" Johnny Johnson) brought his 70’s afro and basketball skills to the America Basketball Association. Withers’ dream was to make it to the NBA, which would happen initially by a trade near the end of the season, but his return to the Tropics in the team’s final game ever, and the use of the innovative “Alley Oop” made him the star of the court. That said despite the third billing, the co-member of Outkast did not feel like a star in this movie and was constantly overshadowed….even with the Alley Oop.
Brian Newell
Aug 13, 2013
Published in
The Athletes
Sixteen year old basketball enthusiast, Brian Newell has no talent on the court; that is until the hoops talent of perennial All-Star, Kevin Durant magically transfers over to him. Granted, what happens after is predictable, and though we wish Denzel Washington’s acting talent somehow transferred to KD, realistically the OKC standout did what was asked (something Shaq usually struggled to do).
Here is what we did like. Overall, the film had a positive message where it showed that proper skills are to be achieved by hard work and dedication. Sure, that is corny, but was that so bad? In this film, it isn’t at all.
The Bullet Points:
Movie Appeared:
Thunderstruck (2012)
Actor:
Taylor Gray
Position Portrayed:
Shooting Guard
Played for:
Eastview H.S.
Why you should vote for him:
He won the final game: without the talent of KD.
Why you should not vote for him:
This cute film was just that….a cute flick most people never saw.
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