5 Great Motivational Lines From Hollywood Sports Movies

It’s time for a little motivation! What motivates the Motivational Smart Ass? Over the top Hollywood movies of course! Specifically, sports movies…

Is there anything more predictable than a Hollywood sports movie? The down and out team. The redemption seeking coach. The community that wants the coach and team to fail. The bad team (usually much richer and snobbier than the heroes). The tension filled final game. And of course, my favorite part: The requisite pre-game, get ’em pumped up, “win one for the Gipper” style speech. As cheesy and ridiculous as they are, those speeches always get me a little bit pumped.

Here then are my favorite lines from five of my favorite “Pre Big Game” speeches. Maybe you can use them to pump yourself up. Or, if you are particularly savvy, you can throw one out right before your next recreational softball game…

1) Rudy

“No one, and I mean no one, comes into our house and pushes us around.”

Depending on your perspective, Rudy is either a tremendously inspirational story of how, through hard work and persistence, you can achieve your dreams, or it’s a tale of colossally stupid stubbornness.

In any case, my favorite line from the move has little to do with Rudy’s persistence. Right before the big game, the coach gives a short pump ’em up speech with the line, “No one, and I mean no one, comes into our house and pushes us around.”

Simple, powerful, and something we should all remember. Don’t let anyone push you around in your house. Your house could be your home, your office, or your area of expertise. Don’t be a jerk, but don’t let anyone push you around.

2) Hoosiers

“Remember what got you here. Focus on the fundamentals.”
Hoosiers is probably my favorite sports movie. And Gene Hackman is the ultimate “hard-ass rough exterior but really cares about his players” coach.

This is a great speech all around. I love Coach Dale’s constant reminder throughout the entire movie to his team to focus on fundamentals. Sad as it may sound to some of you, I actually hear Gene Hackman’s voice in my head saying “focus on the fundamentals” when I am trying to push myself through some kind of repetitive drill that I know is good for me.

What are the fundamentals in your life and business? Are you focusing on them, everyday?

3) Necessary Roughness

Coach Rig: “I don’t wanna put any undue pressure on you guys, but Coach Gennero’s last words were, win or I’ll die.”
Necessary Roughness is an under appreciated sports comedy starring a mid-Quantum Leap Scott Bakula.

This is a simple but hilarious line from the movie. Talk about blowing things out of proportion!

(Sorry, couldn’t find a clip. But you should watch the movie if you haven’t seen it…)

4) The Best of the Best:

“You’ve got the Tools”

Some would say this is the greatest James Earl Jones movie ever made. Those people would be wrong.

It is however, an excellent martial arts movie with some fun training sequences.

James Earl Jones is the coach, and Eric, “don’t call me Julia’s brother,” Roberts is one of the karate team members. Before his fight, JEJ simply says, “you’ve got the tools.” I love it!

No huge motivation. No pump up. No inspiration. Just a quiet straightforward reminder that, “yes, you can do this.” Sometimes that’s all any of us need.

5) The Replacements

“Pain heals. Chick dig scars. Glory…lasts forever.”
Another under appreciated sports comedy that should be appreciated if only because it is a movie in which Keanu Reeves does not look hideously out of place (whoa!).

In the huddle before the final play of the big game, Keanu, the team’s quarterback, says this quote. While I realize the absurdity of being inspired by Keanu Reeves in a screwball comedy, I love this quote as reminder on keeping perspective on short term pain vs. long term gain. And dating. Pain does heal, chicks do dig scars, and glory does in fact last forever. Think of that the next time you want to procrastinate…

I’m sure I left off some of your favorites. Let me know which one’s in the comments below!