Top 10 Fictional Athletes
It’s that time! When every 4 (or 2 I won’t forget about you Winter) years the world comes together to compete on an athletic level. The Olympics! So for this quadannual event I will have a little theme over the next couple of weeks of lists & other stuff related to sports movies. We’re going to start with this list of the best fictional athletes. I’m keeping it to one athlete from a movie/franchise and also one athlete per sport.
Rocky Balboa from ‘Rocky’- We’ll start with the most famous of all fictional athletes who himself has a real statue in Philadelphia because he’s just that good. Rocky takes the cake as the best fighter in the Rocky franchise. There are great contenders like Apollo Creed, Ivan Drago, and now, Adonis Creed, but Rocky always comes out on top of his competitors, or at least puts up a heck of a fight while trying.
Lightning McQueen from ‘Cars’- While there are great racers like Doc Hudson & Strip Weathers, none are just pure speed like Lightning McQueen. He has an unmatched 7 Piston Cups and has a lasting legacy that can’t be beat by any other racer. Kachow.
Happy Gilmore from ‘Happy Gilmore’- Also a very talented amateur hockey player, just not at the level to go pro, Happy quickly becomes the best golfer on the tour and beats the current greatest, Shooter McGavin. The rate at which Happy rises is unprecedented and I really am hoping for good things from the sequel.
Benny ‘The Jet’ Rodriguez from ‘The Sandlot’- There are A TON of fictional baseball players, many of whom could’ve taken a spot on this list. But to me, none can beat the legend that is The Jet. Watching Benny do the unfathomable in a sandlot with his buddies and then knowing that he ends up on the Dodgers is everything you should want in a fictional athlete.
Jesus Shuttlesworth from ‘He Got Game’- Similar to baseball, basketball has many fictional players to choose from. I was tempted to put Calvin Cambridge from ‘Like Mike’ because he literally has the abilities of Michael Jordan, though it was very fleeting. Many players are pros, but none show the raw ability that the young Mr. Shuttlesworth does. I think this comes from the fact that the actor behind the role was an NBA player himself and I can really say about Jesus is that well, He Got Game.
Bobby Boucher Jr. from ‘The Waterboy’- The third of the big 3 movie sports, there are countless fictional football players, many of whom are quite skilled. You’d think I’d have to put a QB here, but few fictional athletes are as dominant as Bobby Boucher. Similar to Adam Sandler’s other character of Happy Gilmore, the rapid rate at which Boucher becomes the best is like nothing we’ve seen before.
Derek Thompson from ‘Tooth Fairy’- I’ll admit this was my final entry and there were many athletes in a variety of sports I considered. I thought about soccer players, though soccer is quite under-represented in film. So I thought hockey might be a good shout. The Rock’s character from ‘Tooth Fairy’ starts as a minor league player on the ice, but by the end he not only has a strong belief in tooth fairies, but is also an LA King.
Daniel LaRusso from ‘The Karate Kid’- My affection for ‘Cobra Kai’ and for its portrayal of Johnny Lawrence, I strongly considered Lawrence for this list instead. But, since it is based upon film, Daniel-san beats everyone thats put in front of him. From Johnny in the first film, to Chozen Toguchi in the second, and Mike Barnes in the third, Daniel knocks out many fighters who seem to be more skilled than he. He is, in the same vain as Rocky, an ultimate underdog.
Air Bud from ‘Air Bud’- Not only does Air Bud become better than the average person at basketball, in the sequels he also excels at football, soccer, baseball, & volleyball. Keep in mind he’s a dog, so talent in one of these sports could quite honestly earn him a spot here.
Forrest Gump in ‘Forrest Gump’- Finally we have a 3 sport athlete that was fantastic in all 3. He is a champion ping pong player at the international level, has enough talent to become an All-American kick returner for the University of Alabama, & keep in mind he runs back and forth across the US several times, just to run. Forrest Gump is him.
