As part of Sportsnet magazine’s upcoming sports movie package we’re seeking to determine the greatest fictional athlete in film history. And we need your help to do it.
“Greatness” is open to interpretation. Some of the names appearing in the bracket overcame extreme adversity, others single-handedly took their team from laughing-stock to champion, while a select few were flat-out dominant in their respective sports.
Each day this week on Sportsnet.ca we’ll be asking you to cast your vote, with the final results appearing in the next issue of Sportsnet. But with a seemingly endless list of worthy candidates and a rule that only one athlete from a movie can be represented in the 16-athlete bracket, first we’ll need your help to whittle the list down.
Still time to vote on the following matchups: Amanda Whurlitzer vs. Kelly Leak; Joe Cooper vs. Doug Remer; Willie Mays Hayes vs. “Wild Thing” Rick Vaughn
Which brings us to our next play-in game, in what is probably the toughest call of them all:
Robert “Rocky” Balboa, 57-23-1 (54 KOs)
For such a decorated champ, Rocky sure did spend a lot of time during fights getting beaten up, but always found a way to dig deep and come through when it mattered most. They say the ability to take a punch is crucial to make it in boxing, and Balboa is living proof. Plus, nobody holds together a montage quite like Rocky:
Apollo Creed, 48-1-0 (47 KOs)
Undefeated all the way until the age of 34, Creed’s dominance of the sport made him one of the most popular athletes in America. An icon in boxing until his shocking and untimely death at age 43, it was Creed who made Rocky, the only man who ever handed him a loss, a household name.
Of course, these foes-turned-friends have a rich history and are frankly both deserving of a deep run in this tournament. But sadly, like Thunderdome, two men enter this play-in game but only one can leave.