Un héroe en la universidad

This was a rather good comedy sports movie featuring a college football team that basically gets hit hard with sanctions and such. I can not believe this film is so old, however. I was thinking this thing was made in 1995 or 96, but it came out in 91 while I was still in high school. The film actually predates Quantum Leap, a television show that features the star in this one Scott Bakula. Speaking of Scott, here is the case of a guy that just seems like he should of been a major star in Hollywood, but it just never materialized for him. He is great in this one as an older man who returns to college because he had to leave college prematurely the previous time. A coach in charge of rebuilding the football program recruits him as the team has few players and no real quarterback. The dean of the school is against the coach the whole way and is sort of the villain of the piece, but here is one of the kinks. I find it refreshing that a dean would want to focus on education rather than the gridiron. As much as I enjoy football, to often the educational program takes a backseat to a bunch of jocks who should not even be at the college except they are good at sports. Meanwhile, those who go to the school trying to pay their way and in the need of loans have to keep having their tuition raised to pay for things such as stadiums. Enough of my rant, the film is rather good, but is unbelievable. Suffice to say, there is no way a team that has so few players that some have to play offense and defense is going to compete against the number one team in the country. So just think of it as a Hollywood sports comedy, totally unrealistic, but worth a few laughs, unless of course it is Sinbad making the jokes.

Necessary Roughness is a fun movie that if it isn't taken too seriously can be very enjoyable. The first to worst Texas State team finds itself with a team of mostly "non-athletes" that came about after the school held open tryouts. The entire championship team from the year before had been suspended for violations. Scott Bakula plays a competent lead as a middle aged college athlete. Sinbad adds some fun to the story as another "elder athlete". Kathy Ireland, while no actress, does add some eye candy to the film. I also like this film in that this rag-tag team does not reach the heights of being #1 or making it to a championship game. The "big game" of this film is when Texas State plays the the #1 ranked college team. The film has plenty of laughs, a touch of drama and competent script writing and players. Watch it on a Sunday afternoon when nothing else is on.

First of all, I'm going to say that this is definitely not American Cinema at its finest. Better movies have been made, better comedies have been made, better football movies have been made. With all that said...I just can't help liking this movie. The acting is decent, with assistant coach Riggendorf (Robert Loggia) being the funniest character. The halftime speech at the climactic "big game" makes me laugh out loud every time. If you're the "hoity-toity" movie critic type who appreciates nothing outside of Oscar-worthy pictures, why are you watching a football movie anyway? If you know how to have a good time watching a movie, and laugh at the eccentricities and vulnerabilities of realistic characters, "Necessary Roughness" is more than worth a look! 7/10

You can read most details of the film in other, more complete reviews, pro and con. But I need to add an oddity.

The movie team, the Texas State University Fighting Armadillos, battles to a pounding against the Southwest Texas State Bobcats in one game. The point I want to make is that the REAL Southwest Texas State in San Marcos, TX changed its name in real life to Texas State University--San Marcos (the "--San Marcos" designation has also recently been dropped). So, in the movie, the problematic TSU university team in green and white plays its own real-life future alter ego, the real maroon-and-gold SWT Bobcats, complete with cheerleaders. The Armadillo mascot for Texas State in the movie is fictitious, but the Bobcats are real.

Since the movie was made in 1991 and the name change took place in 2003, the two movie opponent school names -- before anyone knew about the future name change -- eventually became the same university in reality.

Footnote: I graduated from Southwest Texas State in 1978 in journalism, with a minor in art. When the name change happened, the Alumni Association wrote and asked if I wanted a new diploma with the new college name, which I did opt for. So they sent me a new diploma with the new school name. I now have two diplomas from the same university (different names) with the same degree and minor.

According to WOAI-AM radio station in San Antonio, the total cost of the name change and resulting associated do-overs (stationary letterheads, repainting, etc) was $350,000, paid for by private donations.

When was the last time a Scott Bakula performance blew you out of your seat. Actually, when was the last time a Bakula performance DIDN'T blow you out of your seat. Scotty's back and he's up to his old tricks. In this flick he throws on a denim jacket and cowboy hat and heads back to good ol' Texas State where the football team is desperate to find anyone to fill out their squad (even a 34 year-old). When viewing this, prepare yourself for a stellar performance from Hector Elizondo and even Hogan Familiy's Jason Bateman (fully!). You can expect to find Sinbad "keeping it real" and "to the max". If comedy is your vice than prepare to get naughty because Rob Schneider's one-liners from the press box gave my knee a bruise from slapping it so hard. I know you're probably thinkin'... it's a football film, no girls allowed. No siree, Suzanne Carter is magnificent as a professor who falls for Paul Blake's (Bakula) rugged charm. Kathy Ireland rounds out the cast as the place kicker (and kick she does)! If your ready for a some rowdy, radical comedy on the grid-iron, then make sure you add this little gem to your your "collection de excellance". You can find this film on my shelf right next to other sports comedies such as "The Little Giants", "Major League 1-3", and "Goofus and Galant Take the Field".