Where You At Wednesday : Cast Of “Major League”

“Major League” is one of the greatest sports movies of all time. Yeah…I said it. Most probably agree. I remember that the first time I saw it was in like 1990 when I was 6 (movie came out in 1989). My moms rented it for me without knowing it was rated “R”. It earns the distinction as the first Rated R movie that I ever saw….and I loved every minute of it. What a great film. This film was made for only $11 million and cleared over $50 million in the box office. Big time success for those days. When it was made, Wesley Snipes and Rene Russo were both relatively new on the movie scene and weren’t stars by any shape or form. I recently saw the movie on AMC last Thursday and posted some scenes from it on last week’s Five For Friday. This week, it gets the “Where You At Wednesday” Treatment. ENJOY!

Tom Berenger – Jake Taylor

Since playing lovable catcher Jake Taylor, Berenger has still been in the acting world. He’s been in movies and television shows continuously since. Some of these include “Chasers,” “Training Day,” “Sinners & Saints” and the upcoming “Smokin Aces : Blowback”. Television appearances include “Peacemakers,” “Third Watch,” “October Road,” and the Stephen King mini-series “Nightmares and Dreamscapes”. He currently resides in Vancouver and in Beaufort, SC.

Charlie Sheen – Rick Vaughn

If you don’t know what Sheen has been up to, you’ve been living under a rock. He’s been all over, and currently is the star of the hit sitcom “Two and A Half Men”. No research neccesary on this cat!

Corbin Bernsen – Roger Dorn

Bernsen played pretty-boy slacker Roger Dorn and was one of the main three stars of the original movie at the time it was filmed, and is mainly recognized for his work on “LA Law”. He has also appeared on “General Hospital” since his “Major League” days. Currently, he co-stars on the USA show “Psych”. Interesting tidbit of info is that Corbin possesses one of the largest snow globe collections in the world, with over 6000. You can’t make that shit up.

Rene Russo – Lynn Wells

Lynn Wells was Russo’s first breakout real role in a movie, and it helped her achieve relative stardom. Let’s go ahead and get it out of the way, she’s pretty damn hot and has aged pretty damn well as you can see from above. She went on to star in “Outbreak,” “Get Shorty,” “Tin Cup,” “The Thomas Crown Affair,” and “Two for the Money”. She hasn’t appeared in a film though since 2005′s “Yours, Mine and Ours”.

Wesley Snipes – Wille Mays Hayes

Perhaps the greatest growth in stardom from a member of the original cast is Wesley Snipes. He even wanted so much money for “Major League II” that they replaced him with Omar Epps (who I really liked). He’s won tons of awards and been in TONS of movies since 1989. Some of these include, but are not limited to: “King of New York,” Mo’ Betta Blues,” “Jungle Fever,” “New Jack City,” “White Men Can’t Jump,” “To Wong Foo,” “Waiting to Exhale,” “Murder at 1600,” and the entire “Blade” trilogy. However, in 2008, Snipes was convicted on 3 misdemeanor counts of failure to file federal income tax returns and sentanced to 3 years in prison. He reamins free while his appeal is considered.

Dennis Haysbert – Pedro Cerrano

You ready for this one? Here is something I didn’t know/never realized. PEDRO CERRANO is the dude from the fucking AllState Insurance commercials?!!?! Are you fucking kidding me?! I can’t believe I never made that connection. Dude looks mad different with hair. He’s been on “The Unit” and currently plays the President of the USA in the TV series “24″.

Bob Uecker – Harry Doyle

The old school baseball card pic was just too classic to pass up on this one. Bob Uecker was a straight up baller catcher back in his day, and played the hilarious, drunken annoucer Harry Doyle. Dude has done everything from broadcasting to acting to comedy and is very well-liked. He is currently the Milwaukee Brewers play-by-play announcer.

Margaret Whitton – Rachel Phelps

Most of Whitton’s most notable works came before “Major League” (like “The Secret of My Success” and “The Best of Times”).  Today is she President of Independent Film Producer Tashtego Films.

Your Mother’s An Astronaut!

All these Big Soda & Popcorn columns on sports, combined with the WU@W yesterday that included Kadeem Hardison, had me thinking about this movie. One of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies.

HILARIOUS.

UPDATE – Apparently the schmo that uploaded this didn’t want it embeddable. Click on it to go to the site and see it, or enjoy another good moment below:

Big Soda & Popcorn – (March 24, 2009)

POWER RANKINGS – UNDERDOG STORIES

            With the 2009 NCAA Tournament underway and the Cinderellas fighting the clock, wouldn’t it be nice to give them another dose of hope?  These are the teams that make March what it is.  The teams we know nothing about, but root for relentlessly to take down the Goliaths.  The doe-eyed kids who seemingly forget their rightful place in the basketball universe. 

            It’s one of the few yearly sporting events where critics, commentators and analysts don’t take anything away from the lesser-known victor.  Unlike the MLB Playoffs, the system isn’t conducive to determining the “best” team.  There are no second chances—just ask anyone who lost to George Mason in 2006 or God Shammgod’s Providence in 1997.  Unlike the Super Bowl, few people care about who “should have” won and why they didn’t.  When we talk about the 1985 tournament, all we care about is Villanova’s impressive run, not Georgetown’s regular season dominance.  It’s just not the kind of thing the tournament cares about.

            So, in honor of these inspirational lesser-thans, I’m offering up my top underdog stories.  These movies are the cinematic embodiment of the feel-good stories we look forward to every spring.  Just ask Wake Forest, because Cleveland State was obviously paying attention.

 

 

12.  The Mighty Ducks (1992)

 The film that spawned a long line of underdog sports films for kids, The Mighty Ducks initiated a formulaic approach to a familiar storyline.  If you don’t believe me, just think about it: a talented, good-looking kid, reluctant to be a star; a fat kid for comedic relief; the nerdy kid who’s just happy to be part of the team; and the hard-nosed coach who must undergo a lifestyle change in order to relate to his ragtag team of misfits.  If you haven’t seen that formula before, you’re probably Amish.

 

11.  The Bad News Bears (1976)

 Buttermaker!!!  This is the story of an alcoholic has-been trying to teach baseball—a game he once loved—to a bunch of screw-ups who couldn’t care less.  Nobody was cooler in 1976 than the cigarette-puffing, dirt bike shredding Kelly Leak.

 

10.  Little Giants (1994)

 Otherwise known as the “Ozzie Canseco Story,” Little Giants revolves around the competition that exists between a former sports superstar and his less successful, but uber-lovable younger brother.  No matter how much you may have wanted Devon Sawa to die in Final Destination, you’ve got to love his ability to throw toilet paper rolls into a shopping cart.

 

9.  Cool Runnings (1993)

 Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme!  Try not to cry when the Jamaicans carry their rickety bobsled across the finish line and all their former doubters do the requisite slow clap.  I dare you.

 

8.  Angels in the Outfield (1999)

It’s a little known fact that Big Soda wrote a 20-page paper about Disney’s portrayal of religious symbols in Angels in the Outfield.  There was more than one underdog in this film, with not only the team on the field, but also young Roger, the unloved foster child who sees angels.  Who’s your favorite Angel player: Matthew McConaughey, Adrien Brody or Tony Danza?

7.  Major League (1989)

 Can you believe it only cost $11 million to make this movie?!?  What an all-star cast: Tom Berenger, Charlie Sheen, Corbin Bernsen, Wesley Snipes, and President David Palmer (err, I mean, Dennis Haysbert).  I can’t tell you how many times I yelled “DORN!” during co-ed softball this season.

 

6.  Chariots of Fire (1981)

 I assume that this is the one movie on the list that most people haven’t seen.  For those that haven’t, it’s the story of British runners training for the 1924 Olympics.  The theme song is probably the most famous aspect of the film.  To prove it (and to keep up my string of Kel Mitchell references), the song from the opening credits was even used in a scene from Good Burger, where the dynamic duo delivers a burger to none other than Shaquille O’Neal.

 

5.  Seabiscuit (2003)

 Sure, a horse’s heart is technically 16 times larger than a human’s, but Seabiscuit’s was 100 times bigger.  In a sport where bigger, faster, and stronger are the only criteria, Seabiscuit was the most unlikely of all champions.  For a horse that everyone said was too small to compete, Horse of the Year should have been an impossible achievement.

 

4.  Rudy (1993)

 Don’t let the fact that the real Rudy Ruettiger bums around bars in South Bend, using his “celebrity” to score free drinks between speaking engagements at grade schools, sway your opinion of this film.  Also, don’t let the fact that barely anyone in the stadium knew who he was convince you that the “Rudy” chant was embellished for the sake of filmmaking.  Just take the movie for what it is, and try to forget that a hobbit could make the Notre Dame football team.

 

3.  Hoosiers (1986)

 Which character is more inspirational: Jimmy Chitwood, the sheltered, quiet sharpshooter; Ollie MacFarlane, Hickory’s team manager who saves the day by sinking two game-saving free throws; or Wilbur “Shooter” Flatch, the town drunk who overcomes his addiction to become a vital part of the team’s success? 

 

2.  Rocky (1976)

For a man who can barely speak the English language, Sly Stallone wrote one hell of a movie.  This film is proof that you don’t always have to win to be a champion—just go the distance, fool.

 

1.  The Karate Kid (1984)

 What’s better than an undersized new-kid-in-town, learning karate through everyday chores from an Asian man with whom he shares subtle homoerotic tensions?  Daniel LaRusso kicking the crap out of the Cobra Kai Dojo to the tune of “You’re the Best” by Joe Esposito.  “Get him a body bag!  Yeeeeaaaaah!”

 

 

*** Questions? Comments? Hate mail? Nude photos? Big Soda can be reached at bigsoda@themixtapemonster.com***