Glory Road
http://www.filmchannel1.com/hotshots
GLORY ROAD is one of those movies that HAVE to be seen, because it is so much more than just good entertainment.
Sure, it is another story of an underdog sports team that overcomes adversity and wins ‘the big game,’ but as a title says at the beginning, ‘Based on the true story of a team that changed everything.’
It is the story of legendary basketball coach Don Haskins, played by Josh Lucas, and his 1965-66 Texas Western team that won the NCAA tournament against perennial powerhouse Kentucky.
But it is also the story of racism in America, because for the final game of that tournament, Haskins had the nerve to start five African-American players against all-white Kentucky.
You see, as hard as it is to imagine today, at that time there were no black players at all in the Southeastern, Atlantic Coast, and Southwest conferences, and the unwritten rule for teams that did have black players was you could play one at home, two on the road, and three if the team was losing.
But Haskins, who had coached only high-school girls before being hired by Texas Western, now known as the University of Texas–El Paso, says, ‘If you want to win, you’ve got to recruit. That’s how the big boys do it.’
And so, Haskins recruits the best players across the country he can and no matter that they are black.
When he is questioned by school authorities, Haskins says, ‘You hired me to put a basketball team together, and that’s what I’m doing.’
But then Haskins is told, no, he was hired to ride herd on the men’s dormitory where he and his family have to live, and yet when the team starts winning games, Haskins doesn’t hear so many concerns anymore.
At least at home, but on the road is a different story, and we see how the whole team pulls together to stay focused on the game.
GLORY ROAD is thrilling to watch, it is a great story about a great game, and I don’t even like basketball.
Duration : 0:1:46
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