Fantastic sports movie about a monumental event

Rating: 10/10 (6 December 2006)

This is certainly one of the greatest sports movies ever made. The only thing more phenomenal is that it is completely true.
Yes they modified the story a little for drama purposes. The movie is well acted and the story line is smooth and entertaining. But this is one of those movies that is dominated by the story line which had a monumental impact in college and pro sports.
This movie chronicles the story of the School, Coach and Team that contained the first All Black starting lineup to win a NCAA championship. It is also the first championship team to contain a Mexican American. This event that showed change and opportunities for Black athletes in college and pro sports.
But to me the most meaningfull part of this story was the environment that allowed this team to prosper. The University, the Coach, supporters and the city all worked to make this possible. Texas Western College of Mines (now known as University of Texas at El Paso) had Black players on its team before Don Haskins arrived. Don Haskins was receptive and recurited more of them. The University is located in a city with friendly and diverse people, being poor and being a minority did not matter so much.
It is also a story of David and Goliath, Texas Western was a small school by population and money. It built its program over 5 years before it soundly defeated Kentucky in the NCAA championship. In fact when they won they had a 27 and 1 record.
The movie had a bit more negativity than I would have liked, they never really indicated how much the University and city embraced this team and still does. The movie could have shown more teamwork and positive impact that white and Hispanic players made to that championship year. The movie also failed to mention that Texas Western made it to the NCAA tournament in 63 and 64. The movie not really show how much Haskins cared about all his players, and failed to mention that he played basketball as a boy with black friends.
The DVD also contains some great extras like interviews with players of that team and inverviews with the coach and his wife.
Of course I am a Proud graduate of UTEP...Go Miners.