A stunning portrait of Indiana basketball...

Rating: 10/10 (14 August 1999)

Growing up in Indiana, I've had the pleasure to experience "Hoosier Hysteria" my entire life. High School basketball is something special around here - much like High School football in Texas. In addition to being a heart-warming film about second chances and overcoming staunch adversity, "Hoosiers" gives the rest of the world a glimpse into the treasured tradition of Indiana hoops.
The two main characters pay homage to this tradition. Norman Dale - standing outside a raucous arena and about to enter his first game as an Indiana HS basketball coach - sighs quietly "Welcome to Indiana Basketball." Myra Fleener (Barbara Hershey) gives a nail-on-the-head speech about star basketball players in Indiana. They are indeed treated like gods. Old stars like Bobby Plump, Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, Rick Mount, Steve Alford, Glenn Robinson, and Damon Bailey were (and still are) at god status in Indiana. As you travel into the smaller towns in the state, you find that each one has their own local hoop heroes from days past.
One other interesting tidbit about this film were the casting choices of Hackman and Hopper - both of whom were at relative low points in their careers upon embarking on this project. The film's obvious themes of redemption are lived out by these two Hollywood icons as they both found resurgence in their careers after "Hoosiers."
Yes, I loved the film for its story and uplifting themes. But I also love the representation of the greatest basketball state in the country.
Note: In 1997, the Indiana High School Athletic Association convened to decide the future of single-class sports (including basketball). Milan High School's former star Bobby Plump, the inspiration for Hickory's Jimmy Chitwood, became a vocal critic of the IHSAA's decision to move to multi-class basketball. The move was mostly championed by small schools like Milan. In the end, the small schools won the fight and "Hoosier Hysteria" as we've come to know it died the following year.