Along with my enjoying sports as a fan, athlete, and coach, there is something else that I enjoy and have a passion for - movies.

That"s right, I am a movie buff. There, I said it.

Owning over 300 films on video, my tastes range from documentaries, to comedies, to dramas, and (of course) athletics.

Being so into movies, I thought it would be appropriate to unveil my list of the top ten sports films of all time.

These are flicks that have inspired and influenced me. They've made me cheer, cry, think, and have reminded me of why I like sports so.

So without further ado, in chronological order (I just couldn't choose a number one out of this bunch, they were all so good), here's my list, starting with the 1976 Academy Award winner for Best Picture...

ROCKY (1976)

The original of Sylvester Stallone's series about the eternal underdog club brawler from Philadelphia, it is also the best. By far.

It was the fact that he was that "bum from the neighborhood" with no chance who went fifteen rounds with the all-powerful champ Apollo Creed - played by Carl Weathers - that was compelling and inspiring. Even though he lost, Rocky still won because he was able to "...go the distance."

And the audiences absolutely loved it.

That trumpet fanfare and the scene where Rocky ran up those steps to "Gonna Fly Now" was exciting, too. It was just a great accomplishment all around.

By the way, he wins the heavyweight title in the second Rocky, released in 1979. It should have ended there - all of those other Rockys were SO unnecessary.

Especially the one with that big Russian guy.

THE BAD NEWS BEARS (1976)

Along with the Los Angeles Dodgers' appearance in the 1977 World Series, this film about those so-called ballplayers inspired me to get involved with baseball as a kid.

I remember while playing ball in those days pretending to be Kelly Leak, that motorcycle riding delinquent who was an absolutely sweet stud with the bat. I patterned my hitting style after that character, played by Jackie Earle Haley, and it worked quite well through the years.

I felt so gypped when Haley said in recent interviews that he couldn't hit and they had to throw the ball over the fence for his home runs. How disillusioning!

This movie is also why I've always felt that girls were equal to boys, even as a youngster. Watching Tatum O' Neal blowing her fastballs by those batters will do that to a young boy.

To say that this flick had a big influence on me would be a huge understatement.

SLAP SHOT (1977)

The Mighty Ducks who?

Forget those ice skating Bad News Bears wannabes - Slap Shot is absolutely, positively, and unquestionably the greatest hockey movie ever made.

With the focus being on hockey's bush leagues, without this film there wouldn't have been a Bull Durham. And that's the truth.

One word describes this classic - FUNNY.

Especially those Hanson brothers, the three greatest characters in movie sports history.

With them wanting to use their one phone call in jail to call the pizza man, starting brawls during pre-game warm ups, and going into the stands a la Ron Artest, those three bespectacled guys were an absolute riot.

And Paul Newman as coach Reggie Dunlop wasn't bad either.

HOOSIERS (1986)

This classic about high school basketball in Indiana - which is king in that state - during the 1950's is quite possibly the number one hoops movie of all time.

Based on Milan High School's epic state championship in 1954, not only does it give timeless lessons about perseverance and overcoming the odds, as that Hickory High squad did, redemption is also a significant theme in the form of Gene Hackman's coach Norman Dale, whom Hickory was his last chance stop.

I particularly remember a pre-game speech Hackman delivered in which he said that if the team put in their best effort, "...I don't care what it says on the scoreboard at the end of the game, in my book we're gonna be winners!"

Eloquently put. And an essential lesson for coaches to teach their athletes.

My favorite scene was at the end of the championship game, when their their stud star Jimmy Chitwood sunk the winning shot from the top of the key and triggered pandemonium.

If he weren't a fictional character, Chitwood, played by Maris Valentis, would have been one of the greatest high school basketball players ever.

BULL DURHAM (1988)

Simply put, this is the quintessential baseball movie.

My mother once showed this film to a former player for the San Diego Padres that she dated. He said that it was a dead-on accurate portrayal of life in baseball's minor leagues.

Considering that the writer and director, Ron Shelton, was an ex-minor league player, this film should be dead-on accurate.

As journeyman catcher and mentor Crash Davis, Kevin Costner gave a performance so poignant that not only did Tim Robbins' character, the air-headed phenom Nuke LaLoosh, learn much about the majors and what it takes to get there, but we in the audience learned about "The Show" too. I certainly did.

And as longtime groupie Annie Savoy, Susan Sarandon was at her sexiest. Not only did she and Robbins' character hook up in the film, they hooked up in real life.

They are still together to this day.

Favorite line? When Costner describes life in "The Show" on the team bus, talking about how "...you hit white balls for batting practice, the ballparks are like cathedrals...and the women all have long legs and brains."

Makes the big leagues that much more desirable, eh?

EIGHT MEN OUT (1988)

If you want to learn about the Black Sox Scandal in the 1919 World Series, this is the movie to see.

John Sayles' film about the eight Chicago White Sox players throwing the World Series for gamblers, based on Eliot Asinof's book, serves as a master historical lesson.

It describes in detail how those Sox, which included the legendary "Shoeless" Joe Jackson but was led by the first baseman Chick Gandil, took a dive to spite their greedy, miserly, abusive, Scrooge-like cheapskate of an owner Charles Comiskey.

One scene illustrated the reasons behind the fix quite well...

It was early on in the movie. The Sox had just won the pennant and had arrived in their clubhouse to find a case of champagne waiting for them. When asked when Comiskey would pay the bonuses he promised to them, the assistant who brought the champagne said, "This is your bonus."

And to add insult to injury, the champange was flat.

With that owner pulling stunts like that, no wonder the fix was set up.

RUDY (1993)

If you are not a fan of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Rudy will make you one. Or go a long way in doing so.

As you watch this film, you find yourself absolutely rooting for the diminutive football player without "...a speck of athletic ability," who hung in there with the traditional powerhouse from South Bend, IN, for two years.

Sean Astin was perfect in his portrayal of "Rudy" Ruettiger, the steelworker who after much struggle and hardship following his dream to play for the Irish finally got to see action in the last 30 seconds, in the last game, in his last year.

When Astin sacked the opposing quarterback on his only play and was carried off the field - the last Notre Dame player to be awarded that honor - a couple of tears formed in my eyes. And millions of other eyes, to be sure.

It was that underdog mentality and ultimate triumph over adversity that made this a great football movie.

WHEN WE WERE KINGS (1994)

This film about the epic "Rumble In The Jungle", the 1974 heavyweight championship fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Zaire (now Congo), is one of two documentaries on this list.

Like Eight Men Out, if you want to learn about that Ali-Foreman brawl, see this movie.

Not only was Ali his usual funny, joking, rhyming self, the film also depicted his connection with the people in Zaire, his openness that led to them chanting "Ali, Bombaye! (Ali, Kill Him!)"

By fight night, Foreman didn't stand a chance, even though he was heavily favored.

The rope-a-dope strategy Ali used to tire Foreman out was genius as well. Plus we even get to see people as diverse as B.B. King, James Brown, Miriam Makeba, and a young Don King, whom this was one of the first fights he promoted, if not the first.

Oh, and the film won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Most deservingly so.

HOOP DREAMS (1994)

The other documentary on this list, this film about two inner city high school basketballers from Chicago trying to get college scholarships, make it into the NBA, and make it out of the "hood" was so compelling, that it quickly became a classic.

William Gates and Arthur Agee, the young men featured, became instant heroes as they struggled to do whatever necessary to make a better life for themselves and their families through basketball.

We see the two guys enroll in a private school with a big time hoops program as ninth graders, and watch their struggles and triumphs over their four year prep careers.

Though neither Gates nor Agee ended up playing in the NBA, both guys turned out fine. By the movie's end you want to give them a standing ovation, as they both received at the premiere.

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (2004)

Before this movie came out, I considered Rudy, Any Given Sunday, and Everybody's All-American the best gridiron flicks.

Friday Night Lights, based on H.G. Bissinger's book, surpasses them all.

Covering in detail the Panthers of Permian High School in Odessa, TX and their 1988 football season, this film illustrates the culture of Texas high school football in such a realistic and brutally honest way, that you feel like you are right there on the field, in the locker room, in the stands, and even in the players' and coaches' homes.

The intensity of those Panthers, and what they went through in '88 to try and win the state championship shows during the movie, from their college football-like atmosphere surrounding the games, to the pressure of the head coach, played superbly by Billy Bob Thornton, to win and keep the town happy.

It"s a fairly close call, but this is the best football film I have seen.

Well, there you have it - my list of the ten best sports films.

I know full well that there will be some people who will vehemently disagree with me on my choices here, and will jump my case for leaving out such fare as Raging Bull, Brian's Song, and Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday. Not to mention those 1940s smashes Knute Rockne, All American with our former President Ronald Reagan or that ode to Lou Gehrig, Pride Of The Yankees

And you know what? I wouldn't have it any other way.

Let the debating begin.

“Uuwi na si Udong” by Kara David

I'm on the verge of tears while watching this episode. I deeply felt the innate sympathy for the children who suffers the agony that they do not entirely deserve and much of hatred for those parents who manages to risk the lives of their siblings while they escape the bulk of responsibilities they ought to give them.

This episode features how a ten year old boy (Udong), sacrifices his hours of playful childhood with 6 months of physical hard work as a sugarcane cutter. Udong, like the other hundreds of migrant workers from an island of Aklan chose to work in the sugar plantations also called “Sakada” in Batangas in order to support their families back home.

At his early age, you will hardly notice the juvenile spirit in Udong. He acts and talks like a young man in his 20's, very much determined to shed off sweat and hardships just to feed his family. Though with his father, Udong still works just like others, he forcefully grips and cuts the sugarcanes without uncertainty, ignoring the tormenting pain on his small and innocent body. He would even exchange an hour of sleep during periods of break than play around with other kids of his age. The scenario of all day work has been a daily routine for Udong and for other workers as well, enduring all the physical agony and longing for their families had become their driving force to bear hardship. But contrary to Udong, these hardships and sufferings are already unbearable for Toto, a 14 year old boy, who was forced by his father to replace him to work and pay for their debt. If given a chance Toto would rather work in Aklan with his family. The tough work in the sugar plantation was even made harder by the fact that he is several miles away from home. But to stop working is not an option, and so Toto was left to endure all the pain for several months. He only then looks forward for the end of Sakada to finally go back home.

Until the six months of laborious work has finally come to an end, the two boys along with other migrant workers eagerly wait to claim their salary. With several computations, and deductions, the two kids ended up with P600 each at hand. Not enough for Toto to buy a television set, toys and food for his waiting siblings. While other workers, turned out to go home empty handed. Sadly, the six months of Sakada didn't' paid off for their tremendous hard work. According to the owner of the plantation, this is because the workers had their commodities, vices such as cigarettes and alcoholic drinks and family debts that were finally deducted to their wages. And so, these workers had to make another debt just to bring some food and toys for their families. No wonder, if there's another Udong or Toto in the next batch of Sakada. And even if, the turnout of the wages for some seemed disappointing, the workers ignored the thought for a moment; excitement to go back to their homeland appeared to outweigh the reality that their families will hardly be eating again.

“Karangaya: Inareglong Kasal (Karangaya: Arranged Marriage)” by Sandra Aguinaldo

Who would have thought that a six year old kid will face the sacraments of marriage at this early age? The idea is definitely absurd! But the absurdity and improbability of this idea was not for long. This episode is very appalling and at the same time pitiful for the children. I'm not completely against this Karangaya for I know, this has been part of culture but thinking of the future of the kids is another thing. Looking at their naïve faces, gives me the thought that the rights of this children were being abused.

The union of children arranged by their parents at a very young age or “Karangaya” is continuously practiced until this generation in the Maranao culture. The tradition continues to live even in the Modern Maranao families. This was also done to bridge of war among rival families. And as a proof of the existence of “Karangaya” Sandra Aguinaldo was able to attend the wedding ceremony of two grade schoolers named Fajad Mangotara and Olily Hadjisalic. It was like any other ordinary weddings of grownups, the only difference is the screaming innocence of the groom and the bride while walking down the wedding entourage, surrounded by people, parents and relatives who appeared to be more excited than the soon to be couple. The two kids know for a fact they are getting married, but the depth of the word “kasal”(marriage) seems to be an unknown fact to them.

Though the occurrence of Karangaya is accepted and practiced as a tradition, there are still Maranaos who choose to stand on their principles and refused to obey the will of their parents. Just like Minang Sharief, an English professor from the Mindanao State University, who refused to marry his uncle back when she was only thirteen years old.

“Condo” by Jay Taruc

This episode is not new to Filipinos, the commonness of the scenario makes its spectators to ignore the fact that our nation is rapidly sinking in the dark, gloomy sea of drought and poverty. I had realized through this episode of how the world is in need of a stable government, officials who will not sit on the earnings of its people, while the majority of masses cannot even stretch their arms at home, otherwise there will be no space for other family members to move.

Jay Taruc on this episode experienced living in a squatter housing known as “condos” scattered beneath the Makati Bridge. For several days he became one of the family members who manages to fit themselves in houses built one on top of the other. Less of a size of four balikbayan boxes, condos here do not offer windows and doors and allow only a minimal space for rats, cockroaches to freely roam.

The condos are surrounded by a river overflowing with stagnant garbage and factory waste. And though I was not there, I know for one that the whole place terribly stinks!

I don't' know how these people manage to survive living for years in this kind of homes. Well, actually it's obvious, there's no other place to live. Maybe I just can't stand the fact that couples in this status still find time to produce and add to the increasing rate of population yet they cannot even provide safer homes for their families. The lives of the children will remain at risk each time large vehicles pass by and shake up the entire homes as if there was a calamity.

“Mga Batang Hiram” by Kara David

Children are wonderful blessings from God. Priceless as they say. But to my surprise, children in the Aeta community in Zambales tend to have an equivalent price. And seeing this episode awakened in me a feeling of remorse, I guess these kids will be luckier if they were not actually born so that, they will not suffer nor carry a mass of sentiments and angst on their families.

The children who had graduated from elementary school in Lupang Pangako, Zambales in the year 2005 do not even cover the fingers of my hand. Only three of them graduated and the reason behind are dreadful to know. Most of them have gone to school because of work. Their families sent them to work in exchange for allowances and guess what even for a live cow! (how cruel!) Some were even babies when they were sold to other people at very affordable prices, ranging from three to five thousand bucks! (such loving parents!)

William, who was borrowed in exchange for a cow, is currently working in a farm with his superior. He even said that he would rather work away from his family than stay in mountains and be an Aeta! No wonder why this boy earned a feeling of disgrace in his ancestral origin.

“Lukayo: Hindi ito Bastos!” by Howie Severino

I included this episode in my five picks. Since, I was astonished on how Howie's team was able to reach a tradition and culture that were hidden from the eyes of this generation. Airing this episode made a lot of violent reactions and comments, quoting that this is very immoral and offending to the viewers. Well, in fact it's not! Expanding the depth of one's perspective on things is a major need of this country. I'm not saying that you need to leave your values, traditions and culture in mere books of history; rather I'm jut encouraging you to think outside the box, be more open minded on things, and accept the mere fact of a changing world.

In the highlands of Sierra Madre, Howie met typical grandmothers who prioritize their family and work. These “lolas” (grandmothers) shared lots of stories and advices to the youth in their barangay, they even volunteer in other health activities. But, the only peculiar thing about these lolas is during the days of local wedding, wherein they suddenly transform into uninhibited wenches, wearing sort of a clown's costume teasing the newlyweds with wooden male organs. This ritual is known as “Lukayo”.

For several years, “Lukayo” has been one of the various rituals that constitute the research of the National artist for dance, Ramon Obusan. Aside from “Lukayo”, Obusan also has documented several rituals involving phalluses, giant artificial penises that appeared to be the symbols of fertility until Judas.

This age-old custom was of course contradicted by the parish priest. But to think of it, discovery and existence of such tradition enriches the fading Philippine culture.

I hope you had a glimpse of the Philippine culture and tradition, the ups and downs of both worlds. And to end this, documentaries are only means of spreading awareness, “Awareness is only the beginning”, taking some course of actions is still in the hands of its spectators. Ciao!

I can honestly say that documentaries can make learning way more fun than reading a textbook all day, or listening to a monotonous professor all day, or anything else you can think of that can make class not worthwhile enough to go to. You know, you don't have to stick to just documentaries for your learning and educational needs! I just put documentaries on the spot because they're movies about reality and real-life situations. However, other genres of movies can be used to supplement traditional classroom learning, or can be of help to the self-learner, or person who prefers learning things in a more independent setting or environment.

You just have to make sure it fits, or is relevant to, the topic of study or interest. In some situations, you may also have to see how age appropriate it is as well. Documentaries allow us to learn through audiovisual techniques. We listen to what the people have to say about the topic. That is where the audio part comes in. It allows yourself to use your sense of hearing! We watch and observe what is going on in the documentary. That is where the visual part comes in. It allows yourself to use your sense of sight!

If a documentary is done well enough, the other senses can kick in, too. It allows you to use your sense of touch, taste, and smell. You can touch and feel what they feel. You can taste what they taste. Finally, you can smell what they smell. This allows you to really get into the documentary and the fun of learning through this process.