Tag: Rocky

3 sports films that have won Best Picture at the Oscars

Which sports films have won Best Picture? We’ve got you covered.

With the 95th Academy Awards just around the corner, it’s worth looking back on the history of the Best Picture category and how many times it has been kind to sports films.

While sports movies haven’t always fared well at the Oscars, a few have broken through over the years and have captured the industry’s attention.

There aren’t many Best Picture winners that deal with the world of sports, but the ones that have won have become classics in the genre.

Let’s take a look back at the couple of sports films that have taken home the Academy Awards’ top prize.

Sylvester Stallone pays beautiful tribute to Carl Weathers with an emotional video about his Rocky co-star

A beautiful tribute from Carl Weathers’ Rocky co-star.

The tributes to the late Carl Weathers have continued to pour in, with fellow co-stars like Adam Sandler talking about what the beloved actor meant to them and the world of Weathers fans.

Of course, Rocky star Sylvester Stallone had to weigh in, and he delivered an incredible tribute on Instagram with a video in which he spoke about Weathers as Stallone tried not to lose it.

“Carl Weathers was such an integral part of my life, my success, everything about it,” he said. “I give him incredible credit and kudos, because when he walked into that room, and I saw him for the first time, I saw greatness. But I didn’t realize how great. I never could have accomplished what we did with Rocky without him. He was absolutely great. His voice, his size, his power, his athletic ability, but more importantly, his heart, his soul.”

Watch the whole thing below, which took place in front of the iconic Rocky III painting:

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Film star and Raiders legend Carl Weathers dies at 76

Film star and Raiders legend Carl Weathers dies at 76

Carl Weathers, who played briefly for the Oakland Raiders and went on to film stardom, has died at the age of 76. The cause of death is not yet known.

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers,” his family said in a statement. “He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an exceptional human being who lived an extraordinary life. Through his contributions to film, television, the arts and sports, he has left an indelible mark and is recognized worldwide and across generations. He was a beloved brother, father, grandfather, partner, and friend.”

Weathers was perhaps most well known as Apollo Creed in the first four “Rocky” films. He also starred in films such as “Action Jackson,” “Predator,” “Happy Gilmore,” and of course, Combat Carl in “Toy Story 4.” He most recently appeared in several episodes of the Disney series “The Mandalorian.”

But before his superstardom as a film actor, Weathers was a Raider. He was signed by Oakland out of San Diego State in 1970. He spent two seasons with the Raiders in 1970 and 1971, playing primarily on special teams. He was released one game into the 1971 season.

After a stint in the Canadian Football League, he would do several bit parts in TV shows before getting his breakout role in “Rocky” in 1976.

Rest in Peace, Carl. Gone too soon.

Clovis High School wrestling has the best entrance in the country…hands…down

Clovis wrestling is an elite program with an elite entrance.

Goosebump stuff here from one California wrestling program with a pre-match entrance that rivals many college programs.

Clovis High School, located in the central California town of Clovis in Fresno County, has an entrance for their wrestling team that puts most Division 1 programs to shame.

Coming out to the song made infamous by the Rocky movies (the fanfare one…), Clovis certainly has epic entrance. Coming out of a cougar’s mouth (they are the Clovis Cougars after all), lights dimmed, and with what appears to be some blue smoke (but it might be blue lights). Someone carrying what appears to be a sledgehammer leads the way.

Definitely some University of Miami football vibes from three decades ago (when Miami used to be good at football…). But the entrance and the lit atmosphere – pulled off at this high of a level – are definitely unique in high school sports.

And this isn’t a one-off. This is a regular thing that they do.

 

It feels like a big-time match in the Big Ten, doesn’t it?

This isn’t just running through some banner being held up by cheerleaders. This is purposeful and intentional and intimidating. Some crazy work done here by Clovis and the program’s boosters. Absolutely great stuff.

Not surprisingly, Clovis is among the best and most consistent programs not just in California, but nationally.

A kid reciting a full Rocky Balboa speech at Sylvester Stallone is the best thing you’ll see all day

This is just the best.

The name Ro Knight might become a household one by the end of Monday.

That’s because the nine-year-old decided to recite one of Sylvester Stallone’s best Rocky speeches to the actor himself while Stallone was in Philadelphia for “Rocky Day” on Sunday.

Knight went viral thanks to the video of him doing the speech — which Stallone instantly recognized and the actor did some of the lines with him — from Rocky Balboa that Stallone delivers to his son in the movie, played by Milo Ventimiglia.

Watch the whole thing below and compare it to the original — and tell me that doesn’t put a smile on your face:

The 5 best Burt Young Rocky moments as the beloved Paulie

A tribute to the late Burt Young and his iconic role of Paulie in the Rocky series.

Burt Young, who died at the age of 83 earlier this month in Los Angeles, was in so many more movies and roles (remember, he was in the all-time great Chinatown) than his iconic turn as Paulie in the Rocky film series as Rocky’s brother-in-law and cornerman.

But it’s that role that he’ll be remembered for the most from fans of the Sylvester Stallone boxing series, one that got him an Oscar nomination in 1977.

So let’s take a moment to pay tribute to Young, with some of his best Paulie moments from the series over the years, including the 2006 film Rocky Balboa:

Creed III sets record for biggest-ever box office opening for a sports movie

Creed III set a box office record for sports movies this weekend.

Creed III punched its way into record books this weekend at the box office.

With an estimated $58.6 million box office tally, the Michael B. Jordan-directed sequel notched the biggest-ever opening weekend for a sports movie in film history.

It’s a massive win for the box office and for Creed III, which earned stellar reviews and also gave the Rocky/Creed franchise its best-ever weekend at the multiplex.

Even without longtime franchise star Sylvester Stallone appearing in this latest installment, Creed III is setting itself up to be one of the real financial successes of 2023 so far. It’s clearly going the distance in theaters right now.

What’s also fascinating is that Creed III co-star Jonathan Majors is making bank with his Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania leading the box office the past two weeks ahead of the latest Creed film.

Majors is having quite a moment.

For those who haven’t hopped into the ring with Creed III yet, our Caroline Darney says the film is “a worthy entry into the series.”

Creed III is playing nationwide in theaters now.

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49ers fans hilariously troll the entire city of Philadelphia by turning the Rocky statue into ‘Brocky’

It ain’t about how hard you hit, after all.

The San Francisco 49ers are going to have to be careful just how amped up they get for Sunday’s NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Keeping in boxing theme with the Eagles listening to Creed to prepare for the big game, the 49ers contingent in Philly has decided to troll the city’s beloved Rocky statue by adorning it with a San Francisco jersey.

The Niners are also embracing rookie quarterback Brock Purdy’s status as an underdog by dubbing him “Brocky,” per NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark.

If you’ve ever seen the first Rocky film, then you know how it ends. The 49ers are going to have to be very careful trying to associate themselves with one of the sports movie world’s biggest icons, particularly with how he fares in his first movie’s final match.

The Eagles will undoubtedly take great offense to one of the city’s great faux-icons getting trolled by 49ers fans, but they can take heart.

Rocky has always found an effective way of dealing with his opponents who wear red on their uniforms.

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