I grew up in the DEEP south graduating in 81 and the tensions were very real during integration due to ignorance and fear. In 3rd grade elementary school they're were riots and marches going on with many white folks holding there kids out of school. My mom packed my brother and mines lunch and sent us off to school telling us that it's not color, but character that matters. She also told the principal he could use the paddle on us if we caused any trouble. We were about the only white kids at the school, but at recess we just play with the kids that were there. During the early 70's and my 1st year of high school there were real problems with frights happening every morning in the halls right before home bell, blacks on one side whites on the other. Never got involved in that or had to worry because of the friendships we had made early on. By the time of our junior & senior years I can't remember any race related fights at all, fights sure, but more of the girlfriend or disagreement type. Good and bad people come in all colors, but there are generally much more good people in this world, but also many ignorant people, and some truly evil people.
Sounds like more than anything, you were raised right. Wonderful thing to say from your mom. Your last sentence is perfect. I fully agree with it....or at least hope the majority are good.
This classic movie holds a special place in my heart because I knew all the real people the movie depicts. I was a senior at T.C. when those events happened. Some old-timers don’t like the movie because it takes great liberties with the facts, but most of us love it because it is great drama with an important lesson. Julius died five years ago after spending many years traveling around the country, giving inspirational talks on race relations. Some truths and untruths: Alexandria was not a southern hick town but a cosmopolitan, metropolitan suburb of 110,000. T.C. had been integrated since 1965 and at the time of the events (1971) was 30% Black. Hammond (Yoast’s school) had just two Black students because it was in the rich end of town, and G.W., in the poor end, was 60% Black. Race was not the main issue at T.C.; school rivalry was the issue, due to the merging of the three schools. Boone was not new to the school. He had been assistant coach at T.C. for two years preceding the events, and he was my P.E. teacher in his first year, when I was a sophomore. I liked Boone a lot and had a good relationship with him even though I was not a football player (I was varsity cross-country and track). As most people know, Bertier’s first car accident was not as shown. It actually occurred after the season, but the movie changed it for dramatic purposes. T.C.’s hardest game was not in the State Championship, but in the regular season, 21-16 versus Marshall. T.C. had 9 shutouts in 13 games. I saw all the regular season games. Oddly, the team’s best star was not in the movie; he was a running back who led the state in yards and touchdowns. Yoast was one of the best coaches in the state at the time, and there was widespread resentment over Boone’s selection as head coach. It is true that the training camp at Gettysburg transformed the team, and students were marveling over it when they came back. Boone was a hard-driving coach as depicted, but he had a great heart for the game and for his athletes. Singing among the Black athletes (including some basketball players) was a longtime tradition at T.C, usually done in the locker room. The players were allowed to wear their jerseys in school at any time, and they actually acted as a calming influence as depicted briefly in the film. I witnessed an incident where a player used moral suasion and school spirit to stop a fight that was starting. My favorite true thing in the movie is an event I witnessed: Ron Bass’s arrival. It actually occurred at T.C. in the first week after training camp. I was with the cross-country team, warming up at the end of the track straightaway. At the other end, a fancy car drove up the ramp from the parking lot and onto the track. Everyone was amazed; cars weren’t supposed to do that. Ron (with very long hair) and a military officer in uniform (his father) got out of the car and talked to Boone, who had stopped practice and came over to them to see what was going on. Later we learned that he was a hippie quarterback from California. He was terrific, both a fine passer and a great runner. He played much more than was shown, and he always kept our opponents guessing. Bertier was a great success in the wheelchair Olympics in the shot put and discus throw. My brother met him once in the gym in those later years, and they played ping pong. Bertier won, because he was excellent my brother says.
Amazing that you knew the real people. Such a small world. I guess you need to embellish a bit for Hollywood's sake but I'm glad to hear that they kept some of it accurate.
Absolutely incredible story & experience that I'm grateful you shared. One of my schoolmate's had a dad that played on that Titan's team (name was Leber, who I don't believe was depicted in the film). He was an excellent story-teller, and I enjoyed hearing some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that didn't make it to the silver screen.
This was actually one of the games during the season and was the only team that came close to beating them because the real championship game was a blowout
I love a good sports movie and this is one of my favorites! Very easy to rewatch. Even as a 5 yr old I couldn't understand why my (southern) grandmother told me not to use the same drinking fountain as a little black child - I thought she was completely ridiculous! But things were bad back in the 60s and although better now, there is still a lot of racism in the US and the world. Other really good films to watch for sports enjoyment: We Are Marshall (another film based on a true story), A League of their Own (both of them have David Strathairn by the way!!) and Miracle, referenced in Ted Lasso. Really enjoyed that! Another very underappreciated sports film is Win Win with Paul Giamatti, a great actor as well.
@@RamblersInc Miracle is about the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team (a bunch of college age players roughly my age haha!) before the age of the professional took over. Another true story!
On that small piece of land in Gettysburg 51,112 people died, ending our civil war. Beginning acceptance of anyone, regardless of race, here in the USA. I point this out because Lincoln was the president when this occurred- this film takes place OVER 100 YEARS LATER. It took that long to begin integrating some schools. Now 53 years later the white people in the US will claim everything has changed and is different. I am a realist, your life perspective is usually based on who raised you and where they raised you. Changing that perspective and opening your mind is very important. Racist adults usually have racist children, and abusive adults usually have abusive children. This is about honesty, Adults seem to have this idea that they are allowed to create their “own reality” or their “own version” of what occurred. This is not only lying, it is delusion- spreading across a nation that STILL has issues with different races, religions, and sexualities. It is extremely disturbing.
I grew up in very South Texas. In the early seventies. There were still segregated bathrooms and water fountains. Even if there weren’t always signs, everyone knew. And I had only ever seen a black person once. That’s how afraid they were. Our property was surrounded by the Rio Grande River on three sides. It was a safe crossing. My father helped as many as he could. Men were such a contradiction in those times. Some men. My father would sound racist amongst his friends, but I never saw him treat another man with disrespect because of his race. Many of the men that crossed the river worked cattle for my dad during the summer. We knew them and loved them. The world has changed. So much meaner and nastier now. Makes me sad. Loved the reaction, as usual
Even at the high school/secondary school level, preseason camp was no joke in the day before we knew better. Two, sometimes three training sessions/practices per day during the two weeks prior to the start of the school year. In most parts of the US, it is oppressively hot during that time of year - high temperature over 35°C. Despite hydration breaks, it was not uncommon that players would lose weight dramatically during that time. When I trained to play American football, I was on a 5000 kcal/day diet. One season, I started camp at 213 pounds/97kg. The first day of school, I was 189 pounds/86kg - even with that level of calorie consumption. Another good football movie is "The Junction Boys". It's the story of the Texas A&M football team in the 1950s under a legendary coach named Paul "Bear" Bryant. Bryant was a notoriously hard nosed disciplinarian who was well known for working players far past the point of exhaustion. In today's age, he would be indicted for reckless endangerment of human life.
Watch Miracle next. Another Disney sports film from around this time period before they got woke. That's my absolute favorite film of all time. And not only that, it's choreographed exactly as the real game was played in 1980.
My father is from South Carolina, and he's the youngest in his family. he didn't attend an integrated school until his senior year of High School. He's not even 70 years old.
It was a change for everyone, I'm among the first generation of Blacks BORN with ALL the rights of a U.S. citizen. The Voting Rights Act was passed in 1965. Blacks & Whites weren't allowed to legally marry until 1967. So segregation was very much a part of American culture. If you like Denzel, you might enjoy THE GREAT DEBATORS. He directs and stars in this film which is based on the debate team at Wiley college, the first HBCU to debate an Ivy League School. Thank you for being willing to take a look at uncomfortable subject matter. Enjoy a great day.@@RamblersInc
Loved the reaction! Truly an inspirational masterpiece that can shape youth's into better versions of themselves. You guys should check out Gridiron Gang starring Dwayne Johnson as the coach and it's based on a true story.
Sunshine is from California and California isn't Virginia. What is happening is the real world is crashing in on them. You have to know the history in the USA.
If yo enjoy a good underdog sports movie HURRICANE SEASON is worth the watch. It's about the basketball players from high schools most affected by Hurricane Katrina; starring Forrest Whitaker and Taraji P. Henson.
Alabama, had to be made to free the slaves, to integrate, and now this week to redistrict to properly represent the population. And sadly Alabama is still complaining about being had to be made to do all this even today, when its their own fault for not doing on their own. Some things just don't seem to change unfortunately.
Mental segregation. Although it's no longer physically forced, many still live in the mind of wanting to segregate themselves and live within their own culture, crowd, community, color etc. For those who are like this, if they took the time and open mind to branch out they'd see that we are all the same. Diversity is beautiful.
There were plenty of Hollywood embellishments in this movie. First, TC Williams was not the only integrated team in the conference. According to the players, there really weren't "race relation" problems during their time at TC. They got along together fine. Also, the whole "Sunshine kisses Bertier" thing never happened. Still a great movie.
@@RamblersInc Basically. There's other things like Yost saying in an interview that his daughter was never THAT into football, but they made a big deal about that in the movie too.
It's *based* on a true story. The undefeated season was real, and that was an accomplishment for the time since race relations in the country, in Virginia and in Alexandria (because they were right next to DC, which was a majority black city) were tense.
Nothing the coaches did was harsh.. this is how you transform a team.. in England I don’t think they yell at anybody.. even in military basic training they are way too nice to the recruits in England.. that’s why American soldiers are so much better than British soldiers.. sorry🤷♂️. Once it hits the fan in battle, the Americans are used to all the yelling and chaos, and the British are probably trying to make tea… even though I love the British..
