Here it is, two days before Super Sunday, and we haven’t run a single Super Bowl-related item here at the Screengrab. Sure, you could flip back through the archives to this list of the All-Time Worst Athletes Turned Actors, which includes Super Bowl heroes Broadway Joe Namath and Howie Long, but it would be downright un-American if we let this most hallowed day pass with no new content. So to pump you up for the big game, here’s a selection of the most rousing inspirational football speeches ever to be found on YouTube on a Friday afternoon.
Any Given Sunday
Notice how Al Pacino, as Miami Sharks coach Tony D’Amato, begins with an almost Belichickian monotone before building to his trademark full-throated bellowing. That’s how you fire up the troops, folks.
Remember the Titans
You would expect Denzel Washington to have some memorable, impassioned words for his team, but all we can find is Will Patton. It’s not exactly “win one for the Gipper,” but bonus points for (almost) working the title of the movie into the pep talk.
Rudy
Frankly, we don’t see this one inspiring anyone to win a tiddlywinks match, let alone the big game, but maybe you have to hold back a little when there’s a priest in the room.
Radio
Ed Harris may have felt this was the low point of his career, but all he had to do was glance over at Cuba Gooding, Jr. to know it could be so much worse.
The Waterboy
In our moment of need, we don’t turn to Pacino or Patton or even Knute Rockne himself. No, when the inspiration is low and the Screengrab is crying out for just one more post, it’s the timeless words of Clint Howard that see us through.