Friday Night Lights

[ROMOSAPIEN9]

Did anyone else watch the premier last night?

I'll give it one more episode, but it had better get better real quick. Me and my lovely GF figured out what was gonna happen right away.

Thoughts?

 

[peplaw06]

I was unimpressed. Is every episode going to be some rousing-amazing-hollywood-football comeback? That ending is already old in football movies. Putting one of those in every episode would get unwatchable real quick.

 

[Crown Royal]

I didn't see it but I did see the movie. I'm only about 5 years removed from High School, and my school was very good and very much the stereotypical TX HS FB place. I am unimpressed with any of these attempts to match the feeling. I just don't think you can catch that feeling on the tube or silver screen.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Was never attached (player, school or fan) of Texas HS Football but I bought the movie FNL and I have to admit it was not a good movie to me.

I normally love most football movies but I was very let down with that movie.
I could see it maybe being better if I had some connection to that school.

I look forward to the upcoming We Are Marshall movie about the Marshall Thundering Herd.

 

[peplaw06]

Well I had some connection to the movie.

1. My mom went to Permian's jr. high.

2. One of my best friends in high school moved to our town from Permian.

3. Coach Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton in the movie) coached at my college when I was a student there. I did a couple interviews with him... great guy. Thought he got a bad rap in the book. He seemed like a stand up guy what little I got to talk to him.

But the TV show has been genericized (is that a word?). They aren't using Permian's name. They use the Panthers and the P on the helmet, so it's obvious they're trying to be Permian, but it doesn't work for me.

 

[the kid 05]

many people say the book is by far better then the movie and now i guess the tv show

 

[JVita17]

Was never attached (player, school or fan) of Texas HS Football but I bought the movie FNL and I have to admit it was not a good movie to me.

I normally love most football movies but I was very let down with that movie.
I could see it maybe being better if I had some connection to that school.

I look forward to the upcoming We Are Marshall movie about the Marshall Thundering Herd.

wow what kind of texan doesnt like texas high school football?!?!

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

wow what kind of texan doesnt like texas high school football?!?!

Kind of hard to get into texas high school football...if you were not born in texas or live in texas.

When I did live in texas I was either too young to get into football or it was when I was in the army and did not get a chance to go to games.

Hope that explains it.

Actually I have not watched a HS football game since I left HS.

 

[Yeagermeister]

For those of you who are from Texas.....How realistic was the movie? Is that how their season really ended?

 

[Crown Royal]

For those of you who are from Texas.....How realistic was the movie? Is that how their season really ended?

It was very sensationalized. Football is taken very seriously in the smaller towns, but I think they overdo the pressure put on the kids a little bit. Most of them are out there having a good time - usually there is only a group of them who get that perfectionist pressure on them.

I can't quite remember the ending - I was pretty bored about midway through.

Like I said - there is not a movie that has captured what it feels like to be involved in TXHSFB. If anything, and this sounds laughable, Varsity Blues was a little closer. Except the end where the coach is thrown out for a young injured QB. That was bogus.

 

[Yeagermeister]

It was very sensationalized. Football is taken very seriously in the smaller towns, but I think they overdo the pressure put on the kids a little bit. Most of them are out there having a good time - usually there is only a group of them who get that perfectionist pressure on them.

I can't quite remember the ending - I was pretty bored about midway through.

Like I said - there is not a movie that has captured what it feels like to be involved in TXHSFB. If anything, and this sounds laughable, Varsity Blues was a little closer. Except the end where the coach is thrown out for a young injured QB. That was bogus.

In the movie they lose the championship game by less than a yard on the final play.

And from what I know about HS football in TX this quote sums it up:

"There are two seasons in TX....HS fb season and not HS fb season."

I don't remember where I heard.

 

[Hostile]

I played against Permian when I lived for a year in Ft. Stockton, TX. That was right before the book came out and at the highlight of their dominance. Yeah, they killed us.

First of all, their colors are black and white, not blue. Instant turn off for me. That was Hollywood, let's pretty it up stuff.

Okay, the single most intimidating thing about playing them is the chant their fans have. Not making this up, they get 20,000 fans to their HS games and before the kickoff they are all stomping and chanting Mojo, Mojo, Mojo over and over.It will scares a HS kid to death. When the movie did not portray that aspect of the story I was disappointed in it. That was as intimidating as any of their players or play on the field.

I'd have loved to play there with that kind of home town pride and advantage. What an opportunity! Nothing but respect for the real story and team, the Hollywood versions of it leave me flat.

 

[peplaw06]

For those of you who are from Texas.....How realistic was the movie? Is that how their season really ended?

Well there were a lot of things that didn't parallel with the real story... As far as the ending is concerned, in the movie they faced Dallas Carter in the state finals in the Astrodome in front of 50,000. In reality they faced Carter in the semifinals in Austin in the rain in front of 10,000 and it was low scoring (14-9).

Carter did win the state championship in reality, but in the finals they beat Converse Judson (out of San Antonio). Carter's title was later stripped because of use of an academically-ineligible player, and it was given to Judson.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Well there were a lot of things that didn't parallel with the real story... As far as the ending is concerned, in the movie they faced Dallas Carter in the state finals in the Astrodome in front of 50,000. In reality they faced Carter in the semifinals in Austin in the rain in front of 10,000 and it was low scoring (14-9).

Carter did win the state championship in reality, but in the finals they beat Converse Judson (out of San Antonio). Carter's title was later stripped because of use of an academically-ineligible player, and it was given to Judson.

I thought that might have been the case. Thanks for the info.

 

[trickblue]

I liked the TV show, but I've always been a fan of Kyle Chandler for some reason.

The movie did not reflect the message or content of the book. The book is an excellent read and I highly suggest it. The movie was typical Hollywood showmanship.

I am one of the fortunate that lived and played in a one team football town (Lufkin). Game day is unexplainable and quite an experience.

 

[Crown Royal]

I liked the TV show, but I've always been a fan of Kyle Chandler for some reason.

The movie did not reflect the message or content of the book. The book is an excellent read and I highly suggest it. The movie was typical Hollywood showmanship.

I am one of the fortunate that lived and played in a one team football town (Lufkin). Game day is unexplainable and quite an experience.

Garland HS beat Lufkin in 1999 on the way to the state championships. Great come back victory. Garland>Lufkin - true story.:

So the kid from Lufkin who went to TCU a couple of years ago (his name escapes me at the moment). What a wash out.

 

[trickblue]

Garland HS beat Lufkin in 1999 on the way to the state championships. Great come back victory. Garland>Lufkin - true story.:

So the kid from Lufkin who went to TCU a couple of years ago (his name escapes me at the moment). What a wash out.

Yes, barely... and we won state in 2001 and have been in the state semis twice and quarter-finals once since then.

I have no idea who you are talking about in regards to the TCU player. I am up on most former Panthers...

 

[Crown Royal]

Yes, barely... and we won state in 2001 and have been in the state semis twice and quarter-finals once since then.

I have no idea who you are talking about in regards to the TCU player. I am up on most former Panthers...

The really good QB who won you that championship in 2001. Very mobile, good passer.

Lufkin has fielded very good teams as of late. I watched the 01 team and rooted for them - they were fun to watch.

 

[joseephuss]

Well there were a lot of things that didn't parallel with the real story... As far as the ending is concerned, in the movie they faced Dallas Carter in the state finals in the Astrodome in front of 50,000. In reality they faced Carter in the semifinals in Austin in the rain in front of 10,000 and it was low scoring (14-9).

Carter did win the state championship in reality, but in the finals they beat Converse Judson (out of San Antonio). Carter's title was later stripped because of use of an academically-ineligible player, and it was given to Judson.

I think Jessie Armstead was on that Dallas Carter team. He later attended The U and played for the N.Y. Giants.

 

[trickblue]

The really good QB who won you that championship in 2001. Very mobile, good passer.

Lufkin has fielded very good teams as of late. I watched the 01 team and rooted for them - they were fun to watch.

Reggie McNeal... he played for Texas A&M...

He is now a WR with the Bengals...