Earlier this month, SportTechie was invited to attend a pre-showing of When the Game Stands Tall, which opens today. The movie is about the De La Salle Spartans, who currently own the longest winning streak in high school football with 151 consecutive wins. While the movie was about a program that took winning to unprecedented heights, it was also about the numerous trials and tribulations that occurred during that fateful season when the streak ended.
It was a story less about how such a streak was created and maintained; and more centrally focused on the downfall of the team, then its eventual redemption, all of which occurred within the span of just a few months. It also focused on the tragic shooting death of 2004 De La Salle football player Terrance Kelly, just days before he was set to leave for Eugene to play for the University of Oregon football team.
Growing up in the Bay Area during the time frame of this movie , I remember how the streak at De La Salle was a very contentious topic of discussion, as many area schools were upset that this one school could become so dominant at football. The presumption was that they had to be cheating or doing something unsavory to maintain their position at the top.
The movie’s focus, though, is on Head Coach Bob Ladoceour doing things the right way. This theme is hammered home frequently as Ladoceour constantly talks about De La Salle being “more than the streak”, a phrase that, while sincere seems to be a bit overdone.
The film had its enjoyable aspects, the most important in the aftermath of Kelly’s death. The circumstances around the death were tragic and the movie did a great job in showing the community support for Kelly’s family after such a senseless act. Even growing up near De La Salle, one never really got the sense of community that Ladoceour instilled in his players. It always seemed like a football factory and the stories of the players and the community around the football team were never publicized.
While the movie was enjoyable, it could have delved deeper into how the streak began and how it was able to continue for so many years. The movie begins as the 12-year streak was ending and covers only an 18-month period of time. For the sports fan, it would have been even more interesting to learn how Ladoceour was able to turn a relatively small private school into a football power. While the movie rightfully focused on how the kids on the team who broke the streak were unfairly blamed, understanding the basis for and the manifestation of the streak would have added greater interest.
Overall though, the movie was definitely enjoyable and we recommend that you check it out. While it is a lot different than other football-themed films like “The Blind Side” and “Friday Night Lights”, it is a unique look at a program that combined unprecedented on-field success with a very solid foundation off it.
Feel free to add your thoughts about the movie in the comments!
Simon Ogus can be reached at simon.ogus@sporttechie.com