Top 5 Fictional Coaches

Earlier this week, my friend sent me a youtube video of Coach Norman Dale's speech prior to Hickory High taking the court in the 1952 Indiana State High School Championship against might South Bend.  It's a great speech, and it's all fictional.  Yes, this is the speech from the classic film "Hoosiers", starring Gene Hackman as Norman Dale.  That video got me thinking, who are the top 5 fictional coaches from the movies.

I tried to stick to fictional characters, so while Kurt Russell as Herb Brooks in "Miracle" was great, "Miracle" is based on the 1980 USA vs Russia Hockey Game, so I didn't count Herb Brooks as a fictional character.  Anyway, here's what I came up with:

Honorable Mention is Gordon Bombay from "The Mighty Ducks".  Go check 'em out...those movies are fun.

5 - Bagger Vance ("The Legend of Bagger Vance") - Yes, he was Ranulph Junah's (Matt Damon)caddie, but he's also the guy who helped Junah find his "one true swing".  And I'm a sucker for golf movies with lines like this...
"Yep... Inside each and every one of us is one true authentic swing... Somethin' we was born with... Somethin' that's ours and ours alone... Somethin' that can't be taught to ya or learned... Somethin' that got to be remembered... Over time the world can, rob us of that swing... It get buried inside us under all our wouldas and couldas and shouldas... Some folk even forget what their swing was like..."

4 - Mickey Goldmill ("Rocky") - What can I say?  Mickey was the classic boxing coach, and father figure to Rocky.  Plus he said this line..."You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!"  How can you not love that?

3 - Jimmy McGinty ("The Replacements") - Not only does McGinty (Gene Hackman) pull a rabbit out of his hat when his Washington Sentinels beat Dallas, but he plays a significant role in making Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves) into a cult hero for sports movie junkies like me.  Plus, he wears a cool hat.  This is my favorite Jimmy McGinty quote...
"Listen up! By this time tomorrow the strike will be officially over and you men will be out of a job. Up until now Dallas hasn't been afraid of you, and they should be because you have a powerful weapon working for you. There is no tomorrow for you, and that makes you all very dangerous people!"

2 - Lou Brown ("Major League") - Lou Brown (James Gammon) can be the manager of my baseball team any time.  With his dry delivery and no nonsense approach, Brown turns a bunch of baseball castoffs into a playoff team by rallying them against the evil owner of the Cleveland Indians.  "Major League" is still my favorite sports movie, and Lou Brown has to be near the top of my list of top 5 fictional coaches.  Here's my favorite Lou Brown quote..."Forget about the curve ball Ricky, give him the heater."

1 - Norman Dale ("Hoosiers") - You had to see this one coming.  Gene Hackman's second entry on this list is the greatest fictional coach there is.  Norman Dale takes little Hickory High all the way to the top by doling out tough love, working hard, pushing fundamentals, and taking risks.  "Hoosiers is a great movie, and Norman Dale is the greatest fictional coach there is.  The best Norman Dale quote is his speech before the championship game, and it's good enough that I'll post the youtube video here: