Athletes on the Big Screen: UFC to Space Jam

We love them. We hate them. We love to hate them. However you feel, chances are that you've seen at least one movie starring a professional athlete. While some of these films are better than others, I think its safe to say that none of these 'actors' will be winning an Oscar anytime soon. It seems to me that more and more professional athletes are making their way onto the big screen each year, taking on roles that never really pan out. After reading an article announcing that UFC Women's Bantamweight World Champion Ronda Rousey will reprise Patrick Swayze's role in a remake of Roadhouse,  I just have to ask: WHY?


Rousey is a world class competitor. She is undefeated in the UFC and was even recently named "athlete of the year". What compels her to leave the fighting world and travel to Hollywood? She had a small supporting role in Fast 7, and while she was well prepared for the fight scenes, her acting was absolutely terrible. 

Rousey is not alone in her jump from the Octagon to the silver screen. From Michael Jordan in Space Jam, OJ Simpson in The Naked Gun 2 1/2: Smell the Fear, or Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator; the list goes on and on. These super athletes certainly weren't hurting financially, so what factors pushed them to leave their dominant position in sports (even temporarily) and take on a role in Hollywood?

It could simply be that since these super-athletes are already household names that everyone knows and loves, making them a big ticket item for producers eager to capture the allure of a big name. A prime example of this is the Expendables films, which boasts an ensemble cast of Hollywood's most badass actors- many of whom were athletes in real life. Along that same vein, perhaps choosing athletes to star in a film is a strategy to peak the curiosity of an audience, evoking a "what is he doing there?" reaction much like the way I reacted to the recent Rousey news. 

One group that might be exempt from the issues of the athlete-actor crossover are professional wrestlers. Since the 'sport' they play is a staged event, it makes perfect sense that the athletes would also have an acting career. To me, there really isn't much of a difference anyway. It is all a staged production. This explains the success of actors like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in transitioning sole to Hollywood, a feat that no other professional athlete outside of pro wrestling can really claim. 

Regardless of how much I complain, I really don't see significant change coming anytime soon. I think the recent trend of athlete-actors is only going to continue to increase. Who knows, some day we might reach a point where these individuals can cross successfully between these two very different worlds; we could watch them at the theaters on Saturday and then again on the field on Sunday. 

The Office Looks to Make it Through Season 8 Without It's MVP

As I pass the time between seasons watching my old favorite episodes of The Office, I found myself wondering if this upcoming season will be a success. I have put off thinking about how Steve Carell is gone and how I hate the new actor that is replacing him because I am in denial. I can't believe that he is actual gone. Michael Scott. The reason the show was my favorite. Michael Scott. A comical genius. His absence raises the question, Will this show survive without their MVP?

If you apply this question to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, it would probably be a different answer. With the Office I think they will survive. The cast includes some great actors/esses that will be able to save the show. Although Carell, took the main responsibility of the humor surrounded by the office, his absence will allow Jim and Dwight's relationship to be a main focus.

Besides Carell, Jim Halpert and Dwight Schrute were also hilarious characters. What I believe will actually happen now is instead of always being at each others throat and playing tricks non-stop, Dwight and Jim are going to be forced to work together. Their common goal? To destroy the new boss, Robert California, played by James Spader. This will blossom into a new relationship with a hilarious new twist. This is just a guess, but it does sound possible.

I dont know enough about James Spader, but I have to admit my first impression of him was not at all a good one in the season 7 finale. Either way I will give him a chance and hope that he take this show in a positive new direction.

All Hail Steve Carell!!