MovieChat Forums > The Replacements (2000) Discussion > The football players were 'done'?

The football players were 'done'?

posted 15 years ago by DKKnows
21 replies | jump to latest

At the end of the movie, McGinty's voiceover talks about how, after that final game, the players had no endorsement deals, etc., implying that those four games were all they were ever going to get. To which I can only say, "Ha!"

Sure, some of the players might have been blackballed in the aftermath of the strike (Falco being most likely, if Martel had any real influence), but Gruff, Wilkinson/Smith, Bateman and several others would have NFL teams breaking down the door to sign them. Those guys were just at the START of their careers, not the end.

[–] PrettyBrownEyes 15 years ago

I suppose that could be true, except for Wilkinson who had to go back to jail.

[–] DKKnows 15 years ago

Only until some OTHER team petitioned for him to get out on work release. It worked once...

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] noone1647 14 years ago

I don't know, I remember the scab teams in '87. Out of all the teams (I think there were 28 then) I think only like 4 guys actually got NFL contracts after that and none of them really made an impact/lasted.

So, I wouldn't say NFL teams would be breaking down any doors any time soon.

[–] imasniperbang-1 14 years ago

If the NFL found a place kicker that could kick 65 yard field goals, like Nygel Gruff, I think there would be alot of interest.

Do you want a lime? I can always get you a lime.

[–] noone1647 14 years ago

He's got a broken arm and he's mixed up with the mob.

They wouldn't go anywhere near him.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] McFly_2015 14 years ago

he cant kick with a cast on, its dangerous and the cast would throw off his geometry. And gruff is a gambler, something pro teams stay away from still due to the black sox.

[–] foomancrue 14 years ago

the black sox were innovators

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] AdmiralTugBenson 13 years ago

Well, Falco was the only person who knew about that. It's not like EVERYBODY knew about his gambling. As for the broken arm, he could always play the next season. Breaking his arm isn't going to keep him from ever kicking again. The season was over anyway (I think we can assume that Martel and his buds lost their first playoff game) and Nigel would have time to get out of his cast.

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[–] DeepBlueNinja 9 years ago

The movie team yes. The team this was based on the Washington Redskins coached by Dick Vermeil went on to win the Super Bowl that strike year.

And they owe a lot to the strike players because they won ALL four of their games which got the Skins in the playoffs...

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[–] jejozi 13 years ago

Plenty of guys play with casts on and at much more demanding positions than kicker. As for throwing off his "geometry", one is able to compensate for the added weight, he'd still be able to kick. And it would eventually heal. As for gambling; Paul Horning and Alex Karras were suspended, and reinstated, for gambling, so gambling while NOT in the league wouldn't preclude him from being signed. The Black Sox were baseball.

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

[–] jejozi 13 years ago

Broken arms heal. Many players are involved with gangs, what's the difference?

This will be the high point of my day; it's all downhill from here.

[–] sschind 13 years ago

Maybe not. McGinty said that they all had football experience somewhere (pros, College, Arena etc) I'm sure the scouts new about them or at least most of them. Yeah they looked great in replacement games against replacement players but how would they do against the real players. Besides, many of these guys had issues that kept them out of the league in the first place. They were not pro football players for a reason.

[–] iruleall15 9 years ago

4 years late... But the final game the entire Dallas team crossed. So it was the real Pro Dallas team playing. Those replacements beat them

[–] iruleall15 9 years ago

4 years late... But the final game the entire Dallas team crossed. So it was the real Pro Dallas team playing. Those replacements beat them

[–] P-K-One 13 years ago

And a double HA! to endorsement deals.

With the popularity of those guys, especially Falco, every company in the country would have tried to have them promote just about every product on the shelf.

[–] jefgg 11 years ago

Did any of the replacement players turn out to be good?

That really depends definition of “good.” Remember, the NFL basically had less than two weeks to toss together 28 complete rosters, so they weren’t particularly picky about whom they suited up. Many of the replacement players were guys who had been cut during training camp or passed over during the draft. Or if a team couldn’t find that sort of luminary, they’d look for random guys who happened to be big, like bouncers.

The best replacement player was probably Houston Oilers linebacker Eugene Seale, who ran back an interception return for a TD in the team’s first replacement-player game. He stuck around with the Oilers until 1992 and even made the All-Pro team as a special teams ace in 1988. Replacement Saints QB John Fourcade kicked around in the league until 1990, too.

Did any of the replacement players go on to better things?

There’s where things get interesting. Hip-hop fans might have recognized a young replacement defensive end for the Los Angeles Rams: Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight, who appeared as a backup in two games.

There was also some legitimate football expertise on the replacement rosters. The Chicago Spare Bears boasted future New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton at quarterback. Payton’s play turned out to be significantly less brilliant than his play-calling as a coach. Payton only completed eight of 23 pass attempts in three games while throwing an interception and taking seven sacks. He racked up a putrid QB rating of 27.3 for his efforts.

Current UCLA head coach Rick Neuheisel also suited up during the strike; he went 2-0 as the San Diego Chargers’ replacement starter.
What happened to the actual players in their strike?

Please click on
http://mentalfloss.com/article/27240/scab-story-1987-nfl-strike

[–] hans_sulu 9 years ago

Actually considering that the Washington offense went against the starting defense of Dallas their might be some looking at the players again
However Gruff would not be touch with a 10 foot poll. He gambling and his willing to throw a game because of his gambling is a problem

I'll just stand over here being happy

[–] TheLordofTheHarvest 8 years ago

Gruff had his problems yes but as long as Falco and the rest of the team kept quiet he could have swept it under the rug and prob got another kicking job. He was too good of a kicker to not get a chance. Take his problems away he could have been all-pro if he got serious enough.

Bateman probably could have made it too he just would have to control his anger somewhat better and focus his violence on the field and not fight so much. He was a solid hard hitter and any D could have used him. The deaf guy could maybe make it in Canada at least. He'd be a solid receiver there.

Falco I don't think he would want to continue he was burnt out with Martel's crap and the striking pro's were nothing but awful to him I think he realized he wasn't meant for it. Besides he proved his point and found redemption and the love of his life. Things were good. I see him staying in the game though as a head coach somewhere in college like Jim Harbough is.