MovieChat Forums > Invincible (2006) Discussion > Part Of This movie was fiction

Part Of This movie was fiction

posted 15 years ago by MrCitizen
9 replies | jump to latest

I was at the library the other day and found out through a book called The Eagles Encyclopedia(published before this movie came out) that the scene where Papale gets invited to a Eagles camp by his showing at the tryouts was made up.
The Eagles were not the first Pro Football team Papale played for.He actually played for the Philadelphia Bell before the Eagles.
The Bell was part of the WFL,a pro football league take took on the NFL back in 1973.The league was a joke from the start,it only lasted one season,it was drowning in red ink from the beginning.It did sign a lot of big name NFL players,most notably Csonka,Kiick,and Warfield from the Miami Dolphins(they played for a team called the Memphis Southmen(I'm not making this up)and some high profile college players.
Papale was invited to the Eagles camp because of his play with the Bell.He was not offered a place on the team,he still had to make the team as a longshot,so that part was true.It was also true he was working as a teacher/bartender before the Eagles camp.
I guess it made a better Hollywood movie showing him making a spot on the Eagles than the Bell.
I'm going to research this more.

[–] MrCitizen 15 years ago

I got the book called The Eagles Encyclopedia from the library.It was published in 2004 by Temple University Press in Philly.Excellent reading if you are either a big time Eagles fan like me or even a Pro football fan.It was written by Ray Didinger-a sports writer for the Philly Inquirer & Robert L. Lyons.
I am always amazed at how Hollywood feeds us totally bulls**t stories when the films are supposed to be true accounts.
In this case I was very skeptical about the part where Papale gets discovered when he shows up at a open tryout and gets invited to the Eagles camp.
The Eagles or other NFL teams would never have a tryout like this even back in the 70's.Pro football is too tough a sport for the average over weight and out of shape bozo to think he can make the team.Even if everybody involved signs a waiver
form,the fallout from somebody getting hurt from it would be a public relations nightmare,especially involving the blocking sleds shown in the movie.
According to this book(which I believe more than any bulls**t Hollywood tells me).
The tryout depicted in the movie never happened.
In 1974 Vince Papale went to a tryout that was held by the Philadelphia Bell of the WFL.The WFL was league that was started that year to take on the NFL and it failed miserably after 1 season.It was desparate for players so it held a tryout like the one shown in the movie.Waiver forms?Insurance?They didn't need it.
It made a better movie showing him tryout for the Eagles than the Bell.
Papale impressed the Bell at the tryout that he not only became a player but he was also a starting wide receiver for the team.
In 1976 Papale contacted the Eagles about attending their training camp.The Eagles were impressed with his play in the WFL.Even though the NFL didn't take the WFL seriously,under new coach Vermeil they invited Papale.
He wasn't promised a spot on the team.He was still a long shot-that part was true.
Don't believe everything you see in the movies.Even if they are true stories.

[–] MrCitizen 15 years ago

More fiction:the touchdown he scored against the Giants never happened.He did block a punt but was tackled after blocking ut.He did not run it into the end zone .The Eagles scored on the next play.
1 part of the movie I found interesting(and true) is Mike Boryla as the QB.
Boryla was a backup but was a starter for 1 season.
He was between Gabriel & Jaworski.

[–] DruiOak 14 years ago

I thought he knocked the ball out of the punt returner's hands in the movie.

[–] PinellasBeachPro 12 years ago

Why don't you pay attention to facts before you spout your drivel. He wasn't tackled after blocking the punt. He ran it into the endzone. Did you SEE the clip at the end of the movie? The TD wasn't allowed b/c per NFL rules, it was called a "muffed" catch and thus the ball couldn't be advanced. However, Papale caught it in mid-air and ran it into the endzone.

[–] poizon-4 15 years ago

Yeah, considering where this was posted I am surprised he has never heard of these things called the "internet", "search engines", "wikipedia", even "imdb" that has these listed.

[–] Joeydog 15 years ago

I think most films lean towards being on the border line of fiction.
Grey's Anatomy not the typical day for an intern.

[–] ChalkIsCheaper 14 years ago

IT'S A MOVIE!!!!!! Jeesh...

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] jefgg 12 years ago

The World Football League was founded in 1973, began play in 1974 and ceased operations twelve weeks into the 1975 season. Please click on
http://wfl.charlottehornetswfl.com/main/
Vince Papale played for the Philadelphia Bell of the WFL in 1974 and 1975. Before that he played for the Aston Green Knights of the semi-pro Seaboard Football League.