4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A moderately entertaining drama, February 22, 2001
This review is from: Coach of the Year [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I have to admit I have very personal reasons for having purchased several copies of this 1980 made for T.V. movie; my family and I were extras in the football audiance! I was 15 at the time and it was being filmed in Mooseheart, Illinois (between Aurora and Batavia. Yes, Mooseheart is the villiage for orphans and other disadvantaged children of Moose club members (I lived there for six months when I was in third grade). The highlight for my family was the scene of the black woman and white man together in the audiance watching the game. You could see the top of my sister Noel's head sitting right below them (she was 12 at the time). I sent a copy to family members for Christmas.
Now, about the movie itself. It was about what you'd expect from a "made for TV" movie. It was somewhat hokie at times, but still a fairly interesting drama. Robert Conrad plays a coach who's frustrated by his inabilty to walk as a result of a Vietnam War injury. Turned down from coaching the Chicago Bears (talk about shooting for the stars!) he reluctantly takes up a "temporary" coaching position at the youth reform school at St. Charles, Illinois (filmed on location) as a way of keeping his eye on his recently incarcerated nephew. In the process he turns a motley bunch of unruly youths into a formidable football team. The highlight of the movie comes when the team is allowed to play an elite prep school outside the reformatory grounds.
The drama is good but not spectacular. Nevertheless, it's worth watching at least once. One has to chuckle when reminded of the datedness of the movie at the end. As the youths get ready to return back to the reform school, a naive cheerleader asks one of the boys to go out with her next weekend. When he says he won't be available for awhile, she asks "when?", and he replies "1982." (Wow, that far into the future?!) If you have any further questions about the movie, email me at tedmccarron@yahoo.com.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
You get what you pay for..., November 6, 2001
By A Customer
This is a budget price DVD and the print is no better than what you would record off television. Get it only if you're a fan of Robert Conrad or Erin Gray. The print is terrible.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Robert Conrad Rules!!!!!!!!!!!, June 13, 2005
Robert Conrad rules as a coach in a juvenile facility.It's a must see!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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