Glory Road

Director: James Gartner (2006)

Cast: Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Emily Deschanel

Yet another well-done Disney sports movie that has come in the 21st Century. Beginning with current classics like "Remember the Titans", "The Rookie",and "Miracle", "Glory Road” recounts a true-life story of the 1966 Texas Western University Mens Basketball team. A team bereft of good players and a rookie coach head coach named Don Haskins who a year earlier was coaching Girls High School Basketball. So with a handful of scholarships and some fairy dust, Haskins and his small staff went out and recruited some of the best players they can find and all of them were black kids from the east coast, which brought problems with the red neck locals and boosters.

The recruits having to adjust to living in the south in the 1960's and learning Haskins style of basketball which was speed and precision. Once they got it, everything fell into place. The team worked to precision during the season and was the Cinderella team of the NCAA tournament and as soon as they got closer to the championship game against legendary coach Adolph Rupp (played by Jon Voight),  Kentucky Wild cats, the heat was on and so was the pressure from the all white southern team. Haskins made a decision that would change the game forever. He played only the black players in the championship game which led to one of the biggest upsets ever in all of sports. Texas Western's victory reinvigorated the game, opening the door to John Wooden and his run at UCLA  with Lew Alcindor and  Bill Walton and moved up to Pro  basketball as well.

Fun Facts: Director James Gartner is a legendary tv commercial director, who literally directed thousands over many years. He took on this project for Disney and after the film's box office success and great reviews. He hasn't  made another feature film and is quite content directing commercials.