"Blue Chips" was one of at least four basketball movies that came out in 1994:
"Hoop Dreams"
"The Air Up There"
"Above the Rim"
"Blue Chips"
They all approached the game of basketball from different angles. "Hoop Dreams" was a documentary, "The Air Up There" was about a college coach recruiting in Africa, "Above the Rim" was about streetball tournaments, while "Blue Chips" focused on college and the pressures to win in college.
Nick Nolte played Pete, a D1 college basketball coach in the mold of a Bob Knight. He was used to winning and winning the right way. After his first losing season ever he felt pressure to get the top recruits in the country--which meant using money.
It was clear that Pete didn't want to cheat, but I imagine he was like a utility player in baseball struggling to make a roster when all the high paid players around him are taking steroids. Sure, it's the right thing to abstain from cheating, but look at everyone around me doing exceptionally well who are cheating.
I won't pretend to know how backroom deals are done within the college ranks between boosters, coaches, and players, but if they're as open, matter-of-fact, and clumsy as they were depicted in this movie then it's a wonder anyone gets away with it.
I liked "Blue Chips" for the accuracy with coaching, coach behavior, the pressure to win in college, and even the realistic style of play. I grimaced at the open requests for money by the athletes and the sinister bad guy role of the main booster, Happy (J.T. Walsh). So, as for the basketball movies of 1994, "Blue Chips" ranks third for me--below "The Air Up There" and above "Above the Rim."
"Hoop Dreams"
"The Air Up There"
"Above the Rim"
"Blue Chips"
They all approached the game of basketball from different angles. "Hoop Dreams" was a documentary, "The Air Up There" was about a college coach recruiting in Africa, "Above the Rim" was about streetball tournaments, while "Blue Chips" focused on college and the pressures to win in college.
Nick Nolte played Pete, a D1 college basketball coach in the mold of a Bob Knight. He was used to winning and winning the right way. After his first losing season ever he felt pressure to get the top recruits in the country--which meant using money.
It was clear that Pete didn't want to cheat, but I imagine he was like a utility player in baseball struggling to make a roster when all the high paid players around him are taking steroids. Sure, it's the right thing to abstain from cheating, but look at everyone around me doing exceptionally well who are cheating.
I won't pretend to know how backroom deals are done within the college ranks between boosters, coaches, and players, but if they're as open, matter-of-fact, and clumsy as they were depicted in this movie then it's a wonder anyone gets away with it.
I liked "Blue Chips" for the accuracy with coaching, coach behavior, the pressure to win in college, and even the realistic style of play. I grimaced at the open requests for money by the athletes and the sinister bad guy role of the main booster, Happy (J.T. Walsh). So, as for the basketball movies of 1994, "Blue Chips" ranks third for me--below "The Air Up There" and above "Above the Rim."