Champions (1992)
"The Mighty Ducks" (original title)

A self-centered lawyer is sentenced to community service coaching a rag tag youth hockey team.

Director:

Stephen Herek

Writer:

Steven Brill

Stars:

Emilio Estevez, Joss Ackland, Lane Smith

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emilio Estevez	...	Gordon Bombay
Joss Ackland	...	Hans
Lane Smith	...	Coach Jack Reilly
Heidi Kling	...	Casey Conway
Josef Sommer	...	Mr. Gerald Ducksworth
Joshua Jackson	...	Charlie Conway
Elden Henson	...	Fulton Reed (as Elden Ratliff)
Shaun Weiss	...	Greg Goldberg
M.C. Gainey	...	Lewis
Matt Doherty	...	Lester Averman
Brandon Quintin Adams	...	Jesse Hall (as Brandon Adams)
J.D. Daniels	...	Peter Mark
Aaron Schwartz	...	Dave Karp
Garette Ratliff Henson	...	Guy Germaine
Marguerite Moreau	...	Connie Moreau

Storyline

Gordon Bombay, a hotshot lawyer, is haunted by memories of his childhood, when, as the star player in his champion hockey team, he lost the winning goal in a shootout, thereby losing the game, and the approval of his coach. After being charged for drunk driving, the court orders him to coach a peewee hockey team, the worst in the league, Gordon is at first very reluctant. However, he eventually gains the respect of the kids and teaches them how to win, gaining a sponsor on the way and giving the team the name of The Ducks. In the finals, they face Gordon's old team, coached by Gordon's old coach, giving Gordon a chance to face old ghosts.

---

Plot Keywords:

team | hockey team | hockey | coach | lawyer | 

---

Taglines:

They Can't Skate. They Can't Win. They Can't Be Serious.

---

Genres:

Action | Comedy | Drama | Family | Sport

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for mild language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 October 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Champions

Filming Locations:

Cook Memorial Arena - 11091 Mississippi Boulevard, Coon Rapids, Minnesota, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$50,752,337 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Avnet/Kerner Productions, Touchwood Pacific Partners 1, Walt Disney Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The scene amid the ice sculptures was filmed during the St Paul Winter Carnival, in Rice Park where the ice sculpture contest occurs. It was originally planned for the ice palace that had been built by the Mississippi for the carnival, but an unseasonably warm January was melting the palace, making it unsafe to film inside.

---

Goofs

The the Flying V play would result in a penalty for interference in a real hockey game. You may not body check a player who is not in possession of the puck.

---

Quotes

Gordon Bombay: Did you really Quack at the Principal?
Ducks: Yeah.
Gordon Bombay: Are we Ducks or what?

---

Crazy Credits

In the closing Credits, Joshua Jackson's character 'Charlie Conway' is misspelled and listed as "Charlie Conroy"

---

Connections

Referenced in Dawson's Creek: Detention (1998)

---

Soundtracks

"WE WILL ROCK YOU"
Written by Brian May
Performed by Queen
Courtesy of Hollywood Records / EMI Records

User Reviews

Like a stroll down memory lane.

I remember my cousins and I used to always watch these movies when I was a kid. I loved how these bad-playing, poor attitude-having kids could always be inspired to become champions, no matter how tough the odds and no matter how many times movies like this were remade with soccer, football, baseball, and dogs. Even though I've seen it a million times, I still get chills when the team works as a team and goes out to try their hardest. It's enough to make me, one of the least sporty people alive, want to join a sporting team. Another highlight, for me at least, were the guys. I always had at least one guy in the movie who I had a crush on and kept my undivided attention on. Who would've known back then that young Charlie (Joshua Jackson) would grow up to use big words and pretentious speeches on Dawson's Creek? Out of all those inspirational sports-are-good-for-kids movies, this was and always will be my favorite because it is the first one I can remember and the first I've ever seen. 1...2...3...Quack! Quack! Quack! Quack!