Way to go, sport!

Kicking off Friday in Southern California is the annual All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival, a 3-day event featuring films and filmmakers celebrating the wide wide world of sports.

Given how many sports exist, a festival devoted to movies about them is a natural (not The Natural), but with such a wealth of cinematic athletics some have become — excuse the pun — overplayed.  I love baseball movies as much as anyone, but do we really need another Kevin Costner ode to the Great American Pastime?  Or another boxing or basketball flick?  It’s time to give less known sports a chance.  It’s time for a list!  Here are several real sports itching to have their time at bat.

5) FRISBEE GOLF

No, those chain baskets you see on beaches are not for trash.  They’re for tiny rubber discs flung by a college-minded subculture wishy-washy on what game to play.  “I feel like playing Frisbee.”   “I feel like playing golf.”  Cue light bulb overhead!  Regular golf has a slew of movies about it, from slapstick (Caddyshack) to serious (The Legend of Bagger Vance).  Frisbee Golf has none.  Get on this, Ron “Tin Cup” Shelton.

4) HORSESHOES

Secretariat and Seabiscuit are solid films, but let’s put the horses out to pasture and focus on their shoes.  Played on campgrounds everywhere, this sport deserves a film all its own.  Why?  Because according to Wikipedia, the National Horseshoe Pitchers Association is “the recognized governing body of the sport of horseshoe pitching in the United States.”  Yes, people take this game so seriously that they have a “recognized governing body.”  Someone greenlight this picture!

3) BINGO

B-I-N-G-O has been around for centuries.  Everyone and their grandmother has played it.  You can even play it on popular websites like FoxyBingo.com, a huge hit in the UK where the game flourishes.  But has there been a definitive cinematic portrayal of the game?  Not since Beach Blanket Bingo 47 years ago.  The time has come.

2) BROOMBALL

Originating in Canada, no sport makes its players look more ridiculous than Broomball (except Synchronized Swimming).  Duct taped brooms?  Check.  Slipping on ice?  Check.  Flannel and beer?  Double check.  How has Will Ferrell not already turned this into a blockbuster, eh?

1) EXTREME IRONING

Read that name again.  Extreme.  Ironing.  Still not convinced this can be a global franchise?  See below:

‘Nuff said.

So get these underdogs off the benches, Hollywood, and get ‘em into the game!  As for me, it’s time to play some online Bingo.