Home/Episodes/Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story

‘Dodgeball’ With Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz, and Danny Kelly

August 6, 2024 · Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) · Comedy · Sport · 1:40:54 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Picking Nits

Craig HorlbeckVegas is the last place you'd be shocked to see a guy in a costume - he just got out of doing a show▶ 8:10
Danny HeifetzThe dodgeball throw was incredible - he should have been on the team (questioning why the coach was so mean)▶ 8:07
Danny KellyWhy is he (the coach) so mean?▶ 8:08

Most Rewatchable Scene

Craig HorlbeckLists nine rewatchable scenes including opening montage, meeting Peter and Average Joe's customers, White tasing his nipples, sub-regional qualifiers against Girl Scouts, White crashing bar celebration, training scene with Patches, and others▶ 20:16
Danny KellyWhite crashing their celebration at the bar▶ 23:21

What's Aged the Worst

Craig HorlbeckLance Armstrong reference/content in the movie▶ 40:32
Danny HeifetzThe prominence of Livestrong and how everyone wore the yellow bracelets▶ 40:47
Danny KellyLance Armstrong reference (agrees with Craig's pick)▶ 40:34

Apex Mountain

Big Kahuna Burger Award

Craig HorlbeckWhite stuffing the hot dog in his mouth as soon as he loses the final man▶ 44:09
Danny HeifetzThe pizza down the pants▶ 44:27

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Craig HorlbeckLaFleur sucks - he's a bad gym owner who hasn't collected membership fees in 13 months, accepts bribes, sexually harasses Kate, and is generally not invested in running the gym▶ 45:13
Danny HeifetzBen Stiller is the best nepo baby in Hollywood - he got a head start but stands on his own merit and talent▶ 48:14
Danny KellyJustin Long could have been his generation's Matthew Broderick - a lovable doofus with charisma who had the range and talent for bigger stardom▶ 46:32

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Danny KellyThe Owen character▶ 50:07

Is There a Better Title?

Craig HorlbeckNo, it's a great title▶ 57:03

Dion Waiters Award

Danny HeifetzPatton OswaltAgrees Patches is disqualified, supports Patton Oswalt comparison to Peyton Pritchard half-court shot▶ 1:05:17
Danny KellyPatton OswaltAgrees with Pepper Brooks but also suggests Patton Oswalt doing voiceovers▶ 1:05:04

Casting What-Ifs

Craig HorlbeckGlen PowellChristine Taylor is 'fine' but forgettable (5/10); suggests Glenn Powell for White Goodman, Adam Driver for Peter, and Bill Hader for Vince Vaughn role in 2024 recasting▶ 1:05:57
Danny HeifetzJennifer AnistonSuggests Jennifer Aniston as alternative to Christine Taylor but acknowledges she was probably too big for the role▶ 1:07:15
Danny KellyCourteney CoxChristine Taylor works well and was effective; suggests Courtney Cox as alternative; Andy Samberg for White Goodman in 2024 recasting▶ 1:06:02

Is This Movie Better With

Craig HorlbeckTony RomoTony Romo for director's commentary - would pay pay-per-view for it▶ 1:09:23
Danny KellyTony RomoTony Romo for director's commentary - thinks Romo bases his persona off Pepper from the movie▶ 1:09:26

Half-Assed Internet Research

Craig HorlbeckMovie kickstarted dodgeball boom across the country; actors had rigorous training with injuries including Justin Long going blind; Rip Torn had no idea what movie he was in and was mean to Justin Long, had a handler to prevent him from leaving set; shot at Cabrillo High School in Long Beach using sports camera operators▶ 1:10:39
Danny HeifetzTheir generation had foam dodgeballs instead of rubber ones because the rubber balls were phased out for being too dangerous▶ 1:11:14
Danny KellyThe sound effects are amazing and perfect - dodgeballs hitting faces transports him back to middle school; you can see Rip Torn had no idea what movie he was in when watching his line delivery▶ 1:11:03

Overacting Award

Hall of Fame Plaque

Craig HorlbeckThe two announcers from The Longest Yard for fake sport movie announcers▶ 1:20:28
Danny HeifetzCash in suitcases scene - 'You ever see what a hundred thousand dollars looks like? It's just like ten bills. One rubber band.'▶ 1:20:40
Danny KellyBob Uecker as announcer - calls it an all time performance for announcers in movies▶ 1:20:22

Hanks or Cruise

Craig HorlbeckTom CruiseAgrees with split casting - Hanks as Peter, Cruise as White Goodman▶ 1:21:12
Danny HeifetzTom CruiseSplit casting - Cruise as White Goodman, Hanks as Peter▶ 1:21:09
Danny KellyTom CruiseCruise - mentions the Cruise and Stiller connection▶ 1:20:56

Just One Oscar

Danny KellyRip TornAgrees with Rip Torn/Patches pick, praising his high-energy performance▶ 1:31:13

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Craig HorlbeckWhy isn't dodgeball more of a thing? It should be in the Olympics▶ 1:31:56
Danny HeifetzDo you think Tom Brady ever took a low grade beaver tranquilizer? A hundred percent▶ 1:34:00
Danny KellyAre there weird Nazi references with the ADAA? The association started in 1938 and has a chancellor - was it started by Nazis?▶ 1:33:06

Best Double Feature

Danny HeifetzZoolanderZoolander (because of shared cast members including Ben Stiller)▶ 1:34:59
Danny KellyHappy GilmoreHappy Gilmore, Kingpin (slapsticky sports movies), and Wedding Crashers (for Vince Vaughn connection)▶ 1:34:35

Coach Finstock Life Lesson

Craig HorlbeckBet on yourself - always put 100 grand on a 50 to 1 underdog bet▶ 1:38:38
Danny KellyGet in where you fit in, referencing Average Joe's gym and the motivational signs with messages like 'pain is weakness leaving your body' but modified to be more accepting▶ 1:38:41

Who Won the Movie

Movies Referenced (46)

Title (year)LinksMentionsMentioned byFirst
Zoolander (2001)IMDb ↗Lb ↗14Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz, Danny Kelly▶ 14:14
Wedding Crashers (2005)IMDb ↗Lb ↗11Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck▶ 16:33
The Terminal (2004)IMDb ↗Lb ↗7Craig Horlbeck▶ 12:22
Happy Gilmore (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz▶ 4:25
Meet the Fockers (2004)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck▶ 14:52
Tropic Thunder (2008)IMDb ↗Lb ↗5Craig Horlbeck, Danny Kelly, Danny Heifetz▶ 15:44
Blade (1998)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck▶ 24:36
Grease (1978)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Craig Horlbeck▶ 54:58
Meet the Parents (2000)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Craig Horlbeck, Danny Kelly▶ 1:15:20
Mona Lisa Smile (2003)IMDb ↗Lb ↗3Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck▶ 21:40
Fargo (1996)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2▶ 1:28:06
Madagascar (2005)IMDb ↗Lb ↗2Danny Heifetz▶ 1:40:03

Directors Referenced (4)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Todd PhillipsIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Craig Horlbeck, Danny KellyJoker, Due Date, Old School▶ 8:47
Paul BellanyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Danny KellyStardust▶ 0:05
Richard LinklaterIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Craig HorlbeckBefore Midnight▶ 1:11:51
Tom BradyIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Danny HeifetzThe Hot Chick▶ 1:33:56

Actors Referenced (66)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Vince VaughnIMDb ↗Lb ↗30Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz, Danny KellyWedding Crashers, Couples Retreat▶ 4:07
Ben StillerIMDb ↗Lb ↗24Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz, Danny KellyTropic Thunder, Zoolander▶ 6:05
Justin LongIMDb ↗Lb ↗21Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck, Danny HeifetzLive Free or Die Hard, Jeepers Creepers▶ 9:13
Chuck NorrisIMDb ↗Lb ↗16Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz▶ 42:44
Lance ArmstrongIMDb ↗Lb ↗12Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz, Danny KellyDodgeball: A True Underdog Story▶ 31:55
Tom CruiseIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Danny Kelly, Danny Heifetz, Craig HorlbeckTop Gun, Minority Report▶ 1:20:54
Tony RomoIMDb ↗Lb ↗8Danny Kelly, Craig Horlbeck, Danny Heifetz▶ 15:05
Rip TornIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Craig Horlbeck, Danny KellyMen in Black, Freddy Got Fingered▶ 25:45
Stephen RootIMDb ↗Lb ↗7Craig Horlbeck, Danny KellyOffice Space, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story▶ 10:37
Gary ColeIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Craig Horlbeck, Danny KellyTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Office Space▶ 31:04
Owen WilsonIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Craig Horlbeck, Danny Kelly, Danny HeifetzThe Royal Tenenbaums, Wedding Crashers▶ 4:07
Will FerrellIMDb ↗Lb ↗6Craig Horlbeck, Danny HeifetzTalladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Blades of Glory▶ 3:10

Writers Referenced (3)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Roger EbertIMDb ↗Lb ↗2Craig Horlbeck▶ 18:15
Al KaplanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Craig Horlbeck▶ 1:02:48
M. Scott VeachIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Craig Horlbeck▶ 44:33

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

NameLinksMentionsMentioned byKnown ForFirst
Patrick LongmanIMDb ↗Lb ↗1Craig HorlbeckJason Bourne, Draft Day, Tropic Thunder▶ 33:50