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‘Miracle’ With Bill Simmons and Chris Ryan

January 18, 2022 · Miracle (2004) · Biography · Drama · History · 1:22:50 · ▶ Listen on Spotify

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Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 13:58Agrees that modern reporting would ruin it - there would be no surprise with USA winning 4-3, and the patriotism and ability to galvanize the country doesn't exist the same way now
Chris Ryan▶ 13:52Does Woj ruin this game? (referring to how modern sports reporting would spoil the surprise of USA winning 4-3)

Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 37:40Third period of the USSR game
Chris Ryan▶ 38:10Third period of the USSR game

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 45:51Noah Emmerich: this movie plus Beautiful Girls is 'the Noah Emmerich apex mountain combo' - laying out facial expressions as Herb's foil, basically the same expressions as in Beautiful Girls.
Chris Ryan▶ 45:57Didn't contest the Emmerich call; joked that for most of the movie Craig Patrick seems like 'a glorified water guy' ('I'm going to go get the papers'), though he concedes Emmerich gets the 'trust me' moment at the end.

Best Quote

Bill Simmons▶ 47:07"He doesn't know what to do" - agreed with another host's pick
Chris Ryan▶ 47:06"He doesn't know what to do" - Herb Brooks line during the third period

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 55:03Kurt Russell — Kurt Russell was always the focus for O'Connor, no real casting what-ifs. Discussed various casting trivia including Buzz Schneider's son playing Billy, Michael Mantenuto getting cast as OC after a fight during auditions, and director cameos
Chris Ryan▶ 56:19Engaged in discussion about director cameos, suggesting doing the Scorsese Taxi Driver speech in any movie regardless of context

Joey Pants Award

Bill Simmons▶ 56:52Eddie Cahill — Eddie Cahill who played Jim Craig, described as 'that guy from CSI New York'
Chris Ryan▶ 57:03Kenneth Welsh — Kenneth Walsh as the doc, noting he's in Twin Peaks and everything, and also Sean McCain who plays Walter

Half-Assed Internet Research

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:42Michael Mantenuto (Jack O'Callaghan actor) left acting, joined Army, fought ISIS as Green Beret, committed suicide in 2017; Jim Craig had DUI/manslaughter in 80s
Chris Ryan▶ 1:01:21Jim Craig stopped 39 shots in the real game (39 to 16 shots attempted), and the movie shows all 39

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:05:59Al Michaels
Chris Ryan▶ 1:05:57Al Michaels

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:16:34Kurt Russell
Chris Ryan▶ 1:17:31Kurt Russell — Agrees with Kurt Russell choice and provides extended praise for the movie, calling it 'amazing' and discussing the impressive hockey choreography

Movies Referenced (30)

Rocky (1976)

8 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 11:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Escape from New York (1981)

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 17:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Remember the Titans (2000)

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan▶ 23:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Beautiful Girls (1996)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 45:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Any Given Sunday (1999)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 40:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Big Trouble (2002)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 17:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Coach Carter (2005)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 23:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Death Proof (2007)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 17:51IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Fargo (1996)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 54:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Finding Neverland (2004)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 26:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Friday Night Lights (2004)

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:12:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky IV (1985)

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 59:48IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (8)

Jim Craig

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Big Hit, The Dead Zone, Bride of Chucky▶ 6:10IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Gavin O'Connor

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Accountant 2, The Accountant, Pride and Glory▶ 7:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Jack O'Callaghan

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Velvet Buzzsaw, The Tax Collector▶ 12:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kevin Costner

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Dances with Wolves, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves▶ 17:17IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Clint Eastwood

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven▶ 26:23IMDb ↗Lb ↗

George Roy Hill

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Slap Shot▶ 8:38IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Leslie Libman

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 0:14IMDb ↗Lb ↗

M. Night Shyamalan

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Signs, Lady in the Water, The Village▶ 56:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (38)

Kurt Russell

28 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Escape from New York, The Hateful Eight▶ 10:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Noah Emmerich

12 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Super 8, The Truman Show, Miracle▶ 29:16IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Michaels

11 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Miracle▶ 7:08IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Kitsch

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for John Carter, Battleship▶ 59:01IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 1:12:25IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Patricia Clarkson

4 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for The Station Agent, Far from Heaven, The Green Mile▶ 18:54IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Billy Bean

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 50:22IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Mike Tyson

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Hangover▶ 10:42IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sandra Bullock

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, Speed▶ 24:35IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Johnny Depp

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl▶ 26:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Michael Mantenuto

2 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Miracle▶ 55:36IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Pat LaFontaine

2 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (1)

Ron Shelton

2 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons · Known for Bull Durham, Hollywood Homicide, White Men Can't Jump▶ 7:45IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (1)

Robert Barcelona

1 mentions · Chris Ryan · Known for Elysium, Venom, Jurassic World▶ 45:11IMDb ↗Lb ↗