‘Rocky II’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
December 2, 2025 · Rocky II (1979) · Drama · Sport · 1:52:21 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including opening credits with remastered Rocky theme, Rocky and Apollo in hospital, Rocky's marriage proposal at the zoo, Rocky filming commercial, Mickey doing finger test with Rocky, Apollo pushes Duke for rematch, and Apollo calls out Rocky on TV through Mickey arriving▶ 24:38
Van LathanAgrees with Duke's 'he's all wrong for us baby' monologue as 'one of the greatest monologues in any sports movie' and discusses various scenes but doesn't give specific individual picks▶ 30:34
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsRoberto Duran appearing in the movie as Rocky's sparring partner, given Duran's later controversial behavior including quitting against Sugar Ray Leonard and being a bad sport▶ 44:49
Van Lathan15-round boxing fights (which ended in the mid-80s) and the general 1979 boxing context▶ 47:09
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsA one-eyed, slightly brain-damaged Rocky beating a prepared, motivated, angry Creed in the rematch▶ 1:00:23
Chris RyanTwo things: the coma, and Gazzo being in the movie without having any impact on the plot▶ 1:00:56
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Bill SimmonsRanking the best looking black women of the 1970s - his list includes Diana Ross, Ali's wife Veronica Porsche, Lola Falana, Thelma from Good Times, Pam Grier, Apollo's wife Sylvia, and Jane Kennedy as number one▶ 1:15:33
Van LathanEngages with and validates SPEAKER_00's controversial take, adding suggestions like Carol Speed and Marilyn McCoo from the Fifth Dimension to the discussion▶ 1:18:03
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsChuck Wepner — Couldn't find any casting what-ifs except Chuck Wepner was offered a trainer part but bombed the audition▶ 1:19:31
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsBrent Musburger — Suggested multiple options including Musburger, Frank Stallone, Rocky's commercial agent, and Stu Nahan, but seemed to defer to others' preferences▶ 1:20:10
Chris RyanBrent Musburger — Musburger - praised his performance for making it feel like a real sporting event the entire country cares about▶ 1:21:03
Van LathanOpposed Duke being eligible for the award since he appears in four movies, but didn't give a clear alternative pick▶ 1:20:57
Apex Mountain
Bill SimmonsSylvester Stallone — Stallone: no, not this movie but mid-80s (1985) with Rambo II and Rocky IV being his peak when he had two top movies; Carl Weathers: no; Talia Shire: no, somewhere between Godfather/Godfather II and Rocky; Burt Young: mid-80s with Miami Vice, Rocky IV, and Back to School; Brent Musburger: yes for 1979; 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am: yes▶ 1:29:42
Chris RyanSylvester Stallone — Agrees on Carl Weathers being in the Rocky III/IV range; says Talia Shire is good in Rocky III as a redeeming quality; gives Burt Young no credit; argues Stallone forces his way into director's chair, makes $200 million, but gets trapped making action movies until Copland▶ 1:29:48
Van LathanSylvester Stallone — Agrees Stallone's peak is mid-80s when he could do whatever he wants; disagrees on Brent Musburger for 1979, suggests his peak was later with the AJ McCarron girlfriend comment▶ 1:31:33
Probably Unanswerable Questions
Bill SimmonsMultiple questions: Why Apollo didn't fight for 6 months after Rocky fight, Rocky chasing chicken as training method, kids protesting outside, fight would've been stopped when Rocky's eye closed, Adrian in coma with no medical tubes or equipment▶ 1:37:13
Chris RyanWas the solution for Rocky just to invest in condominiums? Also questioned what the kids were protesting and Apollo's poor defense despite being the greatest fighter▶ 1:36:59
Van LathanDiscussion of boxing frequency back then and how double knockout is the most dramatic way to end a boxing movie▶ 1:37:16
Is This Movie Better With
Chris RyanAgreed with Collinsworth initially, discussed Wayne Jenkins briefly but didn't commit to a specific pick▶ 1:42:32
Who Won the Movie
Chris RyanDiscusses the Rocky franchise's transition from 70s to 80s Hollywood but doesn't give a specific pick for who won the movie▶ 1:49:36
Movies Referenced (40)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia (1993) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 17:29 |
| Sicario (2015) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:51:06 |
| The Ring (2002) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | ▶ 19:25 |
| Rocky Balboa (2006) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 37:40 |
| Rocky IV (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 32:33 |
| Predator (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 52:58 |
| First Blood (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 4:32 |
| Happy Gilmore (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 52:53 |
| Lethal Weapon (1987) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 54:13 |
| Million Dollar Baby (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:32:44 |
| Rocky III (1982) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:29:46 |
| Back to the Future (1985) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan | ▶ 1:23:40 |
Directors Referenced (3)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Woody Allen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons | Annie Hall | ▶ 2:18 |
| Iyi Tubi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Ex Machina, World War Z | ▶ 2:28 |
| Zane Grey | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:26:31 |
Actors Referenced (67)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brent Musburger | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 17 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | Cars 2 | ▶ 31:09 |
| Muhammad Ali | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 14 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 18:09 | |
| Carl Weathers | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 13 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Rocky, Predator, Happy Gilmore | ▶ 19:47 |
| Craig T. Nelson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 11 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | The Incredibles | ▶ 15:21 |
| Frank Stallone | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | Rambo: First Blood Part II | ▶ 29:52 |
| Eddie Murphy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Nutty Professor, Beverly Hills Cop II | ▶ 1:27 |
| Joe Buck | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:21:31 | |
| Kid Cudi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Harder They Fall, Don't Look Up, Need for Speed | ▶ 56:59 |
| Sugar Ray | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Beach, Wild Things | ▶ 45:15 |
| Sugar Ray Leonard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Fighter, Real Steel | ▶ 9:00 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 35:12 |
| Don King | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Devil's Advocate | ▶ 11:50 |
Writers Referenced (6)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jane Kennedy | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 1:17:33 | |
| Edgar Rice Burroughs | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | John Carter, Tarzan | ▶ 1:26:09 |
| Bruce Springsteen | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Wrestler, Philadelphia | ▶ 1:45:00 |
| Louis L'Amour | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:26:31 | |
| Taylor Worst | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 57:29 | |
| Vince Gilligan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | El Camino | ▶ 0:40 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Car | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 50:18 | |
| Kelly Hearns | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Incredible Hulk | ▶ 9:00 |