Home/Episodes/The Longest Yard
'The Longest Yard’ (1974) With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan
June 19, 2024 · The Longest Yard (1974) · Comedy · Crime · Drama · 1:44:47 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including the car chase and arrest, the Warden meets Paul Crew scene, the push-up guy confrontation, the library scene with Granville, caretaker's conversation with crew, and the entire football game sequence▶ 30:11
Chris RyanDiscusses multiple scenes including the Warden threatening crew scene and various moments from the football game sequence▶ 31:19
Van LathanAgrees with the car chase scene and discusses various moments throughout the football game, particularly crew tanking and the final comeback▶ 30:40
Butch's Girlfriend Award
Bill SimmonsThe caretaker's death threat plot - Crew could have thought out the warden's threat to pin the murder on him better▶ 58:02
Chris RyanAgreed with Bill about the caretaker death plot logic, also mentioned looped shots of the warden standing up in shock during game scenes▶ 58:12
Van LathanGeneral criticism of 'why don't you just tell them' plot devices in movies, including this one▶ 58:30
Is There a Better Title?
Bill SimmonsNo, loves The Longest Yard because you don't know why it's called that until the last five minutes▶ 1:03:14
Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award
Chris RyanThis movie is just as good about being about America as it is about sports - the thing that brings us all together is we fucking hate the boss and we love football▶ 1:07:52
Van LathanThere was a pregnancy in this movie and a life created inside the prison - Paul Crewe has a son▶ 1:08:26
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsKirk Cousins — Discusses James Hampton sliding from Unger to caretaker role; proposes Kirk Cousins and Khalil Mack as 2024 equivalents of Joe Capp and Ray Nitschke; considers Fred Warner but agrees he's too good looking; identifies Unger as ultimate 'that guy' winner▶ 1:09:46
Chris RyanJames Hampton — Questions whether it has to be a middle linebacker specifically; considers James Hampton a 'that guy' to 99% of listeners; discusses Harry Caesar's role in A Few Good Men▶ 1:10:20
Van LathanFred Warner — Agrees Fred Warner is good choice but too good looking for the role; explains need for 'ugly linebacker' that audiences want to see get hit; considers James Hampton a 'that guy' but acknowledges context matters▶ 1:10:57
Dion Waiters Award
Bill SimmonsListed multiple options including Charles Tyner, Bernadette Peters, Shockner, Richard Kale as Jaws, Pop (the Warden sidekick), and Michael Fox as the announcer, but didn't settle on one definitive pick▶ 1:12:33
Chris RyanMichael Fox — Michael Fox as the announcer, noting that he also wrote his own commentary▶ 1:12:57
Van LathanBernadette Peters — Initially preferred Bernadette Peters because 'she turns up the heat so much in her second scene' going from standoffish to intimate, but agreed to go with the announcer▶ 1:13:05
Hanks or Cruise
Chris RyanTom Cruise — Agrees this would be a fun Cruise movie, suggests both actors could have worked in different roles - Cruise as crew, Hanks as Scarborough▶ 1:20:09
Sequel/Prequel/Limited Series/Remake
Bill SimmonsPrestige TV all black cast remake of The Longest Yard, or basketball version with convicts vs guards featuring a disgraced NBA star with races flipped▶ 1:28:50
Chris RyanBasketball prison movie called 'The Longest Three' and likes the idea of the Hansome Brothers being on the football team▶ 1:29:13
Van LathanContributes to the race-flipped basketball remake concept but doesn't give his own distinct sequel/remake idea▶ 1:29:45
Coach Finstock Life Lesson
Chris RyanNate's speech about spending 14 years in prison and understanding you only have two things they can't take from you▶ 1:37:22
Van LathanCaretaker explaining why football is so important when talking about shaving points▶ 1:37:32
Who Won the Movie
Chris RyanAlbert S. Ruddy — Al Ruddy (producer who made The Godfather and had foresight to put Aldrich with Reynolds)▶ 1:38:07
Van LathanBurt Reynolds — Acknowledges Al Ruddy's amazing career (The Godfather, Million Dollar Baby, this movie) but doesn't explicitly disagree with Burt Reynolds▶ 1:38:32
Movies Referenced (35)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Longest Yard (2005) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 3:16 |
| Any Given Sunday (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 24:39 |
| Broken Arrow (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | ▶ 48:12 |
| Jaws (1975) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 42:59 |
| The Godfather (1972) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | ▶ 3:17 |
| Boogie Nights (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 5:47 |
| Cube (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | ▶ 47:13 |
| Million Dollar Baby (2004) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 1:38:34 |
| Pump Up the Volume (1990) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 47:39 |
| Shot Caller (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Van Lathan | ▶ 55:43 |
| For Love of the Game (1999) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 15:24 |
| Nope (2022) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:19 |
Directors Referenced (5)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iyi Tubi | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 12 | Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Ex Machina, World War Z | ▶ 7:28 |
| Robert Aldrich | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | The Longest Yard | ▶ 20:05 |
| Clint Eastwood | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Van Lathan | Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, Unforgiven | ▶ 1:39:03 |
| Paul Bellany | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Stardust | ▶ 0:05 |
| Sam Peckinpah | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 23:02 |
Actors Referenced (54)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burt Reynolds | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 28 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan | Boogie Nights, Smokey and the Bandit, Striptease | ▶ 3:35 |
| Justin Yard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 10 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 3:16 | |
| Harrison Ford | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Raiders of the Lost Ark, Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, The Fugitive | ▶ 5:53 |
| Adam Sandler | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons | Big Daddy, Little Nicky | ▶ 14:40 |
| Bernadette Peters | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | The Jerk | ▶ 25:11 |
| Paul Newman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 6 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Road to Perdition, The Verdict | ▶ 9:10 |
| Al Pacino | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather | ▶ 27:12 |
| Ray Nitschke | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan | The Longest Yard | ▶ 1:10:00 |
| The Game | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons, Van Lathan | Street Kings, The A-Team, Coach Carter | ▶ 15:24 |
| Eddie Albert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Roman Holiday | ▶ 3:37 |
| Harry Caesar | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 4 | Bill Simmons | A Few Good Men, The Longest Yard, Bird on a Wire | ▶ 27:30 |
| Albert Finney | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | Erin Brockovich, Big Fish | ▶ 27:33 |