Ones we left out

A bracket with sports movies going head-to-head to determine a champion was a hit with Union-tribune readers, who sent dozens of emails applauding the idea, what with the NCAA Tournament canceled and everyone advised to hang out at home.

Well, thank you very much.

Included in a majority of the emails, though, were comments like this:

“You missed a movie.”

“I have watched Damn Yankees (not on your list) 12 times and waiting for No. 13.”

“How the heck could you leave out Fever Pitch?

“How in the world can the Bad News Bears, etc., be included and not The Replacements? Just sayin’.”

“You left out my favorite sports movie — Mystery, Alaska.” “This is San Diego, a SURFING town! How could you possibly leave out the two greatest surfing movies of all time: Endless Summer and Five Summer Stories??? Especially when including a movie about stock car racing, which isn’t even a sport.” “Talladega Nights? Really? That’s the best you can do? One auto racing movie, and you pick that one?”

It turns out that people are as passionate about sports movies as they are about sports. We received more than three dozen additional selections.

Guess we could have done an NIT as well.

The selection committee was too exhausted to create an additional bracket, but there are several more movies here worth seeing.

The suggestions offered by readers:

BASEBALL: Angels in the Outfield (1951), Angels in the Outfield (1994), The Babe, The Babe Ruth Story, Cobb, Damn Yankees, Fever Pitch, The Kid from Left Field, Long Gone, Pride of St. Louis (Dizzy Dean story), Trouble with the Curve. BASKETBALL: Air Bud, Blue Chips, Glory Road, One on One and Semi-pro.

COMBAT SPORTS: Cinderella Man, Great White Hype, The Harder They Fall and Rocky III.

FOOTBALL: Necessary Roughness, North Dallas Forty, The Replacements and Semi-tough.

WINTER SPORTS: Blades of Glory, Downhill Racer and Mystery, Alaska.

HORSE RACING: Black Stallion, Seabiscuit and Secretariat. MOTORSPORTS: Ford v Ferrari, Grand Prix, Le Mans, Days of Thunder and Rush.

SOCCER: The Damned United and Victory. SURFING: Endless Summer and Five Summer Stories.