Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech: 5 Irritating Aspects of 'Rudy' You Might Overlook

With Notre Dame taking on Georgia Tech this week, let's take a look back at an all-time great sports movie

Nick Shepkowski

November 2, 2009; Sacramento, CA, USA; Daniel Rudy Ruettiger acknowledges the crowd during the second quarter between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena. Ruettiger is a former collegiate football player for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Kings defeated the Grizzlies 127-116 in overtime.
November 2, 2009; Sacramento, CA, USA; Daniel Rudy Ruettiger acknowledges the crowd during the second quarter between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Sacramento Kings at Arco Arena. Ruettiger is a former collegiate football player for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Kings defeated the Grizzlies 127-116 in overtime. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images
In this story:

Notre Dame travels to Atlanta to take on Georgia Tech this weekend as the once regular rivalry hits Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home to the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, for the first time.

If you want to find a breakdown of what happens on the field this Saturday then Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated has provided tons of that throughout the week. With it being Notre Dame vs. Georgia Tech however, can we take a minute to discuss the first thing that comes to any college football fans mind when that matchup is announced?

I'm of course talking about the movie, Rudy.

The movie is over 30 years old now and remains as an inspiration to countless young football players and non-football players alike.

As much as I like the movie (and I still make sure to watch it once a year), it isn't perfect. Below are the handful of things that irk me whenever I spend the nearly two hours watching it.

5. Rudy Issues - Scheduling Mishaps

I admit right off the bat that this one won't iritate everyone but it certainly does me. In the film during Rudy's time on the football team at Notre Dame, they sequence through a season. During that they show the snow falling hard at Notre Dame Stadium in front of a scoreboard showing the Irish taking on Penn State.

Any Notre Dame fan knows this was the famous 1992 Snow Bowl. I love a nod to history and that game certainly is one that still lives on in Notre Dame lore, but during Rudy's time at Notre Dame the two teams never clashed.

4. Rudy Issues - Hard Work vs. Connections

Even the biggest naysayers of Rudy can't argue against it being motivational and inspiring. However, one of the lessons of the film isn't exactly reality, either.

Rudy is portrayed as a young man that will just outwork everyone in order to reach his dreams of playing at Notre Dame. In reality, Rudy had to make connections along the way that would help him reach those goals.

Now that's certainly showed in the scene when he crashes Ara Parseghian's office, but if you are to ever watch The Walk On, you'll see how hard work mattered in his story, but his relationships were even more-so.

3. Rudy Issues - Rudy's Final Practice

Am I supposed to believe that in the Notre Dame football team's final practice before senior day that Dan Devine (more on him shortly) is going to stop practice to welcome back the last guy on the practice squad?

Then after a few quick high-fives he just gets his spot back and practice resumes like nothing happened?

I get the need to Hollywoodize things but that one was more than a little far-reaching.

2. Rudy Issues - Dan Devine's Portrayal

Former Notre Dame coach Dan Devine talks to Joe Montana on the sideline
Unknown Date; South Bend, IN, USA; FILE PHOTO; Notre Dame Irish head coach Dan Devine talks to Joe Montana (3) at Notre Dame Stadium. / Malcolm Emmons-Imagn Images

Every good movie needs some kind of heel but who did Dan Devine tick off to get the treatment he got in Rudy?

Not that truth is always better than fiction but the made up scene of Rudy's teammates putting their jerseys on Devine's desk in order to get Rudy to be able to play never happened and throughout the film an otherwise reportedly pretty good guy in Devine was portrayed as an incredibly irriatable old man who spends his free time yelling at clouds.

1. Rudy Issues - Rudy's Brother

Imagine for a second that you come home for the first time in months for Christmas and soon to greet you at the house is your brother who is joined by your ex-girlfriend, who he is now clearly doing the deed with.

If you're as hard-nosed as Rudy is portrayed in the movie, is your reaction to just walk out and catch the next Greyhound back to South Bend?

It always bothered me that Rudy didn't break his brothers nose in front of the whole family during that scene.

Again, I'm a huge fan of the movie and watch it every year. But if there is ever a remake (seeing as everything gets remade these days) I'm pitching for these changes to be made.

More From Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated

Georgia Tech Head Coach Brent Key Previews Notre Dame's Elite Defense

Notre Dame College Football Playoff Bound? The Latest National Bowl Projections for Irish

College Football Hall of Fame Opening its Doors for Notre Dame Fans This Week

Notre Dame Loses All-American Defender for Season to Hip Injury

Published
Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

Home/Football