McFarland, USA, what a unique premise.

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oaktonhokie
Posts: 11324
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:48 pm

McFarland, USA, what a unique premise.

Post by oaktonhokie »

A white HS coach and teacher, kicked out of decent jobs for losing his temper takes the only job he can get, which is in a poor minority neighborhood, in a state far from home.

Shortly after moving in, he sees a line of about ten cars, all neatly cleaned and waxed, looking like a Mexican gang. He drives hurridly through the parking lot to avoid them. He was profiling, and profiling is wrong. He learns this lesson later when he finds out it's just a car club. One of the car club guys says later, it would be silly to commit crimes when the cars are so easy to identify. This is when the car club shows up to a fund raiser for uniforms for his new cross country team.

Lesson learned by white guy.

He moved his family into a minority neighborhood, hoping to one day escape and get to a good place.

As luck would have it, he notices that some of the kids can run really fast for long distances. He decides to start a cross country team. The kids of course are resistant at first, they have jobs in the fields after all, and their parents need the money. The tough coach with a heart of gold (what a concept) eventually wins them over.

When they compete, the kids are subjected to racism from just about everyone, opposing runners say they only run fast when chased by the cops, opposing coaches tell kevin Costner that he should just point to where they should run.

Street gangs almost kill the coach's daughter but his team of runners throws themselves in front of her to protect her.

When the national anthem is played before a race, all the kids respectfully put their hands over their hearts and sing the anthem. Proudly.

The coach is offered the head coaching job at a rich white school elsewhere in the state. Take a guess if he goes, or stays in the tough neighborhood with chickens in the yards and roosters crowing at dawn...and subjecting his daughters to an education in inferior schools.

This is such a great idea, I wonder why no one ever thought of it before.

It's BASED ON a true story.

It's not a BAD movie, just one of those "done to death, based on a true story" movies.

Typically, some of the hs students look like they're in their mid twenties. Virtually every Mexican is a decent, patriotic, hard working person, just trying to make a better life. Virtually every white person is either oblivious to the plight of these plucky kids, or is downright hostile and racist.

If only there were a way to get more wonderful people like these into our country...without having to go through the long and unfair process of immigration.
If you bend over backwards long enough,
eventually you'll fall down.
Florida Hokie
Posts: 3676
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:05 pm
Alma Mater: Virginia Tech
Party: Like a Rock Star

Re: McFarland, USA, what a unique premise.

Post by Florida Hokie »

It pleases me to no end to know that you spent your money and a couple of hours to watch a movie that you knew in advance would just piss you off.

It says everything there is to say about you.

Hope you're having a lovely winter Oakie.

oaktonhokie wrote:A white HS coach and teacher, kicked out of decent jobs for losing his temper takes the only job he can get, which is in a poor minority neighborhood, in a state far from home.

Shortly after moving in, he sees a line of about ten cars, all neatly cleaned and waxed, looking like a Mexican gang. He drives hurridly through the parking lot to avoid them. He was profiling, and profiling is wrong. He learns this lesson later when he finds out it's just a car club. One of the car club guys says later, it would be silly to commit crimes when the cars are so easy to identify. This is when the car club shows up to a fund raiser for uniforms for his new cross country team.

Lesson learned by white guy.

He moved his family into a minority neighborhood, hoping to one day escape and get to a good place.

As luck would have it, he notices that some of the kids can run really fast for long distances. He decides to start a cross country team. The kids of course are resistant at first, they have jobs in the fields after all, and their parents need the money. The tough coach with a heart of gold (what a concept) eventually wins them over.

When they compete, the kids are subjected to racism from just about everyone, opposing runners say they only run fast when chased by the cops, opposing coaches tell kevin Costner that he should just point to where they should run.

Street gangs almost kill the coach's daughter but his team of runners throws themselves in front of her to protect her.

When the national anthem is played before a race, all the kids respectfully put their hands over their hearts and sing the anthem. Proudly.

The coach is offered the head coaching job at a rich white school elsewhere in the state. Take a guess if he goes, or stays in the tough neighborhood with chickens in the yards and roosters crowing at dawn...and subjecting his daughters to an education in inferior schools.

This is such a great idea, I wonder why no one ever thought of it before.

It's BASED ON a true story.

It's not a BAD movie, just one of those "done to death, based on a true story" movies.

Typically, some of the hs students look like they're in their mid twenties. Virtually every Mexican is a decent, patriotic, hard working person, just trying to make a better life. Virtually every white person is either oblivious to the plight of these plucky kids, or is downright hostile and racist.

If only there were a way to get more wonderful people like these into our country...without having to go through the long and unfair process of immigration.
nolanvt
Posts: 13116
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:01 pm
Alma Mater: Marshall Univ.

Re: McFarland, USA, what a unique premise.

Post by nolanvt »

oaktonhokie wrote:A white HS coach and teacher, kicked out of decent jobs for losing his temper takes the only job he can get, which is in a poor minority neighborhood, in a state far from home.

Shortly after moving in, he sees a line of about ten cars, all neatly cleaned and waxed, looking like a Mexican gang. He drives hurridly through the parking lot to avoid them. He was profiling, and profiling is wrong. He learns this lesson later when he finds out it's just a car club. One of the car club guys says later, it would be silly to commit crimes when the cars are so easy to identify. This is when the car club shows up to a fund raiser for uniforms for his new cross country team.

Lesson learned by white guy.

He moved his family into a minority neighborhood, hoping to one day escape and get to a good place.

As luck would have it, he notices that some of the kids can run really fast for long distances. He decides to start a cross country team. The kids of course are resistant at first, they have jobs in the fields after all, and their parents need the money. The tough coach with a heart of gold (what a concept) eventually wins them over.

When they compete, the kids are subjected to racism from just about everyone, opposing runners say they only run fast when chased by the cops, opposing coaches tell kevin Costner that he should just point to where they should run.

Street gangs almost kill the coach's daughter but his team of runners throws themselves in front of her to protect her.

When the national anthem is played before a race, all the kids respectfully put their hands over their hearts and sing the anthem. Proudly.

The coach is offered the head coaching job at a rich white school elsewhere in the state. Take a guess if he goes, or stays in the tough neighborhood with chickens in the yards and roosters crowing at dawn...and subjecting his daughters to an education in inferior schools.

This is such a great idea, I wonder why no one ever thought of it before.

It's BASED ON a true story.

It's not a BAD movie, just one of those "done to death, based on a true story" movies.

Typically, some of the hs students look like they're in their mid twenties. Virtually every Mexican is a decent, patriotic, hard working person, just trying to make a better life. Virtually every white person is either oblivious to the plight of these plucky kids, or is downright hostile and racist.

If only there were a way to get more wonderful people like these into our country...without having to go through the long and unfair process of immigration.
We saw this movie tonight. Don't know why you got so pissed over a movie whose premise you knew going in.
Fully vaccinated, still not dead
oaktonhokie
Posts: 11324
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 8:48 pm

Re: McFarland, USA, what a unique premise.

Post by oaktonhokie »

My intent with my post was to offer one man's opinion of the movie.

What makes you think I was angry? I even said it was not a bad movie, just "done to death."

I guess you read the post by the minstrual who was letting love guide him when he wrote his silly little missive. And him being your idol and all, it must have been easier for you to parrot his silliness than indulge in original thought.

After seeing the movie, you took the time to respond to a post about the movie. But you never commented on the movie. You posted about the poster.

Very minstrual of you.


nolanvt wrote:
oaktonhokie wrote:A white HS coach and teacher, kicked out of decent jobs for losing his temper takes the only job he can get, which is in a poor minority neighborhood, in a state far from home.

Shortly after moving in, he sees a line of about ten cars, all neatly cleaned and waxed, looking like a Mexican gang. He drives hurridly through the parking lot to avoid them. He was profiling, and profiling is wrong. He learns this lesson later when he finds out it's just a car club. One of the car club guys says later, it would be silly to commit crimes when the cars are so easy to identify. This is when the car club shows up to a fund raiser for uniforms for his new cross country team.

Lesson learned by white guy.

He moved his family into a minority neighborhood, hoping to one day escape and get to a good place.

As luck would have it, he notices that some of the kids can run really fast for long distances. He decides to start a cross country team. The kids of course are resistant at first, they have jobs in the fields after all, and their parents need the money. The tough coach with a heart of gold (what a concept) eventually wins them over.

When they compete, the kids are subjected to racism from just about everyone, opposing runners say they only run fast when chased by the cops, opposing coaches tell kevin Costner that he should just point to where they should run.

Street gangs almost kill the coach's daughter but his team of runners throws themselves in front of her to protect her.

When the national anthem is played before a race, all the kids respectfully put their hands over their hearts and sing the anthem. Proudly.

The coach is offered the head coaching job at a rich white school elsewhere in the state. Take a guess if he goes, or stays in the tough neighborhood with chickens in the yards and roosters crowing at dawn...and subjecting his daughters to an education in inferior schools.

This is such a great idea, I wonder why no one ever thought of it before.

It's BASED ON a true story.

It's not a BAD movie, just one of those "done to death, based on a true story" movies.

Typically, some of the hs students look like they're in their mid twenties. Virtually every Mexican is a decent, patriotic, hard working person, just trying to make a better life. Virtually every white person is either oblivious to the plight of these plucky kids, or is downright hostile and racist.

If only there were a way to get more wonderful people like these into our country...without having to go through the long and unfair process of immigration.
We saw this movie tonight. Don't know why you got so pissed over a movie whose premise you knew going in.
If you bend over backwards long enough,
eventually you'll fall down.
nolanvt
Posts: 13116
Joined: Thu Aug 22, 2013 9:01 pm
Alma Mater: Marshall Univ.

Re: McFarland, USA, what a unique premise.

Post by nolanvt »

oaktonhokie wrote:My intent with my post was to offer one man's opinion of the movie.

What makes you think I was angry? I even said it was not a bad movie, just "done to death."

I guess you read the post by the minstrual who was letting love guide him when he wrote his silly little missive. And him being your idol and all, it must have been easier for you to parrot his silliness than indulge in original thought.

After seeing the movie, you took the time to respond to a post about the movie. But you never commented on the movie. You posted about the poster.

Very minstrual of you.
The point of my post is that I sincerely believe your opinion was an insecure one. As a white guy, when I watch a movie about a protagonist group who is in the minority, I don't get defensive about the negative portrayal of white racists because it's not applicable to me.

As for the movie, it was okay and mildly-inspiring. I only watched it because my wife ran cross country in high school and college, so she was interested in that part of the movie (and it was her birthday, so she got to pick the movie). Costner has definitely lost a few mph off his fastball, so his inept performance drug the movie down as the rest of the cast isn't that seasoned and respected.
Fully vaccinated, still not dead
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