Any Given Sunday Family Review

A behind-the-scenes look at the life-and-death struggles of modern-day gladiators and those who lead them.When a devastating hit knocks a professional football legend and quarterback Cap Rooney out of the game, a young, unknown third-stringer is called in to replace him. Having ridden the bench for years because of a string of bad luck stories and perhaps insufficient character, Willie Beaman seizes what may be his last chance, and lights up the field with a raw display of athletic prowess. His stunning performance over several games is so outstanding and fresh it seems to augur a new era in the history of this Miami franchise, and forces aging coach Tony D'Amato to reevaluate his time-tested values and strategies and begin to confront the fact that the game, as well as post-modern life may be passing him by. Adding to the pressure on D'Amato to win at any cost is the aggressive young President/Co-owner of the team, Christina Pagniacci, now coming into her own after her father's death. Christina's driving desire to prove herself in a male dominated world is intensified by her focus on the marketing and business of football, in which all coaches and players are merely properties.—AnonymousFour years ago, the Miami Sharks won the Pantheon Cup. This year, they are at best a middling team on a three game losing streak. With a 7-5 record with four games left in the season, they are still in the hunt for a playoff spot. That playoff spot becomes more difficult to achieve as in the fourth to last game, it against the Minnesota Americans, their top two quarterbacks are injured - including veteran first stringer Cap Rooney - leaving the QB duties for the rest of the season to third string Willie Beamen, who may be more emotionally and experientially ill-prepared for the role than he is technically. That inexperience and immaturity manifest themselves in acts of showboating on the field, leading to issues between him, the other players, and thirty year head coach, Tony D'Amato, who wants to see some discipline on the field. Tony already faces problems off the field with new owner/general manager, Christina Pagniacci, the only female owner in the league. She inherited the team from her father Art Pagniacci after his passing. While Tony and Art had a gentlemen's agreement type of relationship, Christina, who grew up calling Tony "Uncle Tony", isn't afraid to flex her muscles to make the team a success, she seeing the team's coaching future in the younger offensive coordinator, Nick Crozier. Her ultimate goal is to move the team to the larger market of Los Angeles, timely in her issues with how little she has seen Miami Mayor Tyrone Smalls put into maintaining the aging stadium or that there has been no talk about replacing it. The team, however, has to be a success for her to have the money to do so. Back on the field, Cap, who believes he will be healthy enough to play in the playoffs, comes to the realization that if Willie got them to the playoffs, he may be the favored starter in the playoffs, especially seeing to Cap's time off and age. Cap's health issue is minor compared to that of linebacker Luther Lavay, which highlights the differences between the team's doctors, Harvey Mandrake and Ollie Powers who sit on opposite sides of the player welfare versus overall team success at all cost debate.—HuggoA star quarterback gets knocked out of the game and an unknown third stringer is called in to replace him. The unknown gives a stunning performance and forces the aging coach to reevaluate his game plans and life. A new co-owner/president adds to the pressure of winning. The new owner must prove her self in a male dominated world.—MVBD26 <[email protected]>An aging football coach finds himself struggling with his personal and professional life while trying to hold his team together. A star quarterback has been knocked out of the game and a naive football player replaces him only to become exposed to the world of sports and become a danger to himself and to his players. Meanwhile, the coach finds himself constantly at battle with the team owner's money and power hungry daughter intent on moving the team out.—Mystic80