Robles movie "Unstoppable"

[bourbon n blues]

Yesterday Amazon prime released movie about Anthony Robles, Unstoppable.

I enjoyed it, because I didn't know much about his backstory. I found one part interesting and that was right before the final match with McDonough , Tom Brandt was quoted to saying something like if you're at Iowa or if you're at Iowa and you're second place you're last.

Did he actually say that? Also if you're Iowa or at Iowa and you say third, fourth, or worse as a finisher at the NCA where is a team what is worse than last?


(Moderator edit - if this turns into a thread about Iowa, it's getting merged)

 

[pish69]

Watched it last night. Like you, never knew the backstory with his family dynamics. Didn’t know he turned down full ride to Drexel to walk on at ASU. Crazy stuff and Robles is an incredible story.

Oh yeah..JLO as the hot mom was a nice touch!

So he only wrestled 2 yrs in college? His junior and senior years? ASU gave up wrestling his sophomore year. Did he start his fresh year?

 

[ClarkstonMark]

I have heard many others say 2nd place is 1st loser, similar to that quote. So wouldn't surprise me if it is true, and don't think it is a big deal.

 

[bourbon n blues]

Watched it last night. Like you, never knew the backstory with his family dynamics. Didn’t know he turned down full ride to Drexel to walk on at ASU. Crazy stuff and Robles is an incredible story.

Oh yeah..JLO as the hot mom was a nice touch!

So he only wrestled 2 yrs in college? His junior and senior years? ASU gave up wrestling his sophomore year. Did he start his fresh year?

I honestly didn't realize that was J lol and I do agree she was the hot mom. My wife and I were watching before she went to sleep so didn't want to say yeah she's pretty hot mom there huh?

I might not be a smart man, but I'm not that dumb..

 

[PASLP2]

I thought they captured Brands’ coaching expertise very well.

 

[bourbon n blues]

I have heard many others say 2nd place is 1st loser, similar to that quote. So wouldn't surprise me if it is true, and don't think it is a big deal.

Of course it's not a big deal but in the context of things since say 2011 I find it quite humorous.

I volunteer for some first aid duties at the Hawaii Iron Man, my chiropractor was going out there and I was single at the time she said why don't you come out. You could always volunteer a little bit and then maybe write off some of the cost lol.

There's a soft tissue expert out there Mike Leahy who does some incredible work with these athletes. He's also competitive triathlete or at least was back then. He used to call second third place second place win or third place winner. He had the mindset that sometimes you can't win something like this, but if you accomplish your goal or maybe improve your time from the last time you were out you did OK.

 

[bourbon n blues]

I thought they captured Brands’ coaching expertise very well.

I think Anthony was helped by the presence of Cael in the building, just saying .

 

[ClarkstonMark]

Of course it's not a big deal but in the context of things since say 2011 I find it quite humorous.

I volunteer for some first aid duties at the Hawaii Iron Man, my chiropractor was going out there and I was single at the time she said why don't you come out. You could always volunteer a little bit and then maybe write off some of the cost lol.

There's a soft tissue expert out there Mike Leahy who does some incredible work with these athletes. He's also competitive triathlete or at least was back then. He used to call second third place second place win or third place winner. He had the mindset that sometimes you can't win something like this, but if you accomplish your goal or maybe improve your time from the last time you were out you did OK.

Hey, I am 56 and this year doing my 3rd Ironman. I won't ever make it to Kona though lol.
And yes, I agree, the IM way is a much better mindset

 

[PSUbluTX]

Oh yeah..JLO as the hot mom was a nice touch!

I thought they captured Brands’ coaching expertise very well.

Did Peter Dinklage play the Brands brothers?

 

[GogglesPaizano]

I honestly didn't realize that was J lol and I do agree she was the hot mom. My wife and I were watching before she went to sleep so didn't want to say yeah she's pretty hot mom there huh?

I might not be a smart man, but I'm not that dumb..

JLo's hotness quotient has taken a big hit with the 'rumors' of attending freak offs, not to mention witnessing a shooting first hand at a night club. Not my thing.

Maybe we will find out the truth in the next year or so.

I am still looking forward to the movie and may check it out tonight.

 

[FatWoodchuck]

JLo's hotness quotient has taken a big hit with the 'rumors' of attending freak offs, not to mention witnessing a shooting first hand at a night club. Not my thing.

Maybe we will find out the truth in the next year or so.

I am still looking forward to the movie and may check it out tonight.

You scared of a little spice in your life? Your truly not living unless you witness a murder at a night club....gEt wIth thE TiMeS mAn

 

[BD07]

Watched it last night. Like you, never knew the backstory with his family dynamics. Didn’t know he turned down full ride to Drexel to walk on at ASU. Crazy stuff and Robles is an incredible story.

Oh yeah..JLO as the hot mom was a nice touch!

So he only wrestled 2 yrs in college? His junior and senior years? ASU gave up wrestling his sophomore year. Did he start his fresh year?

Looks like they changed quite a few things for the movie, I’m not sure why. I believe he was a three time All American and wrestled all four years. I didn’t think ASU dropped wrestling. Looked into it and seems like they had a Stanford type scare and may have even technically dropped it but didn’t miss a year of competition. Also don’t think he got second his junior year.

 

[Eastern HWT]

Enjoyed the movie and found out a lot not knowing that much background, but 2010 NCAA Robles and McDonough never wrestled in the finals, in fact they didn’t wrestle. McDonough beat Andrew Long , who beat Robles in the quarters. Robles placed 7th.

And in 2011 Robles was never in trouble beating McDonough, 7-1, he was not reversed to his back.

 

[Nitlion1986]

I haven't watched it yet. Do they explain what an unfair advantage he had getting to wrestle on one leg and all? Asking for HR folks.

 

[creamery freak]

I haven't watched it yet. Do they explain what an unfair advantage he had getting to wrestle on one leg and all? Asking for HR folks.

They made a comment in the movie that Iowa wanted him to weigh in with a prosthetic leg.

 

[Nitlion1986]

They made a comment in the movie that Iowa wanted him to weigh in with a prosthetic leg.

If that happened I guess we shouldn't be shocked. They made and Tom and Terry weigh in with all those rocks in their heads.

 

[El-Jefe]

They made a comment in the movie that Iowa wanted him to weigh in with a prosthetic leg.

That's admitting defeat before the match began.

You get what you earn.

 

[bourbon n blues]

Hey, I am 56 and this year doing my 3rd Ironman. I won't ever make it to Kona though lol.
And yes, I agree, the IM way is a much better mindset

I wish I could go back, but it's a pricy trip to volunteer . We'd get zero for our time. It was great when I was single ( it kept the margaritas to a safe level) but as a early sixties guy who's married ( I took my wife there in 2001 right after we were engaged).

I was going to propose 9/11/01, the fourth anniversary of our first date. Needless to say I didn't propose that day. It'll be 24 years now since I went.

Still Leahy was right imo, the attitude of strive for the best but be grateful for what you could accomplish is a healthy way to approach it.

 

[bourbon n blues]

Looks like they changed quite a few things for the movie, I’m not sure why. I believe he was a three time All American and wrestled all four years. I didn’t think ASU dropped wrestling. Looked into it and seems like they had a Stanford type scare and may have even technically dropped it but didn’t miss a year of competition. Also don’t think he got second his junior year.

Yeah, they were going to drop it but didn't .

 

[bourbon n blues]

JLo's hotness quotient has taken a big hit with the 'rumors' of attending freak offs, not to mention witnessing a shooting first hand at a night club. Not my thing.

Maybe we will find out the truth in the next year or so.

I am still looking forward to the movie and may check it out tonight.

Any of these gals are out of an older married guys reach for multiple reasons . However if she was a single, nice, not insane accountant or vice principal , aka a unicorn , she'd be ok lol.

 

[bourbon n blues]

Or as my wife would say, they lie and pretend to be other people for money.

 

[mhlarch]

Robles story is a great one, and he overcame many challenges to become a successful NCAA wrestler and an NCAA champion - kudos to him! But we should acknowledge there are some advantages he gained by not having one of his legs. Including weight and his opponents having one less leg to grab. Doesn't take anything away from what he overcame and accomplished.

I should probably watch the movie. Maybe I'd gain a new perspective on this, but what movie ever told a true life story straight down the line without embellishments and a lot of artistic license.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

If that happened I guess we shouldn't be shocked. They made and Tom and Terry weigh in with all those rocks in their heads.

@mods - Post of the Year candidate right here!

 

[Sleepylion]

Robles story is a great one, and he overcame many challenges to become a successful NCAA wrestler and an NCAA champion - kudos to him! But we should acknowledge there are some advantages he gained by not having one of his legs. Including weight and his opponents having one less leg to grab. Doesn't take anything away from what he overcame and accomplished.

I should probably watch the movie. Maybe I'd gain a new perspective on this, but what movie ever told a true life story straight down the line without embellishments and a lot of artistic license.

I am thinking any "advantages" he gained were more than offset by obstacles or disadvantages.

Otherwise there would be a bunch of people with aspirations to be an NCAA champion electing to get a leg amputated so they could gain an "advantage".

 

[El-Jefe]

I am thinking any "advantages" he gained were more than offset by obstacles or disadvantages.

Otherwise there would be a bunch of people with aspirations to be an NCAA champion electing to get a leg amputated so they could gain an "advantage".

Those "advantages" did not help Doyle Trout at all.

Robles had a very good career and is a once-in-a-lifetime story. He should be an inspiration to everybody. He was not a 4x national champ -- which is not to denigrate him, just to note that he had those so-called "advantages" only in his SR year. Nobody talked about his "advantages" when he placed 7th.

 

[El-Jefe]

If that happened I guess we shouldn't be shocked. They made and Tom and Terry weigh in with all those rocks in their heads.

@backdrft76 POTY candidate.

 

[ad1986]

It was an enjoyable watch . I read Robles book several years ago , very good read.

In the script, Shawn Hatosy, in a very small part as Tom Brands, says “At Iowa, we believe second is the same as last.

The producers realized the movie wouldn't work unless the wrestling scenes were dynamic and close to reality.

But Robles' style is so impossible to mimic that they kept coming back to the idea that they probably needed an amazing athlete who could capture Robles' movements and power, all on one leg. They eventually decided that there was only one person who could be a stunt double for the actor playing 22-year-old Anthony Robles: the 34-year-old Anthony Robles himself.
The same wrestling scenes are shot with Jerome, then with Robles. They have to look as similar as possible so that in post-production any facial shot will be Jerome but many of the action scenes are Robles, who had to work incredibly hard to achieve the body he had 12 years ago.

Matt McDonough, played by former All-America wrestler Johnni DiJulius. Many college coaches did cameos as their self .

There was the hilarious conversation about how Robles' disability was a big advantage. See, it turns out that being born without a leg was a huge advantage for Robles because he could wrestle at 125 pounds with the upper body of a bigger man since having one leg allowed him to weigh less and have the power of a 150-pound man.


Best laugh - came when Iowa is described (by actor Mykelti Williamson) as “corn and white people.”

 

[PSU_Lion_Fan]

Who was the PSU wrestler they showed getting pinned by Robles in Rec Hall or was that movie fiction? I don’t remember us ever hosting ASU.

 

[mcpat]

Just started it. Haven’t yet seen it.

 

[mcpat]

As usual, Hollywood took a story that didn’t need altered and altered it anyway. Good movie; just tough when you know the actual tale.

 

[ad1986]

Who was the PSU wrestler they showed getting pinned by Robles in Rec Hall or was that movie fiction? I don’t remember us ever hosting ASU.

There were some creative liberties taken in the movie. You may be referring to a clip of Matt McDonough pinning Nate Morgan in Rec Hall on Jan. 30, 2011. That was real. In the movie ASU wrestlers were watching McDonough matches and that clip was shown. The only time ASU was in Rec Hall was 2019, they stopped a long Penn State win streak.

 

[BOSCO2]

There were some creative liberties taken in the movie. You may be referring to a clip of Matt McDonough pinning Nate Morgan in Rec Hall on Jan. 30, 2011. That was real. In the movie ASU wrestlers were watching McDonough matches and that clip was shown. The only time ASU was in Rec Hall was 2019, they stopped a long Penn State win streak.

I'm pretty sure that ASU match was at ASU. I remember listening to it on the radio. If it would have been at home I'd have been there.

 

[PSU_Lion_Fan]

There were some creative liberties taken in the movie. You may be referring to a clip of Matt McDonough pinning Nate Morgan in Rec Hall on Jan. 30, 2011. That was real. In the movie ASU wrestlers were watching McDonough matches and that clip was shown. The only time ASU was in Rec Hall was 2019, they stopped a long Penn

I'm pretty sure that ASU match was at ASU. I remember listening to it on the radio. If it would have been at home I'd have been there.

It was definitely at ASU. My son and I took a trip to Vegas, Utah, and Arizona. We attended the ASU/PSU match and I had the pleasure of meeting Anthony.

 

[mhlarch]

I'm pretty sure that ASU match was at ASU. I remember listening to it on the radio. If it would have been at home I'd have been there.

It was at ASU.....I remember it as one of the rare instances a PSU team seemed a bit intimated by a raucous away crowd, even with the record on the line. A bleep in the long storied Lions history.

 

[AgSurfer]

I haven’t seen the movie yet but I have had the pleasure of meeting Anthony in person at an ASU inter team wrestle off. (Mark Hall and Ed Ruth were there too!) He’s a genuinely good guy.

Does anyone know what he is doing nowadays?

 

[creamery freak]

I haven’t seen the movie yet but I have had the pleasure of meeting Anthony in person at an ASU inter team wrestle off. (Mark Hall and Ed Ruth were there too!) He’s a genuinely good guy.

Does anyone know what he is doing nowadays?

I think in an earlier post they mentioned he travels around the country as a motivational speaker.

 

[Dwayne_Johnson33]

I haven’t seen the movie yet but I have had the pleasure of meeting Anthony in person at an ASU inter team wrestle off. (Mark Hall and Ed Ruth were there too!) He’s a genuinely good guy.

Does anyone know what he is doing nowadays?

Current head coach at Hamilton HS in Chandler, Az. Previously head coach at his Alma Mater Mesa HS.

 

[Hotshoe]

As usual, Hollywood took a story that didn’t need altered and altered it anyway. Good movie; just tough when you know the actual tale.

They always do this. Hollywood can f up a wet dream. I especially love when they take historical events and change timelines to embellish a story. Most of the movies come from novels or screenplays. All take a lot of creative liberties. They especially love to do it with Westerns. I swear, Wyatt Earp has met every great Westerner, or fought them in a gunfight. Lol

 

[AgSurfer]

I swear, Wyatt Earp has met every great Westerner, or fought them in a gunfight. Lol

And that the Earps were the good guys and the Clantons were the bad guys. The truth is a lot more complicated.

 

[El-Jefe]

They always do this. Hollywood can f up a wet dream. I especially love when they take historical events and change timelines to embellish a story. Most of the movies come from novels or screenplays. All take a lot of creative liberties. They especially love to do it with Westerns. I swear, Wyatt Earp has met every great Westerner, or fought them in a gunfight. Lol

No surprise there. Hollywood shares a collective brain cell.