theScore is counting down the 100 best fictional characters in sports movie history.

100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1

10. Apollo Creed

"Rocky" (1975), "Rocky II" (1979), "Rocky III" (1982), and "Rocky IV" (1985)

Arguably the most charismatic sports figure to ever grace the silver screen, Creed (Carl Weathers) is the perfect opposite to Rocky Balboa's underdog character. The flamboyant, arrogant boxer, who was loosely based on a combination of fighters including Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard, embraces his larger-than-life status while drawing heat and remaining likable at the same time.

9. Randy 'The Ram' Robinson

"The Wrestler" (2008)

Darren Aronofsky's dark dive into the independent circuits of professional wrestling was a masterpiece that reached Oscar-worthy success thanks to Mickey Rourke's incredible portrayal of fading grappler Robinson. "The Ram" represents everything that is wrong with fame and fortune when his continued journey toward reliving his glory years ends up costing him more important things in life. Rourke, who actually wrestled in the film, received a Best Actor nomination for his work.

8. Reggie 'Reg' Dunlop

"Slap Shot" (1977)

Already in his 50s when "Slap Shot" was released, Paul Newman's Reg has a bit of a Gordie Howe feel to him as a passionate on-ice leader who's seen and done it all but continues to ply his trade because hockey is truly his first love. As always, that trademark Newman cool is present both during the games and at the local bar.

Fair warning, however: Some of Reg's banter hasn't aged well.

7. Crash Davis

"Bull Durham" (1988)

Warning: Video contains coarse language

Davis (Kevin Costner) is a veteran catcher who is recruited to teach young hurler "Nuke" LaLoosh how to be a professional while also attempting to break a minor-league home-run record that most people don't know or care about. Davis may be rough around the edges in "Bull Durham," but his adoration for baseball and ability to deliver memorable speeches make him one of the most legendary sports characters in film history.

6. Happy Gilmore

"Happy Gilmore" (1996)

It's the perfect fish-out-of-water story: An impulsive wannabe hockey player takes on the golf world after discovering an uncanny ability to drive the ball hundreds of yards thanks to his graceless slap shot technique. As Happy, Adam Sandler is at his man-child best, yelling, punching, and cursing as he runs roughshod over the stodgy denizens of the pro tour.

5. Jesus Shuttlesworth

"He Got Game" (1998)

Casting a non-actor - then-Milwaukee Bucks star Ray Allen - to play a lead role in a drama carried plenty of risk, but Spike Lee's gambit paid off. Allen does just enough to bring teenage basketball prodigy Jesus Shuttlesworth to life, then wisely clears out of the paint to let Denzel Washington do the heavy lifting.

With Allen becoming a Hall of Famer, the Jesus Shuttlesworth character has remained in the public consciousness for well over two decades.

4. 'Steamin' Willie Beamen

"Any Given Sunday" (1999)

Warning: Video contains coarse language

Throughout the 1990s, Jamie Foxx was best known for sketch comedy show "In Living Color" and sitcom "The Jamie Foxx Show." Oliver Stone's "Any Given Sunday," which digs deeper into the seedy underbelly of professional football, helped bridge the gap from Foxx's comedic work to his Best Actor Oscar for "Ray" in 2005.

Much of Willie Beamen's story holds up today: football's pigeonholing and treatment of Black quarterbacks; acclimatizing to a rapid rise in celebrity status; and balancing on-field and off-field priorities. Beamen feels like an amalgam of many real-life QBs who came before and after - one-of-a-kind personalities and talents like Jim McMahon, Michael Vick, Baker Mayfield, and Lamar Jackson.

3. Shooter McGavin

"Happy Gilmore" (1996)

McGavin (Christopher McDonald) is everything you want from a comedic sports movie villain. For one, he sees all competitors as his inferiors - oftentimes making him both a sore loser and sore winner. Shooter also positions himself as a gatekeeper for his sport, sneering at those who upset golf's established hierarchies and traditions.

That makes him the perfect foil to Sandler's Happy, a blue-collar rube with a penchant for emotional outbursts. Of course, it doesn't take very long for Happy to turn the tables; by the end of "Happy Gilmore," Shooter has completely lost his moral high-ground, allowing Happy to seize victory.

2. Dottie Hinson

"A League of Their Own" (1992)

Runner-up on our list is Hinson (Geena Davis), the dairy farmer-turned-catcher in "A League of Their Own." After joining the All-American Girls Professional Baseball Team while her husband is away at war, Hinson becomes an immediate sensation thanks to her marvelous on-field play and leadership in this sisterhood classic that was preserved as part of the United States National Film Registry in 2012.

1. Rocky Balboa

"Rocky" (1975), "Rocky II" (1979), "Rocky III" (1982), "Rocky IV" (1985), "Rocky V" (1990), "Rocky Balboa" (2006), "Creed" (2015), and "Creed II" (2018)

The greatest underdog in sports film history tops our list, and rightfully so. The iconic "Rocky" franchise has spawned eight films over five decades, and the one constant has been Balboa, a nobody boxer who made the most out of the ultimate opportunity. Just when it seems Rocky is faced with an impossible challenge, the "Italian Stallion" finds a way to overcome the odds. Balboa never quits and has proven over the past 42 years that anything is possible, especially through hard work and perseverance.

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Elias Pettersson's first two seasons in the NHL have been nothing short of spectacular, but he believes he has the potential to take his talent to the next level.

"My second season I am very happy with, but I still think - or I know - I can play better," the Vancouver Canucks star said Thursday, according to NHL.com's David Satriano. "First season (2018-19) was very good. I think the end of the last 20-30 games my first season wasn't that good, but it was a good learning point for me."

The 21-year-old was selected by the Canucks fifth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft. He led all rookies in goals (28) and points (66) last campaign, taking home the Calder Trophy in the process.

This season, Pettersson was on pace to improve on his rookie year significantly. At the time of the season's pause on March 12, he had 27 goals and 66 points with a number of games left.

He reflected on what he can do to improve, and ultimately believes it's working on the little things that can help him develop.

"Maturing in the game, like never losing puck battles, never lose (the puck) if I'm going to try and dangle someone," Pettersson said. "Small areas, small details that I can work on to become better."

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With three capable goalies at his disposal, New York Rangers head coach David Quinn isn't sure who he'll start in net if the NHL proceeds with its 24-team postseason.

Igor Shesterkin, Alexandar Georgiev, and Henrik Lundqvist split goaltending duties in New York this season, leaving Quinn with a tough choice.

"You can make a case for all three guys," Quinn said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "There's a lot of reasons to take Shesty, there's a lot of reasons to start Hank, and there's reasons to start Georgie. This is such an uncertain time that that will play out over the course of the two-and-a-half weeks that we're going to have before we drop the puck."

Phase 3 of the NHL's return-to-play plan is expected to begin on July 10 and includes full training camps for teams. The Rangers are set to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in a best-of-five play-in round once the league resumes its season.

Lundqvist had a subpar campaign overall but was tremendous against the Hurricanes. He logged a 3-0-0 record with a 2.33 goals-against average and .947 save percentage versus Carolina in 2019-20. By contrast, he posted a 3.16 goals-against average and .905 save percentage on the season while playing in a career-low 30 games.

Shesterkin, meanwhile, seemed well on his way to taking over as the Rangers' starter after making his NHL debut in January. The 24-year-old went 10-2-0 with a .932 save percentage and 2.52 goals-against average before the league halted play.

Georgiev, also 24, finished the season with a 17-14-2 record alongside a 3.04 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.

"Hank's history factors in, Shesty's season factors in," Quinn said. "Everything factors in. We're going to consider everything when we make that decision. For every player, the time that we have between when we start practicing and the start of the games is going to be pivotal, but none more so than our goalies."

Though Quinn hasn't anointed a starter, Lundqvist has a decided edge over his fellow netminders when it comes to postseason experience. The 38-year-old is a veteran of 128 playoff games, helping lead the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Final on two occasions and the Stanley Cup Final once. Neither Shesterkin nor Georgiev has appeared in a single NHL playoff game.

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Philadelphia Flyers forward Oskar Lindblom is celebrating his road to recovery.

Lindblom rang the bell at Penn Medical Center on Thursday to signal the end of his cancer treatments. The 23-year-old winger was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma in December, which is a rare form of bone cancer.

"I can't even explain how I feel," Lindblom said, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman. "Feels like having my birthday, Christmas, and all those holidays at the same time.

"Feels awesome to be done. Can't wait to get back to normal life again and feel like I'm living."

Lindblom returned to the ice in June with a small group of teammates for the first time since his diagnosis, but he won't participate in the league's return-to-play plan.

The 6-foot-1 Swede recorded 11 goals and 18 points through 30 games with the Flyers this season before his diagnosis.

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Edmonton has been selected to host both the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final this summer, TSN's Bob McKenzie reported Thursday.

Though the NHL has yet to make an official announcement, Edmonton and Toronto have reportedly been tabbed as the two hub cities that will host the 24-team playoff if the league returns this summer.

The NHL and the players' association are working toward a new collective bargaining agreement that includes the return-to-play protocols and remedies for lost revenue due to the league's shutdown. The hub cities are expected to be made official once that agreement is pending player approval.

Edmonton's hub-city plan involves a bubble spanning multiple blocks that includes the JW Marriott hotel, the Sutton Place Hotel, and Rogers Arena and its practice facility. A wall will be built around the bubble to help maintain player and public safety, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.

Training camps are scheduled to begin July 10 under Phase 3 of the league's return-to-play plan.

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After recent news that Olympic participation is included in the NHL and NHLPA's modified collective bargaining agreement, it's time for hockey fans to begin thinking ahead to what the tournament may look like.

The NHL skipped the 2018 games in PyeongChang, but pending an agreement with the International Olympic Committee, the biggest stars in the world will gather in Beijing in 2022 for a true best-on-best event.

In light of that, we're projecting the rosters for the top six countries involved, beginning with Team Canada.

Others in this series:
USA
Sweden - July 6
Finland - July 8
Czech Republic - July 10
Russia - July 12

Canada

Head coach: Jon Cooper

Mike Babcock led two separate well-oiled Canadian machines to gold medals in 2010 and 2014. But he was fired from the Toronto Maple Leafs for failing to get the most out of his star-studded roster, and it's tough to imagine him earning the nod to bear the nation's gold-or-bust responsibility again without holding an NHL job.

Babcock could be back in the league by February 2022, but we're giving the Team Canada gig to Cooper, the NHL's longest-tenured head coach. With the Tampa Bay Lightning, Cooper has proven he's adept at managing a team full of superstars.

Forwards

(All player ages as of February 2022)

Extras: Alexis Lafreniere (20)

To nobody's surprise, Canada is set to put forth a powerhouse. There's no shortage of firepower up front, and those who've longed to see Crosby and McDavid share the ice while representing Canada will finally get their wish in what's most likely Sid's final Olympics. Crosby is no longer the lead dog, and a pair of Boston Bruins in Marchand and Bergeron flank him here, forming the same line that steamrolled the competition at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

McDavid gets top-line duties alongside the underrated Huberdeau, and one of the most lethal finishers in NHL history in Stamkos. Scheifele is moved to the wing on the second line, as there are simply too many good Canadian centers to only bring four, and the team can shift players around where it sees fit. He'll line up with MacKinnon and Stone, creating a defensively responsible line that's also capable of dominating offensively.

The fourth line features a pair of Toronto Maple Leafs in Marner and Tavares, and Point, one of the NHL's best two-way centers. Canada may opt for a checking-style line to round out its forward corps, but we went with 12 forwards who can push the pace and contribute offensively. Cooper can also easily find four forwards to kill penalties among this group.

Lafreniere, the presumptive 2020 No. 1 pick, is the 13th forward. Making the team may be a long shot for him right now, but if Lafreniere joins a contender through this year's crazy lottery system, his NHL stock could immediately skyrocket. His left-handedness would also be a welcome addition to a righty-dominated group.

Just missed the cut: Sean Couturier, Taylor Hall, Ryan O'Reilly, Mathew Barzal

Defense

Extra: Drew Doughty (32)

This blue-line unit isn't as physically imposing as some of the others Canada has found success with, but the Canadians aren't as deep at the position now. However, the game has changed since Canada's 2002, 2010, and 2014 triumphs, and these six defenders can all skate, move the puck effectively, and generate offense.

Chabot is one of the league's top workhorses, and a budding star who will get more recognition as the Ottawa Senators continue to improve. He's paired with the most proven rearguard of the bunch in Pietrangelo, and the two will face opponents' top lines while logging the lion's share of minutes.

Rielly and Makar are a swift pairing, and each blue-liner can also quarterback a power-play unit. If Makar is already dominating top competition as a rookie, just imagine what he can do two years from now with an All-Star cast supporting him.

Theodore might come as a surprise to some on the third pairing, but the Golden Knights' stud is polished in every facet of the position, and he's still only entering his prime. Hamilton matches up nicely with Theodore on the right side as an effective possession player equipped with a booming slapshot, and if Cooper wants to get more defensive, he could slide in Doughty instead. The former Norris Trophy winner has fallen off from the elite standard he set in recent years, but Doughty's track record in international competition is impeccable, and he can still contribute well in the proper role.

Just missed the cut: Shea Weber, Mark Giordano, Josh Morrissey, Kris Letang, Ryan Ellis

Goalies

Extra: Jordan Binnington (28)

Canada is at a bit of a crossroads in net, as the nation's most established netminders are well into their 30s. However, the next generation of top Canadian goaltenders is promising with Hart leading the way. The Philadelphia Flyers' future No. 1 appears bound for stardom after posting highly impressive numbers in his first two NHL seasons.

Would Canada hand the reins to the youngster, or lean on the veteran Price, who's produced arguably the most dazzling resume of any goalie to don the maple leaf? That largely depends on what Price does during his next two NHL campaigns. But barring a dramatic decline, it's difficult to envision a scenario in which Price, even at 34, wouldn't be relied upon behind such a stacked roster.

Just missed the cut: Marc-Andre Fleury, Braden Holtby, Darcy Kuemper

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