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June 9, 2004

Casting for 'CAL-The Movie'

By TOM WILLIAMS
Sports Columnist


The Cape-Atlantic League has been one of the most successful high school sports leagues in New Jersey the past 15 years or so and it’s a shame the schools can’t benefit from that with some big bucks.

How about a weekly television show? Using the titles of some current shows as a guide, here were some ideas that were kicked around.

According to Jim: The pressures on a high school teacher from Egg Harbor Township as he operates the scoreboard at some of the biggest high school basketball games of the year.

Apprentice: A former basketball star at EHT with a big smile returns to her alma mater as an assistant coach.

Becker: The EHT athletics director and a great Yankees fan is surrounded by Phillies fans in this situation comedy.

Cops: The story of a Ventnor City police officer who is also a new father as he becomes one of the most sought-after basketball statisticians in the country.

The Dead Zone: A former boys basketball coach takes over the girls program at Holy Spirit and plays only man-to-man, refusing to use any zone.

Fear Factor: Teams throughout the league get ready for their wrestling match with Absegami.

Good Morning Miami: A South Jersey radio sports producer, who also loves to play the ponies, recounts his experiences in Florida.

King of the Hill: A 5-6 basketball coach from St. Augustine Prep wins an 11th South Jersey title and a 3rd state championship during a turbulent season.

King of Queens: It’s a coach from Absegami who takes his girls basketball team to six straight conference titles and, in one exciting episode, is rushed to the hospital in the middle of a game.

The O.C.: A story chronicling the battle to get a new high school approved in Ocean City and step by step throughout its construction.

One on One: The battle between two great distance runners from Mainland as they battle each other in the season’s biggest races.

The Parkers: The story of a father who was a high school star and now ranks among the top amateur golfers in the country, and his son, a former high school star who is currently coaching.

The Practice: The exploits of golf and tennis coaches as they face frustration by spring weather that piles up matches and keeps them off the driving range and the practice courts.

60 Minutes: An Ocean City football player is followed as he plays virtually every minute of every game.

Still Standing: The story of an Absegami wrestler, who is also a successful quarterback, who beats them all and is ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Survivor: A battle between Wildwood’s mayor, a young sports editor, two radio station owners and two Wildwood basketball coaches to get through 102 Christmas tournament games in five days. One of them is voted off the boardwalk each day.

That 70s Show: After spending his junior year at a golf academy, a Lower Cape May golfer returns to consistently shoot in the low 70s.

What do you think? Anything there that would light up the Nielsen ratings?

We may have a better idea. How about a big screen classic? Lets put this CAL story in theatres, instead of on television.

The secret to a good movie is the casting so, lets give it a shot. If they were all available, how about this lineup of actors portraying some of the Cape-Atlantic Leaguers we know and love.

Cuba Gooding Jr. as Gene Allen
Freddie Prinze Jr. as Tom Attanasi
Jimmy Smits as Sam Botta
David Janssen as Jack Boyd
Chris Noth as John Bruno
Dennis Franz as Ed Byrnes
Armand Assante as Frank Campo
Val Kilmer as Doug Colman
Clint Eastwood as Wayne Colman
Charlie Sheen as Brian Cunniff
Gwyneth Paltrow as Katie DeRichie
Steve McQueen as George Evinski
Al Pacino as Tom Feraco
Richard Widmark as Joe Fussner
John Cleese as Tom Getzke
Brian Dennehy as Butch Gleason
Kelsey Grammer as Whitey Haak
Holly Hunter as Tricia Hopson
Ringo Starr at Ken Leary
Chevy Chase at Paul LeFever
Cindy Williams as Chris Lentz
Beau Bridges as Champ McGaffney
Conan O’Brien as Mike McGarry
Eric McCormack as George McNally
Peter MacNicol as Mike Naples
Tom Selleck as Bill Nickles
Matthew Perry as Mike O’Brien
Robert Loggia at John Pierantozzi
Danny DeVito as Paul Rodio
Joe Pesci as Paul Sacco
William Shatner as Fran St. John
Wally Kurth as Rob Seitzinger
Brad Pitt as Chuck Smith
George Clooney as Dave Troiano
Sean “Puffy” Combs as Butch Warner
Dean Cain as Bruce Welch
Chi McBride as Roy Wright

There is so much more to do. We need to find a good screen writer and a director. And there are many more parts to cast. For instance, whom do you get to play Bud Rinck?

If you have any other casting ideas that can help make this movie a hit, let us know.



Read more of Tom Williams' columns