Sports movies have their special place in the history of motion pictures. Whether sappy, sentimental, silly, serious or somewhere in between, these films depicting athletic competitions have given us some memorable characters.
As much as cinema and home audiences over the years have rooted for the heroes to win championships or triumph through adversity in sports movies, in many cases, the primary antagonists also linger in the zeitgeist through multiple viewings and generations.
From dodgeball to skiing, from auto racing to karate, from hockey to soccer, from baseball to football, Sporting News ranks the worst of the bad guys, the 21 most hated sports movie villains of time.
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21. Chozen Toguchi, The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
Played by: Yuji Okumoto
Sporting accolades: As Daniel-San rose under Mr. Miyagi, Chozen Toguchi was rising under the mentorship of his uncle/sensei Sato, who happened to be Miyagi's greatest enemy in Okinawa. While Chozen chooses to act as unofficial enforcer for Sato rather than compete in karate, he becomes a master of combat, standing out with his handfighting and handling of blades.
Dastardly deeds: Chozen, several years before getting retconned as a reformed drunk comic relief sous-sensei ruing his lost potential love Kumiko in the Netflix series "Cobra Kai", is a bully, a dishonest business middleman and someone who would rather keep a child in peril during a typhoon than take sides with Daniel and Miyagi. Sato and Miyagi are able to bury the hatchet mid-movie, but Chozen maintains his axe to grind, sparing no spear or knife to beat Daniel and win Kumiko.
There's a good chance Kumiko, traumatized by Chozen threatening to stab her neck, remembers this in the future much more than her tea ceremony kiss with Daniel. In a game of "live or die" to the finish, Daniel finishes off Chozen's storyline for three decades by trading "crane kick" for drum technique.
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20. Roy Stalin, Better Off Dead (1985)
Played by: Aaron Dozier
Sporting accolades: Roy Stalin was the first skier in all of Greendale, California to conquer and dominate the K-12, the town's highest and most challenging snowy peak. He maintains his arrogant captaincy of the high school team and lords his speedy downhill accomplishment over heroic Lane Meyer, who is stuck trying to recover losing his first love, Beth — Roy's new girlfriend.
Dastardly deeds: Roy lives up to his horrible last name by bullying and dictating terms to Lane, whom he lamely calls "Oscar" because of his last name. Once Lane starts finding romance with girl-next-door French exchange student Monique, Stalin wastes no time insulting her, prompting a K-12 ski-off with Lane. Not even Stalin's classic 80s high school jerk-jock looks can save him.
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19. Spike Hammersmith, Little Giants (1994)
Played by: Sam Horrigan
Sporting accolades: Spike Hammersmith is the hot new recruit for pee-wee football in Urbania, Ohio, choosing the girl-less roster of Kevin O'Shea's Cowboys, spurning Danny O'Shea's Little Giants. He is a ferocious and intimidating two-way player with the most talent in town.
Dastardly deeds: Spike, beyond being a misogynist-in-training, lives up to his first and last name. In the big game, he decides to spear Giants QB Junior Floyd with his helmet with intent to injure him and take Junior out of the game, encouraged by Spike's father, Mike Hammersmith. Spike is somehow not kicked out of the game by Kevin and feels the tackling wrath of Danny's incensed daughter Becky (aka Icebox) on a goal-line stand. That allows "The Annexation of Puerto Rico" and an improbable Giants comeback win from down 21 at halftime.
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18. The Beast, The Sandlot (1993)
Played by: Hercules
Sporting accolades: The Beast, an imposing and brutish breed of English Mastiff, is relentless at playing fetch, keeping every lost baseball over the fence and into the yard of his owner, Mr. Mertle (who definitely isn't reclusive author Terence Mann).
Dastardly deeds: The Beast has issues with hoarding and scaring impressionable young men. He breaks out of his chains and makes Benny run in circles trying to escape before having the audacity to lick "The Jet". The Beast comes clean with the lost balls and saves the day for Smalls, preserving the sandlot fun for years to come.
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17. Johnny Lawrence, The Karate Kid (1984)
Played by: William Zabka, reprised role in The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1989), Karate Kid: Legends (2025)
Sporting accolades: Johnny Lawrence was a two-time champion of the All Valley Under 18 karate tournament (1982, 1983) representing the original Cobra Kai dojo and his harsh sensei, John Kreese. He lost his title to rookie Daniel Russo, however, in 1984, and his life would never be the same.
Dastardly deeds: Johnny doesn't like the fact that Daniel is a new kid in town showing his ex-girlfriend his best soccer dribbling skills on the beach. He uses the "no mercy" karate style to make Daniel eat sand, flexing his classic 80s rich kid muscle on the new apartment dweller with a single mother in Receda. He also pulls off a skeletal bodysuit and makeup while kicking Daniel into Halloween hell. Later, we learn Johnny is a child of severe trauma, including paternal abandonment, a nasty stepfather and an even worse sensei who teaches him violence and anger. Johnny's transition from villain to anti-hero to hero and the true sports television protagonist is unexpected, but brilliant.
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16. Ogie Ogilthorpe, Slap Shot (1977)
Played by: Ned Dowd
Sporting accolades: Ogie Ogilthorpe, the notorious Syracuse Bulldog, was based on former Syracuse Blazers WHA wild man Bill "Goldie" Goldthorpe", a bloodthirsty minor-league hockey enforcer.
Dastardly deeds: Ogie's reputation as the worst goon in hockey precedes him, as the mere mention of the oft-mispronounced alliterative aggressor irks Reg Dunlop and the Charlestown Chiefs, including the old-time, fun-loving Hanson Brothers. From the deportation to Canada to the rejection from Canada, Ogilthorpe should be a 21-year-old rookie in San Quentin.
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15. Bob Sugar, Jerry Maguire (1996)
Played by: Jay Mohr
Sporting accolades: Bob Sugar is one of the most powerful agents in sports, a protege of the titular hero who is a rising star at Sports Management International (SMI).
Dastardly deeds: Sugar also backstabs our titular hero after meeting him at a fake business lunch at Cronin's restaurants, firing him on behalf of SMI and preceding to steal every one of Maguire's top clients except for Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell. Sugar also makes sure Maguire doesn't land No. 1 QB draft prospect Frank "Cush" Cushman.
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14. Roy Turner, The Bad News Bears (1976)
Played by: Vic Morrow
Sporting accolades: Roy Turner thinks he's a combination of Billy Martin and Casey Stengel as coach of the big, bad little-league Yankees, the team the Bears want to beat most in the biggest game.
Dastardly deeds: Turner is a terrible, aggressive manager who berates his players and stops at nothing to out-dirty Bears counterpart Morris Buttermaker. But then Roy decides to take it too far by taking out his anger and frustration by physically abusing his son/star pitcher Joey on the mound for errantly pitching a beanball against his orders. His actions make Buttermaker realize baseball should be fun for kids and winning isn't as important.
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13. Terry Silver, The Karate Kid Part III (1989)
Played by: Thomas Ian Griffith
Sporting accolades: Terry Silver is an adept master of karate, but he's best known for being the original rich, corporate owner of Cobra Kai, the dojo he co-founded with Vietnam War buddie turned baddie John Kreese.
Dastardly deeds: Silver rises to post-war wealth as a toxic-waste disposal magnate, which is already problematic to his character. That's before he launches a lengthy training ruse to trick Daniel-San to re-enter the All-Valley vs. Silver protege turned bully Mike Barnes. Silver became a scarier, relapsing villain as a Grey Fox in Netflix series "Cobra Kai", showing he could have done a lot better in messing with and manipulating Daniel in his movie turn.
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12. Jean Girard, Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Played by: Sacha Baron Cohen
Sporting accolades: Jean Girard is somewhat of a trailblazer as the first openly gay French Formula One driver. He makes a quick successful transition to stock car racing and trumps Will Ferrell's Ricky Bobby as NASCAR's top dog.
Dastardly deeds: Girard didn't carry good sportsmanship with him in changing circuits as he taunts and trolls Ricky Bobby to the point the latter has a mental health breakdown. In the end, Girard's true objective of wanting to lose to Ricky is revealed, all so that he can fool everyone to think it's time for him to retire. Girard and Ricky make up later and seal their pact with a kiss.
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11. White Goodman, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
Played by: Ben Stiller
Sporting accolades: White Goodman overcomes his obesity issues to work himself into top shape as founder of Globo Fitness, later founding the Globo Gym Purple Cobras to compete in the Las Vegas Dodgeball tournament, pulling strings with the Dodgeball Chancellor to qualify without his team having dodgeball matches.
Dastardly deeds: Goodman turned into a corporate raider, trying to take over small-time competing gym Average Joes. He sexually harassed Kate, the Average Joes' lawyer before showing more ruthlessness in the tourney toward Peter LaFleur and the rest of the Average Joes, who were just trying to keep their gym. He also stole a kid's hot dog.
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10. David Simms, Tin Cup (1996)
Played by: Don Johnson
Sporting accolades: David Simms, a star college golfer at the University of Houston along with Roy "Tin Cup" McAvoy, goes on to becoming a top PGA pro.
Dastardly deeds: Simms belittles a down on his luck McAvoy by asking him to caddie in a benefit tournament instead of playing in it. When Simms loses a bet with Roy over making a shot over a water hazard, Simms further humiliates Roy by firing him. Roy uses that as motivation, however, to qualify for the U.S. Open, play golf in his own fearless away and steal Simms' girlfriend, sports psychologist Dr. Molly Griswold.
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9. Judge Elihu Smails, Caddyshack (1980)
Played by: Ted Knight
Sporting accolades: Judge Smails is a die-hard golfing member of the Bushwood Country Club, serving as director of the Caddie Scholarship Program, serving as the poor-intending mentee to Danny Noonan.
Dastardly deeds: Smails is the classic country-club snob, thinking about no one else but his family. He wants to control the sanctity of the club and condesends to anyone who doesn't meet those lofty, haughty standards. He also attempts to both humiliate and kill both Noonan and irreverent rival Al Czervik.
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8. Rachel Phelps, Major League (1989)
Played by: Margaret Whitton, reprised role in Major League II (1994)
Sporting accolades: Rachel Phelps didn't do anything to inherit the team, as the former Las Vegas showgirl inherited the Cleveland MLB club from her late husband Donald. Her goal is to get well ahead of the future expansion Marlins, who the beat Cleveland in the 1997 World Series, and relocate her team to a new stadium in Miami. She is driven to make sure fewer than 800,000 total fans attend games that season to force the league into letting her move the team.
Dastardly deeds: Phelps tries to lower attendance by lowering the product on the field with a bad mix of players led by ancient catcher Jake Taylor, fading Roger Dorn and wild-card speedster Willie Mays Hayes. Getting insane fireball pitcher Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn seems to be her coup de grace, but then she also makes the team ride a breaking-down bus to games and cuts down on any locker room perks. The manager and players foil this plan by winning too much and playing exciting baseball, to the point they can see the entirity of a NSFW life-size cardboard cutout of her.
She later sells the team to Dorn in Major League II, only to see him fail as an owner and buys the team right back to continue on the path of rooting for them to fail, which of course, they don't again, winning the ALCS over the rival Whtie Sox and foiling her futile revenge plot.
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7. Ernie McCracken, Kingpin (1996)
Played by: Bill Murray
Sporting accolades: Ernie "Big Ern" McCracken is a professional bowler who recovers well from losing to young rival Roy Munson in Ocelot, Iowa, in 1979, developing one of the sport's biggest and most egotistical stars.
Dastardly deeds: McCracken sets up Munson in a bowling hustle gone wrong, leading Munson to lose the use of his right bowling hand in a ball return. They meet many yeas later in Reno, Nevada, at a tournament where Munson must replace protege Ishmael despite having a rubber hand. McCracken continues to add to Munson's misery by beating "The Rubber Man" by a single pin. McCracken, however, likely meets his end when being pursued by Stanley, the ex-boyfriend of Claudia, who becomes Munson's new girlfriend.
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6. The Judge, The Natural (1984)
Played by: Robert Prosky
Sporting accolades: The Judge is the majority owner of the New York Knights, who signs 35-year-old Roy Hobbs to a contract in 1939. Although his team is in last place, he is making moves to make sure his ownership is more secure.
Dastardly deeds: The Judge successfuly bribes Bump Bailey to throw games all season long and tries to make Hobbs do the same for $5,000. When that doesn't work and Bump dies running through a wall, he tries to distract Hobbs from playing at his usual All-Star level by fooling him into dating manager Pop Fisher's beautiful but conniving niece Memo Paris. Memo (who later poisons Roy), The Judge and gambler Gus Sands are all working together to bring down Hobbs and the Knights. While Hobbs is hospitalized, The Judge ups the ante on his bribe while Memo makes one more attempt to court Roy. Roy gets his revenge by homering into the lights, winning the Knights the pennant in walk off fashion and keeping The Judge from controlling the team over Pop.
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5. Warden Hazen, The Longest Yard (1974, 2005)
Played by: Eddie Albert, James Cromwell (pictured above)
Sporting accolades: Rudolph Hazen is a prison warden obsessed with football to the point he has organized a semi-pro team made of his guards. With the help of head guard Wilhelm, Hazen challenges the rag-tag inmates led by Paul Crewe to an exhibition sporting spectacle.
Dastardly deeds: Warden is passionate about winning football, but he's more into putting inmates in their place and reminding them of the dire consequences of attempting a prison escape, including being shot by the guards during or after the game. Hazen gives The Shawshank Redemption's Samuel Norton a run for his money as the worst Warden to be portrayed on screen, by either Albert ("Green Acres") or Crowell ("Babe").
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4. Clubber Lang, Rocky III (1982)
Played by: Mr. T, reprised role in Rocky IV (1985)
Sporting accolades: Clubber Lang uses his time in prison to rehab through boxing, emerging as a tough heavyweight contender to Rocky by blowing through a lot of lesser competition.
Dastardly deeds: Lang brashly makes an aging Rocky eschew retirement and succumb to his championship meeting request ("I pity the fool). Lang gets in Rocky's head and beats him in their first bout, setting up a brutal, dirty rematch in which Lang is unrelenting in pushing both Rocky and even Apollo around. Lang wears down with his wild style with Rocky using his speed and quickness advantage.
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3. John Kreese, The Karate Kid (1984)
Played by: Martin Kove, reprised roled in The Karate Kid Part II (1986), The Karate Kid Part III (1988)
Sporting accolades: As the co-founder of the Cobra Kai dojo, John Kreese's "no mercy" philosophy as a Vietnam veteran is effective in turning initial prize pupil Johnny Lawrence into a two-time champion of the Under 18 All Valley Karate Tournament.
Dastardly deeds: Kreese is a bully suffering from PTSD and pushes his anger and trauma into his students, making him a questionable sensei. He wants "no mercy" to apply to hurting Daniel-San to try to ensure Lawrence a third consecutive title. He also gets into a post-tournament fight with Mr. Miyagi and later comes back to empower old friend Terry Silver to torture Daniel and Miyagi. Kreese comes back to be an even bigger baddie in Netflix series "Cobra Kai", not being able to let the past go on the small screen. Sadly, Kove has developed a reputation to not being a nice guy in real life, either.
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2. Ivan Drago, Rocky IV (1985)
Played by: Dolph Lundgren, reprised role in Creed II (2018)
Sporting accolades: Olympic and world heavyweight champion from the Soviet Union, 100-0 record (100 by knockout) before taking on former champ Rocky Balboa in an unsanctioned revenge bout.
Dastardly deeds: Ivan Drago is a cold fighting machine, fueled by technology and questionable injections. After beating retired Apollo Creed to death (literally) in a tragic exhibition match, Drago shows no remorse (“if he dies, he dies”) or ounce of humanity, irking Rocky while he’s grieving the loss of his former rival, good friend and training partner. Drago drags Rocky down to his lowest point, before our hero lifts himself up through the Russian mountains. Drago looks to be dominating their match in Moscow until Rocky finds a greater power than mean, massive muscle with his heart and soul, eventually winning one for Apollo and for America in the Cold War.
Drago returns to be a rival trainer of Rocky Balboa, training his son Viktor Drago in Creed II to beat Apollo's son Adonis "Donnie" Creed in a bout ("My son will break your boy!"). Viktor is relentless in pounding Donnie to the point of beating him into serious injuries, paving the way for Viktor to reacquire Ivan's loss in Russia. Before pushing Viktor to the brink of an Apollo-like ring death in a world championship rematch with Donnie, Drago accepts that he is not meant to beat Rocky in any way.
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1. Shooter McGavin, Happy Gilmore (1996)
Played by: Christopher McDonald, reprised role in Happy Gilmore 2 (2025)
Sporting accolades: Shooter McGavin is a super-talented professional golfer who believes he's always the best in the game, even willing to cheat and mess up opponents to ensure he wins and stays on top. He is even better to make sure he wins more money than everyone else.
Dastardly deeds: McGavin lies. McGavin spies. McGavin uses a henchman, Donald. McGavin does everything he can to sabotage rivals, including hot newcomer Happy Gilmore. He is a hothead capable of incredible rage, including violence toward other players and golf equipment. He is a relentless bully until someone fights back. McGavin also is exposed for cheating, leading to a ban from the PGA. Over the years, Christopher McDonald has embraced the McGavin character, almost becoming a kinder, gentler version of his fictitious alter ego, staying popular going right into "Happy Gilmore 2."
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