This is a forgotten movie from 1998 that is not without it's charm. It's called Possums and stars singer Mac Davis (Baby Don't Get Hooked On Me, It's Hard To Be Humble) as the announcer of a high school football team that has a long streak of losing games and not even scoring a touchdown.
He had left town some time ago, but he returns to run the business starched by his father. He has a love for sports and his beloved Nowata Possums football team, and that comes across in his announcing of a team that is the worst in the league.
The mayor decides to circulate a petition to discontinue the football program at the high school. He claims it's because the team is so bad that it would be better for the morale of the people of the town. Ultimately, the team is dropped.
Well, as fall comes a year later, the former announcer is sad. After a conversation with the student who works for him at his hardware store, he decides to pay for air time to announce fictitious games for the defunct Possums team. He's ridiculed for doing it, but that doesn't stop him. He tells the station owner to consider this like a play on the radio.
In this weekly play, the Possums are competitive and start winning games. As it happens, the town starts listening and getting excited about the team. Former players are gathering at the football field and practicing as the games are played on the radio. The Possums make the playoffs and win the State Championship.
This is where things get interesting. The real State Champions take exception to the idea that the Possums are getting more attention than they are. They challenge them to a game. I don't want to give away all the secrets, and this movie has a few interesting moments as the plot progresses.
Possums is formulaic, I suppose, but it has heart. I really like the charm of the small town too. It's not the best sports movie, but it's pretty good. It's been on Movie Plex TV lately, which is where I saw it for the first time last year. If you get a chance, check it out.
