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Game 120: Twins at Phillies

“Yo Adriaaaaaan!”

By Zach Koenig
/ new
Sylvester Stallone Visits Rocky Statue in Philadelphia Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images

First Pitch: 12:35 PM CT

TV: Bally Sports North

Radio: TIBN

Know Thine Enemy: The Good Phight

Besides being home to much Revolutionary-era U.S. history and harboring the most incomparable fanbase in professional sports, the city of Philadelphia may be best known as the home of Rocky Balboa. The ultimate underdog film hero—created and personified by Sylvester Stallone—still draws thousands of pilgrimaging fans to the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art just to raise their arms and bask in the inspirational glory.

Long a fan of the Rocky franchise, I’ve ranked my best-to-worst entries here and will give you the opportunity to do the same…

  1. Rocky (1976): Hard to beat the iconic original. Ostensibly a boxing film, but tenderly human scenes render it so much more.
  2. Creed (2015): Takes that original Rocky formula and expertly translates it to a new generation. Also perfectly encapsulates basically everyone’s understanding of the Cloud.
  3. Rocky II (1979): As Rocky’s trainer Mickey says: “what’s with all the domestic stuff?!”. The slowest-paced film of the franchise, but perhaps the most emotionally endearing.
  4. Rocky IV (1985): Over-the-top? Yes. But this film ended the Cold War, for crying out loud! Plus, Ivan Drago might be the best “Rocky villain”.
  5. Creed II (2018): Must be on the heels of IV for how it piggybacks on those themes and gives Stallone an emotional whopper of a final (at least for now) on-screen moment as Rocky Balboa.
  6. Rocky V (1990): Plagued with continuity errors and odd story choices, this is the “black sheep” of the franchise—but I dare you not to shed a tear at Rocky’s remembrances of the old gym.
  7. Rocky Balboa (2006): Stallone poured his heart and soul into getting this film made after a 16-year absence from the character. It doesn’t all work, but in terms of inspirational material it might be top-of-list.
  8. Rocky III (1982): The wildest flick in tone-shifting: Hulk Hogan shenanigans in one segment immediately followed by gut-wrenching emotion.
  9. Creed III (2023): Though extremely up-tempo and visually inventive, the latest film in the Rocky canon lacks clarity on the intentions of its character arcs.

This afternoon it’s one more round between the Minnesota Twins & Philadelphia Phillies.

Today's Lineups

TWINS PHILLIES
Donovan Solano - DH Kyle Schwarber - LF
Jorge Polanco - 3B Alec Bohm - 3B
Jordan Luplow - LF Bryce Harper - DH
Ryan Jeffers - C Nick Castellanos - RF
Christian Vazquez - 1B Bryson Stott - 2B
Matt Wallner - RF Trea Turner - SS
Kyle Farmer - SS Jake Cave - 1B
Michael Taylor - CF Garrett Stubbs - C
Edouard Julien - 2B Johan Rojas - CF
Sonny Gray - RHP Ranger Suarez - LHP

Poll

What is your favorite Rocky franchise film

This poll is closed

  • 72%
    Rocky
    (13 votes)
  • 5%
    Rocky II
    (1 vote)
  • 0%
    Rocky III
    (0 votes)
  • 16%
    Rocky IV
    (3 votes)
  • 0%
    Rocky V
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Rocky Balboa
    (0 votes)
  • 5%
    Creed
    (1 vote)
  • 0%
    Creed II
    (0 votes)
  • 0%
    Creed III
    (0 votes)
18 votes total Vote Now

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