Recasting Couch
Costner, Hackman or Gossett as Pete; Laettner as Ricky; Texas setting
In the discussion (8)
Approx. transcript time · 01:26:02Read transcript
- A Shelton–Costner sports trilogy is imagined, with Costner playing a quieter Boeheim-like coach whose clean program is corrupted and whose edge recalls No Way Out.
- Hackman is suggested as Happy, followed by a joke that Jenny would dress better for Costner.
- Nolte’s resemblance to Bobby Knight and Jack Cates makes Pete hard to like; a defense places him among the era’s overbearing coaches, while Costner remains intriguing.
- Nolte is defended as perfect for this version of Pete. Hackman could play a Norman Dale losing control, while Pacino could suggest Pitino or Calipari, although excessive acting is a concern.
- Lou Gossett is floated as Pete Bell.
- A Black coach is considered plausible for the 1990s; the casting is explained instead as a deliberate effort to make Pete resemble Bobby Knight.
- Los Angeles feels incidental beyond good weather and discussion of Big East television dominance; an SMU-like Texas setting with Happy as an oilman is suggested.
- Christian Laettner as Ricky alongside Shaq and Penny could have better captured the era, followed by speculation that Shaq would object.