Kurt Russell: no. His apex is the Tango & Cash / Escape from L.A. era leading to Tombstone, where he had the most juice; Escape from New York is his best. — Bill Simmons
The P&E Agrodome apex is still Rocky 4, where Stallone broke his ribs and filming stopped for two weeks. — Bill Simmons
Al Michaels: 1980 no, but 2004 yes, when as the voice of Monday Night Football at the pinnacle of his powers he came back to voice Miracle. — Bill Simmons
Jokes about Michaels later working with Collinsworth and Collinsworth calling the 1980 game. — Bill Simmons
Sports Illustrated peaked in 1980, not the movie, when the covers meant the most, and this cover arguably was its apex. — Bill Simmons
For evil mute Russian sports-movie villains, Drago versus the hockey coach: the movie does not give enough of the coach to make him a villain. — Bill Simmons
O'Connor was focused on Kurt Russell the whole time, so there was no casting what-if. — Bill Simmons
Buzz Schneider is played by his son Billy, which they did not realize until after casting; 4,000 people auditioned for the 20 roles, all real hockey players. — Bill Simmons
The actor who played O.C., Michael Mantonuto, got into a fight at tryouts, apologized, and O'Connor cast him because he was the first to drop the gloves. — Bill Simmons
Gavin O'Connor has a cameo draping the flag on Jim Craig; a director should try to appear in his own movie like Scorsese in Taxi Driver. — Bill Simmons
