MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY AND MATTHEW FOX BUILD HOPE IN WE ARE MARSHALL rue stories of the gridiron have often been the backdrop for some of Hollywood's greatest sport's flicks -- from the classic football underdog story Rudy to the recent Mark Wahlberg film Invincible. The newest addition to the genre is We Are Marshall -- a story that encompasses tragedy, determination and perseverance. In Huntington, West Virginia, 1970, Marshall University's "Thundering Herd" football team represented a way of life. For decades, players, coaches, families and fans cheered them on like heroes. While flying home from a game at East Carolina University, the plane carrying 75 passengers, including 37 members of the team, including head coach Rick Tolley, and 30 other staff members, crashed killing everyone onboard. As those left behind struggled to cope with the devastating loss of their loved ones, the grieving families found hope and strength in the leadership of Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey), a young coach who was determined to rebuild Marshall's football program and in the process help heal a community. |
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