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‘Rocky II’ With Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, and Van Lathan

December 2, 2025 · Drama · Sport · 1:52:21

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Most Rewatchable Scene

Bill Simmons▶ 24:38Multiple scenes including opening credits with remastered Rocky theme, Rocky and Apollo in hospital, Rocky's marriage proposal at the zoo, Rocky filming commercial, Mickey doing finger test with Rocky, Apollo pushes Duke for rematch, and Apollo calls out Rocky on TV through Mickey arriving
Van Lathan▶ 30:34Agrees with Duke's 'he's all wrong for us baby' monologue as 'one of the greatest monologues in any sports movie' and discusses various scenes but doesn't give specific individual picks

What's Aged the Worst

Bill Simmons▶ 44:49Roberto Duran appearing in the movie as Rocky's sparring partner, given Duran's later controversial behavior including quitting against Sugar Ray Leonard and being a bad sport
Van Lathan▶ 47:0915-round boxing fights (which ended in the mid-80s) and the general 1979 boxing context

Butch's Girlfriend Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:00:23A one-eyed, slightly brain-damaged Rocky beating a prepared, motivated, angry Creed in the rematch
Chris Ryan▶ 1:00:56Two things: the coma, and Gazzo being in the movie without having any impact on the plot
Van Lathan▶ 1:02:03Adrian (when asked directly about weak link)

Stephen A. Smith Hottest Take Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:15:33Ranking the best looking black women of the 1970s - his list includes Diana Ross, Ali's wife Veronica Porsche, Lola Falana, Thelma from Good Times, Pam Grier, Apollo's wife Sylvia, and Jane Kennedy as number one
Van Lathan▶ 1:18:03Engages with and validates another host's controversial take, adding suggestions like Carol Speed and Marilyn McCoo from the Fifth Dimension to the discussion

Casting What-Ifs

Bill Simmons▶ 1:19:31Chuck Wepner — Couldn't find any casting what-ifs except Chuck Wepner was offered a trainer part but bombed the audition

Dion Waiters Award

Bill Simmons▶ 1:20:10Brent Musburger — Suggested multiple options including Musburger, Frank Stallone, Rocky's commercial agent, and Stu Nahan, but seemed to defer to others' preferences
Chris Ryan▶ 1:21:03Brent Musburger — Musburger - praised his performance for making it feel like a real sporting event the entire country cares about
Van Lathan▶ 1:20:57Opposed Duke being eligible for the award since he appears in four movies, but didn't give a clear alternative pick

Apex Mountain

Bill Simmons▶ 1:29:42Sylvester Stallone — Stallone: no, not this movie but mid-80s (1985) with Rambo II and Rocky IV being his peak when he had two top movies; Carl Weathers: no; Talia Shire: no, somewhere between Godfather/Godfather II and Rocky; Burt Young: mid-80s with Miami Vice, Rocky IV, and Back to School; Brent Musburger: yes for 1979; 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am: yes
Chris Ryan▶ 1:29:48Sylvester Stallone — Agrees on Carl Weathers being in the Rocky III/IV range; says Talia Shire is good in Rocky III as a redeeming quality; gives Burt Young no credit; argues Stallone forces his way into director's chair, makes $200 million, but gets trapped making action movies until Copland
Van Lathan▶ 1:31:33Sylvester Stallone — Agrees Stallone's peak is mid-80s when he could do whatever he wants; disagrees on Brent Musburger for 1979, suggests his peak was later with the AJ McCarron girlfriend comment

Probably Unanswerable Questions

Bill Simmons▶ 1:37:13Multiple questions: Why Apollo didn't fight for 6 months after Rocky fight, Rocky chasing chicken as training method, kids protesting outside, fight would've been stopped when Rocky's eye closed, Adrian in coma with no medical tubes or equipment
Chris Ryan▶ 1:36:59Was the solution for Rocky just to invest in condominiums? Also questioned what the kids were protesting and Apollo's poor defense despite being the greatest fighter
Van Lathan▶ 1:37:16Discussion of boxing frequency back then and how double knockout is the most dramatic way to end a boxing movie

Is This Movie Better With

Bill Simmons▶ 1:42:50Al Michaels — 2025 Al Michaels doing the double knockdown scene commentary
Chris Ryan▶ 1:42:32Agreed with Collinsworth initially, discussed Wayne Jenkins briefly but didn't commit to a specific pick

Just One Oscar

Bill Simmons▶ 1:43:26Bill Conti — Bill Conti for the score
Chris Ryan▶ 1:43:27Bill Conti — Bill Conti for the score (agreed with another host's call)

Who Won the Movie

Bill Simmons▶ 1:49:33Sylvester Stallone — Stallone - directed and wrote it
Chris Ryan▶ 1:49:36Discusses the Rocky franchise's transition from 70s to 80s Hollywood but doesn't give a specific pick for who won the movie

Movies Referenced (41)

Sicario (2015)

8 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 1:51:06IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Train Dreams (2025)

7 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:41:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky Balboa (2006)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 37:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky IV (1985)

6 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 32:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Predator (1987)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons▶ 52:58IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Teen Wolf (1985)

4 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 1:08:55IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Action Jackson (1988)

3 mentions · Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 52:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

First Blood (1982)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 4:32IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Happy Gilmore (1996)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 52:53IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Lethal Weapon (1987)

3 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons▶ 54:13IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Million Dollar Baby (2004)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan▶ 1:32:44IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Rocky III (1982)

3 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:29:46IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Directors Referenced (3)

Woody Allen

2 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons · Known for Annie Hall, Deconstructing Harry▶ 2:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Iyi Tubi

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Ex Machina, World War Z▶ 2:28IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Zane Grey

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Actors Referenced (66)

Brent Musburger

17 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan · Known for Cars 2▶ 31:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Muhammad Ali

14 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan▶ 18:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Carl Weathers

13 mentions · Van Lathan, Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Rocky, Predator, Happy Gilmore▶ 19:47IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Craig T. Nelson

11 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan, Chris Ryan · Known for The Incredibles, The Family Stone▶ 15:21IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Frank Stallone

10 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Van Lathan · Known for Rambo: First Blood Part II, Hudson Hawk, Staying Alive▶ 29:52IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Eddie Murphy

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for Harlem Nights, The Nutty Professor▶ 1:27IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Joe Buck

7 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Fever Pitch, Deconstructing Harry▶ 1:21:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kid Cudi

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for The Harder They Fall, Don't Look Up, Need for Speed▶ 56:59IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sugar Ray

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for The Beach, Wild Things▶ 45:15IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Sugar Ray Leonard

6 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for The Fighter, Real Steel, I Spy▶ 9:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Al Pacino

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for Dog Day Afternoon, The Godfather▶ 35:12IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Don King

5 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan · Known for The Devil's Advocate▶ 11:50IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Writers Referenced (6)

Jane Kennedy

9 mentions · Bill Simmons, Van Lathan▶ 1:17:33IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Edgar Rice Burroughs

4 mentions · Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan · Known for John Carter, Tarzan▶ 1:26:09IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Bruce Springsteen

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Wrestler, Philadelphia▶ 1:45:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Louis L'Amour

1 mentions · Chris Ryan▶ 1:26:31IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Taylor Worst

1 mentions · Bill Simmons▶ 57:29IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Vince Gilligan

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for El Camino▶ 0:40IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Cinematographers Referenced (2)

Albert Car

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for Without Remorse▶ 50:18IMDb ↗Lb ↗

Kelly Hearns

1 mentions · Bill Simmons · Known for The Incredible Hulk▶ 9:00IMDb ↗Lb ↗