Remember the Titans/YMMV


 * Growing the Beard: Disney's first attempt at a more serious sports film. They carved a niche in the 90s of Ragtag Bunch of Misfits sports-themed comedies such as The Mighty Ducks, Angels in the Outfield, and The Big Green, but here is a more straight-told dramatic film aimed at an older audience. The film was such a success that Disney's sports films followed in this pattern with Miracle, Invincible, Glory Road, and The Greatest Game Ever Played.
 * Hilarious in Hindsight: This post points out how very dissimiliar the grownup version of Sheryl Yoast in the movie and the grownup version of Hayden Panettiere (who played Sheryl) turned out to look. (See also Hilary Swank, whose younger version in The Affair Of The Necklace was played by Miss Panettiere.)
 * Retroactive Recognition: A lot of people came to be better recognized in later major roles: Wood Harris (The Wire), Donald Faison (Scrubs), Hayden Panettiere (Heroes), Kate Bosworth (Superman Returns), Ethan Suplee (My Name Is Earl) and Ryan Gosling (The Notebook).
 * And Ryan Hurst ("Sons of Anarchy").