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1. If you don’t get picked, maybe it’ll free you up so that you can do the picking
There’s a scene in the Little Giants where Becky is having a heart to heart with her dad after being denied a spot on the Cowboys team where she says, “I hate not being picked.” Life is full of moments where you are not picked, and you need to learn how to deal with them. Becky’s dad tries to console her by explaining that the bright side of her mom not picking them was that they got to spend a lot more quality time together. He relates it to her specific situation when he says, “Well when Uncle Kevin didn’t pick you for the team it was kind of the same thing, because in a way he freed you up to do something totally different where you can do the picking.”
When an employer, love interest, or NFL player doesn’t pick you for the job, relationship, or public beating, maybe they’re freeing you up for something better.
2. You’re going to run into people who fart out of their mouths and talk out of their butts
During the big game, a Cowboy’s player threatens Gasman of The Little Giants exclaiming, “When I get finished with you, you’re gonna be farting out of your mouth and talking out of your butt!” Now while I don’t believe this is physically possible, you will certainly encounter people in your life who metaphorically talk out of their butt. These are the people that you work with who complain about things at work, even though they are actually the root of most of the problems at work. They’re the people who became gluten-free advocates overnight and don’t go a day without mentioning it. You will have to learn how to deal with people who think that everything they’re saying is intelligent, when in reality they’re just blowing smelly hot air out of their mouth.
3. There’s always that one time
Danny O’Shea gave the Little Giants a halftime speech more practical than any halftime speech you’ll ever hear on another movie, or in real life for that matter. In the speech, he stresses the importance of “that one time” when talking about racing with his brother. He explains, “We used to race our bikes down Cherry Hill every day after school. We raced every day and he always beat me, but one time, one time I beat him.” In life there will be obstacles that seem impossible to overcome, but it’s important to remember that there’s always that one time. You may apply to 100 jobs and 99 of them turn you down, but that still leaves… one time. You may ask someone different out on a date 100 times, but there’s still that one time they may say yes. You may pick up a different prostitute 100 times, but that one time, that one time, it might be an undercover police officer. Maybe disregard that last one, but hey you get the idea.
4. Parenting is hard
This is a theme that’s prevalent throughout the entirety of the movie. There’s no way to win when you’re a parent. You’ve got Spike’s dad who is living vicariously through his borderline mentally challenged son, and then you’ve got Johnny’s dad who is constantly walking out doors with a briefcase glued to his hand. Sitting perfectly balanced in the middle is Becky’s dad (Danny O’Shea) who is too interested in fulfilling his daughter’s needs. Remember, Icebox turns on him later in the movie, and believes that he wants her to be nothing more than his “little fullback.” This is after he went through great lengths to get a team together so that Icebox could play in the first place. As a parent, all you can really do is listen to John Madden’s advice to just, “Go out and give it your best.”
5. Sometimes you just need a yard to get you moving in the right direction
At the start of the second half, the Little Giants finally gain their first yard in the football game. The team erupts in excitement screaming, “We gained a yard!” While one yard may not seem like a lot when dealing with an entire 100-yard field, it may be just the spark you need to keep heading towards your goal. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, complete a task at work, or actually obtain your own yard, gaining that one metaphoric yard is a huge confidence booster. After that first yard in the right direction, you’re just one Annexation of Puerto Rico play away from achieving your goal.
Extra Point: Of course who could forget perhaps the most important lesson of all?
You’re gonna have to learn how to kiss sooner or later if you want to have kids and get a job and stuff.