History YMMV / DodgeBallATrueUnderdogStory

* ValuesDissonance: Already hailing from an era where executives were still trying to push the envelope on the crass humor they could get away with airing, good luck watching this movie in the [=2020s=] without cringing at the sheer number of jokes that would be considered highly bigoted nowadays.

* FairForItsDay: This film is notable for its (fairly) relaxed attitude towards bisexuality as a whole. Despite Kate fitting the LesbianJock stereotype (which is why several characters believe her to be a lesbian) and having a girlfriend, she ''still'' doesn't identify as a lesbian, but rather bisexual, and this is accepted as fact in the story. Considering this was in 2004, it's remarkably progressive; even in the following decade, many female characters in same-sex relationships were not just automatically assumed to be lesbians (like in this film), but when they tried to correct people by saying they were bisexual, many people flat-out dismissed it as a valid sexual orientation. However, there are a few aspects of the film that wouldn't fly today. Nowadays, assuming someone is gay because they are in a same-sex relationship (which Peter does near the end) is a form of bisexual erasure (Kate has to tell Pete point blank that she's not a lesbian just because she has a girlfriend). Making this assumption based on somebody's hobbies (which several other characters do), even more so. Secondly, while Kate and her girlfriend are open to a polyamorous relationship with Pete (who eagerly accepts), today this would be seen as perpetuating the "bisexuals are greedy" stereotype, especially considering that Kate and her girlfriend barely know Pete.
%%* FanPreferredCouple: Many fans preferred that Justin ended up with Martha Johnstone, the BigBeautifulWoman cheerleader from his flashback. (Zero context- Does not mention a creator preferred one which is needed to count)

* ShippingGoggles: Many fans want Justin and Martha Johnstone together at the end, despite the fact that she appeared in only one scene at the beginning of the film, he clearly feels disgust for her, and the brief interaction between the two did not end well…

** On another note, [[CompanyCrossReferences Fox Sports Net]] signage appears sporadically throughout the ABAA tournament, and at the cheerleading event[[note]]it makes more sense for the latter than the former, since isn't ESPN-8 supposed to be the only network covering the ABAA event? Of course, it's possible FSN only broadcast it regionally, since Las Vegas would fall into the area served by FSN West/Prime Ticket[[/note]]. Disney would acquire the Fox Sports regional networks in 2019 as part of their acquisition of 20th Century Fox (which brought this film and ESPN into common ownership), though they've since sold them to Sinclair Broadcast Group for anti-trust reasons.
** Speaking of the Disney-Fox deal, that also brought this movie into co-ownership with ''Heavyweights'', adding further potential fuel to the "White is Tony" theory mentioned above.
** Chuck Norris's cameo is funnier now that [[MemeticMutation "Chuck Norris Facts"]] gave him a larger renewed pop culture boost, and the movie came out just around a year before those became a thing.

** Cotton [=McKnight=] and Pepper Brooks, for their excellent and hilarious commentary during the Average Joes' rise through the tournament.

* FanPreferredCutContent: An additional clip in the ending scene has [[spoiler: Kate's girlfriend Joyce being properly introduced to Peter and flirting, to give the implication that Peter might end up in a polyamorous relationship]] - which would certainly be a unique ending for the male protagonist of a romcom.

* JerkassWoobie: White, believe it or not. Despite being an asshole, he also struggles with very poor body image (from being FormerlyFat) and inflates his ego as a means to hide his low self-esteem (if his statement about how he began losing weight once he realized how much he hated himself is any indication). His zeal for being healthy physically hits unhealthy levels psychologically like depriving himself of food, going as far as ''electrocuting himself'' to resist the urge of eating a donut.

** Creator/JasonBateman's role as Pepper Brooks was shot just as his career was coming out of a long slump -- thanks to ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' – and audiences were starting to notice him again.

* ShippingGoggles: Many fans want Justin and Martha Johnstone together at the end, despite the fact that she appeared in only one scene at the beginning of the film, he clearly feels disgust for her, and the brief interaction between the two did not end well...

** Owen and Fran in bed and literally licking each others' faces after Peter wins...

** Creator/JasonBateman's role as Pepper Brooks was shot just as his career was coming out of a long slump -- thanks to ''Series/ArrestedDevelopment'' -- and audiences were starting to notice him again.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Many studios, including Creator/DreamWorkssKG and Creator/{{MGM}}, passed on this movie. As of March 2005, the movie grossed over $124 million, when it only cost $23 million to make.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Many studios, including Creator/DreamWorks and Creator/{{MGM}}, passed on this movie. As of March 2005, the movie grossed over $124 million, when it only cost $23 million to make.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: Many studios, including Creator/DreamWorks and Creator/{{MGM}}, passed on this movie. As of March 2005, the movie has grossed over $124 million, when it only cost $23 million to make.

* MisaimedFandom: Despite being the clear cut villain of the story, White has a contingent of supporters who earnestly support him for his fitness focus and charismatic demeanor. This is ignoring the fact that he's an elitist, smug scumbag and attempted sexual predator. In a blink and you miss it moment, he also tells Me'Shell to manipulate the women's scales which further emphasises how he only cares about fitness and arbitrary goals and not about his clients' health.

** Creator/ChuckNorris' thumbs up for the Average Joes. Couple this with the MemeticBadass/ChuckNorris [[Website/ChuckNorrisFacts Facts]] and bam! Instant ultimate approval icon.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: The trope namer itself is invoked in universe, as the German Blitzkrieg team worship the 'Hoff as a source of motivation.

* MisaimedFandom: Despite being the clear cut villain of the story, White has a contingent of supporters who earnestly support him for his fitness focus and charismatic demeanor. This is ignoring the fact that he's an elitist, smug scumbag and attempted sexual predator. In a blink and you miss it moment, he also tells Me'Shell to manipulate the women's scales which further emphasises how he only cares about fitness and arbitrary goals and not about his client' health.

* MisaimedFandom: Despite being the clear cut villain of the story, White has a contingent of supporters who earnestly support him for his fitness focus and charismatic demeanor. This is ignoring the fact that he's an elitist, smug scumbag and attempted sexual predator.

* TastesLikeDiabetes: Upon smelling cookies, Peter enters Kate's house and is shocked to discover she likes to collect unicorns. Unicorn lamps, figurines, posters. And they're everywhere.
-->'''Peter:''' Do I smell cookies? ''(Goes inside her house)'' Dear Barbara!
-->'''Kate:''' What? I like unicorns.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: The 1950s educational film about the origins of dodgeball. According to the documentary, the sport was invented in a Chinese opium den by drug-addled [[DeliberateValuesDissonance "Chinamen"]] who found it amusing to throw severed humans heads at each other. After his little history lesson, the young AudienceSurrogate "Little Timmy" gets curious and takes a hit of opium.

* RootingForTheEmpire: Youtube comments for the alternate ending suggest that some viewers would've preferred that [[spoiler:White and Globo Gym won]]. They cite his successful business philosophy and fitness regime, comparing both favorably to Peter's laziness and slobbiness regarding both aspects of his life.

* FanPreferredCouple: Many fans preferred that Justin ended up with Martha Johnstone, the BigBeautifulWoman cheerleader from his flashback.

** Chuck Norris's cameo is funnier now that [[MemeticMutation "Chuck Norris Facts"]] gave him a pop culture boost, and the movie came out just around a year before those became a thing.

* FanPreferredCouple: Many fans preferred that Justin stayed with Martha Johnstone, the BigBeautifulWoman cheerleader from his flashback.