1.   Gooding was a hockey goalie once but gave it up long ago.

2.   Gooding is a recently disgraced NFL referee.

3.   Gooding is right on the money as the football player, an immensely likable jock whose manic showboating masks a slew of insecurities.

4.   Like Cruise, Gooding is a father of two.

5.   When he called recently, Gooding was in a limousine heading for the Denver airport.

6.   In the movie, Gooding is the demanding client of a sports agent played by Tom Cruise.

7.   They met at a party when Gooding was in high school.