"The Replacements" is based on the professional football players strike of 1987. Keanu Reeves plays the replacement for the pro quarterback on strike.

When the Washington Sentinels went on strike, the coach (Gene Hackman) had to hire substitute players (or "scabs", as the media and pros called them). After they lost the first game, the subs go to a bar. Here they get in a bar fight with the professionals on strike. The subs are arrested, most likely for "disturbing the peace", and sent to jail. The coach comes to bail them out, only to find the whole team singing "I Will Survive" and doing the Electric Slide (a line dance).

After this, they manage to work together and win, until the pros cross the strike line and come back on the team.

During the real strike of 1987, the whole Washington Redskins team went on strike. The team was referred to as the "Scabskins" after that. The players may have been scabs, but they were good enough to get the team to the Superbowl that year.

Apparently, the players went on strike to "put some pressure on the owners".

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