Outstanding - but they shouldn't have changed the time setting

The original play is set in '72 - 20yrs after a '52 championship. This pulls the dates forward 26 years to '98 and '78. That's a big deal when you consider certain key plot elements were outdated for this time setting. For instance, the fact that the Man running against George for mayor had a communist uncle is really unimportant considering the Cold War had been over for almost 10 years in '98. Phil makes this point in the movie, but it still makes the huge secret strategy which George and coach intended to spring on everyone seem pretty weak.

Also, the racism involved makes the characters seem like practical KKK members by the standards of '98. Using the word *beep* and *beep* weren't regarded as extremely racist in '52 - but in '98 you might as well have a white sheet over your head if you constantly use it and are convinced blacks and Jews are gonna ruin the country. Also, regarding Joseph McCarthy as a hero in '98 really makes you look like an idiot.