as it really only been 1 I years since Billy Bob Thornton burst onto the scene, afteryears as a bit player, in "Sling Blade," which won him an Oscar for screenwrit- ing? Has it really only been fouryears since he divorcedAngelina Jolie after wearing vials of each other's blood, getting tattoos and generally giving the gossip industry their easiest target until Lindsay Lohan imploded? Since getting his big break, the 52-year- old Thornton has tackled ev- erything from serious drama ('Monster's Ball') to black comedy (the cult hit "BadSanta').</p><p> But recently the Arkansas traveler specialized in sports movies, with the 2004 football gem "Friday Night Lights," featur- ing an inspirational speech that's become a fan favorite in ballparks around the coun- try and 2005's "Bad News Bears," charm- ingly reviving the grumpy grouch played byWalter Matthau in the original.</p><p> So Thornton is perfect for "Mr, Wood- cock," a comedy opening Sept. 14 abouta motivational speaker (Seann William Scott) whose mom (Susan Sarandon) starts dating the high school PE. teacher (Ihornton) who made his life alivinghell as a kid.</p><p> The cast indicates it won't be a just a dumb spin on "Dodgeball: ATrue Underdog Story." And Thornton might just have been born to play the part: his late fa- ther was a basketball coach in high school as well as a history teacher.</p><p> Michael Giltz
