Meet Patches O’Houlihan, the unforgettable coach of the Average Joe’s team, with this Funko POP! Movies No. 1816 figurine inspired by *Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story*. This version depicts the character played by Rip Torn in the 2004 film, recognisable by his wheelchair and his training methods, which are as brutal as they are unlikely.
Patches is depicted in his wheelchair, with his long grey hair, beard and stern expression. He is wearing a brown outfit decorated with several badges, accompanied by a white scarf. In his right hand, he holds a spanner, a direct reference to one of the character’s most famous training methods: learning to dodge tools before being able to dodge a ball properly.
The wheelchair forms an integral part of the composition and gives this POP! figure a more elaborate silhouette than a standard figurine. The wheels, armrests and controls are reproduced around the character, whilst the various badges on his jacket add several colourful details to the overall design. The figurine retains the characteristic proportions of the POP! range, with an oversized head and deliberately simplified features.
Made from PVC, this figure is presented in an illustrated window box measuring 11.5 × 9 × 16 cm. It is a must-have for fans of Dodgeball, 2000s comedies or collectors looking to complete their Funko POP! Movies range.
Technical specifications
- Manufacturer: Funko
- Range / Collection: POP! Movies
- Number: 1816
- Licence: Film
- Film: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
- Character: Patches O’Houlihan
- Portrayed in the film by: Rip Torn
- Material: PVC
- Type: Funko POP! collectable figurine
- BEM’S category: POP! Bobble Head
- Height: approx. 10 cm
- Accessories / display: wheelchair and spanner
- EAN: 0889698862554
Character background and lore
Patches O’Houlihan is a former dodgeball legend and a seven-time ADAA All-Star. Peter LaFleur and the members of Average Joe’s first discover the character through an old training video in which a young Patches explains the fundamentals of dodgeball. Later, now elderly and in a wheelchair, he personally joins the team to become their coach.
His methods are as radical as they are memorable. To teach his players how to dodge, Patches throws spanners at them and makes them perform deliberately dangerous exercises. His teaching also centres on the famous ‘five Ds’ of dodgeball: Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge. This absurd yet effective approach gradually helps transform the group of amateurs at Average Joe’s into a proper team capable of competing in the Las Vegas tournament.
Patches also becomes a mentor to Peter LaFleur, encouraging him to take responsibility and have more faith in his team. His gruff temperament, outspoken nature and unlikely training techniques make him one of the film’s most recognisable comic characters.
This POP! No. 1816 specifically depicts the older Patches O’Houlihan as a coach, complete with his wheelchair and spanner. These two elements alone encapsulate one of the most famous scenes in *Dodgeball* and the deliberately over-the-top physical humour that characterises the character.
