You know the voice. It’s high-pitched, slightly gravelly, and sounds like it’s coming from a guy who’s had a few too many at a swamp-side tailgate. “You can do eeet!” It’s the rallying cry of a generation of comedy fans. Honestly, if you grew up in the late 90s, you probably shouted it at a friend who was struggling to finish a burger or pass a math test.
Rob Schneider the Waterboy connection is one of those weird Hollywood miracles where a character with maybe two minutes of total screen time becomes more iconic than the actual plot of the movie.
The Birth of the Townie
Let’s get the facts straight. In the 1998 cult classic The Waterboy, Rob Schneider doesn’t play a main character. He’s not a football player. He’s not even a coach. He is simply credited as "Townie."
He’s a local from the Louisiana bayou who shows up to support Bobby Boucher, played by Adam Sandler. Bobby is the stuttering, socially awkward water distributor for a struggling college football team who discovers he has a "tackling fuel" powered by years of suppressed rage.
The Townie is basically our surrogate in the stands. He’s the guy who believes when nobody else does.
That Famous Catchphrase
The line “You can do it!” isn't just a line. It’s a recurring gag that defined the Sandler-Schneider era of Happy Madison productions.
In The Waterboy, Schneider delivers it with such bizarre, unearned confidence that it immediately landed. He’s usually wearing some kind of flannel or a grubby hat, looking like he hasn't slept since the mid-80s, but his spirit? Unbreakable.
Interestingly, this wasn't a one-and-done deal. The bit became a "multiverse" before Marvel made it cool. Schneider brought the same character (or variations of him) back for:
- Little Nicky (2000) – where he’s literally credited again as The Townie.
- 50 First Dates (2004) – as Ula, the one-eyed Hawaiian friend, though he slips the line in.
- The Longest Yard (2005) – playing a character named Punky.
- Bedtime Stories (2008) – showing up as a horse thief.
It’s a connective tissue. It tells the audience: "Hey, we're all still friends, and we're still having fun."
Why the Cameo Actually Matters
Some people think these cameos are just lazy. They’re wrong.
In the late 90s, the SNL alumni world was essentially a fraternity. Sandler and Schneider were part of the "Bad Boys of SNL" alongside Chris Farley and David Spade. When Sandler signed his massive deal to make The Waterboy, he brought his friends along.
Schneider’s presence in the film provided a specific kind of "flavor" that balanced Kathy Bates’ intense (and Oscar-worthy, let’s be real) performance as Mama Boucher.
While Mama Boucher was telling Bobby that "foosball is the devil," the Townie was there to remind him—and us—that success was possible. It’s a stupidly simple dynamic, but it worked. The movie earned over $185 million at the box office. People weren't just there for the football hits; they were there for the vibes.
The Cajun Confusion
A lot of fans forget that the Townie is specifically a Cajun character. Schneider’s accent in the film is... let’s call it "creative."
It’s a caricature of a New Iberia or Houma local. He’s got the scraggly beard and the wild eyes of a man who spends his weekends wrestling gators. Some critics at the time found it ridiculous, but it fit the heightened, cartoonish reality of the Mud Dogs' world.
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If Henry Winkler’s Coach Klein was the heart of the team, Schneider was the mascot.
Fact Check: Was he in the Sequel?
With 2026 being a massive year for nostalgia, rumors have been flying about The Waterboy 2. While Sandler has been busy with Happy Gilmore 2 (where Schneider is reportedly appearing as a "Tricycle Cowboy"), there hasn't been a formal "Townie" return in a standalone Waterboy follow-up yet.
However, the legacy is solidified. You see it in memes. You see it in TikTok sounds.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans
If you’re revisiting Rob Schneider the Waterboy or looking to dive deeper into the Happy Madison lore, here’s how to do it right:
- Watch for the Reprise: Next time you watch Little Nicky, look for the moment he appears in the crowd. It’s the exact same wardrobe.
- Check the Song: Did you know Schneider’s "You can do it!" was sampled by the band The Offspring? Listen to "Original Prankster" from the year 2000. It’s right there in the intro.
- The Switch: In The Animal, the roles reversed. Sandler made a cameo in Schneider’s movie to yell the line back at him. It’s the ultimate bro-move in cinema history.
The Townie is proof that you don't need a three-hour character arc to be memorable. You just need a good hat, a weird voice, and a lot of heart.
Next Step: Go watch the "Bourbon Bowl" scene in The Waterboy. Pay attention to the crowd shots during the final drive—Schneider’s energy in those frames is what actually keeps the momentum going during the climax.