Rouxing the day

If there be any doubt in your mind that I’m an idiot, consider that I am from Pittsburgh and 40 years ago I decided to look away from the Steelers and begin a new loyalty – The New Orleans Saints. That’s right, why go to 7 Super Bowls when you can suffer through the Saints ineptitude?

(I actually did go to the first Steeler SB win – the Tulane Stadium victory over the Vikings.)

Saints - I’m convinced the gods have taken offense at the name, and we must change it. Look what happened when the Tampa Bay Devil Rays dropped the “Devil” and became just the “Rays.” They were in the World Series faster than you can say the Yankees suck.

Any suggestions on a new name for the Saints?

By the way, is there anything more gratifying that watching the Yankees miss the playoffs?

I can get some solace from the fact that I’ve seen the Pirates win 3 World Series in my lifetime. Due to baseball’s fiscal imbalance, I’m sure I’ll never see them there again. I guess it could be worse – I could be a Cub Fan.

Speaking of baseball, not to be outdone by the NFL, Major League Baseball has launched a new cable network all their own. In case you’ve wondered it’s a clone of everything every one else has been doing, including old footage, a panel of talking heads, and an overabundance of Yankees/Red Sox coverage.

By the way, how many people does it take to do a postgame show? Was NBC in some kind of arms race with ESPN on Sunday Night? These shows are going to have to expand their sets pretty soon to keep up with the current retirement rate of NFL stars. Where are they going to fit Brett Favre if he retires? Those pre and post game shows are beginning to look like a long salad bar. Soon they’ll extend one whole sideline. When there are more talking heads on the pre-game shows than on Meet the Press what does that say about America?

Speaking of sidelines, I can’t stand how many flags are thrown by referees at the sidelines. Do officials really expect football players to stop playing at the white lines? They’re way too liberal with those flags. Let ‘em play.

Great News: The Saints need a cornerback or 4 and Pacman Jones is available. Imagine the wacky hijacks that could ensue on Bourbon Street! What a great one-man reality show this would make. I can see it now – ratings through the roof. Plus, there is the added advantage of an undermanned New Orleans police department. Has there ever been a better fit than Pacman in New Orleans? He wouldn’t even have to suit up to make headlines.

The surliest fans in America? Try Philadelphia. Going to other stadiums around the country, Philly fans are the nastiest, with New York close. Question of the day – Do they deserve Donovan McNabb? Going to their fifth NFC championship game in 8 years isn’t good enough. They’ve hated McNabb since the moment his name was announced on draft day and what NFL team wouldn’t have taken him during that time period? Only about 5. The Phillies win a World Series and the delphians are still not happy. Wow.

Meanwhile, the Saints have found their defensive coordinator. All that’s at stake is a Super Bowl. If the Arizona Cardinals can make it, the Saints certainly can.

Tony Dungy retires, leaving a real legacy. He proved that you could be a nice, level-headed guy, and still win by treating men like men.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the class spectrum, I love to watch Deion Sanders and Stephen A. Smith try to defend Terrell Owens. “This happens on every team – it just gets coverage with T.O.” Exactly. I laugh every time I see that clip of him saying, “I love me some me.” Please stay in Dallas, T.O. Jerry loves ego, mostly his own, so you fit right in. You’ll continue to divide the team because that’s what you do. When a leader stands up to you and tries to radiate you, all hell will break loose. What ever happened to those QB’s you trashed, Garcia and McNabb? What became of them? Will Romo end up on the scrap heap because of your childish behavior? Or will you just scream at the offensive coordinators for what’s left of your career?

Last but not least the endless NFL season has once again culminated with 2 teams who got hot at the right time. Continued success in the NFL is hard to achieve. The Giants and Titans looked dominant but faded. About midway through next season look for the Steelers and Cardinals to lose concentration.

Who's going to win? My pick is coming, unless I'm an idiot.

2008 Movie Ranking

Here's a purely personal ranking of the 2008 Movies I saw - best to worst:

Slumdog Millionaire
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Role Models
Get Smart
Cadillac Records
The Bank Job
Wanted
Religulous
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Tropic Thunder
Gran Torino
Iron Man
Changeling
Eagle Eye
Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Definitely Maybe
Trouble the Water
Swing Vote
Mama Mia
Marley and Me
Burn After Reading
The Dark Knight
W
Synedoche, New York
Baby Mama
Untraceable
Quantum of Solace
The Incredible Hulk
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The X Files/I want to Believe
21
Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull
Last Chance Harvey
Vantage Point
27 Dresses
Pineapple Express

Other comments:
The best movie I saw all year was The Orphanage, but that was a 2007 release.
Rent it, turn out the lights, and prepare to be scared by a good old fashioned ghost story.

There were some I missed, like "Doubt" and "Frost/Nixon" which I'll catch sometime this year.

Movies I've seen at the last minute:

Gran Torino - 8 - unexpectedly hilarious, a worthy swan song for Clint on celluloid, if this is in fact his last on-screen appearance.
Last Chance Harvey - 6 - Tepid chick flick with Dustin Hoffman playing the same character, presumably himself, that he's been playing for years. Emma Thompson brings the film to life, but only when she's speaking. Some nice scenes, but not enough to equal a full movie.

Favorite 2008 performances:
Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Walters in Cadillac Records
Anne Hathaway in Get Smart
Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. in Tropic Thunder
Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino

Best Direction - Danny Boyle for Slumdog Millionaire

At The Cinema - Year End

I'm scrambling to see all those 2008 movies that are just now making it to Mississippi.

Slumdog Millionaire - 10 - The best movies transport you to a place or time you've never been to. Here, it's an incredible travelogue of India, wrapped around a great story. Wonderful visuals, wonderful acting, wonderful editing.

Earlier this year I wrote about the most amazing statistic I heard all year:
The United States has a population of 309 million people. India has 400 million people without electricity! That’s right – 100 million people more than our entire country. I’m floored by this information. Then suddenly, along comes a movie that lets you see India. I was enthralled. Maybe you won't be - but check it out. I'm betting you'll be entertained.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - 8 - An amazing technical achievement that you will either fall for or not. For me, it fell short of greatness, mostly due to a fundamental believability flaw (which I'll be happy to discuss with you if you call me, but I don't want to give it away here. After I tell you, you'll say I'm quibbling about believability in a fantasy movie - and I won't argue that.) Meanwhile, much of the movie is truly amazing, although it does meander on a little long for my taste. Brad Pitt continues to build his resume.

By the way for Brad Pitt's most under-appreciated performance, check him out as murderer Early Grace in "Kalifornia."

One more encouraging thing about Benjamin Button. The theater was full of adults. It appears the word of mouth is building for this movie among mature viewers who it turns out will go to the movies for an intellectually challenging movie.

Mama Mia - 7 - Finally saw this on DVD and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are some mysteries here, like the incredibly poor casting of the males. Whatever happened to dubbing? If you really must have Pierce Brosnan in the movie, did you have to embarass him by revealing his vocal inadequacies? Especially while the women are torching up those catchy Abba songs?

Which brings me to the lasting impression of the movie, which is "Is there anything Meryl Streep can't do?" What a national treasure this actress is. Her enthusiasm carries the day and you can just watch in wonder as she cavorts through the incredible scenery. Sit back, enjoy it, and don't take it to seriously.

Marley and Me - 7 - The dog is great. Old Yeller now has company for the all-time dog tear-jerker award. Meanwhile, we have to look no further than Jennifer Anniston and Meryl Streep to compare the difference between celebrity and talent in the good ole USA. Jennifer is lovely to look at, probably always will be. But, here she is so bland and lifeless that she makes Owen Wilson look good - and that's a whole other discussion.

Coming soon - my ranking of every 2008 movie I saw.