Starting Five

1. The Tillman Tunnel

If you click on this link, you will see what Arizona State’s football players will see when they gather in the tunnel beneath the south end zone seats at Sun Devil Stadium before each home game this season (including tonight’s opponent, FCS school Sacramento State, which has actually beaten two Pac-12 foes in the past two seasons).

That’s Pat Tillman, of course, and it’s always difficult to navigate the tightrope between honoring the former Sun Devil/Arizona Cardinal and exploiting his memory. This is tastefully and respectfully done, obviously. That said, there is no athlete in the modern era who was more immune to celebrity and its trappings than Tillman, a pro who rode his mountain bike to practice (not just at training camp) and who, when once asked why fans should come out and support a middling Cardinal team during a TV interview, replied, “They shouldn’t. Until we start winning.”

The post-mortem accolades and tributes that have come Tillman’s way since his tragic death by friendly fire on April 22, 2004 (his uniform numbers were 42 and 40 and he died on a date that is 4/22/2004, FWIW) are almost all well-intentioned. But do yourself a favor and watch the fierce, haunting and heartbreaking documentary, The Tillman Story. Just to gain a better understanding of how Tillman’s family is a little raw concerning the hagiography of their son. Of how even the circumstances of his death became a source of propaganda designed to glorify the institution he served (the U.S. Army) when instead it should have been issuing an apology.

The best tribute anyone can give Pat Tillman? Strive to model your character after his. It was never about the uniforms Tillman wore (ASU, NFL, US Army). It was always about the traits he possessed.

2. Do You Believe in Mile High Miracles? YESSS!

 

There is not –although perhaps there should be? — a chalk outline of Denver Bronco Rahim Moore sprawled on the 20-yard line at Sports Authority Field, the spot where he feel while feebly attempting to defend the last-minute, 70-yard touchdown pass from Baltimore Raven QB Joe Flacco to Jacoby Jones (and don’t think we forgot about you either, Tony Carter). That’s where the Broncos’ Super Bowl-destined season met an untimely death.

Jones’  TD tied the AFC divisional playoff contest and then the Broncos lost in the second overtime. What ever became of Baltimore? Oh yeah, they won the Super Bowl.

Baltimore and Denver return to the scene of the crime in tonight’s NFL season kickoff.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of true crime, tune in to see if NBC play-by-play man Al Michaels mentions that not one but two Broncos front-office staffers, director of player personnel Matt Russell and director of pro personnel Tom Heckert (neither do we…know what the difference in jobs is) were suspended over the summer after receiving DUIs. See, that would be…kinda….awkward….since Michaels was arrested for the same offense last April.

3. “I Never Worked On The School Newspaper”

 

Okay, who said that? Rob Parker or Jeff Bezos (Answer, C: All of the Above).

The Amazon.com founder, who recently purchased The Washington Post, met his minions yesterday and informed them that while he still believes in them and their publication, they may want to put those autographed first-edition copies of “All The President’s Men” away. ““What has been happening over the last few years can’t continue to happen. All businesses need to be young forever. If your customer base ages with you, you’re Woolworth’s (Please, Jeff, we prefer “Five and Dime”). The number one rule has to be: Don’t be boring.”

Hey, Jeff, that’s our Number 3 rule, after “Gravity Always Wins” and “Vegas Always Knows.” But we agree. You should be reading us!

 

4. Carlos in Danger?

New York City mayoral candidate Carlos Danger (“Danger!”), a.k.a., Anthony Wiener, goes nose to nose with a yarmulke-wearing heckler inside a Brooklyn bakery. The heckler, Stan Kessler, chided Wiener for being “married to an arab” and called the Democratic candidate “a real scumbag.” Wiener stopped texting long enough to retort, “It takes one to know one, jackass.”

This was not, I repeat NOT, a scene from the next Woody Allen film.

Oh, yeah. Happy Rosh Hashana, everybody.

5. Johnny Manziel Is Not…Grounded

JFF appears on his second magazine cover in the past month in which his feet are not touching the ground, and why should they be? He’s walking on sunshine at this stage. Time magazine puts Johnny Football on its cover with the line “IT’S TIME TO PAY COLLEGE ATHLETES” while not paying Johnny Football for the use of his likeness. Heyyyy! That’s exploitation!

Granted, NCAA rules prohibit them from doing so, but Time and other mags rarely pay people to be on their covers.

Reserves

Andy Staples at SI.com, a college football voice worth listening to, gives his post-Week 1 Power Rankings. He has Notre Dame at No. 6 and FSU at No. 7. Talk about a quarterback disparity. I should mention that JFF and Jadeveon Clowney play in the same conference but will not meet this season unless A$M and South Carolina make it to the SEC championship game, which is possible. However, Michigan OT Taylor Lewan and Notre Dame DE Stephon Tuitt, who are on SI’s and Phil Steele’s preaseason first-team All-American squads, will meet this Saturday.

Also, the next time someone asks Brian Kelly if Notre Dame-Michigan is an historic rivalry, he should play them this clip.

 

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Howard Bryant speaks about pitch counts with Keith Olbermann, who in less than a fortnight has staked his claim to being the smartest sports voice to appear nightly on television. Somewhere Bob Costas is howling for NBCSports Net to give him a nightly show.

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Grierson & Leitch –who are not, it should be noted, licensed and fully vetted film reviewers — give us 16 fall films about which to be excited. Let’s see, at about $13 per film here in Manhattan, that’s a cool $208. Anyway, there’s a film starring Matthew McConaughey in which he plays a bizarre character who lives outside the normal constructs of society and has a Texas twang. Everybody, now: Strettttttttch.

The film garnering the most buzz is “Gravity”, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. If you’re scoring at home, science geeks, Bullock now has a forces of nature trilogy (not including her film, “Forces of Nature”, by the way), of “Speed”, “Heat” and “Gravity.”  (thanks to loyal MH reader Greg Auman for the assist).

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 The Medium Happy Man-and Non-Man Crush List

(If I’ve Missed Anyone, Please Remind Me)

1. Gareth Bale

2. Matt Harvey

3. Deborah Hersman

4. John Oliver

5. Yasiel Puig

Remote Patrol

Ravens at Broncos

NBC 8 p.m.

Baltimore must replace Ray Lewis and NBC must replace Faith Hill. Denver QB Peyton Manning probably prefers you to watch Football On Your Phone. DVR advice: Also at 8 p.m. it’s the 1979 cult classic, “The Warriors.” “Warriors, come out to play-ay!” If you’ve never seen it, it’s a MUST. Stick around for the classic closing credits with the perfect Joe Walsh song to accompany it.