by John Walters
STARTING FIVE
After being figuratively burned at the stake by we media types yesterday, Brady whirlybirded into Salem
1. Salem Statement
If you had Tom Brady, Salem State and Jim Gray on your list of Moments of the Week back on Monday, please give us a call. The Patriot QB helicoptered into the Mass. campus for a pre-arranged appearance (props to Tom for not canceling) and then fielded questions from Gray, who just refuses to go away.
Meanwhile, The Onion has launched a Patriots-related investigation of their own….
New Jersey governor Chris Christie thinks it’s all overblown ( <—Irony Alert), but New Jersey native Jon Stewart is not so forgiving.
2. Letterman List
Dave really did enjoy that Future Islands performance last year
So the Rolling Stone put out a list of “David Letterman’s Top 10 Musical Moments ” but, as with so many RS lists of late, it is sorely lacking (Jann….baby….I’m available as a consultant…call me). It’s a decent list (love the Oasis inclusion), but I’m adding a Nigel Tufnel-like 10 more here (ranked in order, beginning with the best):
The Heavy “How Do You Like Me Now?”
“Do it again! Do it again! Do it again!”
James Brown “Get On Up” & More
The King of Soul, from the inaugural year. Watch when he jumps onto the piano, as Paul looks on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ubM5ricQn8
Beyonce “Halo”
This is Beyonce in her prime, at her very best. She doesn’t need to be bootylicious to demonstrate how talented she is.
“Home” by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros
Hipster nirvana
U2 “Magnificent”
“A shot of energy right to the spine.” This one is also solid.
The La’s “There She Goes”
Lou Reed & The Blind Boys of Alabama, “Jesus”
Lou Reed is so good in all of his Letterman appearances. Here’s another great one.
Eddie Vedder “Black”
Bonus points for the surprise appearance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlZKFJueoIA
Warren Zevon “Lawyers, Guns & Money”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1BxGded604
Annie Lennox “No More I Love You’s”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkaWmoYqUVY
Van Morrison “Whenever God Shines His Light”
From 1989, Van the Man’s first television appearance in 12 years.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywvgboUjN6A
3. Gone Golson
Where will Golson land? (hey, that’s restaurant-quality caption writing right there!)
The star-crossed career of Everett Golson at Notre Dame comes to an end, albeit with a degree. The gifted dual-threat QB from South Carolina took the Fighting Irish to the national championship game as a redshirt frosh (Tommy Rees provided an assist). He spent his redshirt sophomore year dodging George Whitfield’s brooms in southern California.
Then, last season, EG was on top of the world and a legitimate Heisman candidate after a 38-0 (or 31-0, whatevs) defeat of Michigan and a 4th-and-18 game-winning TD pass in the rain versus Stanford (nice catch, Ben Koyack). The wheels fell off last November, though, as he looked listless in losses at Arizona State and USC and tossed seven interceptions in four losses that month.
Oh, it was ugly.
Malik Congo takes over in South Bend. The only question is where Golson (and his starting center, Matt Hegarty, a fellow fifth-year who is also departing) is headed.
My friend Brian Hamilton thinks it was a mutually beneficial move. He’s probably right, although I wonder if they just needed couples counseling.
4. 661*
He even took a curtain call afterward (but probably did not field a congratulatory call after the game from Derek Jeter)
Alex Rodriguez belts his 661st career home run, moving past Willie Mays (one day after the Say Hey kid turned 84) and into 4th place on the career list. A-Rod has kept his head down and said all the right things in this, his first month back from a year’s suspension.
The Yankees haven’t feted him, Joe Girardi barely tolerates him (and plays him at DH), but the 39 year-old has kept his head down, done his job and has seven home runs and 18 RBI in the season’s first five weeks. Oh, and the surprising Yankees are in first place (18-11). Now that all the farewell tours and encomia have stopped, they’re just playing baseball. It’s refreshing. It’s just strange that A-Rod (and Mark Teixeira, who has 10 home runs already) are leading the charge. It’s almost as if these Yankees, to crib a line from Sinatra, are Rangers in the Night.
5. Well, He Did Pilot the Ship in Prometheus
Actor Idris Elba petitions for a role in Fast and Furious 8 by breaking a land speed record in a Bentley on a beach in Wales (which is different than beached whales). Elba averaged 180.4 miles per hour doing a “flying mile” and hit a top speed of 186.4 miles. Elba was uninjured but his agent suffered a heart attack (I presume).
MUSIC 101
Oh Yeah
If the question is, Who was Spandau Ballet before Spandau Ballet, the answer is Roxy Music. Okay, that’s not fair. Bryan Ferry and the gang were far superior, even if they never received their due in their primes. This song was released in 1980 at the advent of the New Wave era.
REMOTE PATROL
Game 3: Rockets at Clippers
ESPN 10:30 p.m.
Through nine postseason games, Blake Griffin is posting 25 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. He can’t believe it, either.
The Clippers will be casting a Paul over James Harden’s hopes to return to the NBA Finals. Get it? Yes, I’m sorry….
You’ve not actually said – what do YOU think the punishment for Deflategate should be? For Brady &/or the Patriots? And if neither get at least some suspension or fine then why the heck was $5 MILLION dollars spent to uncover the “truth”? Unlike yourself, I haven’t read the report itself, but have read about 15-20 articles written about it (including excerpts) & even though the evidence is deemed “circumstantial” it seems a tighter case than what put Hernandez away. My opinion – if Brady does not release some sort of evidence that at least attempts to prove HIS “innocence” (or ignorance) then he will forever be known as a liar &/or cheat. One of those articles I read said Brady may go into politics when his NFL career is done. Sounds like he’s got ALL the “qualifications” already…
Golson – on one hand I’m surprised but when I think back to last Fall & some of the nasty things Brian Kelly said about Golson (to the media & public), I’m not shocked at all. I like Golson & hope he’s successful.
Finally today, I’m bummed and disgruntled about the Simmons-ESPN parting & think it is a major mistake for both. Thru ESPN, Simmons was able to do many things in print, podcasts & on national (cable) TV – founded & edited Grantland, the locale of at least 90% of the good writing ‘on ESPN’s site’. He exec-produced if not founded (?) the ’30 for 30′ TV sports docs. And he was able to chat about basketball with his buddies & get paid for it. Move over Jim Harbaugh – NOBODY HAD IT BETTER THAN SIMMONS! Supposedly he was making $3 million & was asking for $6. They should have shook hands at $4.9 & which would have included a NEW NBA show with Simmons as host which would mercifully replace the NO CHEMISTRY Steele-Collins-Rose bore fest. (I like all three people but that show has NO excitement!) Whether ego or money is the root of this divorce, we may not ever know, but as always, it’s THE ‘KIDS’ (viewers/readers) WHO SUFFER. 🙁