by John Walters

Starting Five

1. Great Scott!

From Arizona Coyotes goon to fan-voted NHL All-Star captain to St. John’s (Newfoundland) IceCaps player to NHL pariah to NHL All-Star Game MVP. Wow. Quite a January for John Scott, who scored 2 goals in yesterday’s NHL All-Star Game, and totally stole the thunder from this month’s other two All-Star Games (psst, Roger: Have fans vote in Ray Rice next time)

2. Oboe, You Don’t

Finally caught a few episodes of Mozart in the Jungle (which is set in the concrete jungle of New York City). It’s Whiplash with a symphony, except that the conductor, Rodgrigo, played by fiery Gabria Garcia Bernal, is this messianic Mr. Keating type (“O Captain, My Captain!”) with more of a sweetness. I understand why he won the Golden Globe, and it’s worth catching a few episodes.

3. Suns of Anarchy (Cont.)

Six weeks ago, on December 23, Phoenix Sun forward Markieff Morris threw a towel in coach Jeff Hornacek’s face during a loss to Denver. After the game a Suns assistant pulled aside owner Robert Sarver and GM Ryan McDonough and told them the Suns had to get rid of Morris or else the coaches would lose the team, as in its respect.

Sarver and McDonough did not listen. Since that night, when the Suns were 12-19, they have gone 2-16, including two losses to Philadelphia. Yes. And that coach, plus another assistant, and now Hornacek—as of last night—have all been fired. The Suns have only been this shameful before in the late ’80s, when half the team was doing more drugs than Scott Weiland.

4. Gary, Indiana, Michigan

Maybe the northwestern Indiana city should change its state status, now that it seems imminent that the nation’s No. 1 football recruit, defensive tackle Rashan Gary of Paramus (NJ) Catholic, appears headed to Ann Arbor.

Gary, a 6’4″, 287-pound youth whom everyone rates a 5-star, has been quite the fickle recruit. A couple visits to Michigan, where his friend Jabrill Peppers play and where his former coach Chris Partridge is now the linebackers coach (that was convenient), but just over the weekend. Also, Michael Dwumfour, a lineman from DePaul Catholic in N.J. who has been Gary’s friend since 6th grade, also plans on signing with the Wolverines.

Gary will announce his choice at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., headquarters. If it is anyone but Michigan, Jim Harbaugh’s khaki’s will self-immolate on the spot.

5. This Is Not the Men’s Magazine Whose Editor Announced He’s Stepping Down

That would be Esquire, where David Granger, the editor-in-chief since 1997, announced he’s leaving on Friday, with no detailed plans. But this is GQ, where two of the world’s sexist Spanish types (he’s Portuguese, she’s Brazilian) convened for a cover shoot. Note to self: Soltero (i.e. Spanish Bachelor) would be a good show.

Music 101

Joy To The World

“Jeremiah was a bullfrog!” And with that the American rock band Three Dog Night had a No. 1 hit in 1971. The song was not written by the band but rather by Hoyt Axton, whose mother Mae Axton co-wrote “Heartbreak Hotel,” which had been Elvis Presley’s first number-one hit. Mae and Hoyt are the first (only?) mother and son to have each written a Billboard No. 1. Joy to the fishes in the deep blue sea/Joy to you and me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dp7KfG9AjaY

Remote Patrol

And The Oscar Goes To…

TCM 8 p.m.

Lawrence of Arabia

TCM 10 p.m.

Let’s begin with the latter. Arguably the most beautiful film ever shot, with the striking Peter O’Toole in all his blue-eyed glory. It’s an epic, and it’s a classic (although the final  hour drags some). Still, up until the intermission—at least for me—it is mesmerizing. The first Middle Eastern Western. Warm up with the 2-hour anthology show, a behind-the-scenes look at Oscar. It’s a repeat, but well worth any film nerd’s time.