by John Walters
A Medium Happy 40th to Timmay!!!!!
Starting Five
Where do I get one of those Lord of Light necklaces?
1. GoT: Still GOAT
If you’re scoring at home, in last season’s finale Cersei had to do a naked walk of shame (“Shame! Shame!” the crowd literally chanted) and now, in the Season 6 premiere, Melisandre does a full body reveal that she’s a 100 year-old (or older) witch. It’s as if the producers of Game Of Thrones are dedicated to ruining every last one of its male viewer’s onanistic fantasies.
Meanwhile, the Prince of Dorne takes a header from one of his female cousins. That was brutal. The good news is that Theon and Sansa, who both have been prisoners of sorts since the end of Season 1, are finally free…. (to marry?).
2. Water Hazard
Curry was already playing with a bum ankle when this happened just before halftime
Two Sundays ago: The world’s greatest golfer currently, Jordan Speith, is undone by water.
Yesterday: The world’s greatest basketball player currently (or at least one of two), is undone by water.
Was last week’s flood in Houston a harbinger? Stephen Curry slips on a wet spot and sprains his knee. No matter when he returns this postseason, he’s probably not going to be the same. By the way, the Clippers are looking formidable. Charles Barkley said it earlier, that the Dubs won’t win the NBA championship this spring. I hate to double down on underestimating the Dubs (I was already wrong once), but there are at least three teams (Spurs, Clips, Cavs), maybe four (OKC) who look at least as formidable as they do at the moment.
The good news? Golden State did win on Sunday, outscoring Houston 41-20 in the third quarter to break a halftime tie. They’re up 3-1. But the Clippers are going to be a very, very tough out. Ask the Hoopers.
One more weird coincidence: The most noteworthy basketball game to take place in Houston this spring (UNC vs. Villanova) included a player mopping the court himself moments before his teammate hit a game-winning shot. Houston courts and moisture: bring on your 7,000-word think piece.
3. Bubble Buoyant
The S.S. Moops was unsuccessful in its bid to float from Florida to Bermuda
Florida man (but of course) Reza Baluchi needed to be rescued by the Coast Guard 70 nautical miles off St. Augustine as his quest to “run” from Florida to Bermuda in his “hydro pod” came up empty. “Part of his effort was to make world peace but he got caught up in the Gulf Stream,” said Coast Guard public affairs specialist Mark Barney.
4. From One Icon To Another
If you were “alive out there” in the summer of 1984, you may recall that the two biggest albums and the two biggest sex symbols in America were, respectively, Purple Rain and Born In The USA and Prince and Bruce Springsteen. The Boss opened his show at Barclay’s Center on Saturday night by playing “Purple Rain” without any words of introduction. Nils Lofgren nailed the guitar solo.
5. Breaking Bad In Ohio
It’s looking as if those eight people, all family members, who were murdered execution-style in southeastern Ohio, in four different homes nearby one another in a rural area, were linked to a marijuana growing operation. Three of the four locations where members of the Rhoden family were killed had marijuana farms.
Not the greatest leap of logic to assume that someone else didn’t like the idea of them honing in on their market/turf. Authorities have ruled out Tuco Salamanca.
Reserves
Manic Monday
Forty years ago today, Tim Duncan was born, as noted above. On that same day, Rick Monday of the Chicago Cubs spared Dodger Stadium from a public flag burning. Just two-plus months prior to the bicentennial. On this Monday, we salute Monday.
Music 101
Waning Moon
This 1987 tune by Minneapolis born-and-bred musician Peter Himmelman was his only song that ever charted, but he has made a living putting out albums and writing scores or themes for TV shows such as Judging Amy and Bones. I always think of him as a lost member of The Replacements, another Twin Cities band of the time. True fact: his father-in-law is Bob Dylan.
If you like this, I’d also point you to “I Feel Young Today.”
Remote Patrol
TURN: Washington’s Spies
AMC 10 p.m.
AMC asks, “Will America care about a story of heroes of the Revolution if the dialogue is not rapped?”
This particular AMC program doesn’t garner enough attention (“Talking Out of TURN,” Chris Hardwick?), but it is an honest attempt to educate the public on actual American history (so maybe it’s not a “but” that belongs in that sentence but a “because”). Anyway, if you are unfamiliar with the details of the story of Benedict Arnold, the series premiere will educate you and believe me, it’s as good as any plot line from The Americans.
About 7 years ago Dean Karnazes was going to run from California to Hawaii on that inflatable thing but decided against it.
The Dubs owner is to blame! KARMA.
Meanwhile, it’s possible I was a LEETLE too harsh on Kyrie; he’s playing some great ball. We’ll see how the playoffs continue.
Question – did you see the Jackie Robinson doc on PBS? Three things struck me quite a bit – (1) He LEFT the army during WWII?! How does one do that & why did the doc gloss over it?! WE WERE AT WAR! (2) He looked old when he retired in his 30s & that he was only 53 when he died was shocking – he looked FAR older. (3) He was a Republican & campaigned for Nixon in 1960! Even though he stayed a Republican, at least he wised up about Nixon by 68.
Katie & Billy’s PRINCE pieces were very moving. I feel sorry for all the Minnesotans, it’s like they all lost a family member.