by John Walters
Starting Five
1. En Fuegos
At a fireworks market 25 miles north of Mexico City, in the town of Tultepec, an explosion set off a chain reaction that resulted in the deaths of 29 people. More than 70 others were injured. It sort of feels like, ‘Another Day, Another Disastrophe’ right now, or as John Lennon sang almost 50 years ago, “I read the news today, oh boy…”
2. Mark Walhberg’s Blue-Collar, America-First Trilogy
Last night I saw a trailer for Patriots Day with the tagline “The movie that American needs now.” Why? Are we under attack? From whom? Pharmaceutical companies? Unregulated investment banks?
The Boston Marathon bombing was a heinous act of random violence committed by, as the brothers’ own uncle described them, “Losers.” It was not the latest round of The Crusades; it was more Fight Club taken into reality.
In the last, what, two years, Mark Wahlberg and director Peter Berg have teamed up to make three America First! films: Lone Survivor, which is about a village that is set upon by foreign invaders and chooses to defend itself (when you look at it that way…); Deepwater Horizon, about a gigantic oil company that destroys a pristine sea due to industrial negligence and yet somehow the audience is manipulated into caring about the welfare of a few strangers; and now Patriot’s Day, which is how the city of Boston heroically responded to a pair of misguided cretins who murdered a few innocent people and maimed others.
Unlike in The Perfect Storm, Wahlberg finds himself out in the sea in Deepwater Horizon and survives
You don’t make three films, all based on actual events, this similar in this short a period of time on accident. You make them because A) you’re a true patriot with all the 21st century trappings with which that comes B) you notice a giant tide of nationalism and want to cash in on that at the box office or C) both of the above.
Wahlberg is, of course, a Boston native and often a fine actor (Boogie Nights, The Departed). Lately, though, he’s been playing the same guy in every movie. I miss the dude who quipped, “I’m the guy who’s doing his job; you must be the other guy.”
3. Yes? Yes! And ELO and Journey, Too!
The 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class was announced yesterday. Pearl Jam gets in the first year they were eligible (I’ll be the contrarian and note that they’ve put out two great albums and haven’t truly been relevant in almost 20 years, even though I love them, too). Tupac Shakur becomes the first solo rapper inducted (you know he’ll come back for this) and Joan Baez wins the “You mean she wasn’t inducted 20 years ago?” award.
Then there’s three bands that kids my age heard on the radio over and over and over again and either loved or loved to hate, but me, I’m glad they’re all finally getting their due: Yes, Journey and the Electric Light Orchestra. I had a few insights on that for the Newsweek.com.
4. Ill Will Hunting
Have I mentioned that I hope Donald Trump, Jr., meets the same fate as this water buffalo?
Just seven days ago, on December 14, Donald Trump’s two sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, along with two other men, created a non-profit in which donors can get access to themselves and their dad for “charity.” There’s no mention as to what the charity is, but among the items up for bid is a “multi-day hunting trip” with the Trump scions that goes for $500,000. I’m all up for launching a GoFundMe to send Dick Cheney hunting with those two. Or you can send me. Maybe we’ll go after The Most Dangerous Game.
5. Who’s Phil Taylor?
You may not have heard his name yet (unless, like me, you are thinking of a former SI NBA writer and a great guy), but Phil Taylor is 25 years old, the god son of Allen Iverson, and leads all NCAA players, male and female, in scoring with a ridiculous 37.8 ppg scoring average at Division II Shorter University, located about 90 minutes northwest of Atlanta.
Taylor, who originally signed with FIU to play for Isaiah Thomas, left the game for three years before finding his way back at Shorter. Now a senior, he opened the season with a 19-point game, but has since had a 62-point game on Nov. 28 and a 52-point effort last Saturday.
Taylor is 5’10.” And yes, it says “SHORTER” on the front of his jersey. That’s cold.
Reserves
White power. You can’t say that Bill O’Reilly didn’t literally spell it out for us.
Music 101
Go Now
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJEo7fdl3ik
If you’re paying attention, this is the second song with this title we’ve run this month (and I know you’re paying attention, Susie B.). The first one was released 52 years ago by the Moody Blues, and this one came out late last winter from Adam Levine. It’s the song that closes out the movie Sing Street, which is the teen movie that was common in the Eighties but just is all too rare these days. If you haven’t seen it, pssst!—Netflix.
Remote Patrol
Poinsettia Bowl
BYU vs. Wyoming
ESPN 9 p.m.
Linebacker Logan Wilson was the MWC Freshman of the Year
Quick. without looking at a map, Is Laramie east or west of Provo? If you live in the Mountain Time Zone, that’s easy. Consider this my annual kvetch asking how come San Diego gets two bowls in a joyless stadium built alongside a freeway in a ravine while the Los Angeles Coliseum gets none? I’ll never understand it.
Note: BYU fans are probably upset they’re not in the Las Vegas Bowl, but their fans always travel well. I’m hoping the Cowboys fans show up, too. This is only their second eight-win season since 1998.
I didn’t vote for Trump. I think he’s horrible. His victory has had one unexpected upside, however. Watching, reading, listening to the overwrought lamentations of you and your ilk; it’s as if I’ve been transported to the land of milk and honey. It’s comedy gold, baby, comedy gold.
To steal a phrase “I’m luvin it!”
I just found out about these things called “Hatchables”. Hey, I’ve been busy! I don’t have kids! And I live under a rock! Speaking of rocks, the moment I saw these things I thought ‘OMG, it’s a cross between a Pet Rock & a Furby!’ Whey didn’t WE think of this, jdubs?! We’d be RICH, I tells ya, RICH!
BTW, I think you need to read up on ‘boat maintenance’. Specifically, how to scrape the barnacles off your “hull”, if you get my drift. 😉
I personally would be more distraught when thinking ahead of the next 4 years if I didn’t fervently believe DT will not serve out his “term”. Either impeachment, death by heart attack or violence will end his reign of torture early.
50 years from now, all the school kids will read of the early years of the 21st century & be AGHAST that the US President was NOT elected BY THE PEOPLE but an antiquated holdover from a time when ELITES really DID make all the governmental decisions. Can’t you hear them? “You mean in a DEMOCRACY, the actual populace did NOT vote for the President? TWICE? No wonder we came close to the 2nd American Revolution!”
I’m a little tardy on this, but besides loving your use of “polychromatic”, I thoroughly enjoyed your piece on Craig Sager. In fact, of the 10-12 pieces I read, yours was my fave. It may me laugh, tear-up, & think. Which, according to the late Jimmy V, if I’d done nothing that day but wake up, read your article & gone back to sleep, I’d have had a “full day”. 🙂
susieb – you realize, of course, that Barack Obama was elected by an antiquated hold over from a time when the elites DID make all the decisions (which is, ironically, kind of how the “super-delegates” for the DNC worked to help make sure that Hillary was the Democratic Party candidate, but I digress…) and that this is the same system that has elected every single President we’ve had, including such “wonderful” autocrats as Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and men who have suspended the writ of habeus corpus and jailed people for criticizing them (Abraham Lincoln). Further, did you know that almost 9% of our Presidents gained office without winning the popular vote? And that almost 1/3 of our presidents were elected by less than the majority of voters?
Obama & HRC WON the “popular” vote or as I refer to it – the REAL vote. And the system has been antiquated for the past century, no matter who was put in the White House because of it. Also, I’ve lived my entire life in MD, grew up a few miles from the Antietam Battlefield, so you don’t have to tell me what Lincoln did to protect the NATION’S capitol/government & the fate of the nation itself when surrounded by enemies (declared & undeclared) during wartime.
I’ve been against the Electoral College since I 1st learned of it in junior high. It makes a MOCKERY of the “one person/one vote” mantra which our country naively believes it is based. Depending on your state & how the major populated areas vote, your single vote may not matter at all in the Presidential Election. What difference does it matter if a vote is from a city or the country or from the coasts or middle of the country? ALL votes should COUNT & the Electoral College ensures that they do NOT.
Ah, so if the President only violates the Constitution during wartime it’s OK. That whole detention of Japanese Americans during WW II, for instance. Perhaps Trump will find that Muslims are threatening the NATION’S capitol/government & the fate of the nation itself when surrounded by enemies (declared & undeclared) during wartime.
Call it the “real” vote all you wish – fortunately, several dozen folks who were far better read and educated understood that pure democracy is a recipe for disaster and put a few circuit breakers between the ‘wisdom’ of the masses and the levers of power.
DISASTER is exactly what we have coming. The fact that a lying, bullying SOCIOPATH was “elected” by the Electoral College – originally conceived because the powers that be (or were) believed the populace could be swayed/hoodwinked by a demagogue & the EC was to prevent this tragic fate is IRONIC to say the least.
Again, I grew up in MD in the 60s & 70s in a rural area where Northerners were still called “those damn Yankees”. I learned about what Lincoln did in MD during the war from the time I was in 2nd grade thru high school. To say it was not viewed in a ‘positive light’ is an understatement. It wasn’t until I got to college that I could see & understand the situation with less bias. MD was a SLAVE state & it partly surrounded the nation’s capitol, the seat of national government. He/they did what they thought necessary to ensure MD would not secede also. War is HELL, especially when it’s literally on your own doorstep. Why don’t we debate the use of the atom bomb during WWII while we’re at it?
As for violating Constitutional rights, get ready ’cause until Trump is “removed”, that seems to be his & his henchmen’s game plan.
Ahem, I, er, found out they are actually called “Hatchimals”. A more accurate name would have been ‘Pet Furcky’, but I can see why they didn’t go in that direction. 😉
Almost forgot – anyone, ESPECIALLY in the sports media, who is “aghast” at McCaffrey, Fournette, etc not playing in some minor Bowl Game are SIMPLETONS! Or just trying to get a reaction. It’s pathetic. I lost some respect last night when I saw/heard both Anderson (John) & Bucci say they thought it was terrible & that the kids were “quitting” on their team. Maybe, MAYBE if they weren’t going to play in the Playoff games or NCG, I’d think differently, but I think it’s smart for any player with a chance of being drafted in the 1st round to do the same. Especially a RB.
And my older sister & I co-owned some Moody Blues albums when we were kids. Guess where they are now? In my SISTER’s house! Along with all OUR Beatles albums! She tells me it’s the “eldest sibling’s right of property”. I tell her it’s GRAND THEFT. 🙂
One more thing – today (a day that will live in susie-stock history), my NVDA has become an 8-bagger. Whoo-hoo! And yesterday, it inched past AAPL to become my 2nd biggest holding. Still can’t quite believe it. If Id known it would do this well this “quickly”, I’d have bought more than a measly 125 shares back in 2011 & 2012. What’s worse is realizing that if I’d put all the money I put into my loser-picks in 2012 into NVDA instead, I’d be the ecstatic owner of 1000 shares right now. Alas!