I have learned a tough lesson these seven weeks of football season: don’t set your hopes too high. I’m not going to rag on the Dallas Cowboys or attempt to dissect what is wrong with this team right now, but I am going to jot down some thoughts about how disappointing the past few weeks have been watching my favorite team’s Super Bowl-caliber talent spiraling downward.
Prior to the preseason and during training camp I followed the latest news about Tony Romo, Terrell Owens, Marion Barber, DeMarcus Ware and other studs. The most common-heard prediction regarding this team led by a coach and a quarterback who have never won a playoff game between the two of them was the regular season was simply a formality that the Boys would have to sit through while they waited to find out who their competition would be from the AFC in the big game. Watching America’s Team on HBO’s “Hard Knocks” only helped build up my anticipation for what glory was to come for this group. I overlooked every mistake during the preseason, chalking it up to rustiness and told myself – like many fans are still saying – that it didn’t matter what happened at the beginning of the season, only how a team is performing at the end. And then reality started to creep in, with signs like Owens supposed complaining of not getting the ball enough, Romo’s misguided passes falling short of their target and stupid penalty after stupid penalty costing the team costly yardage. These things created a wave of anxiety growing higher and higher until the disappointing loss in Arizona, numerous injuries to key players and the Pacman suspension entirely crushed any dreams I had of Romo and Head Coach Wade Phillips proving this team was the ultimate powerhouse in the NFL.
I think it was highly unfair for everyone in the media and my close circle of friends to convince me that this team was going to have a cakewalk to Tampa Bay, which is where the Super Bowl is being held for those who don’t know or care.
I’ve made a personal decision that I think is for the best. It may sound misguided and lazy, but I think it is for the best. What I’ve decided to do is no longer set any expectations for any of my teams. The Cowboys no longer will be penciled in my mind for the Super Bowl. The Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Stars are going to have to prove throughout the season and the playoffs that they are worthy of my hopes for a championship season. And when it comes to the Texas Rangers, my confidence in a win is going to be based on a game-by-game basis.
I think a lot more people should take this route. I’m not promoting the idea to have no goals. In fact, if you have more than just a vested interest in something as menial as a sports team’s performance then please, by all means, set goals for yourself. Have some ambition.
However, rooting for a losing team shouldn’t send you into such a frenzy that your anger is taken out on your family (or the television set) or you end up not being able to perform properly at work the next day.
So summing this up: goals good, high hopes bad. That concludes today’s lesson in how the Dallas Cowboys are ruining my week. Good day.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Monday, October 13, 2008
Daughter Update
I don't have anything major to announce or anything, but I did want to put into writing how awesome I think Emery is. Everything she does is precious in my eyes. She could breathe fireballs and I would still dote on her.
She attended her cousins' joint birthday party yesterday with a petting zoo, and I enjoyed every second she walked around the gate quickly petting any animal within arm's length and riding the pony that was available. My favorite things Emery did though was constantly trying to climb the gate (which her mom says is very normal for that child) and always sticking her tongue out. She looked like a female, white, short version of Michael Jordan when her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. Absolutely adorable.
Sorry if this post bores you as I go on about my kid, but I don't do it enough on this blog.
She attended her cousins' joint birthday party yesterday with a petting zoo, and I enjoyed every second she walked around the gate quickly petting any animal within arm's length and riding the pony that was available. My favorite things Emery did though was constantly trying to climb the gate (which her mom says is very normal for that child) and always sticking her tongue out. She looked like a female, white, short version of Michael Jordan when her tongue was hanging out of her mouth. Absolutely adorable.
Sorry if this post bores you as I go on about my kid, but I don't do it enough on this blog.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Obsessive Or Just A Really Big Fan?
Where’s the line drawn between a person holding on to a harmless souvenir and a sick obsession that borders on psychosis?
I was playing on my fiancée’s computer the other night, setting my lineup for fantasy football and checking on different entertainment/sports-related news, when I heard on the TV a preview for what Joanna (my fiancée) was about to start watching. The show was one of Rachel Ray’s nine shows where she has guest stars on to interview while whatever pot roast is in the oven stops cooking. If I had to guess I would say it was “30-minute meals,” but that is a complete shot in the dark.
The clips from the program indicated New Kids on the Block would be her guest for the day, which could be the topic of an entirely new column about why they shouldn’t still be relevant in the year 2008, but let’s stick to the topic at hand. I really wasn’t paying much attention at this point, but when it was announced the Older New Kids Who Have Been Around the Block a Couple of Times would make an appearance screams could be heard and I looked up to see what the ruckus was all about.
By the time I started actually watching the clip it showed a female audience member holding a half-empty water bottle stating it belonged to one of the New Kids singers from the first time they were making music and touring. I believe her exact words were, “I’ve held on to this bottle for 15 years!” She is at about a level 3 on the scale of crazy, only a few steps away from harassing, stalking and then shooting at presidents in hopes of making a good impression.
So why do we believe keeping a water bottle with traces of a boy band singer’s saliva is crossing a line that can lead to meeting with a psychologist two times a week, but it is okay to put a baseball hit foul in a case surrounded by foam fingers proclaiming your team as number one and cheap felt pennants you bought from a street vendor?
Both of these items have absolutely no value in the free market economy other than as a used baseball and water bottle. Outside of sentimentality for whatever memento you happen to possess, souvenirs from concerts, sporting events, celebrity meetings and other milestone moments in our existence are pretty useless.
Some people are considered the ultimate fans because they were able to get their hands on the glove of a baseball legend, while others are looked at as borderline crazy for sneaking into a person’s dressing room to snatch an actress’ shoes. Nearly everyone has done something like this at some point. You might hold on to a program from a Broadway show you attended in New York for 30 years and that is simply a piece of nostalgia, but take a program from the same show that you got after seeing the lead actor throw it in the lobby’s trash and you’re labeled crazy.
I don’t have the answer to what crosses the line of insanity when it comes to collecting memorabilia, but what I do know is that the telltale signs of mental illness include photo collages on your apartment wall lit by a single red bulb hanging from the middle of the room, sleeping with an item clutched in your fist so as to not let anyone get hold of your precious material and believing a celebrity has a deep personal relationship with you despite never having met one another.
I was playing on my fiancée’s computer the other night, setting my lineup for fantasy football and checking on different entertainment/sports-related news, when I heard on the TV a preview for what Joanna (my fiancée) was about to start watching. The show was one of Rachel Ray’s nine shows where she has guest stars on to interview while whatever pot roast is in the oven stops cooking. If I had to guess I would say it was “30-minute meals,” but that is a complete shot in the dark.
The clips from the program indicated New Kids on the Block would be her guest for the day, which could be the topic of an entirely new column about why they shouldn’t still be relevant in the year 2008, but let’s stick to the topic at hand. I really wasn’t paying much attention at this point, but when it was announced the Older New Kids Who Have Been Around the Block a Couple of Times would make an appearance screams could be heard and I looked up to see what the ruckus was all about.
By the time I started actually watching the clip it showed a female audience member holding a half-empty water bottle stating it belonged to one of the New Kids singers from the first time they were making music and touring. I believe her exact words were, “I’ve held on to this bottle for 15 years!” She is at about a level 3 on the scale of crazy, only a few steps away from harassing, stalking and then shooting at presidents in hopes of making a good impression.
So why do we believe keeping a water bottle with traces of a boy band singer’s saliva is crossing a line that can lead to meeting with a psychologist two times a week, but it is okay to put a baseball hit foul in a case surrounded by foam fingers proclaiming your team as number one and cheap felt pennants you bought from a street vendor?
Both of these items have absolutely no value in the free market economy other than as a used baseball and water bottle. Outside of sentimentality for whatever memento you happen to possess, souvenirs from concerts, sporting events, celebrity meetings and other milestone moments in our existence are pretty useless.
Some people are considered the ultimate fans because they were able to get their hands on the glove of a baseball legend, while others are looked at as borderline crazy for sneaking into a person’s dressing room to snatch an actress’ shoes. Nearly everyone has done something like this at some point. You might hold on to a program from a Broadway show you attended in New York for 30 years and that is simply a piece of nostalgia, but take a program from the same show that you got after seeing the lead actor throw it in the lobby’s trash and you’re labeled crazy.
I don’t have the answer to what crosses the line of insanity when it comes to collecting memorabilia, but what I do know is that the telltale signs of mental illness include photo collages on your apartment wall lit by a single red bulb hanging from the middle of the room, sleeping with an item clutched in your fist so as to not let anyone get hold of your precious material and believing a celebrity has a deep personal relationship with you despite never having met one another.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Paul Newman A New Man In Every Role
If you have yet to hear about the death of Paul Newman, you most likely won’t be interested in what’s to come.
My mom’s favorite actor of all time, Newman succumbed to a long battle with cancer on Friday at his Connecticut home. His long list of accomplishments and accolades range from Oscar, Tony and Emmy nominations to being ranked as one of the sexiest men in film history and even a “God Among Men.”
Despite many video montages and written tributes already released in remembrance of Newman’s filmography and life, I will go ahead and list my favorite films from Newman’s career.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:
Not just my favorite Newman movie, this is possibly my favorite Western. It is hard to identify my favorite cowboy movie of all time, but this film is hands down the winner as the most enjoyable of all Newman’s work. His good-humored banter with Robert Redford is classic. Newman’s dialogue is perfectly delivered giving the exact emotional tone necessary for the scene. It really doesn’t get much better than this when you’re looking for quality Paul Newman.
The Hustler:
This quiet, well-paced drama about an up-and-coming pool player who plays in a high-stakes game for the sole purpose of respect offers more than just a great Newman character. It also highlights the greatness of Jackie Gleason as Newman’s “fat” opponent and George C. Scott as a slimy manager. This is very cliché to say, but they don’t make movies like The Hustler anymore.
The Sting:
Another outstanding Newman/Redford film, this movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Score. Newman stars as a veteran conman who teams up with Redford to swindle a criminal banker for all he’s worth. If you are looking for non-stop laughs and delight I recommend this as a movie worth your time.
Road to Perdition:
I think this movie is often overlooked as to what a wonderful job Newman does opposite other acting superstars Tom Hanks, Stanley Tucci, Jude Law and Daniel Craig. Newman portrays a crime boss who is caught up in having to protect his business and family from Hanks’ hit man character after allowing the killing of Hanks’ family.
Cool Hand Luke:
Lines like “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate,” and classic moments such as eating 50 hard-boiled eggs quite possibly makes this Newman’s most remembered character. As Luke Jackson, a plucky prisoner in a Southern chain gang who refuses to cave in to authority, Newman received an Academy Award nomination for his terrific portrayal of a guy who couldn’t be broken.
The Hudsucker Proxy:
This might be an odd choice because probably few of you have ever heard of this movie. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this quirky comedy is about the corruption of big business in the 1930s. Newman plays the evil corporate bigwig and is surrounded by a cast that includes Tim Robbins, John Mahoney, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Charles Durning.
Cars:
I’m not really a big fan of this movie. I like it, but I consider it to be the weakest of all the Pixar films (which isn’t necessarily a terrible thing considering it is up against the likes of Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Wall-E). Newman voices a car that is an ex-racer wise beyond his years. He helps young Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson and based after legendary actor Steve McQueen) become a better racer and a better member of the vehicular society.
Thousands of actors would love to have these kinds of movies on their resume, but that is just a small portion of how amazing Newman’s craft really was. I haven’t had room to include movies like The Verdict, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Hud, Exodus and Absence of Malice. If you have a couple of nights on your hands and you want some entertainment, I suggest you spend a few of those with the late, and great, Paul Newman.
My mom’s favorite actor of all time, Newman succumbed to a long battle with cancer on Friday at his Connecticut home. His long list of accomplishments and accolades range from Oscar, Tony and Emmy nominations to being ranked as one of the sexiest men in film history and even a “God Among Men.”
Despite many video montages and written tributes already released in remembrance of Newman’s filmography and life, I will go ahead and list my favorite films from Newman’s career.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:
Not just my favorite Newman movie, this is possibly my favorite Western. It is hard to identify my favorite cowboy movie of all time, but this film is hands down the winner as the most enjoyable of all Newman’s work. His good-humored banter with Robert Redford is classic. Newman’s dialogue is perfectly delivered giving the exact emotional tone necessary for the scene. It really doesn’t get much better than this when you’re looking for quality Paul Newman.
The Hustler:
This quiet, well-paced drama about an up-and-coming pool player who plays in a high-stakes game for the sole purpose of respect offers more than just a great Newman character. It also highlights the greatness of Jackie Gleason as Newman’s “fat” opponent and George C. Scott as a slimy manager. This is very cliché to say, but they don’t make movies like The Hustler anymore.
The Sting:
Another outstanding Newman/Redford film, this movie won seven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Score. Newman stars as a veteran conman who teams up with Redford to swindle a criminal banker for all he’s worth. If you are looking for non-stop laughs and delight I recommend this as a movie worth your time.
Road to Perdition:
I think this movie is often overlooked as to what a wonderful job Newman does opposite other acting superstars Tom Hanks, Stanley Tucci, Jude Law and Daniel Craig. Newman portrays a crime boss who is caught up in having to protect his business and family from Hanks’ hit man character after allowing the killing of Hanks’ family.
Cool Hand Luke:
Lines like “What we’ve got here is failure to communicate,” and classic moments such as eating 50 hard-boiled eggs quite possibly makes this Newman’s most remembered character. As Luke Jackson, a plucky prisoner in a Southern chain gang who refuses to cave in to authority, Newman received an Academy Award nomination for his terrific portrayal of a guy who couldn’t be broken.
The Hudsucker Proxy:
This might be an odd choice because probably few of you have ever heard of this movie. Written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, this quirky comedy is about the corruption of big business in the 1930s. Newman plays the evil corporate bigwig and is surrounded by a cast that includes Tim Robbins, John Mahoney, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Charles Durning.
Cars:
I’m not really a big fan of this movie. I like it, but I consider it to be the weakest of all the Pixar films (which isn’t necessarily a terrible thing considering it is up against the likes of Toy Story, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo and Wall-E). Newman voices a car that is an ex-racer wise beyond his years. He helps young Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson and based after legendary actor Steve McQueen) become a better racer and a better member of the vehicular society.
Thousands of actors would love to have these kinds of movies on their resume, but that is just a small portion of how amazing Newman’s craft really was. I haven’t had room to include movies like The Verdict, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Hud, Exodus and Absence of Malice. If you have a couple of nights on your hands and you want some entertainment, I suggest you spend a few of those with the late, and great, Paul Newman.
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