Last night I watched a couple hours of the NFL Draft. I was taken back by the Faith the top picks and their families had in God. I firmly believed those men were in the position they were last night because they had a strong foundation built on faith and family.
You have heard me preach about getting straight F’s in life constantly on the Chalkboard. The NFL Draft last night proved that I’m not full of shit.
I flipped away from the draft coverage and caught the end of a movie that I’ve loved for almost fifty years. Today’s quote is the last line of the movie as Bizet plays and the camera pans out. The last image is a little league baseball field and the American flag flapping in the wind.
I’m not going to Roger Ebert this movie. I’m not going to explain the impact it had. I’m not going to point out that it is a time capsule of Americana in 1976.
If you’ve watched the original “Bad News Bears” with Walter Matheau then you know how incredible the movie is. If you have never watched this 1976 classic you’ll have something to binge this weekend.
We can name ten great baseball movies. The Kostner movies from the late ‘80’s are always in the top five. I hated “The Natural” because Redford was sixty at the time playing a young man. The book is one of my favorites of all time. Do yourself a favor and read the Bernard Malamud classic.
“Bad News Bears” is my favorite baseball movie. It came out when I was a kid playing little league baseball. I saw a little bit of John Shepley in each of the characters.
There are some politically incorrect lines that are said by young kids and the head coach drinks beer in the dugout. What is not to love about that? You sure as hell couldn’t make this movie in today’s crapfest.
In the world of Coach Bobby Knight and Coach Woody Hayes, it was realistic watching the antics of Coach Morris Buttermaker.
In the end the Bears lost to a team of jagoffs. The snobby pricks get a six foot trophy and the lovable losers get a ten inch trophy. That was what life was back in 1976.
We learned that second place only meant that you were the best of the losers. Second place sucked and fuck you! I’m going to become better because I don’t want to watch assclowns beat me! 1976 didn’t pull any punches nor did it candy coat how cruel life can be.
Don’t settle for being second best and keep Faith in your pocket. That is the motivation and security that gets us to Friday.
Saying that…. It’s Friday!
I get to watch the sunrise skim across matted redhair and crunchy pillow cheeks the next couple mornings.
That is something else that I have that motivates me to be kind everyday.
Come to Riverside on Saturday and watch live music and donate to Saint Jude’s…. Spring Fling weekend!
Also WWOZ is streaming the New Orleans Jazz Festival this weekend!
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
