Cleaning out The 'Pent: Random Thoughts on a Tuesday
Sorry for the lack of recent posts, but I have been under the weather lately.
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1) "The Wrestler" is the anti-"Rocky"
I saw this great film a second time yesterday, and enjoyed it even more than the first. Director Darren Aronofsky did a remarkable job using hand held cameras to shoot the film, allowing for a bit of a documentary feel. Mickey Rourke's performance is one for the ages; I can't imagine another actor giving the role its due. He may be the favorite for Best Actor at the Academy Awards in two weeks. And Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood are both outstanding as the women in his life.
The film is heartbreaking but yet you can't take your eyes off the screen. And time will most likely be kind to this one: I see it only growing in stature as the years pass.
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2) An example of what a blog should be: JeffPearlman.com. Jeff shares his thoughts on a variety of subject, large and small. Always interesting reading. I can't wait until his Roger Clemens book comes out.
An example of a blog that makes little sense to me: Deadspin.com They bring snarkiness to a new level. Most of the time I cannot understand what is being talked about. Maybe I'm just too damn old.
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3) Just how do they fit all that shaving cream in such a little bottle of shaving cream?
I mean; how can there be six months worth of shaving cream in a bottle no bigger than your average can of Mountain Dew? An unanswered question you probably need a doctorate in chemistry in to know the answer to.
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4) Garry Trudeau is one of the great American artists of recent times.
Not cartoonists. Not even writers. Artists. His cartoon strip has been brilliant and timely for forty years now. I am astonished at his greatness. Not even Norman Mailer wrote a great book every time out. Not even David Halberstam. But Trudeau, yes, "Doonesbury" is consistently great.
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5) The New York Knicks might have the most perfectly awful roster in all the NBA. And for that they might want to be thankful.
They do have quite possibly the best coach in the league in Mike D'Antoni and a solid GM in Donnie Walsh, But absolutely no one on the current team roster would be considered untradeable. Their best player is ball hog Al Harrington, who scores well but simply doesn't pass. Rookie from Italy Gallinari looks to these eyes to be a bust, as he is soooo unathletic. How could they have spent a lottery pick on a guy who lumbers up and down the court so? The rest of the Knickerbockers are fillins like Richardson and Duhon, who should be thankful they play in a good system that rewards shotmakers.
The big question right now for NY's management is whether to sign free agent to be David Lee to a big contract. I say NO! He is a nice player but certainly not a difference maker. A lot of power forwards playing major minutes inside would get double figure boards if Jarod Jefferies was the center. Lee is not worth ten million. Let some other team sign him, struggle through the next season, free up some cap space, and then sign two superstars next year. Every recent NBA champion of recent vintage has gotten by with two or three major spokes on their wheel. The Knicks, with possibly D-Wade and LeBron in 2010 can do the same thing.
----------------
6) Ever hear about how wonderful a book was your whole life, then, when you got around to reading it were hugely disappointed?
Maybe I am suffering from cold symptoms, but Ken Dryden's "The Game", which is universally acknowledged as one of the finest sports books ever written, has left me cold. At least the first 50 pages have. I will try again later, but starting tomorrow I have an appointment with Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.
----------------
7) What is it with actresses and limp, lifeless hair lately?
Here is Anjelina Jolie, looking limp at the Golden Globes, here's the formerly hot Julia Roberts also looking limp in a photo from her new movie.
Don't these women have hairdressers? Is there some mysterious force destroying women's hairstyles lately? Why don't they use some damn shampoo and get some life back into their do's, for crying out loud. They look like folks who haven't taken a shower in two weeks. How very European.
---------------
1) "The Wrestler" is the anti-"Rocky"
I saw this great film a second time yesterday, and enjoyed it even more than the first. Director Darren Aronofsky did a remarkable job using hand held cameras to shoot the film, allowing for a bit of a documentary feel. Mickey Rourke's performance is one for the ages; I can't imagine another actor giving the role its due. He may be the favorite for Best Actor at the Academy Awards in two weeks. And Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood are both outstanding as the women in his life.
The film is heartbreaking but yet you can't take your eyes off the screen. And time will most likely be kind to this one: I see it only growing in stature as the years pass.
---------------
2) An example of what a blog should be: JeffPearlman.com. Jeff shares his thoughts on a variety of subject, large and small. Always interesting reading. I can't wait until his Roger Clemens book comes out.
An example of a blog that makes little sense to me: Deadspin.com They bring snarkiness to a new level. Most of the time I cannot understand what is being talked about. Maybe I'm just too damn old.
---------------
3) Just how do they fit all that shaving cream in such a little bottle of shaving cream?
I mean; how can there be six months worth of shaving cream in a bottle no bigger than your average can of Mountain Dew? An unanswered question you probably need a doctorate in chemistry in to know the answer to.
---------------
4) Garry Trudeau is one of the great American artists of recent times.
Not cartoonists. Not even writers. Artists. His cartoon strip has been brilliant and timely for forty years now. I am astonished at his greatness. Not even Norman Mailer wrote a great book every time out. Not even David Halberstam. But Trudeau, yes, "Doonesbury" is consistently great.
---------------
5) The New York Knicks might have the most perfectly awful roster in all the NBA. And for that they might want to be thankful.
They do have quite possibly the best coach in the league in Mike D'Antoni and a solid GM in Donnie Walsh, But absolutely no one on the current team roster would be considered untradeable. Their best player is ball hog Al Harrington, who scores well but simply doesn't pass. Rookie from Italy Gallinari looks to these eyes to be a bust, as he is soooo unathletic. How could they have spent a lottery pick on a guy who lumbers up and down the court so? The rest of the Knickerbockers are fillins like Richardson and Duhon, who should be thankful they play in a good system that rewards shotmakers.
The big question right now for NY's management is whether to sign free agent to be David Lee to a big contract. I say NO! He is a nice player but certainly not a difference maker. A lot of power forwards playing major minutes inside would get double figure boards if Jarod Jefferies was the center. Lee is not worth ten million. Let some other team sign him, struggle through the next season, free up some cap space, and then sign two superstars next year. Every recent NBA champion of recent vintage has gotten by with two or three major spokes on their wheel. The Knicks, with possibly D-Wade and LeBron in 2010 can do the same thing.
----------------
6) Ever hear about how wonderful a book was your whole life, then, when you got around to reading it were hugely disappointed?
Maybe I am suffering from cold symptoms, but Ken Dryden's "The Game", which is universally acknowledged as one of the finest sports books ever written, has left me cold. At least the first 50 pages have. I will try again later, but starting tomorrow I have an appointment with Joe Torre and Tom Verducci.
----------------
7) What is it with actresses and limp, lifeless hair lately?
Here is Anjelina Jolie, looking limp at the Golden Globes, here's the formerly hot Julia Roberts also looking limp in a photo from her new movie.
Don't these women have hairdressers? Is there some mysterious force destroying women's hairstyles lately? Why don't they use some damn shampoo and get some life back into their do's, for crying out loud. They look like folks who haven't taken a shower in two weeks. How very European.
posted by joe sweeney at 9:18 AM
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