Sunday, January 31, 2010

The Television Cabinet

Since the real government has been rudderless for 20 years, it might be fun to put TV and movie characters in charge. So, who would be the best fit in each executive branch position???

President: Steve McGarrett (Hawaii Five-0): We have not had a competent president in 20 years and he has executive experience as head of Hawaii Five-0.

Vice-President: Homer Simpson (The Simpsons): Cheney aside, Homer fits the pattern of recent VP picks.

Secretary of State: Sarek of Vulcan (Star Trek): He’s already an ambassador.

Secretary of Treasury: Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld): He'd return cans and bottles to pay off the national debt.

Secretary of Defense: Harry Callahan (Dirty Harry): War on Terror: Over in 30 seconds.

Attorney General: Jack McCoy (Law and Order): Wouldn't a cabinet meeting with McCoy and Callahan be fun to sit in on?

Secretary of Interior: Maggie O’Connell  (Northern Exposure): She is from Alaska.

Secretary of Agriculture: Charles Ingles (Little House): He is a farmer.

Secretary of Commerce: Sam Malone (Cheers): He runs a bar and would have exciting rivalries with the Labor Dept.

Secretary of Labor: Ralph Cramden (The Honeymooners): Never has a man been so perfect for a govt. post.

HHS Secretary: Bob Hartley (The Bob Newhart Show): His patients can work along with him. Keep them away from the alcohol and 2000 degree ovens.

Hud Secretary: George Jefferson (The Jeffersons): He moved on up to the East Side.

Secretary of Transportation: Louie De Palma (Taxi): Imagine this guy in cabinet meetings.

Secretary of Energy: Jed Clampett (The Beverly Hillbillies): The man finds oil while hunting in his back yard.

Secretary of Veteran’s Affairs: Thomas Magnum (Magnum PI): First show to portray Vietnam Vets as normal people.

Secretary of Homeland Security: Jack Bauer (24): Bauer and Callahan in the same cabinet; imagine the possibilities.

Surgeon General: Hawkeye Pierce (MASH): A lot of good candidates, but Hawkeye is an icon.

Postmaster General: Newman (Seinfeld): Came down to Newman and Cliff. Newman knew the postal codes. Claven knew "three people not in his kitchen."

White House Spokesman: Al Bundy (Married with Children): We sort of have this now.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

All Time NFL Team: Offense

C- Mike Webster-Steelers
C/LB- Chuck Bednarik- Eagles

OG- John Hannah- Patriots
OG- Gene Upshaw- Raiders
OG- Larry Little- Dolphins
OT- Anthony Munoz- Bengals
OT- Art Shell- Raiders
OT- Roosevelt Brown- Giants

QB- Terry Bradshaw- Steelers
QB- Joe Montana- 49ers
QB- Johnny Unitas- Colts
QB- Peyton Manning- Colts

RB- Barry Sanders- Lions
RB- Emmit Smith- Cowboys
RB- Walter Payton- Bears

FB- Jim Brown- Browns

WR- Jerry Rice- 49ers
WR- Lynn Swann- Steelers
WR- Don Hutson- Packers
WR- Art Monk- Redskins

TE- Mike Ditka- Bears
TE- Tony Gonzalez-Chiefs

All Time NFL Team: Defense and Special Teams

DE- Jack Youngblood- Rams
DE- Howie Long- Raiders
DE- Deacon Jones- Rams
DE- Bruce Smith- Bills
DE/DT/LB- Randy White-Cowboys

DT- Bob Lilly- Cowboys
DT- Reggie White- Packers
DT- Mean Joe Greene- Steelers
DT- Merlin Olsen- Rams

LB- Lawrence Taylor- Giants
LB- Jack Lambert- Steelers
LB- Dick Butkus- Bears
LB- Ray Lewis- Ravens
LB- Ray Nitschke- Packers
LB- Joe Schmidt- Lions
LB- Mike Singletary- Bears

CB- Night Train Lane- Lions
CB- Deion Sanders- Cowboys
CB- Lem Barney- Lions
CB- Mel Blount- Steelers
CB- Darrell Green-Redskins

S- Ronnie Lott- 49ers
S- Rod Woodson- Steelers
S- Ed Reed- Ravens

DB/QB/P- Sid Luckman- Bears
K- Adam Vinatieri- Patriots
KR- Mel Gray-Lions
P- Ray Guy- Raiders

Coach- Vince Lombardi

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

The Ten Most Conservative Songs of all Time

Bodies- The Sex Pistols: The Sex Pistols sing about dying babies in this anti-abortion song.

Coming to America- Neil Diamond: Neil Diamond expresses a very Reaganesque message of America being that shining city on a hill providing inspiration to the world.

Don’t Tread on Me- Metallica: Metallica ties themselves to the American Revolution. During that period, one flag featured a snake ready to strike with the words “Don’t Tread On Me” underneath. The song includes many conservative messages such as “liberty or death”, “love it or leave it”, and “to secure peace is to prepare for war.”

I Can’t Drive 55- Sammy Hagar: Hagar rails against the nanny state and its desire to run every aspect of our lives.

Rock The Casbah- The Clash: Joe Strummer wrote this after the Ayatollah clamped down on rock music in Iran. The song was co-opted by American troops during the First Gulf War and was re-interpreted to mean “bomb the Middle East.” Ironically, Strummer was a committed leftist that despised war.

Small Town- John Mellencamp: Mellencamp is not a conservative. However, Small Town represents the cultural divide between left and right. While the left controls urban areas, the small town remains conservative.

Stormtroopin’- Ted Nugent: Unlike Mellencamp and Strummer, Nugent is a right winger. Uncle Ted warns about big government and provides the real rationale for the 2nd Amendment.

Taxman- The Beatles: Beware of the Taxman. He’ll tax the heat, your car, and even your feet. The government knows what is best, so don’t ask where the money goes!

We’re Not Gonna Take It- Twisted Sister: Since the left tends to like government, it tends to be more institutional than the right. When the left revolts, it tends to be against themselves. When the right revolts, it’s against the left, the government, the system, and the machine.

Won’t Get Fooled Again- The Who: Pete Townsend wrote this in reaction to the sixties. In his view, he felt that we won’t be fooled again by those left wing hippie tools. The song was played at Bush headquarters on election eve 2000.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Most Liberal Songs of All Time

American Idiot- Green Day: The song is about the brain dead public going along with the Iraq War.

Beds Are Burning- Midnight Oil: Beds Are Burning is more Euro-focused. Essentially, the West raped and pillaged the third world and now it is time to make amends.

Fight the Power- Public Enemy: The title could lend itself to any ideology. However, this is geared toward militant revolution. The power is society itself and that needs a fundamental transformation.

Fortunate Son- Creedence Clearwater Revival: Fortunate Son is the best of the Vietnam Era anti-war songs. The song tells the story of a man that is not fortunate enough to be born into wealth and privilege and thus can not escape the draft. The song was resurrected during the Iraq War as many tried to paint Bush as the fortunate son.

Fuck the Police- NWA: The title says it all.

Imagine - John Lennon: Lennon’s masterpiece is generally considered a left wing anthem. Although, Lennon was a leftist agitator at times, the song itself ponders a world where everyone can get along. What strikes many as uber-liberal is Lennon’s imagining no religion and no countries. To some, this smacked of Marxist Revolution.

Another Pleasant Valley Sunday- Carole King: The Monkeys made this famous. The song is about conformity and modern life. It’s about how the American dream can become the American nightmare. Instead of enjoying life, people have to keep up with the Joneses and maintain status.

Sleep Now In The Fire- Rage Against The Machine: Rage takes on capitalism, religion, history, genocide, and imperialism. Michael Moore directed the video filmed at Wall Street. The band’s ideology is simple and the song’s understanding of history is clearly lacking. On the other hand, the riff is as good as it gets.

This Land is Your Land- Woody Guthrie: This is the 1930s version of “spread the wealth around.”

War Pigs- Black Sabbath: The song originally was going to be about the witches’ sabbath. However, the band changed the term “Walpurgis” to War Pigs and an anti-war song was born. The song re-emerged during the last decade as some radio stations decided to protest the Iraq

Friday, January 22, 2010

Detroit Lions All Time Team: Offense

C- Alex Wojciechowicz (1938-1945)
C- Ed Flanagan (1965-1974)
C- Kevin Glover (1985-1997)

OG- John Gordy (1957-1967)
OG- Harley Sewell (1953-1962)
OG- Dick Stanfel (1952-1955)

OT- Lomas Brown (1985-1995)
OT- Lou Creekmur (1950-1959)
OT/OG- Keith Dorney (1979-1987)

QB- Bobby Layne (1950-1958)
QB- Greg Landry (1968-1978)

RB- Dutch Clark (1934-1938)
RB- Barry Sanders (1989-1998)
RB- Billy Sims (1980-1984)
RB- Dexter Bussey (1974-1984)
RB- Mel Farr (1967-1973)
RB- Bob Hoernschemeyer (1950-1955)
FB- Doak Walker (1950-1955)
FB- Corey Schlesinger (1995-2006)

WR- Herman Moore (1991-2001)
WR- Gail Cogdil (1960-1968)
WR- Terry Barr (1957-1965)
WR- Cloyce Box (1949-1954)
WR- Brett Perriman (1991-1996)

TE- Charlie Sanders (1968-1977)
TE- David Hill (1976-1982)

Detroit Lions All Time Team: Defense and Special Teams

DE- Robert Porcher (1992-2003)
DE- Bubba Baker (1978-1982)
DE- William Gay (1978-1987)

DT- Alex Karras (1958-1970)
DT- Doug English (1975-1985)
DT- Jerry Ball (1987-1992)

NG- Les Bingaman (1948-1954)

LB- Joe Schmidt (1953-1965)
LB- Chris Spielman (1988-1995)
LB- Wayne Walker (1958-1972)
LB- Mike Lucci (1965-1973)
LB- Stephen Boyd (1995-2001)
LB- Mike Cofer (1983-1992)

DB- Night Train Lane (1960-1965)
DB- Dick Jauron (1973-1977)
CB- Lem Barney (1967-1977)
CB- Dick LeBeau (1959-1972)
CB- Dre Bly (2003-2006)
S- Bennie Blades (1988-1996)

K- Jason Hanson (1992-Present)
K- Eddie Murray (1980-1991)
KR- Mel Gray (1989-1994)
KR- Eddie Drummond (2002-2006)
P- Yale Lary (1952-1964)

Coach- Buddy Parker (1951-1956)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Championship Game Picks

Season: 64-30

Last Week: 2-2

Championship Game Records

Colts: 3-3 (2-1 in the Superbowl)

Jets: 1-2 (1-0 in the Superbowl)

Saints: 0-1 (0-0 in the Superbowl)

Vikings: 4-4 (0-4 in the Superbowl)

Picks:

Colts over Jets (Colts are the best team in the NFL)

Saints over Vikes (Just because I want Favre to lose)

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Grading Obama's First Year

President Obama’s first year in office is complete. Polls show that half the country consider it a failure. Obama’s approval rating is now under 50% in most polls (although I did see one today that placed it at 56%). A number of factors converge to explain these numbers. The economy is still bad and he has not addressed it. No one wants Obamacare. The country faced two terror attacks and he took forever to decide what to do in Afghanistan. Now that the year is over, Obama can now be graded and compared to other presidents.

Domestic policy: He has not done anything. No one wants Obamacare, but that is not yet complete. Cap and trade probably won’t pass. Since nothing has happened, he gets a “C” for domestic policy. Grade: C

Foreign Policy: His policy of engagement with Iran is in shambles and the Islamic Republic is on the verge of acquiring nuclear weapons. The administration appears willing to accept this. Meanwhile, the people of Iran revolted against the Mullahs and Obama has been MIA. Meanwhile, most foreign leaders consider him a lightweight. China dodged him at Copenhagen and Russia pats him on the head and tells him to go play. The French openly mock him. Grade: D

Afghanistan and Iraq: Iraq seems to have calmed down since the 2007 surge. Afghanistan was burning and Obama took forever to decide to proceed with a surge. He gets a good grade for making the decision, but loses points for taking months to make it. Grade: C

Economy: He has ignored the economy. Unemployment is over 10% and real unemployment is over 17%. The stimulus failed to stimulate the economy and turned out to be nothing more than a big payoff. The budget deficit is out of control and raising taxes will only slow the economy further. Grade: F

War on Terror: After no attacks on the homeland since 911, there have been two under Obama. Luckily, the Fort Hood Shooter will be tried in military court. Meanwhile, the underwear bomber is going to civilian court for whatever reason. He also moved some terror suspects, including KSM, to American courts after they confessed in military tribunals. The administration has promised convictions even if the defendants are found innocent which calls into question the legitimacy of the proceedings. Plus, many Gitmo detainees are going to military tribunals. So, the civilian court trials make no sense. Obama also promises to close Gitmo which is unnecessary. He wrongly claims it is a recruiting tool for terrorists. America's existence is the recruiting tool. Plus, the terrorists are probably better off in Cuba than in American prisons. Grade: F

Intangibles: In many respects, he is the anti-Carter. While President Carter opposed his own party in Congress and got in their way, Obama stays out of the way and rarely pushes his agenda. This makes him look weak. Meanwhile, he has done more interviews and personal appearances in his first year than Clinton and Bush 43 combined. He is overexposed and tends to play celebrity as opposed to president. It's like he's playing a role as opposed to working at a job. Plus, his policies run counter to the wishes of the American people. In fact, he’s been so far to the left, that his policies have scared the people of Massachusetts into electing a Republican senator for the first time since 1972. As a result, he has scored some of the lowest approval ratings in history. Grade: D

Some Obama first year highlights: He held a beer summit, went for a burger with Joe Biden, attended a Broadway show, killed a fly, called Kanye a “jackass”, and got annoyed because a terror attack interrupted his Christmas vacation.

Overall: D+

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Grades: First Year for Every President Since FDR

Here are the grades for every president's first year since FDR. The rationale for each grade is listed next to the name. If there are questions, google the terms or ask. Also, some events have a greater significance, so even if a president has a nice achievement or a dunderheaded move, it can be canceled out by something else. Interestingly, I gave Clinton a higher mark than many of the people in his administration for his first year...

Obama is not included.

I used January 20 as the end date for the accidental presidents.

FDR: A (New Deal)

Truman (April 12, 1945-January 20, 1946): A (Potsdam, Ended WWII,UN)

Eisenhower: A (Ended Korean War, Kept most of New Deal, Earl Warren)

JFK: D (Bay of Pigs, Alliance for Progress, Peace Corps, Berlin Wall, Failed summit, Space Program, Inaugural Address)

LBJ (November 22, 1963-January 20, 1965): A (Kennedy Assassination, Civil Rights Act, 1964 Election. Beginnings of Great Society)

Nixon: C (Inaugural Address, Bombing Cambodia, Beginning of Vietnamization, Silent Majority speech)

Ford: (August 9, 1974-January 20, 1975): A-(WIN Program, Nixon Pardon, Healer-in-chief)

Carter: C (Draft dodger pardon, Carter VS. Congress)

Reagan: A (First Inaugural Address, Tax Cuts, Assassination Attempt, Air Traffic Controller’s Strike, Confrontation, Defense Buildup, Sandra Day O‘Connor)

Bush 41: C (Panama, Fall of Berlin Wall)

Clinton: D- (FMLA, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, NAFTA, Travelgate, Troopergate, Whitewater, other assorted scandals, Waco, Somalia)

Bush 43: A (Tax cuts, 911, Patriot Act, No Child Left Behind, Withdrawal from ABM Treaty and Kyoto, Overthrow of Taliban and War on Terror, Ground Zero Speech, 911 Address to Congress)

My Favorite Movies

Casino

Goodfellas

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

The Empire Strikes Back

Tombstone

Gladiator

Casablanca

Outlaw Josey Wales

Ron Burgundy

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Greatest Games of the 1980s: #1-10

1. Tigers: 8 Padres: 4 (October 14, 1984): There’re Greeaat! World Series Game 5. The Tigers flexed their muscles and dispatched the Padres. Kirk Gibson hit 2 homers. After the second blast off Goose Gossage, he paraded around the bases in celebratory fashion---he roared as the crowd chanted “Goosebusters.”

2. Michigan: 23 Huskies: 6 (January 1, 1981): Bo’s first bowl win. Bo finally wins a bowl game. No heart attacks, no phantom touchdowns, and no bizarre incidents.

3. Detroit: 105 Lakers: 97 (June 13, 1989): How sweep it is! NBA Finals Game 4. The Pistons polished off a sweep of the two-time defending champs. The game was close, but Bill Laimbeer finished off LA with a jumper with 28 seconds remaining. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar finished his career with a basket. The crowd and the Pistons gave him a standing ovation as he left the game.

4. Lakers: 103 Pistons: 102 (June 19, 1988): Championship denied. NBA Finals Game 6. Isiah Thomas twisted his ankle and still managed to score 25 in the 3rd quarter. Detroit led the series 3-2 going into Game 6. They led 102-99 with a minute left. Byron Scott cut the lead to one with 52 seconds to go. The Pistons failed to score on their next possession. Piston defense stifled LA and forced a desperation shot by Kareen Abdul-Jabbar. Then, the NBA took over. Bill Laimbeer got whistled for a foul. It was clear he did not come near Kareem and instant replay proved it. Kareen hit the foul shots and forced Game 7. The Pistons really won 3 titles in a row despite what the history books state.

5. Detroit Tigers: 1 Toronto Blue Jays: 0 (October 4, 1987): Comeback complete. The Tigers finished off an amazing comeback behind Frank Tanana’s 6 hit shutout. Larry Herndon homered for the game’s only run. The Tigers went 5-2 down the stretch while Toronto did not win in the final week.

6. Tigers: 4 White Sox: 0 (April 7, 1984): He has his no-hitter! Jack Morris throws a no-hitter on national TV. It was part of Detroit’s 35-5 start and Chet Lemon homered.

7. Hawkeyes: 12 Wolverines: 10 (October 19, 1985): #1 vs. #2. #1 Iowa took on #2 Michigan and escaped. Through five games, Michigan’s defense surrendered 21 points while Iowa was averaging 44 points a game behind Chuck Long. Neither offense did well and Michigan held a 10-9 lead early in the 4th quarter. Long drove down the field with 5:27 to go and Iowa kicked a field goal with seconds remaining. This was one of the best college games of the decade.

8. Wolverines: 26 Buckeyes: 24 (November 22, 1986): The guarantee. Jim Harbaugh guaranteed a victory. Ohio State blew a 14-3 lead as Jamie Morris racked up 210 yards. OSU missed a game winning field goal with 1:06 remaining. Chris Spielman had 29 tackles in the loss.


9. Red Wings: 3 Maple Leafs: 0 (May 3, 1987): Bro-phy! Bro-phy! The Wings fell behind 3-1 in the playoffs to Toronto. They won the next two games, 3-0 and 4-2. In Game 7, they shut out the Leafs 3-0. During the series, Leafs coach John Brophy accused the Wings of choking. In the third period, the JLA crowd shouted “Bro-phy! Bro-phy!” taunting the Leaf coach.

10. Michigan: 80 Seton Hall: 79 (OT) (April 3, 1989): Goodbye Bill, Hello Steve. Michigan wins the NCAA Tournament. Michigan coach Bill Frieder decided to move on to Arizona State, so athletic director, Bo Schembechler, fired him and elevated assistant coach Steve Fisher to head coach. Fisher started his career 6-0 as he swept through the tournament. Glen Rice was the tournament’s outstanding player as he averaged 29 points a game.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Greatest Games of the 80s #11-20

11. Tigers: 1 Royals: 0 (October 5, 1984): The nail biter. Happy Birthday to me! The Tigers win Game 3 of the ALCS and the Pennant. Milt Wilcox is unhittable scattering 3 hits. Willie Hernandez finished up and Darrell Evans beat Willie Wilson in a foot race. No Buckner moment here!


12. The 1989 Rose Bowl- Wolverines: 22 Trojans: 14 (January 2, 1989): Bo goes bowling. USC led 14-3 at the half behind Rodney Pete. Michigan’s running game and defense took over in the second half and Leroy Hoard was the MVP. It was Bo’s last bowl win and UM finished #4 in the country with only close losses to Miami and Notre Dame.

13. 32nd Annual NHL All-Star Game- Wales: 6 Campbell: 3 (February 5, 1980) : Howe Returns. Gordie Howe returns to Detroit for the All-Star Game. Unfortunately, it’s at the Joe and not the Olympia.

14. Celtics: 108 Pistons: 107 (May 26, 1987): Bird steals the ball. The Pistons looked to win at Boston Garden for the first time since the Caesars ruled Rome. A win gave Detroit a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals against Boston with a chance to close out the Celts at home. Then, Bird steals the ball. It was the same game Robert Parrish cheap-shotted Bill Laimbeer.

15. Tigers: 7 Twins: 6 (October 10, 1987): Disaster delayed. The Tigers looked doomed after dropping the first two of the ALCS to Minnesota. Pat Sheridan’s 2-run 8th inning shot off Jeff Reardon launched the comeback that never was.

16. Tigers: 6 Blue Jays: 3 (10 innings) (June 4, 1984): The Bergman Experience. Dave Bergman spent seven minutes batting against Roy Lee Jackson. He fouled off 7 pitches after working a full count. Then, he hit a 3-run shot to win the game and launch ABC Monday Night Baseball’s new season.

17. Pistons: 186 Nuggets: 184 (December 13, 1983): The highest scoring game in NBA history. Nowadays, 105 points is a lot. Back then, teams could score. Four players scored 40 or more (Kiki Vandewegh-51, Alex English-47, Isiah- 47, and John Long-41). Twelve players landed in double figures. Imagine scoring 184 and losing…

18. Tigers: 6 White Sox: 0 (April 15, 1983): Damn you Jerry Hairston! Milt Wilcox had a perfect game going into the 9th. Jerry Hairston singles with 2 outs in the 9th to spoil Wilcox’s perfecto.

19. Knicks: 127 Pistons: 123 (OT) (April 27, 1984): Isiah goes off. Game 5 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs. Isiah was having a poor game and then scored 16 points in the last 94 seconds to send the game to overtime. Unfortunately, the Knicks won the game and the series.

20. Tigers: 3 Blue Jays: 2 (September 27, 1987): The Comeback begins. The Tigers went into Toronto and lost the first three games of the series. They trailed 2-1 in the 9th when Kirk Gibson homered off Tom Henke to tie the game. The Tigers won in 13 innings and went 5-2 down the stretch. It sent Toronto into one of the great tailspins in history. They did not win again. The Tigers gained 5 games in the last week and won the division by 2 games.

Football Picks

Last Week: 3-3
Season: 62-28

Picks:

Colts-Ravens: Colts (Colts have won 7 straight vs. Bal)

Jets-Chargers: Upset! Take the Jets (Chargers are a better team; Jets can run the ball and have a great defense)

Cowboys- Vikes: Cowboys upset Favre (Eagles have created a monster)

New Orleans-AZ: AZ (AZ has experience and NO has struggled)

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Top 10 Movie Scenes of All Time

1. Statue of Liberty- Planet of the Apes (1968): The film is about the world turned upside down. It fits 1968 very well. The last scene is mind blowing. Dr. Zeus was correct. Taylor would not like what he found. The movie is especially disconcerting because movie goers were used to Charlton Heston coming out on top. Here, he’s trapped with no way out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31QUOUxqz2M

2. D-Day Invasion- Saving Private Ryan (1998): I was shell shocked after this half hour. Actual Normandy survivors authenticated its accuracy.

3. La Marseillaise- Casablanca (1942): This was filmed during World War II and after the fall of Paris. The emotions are genuine making this an extremely powerful scene.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KL76edqCKc

4. Stuff that dreams are made of- Maltese Falcon (1941): The best scene in the best film of the Noir genre.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hp7130Bjec4

5. Russian Roulette- The Deer Hunter (1978): Another Vietnam movie. If you want to know the American psyche right after Vietnam, watch this film. This particular scene is the most intense in movie history courtesy Robert De Niro and Christopher Walken.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqakCa-MysE

6. I love the smell of napalm in the morning-Apocalypse Now (1979): This scene served as an analogy for American involvement in Vietnam. Cowboys in helicopters mindlessly blowing stuff up while concentrating on surfing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHjWDCX1Bdw

7. Chariots- Ben Hur (1959): First Century Nascar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbQvpJsTvxU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nKnFLPV2yDY&feature=fvw

8. Stirling Speech- Braveheart (1995): The battle scene was completely wrong due to budgetary constraints, but Mel gives the greatest movie speech of all time. It has since been parodied and copied to the hilt. The best knock off starred Bob Newhart as Braveheart.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70csu2Z51sM

9. Horses Head- Godfather(1972): Frank Sinatra gets to star in From Here to Eternity...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkwYuT0hA_8

10. My name is Gladiator- Gladiator (2000): The wronged general travels to Rome as a slave and faces down the emperor in public. Great tension between Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvAbGbFYAuk

The Complete List of Greatest Movie Scenes of all Time

1. Statue of Liberty- Planet of the Apes (1968)

2. D-Day Invasion- Saving Private Ryan (1998)

3. La Marseillaise- Casablanca (1942)

4. Stuff that dreams are made of- Maltese Falcon (1941)

5. Russian Roulette- The Deer Hunter (1978)

6. I love the smell of napalm in the morning-Apocalypse Now (1979)

7. Chariots- Ben Hur (1959)

8. Stirling Speech- Braveheart (1995)

9. Horses Head- Godfather(1972)

10. My name is Gladiator- Gladiator (2000)



11. The Showdown- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

12. Jumping -Butch and Sundance (1969)

13. Wanna have a catch?- Field of Dreams (1989)

14. Atlanta burns- Gone with the Wind (1939)

15. Patton and the flag- Patton (1970)

16. The Red Sea Parts-The Ten Commandments (1956)

17. Two Hills of beans/Into the Myst- Casablanca (1942)

18. The Chase- Bullitt (1968)

19. Baptism by Fire-The Godfather (1972)

20. Bank Heist Shootout- Heat (1995)



21. The Chase- The French Connection (1971)

22. The fight- The Quiet Man (1952)

23. I Don’t give a damn!- Gone with the Wind (1939)

24. Let‘s Go Home- The Searchers (1956)

25. Are you looking at me?-Taxi Driver (1976)

26. Kissing Fredo- Godfather II (1974)

27. Boom-The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

28. Superman saves Lois- Superman (1978)

29. Death Star blows-Star Wars (1977)

30. The Desert Chase-Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)



31. Showdown- High Noon (1952)

32. John Wayne Closeup- Stagecoach (1939)

33. Stella!- A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

34. We need a bigger boat- Jaws (1975)

35. Mommy Kisses- The Manchurian Candidate (1962)

36. Wayne goes down- The Shootist (1976)

37. Oz goes color- The Wizard of Oz (1939)

38. It’s Alive!- Frankenstein (1931)

39. Rocky runs- Rocky (1976)

40. The Ecstasy of Gold- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1967)



41. Put your lips together and blow-To Have and Have Not (1944)

42. A boulder- Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

43. The parachute- The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

44. Laser- Gold finger (1964)

45. The Indianapolis- Jaws (1975)

46. The Conversation: Pacino meets De Niro- Heat (1995)

47. The Battle- Gladiator (2000)

48. Win one for the Gipper- Knute Rockne: All American (1940)

49. Fredo goes fishing- Godfather II (1974)

50. Kong vs. airplanes-King Kong (1933)



51. Who’s on First?-The Naughty Nineties (1945)

52. Apes to Man-2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

53. The Funeral Oration- Julius Caesar (1953)

54. The filibuster-Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

55. I’m Melting/Ding Dong the witch is dead-The Wizard of Oz (1939)

56. Girls don’t float-Frankenstein (1931)

57. The Speech-The Pride of the Yankees (1942)

58. What is your major malfunction Private Pyle - Full Metal Jacket (1987):

59. Here’s Johnny!- The Shining (1980)

60. The question- Dirty Harry (1971)



61. Head in a box: Seven (1995)

62. Butch and Sundance vs. an army: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

63. Lector meets Clarice: Silence of the Lambs (1991)

64. I never drink wine: Dracula (1931)

65. They call me Mr. Tibbs- In The Heat of the Night (1967)

66. The Shower- Psycho (1960):

67. Get your stinking paws: Planet of the Apes (1968):

68. Don‘t Stop at the Tollbooth : Godfather (1972):

69. Bonnie and Clyde eat lead: Bonnie and Clyde (1967):

70. Eastwood rides into hell: Unforgiving (1992):



71. The Catina: SW (1977)

72. My Kingdom for a Horse: Richard III (1995)

73. Stewart’s Nightmare: Vertigo (1958) (LSD trip)
74. Hal can read lips: 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

75. The Overdose: Pulp Fiction (1994)

76. The Stateroom- A Night at the Opera (1935)

77.Ol Lang‘s Eye- It‘s a Beautiful Life (1946)

78. The Dance- Reservoir Dogs (1992)

79. I’ll be back-The Terminator (1983)

80. Bruce Willis is dead- The Sixth Sense (1999)



81. I’m Your Father- ESB

82. Make my day-Sudden Impact (1983)

83. Truck chases bike- T2

84. Blowing up the roof-Die Hard (1988)

85. Say hello to my little friend-Scarface

86. I’m a Comedian?-Goodfellas (1990)

87. Redford bleeds-The Natural (1984)

88. Band of Brothers- Henry V

89. Ripley in the suit-Aliens (1986)

90. The Twist- Pulp Fiction (1994)



91. Asteroids- ESB (1980)

92. I’m Batman- Batman (1989)

93. Hoth-The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

94. Communication (Close Encounters)

95. It’s a trap!-Return of the Jedi (1983)

96. Sadism- A Clockwork Orange

97. You Came Back-Why- Mag 7

98. The Enterprise-Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

99. Zed’s Dead- Pulp Fiction

100. The Walk-Reservoir Dogs (1992)



101. The Pencil Trick: The Dark Knight (2008)

102. Lector gets loose: Silence of the Lambs (1991)

103. There’s Character: Glory (1989)

104 Phone Home: ET: The Extraterrestrial (1982)

105. Pickett’s Charge: Gettysburg (1993)

106. Khan and his pets-Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

107. Old friend for dinner- Silence of the Lambs

108. Helm’s Deep-LOR: The Two Towers (2002)

109. The dentist- Marathon Man

110. Bogart vs. Robinson- Key Largo (1948)



111. Anchor fight- Ron Burgundy (2004)

112. The nanny hangs-The Omen (1976)

113. What we do in life, echoes in Eternity-Gladiator (2000)

114. Nuclear Rodeo- Dr Strangelove (1964)

115. Hackman grabs Rooker by the balls (Miss. Burning) (1988)



116. Anakin vs. Obi-Wan -Sith (2005)

117. Euthanized (Soylent Green) (1973)

118. Punching out of a coffin- Kill Bill (2004)

119. Missing Breakfast- Falling Down (1993)

120. Beatles on the Run: A Hard Day’s Night (1964)



121. Order 66- Revenge of the Sith (2005)

122. The president goes ape shit: Escape from New York (1981)

123. Train Wreck: The Greatest Show on Earth

124. The quest: Excalibur (1981)

125. Hello Cleveland: This is Spinal Tap (1984)

126. Zipper Scene: There’s Something About Mary (1998)

127. The mine shaft gap: Dr. Strangelove (1964)

128. The Inquisition: History of the World (1981)

129. The bride vs. The Crazy 88s: Kill Bill Vol.1 (2003)

130. Frank vs. Bud and Lou and Wolfman vs. Dracula: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)



131. Space is a disease: Star Trek (2009)

132. The Dark Knight: Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

133. Bill Murray vs. Gopher: Caddyshack (1980)

134. Whistle Dixie: The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)

135. Stay Puft Marshmellow Man: Ghostbusters (1984)

136. Jimmy cleans house: Goodfellas (1990)

137. Motorcycle vs. Joker: Dark Knight (2008)

138. Capone plays baseball: The Untouchables (1987)

139. Stonehedge: Spinal Tap (1984)

140. Dueling banjos: Deliverance (1972)



141. The exploding stomach trick: Alien (1979)

142. Always look on the bright side of life: Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)

143. You Look Like: A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

144. The War is Over: Josey Wales (1976)

145. The Vendetta Ride: Tombstone (1993)

146. Attica! Attica!: Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
147. Mexicans attack the Alamo: The Alamo (1960)

148. Superman appears: Superman II (1980)

149. Tank goes through wall: Goldeneye (1995)

150. White House Blows Up: Independence Day (1996)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Greatest Movie Scenes of all Time #11-30

11. The Showdown- The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly (1966): A very different type of showdown. It takes forever for the characters to draw which leads to heightening of tension.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoYGWXRT7O0

12. Jumping -Butch and Sundance (1969): This scene sums up the buddy flick. Newman and Redford at their best. The fall will probably kill you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck6vqsOt-Pc

13. Wanna have a catch?- Field of Dreams (1989): One of a handful of movie scenes where guys are allowed to cry.

14. Atlanta burns- Gone with the Wind (1939): They deserved it.

15. Patton and the flag- Patton (1970): George C. Scott channels Patton and the American right in this scene and movie.

16. The Red Sea Parts-The Ten Commandments (1956): Don’t mess with Charlton Heston. In real life, the Egyptians were either hit by high tide or a tsunami.

17. Two Hills of beans/Into the Myst- Casablanca (1942): Rick’s true colors come out at the end. Bogart is the classic anti-hero.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3odtrWWc2A

18. The Chase- Bullitt (1968): Probably the first major movie car chase scene. Starts slow and picks up. Metallica copied it in a video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-7IEPTAoTg

19. Baptism by Fire-The Godfather (1972): Wacking the heads of the families while attending a baptism. Classic.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O789amyaMvw

20. Bank Heist Shootout- Heat (1995): Intense!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9rOCGRlCo4

21. The Chase- The French Connection (1971): Unlike many chase scenes, the main character’s car is smashed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hu3GmRQ-U9k

22. The fight- The Quiet Man (1952): Greatest movie fight ever…even had a beer break in it.

23. I Don’t give a damn!- Gone with the Wind (1939): Scarlett was such a bitch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ7z6hpO57c

24. Let‘s Go Home- The Searchers (1956): Wayne’s humanity overcomes racism and Natalie Wood goes home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4BAO63mxnc

25. Are you looking at me?-Taxi Driver (1976): Great scene. Too bad it influenced John Hinkley Jr.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e9CkhBb18E

26. Kissing Fredo- Godfather II (1974): Fredo, Fredo…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcFlp6kl508

27. Boom-The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957): Obi Wan realizes his mistake at the end and the bridge is blown. In real life, the bridge still stands today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9G9A4-jHsYg

28. Superman saves Lois- Superman (1978): Iconic 70s movie moment. Love the pimps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yejwYSZQPsg

29. Death Star blows-Star Wars (1977): Like Luke was going to miss…

30. The Desert Chase-Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): This might be the most exciting scene in movie history.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy6hIJZS7oI

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Greatest Games of the 1980s: Detroit Edition

21. Tigers: 4 Blue Jays: 2 (October 2, 1985): The oldest home run champ. 1985 was a disappointing season. The Tigers won the World Series the year before and fell to 84 wins. In a game attended by yours truly, Darrell Evans launched his 40th home run. He was the oldest player to lead the league in homers (back when that mattered). Kirk Gibson followed Evans and hit an inside-the-park shot. Jack Morris beat Dave Stieb.

22. San Francisco: 24 Lions: 23 (December 31, 1983) Monte says a Prayer. NFC Divisional Playoff. The Lions had this won. In an iconic Lion moment, Coach Monte Clark went into prayer as Eddie Murray, one of the most accurate kickers ever, missed a 43 yard FG with 5 seconds to go. 49ers win. Lions go home. Happy New Year!

23. Lions: 48 Bears: 17 (October 19, 1981) Night of the Hipple. Eric Hipple was the third string QB for the Lions. The others struggled, so Hipple got the start and lit up the Bears. Hipple ran for two scores, threw 4 more, and passed for 336 yards.

24. Kansas: 96 Spartans: 86 (OT) (March 21, 1986) The Clock Game. In the NCAA Tournament, Michigan State led the Kansas Jayhawks. With 2:21 left, the clock stopped for nearly 20 seconds. With 9 seconds left, Kansas scored the tying basket. The game should have been over and MSU should have advanced to the next round. However, the game went into overtime and the Sparties lost.

25. Red Wings: 3 Oilers: 1 (May 5, 1987) Night of the Dead Things. Campbell Conference Finals Game 1. The Red Wings finished under .500 for the season, but won the first two rounds of the playoffs. In Game 1 of the Conference Finals, they went into Edmonton and defeated Wayne Gretzky’s Oilers. Edmonton newspapers called it the “Night of Dead Things.” The Oilers won the series in 5.

Baseball Hall of Fame

Congratulations to the three 2010 Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees.

Andre Dawson: The Hawk was awesome. His offensive numbers made him a borderline Hall of Famer, but when combined with his defense (8 gold gloves) and the fact he is one of three players with 400 homers and 300 steals squarely places him among the greats. He was also 1977 ROY and 1987 MVP.

Whitey Herzog: The White Rat won pennants with teams that had no business winning. He adapted to his team's rosters and created "Whitey Ball" in St. Louis. The Cardinals based their team on pitching, speed, and defense. Instead of hitting homers, the Cards would get on first, steal, steal, and score on a ground out. When Bruce Sutter left, he patched together a bullpen that won the pennant. Herzog should have been inducted much sooner than 2010.

Doug Harvey: Harvey was one of the few umpires that a fan could tell was good. On top of this, you could tell the players respected Harvey.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Football Picks: Playoff Edition

Last Week: 3-3

Season: 59-25

Picks:

CMU over Troy

Alabama over Texas

Jets over Bengals

Eagles over Cowboys

Pack over Az

Pats over Ravens

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Predictions 2010

Here are my fearless predictions for the coming year....

Afghan War: Afghan surge is successful.


The Economy: China collapses the world economy. Hello 1932!!!

Iran: The Iranian Mullahs are overthrown. Goodbye Islamic Republic of Iran!

Europe: Tensions over immigration leads to race riots. Meanwhile, the economic downturn and government cutbacks lead to leftist rioting.

American Elections: GOP gains 30 House Seats and 6 in the Senate; California governorship, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, and Chris Dodd lose

Technology: Blu Ray collapses as a result of the economy, computer downloads, and old school DVDs.

Entertainment: Someone dies trying to get on a reality TV show. The genre will collapse this decade.

University of Michigan: Rich Rodriguez will be fired.

Sports: The NY Yankees will have one of the great seasons in sports history.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Greatest Movie Scenes #31-40

31. Showdown- High Noon (1952): Gary Cooper should have let the Frank Miller shoot up the town. Interesting parallels to real life though. When there comes a time to stand up to evil, people run and hide.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIEUYju__UU

32. John Wayne Close up- Stagecoach (1939): For 1939, revolutionary camera work that John Ford never used again.

http://www.filmsite.org/scenesD.html

33. Stella!- A Streetcar Named Desire (1951): Brando before he got fat and weird.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1A0p0F_iH8

34. We need a bigger boat- Jaws (1975): Roy Scheider’s expression was priceless.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkl3eXAHTRM

35. Mommy Kisses- The Manchurian Candidate (1962): Angela Lansbury channels Hillary Clinton!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RAUm6l_t6k

36. Wayne goes down- The Shootist (1976): John Wayne’s final role (Although there is supposedly one more film out there. It's a post nuclear holocaust sci-fi western). A dying gunfighter looks for death with dignity and finds it. The role echoes Wayne’s own battles with age and illness.

37. Oz goes color- The Wizard of Oz (1939): Going from black and white to color in a film was just cool.

38. It’s Alive!- Frankenstein (1931): The original novel was a Romance Period reaction to the Enlightenment. The film brought it into the industrial age.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H3dFh6GA-A

39. Rocky runs- Rocky (1976): Philadelphia sports history is so bad, they had to immortalize a movie scene with a statue.

40. The Ecstasy of Gold- The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly (1967): Tuco (Eli Wallach) runs through a graveyard searching for gold. He is accompanied by the now classic film score.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PwpOmjAu1M

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Looking Back: Some 2010 Anniversaries

Happy New Year! The New Year is always a time to look to the future and reminisce about the past. It also provides a time to examine anniversaries of historical events. So, without delay, here are some anniversaries worth noting:

Five Years Ago (2005): Hurricane Katrina wipes out New Orleans. Over 1800 people died when Katrina struck. Government red tape and corruptions kept the levees from being upgraded to withstand a storm of that magnitude. Additionally, local and state officials failed to evacuate citizens in New Orleans resulting in a massive body count. On top of all this, the federal response was slow and incompetent thus demonstrating why government should not be allowed to run anything.

Ten Years Ago (2000): Bush vs. Gore. Gore won the popular vote, but Bush won the electoral college. It all came down to Florida's electoral vote. Gore decided to contest Democratic counties in Florida. During the multiple recounts, Gore made steady progress and cut into Bush’s lead in Florida. In recounts, the person leading the vote usually gains votes. Gore’s progress denotes possible vote fraud which led to protests. The Bush Campaign went to court. After a couple rounds in the Florida Supreme Court, the case went to the U.S. Supreme Court. On a 5-4 vote, they ended the madness in Florida and Bush became president. Gore’s mistake was not requesting a statewide recount at the beginning of this fiasco.

Twenty Years Ago (1990): Iraq invades Kuwait. Saddam Hussein decided to annex Kuwait. Iraq claimed it as a province. Hussein sent feelers to the Bush Administration about the invasion beforehand. The administration failed to warn off Hussein. As a result, Saddam felt he had a free hand and launched the invasion.

Twenty-Five Years Ago (1985): Gorbachev takes command. The Soviet Union buried three leaders during the Reagan Administration. Privately, President Reagan complained that he could not deal with the Soviets if their leaders kept dying. The Communist Party selected Mikhail Gorbachev to lead the country. Gorbachev was young and vigorous as opposed to the walking corpses that previously led the nation. Eventually, the new leader instituted reforms which backfired and helped destroy the USSR.

Fifty Years Ago (1960): Kennedy defeats Nixon. In the closest election anyone could remember, John Kennedy edged Vice-President Richard Nixon for the presidency. The election served as the transition in leadership from the Lost Generation to the G.I. Generation. Additionally, the first debate between Nixon and Kennedy proved the power of television. Radio listeners believed Nixon won the debate. Unfortunately for Nixon, more people saw the debate on television.

Seventy-Five Years Ago (1935): The Dust Bowl. Years of mismanagement of the nation’s farmland came home to roost. The topsoil was destroyed by generations of mismanagement and the great plains literally blew away. People on the east coast watched in amazement as Oklahoma blew into the ocean.

100 Years Ago (1910): Jack Johnson defeats Jim Jeffries. African-American boxer Jack Johnson beat all challengers. Whites demanded former champ Jim Jeffries return from retirement to defeat Johnson. Eventually, Jeffries relented and Johnson won the bout. Race riots broke out all over the country because a black man knocked out a white man in a boxing ring.

150 Years Ago (1860): Lincoln wins! In a bizarre presidential election, Abraham Lincoln defeated three other candidates for the presidency. There were two elections in 1860. In the South, John C. Breckinridge and John Bell squared off. Lincoln was not on the ballot. In the North, Republican Abraham Lincoln and Democrat Stephen Douglas battled. The North had the population and Lincoln won the North. So, Lincoln won the White House and the South left the Union.

200 Years Ago (1810): Macon’s Bill Number 2. Thomas Jefferson destroyed the American economy with his embargo. Congressman Nathaniel Bacon and President James Madison wanted to correct Jefferson’s error. President Jefferson believed Europe needed American goods and he could coerce the British and French into behaving on the high seas through an embargo. The two powers were seizing American ships to stop trade. Bacon’s bill promised to lift the embargo on whatever power promised to stop seizing American ships. Napoleon agreed, the U.S. dropped the embargo on France, and British-American relations suffered eventually leading to war in 1812.
300 Years Ago (1710): The Tuscarora Tribe protest land seizures. In 1710, the Tuscarora Indians sent a protest to the Pennsylvania colonial government. They complained about whites stealing their lands and enslaving their people.400 Years Ago (1610): Jamestown re-supplied. The winter of 1609-1610 was known as “the starving time” in Jamestown. The colonists lacked food and were surrounded by hostile Indians. They resorted to cannibalism. Eventually, the colony was re-supplied and repopulated with new colonists. This saved English North America.

500 Years Ago (1510): Slavery comes to the Americas. In 1510, Spanish King Ferdinand officially opened the New World to African slavery. This began 500 years of racial antagonism between whites and blacks in the Americas.