John Adams
Have you been watching the miniseries JOHN ADAMS on HBO? I know, I know...not very sexy subject matter, but Paul Giamatti's thoughtful, nuanced portrayal of one of America's founding fathers and our second president is riveting television for history buffs, fans of great acting and those who love epic, sweeping miniseries--the kind of programming that can't be found on regular network television or even PBS anymore. Props to Laura Linney by the way, who is equally riveting as Abigail Adams, John's steely and steadfast wife and partner for over fifty years. Want a great moment from this miniseries? Catch the end of Part 5, when John, having finally (surprisingly) attained his dream of being elected President, enters the executive mansion in New York to find it stripped bare. Disgusted, he sits slumped on a chair in the drawing room while Abigail grabs a broom and begins sweeping up the debris. "Get up John!", she implores, and the way she says it tells you more about the nature of their relationship and how they endured than pages of dialogue ever could.
Harold & Maude (1971)
The dark comedy cult classic is one that I've managed to avoid ever since I first heard of it in college too many years ago. I finally watched it on DVD this week and I really liked it. I think I understand why so many film buffs consider it to be a classic and looking back over the years, it's amazing to think just how influential this movie has become. I mean, would Wes Anderson even have a career if it wasn't for HAROLD & MAUDE?
For those of you unfamiliar with the plot, I'll give you the barest essentials: a self-absorbed, death obsessed college age rich kid (Harold, played by Bud Cort) with a distant yet overbearing mother (wickedly played by British vet Vivian Pickles) takes time out from staging fake suicide attempts for his mother's benefit to attend funerals for fun. At one of these funerals, he meets septugenarian Maude (the terrific Ruth Gordon), a free spirit who also loves attending funerals. They meet cute (she steals Harold's hearse), develop an oddball friendship and then fall in love. It's as funny, endearing and disturbing as I just described. It's also so much more.
HAROLD AND MAUDE is funny, touching, creepy, surreal and stylistically progressive. It also features some of Cat Stevens' (nee, Yusuf Islam) best known and best-written songs which form an integral part of the soundtrack. If you're looking for one of the most influential movies of the 70's and a memorable cinematic experience, rent this movie. You probably won't be disappointed.
Written by Colin Higgins. Directed by Hal Ashby.
My 2008 Foolproof Baseball Preview
Look, I'm not going to lie to you...I don't have the time and you don't have the energy to read my amateur breakdowns of all 30 major league teams. If you're a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays (and you know who you are) and you want a breakdown of their roster and an analysis of how their pitching rotation stacks up against the rest of their division, you'll undoubtedly go to Sports Illustrated or ESPN. And they'll be wrong, while I'll be right, but they'll have more in-depth information, statistical analysis and/or Peter Gammons, so you'll be happy.
I'm just going to give you my impressions about how the divisions will stack up, with a projected win total (with a +/- range in parentheses) and my picks for the 2008 playoffs with a few overall impressions. Since this is a team sport, I will refrain from picking MVP and Rookie of the Year and stuff like that, especially since the national media that chooses the awards are usually so myopic and elitist anyway that they almost never get it right (Ryan Braun over Troy Tulowitzki for NL Rookie of the Year in '07?!? Come on!!)
So without further adieu, the Preview:
TEAM MOST LIKELY TO PLEASANTLY SURPRISE (AL): Toronto Blue Jays
TEAM MOST LIKELY TO PLEASANTLY SURPRISE (NL): Cincinnati Reds
BIG PAYROLL TEAM MOST LIKELY TO UNDERPERFORM: (tie) Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs
MANAGER MOST LIKELY TO BE THE FIRST TO GET FIRED THIS SEASON: Just a hunch, but I hope Texas' Ron Washington is renting and not owning.
NL WEST (the division I know best, so it goes first)
1. ARIZONA - 94 wins (+/- 7) Their +/- number is higher because of all the youth on their roster which makes them more prone to both long winning streaks or long losing streaks. But this is the most talented roster top to bottom in the National League.
2. Colorado - 86 wins (+/- 5) No miracle run this year and not enough pitching, but too many good players not to be decent.
3. LA Dodgers - 84 (+/- 3) Torre's presence helps and they have the best pitching in the division, but the lineup has too many holes and I get the feeling not everyone in this organization is moving in the same direction.
4. San Diego - 82 (+/- 2) Trevor Hoffman is starting to look really old. If the Padres figure this out in time and move Heath Bell to the closer role, the win total has a chance to jump a little.
5. San Francisco - 65 (+/- 3) Only pride and pitchers Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain will keep the Giants from losing 100+ games.
NL CENTRAL
1. CHICAGO CUBS - 86 (+/- 4) Pitching - check. Power - check. Bullpen - check. Hitting for average - not so much. Defense - questionable. World Series - never.
2. Cincinnati - 84 (+/- 4) Johnny Cueto is this year's Francisco Liriano/Scott Kazmir. He won't contend for a Cy Young because he'll make so many starts in Cincy's Great American Home Run Ballpark, but Cueto, Aaron Harang, Bronson Arroyo and Edison Volquez have the makings of a pretty decent pitching rotation. I like the Reds, a lot...but they're still a year away from being special.
3. Milwaukee - 81 (+/- 2) If they can ever again get 34 starts out of Ben Sheets, they can win this division.
4. St. Louis - 80 (+/- 9) The league's highest plus-minus win range. Why? Because with a rotation made up of journeymen and converted relievers, so far the Cardinals have raced to the top of their division. Every win they steal in April could make a huge difference in September, especially if/when they get Chris Carpenter back...or, all the overachieving now will catch up to them and they'll crash big time. See the problem?
5. Houston - 75 (+/- 3) Some good young players, some still decent fading old players (see Lance Berkman and Miguel Tejada), but not enough pitching either in the bullpen or the rotation to contend.
6. Pittsburgh - 66 (+/- 3) Honus Wagner must be spinning in his grave as bad as this franchise has become. Roberto Clemente too.
NL EAST
1. NY METS - 90 (+/- 5) A lot depends on the health of Pedro Martinez and the continued development of John Maine. The earn this position in my preview based on their talent and payroll but something smells rotten here and it's not just Flushing Meadows.
2. Philadelphia - 85 (+/- 2) These guys are a team and they play hard for each other. They have a lot of offense (especially for their bandbox ballpark), but if they had just one more reliable starter to go along with Cole Hamels they could sneak into the World Series.
3. Atlanta - 79 (+/- 4) After Glavine and Hudson I'm not sure who they have to pitch. (Who's Juur Jurjens? Sounds like a Bond supervillian).
4. Florida - 71 (+/- 6) Make fun of the Marlins all you want, we've seen this act before. They strip down, rebuild, win a World Series, then do it all over again. They should be on target to win their next championship when their new stadium opens (2011).
5. Washington - 67 (+/-4) Nice new stadium. I guess if you build it, they WON'T come. Oh well...as for the team, all I know is that Ryan Zimmerman is the best all-around third baseman in the National League. There's not a whole lot else around him though. Lastings Milledge is a "me first" guy but also an intriguing talent.
Tomorrow night, I finish with the American League.
Peace...
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