Jason Haskins's Blog, page 47
January 11, 2016
The NFL and Los Angeles: A (mis)match Made in Heaven
photo courtesy of wikipediaAny day now, fans of the San Diego Chargers, St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders will learn which of their teams will be making the move to Los Angeles for the 2016 season and beyond. Chances are two of them will be making the move, setting the stage for the return of pro football to the city of Angels.
This has been a culmination of a two-decade long process in which the NFL and, in recent years Roger Goodell, have been (not so gently) nudging owners to bring a team back to Los Angeles.
It appears the NFL will get their wish by approving not one but two teams for a return to Los Angeles. A move that no doubt will be celebrated. Owners and Goodell should proceed with caution, though. After all, are football fans and the city of Los Angeles truly clamoring to bring back franchises that left the city high and dry once before?
The NFL has had its opportunity in Los Angeles in the past. The result? All three of these teams ended up leaving for greener pastures (Or in the case of the Chargers, the AFL-NFL merger in 1961 and the subsequent move from Los Angeles to San Diego).
The Raiders organization once was housed in Los Angeles under the ownership of Al Davis. Davis loved to toy with the hearts of Oakland and Los Angeles, seemingly moving this franchise between the two cities as often as the late George Steinbrenner hired and fired manager Billy Martin.
The Rams, meanwhile, left Los Angeles because they were tired of sharing a city with another franchise. And the lure of a new stadium also helped.
Now to be fair, it's not like the NFL is forcing these three teams to move. The owners went through the proper channels of filing relocation papers and the owners still have to vote on the entire situation. By November, though, the intent of the owners was pretty clear, as if they said, "Oh well. We tried to make it happen in our current city. Plus, Los Angeles seems like a cool place."
Goodell, during his tenure as NFL commissioner, has always seemed to make it a high priority to expand the game and return a team to Los Angeles. The idea being it is not right that one of the largest populated cities in America didn't have a team. Pro football is America's sport and it deserves to have a team in Los Angeles. Oh, and the money generated from the television market alone will make all the owners and the NFL even richer.
Multiple failed attempts at building a new stadium in Los Angeles have failed over the years. Bids have come up short and locations have not panned out. Instead of stepping back and saying, "We're doing just fine as a league. Maybe we should let a move to L.A. happen organically," the NFL has continued to press the issue, eventually letting the owners submit proposals to move their franchise to L.A., stadium plans and all. Who cares if two of these teams abandoned this city in the 90's?
Fans of the Chargers, meanwhile, are stuck because the owner and the city of San Diego refuse to find common ground in building a new stadium. Though the franchise is valued at over a billion dollars, owner Dean Spanos repeatedly asked for the city to fund the majority of building a new stadium. Fed up with the lack of progress over the years, Spanos finally submitted joint proposal with the Raiders to share a new stadium in Los Angeles (Or Carson, CA to be exact, on the grounds of a now closed landfill).
Speaking of stadiums, a new one will not even be finished until the start of the 2019 season. That's three seasons in which one (or two) of these teams won't even have a true home stadium. The Rose Bowl said 'no' to a temporary team and the Coliseum appears to have agreed to hosting one team. And it's not like the teams that get approved for relocation can continue to play in their current home cities. I know if I lived in San Diego, knowing my team was there only temporarily, I would not support the owner who moved away my team.
The NFL insists the fans of football want a team in Los Angeles. If anything, reaction has been mixed at best. I can say that when I lived in Los Angeles, I didn't exactly hear people yearning for a team in Los Angeles. The sample size was small, comparatively, to the population of L.A., but the people I knew were fans of other teams, even those old enough to be around when the Rams and Raiders were in Los Angeles. Old school Los Angeles Raiders fans may want the team to return, but the sad irony is that the Raiders, the one team fans want back, will probably get to stay in Oakland while the Chargers and the Rams make the move.
The owners in the NFL see dollar signs in their eyes and will most likely vote on sending two teams to Los Angeles. Judging by the reaction of the internet, Rams fans are saying good riddance and Chargers fans are saying too bad. There will be a few stragglers, especially for Chargers fans that will remain faithful to the careers of Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates, but for the most part it does not seem fans will follow their franchises to Los Angeles.
Fans will go to games in Los Angeles. For awhile, anyhow. The games will be a place to be seen, to mingle, and to root for a team they absolutely have no allegiance to. Fans will go simply because it is the hip thing to do.
Once the novelty wears off, though, the NFL will realize its mistake in moving two teams to Los Angeles. One team, or both, will inevitably struggle. With the idea of football in Los Angeles no longer enticing, fans, with no true allegiance, will stay away from the stadium. The NFL will soon ponder why they moved two teams to Los Angeles, when one wasn't even necessary to begin with. Then we can all think back to a simpler time. A time when there was no team in Los Angeles and all fans had to wonder was this: When are the London Jaguars going to make their debut?
That's where the NFL is headed. And Los Angeles is where the downfall began. Like Sunday afternoons football games in the fall in San Diego, the long-term success of pro football in L.A. will eventually become one thing: a long forgotten dream.
December 24, 2015
Christmas 2015
As I sit here watching The Santa Clause for the 47th time, I decided it was time to finally write this Christmas letter I promised in the last blog post.
You may ask why I'm watching this movie yet again and the answer is simple: I have a soft spot in my heart for Christmas movies. That's why I've watched part of most of the "follow-the-same-formula" Christmas movies that the Hallmark Channel produces. That's why I even watched the Doogie Howser, M.D.Christmas episode on Hulu. Or why I even wrote a list of my favorite Christmas episodes from 90's television. And it's even why I watched this classic recently:
Image courtesy of flickr.com
Watching Christmas films is all part of my Christmas tradition, as I'm sure it is many of yours. No matter how many times I've seen a film, I always attempt to watch it again every Christmas. Sometimes I fail, yes, but I always make sure to watch Love Actually (for the hopeless romantic in me), Bad Santa (for the sarcastic, crass, comedic side of me), and A Christmas Story (for the child in me). These movies are saved for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. All part of tradition.
Tradition also finds me making chili on Christmas Eve. A tradition started by my mother and one that I began to carry on a few years ago. Tradition will have me eating chili, watching a San Diego Chargers game, and having a drink or two with my good friend Aaron. Christmas Eve's have been spent this way the past ten years or so, on the occasions I'm unable to make it home to see my family. It started many years ago, when were unable to leave Los Angeles for the holidays. One story is documented here.
Though I am unable to make it home this year for Christmas, I did get a chance to see my immediate family (and much of my extended family, on my mom's side) this summer. It was the first time in years I was able to see my sister, brother in-law, and their four kids. In fact, it was the first time meeting two of my nieces. The time spent with them went by far too quickly, but I was glad I got to spend the time with them. They live 88 states away (don't fact check that), making it hard for us to meet up. It is my goal to get out there and see them this year because I miss them immensely.
Aside from the family trip to California, I did not do as much traveling as I'd hoped to this year. The ebbs and flows of a career as a writer kept me from financially being able to do so. There were certainly more downs than ups on that front, but such is a life of one who sends out multiple letters/submissions/queries on a weekly basis. The rejections will outweigh the approvals, but when the approvals do hit, the feeling is indescribably sweeter.
I did have a play published, a one-act play called One Night Stand. I was also a co-writer on a couple of short films, one of which that was selected as a "Best of" nominee and won for best actress. You can read about this and more over at my website
I am still in search for an agent/publisher for The Dragon Princess . (Currently on sale at the Amazon Kindle Store through the end of 2015. More shameless self-promotion, I know). Work continues on its follow up, The Blue Gem. Progress stalled towards the end of this year, but it will hopefully be ready in 2016.
This year saw two readings for my latest full-length play, The Latitude of Life. I am very thankful and grateful for the people involved in these readings and the theaters that made the readings happen. Edits continue on the play and it has been submitted to a few theaters across this fine land of ours.
I am continuing to grow as a writer (I hope). Freelance opportunities have started to pop up as well, with articles and posts of mine getting published all across this thing called the World Wide Web. To keep up-to-date with those posts, you can follow me on Twitter (@jasonrh_78). Or become a follower of this very blog, where I try to post weekly.
I hope this holiday season finds all of you healthy, happy, and safe. To friends and family, near and far, from California to Montana, from Nevada to New York, from Portland to Chicago to Los Angeles to here in Boise, I am truly blessed and thankful to have you in my life. I wish you all a Merry Christmas (or Happy Festivus) and a Happy New Year. May all of your endeavors bring you success and joy, but not necessarily in that order.
I will leave you with an excerpt from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Last year, I made it point to start reading this tale every year at Christmas. A new tradition started...
"...for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the outset; and knowing that such as these would be blind anyway, he thought it quite as well that they should wrinkle up their eyes in grins, as they have malady in less attractive forms. His own heart laughed: and that was quite enough for him."
Merry Christmas to one and all!
December 19, 2015
Elfin' Around
Greetings. I'm not sure why I gave this post that title, but I did. Deal with it.
Been writing on this blog a bit less because I've been getting some articles posted around the web. I do plan on getting back to posting here at the minimum of at least once a week. I've come this far no need to give up on it now.
For an example, here are a few places I've been published. As you can see, it is content similar to posts you'd find right here. Stay tuned in the coming week for my annual "State of Christmas and Jason" address.
Here are five of my favorite Christmas themed episodes from 90's television.
And here are ten of my favorite indie films that can be found on Netflix.
Until next time, friends.
Been writing on this blog a bit less because I've been getting some articles posted around the web. I do plan on getting back to posting here at the minimum of at least once a week. I've come this far no need to give up on it now.
For an example, here are a few places I've been published. As you can see, it is content similar to posts you'd find right here. Stay tuned in the coming week for my annual "State of Christmas and Jason" address.
Here are five of my favorite Christmas themed episodes from 90's television.
And here are ten of my favorite indie films that can be found on Netflix.
Until next time, friends.
November 28, 2015
The WWE and its (Supposed) Downfall
photo courtesy of en.wikipedia.org
A bi-annual look at the state of the WWE, my guilty pleasure and company that is apparently losing viewers by the handful.
Daniel Bryan. John Cena. Randy Orton. Bautista. CM Punk. AJ Lee. Cesaro. Seth Rollins. These are just a few of the superstars of the WWE that have been significantly injured, on hiatus, or simply left the company over the past few years. Some tie the loss of these big names directly to the significant drop in ratings for the WWE's flagship program, RAW.
These critics, fans, and experts might be right. Perhaps the lack of these big names are turning viewers away from RAW. The lack of a true superstar giving the casual fans a reason to tune in every week, if only for a few minutes, is hurting viewership.
Or maybe, just maybe, the company and its creative team is currently in a lull. A lull that finds them often writing story lines into any direction they deem fit and keeping exciting wrestlers that fans want to see out of the main title picture.
Instead, they keep pushing on fans the idea of the Big Show, Kane, and Sheamus. Wrestlers that have had their hey day, some left over from the Attitude Era. Yet they continually appear on RAW (or in the case of Sheamus, who is currently the champion) and leave fans changing the channel.
And that's only part of the problem.
It's understandable to want to showcase stars that have certainly made the company popular over the years. The fact is, though, these guys aren't The Undertaker, Ric Flair, or the Rock. These are wrestlers that fans get excited for when they make appearances at wrestling events. The Undertaker, due to his many appearances over the past months, is probably one reason that ratings didn't dip even lower.
What happens, though, is wrestlers that fans root for and get excited for are generally pushed to mid-card status. Daniel Bryan was stuck there forever. Dean Ambrose was slipping into that status before the injury to Seth Rollins. Dolph Ziggler and Cesaro seem primed to spend eternity there.
Ambrose and Ziggler are entertaining to watch, both with their personalities and their in-ring skills. Cesaro, while I'm not rushing out to buy a novelty license plate that reads "Cesaro Section", is more than impressive in the ring and was actually beginning to grow in popularity before his injury.
A lack of creativity and surprises (or swerves) in story telling doesn't help these guys, or the top stars, for that matter. Good stories were part of the reason I continued to watch the WWE, even as I reached my 30's. The last major surprise in story telling I remember, though, was when Rollins turned his back on the Shield. And that was exciting as hell but it was nearly 18 months ago.
Take, for example, the recent tournament to find out the new World Champion. I could tell you before the tournament even started who was going to be in the final match. Yes, both Cesaro and Ziggler were entered into the tournament but there was never any doubt they weren't going to reach the final. Both had great matches in the tournament but instead of staying in the title picture, Ziggler is right back to wrestling Tyler Breeze. At least the Big Show and Kane weren't entered into the tournament.
The most exciting division for me, right now, is the Tag Team Division. I'd rather see four tag matches on RAW than see the Big Show wrestling Mark Henry. The New Day, though it took some time, are entertaining and fun to watch. (That's what can happen when you stick with a story, creative team, and not just abandon ship on the first tiny leak). There are at least five solid teams within in that division, yet we hardly see them. I know it's probably too close to the event, but if I were the WWE I'd book a massive five-team tables, ladders, chairs match at the TLC PPV. Give us a taste of good ol' days when Edge, Christian, the Hardy Boys and the Dudley Boyz ruled the roost.
It's time to put some of the wrestling stars of yesteryear to bed. Many are reaching their 40's (or nearly 50, in the case of Kane). Let them wrestle on a part-time basis or find ways to keep them in stories without wrestling. Some may cite the lack of exciting personalities for stars that do get a big push (see: Reigns, Roman) as a reason for the focus on the "old guard". The change needs to be done, though, in order to see who the next Triple H or The Rock is.
An even deeper drop in ratings may occur but do any casual fans remember watching wrestling from say 1993-1997? I do not. What brought me back were interesting stories and matches that were exciting to watch. It helped that over the top, charismatic personalities of wrestlers were at the forefront of excitement, and not relegated to mid-card status.
Don't get me wrong. There are wrestlers out there being pushed that have a chance to be superstars. Reigns, Ambrose, Rollins, the Wyatt Family, and Kevin Owens are all reasons I tune in. The Divas Division, as opposed to the old days of being paraded around with an occasional match, is on the rise. Interesting characters and feuds are being developed, but the same issue usually arises. With three hours of content available on RAW, you'd think there would be room for more than two matches between women.
Let the young bucks run. Ratings may disappear for awhile but that would mean the mid-cards and lesser known wrestlers may get the focus they rightfully deserve. People love NXT so let's see more of those wrestlers in the "major league". The answers can be two fold: Create better story arcs or give us more wrestling and less talk. Let the matches tell the story.
I'll even give you an arc for free. Let the Wyatt family begin taking the souls of the wrestlers we see less of, in turn growing the family. Let the Wyatts become more dark and mysterious while collecting members for their dark legion. Soon, it's the Wyatt Family running RAW, while the Authority scrambles to control the situation. Keep a handful of the "Hero" wrestlers to fight a 20-man faction of the Wyatt Family. Put stakes into the story, like maybe the Wyatts threaten to move their faction elsewhere, leaving the WWE with no wrestlers. Build it up until Rollins returns, re-unite the Shield briefly (with new members, like Neville, for example), throw a few NXT stars in there, and have the new Shield save the day and the company.
I'll let WWE creative fill in the in-between stuff.
Let the current era die a slow death. Show us the new faces, the faces many fans want to see. Then, like The Undertaker, the WWE can be resurrected. Only then will fans know what they truly have and that they have a company that takes their desires into consideration.
If nothing changes, Monday nights are going to be filled with a shallow, empty feeling. And that's a reality no WWE fan wants to live with. Then. Now. Or forever.
November 14, 2015
Welcome to 37
Saturday. Unseasonably warm for the middle of the November. One week away from my 37th birthday. I should be out, doing something productive. Nope. Wrong answer.
Instead, I am furiously looking over clues to help me find a missing 'M' which could lead to $5000. I could be out physically searching, like many others, but am instead waiting for them to comb over an area while I think outside the box. Ultimately, the money will be found in that area and I will kick myself for not making the effort to go drive around and waste a Saturday afternoon.
I suppose I'm wasting a Saturday afternoon even by sitting here. Figured I'd get the mind going and at least throw a quick update onto ye olde blog.
Freelance WritingThis aspect of my writing career has picked up in recent months. I have been lucky enough to have been published on various websites, including here, here, and here.
These are in addition to my continued contributions to Bronco Nation News and Chowder & Champions.
The Blue GemThe follow up to The Dragon Princess is taking a bit longer than anticipated. Partly because I've run into a bit of a writer's block on it and partly because of my recent focus on the aforementioned freelancing opportunities. Believe me when I say it is on my list of goals to still complete this by the end of the year. It's sitting at just over 50,000 words so that maybe ambitious but it's worth a shot. Anything to keep me writing.
That's really about it, on the writing front, for updates. I did have a reading for my screenplay The True Life this morning. After 15 drafts and 16 years, this was my first reading. Other people have read it but this is the first time I heard it out loud. And it was awesome to be able to hear it. Thanks to everyone involved. The notes/thoughts provided will definitely help me going forward.
Other updates and news of recent events are available on my website.
A Birthday ListFigured I'd put this out here. A man only turns 37 once. I think.
1. Whiskey. A man can never have enough whiskey. Or whisky. Or both.
2. Novelty License Plate. I want it to read "Adequate". Pick any state you want. It doesn't have to be Idaho. I will hang it above my bed.
3. Gift cards to Chili's. Nothing says awesome like using a gift card at a chain restaurant and saying, "Yes, dinner for one."
4. Money. I know it won't buy happiness but it would still buy some cool things. Or get me out of debt.
On a serious note, Peace would be a nice gift. I know it won't happen within a week but I sincerely hope that as a society we can move forward with respecting humanity. Not only at home but abroad as well. We were once of compassionate world and with the outpouring of sympathy to the events of Paris, I have no doubt we can be once again.
Pray for Paris.
"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."-Gandhi
Instead, I am furiously looking over clues to help me find a missing 'M' which could lead to $5000. I could be out physically searching, like many others, but am instead waiting for them to comb over an area while I think outside the box. Ultimately, the money will be found in that area and I will kick myself for not making the effort to go drive around and waste a Saturday afternoon.
I suppose I'm wasting a Saturday afternoon even by sitting here. Figured I'd get the mind going and at least throw a quick update onto ye olde blog.
Freelance WritingThis aspect of my writing career has picked up in recent months. I have been lucky enough to have been published on various websites, including here, here, and here.
These are in addition to my continued contributions to Bronco Nation News and Chowder & Champions.
The Blue GemThe follow up to The Dragon Princess is taking a bit longer than anticipated. Partly because I've run into a bit of a writer's block on it and partly because of my recent focus on the aforementioned freelancing opportunities. Believe me when I say it is on my list of goals to still complete this by the end of the year. It's sitting at just over 50,000 words so that maybe ambitious but it's worth a shot. Anything to keep me writing.
That's really about it, on the writing front, for updates. I did have a reading for my screenplay The True Life this morning. After 15 drafts and 16 years, this was my first reading. Other people have read it but this is the first time I heard it out loud. And it was awesome to be able to hear it. Thanks to everyone involved. The notes/thoughts provided will definitely help me going forward.
Other updates and news of recent events are available on my website.
A Birthday ListFigured I'd put this out here. A man only turns 37 once. I think.
1. Whiskey. A man can never have enough whiskey. Or whisky. Or both.
2. Novelty License Plate. I want it to read "Adequate". Pick any state you want. It doesn't have to be Idaho. I will hang it above my bed.
3. Gift cards to Chili's. Nothing says awesome like using a gift card at a chain restaurant and saying, "Yes, dinner for one."
4. Money. I know it won't buy happiness but it would still buy some cool things. Or get me out of debt.
On a serious note, Peace would be a nice gift. I know it won't happen within a week but I sincerely hope that as a society we can move forward with respecting humanity. Not only at home but abroad as well. We were once of compassionate world and with the outpouring of sympathy to the events of Paris, I have no doubt we can be once again.
Pray for Paris.
"You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."-Gandhi
November 7, 2015
Of Dollar Stores and Ham
Last March, I submitted the following story to the people over at Chicken Soup for the Soul. They were looking for stories for the next Christmas edition in their line of books.
With the book now out in stores (and never hearing back from them), I am operating under the assumption my story wasn't selected. That is why I'm posting it now.
The following took place when I lived in Los Angeles. Names haven't been used in this story in order to protect the innocent (and the guilty).
Of Dollar Stores and Ham
The smell of honey baked ham cooking in the oven filled the entire two-bedroom apartment with its enticing aroma. The ham was the prize of that Christmas, or so I thought, and I listened intently as the juices of the ham sizzled in the scoring heat of the oven. I had never cooked a ham before but I had decided it was the least I could do for my friends. Judging by the salivating looks on their faces, they were ready to judge my cooking skills. Christmas or not, they would let me know if the ham failed their taste test.
This was Christmas time in Los Angeles, far away from the friendly confines of Idaho and Nevada. These were the states in which our families resided. These were the places where many of the previous Christmases had been spent. Not this year. Fighting a distance of hundreds of miles, unemployment, and low-paying jobs had kept us in the city of Angels for the holidays. With a little creativity, love from far away, and the aforementioned Christmas ham, my three friends and I created a very special Christmas Eve of our own.
The sunny weather of Los Angeles didn't exactly lend itself to making it seem like Christmas. Santa dressed in shorts and a blaring sun were the exact opposite of the cold nights and snowy days we'd all grown up with. Making the best of our situation, we taped up a single strand of Christmas lights on the fingerprint smeared front window of the apartment. The lights hung loosely and blinked red and green. Tiny stockings, bought at a nearby dollar store, served as decoration on the glass end table. We did our best to bring Christmas to us, but it was not until Christmas music began to blare from the stereo that Christmas finally reared its beautiful head. Combined with the wrapped gifts from near and far that sat under a 12-inch Christmas tree, Christmas had finally come. That lonely feeling in the pit of my stomach dissipated from existence.
I watched as my friends gathered on the couch; smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts. The loneliness they expressed only a week prior slowly vanished. Making the best of circumstances, they munched on candy and drank soda and beer as they awaited the arrival of the Christmas ham. The aroma filled their nostrils as their anticipation grew. They laughed as jokes flew left and right, the hardships of the past few months temporarily extinguished from their cluttered minds.
The ham safely cooking in the oven, I joined the others in their circle of fun. I plopped onto the fabric torn chair, my body relaxing for the first time in days. Only a few years removed from college, the thought of being away from my family for the first time in my life had left me feeling alone up until recently. I was fortunate to have these friends and our ability to make the best of any situation. Between dead-beat employers, lack of funds, and disinterested landlords, we had seen enough misfortune over the past few months. We would make this Christmas count despite being away from our families. We turned it into an opportunity to get to know each other better and provide each other with the gift of companionship. That would be enough, though the gifts from the dollar store would no doubt be a riot upon being unwrapped. It was these gifts we would open first as the gifts from home waited patiently in their boxes.
I grabbed a red plastic cup off of the disorganized table and treated myself to a cup of eggnog. Stories of past Christmases were told, each one growing more outrageous than the last. The jokes about whether or not Santa would find us here, tucked away in the slums of Los Angeles, kept us laughing and humble. We agreed to leave the lights of the Christmas tree lit overnight for Santa, knowing that the 2-AAA batteries purchased from the dollar store might not even last the next hour. I suggested we leave Santa a beer because even he might need an adult beverage from time to time. The antics of the night gave us new stories to tell and new memories to embrace.
My mind drifted back to my own Christmas memories. I thought of the few Christmases I remember spending with my grandparents. I thought of the snow falling gently in the dark night as my siblings and I eagerly awaited the arrival of Santa Claus. I thought of the restless nights of Christmas Eve's past, imagining what glorious presents would be sitting under the tree the following morning. It was a moment of reflection, one that we all separately took part in. Despite the Christmas music in the background, a heavy silence blanketed the room as the thoughts of my friends no doubt traced back to memories of their own. We acknowledged the uncomfortable silence with our eyes meeting. We raised our glasses in a silent toast. A smile and a nod conveyed the words we could not muster.
I sipped my eggnog, paying no attention to the room temperature liquid that slid down the back of my throat. We would survive. Though the emptiness of the sprawling city still loomed outside of our apartment and our families were in different states, I felt at home. Close friends would now be considered family for life. A memory was created when all hope seemed lost. The dollar store Christmas was something to behold and better yet, I didn't even burn the ham. As it turns out, miracles really do happen. They happen not only at Christmas, but in the kitchen as well.
With the book now out in stores (and never hearing back from them), I am operating under the assumption my story wasn't selected. That is why I'm posting it now.
The following took place when I lived in Los Angeles. Names haven't been used in this story in order to protect the innocent (and the guilty).
Of Dollar Stores and Ham
The smell of honey baked ham cooking in the oven filled the entire two-bedroom apartment with its enticing aroma. The ham was the prize of that Christmas, or so I thought, and I listened intently as the juices of the ham sizzled in the scoring heat of the oven. I had never cooked a ham before but I had decided it was the least I could do for my friends. Judging by the salivating looks on their faces, they were ready to judge my cooking skills. Christmas or not, they would let me know if the ham failed their taste test.
This was Christmas time in Los Angeles, far away from the friendly confines of Idaho and Nevada. These were the states in which our families resided. These were the places where many of the previous Christmases had been spent. Not this year. Fighting a distance of hundreds of miles, unemployment, and low-paying jobs had kept us in the city of Angels for the holidays. With a little creativity, love from far away, and the aforementioned Christmas ham, my three friends and I created a very special Christmas Eve of our own.
The sunny weather of Los Angeles didn't exactly lend itself to making it seem like Christmas. Santa dressed in shorts and a blaring sun were the exact opposite of the cold nights and snowy days we'd all grown up with. Making the best of our situation, we taped up a single strand of Christmas lights on the fingerprint smeared front window of the apartment. The lights hung loosely and blinked red and green. Tiny stockings, bought at a nearby dollar store, served as decoration on the glass end table. We did our best to bring Christmas to us, but it was not until Christmas music began to blare from the stereo that Christmas finally reared its beautiful head. Combined with the wrapped gifts from near and far that sat under a 12-inch Christmas tree, Christmas had finally come. That lonely feeling in the pit of my stomach dissipated from existence.
I watched as my friends gathered on the couch; smiles on their faces and joy in their hearts. The loneliness they expressed only a week prior slowly vanished. Making the best of circumstances, they munched on candy and drank soda and beer as they awaited the arrival of the Christmas ham. The aroma filled their nostrils as their anticipation grew. They laughed as jokes flew left and right, the hardships of the past few months temporarily extinguished from their cluttered minds.
The ham safely cooking in the oven, I joined the others in their circle of fun. I plopped onto the fabric torn chair, my body relaxing for the first time in days. Only a few years removed from college, the thought of being away from my family for the first time in my life had left me feeling alone up until recently. I was fortunate to have these friends and our ability to make the best of any situation. Between dead-beat employers, lack of funds, and disinterested landlords, we had seen enough misfortune over the past few months. We would make this Christmas count despite being away from our families. We turned it into an opportunity to get to know each other better and provide each other with the gift of companionship. That would be enough, though the gifts from the dollar store would no doubt be a riot upon being unwrapped. It was these gifts we would open first as the gifts from home waited patiently in their boxes.
I grabbed a red plastic cup off of the disorganized table and treated myself to a cup of eggnog. Stories of past Christmases were told, each one growing more outrageous than the last. The jokes about whether or not Santa would find us here, tucked away in the slums of Los Angeles, kept us laughing and humble. We agreed to leave the lights of the Christmas tree lit overnight for Santa, knowing that the 2-AAA batteries purchased from the dollar store might not even last the next hour. I suggested we leave Santa a beer because even he might need an adult beverage from time to time. The antics of the night gave us new stories to tell and new memories to embrace.
My mind drifted back to my own Christmas memories. I thought of the few Christmases I remember spending with my grandparents. I thought of the snow falling gently in the dark night as my siblings and I eagerly awaited the arrival of Santa Claus. I thought of the restless nights of Christmas Eve's past, imagining what glorious presents would be sitting under the tree the following morning. It was a moment of reflection, one that we all separately took part in. Despite the Christmas music in the background, a heavy silence blanketed the room as the thoughts of my friends no doubt traced back to memories of their own. We acknowledged the uncomfortable silence with our eyes meeting. We raised our glasses in a silent toast. A smile and a nod conveyed the words we could not muster.
I sipped my eggnog, paying no attention to the room temperature liquid that slid down the back of my throat. We would survive. Though the emptiness of the sprawling city still loomed outside of our apartment and our families were in different states, I felt at home. Close friends would now be considered family for life. A memory was created when all hope seemed lost. The dollar store Christmas was something to behold and better yet, I didn't even burn the ham. As it turns out, miracles really do happen. They happen not only at Christmas, but in the kitchen as well.
October 23, 2015
Meet Philip Rivers, this Generation's Dan Marino
There is a man out there, buried beneath the headliners of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, and Peyton Manning, that is quietly putting together a Hall of Fame career. A man that is often not even mentioned in the same breath as the aforementioned Pro Bowl quarterbacks that receive most of the accolades.
This man is not as flashy as most quarterbacks, though he is probably the most passionate and loudest of them all. He does not physically have any Super Bowl rings but if Super Bowls were measured by heart, he'd have a handful of them.
Say hello to Philip Rivers, quarterback of the San Diego Chargers and this generation's Dan Marino.
Now in his tenth season as starting quarterback for the Chargers, Rivers is once again re-writing record books. He is coming off a 503-yard performance last weekend, throwing 43 completions in a 27-20 loss against the Green Bay Packers. All of this despite playing behind a makeshift offensive line, no running game to speak of and without wide receivers Keenan Allen (for most of the fourth quarter) and Steve Johnson (game).
These gritty and spectacular performances are nothing new for Rivers. He has been doing this in the NFL since his first season as a starter. In fact, in his second season as a starter, Rivers played on a torn ACL in the 2008 AFC Championship game, nearly leading the Chargers to a victory over the undefeated New England Patriots before ultimately losing 21-12. Rivers did this without the help of an injured LaDainian Tomlinson.
Rivers was handed the key to the Chargers kingdom in 2006 when the team allowed Drew Brees to leave in free agency. Rivers was surrounded by an excellent defense and weapons on offense, led by Tomlinson, that would allow Rivers to learn on the job.
The result was a 14-2 regular season but a flame out in the playoffs led to the end of the Marty Schottenheimer era in San Diego. Norv Turner was ushered in as the new Head Coach, in turn adding an emphasis to the passing game.
2006 was the first of four straight first-place finishes in the AFC West and Rivers was a key factor during that streak. Aside from that AFC Championship loss, though, the Chargers bowed out in the Divisional round of the playoffs each year, including after a 13-3 finish in 2009.
Things have slid down hill for the Chargers since the last of those first-place finishes. The Chargers, with a lack of a consistent running game and a middling defense, have struggled to three second-place finishes and two third-place finishes, making the playoffs in 2013. They won their Wildcard game then narrowly lost to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional round.
Rivers, aside from one down year in 2012, has been a constant force for the Chargers. He is playing for his third Head Coach, Mike McCoy and is once again dealing with a lack of running game. Through it all, though, Rivers has thrown for 38,771 yards in his career. He has added 264 touchdown passes and has completed 64.9% of his passes. Pretty good numbers for a quarterback in any era.
Unfortunately, Rivers has been saddled with some pretty stiff competition when it comes to All-Pro quarterbacks. Not only have Manning and Brady been thorns in his side but Rivers also has to fight comparisons with two other quarterbacks that were drafted in the 2004 draft: Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.
Eli Manning is the quarterback most compared to Rivers, mostly because he famously said he'd refuse to play for San Diego if they drafted him with the first pick. The Chargers, still feeling the sting of the Ryan Leaf debacle, decided Eli was not worth the hassle. They traded their pick to the New York Giants and eventually picked Rivers, even though they had Brees.
Eli Manning would eventually win two Super Bowls with the Giants. In many circles, he's an obvious choice as the best quarterback of the '04 class. He has the most yards of the three quarterbacks (41,361) and has thrown for 270 touchdowns. Eli Manning also has 173 career starts, 23 more than Rivers and 12 more than Roethlisberger. He also has a lower completion percentage (59%) than the both of them.
Roethlisberger has faced a career of controversy and occasional injuries but he, too, is the owner of a Super Bowl ring. He has also been surrounded by a pretty stellar defense throughout most of his career and a pretty accomplished running game. He has the most wins of the three quarterbacks (108. Manning has 94 and Rivers 90). Roethlisberger has 255 touchdown passes and a completion percentage similar to Rivers at 63.9%.
Just like Marino, Rivers will always be compared to the other top quarterbacks from his draft class. The 1983 class featured Marino, Jim Kelly, and John Elway (among others) and is often regarded as the best in history.
Marino threw for 61,361 career yards and 420 touchdowns, yet for a long time he was simply known as a great quarterback that failed to win the big game. Marino made one Super Bowl, losing to San Francisco in his second season, and generally failed to advance in the playoffs throughout his career.
And sure, Kelly lost all four Super Bowls he made it to but the Buffalo Bills had one of the most prolific offenses of the early 1990's. He was surrounded by Pro Bowl talent, something that Marino's Miami Dolphins only had occasionally in his 17-season career.
Elway, like Manning, won two Super Bowls. Also like Manning, Elway threatened to not play for a team if said team drafted him. Until Elway won those Super Bowls (in his last two seasons, nonetheless) Marino was often seen as the greatest quarterback of the 1983 draft class. Probably because Elway was a loser of three Super Bowls himself and not by pretty scores.
Rivers, as it stands now, is in a very similar boat to the one that Marino was in. He has not been past the AFC title game since his second year as a starter. Both men had divisional opponents with equal quarterbacks: Rivers has had to deal with Peyton Manning the last three years. Marino had Kelly.
When it's all said and done, Rivers may end up with the best stats of the quarterbacks from the '04 class. He has already re-written much of the Chargers record book and is a five-time Pro Bowl selection. He has done all this with a Hall of Fame tight end and often times, little else. Good receivers have come and gone but over the last five years Rivers has been the one constant on an inconsistent offense.
Hard luck? Maybe. Rivers will be the first one to tell you he has a very blessed career and lucky to have succeeded in the NFL for ten years. It would just be nice to see his team put it all together and give him at least one chance in the Super Bowl.
If not, he can take solace in this: Marino, Kelly, and Elway, the prizes of the '83 draft class, are lumped together to this day. It turns out, through all the games, stats, and Super Bowls, these three quarterbacks all ended up with one more thing in common: they are now all Hall of Famers.
Let's hope that one more thing that Rivers and Marino will one day have in common.
This man is not as flashy as most quarterbacks, though he is probably the most passionate and loudest of them all. He does not physically have any Super Bowl rings but if Super Bowls were measured by heart, he'd have a handful of them.
Say hello to Philip Rivers, quarterback of the San Diego Chargers and this generation's Dan Marino.
Now in his tenth season as starting quarterback for the Chargers, Rivers is once again re-writing record books. He is coming off a 503-yard performance last weekend, throwing 43 completions in a 27-20 loss against the Green Bay Packers. All of this despite playing behind a makeshift offensive line, no running game to speak of and without wide receivers Keenan Allen (for most of the fourth quarter) and Steve Johnson (game).
These gritty and spectacular performances are nothing new for Rivers. He has been doing this in the NFL since his first season as a starter. In fact, in his second season as a starter, Rivers played on a torn ACL in the 2008 AFC Championship game, nearly leading the Chargers to a victory over the undefeated New England Patriots before ultimately losing 21-12. Rivers did this without the help of an injured LaDainian Tomlinson.
Rivers was handed the key to the Chargers kingdom in 2006 when the team allowed Drew Brees to leave in free agency. Rivers was surrounded by an excellent defense and weapons on offense, led by Tomlinson, that would allow Rivers to learn on the job.
The result was a 14-2 regular season but a flame out in the playoffs led to the end of the Marty Schottenheimer era in San Diego. Norv Turner was ushered in as the new Head Coach, in turn adding an emphasis to the passing game.
2006 was the first of four straight first-place finishes in the AFC West and Rivers was a key factor during that streak. Aside from that AFC Championship loss, though, the Chargers bowed out in the Divisional round of the playoffs each year, including after a 13-3 finish in 2009.
Things have slid down hill for the Chargers since the last of those first-place finishes. The Chargers, with a lack of a consistent running game and a middling defense, have struggled to three second-place finishes and two third-place finishes, making the playoffs in 2013. They won their Wildcard game then narrowly lost to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional round.
Rivers, aside from one down year in 2012, has been a constant force for the Chargers. He is playing for his third Head Coach, Mike McCoy and is once again dealing with a lack of running game. Through it all, though, Rivers has thrown for 38,771 yards in his career. He has added 264 touchdown passes and has completed 64.9% of his passes. Pretty good numbers for a quarterback in any era.
Unfortunately, Rivers has been saddled with some pretty stiff competition when it comes to All-Pro quarterbacks. Not only have Manning and Brady been thorns in his side but Rivers also has to fight comparisons with two other quarterbacks that were drafted in the 2004 draft: Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger.
Eli Manning is the quarterback most compared to Rivers, mostly because he famously said he'd refuse to play for San Diego if they drafted him with the first pick. The Chargers, still feeling the sting of the Ryan Leaf debacle, decided Eli was not worth the hassle. They traded their pick to the New York Giants and eventually picked Rivers, even though they had Brees.
Eli Manning would eventually win two Super Bowls with the Giants. In many circles, he's an obvious choice as the best quarterback of the '04 class. He has the most yards of the three quarterbacks (41,361) and has thrown for 270 touchdowns. Eli Manning also has 173 career starts, 23 more than Rivers and 12 more than Roethlisberger. He also has a lower completion percentage (59%) than the both of them.
Roethlisberger has faced a career of controversy and occasional injuries but he, too, is the owner of a Super Bowl ring. He has also been surrounded by a pretty stellar defense throughout most of his career and a pretty accomplished running game. He has the most wins of the three quarterbacks (108. Manning has 94 and Rivers 90). Roethlisberger has 255 touchdown passes and a completion percentage similar to Rivers at 63.9%.
Just like Marino, Rivers will always be compared to the other top quarterbacks from his draft class. The 1983 class featured Marino, Jim Kelly, and John Elway (among others) and is often regarded as the best in history.
Marino threw for 61,361 career yards and 420 touchdowns, yet for a long time he was simply known as a great quarterback that failed to win the big game. Marino made one Super Bowl, losing to San Francisco in his second season, and generally failed to advance in the playoffs throughout his career.
And sure, Kelly lost all four Super Bowls he made it to but the Buffalo Bills had one of the most prolific offenses of the early 1990's. He was surrounded by Pro Bowl talent, something that Marino's Miami Dolphins only had occasionally in his 17-season career.
Elway, like Manning, won two Super Bowls. Also like Manning, Elway threatened to not play for a team if said team drafted him. Until Elway won those Super Bowls (in his last two seasons, nonetheless) Marino was often seen as the greatest quarterback of the 1983 draft class. Probably because Elway was a loser of three Super Bowls himself and not by pretty scores.
Rivers, as it stands now, is in a very similar boat to the one that Marino was in. He has not been past the AFC title game since his second year as a starter. Both men had divisional opponents with equal quarterbacks: Rivers has had to deal with Peyton Manning the last three years. Marino had Kelly.
When it's all said and done, Rivers may end up with the best stats of the quarterbacks from the '04 class. He has already re-written much of the Chargers record book and is a five-time Pro Bowl selection. He has done all this with a Hall of Fame tight end and often times, little else. Good receivers have come and gone but over the last five years Rivers has been the one constant on an inconsistent offense.
Hard luck? Maybe. Rivers will be the first one to tell you he has a very blessed career and lucky to have succeeded in the NFL for ten years. It would just be nice to see his team put it all together and give him at least one chance in the Super Bowl.
If not, he can take solace in this: Marino, Kelly, and Elway, the prizes of the '83 draft class, are lumped together to this day. It turns out, through all the games, stats, and Super Bowls, these three quarterbacks all ended up with one more thing in common: they are now all Hall of Famers.
Let's hope that one more thing that Rivers and Marino will one day have in common.
10 Roles of Tom Hanks You May Have Forgotten Existed
Tom Hanks has had an illustrious Hollywood career that has spanned over 35 years. Known for his roles in Forrest Gump, Big, and Saving Private Ryan and voicing "Woody" in the Toy Story movies, Hanks has appeared in over 70 projects and has twice won an Academy Award for Best Actor.
With his new film Bridge of Spies now showing in theaters, let's take a look at ten screen projects that Hanks acted in over the years that may have slipped the minds of fans. These roles and films may be lesser known but Hanks' work in them is certainly not under appreciated.
Elvis has Left the Building (2004)
A movie with Kim Basinger and Tom Hanks? Really? How did such a flick slip so quietly under the radar? Probably because Hanks simply made a cameo appearance in this 2004 film directed by Joel Zwick.
The premise of this film is pretty straight forward. A fugitive (Basinger) goes on the run in order to avoid being captured for the murder of several Elvis impersonators. Of course, romance enters the picture when Basinger hooks up with a bored ad exec, played by John Corbett.
Hanks, in a “blink and you’ll miss him” cameo, appears as one of the Elvis impersonators. The catch? Hanks appears as a severed head in a mailbox. It was nothing too fancy or too elaborate, as Hanks wasn’t even promoted as appearing in the movie.
Hanks had previously worked with Zwick, first on Bosom Buddies and later when Hanks was a producer for the Zwick directed My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Seeing big celebrities make these cameos is always a plus, even if the actor appears as only a severed head.
He Knows You’re Alone (1980)
Tom Hanks was given his first screen credit in the slasher flick He Knows You’re Alone.
In an attempt to capitalize on the success of Halloween, He Knows You’re Alone has a plot that follows a soon-to-be bride who is being stalked the weekend before her wedding by a killer. (SPOILER ALERT: Hanks is not the killer).
In fact, the role of Elliot, as played by Hanks, plays a relatively minor part as far as the plot goes. The focus of the movie is on the bride and the man stalking her. Hanks played a wise-cracking, psych major that has a romantic interest in the bride’s sister.
In a scene at the local carnival, Hanks displays the sarcastic wit that defined his early roles. He was affable and easy going, a natural in this slasher flick that gets lost among the other horror classics of the late 1970’s and early 80’s. The movie has sharp dialogue that is very reminiscent of the style that Kevin Williamson made popular years later.
The Great Buck Howard (2008)
Sometimes it’s not just early work from an actor’s career that is forgotten. Such is the case with The Great Buck Howard.
This is another of those films in which Tom Hanks has a brief role, except this time his character is a little more pivotal to the story. Hanks plays Mr. Gable, father to Troy Gable, played by Colin Hanks, the real life son of Tom. No doubt Tom accepted this role for the opportunity to act with his son.
Basically, the plot revolves around Troy, a law school dropout who decides to become an assistant to an aging magician (John Malkovich). Tom Hanks shines in his two scenes, which add up to less than ten minutes of screen time. Based off the previous two minutes mentioned here, that’s a record.
Depending on your level of love for Colin Hanks, this movie can range anywhere from drab to witty. It does star Malkovich, Emily Blunt, and Tom Hanks, so my meter leans towards the witty side.
Tales from the Crypt (1992)
The Crypt Keeper and his stories of horror were reaching the height of their popularity when Hanks appeared in and directed an episode entitled “None but the Lonely Heart”.
At this time in his career, it can be considered a coup that producers of Tales from the Crypt were even able to get Hanks. He wasn’t the Tom Hanks we know now but he’d had a slew of comedy hits (Splash, Big, Joe Vs. the Volcano) and was fairly popular in Hollywood. If the producers had waited another year to ask him, Hanks may have very well been too busy, as he would very shortly began a dominating ten-year run of Academy Award wins and nominations.
The episode is very-well done and not as hokey as other episodes at that time were. Hanks has a deft hand as a director and played the manager at a dating service in the episode. The plot centers around a con man who, through the dating service, meets, marries, and murders an elderly woman in order to get her inheritance. He then gets his dream date, one made up of his worst nightmares.
Tales from the Crypt had its moments over the years but this Hanks-centric episode certainly ranks high on the list of favorites.
Taxi (1982)
Fresh off his starring role in Bosom Buddies, Hanks landed a guest-starring role in an episode of Taxi.
The episode focuses on the events in the past that made the Taxi characters who they are in the present day. Hanks shows up in a flashback scene focused on Jim (Christopher Lloyd). Hanks plays to his forte, comedy, and steals the scene as a stoner who is attempting to get a straight-laced Jim to try marijuana.
Taxi itself is not lesser known but the fact that Hanks was able to get this “one-off” was indeed impressive. Yes, he was coming off of Bosom Buddies but that ran only 37 episodes and was only the third project Hanks was credited in. To step onto the set of Taxi was in and of itself an accomplishment. To actually shine and keep pace with the veteran Lloyd, well, that should be applauded.
Mazes and Monsters (1982)
Hanks stuck with the medium of television and for it was rewarded with a top-billed role in this television movie about four friends playing a role playing game called Mazes and Monsters. Hanks plays Robbie Wheeling, the last of the four friends to agree to play this game. He had his reservations due to past trouble from playing the game. He agrees to play, though, and soon begins to blur the line between reality and fantasy
Mazes and Monsters is a Dungeons and Dragons game gone wild. Hanks, in his first major leading man role, shines as the main character Robbie. For the first time in his young career, Hanks was able to show his range and do something besides just comedy.
This certainly isn’t a movie for everyone. Twenty years ago, a movie centered around role playing games would be targeted to a niche audience. That niche has become more mainstream over the years. While not the greatest of Hanks performances, this movie should be tracked down and watched. Of course, tracking it down maybe the hard part.
Bachelor Party (1984)
1984 was the year that Hanks star flew into a different orbit. Was it because of Bachelor Party? Not necessarily. While this movie helped things along, it was the success of Splash earlier in the year that helped lay the path for Tom Hanks to have a long career in Hollywood.
That’s exactly why we’ll talk about Bachelor Party. Though very popular in some circles, Bachelor Party is sometimes forgotten when comedies from Tom Hanks in the 80’s are brought up. It was a favorite of t.v. stations in the 90’s as a choice for late night programming; the Saturday night late night movie of choice. Then it vanished from the airwaves, a whole new generation of movie viewers missing out on a comedy classic.
The plot is pretty standard. Hanks plays Rick Gassko, a school bus driver who is about to marry a woman from a wealthy family. You know the story. The wrinkle in this one is that the movie centers around the bachelor party and the bridal shower that is going on at the same time. Of course, one side has debauchery and the other side is clean fun. Well, it’s supposed to be before the night goes awry and a donkey makes an appearance.
Hanks is in rare form with his comedic chops, especially in this scene in which he is playing tennis.
The ‘Burbs (1989)
Hanks role as Ray Peterson, in a way, capped off his successful string of comedies in the 80’s. While others in the immediate years following were more successful (looking at you Turner and Hooch), The ‘Burbs had the dark comedy aspect to it that had been missing from the earlier comedies of Hanks.
The film pokes fun at life in the suburbs and the eccentric people that live in these communities. Things get serious when a mysterious family moves into the neighborhood and Ray and his friends, including Rumsfield (Bruce Dern), begin investigating their new neighbors.
Hanks is at his finest in this movie, one that is underrated in the Tom Hanks lexicon of films. The film has a nice blend of comedy and seriousness, perfectly blending the two while adding a touch of suspense. Plus, it also stars Carrie Fisher as the wife of Hanks. How can you go wrong?
Family Ties (1983-84)
For three episodes over a two season span, Hanks appeared as Uncle Ned on the hit sitcom Family Ties. Hanks was very much in his “television” phase at this point and starring in these already established sitcoms helped to cement his place as a “rising star”.
It is in the third episode, titled “Say Uncle”, in which Hanks really steps up to the plate. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, sitcoms had very special episodes that dealt with drug abuse and alcohol abuse. In this episode, Uncle Ned has developed a drinking problem and it is up to Alex (Michael J. Fox) to get him help before the drinking addiction ruins Ned’s life.
This episode gave fans of Hanks an early glimpse of the seriousness that Hanks could attain as an actor. Hanks balances the drama and the comedy perfectly, portraying a man hiding his addiction with dignity and grace. It would be easy to go over-the-top with a performance but Hanks brings a subtlety to it that is perfect for this sitcom.
The Late Night Talk Shows (Various)
These appearance may seem neither under appreciated or lesser known. Hanks seems to tap into those comedic roots and is often at his best when appearing. Whether promoting a movie or just stopping by to say hi, Hanks proves to be a stand-up guy that’s always willing to have a little fun.
This is truly evident when he stops by to say to Conan O’Brien. The two know each other from way back when Conan worked on Saturday Night Live. Hanks always has a good time when visiting with Conan. A favorite is when Conan used to do a sketch called “Secrets”. Various celebrities did this sketch but it was always Hanks that came out on top. There’s only one man with the talent to say with a straight face, “Looks like we’re a couple of peeing Toms.”
With his new film Bridge of Spies now showing in theaters, let's take a look at ten screen projects that Hanks acted in over the years that may have slipped the minds of fans. These roles and films may be lesser known but Hanks' work in them is certainly not under appreciated.
Elvis has Left the Building (2004)
A movie with Kim Basinger and Tom Hanks? Really? How did such a flick slip so quietly under the radar? Probably because Hanks simply made a cameo appearance in this 2004 film directed by Joel Zwick.
The premise of this film is pretty straight forward. A fugitive (Basinger) goes on the run in order to avoid being captured for the murder of several Elvis impersonators. Of course, romance enters the picture when Basinger hooks up with a bored ad exec, played by John Corbett.
Hanks, in a “blink and you’ll miss him” cameo, appears as one of the Elvis impersonators. The catch? Hanks appears as a severed head in a mailbox. It was nothing too fancy or too elaborate, as Hanks wasn’t even promoted as appearing in the movie.
Hanks had previously worked with Zwick, first on Bosom Buddies and later when Hanks was a producer for the Zwick directed My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Seeing big celebrities make these cameos is always a plus, even if the actor appears as only a severed head.
He Knows You’re Alone (1980)
Tom Hanks was given his first screen credit in the slasher flick He Knows You’re Alone.
In an attempt to capitalize on the success of Halloween, He Knows You’re Alone has a plot that follows a soon-to-be bride who is being stalked the weekend before her wedding by a killer. (SPOILER ALERT: Hanks is not the killer).
In fact, the role of Elliot, as played by Hanks, plays a relatively minor part as far as the plot goes. The focus of the movie is on the bride and the man stalking her. Hanks played a wise-cracking, psych major that has a romantic interest in the bride’s sister.
In a scene at the local carnival, Hanks displays the sarcastic wit that defined his early roles. He was affable and easy going, a natural in this slasher flick that gets lost among the other horror classics of the late 1970’s and early 80’s. The movie has sharp dialogue that is very reminiscent of the style that Kevin Williamson made popular years later.
The Great Buck Howard (2008)
Sometimes it’s not just early work from an actor’s career that is forgotten. Such is the case with The Great Buck Howard.
This is another of those films in which Tom Hanks has a brief role, except this time his character is a little more pivotal to the story. Hanks plays Mr. Gable, father to Troy Gable, played by Colin Hanks, the real life son of Tom. No doubt Tom accepted this role for the opportunity to act with his son.
Basically, the plot revolves around Troy, a law school dropout who decides to become an assistant to an aging magician (John Malkovich). Tom Hanks shines in his two scenes, which add up to less than ten minutes of screen time. Based off the previous two minutes mentioned here, that’s a record.
Depending on your level of love for Colin Hanks, this movie can range anywhere from drab to witty. It does star Malkovich, Emily Blunt, and Tom Hanks, so my meter leans towards the witty side.
Tales from the Crypt (1992)
The Crypt Keeper and his stories of horror were reaching the height of their popularity when Hanks appeared in and directed an episode entitled “None but the Lonely Heart”.
At this time in his career, it can be considered a coup that producers of Tales from the Crypt were even able to get Hanks. He wasn’t the Tom Hanks we know now but he’d had a slew of comedy hits (Splash, Big, Joe Vs. the Volcano) and was fairly popular in Hollywood. If the producers had waited another year to ask him, Hanks may have very well been too busy, as he would very shortly began a dominating ten-year run of Academy Award wins and nominations.
The episode is very-well done and not as hokey as other episodes at that time were. Hanks has a deft hand as a director and played the manager at a dating service in the episode. The plot centers around a con man who, through the dating service, meets, marries, and murders an elderly woman in order to get her inheritance. He then gets his dream date, one made up of his worst nightmares.
Tales from the Crypt had its moments over the years but this Hanks-centric episode certainly ranks high on the list of favorites.
Taxi (1982)
Fresh off his starring role in Bosom Buddies, Hanks landed a guest-starring role in an episode of Taxi.
The episode focuses on the events in the past that made the Taxi characters who they are in the present day. Hanks shows up in a flashback scene focused on Jim (Christopher Lloyd). Hanks plays to his forte, comedy, and steals the scene as a stoner who is attempting to get a straight-laced Jim to try marijuana.
Taxi itself is not lesser known but the fact that Hanks was able to get this “one-off” was indeed impressive. Yes, he was coming off of Bosom Buddies but that ran only 37 episodes and was only the third project Hanks was credited in. To step onto the set of Taxi was in and of itself an accomplishment. To actually shine and keep pace with the veteran Lloyd, well, that should be applauded.
Mazes and Monsters (1982)
Hanks stuck with the medium of television and for it was rewarded with a top-billed role in this television movie about four friends playing a role playing game called Mazes and Monsters. Hanks plays Robbie Wheeling, the last of the four friends to agree to play this game. He had his reservations due to past trouble from playing the game. He agrees to play, though, and soon begins to blur the line between reality and fantasy
Mazes and Monsters is a Dungeons and Dragons game gone wild. Hanks, in his first major leading man role, shines as the main character Robbie. For the first time in his young career, Hanks was able to show his range and do something besides just comedy.
This certainly isn’t a movie for everyone. Twenty years ago, a movie centered around role playing games would be targeted to a niche audience. That niche has become more mainstream over the years. While not the greatest of Hanks performances, this movie should be tracked down and watched. Of course, tracking it down maybe the hard part.
Bachelor Party (1984)
1984 was the year that Hanks star flew into a different orbit. Was it because of Bachelor Party? Not necessarily. While this movie helped things along, it was the success of Splash earlier in the year that helped lay the path for Tom Hanks to have a long career in Hollywood.
That’s exactly why we’ll talk about Bachelor Party. Though very popular in some circles, Bachelor Party is sometimes forgotten when comedies from Tom Hanks in the 80’s are brought up. It was a favorite of t.v. stations in the 90’s as a choice for late night programming; the Saturday night late night movie of choice. Then it vanished from the airwaves, a whole new generation of movie viewers missing out on a comedy classic.
The plot is pretty standard. Hanks plays Rick Gassko, a school bus driver who is about to marry a woman from a wealthy family. You know the story. The wrinkle in this one is that the movie centers around the bachelor party and the bridal shower that is going on at the same time. Of course, one side has debauchery and the other side is clean fun. Well, it’s supposed to be before the night goes awry and a donkey makes an appearance.
Hanks is in rare form with his comedic chops, especially in this scene in which he is playing tennis.
The ‘Burbs (1989)
Hanks role as Ray Peterson, in a way, capped off his successful string of comedies in the 80’s. While others in the immediate years following were more successful (looking at you Turner and Hooch), The ‘Burbs had the dark comedy aspect to it that had been missing from the earlier comedies of Hanks.
The film pokes fun at life in the suburbs and the eccentric people that live in these communities. Things get serious when a mysterious family moves into the neighborhood and Ray and his friends, including Rumsfield (Bruce Dern), begin investigating their new neighbors.
Hanks is at his finest in this movie, one that is underrated in the Tom Hanks lexicon of films. The film has a nice blend of comedy and seriousness, perfectly blending the two while adding a touch of suspense. Plus, it also stars Carrie Fisher as the wife of Hanks. How can you go wrong?
Family Ties (1983-84)
For three episodes over a two season span, Hanks appeared as Uncle Ned on the hit sitcom Family Ties. Hanks was very much in his “television” phase at this point and starring in these already established sitcoms helped to cement his place as a “rising star”.
It is in the third episode, titled “Say Uncle”, in which Hanks really steps up to the plate. Back in the 80’s and 90’s, sitcoms had very special episodes that dealt with drug abuse and alcohol abuse. In this episode, Uncle Ned has developed a drinking problem and it is up to Alex (Michael J. Fox) to get him help before the drinking addiction ruins Ned’s life.
This episode gave fans of Hanks an early glimpse of the seriousness that Hanks could attain as an actor. Hanks balances the drama and the comedy perfectly, portraying a man hiding his addiction with dignity and grace. It would be easy to go over-the-top with a performance but Hanks brings a subtlety to it that is perfect for this sitcom.
The Late Night Talk Shows (Various)
These appearance may seem neither under appreciated or lesser known. Hanks seems to tap into those comedic roots and is often at his best when appearing. Whether promoting a movie or just stopping by to say hi, Hanks proves to be a stand-up guy that’s always willing to have a little fun.
This is truly evident when he stops by to say to Conan O’Brien. The two know each other from way back when Conan worked on Saturday Night Live. Hanks always has a good time when visiting with Conan. A favorite is when Conan used to do a sketch called “Secrets”. Various celebrities did this sketch but it was always Hanks that came out on top. There’s only one man with the talent to say with a straight face, “Looks like we’re a couple of peeing Toms.”
October 10, 2015
World Series Prediction: Anyone but the Cardinals
The 2015 baseball playoffs are in full swing. Unlike most pundits and fans, I have opted to make my selections for the World Series after the playoffs have already started.
This may seem a bit like cheating since the American League has already played two games in each Division Series and the National League has already played one. The fact is, it's not cheating. I simply ran out of time to get this done last week.
No of this changes the fact that my wish for the World Series hasn't changed. I'll enjoy this year's championship as long as it doesn't involve the
The Cardinals finished this year with a record of 100-62. I believe they have been in the playoffs every year since 1892. No need to fact check that. It's a little known stat you won't find in the record books. The Cardinals have been in the playoffs so many times that they are automatically awarded the NL Central title on the first day of the season. That's how consistent they are.
In reality, since 2000, the Cardinals have been in the playoffs 11 times. Appearing in four World Series (winning two), the Cardinals have been a model of consistency. Pitching, hitting, coaching, you name it. The Cardinals do it right, with or without superstars. I don't even hate the Cardinals. I am simply tired of seeing them in the playoffs. It's time to let someone else have a shot.
That's because the Cubs, also a NL Central team, have put together a magical year a season ahead of schedule. Led by Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Cy Young candidate Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77 ERA), the Cubs won 97 games and are looking to end a curse that has plagued them for far too long.
Trouble is, the Cubs are playing the Cardinals and are already losing the series 1-0.
One half of the other NL Division Series match-up is the The Mets were fourth in the NL in ERA (3.43) and their staff held opponents to a .243 batting average. I'll give you one guess as to which team had the lowest ERA in the National League.
The downfall of the Mets maybe an offense that disappears for stretches at a time. They ended up 7th in the National League in runs scored but only batted .244 on the season.
Finishing one spot behind the Mets in runs scored are their playoff opponents the The focus of this series will be the pitchers, as witnessed in the Mets 3-1 game one win. Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers and Jacob deGrom of the Mets became the first starters to both strike out 11 batters in a postseason game. This series promises to be a low scoring affair.
If you want hitting, you'll know doubt want to turn to the A week ago I might have predicted the Blue Jays to club their way to the World Series. That was before they lost the first two games of their division series with the In a theme all-too-familiar in this years MLB playoffs, the Rangers weren't even supposed to be here. When they traded for Cole Hamels in July, many figured the Rangers were simply loading up for next year. Trouble is, no one told the Rangers. Hamels certainly helped, as did the resurrection of Prince Fielder. After missing most of last year, Fielder hit .305 and drove in 98 runs in leading the Rangers to a 46-28 record after the All-Star break.
The Rangers second-half surge coincided with the second-half struggles of the They managed to pull things together in time to secure a AL wildcard spot on the final day of the season. The Astros defeated the The Royals ended up with the American League's best record, finishing at 95-67. They are looking to get back to the World Series a year after falling to the San Francisco Giants. Surprisingly, it has been the offense of the Royals that led them to the league's best record. They were 7th in the majors in runs scored (724) and third in batting average (.269). The pitching staff is still slightly above average, relying on a bullpen to secure victories to make up for a group of starters that ranked 24th in quality starts.
Looking at these brief overviews of each team, everything is pointing to the (yawn) Cardinals to win the World Series. Thirty years ago, the Royals beat the Cardinals in the World Series. The state of Missouri would no doubt love this match-up again in 2015. And the state of Missouri might be the only people to watch the World Series if that happens.
That's why I'm picking the Rangers to face the Cubs. One of these teams needs to get that World Series monkey off of their backs and this year will be that year. In fact, I'm taking the Cubs in six games. 2015 is their year.
Or maybe I've jinxed them. Then, the curse can be assigned to me and finally blame can be taken away from that poor goat.
September 23, 2015
For the Love of Books
I love to read. Whether it's an article on the internet, the Boise Weekly, or a good book in my hands, I consider myself someone who devours information and knowledge.
Over the past year or so, I found myself reading books at a furious pace, attempting to make up for the last 15 years in which I maybe averaged two books a year. My collection of books, actual, physical books, has grown and I find there is nothing like ending the night with a book in my hands, flipping through the pages to see where the story or biography leads to next.
The digital age has brought forth avenues into which books are just a click away. Devices such as the Kindle and the Nook have given readers one more avenue in which they can enjoy their favorite stories. So much, in fact, that it was believed that these devices would make the physical book a relic from the dinosaur age.
Seems the books aren't ready to give up just yet.
In this article from the New York Times, it is being reported that e-book sales have slipped while the sale of physical books has risen. Is this a revolution against the digital age? Probably not but it is good to see these "relics" holding strong in sales. Thanks hipsters.
As an author and writer myself, this is good news. It took a long time for me to decide to self-publish my e-book and make it available in electronic form. I wanted (and still do) to have a book for sale at the local book store or available to put on a shelf. I realized, though, that publishing a book and having stories available to a reader in any form is a great thing.
People need to read. I love to hear about people that are reading books, whether it be a romance, a biography, or even my little fantasy book. Reading frees the mind. Stories take you to a far away lands and can make you think. Or they can simply provide a chance to get away into another world. Whatever the reason you decide to read, good for you.
Now, if you'll excuse me, time to go pick up a book. It's only right...
Over the past year or so, I found myself reading books at a furious pace, attempting to make up for the last 15 years in which I maybe averaged two books a year. My collection of books, actual, physical books, has grown and I find there is nothing like ending the night with a book in my hands, flipping through the pages to see where the story or biography leads to next.
The digital age has brought forth avenues into which books are just a click away. Devices such as the Kindle and the Nook have given readers one more avenue in which they can enjoy their favorite stories. So much, in fact, that it was believed that these devices would make the physical book a relic from the dinosaur age.
Seems the books aren't ready to give up just yet.
In this article from the New York Times, it is being reported that e-book sales have slipped while the sale of physical books has risen. Is this a revolution against the digital age? Probably not but it is good to see these "relics" holding strong in sales. Thanks hipsters.
As an author and writer myself, this is good news. It took a long time for me to decide to self-publish my e-book and make it available in electronic form. I wanted (and still do) to have a book for sale at the local book store or available to put on a shelf. I realized, though, that publishing a book and having stories available to a reader in any form is a great thing.
People need to read. I love to hear about people that are reading books, whether it be a romance, a biography, or even my little fantasy book. Reading frees the mind. Stories take you to a far away lands and can make you think. Or they can simply provide a chance to get away into another world. Whatever the reason you decide to read, good for you.
Now, if you'll excuse me, time to go pick up a book. It's only right...
