"Rookie of the Year" and the Rest of the Sports Movies of My Youth

I have to admit I was shocked today when CNBC's Darren Rovell tweeted and then HarballTalk's Aaron Gleeman wrote that this is the 17th anniversary of Rookie of the Year. Although the movie is about as ridiculous as it gets, it was always, as Gleeman mentioned, my goal to have Henry Rowengartner's arm after breaking my arm--but it never happened. I was still shy of my 10th birthday when the movie came out and this movie, plus a bunch of other sports movies from the era, helped to shape me in some strange way. Here's a quick look at 5 sports movies (1990-1995) with a tidbit about each--and a few others worth mentioning:

Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery

Rookie of the Year

• My Tagline: "Boy breaks arm and befriends Gary Busey who throws the high cheese".
• Real Tagline: "The Chicago Cubs needed a miracle... They got Henry Rowengartner" 
• IDMB plot summary: "When an accident miraculously gives a boy an incredibly powerful pitching arm, he becomes a major league pitcher for the Chicago Cubs."
• My quick thoughts: Just a great movie and "pitcher's got a big butt" must have been said on the baseball field at least once a game after this. Can still go back and watch Daniel Stern as the pitching coach and laugh.
• The adult/child stars of the movie: Thomas Ian Nicholas as Henry Rowengartner and Gary Busey as Chet "Rocket" Steadman".
• Where the stars are now: I can't believe Nicholas is 30, but after his American Pie days, he's sort of fizzled out a bit. Gary Busey is still insane.
• "Wait, they were in this movie<": This honor goes to the future Scrubs Janitor, Neil Flynn, who played Okie, the Cubs first baseman in the movie
• Lasting effect on my childhood: After I broke my arm, I was sure I was going to be a pitcher. Damn, you Hollywood!
• Jay's Take: "Loved this movie. Loved that the villains were the Mets and specifically a goon named Heddo. Loved Gary Busey and his grunts."

Pics Digger

The Mighty Ducks

• My Tagline: "Quack, Quack, Quack, Quack. The flying V! Watch out for the knucklepunk, cake-eater!"
  
• Real Tagline: "He's never coached. They've never won. Together they'll learn everything about winning!" 
• IDMB plot summary: "Gordon Bombay, a hotshot lawyer, is haunted by memories of his childhood, when, as the star player in his champion hockey team, he lost the winning goal in a shootout, thereby losing the game, and the approval of his coach. After being charged for drunk driving, the court orders him to coach a peewee hockey team, the worst in the league, Gordon is at first very reluctant. However, he eventually gains the respect of the kids and teaches them how to win, gaining a sponsor on the way and giving the team the name of The Ducks. In the finals, they face Gordon's old team, coached by Gordon's old coach, giving Gordon a chance to face old ghosts."
• My quick thoughts: There were two others after it but the original still stands out. I think that it brought other kids to love hockey as much I did--at least for a little while. And what kid didn't try a triple deke at some point while playing hockey after seeing this movie? 
• The adult/child stars of the movie: Emilio Estevez as Gordon Bombay and Joshua Jackson as Charlie Conway
• Where the stars are now: I have no clue where Estevez is since Bobby (which he wrote, directer and acted in). Jackson is in Fringe but was recently pushing Pacey-Con.
• "Wait, they were in this movie?": My Cousin Vinny's Jim Trotter III (Lane Smith) as Coach Jack Reilly. LOST's Tom Friendly (M.C. Gainey) as Lewis. Wet Hot American Summer's Katie (Marguerite Moreau) as Connie Moreau (they were real original with that last name). Law & Order: Criminal Intent's Detective Alexandra Eames (Kathryn Erbe) as Michelle MacKay in the sequel. 24's Larry Moss (Jeffrey Nordling) as Coach Ted Orion in the third. Great cameos from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Cam Neely, Chris Chelios, Luc Robitaille, Greg Louganis, Kristi Yamaguchi, and Wayne Gretzky. And, of course, Kenan Thompson as the knucklepucking Russ Tyler.
• Lasting effect on my childhood: I was involved in a P.E. class shootout and triple deked the goalie for the win and gym class glory.
• Jay's Take: "The girl who plays Henry's crush in Rookie of the Year is the same girl who played Julie "The Cat" Gaffney in Mighty Ducks 2"

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Dogs and Cats Living Together...Mass Hysteria!

Dr. Peter Venkman: This city is headed for a disaster of biblical proportions.
Mayor: What do you mean, "biblical"?
Dr Ray Stantz: What he means is Old Testament, Mr. Mayor, real wrath of God type stuff.
Dr. Peter Venkman: Exactly.
Dr Ray Stantz: Fire and brimstone coming down from the skies! Rivers and seas boiling!
Dr. Egon Spengler: Forty years of darkness! Earthquakes, volcanoes...
Winston Zeddemore: The dead rising from the grave!
Dr. Peter Venkman: Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... mass hysteria!

Those quotes from Ghostbusters remind me of the current feeling today as Yankees fans and Mets fans will both be rooting for the other team for a weekend. Although usually enemies, fans of the Yanks and the Metropolitains will actually be forgoing their dislike for the Subway rivals and rooting hard for them to crush their divisional foes.

The Yankees play host to the defending World Series champion Phillies in their brand new ballpark in the Bronx. The Yankees have won 9 in a row and the Phillies have won 6 of 7. If you think the New Yankee Stadium is a bandbox, just wait until you see what happens for this series with the homerun power on both sides.

In Boston, the Yankees will be rooting on the New York Mets as they head to Fenway Park in a rematch of the 1986 World Series. It's been 69 innings since the Mets had a homerun and they'll try to end that streak this weekend.

Santana vs. Dice-K. Cole Hamels vs. CC Sabathia. This should be a fun weekend to open interleague play. And while I'll be rooting on my Yankees, I'll also be echoing WFAN: "Let's Go Mets...F-A-N...doo doo doo!" Should be a fun weekend

24 Season 7 Is Just Die Hard 2

I just finished watching Die Hard 2: Die Harder. Like the Baldwin brothers, there are 4 Die Hards. I would like to think Alec is the original. I think that Die Hard 2 may be Daniel, who overdosed on crack, ran naked through the Plaza Hotel screaming "Baldwin!" and then was promptly arrested by New York Police. The movie sports an amazing cast: Dennis Franz and Fred Thompson flanking Bruce Willis, with small roles for John Leguizamo and Colm Meany (as well as Dru Berrymore, who afterwards, according to IMDB, did almost 200 lovely movies with titles such as Cumback Pussy 38, and Sodomania Slop Shots 12 and Spunk'd: The Movie). But despite the cast, the movie sucked. Die Hard 2 was so bad, it actually was funny.

But the whole time I watched, I couldn't help but think that 24 Season 7 is ripping this movie off like crazy. We have terrorists taking over air traffic control and then crashing planes to show they're serious (hello, CYP device!). We have corrupt government officials working with foreign terrorists. We have law enforcement getting in the way of our hero, especially the guy who is in charge on the scene. We have people we think are good in the government turn out to be bad. We have domestic terrorists who really don't have any true, definable, realistic goals. We have rogue military-trained bad guys. We have a botched attempt to flee the country. We have ridiculous plot lines, countless amounts of deaths...

...and we have John McClane and Jack Bauer as the leading men. On Entertainment Weekly's Top 20 All-Time Coolest Heroes in Pop Culture, Jack Bauer comes in 14 and John McClane comes in 6th. Obviously there needs to be a recount. If all of the coolest heroes on this list faced off against each other, I bet these two are the last standing. Let's just say I'm glad that they don't have to face off and they're both on the side of good. But for one day and one movie, these two pop culture characters share a great common bond.

Pre-Thursday Night Out Links (and more videos!)

Some links while I drink my elderflower liquor and wait to head out for the night

-I told you already: Leave Michael Phelps alone

-Again...leave him alone (H/T Jay)

-Here's another guy to leave alone: A-Rod. "Doesn't Congress have anything better to do with its time??" I could not agree more. Insane.

-But some good A-Rod stuff before we do: of course he hits on hot women, he runs back to his wife, hires a crisis management firm (Chris Brown is supposedly doing the same), has someone trying to pretend recent history didn't happen (maybe he needs the island from Lost), pisses off the Commish (what is this man going to do? he can't suspend him...he's just got to grin a bear it), and had SO much potential before steroids (H/T Baseball Musings):



-Speaking of the Yankees, how about some "Joba-the-Not" news (H/T Zack)?

-I think that Claire McCaskill may be my new favorite politician after her Twittering (Twitting? Twating?) about Gregg's sudden departure from the Obama White House

-Happy Birthday, Charles Darwin --from, Freakonomics

-E.J. Hradek knows that the real problem with the Rangers is Glen Sather. His cap blundering will cost this team for years. And any chance they have of acquiring a decent forward at the trade deadline will go out the window because of this. And if they decide to call up Sean Avery they'll probably have to trade someone...unbelievable

-At least maybe King Henrik can lead the Swedish team to another championship in 2010.

-Love those 17 points plays

-Full Lost recap and a recaplet

-Well maybe Burress won't be on the Giants next year. Just a littttle premature.

-That loan-a-weapon-to-an-Afghani program is NOT going well

-A heartwarming story about a girl being able to say thanks to a firefighter who saved her 40 years before..(H/T Paul)



-Lastly, this may be even more disturbing than his affection for his sister in Gladiator...nah:

Sunday Links: Bestchester Edition

Home in the Bestchester with some great Sunday links:

-First, a great NBA doubleheader on ABC. I usually shy away from watching regular season NBA but today was a real treat

-Joel Sherman agrees with me on the Jeter situation

-The Terrible Towlie

-Anna Rawson is really hot and doesn't seem to like lesbians in women's golf...and women's golf does not seem to like Anna Rawson. Catfight!

-So Brad Pitt is playing Billy Beane in Moneyball. So a book I've never particularly cared for about a way to build a team which hasn't produced any pennants (never mind World Series wins) is going to be starring Brad Pitt and directed by Steven Soderbergh...and it's about baseball. So I have a real tough time figuring out if I'm going to want to pay to see this movie. Solution: illegal download. Thank you, interwebs.

-Hip Hop saved Lupe Fiasco's life and Starbucks saved this guy's life. Now Tom Hanks will play him in a movie. Seriously

-Scary times in the inferno going on Down Under

-Peter Gammons wrote his first article in a few weeks and seems to back up my idea of Brett Gardner in CF with the first part of the article...

-I found out on his Twitter that Rainn Wilson is a Baha'i and he posted this article about an apology they received from Iranian professionals.

-This kid will have what Michael Phelps is having. Wow. (H/T to Sarah and Jay)

-Speaking of Mr. Phelps, he has a backer: Ashton Kutcher...and he won't be hanging out with Jared anytime soon

-Another person agrees with me, the New York Rangers need Sean Avery and vice versa (original report from Larry Brooks)

-More A-rod piling on from Howard Bryant of ESPN, Rob Neyer of ESPN, and Sam Borden of LoHud (on defining this generation)

-A sad story about a 90-year-old Madoff victim that had to return to work

-What news anchors do during commercial breaks...amazing

-For Ari: how consultants are like prostitutes

-Some LOST spoilers/analysis from our buddy, Doc Jensen

-So maybe Santonio Holmes didn't get both feet down...

-Remember that November election when John McCain left the campaign for the stimulus vote? Well John McCain is having a senior moment because he's back there again and Troopergate redux.

-Speaking of elections, the Israelis are voting soon: on Netanyahu's big lead and the rise of Avigdor Lieberman

-Fred Hof is joining the Mitchell Commission and is not a fan of Hezbollah (H/T Politico)...could be good news for Israel.

-The Battle for Your Social Status

-The growth of green jobs

-I'm really not sure what's so bad about this article except that maybe England has weird Greek life...

-Remember Adam Morrison? He got a little emotional during March Madness and now has been traded to the Lakers for VladRad. Think Charlotte would like to have done that again? They missed out on Brandon Roy, Rudy Gay, Rajon Rondo, etc. for a guy who looked like he should have been in 70s porn.

-The New Yorker tries to figure out the next Supreme Court Justice

-An article about life insurance (my industry) facing impending accounting and regulatory changes

-The Washingon Post declares the worst draft pick in baseball history...which is saying a lot

-And, lastly, HR and the art of clichés management (H/T Wendy)