The Weekend Wrap 7/07-7/09
Things we learned:
If you want to make a movie and make millions of dollars, put Johnny Depp in it and have him play some eccentric character. Teenage girls flock to a Johnny Depp movie quicker than something that is really fast (I am not good at analogies). As of the time we went to print here at "El Wisdom" it was estimated that the second installment of Pirates of the Caribbean was going to likely clear the $150 million mark, that is some serious coin folks. I have yet to see this movie, as the hoard of screaming teens this weekend at the theatre is what kept me away. A friend of mine went to see on of the midnight screenings Thursday night and it was sold out about an hour before showtime, as were four of the next days showtimes. I have no doubt that this is an entertaining film, much like the first one was, but I do get so disgusted with Hollywood's lack of creativity and their seemingly endless supply of safe sequels that way these people can keep their pockets lined. In fact what made the first Pirates so entertaining was the willingness for Disney to take a risk and use one of their theme park attractions as the basis of a major motion picture (I doubt it would have worked with "It's a Small World"). But to be force feeding us with a second, and an already in the can third installment just seems to be too much for me. But that is the way of the action film it seems. Other recent action films I enjoyed were Mission:Impossible and The Bourne Identity, both these movies had successful sequels which were at one viewing entertaining and satisfying enough, but again they have made a third installment of each. Isn't it enough already, Jason Bourne kicks ass, I get it; don't fuck with Ethan Hunt or he will track you down and make you pay, I get it. Johnny Depp's character Jack Sparrow is entertaining, funny, witty, seems like a cool drinking buddy, but how played will it be by the time the third movie comes out? By then you will have seen the original on TBS about 412 times.
Pedro Martinez's pussy is beginning to hurt a little earlier this season. Yes folks it is mid summer and time for Pedro's arm to start breaking down. Red Sox and Expos fans you know it, you've seen it, now explain it to Mets fans. How every year Pedro's pussy begins to get inflamed, his ERA begins to swell, like my junk at a strip club (now that is an analogy), and you are left wondering why the hell do we have to pay this putz $30 million for another 2 years. Now of course if the Metropolitans do go on and win the whole thing this season they will credit the shutting down of Pedro in mid July as the reason why, but you know they are shitting rocks. Mets fans, we kid because we care; watch out the Braves are only 13 back!!!!
Things I liked:
I think I said this same thing at this time last year, but Tennis is still a pretty cool sport. I somewhat enjoy this time of year when we can pay some attention to our non traditional and individual sports. I actually saw something online today about all these southern inbred redneck idiots complaining that stuff like Golf, Soccer, and Tennis were all the rage right now. They were wondering when football season is starting, what a bunch of shallow retards. These are the same people who have never read a book from beginning to end that didn't have the words "Dale Earnhardt" in the title. Back to my point, the Wimbeldon Men's Final this year was some of the most well played, fiery, competitive tennis I have seen in years. Of course I awoke to late to see the first set in which Roger Federer rolled 6-0 over Rafael Nadal, this was probably a good thing because I might have shut it off then. But I got to watch three sets and about 2 1/2 hours of brilliant tennis. This match was for more than just Wimbeldon. You see Nadal has beaten Federer the last 4 times they have played, including last months French Open Championship match. It was also for the number 1 ranking in the world, something Federer has had a firm grasp on for the last 3 years or so. Also it was for Nadal to stand toe to toe on grass and prove that he was no longer just a clay court specialist but a force on all surfaces and a legitimate challenger to Federer's thrown. The US Open should be an interesting tournament for these two, if they somehow meet up in a third Grand Slam final in one year, and Nadal can win two of them we could have that rivalry we are always looking for in Tennis, even if an American isn't involved.
Things I disliked:
You know soccer people, the Beautiful Game, it almost had me, it really did. However, you can blame on guy for losing me, and that is retiring French superstar and "ambassador" of the game Zinedine Zidane. For the past month no ugly American soccer hater has given the game more of a chance than me. Even at my best, I will still only really be a World Cup guy, never much of a Champions league follower or Euro Cup aficionado, but I'll pay attention every four years, more than I had in the past. Like every American I gave the game a chance in 1994 when the Cup was in the good ole USA and in 1998 I still cared a little bit. What happened in 2002 I am not sure, maybe I was just completely wasted that year, but I don't remember a single game being on TV, who won the damned thing or what the hell country it was in. But again this year, with the emergence (or so called emergence) of the US as a possible contender we gave a crap once again. I watched and I watched, and I never really complained. The penalty kicks to decide games really don't bother me all that much, I can get over that. The one thing that gets a little annoying is the diving and faking injuries bullshit, but even that I was mostly over. The thing that I did love was the high quality of play and then even the higher level of class and sportsmanship shown before and especially after games. Watching the exchanging of jersey's and the players genuinely feeling sorry for friends or even teammates of theirs who played their asses off only to come up a little short. The story of French captain and one time worlds greatest player Zidane making his final national team appearance captured the attention of the world. Zidane had helped lead France to a surprising victory on their home turf in 1998 and now he was trying to do it again. One more time, for the gipper, the French team played hard, gave all out effort. After the Portugal game in the semi's Zidane and longtime friend and teammate, Portuguese Captain, Figo tearfully exchanged jerseys. It was, what the beautiful game is all about. Then came the finals, France's best player, Thierry Henry, dazed early in the game, but aging superstar Zidane again came through on a penalty kick to give his time a 1-0 lead. Italy tied the game up and they played deep into the Berlin night. Regulation time ended 1-1, then came overtime, both teams exhausted after the first 15 minute overtime period. Then in the second overtime period Henry too tired to go on suffering from cramps was substituted out for. With ten minutes remaining it looks like this thing is headed for a final Penalty kick showdown, we are dreaming it, tied up Zidane versus Italian goalie Buffon, earlier in the match Buffon bested Zidane on a header after Zidane had already scored on a PK. But then in one instant; brutal, vicious and totally classless Zidane ruined it all. After an attack by the French, the Italian defenders cleared the ball and Zidane and Italy's Materazzi exchanged a few words (as all athletes do, as all soccer players do). Then Zidane in one of the most idiotic moments and ill timed frustration walks over and rams his head directly into the chest of Materazzi, for no reason. This is a play normally reserved for the hacks of sports, the Bill Romanowski's and the Todd Bertuzzi's, Not the Mike Singletary's and the Steve Yzerman's. Forever and a day now, Zidane will be remembered as a hack, that's it, its that plain. For all the world to see on the biggest stage in the biggest game, he pulls that bush league play. It is inexcusable. The only thing I can think of that comes remotely close is that of Roger Clemens and the shattered bat incident against Mike Piazza (but even that can still be claimed as somewhat reactionary). Zidane's move was calculated, vicious and meant to cause danger and harm to Materazzi.
Saturday night I am on my way home and I am listening to Fox Sports Radio, presumably ESPN Radio must have been in commercial. Time and again Fox Sports proves why they are clearly second best. This talking head is going on and on about LeBron James and how he has agreed to a $180 million contract and how it is ridiculous for someone that young to be making that much money playing basketball. He also thinks it is shame that sports stars who make this insane amount of money aren't forced to give back money to social programs or foreign aid to help Tsunami relief and war relief. How much of an absolute tool can this guy be? First of all he kept harping in the number, $180 million, which isn't even correct. LeBron is going to sign a max deal for 5 years and $80 million. Secondly, you would think if you are in any level of sports journalism you would have learned to get over the whole money think long ago. All of these players making way too much money, the cats out of the bag pal, get over it. I get upset when Nene makes $60 million, not because he is making $60 million but because he is making more than about 100 basketball players who are better than him. And again, sports nuts like me always love to point this out, how come people don't get as outraged over movies stars like Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, and Tom Cruise making $25-70 million a picture? Well I am going to use some bad language here, white people still hate to see a nigger make money, it's that simple. But still that is not the whole of my point here with this Fox Sports Radio ass clown. He kept saying these people should be forced to give part of their salary back to these various type of social programs. I hate to inform this guy of something, but we already have a system in place for that, it is called taxes. You pay your taxes on your income for those very types of social programs and foreign aid initiatives, that is what the government does with that money (or is supposed to do with that money). You cannot specifically earmark a certain percentage of LeBron James' salary to go to feeding the homeless, he is a tax paying citizen just like you and me (well save for all the illegal immigrants reading this blog).
PS
The coolest most retarded thing just happened. I was running a spell check on this latest blog and the last word here today was blog, and it was not in the spell check dictionary. And no I was not spell checking this on Word or anything, I was spell checking this in the blogger publishing window. So the word Blog is not in the Blog hosting websites spell check dictionary.
If you want to make a movie and make millions of dollars, put Johnny Depp in it and have him play some eccentric character. Teenage girls flock to a Johnny Depp movie quicker than something that is really fast (I am not good at analogies). As of the time we went to print here at "El Wisdom" it was estimated that the second installment of Pirates of the Caribbean was going to likely clear the $150 million mark, that is some serious coin folks. I have yet to see this movie, as the hoard of screaming teens this weekend at the theatre is what kept me away. A friend of mine went to see on of the midnight screenings Thursday night and it was sold out about an hour before showtime, as were four of the next days showtimes. I have no doubt that this is an entertaining film, much like the first one was, but I do get so disgusted with Hollywood's lack of creativity and their seemingly endless supply of safe sequels that way these people can keep their pockets lined. In fact what made the first Pirates so entertaining was the willingness for Disney to take a risk and use one of their theme park attractions as the basis of a major motion picture (I doubt it would have worked with "It's a Small World"). But to be force feeding us with a second, and an already in the can third installment just seems to be too much for me. But that is the way of the action film it seems. Other recent action films I enjoyed were Mission:Impossible and The Bourne Identity, both these movies had successful sequels which were at one viewing entertaining and satisfying enough, but again they have made a third installment of each. Isn't it enough already, Jason Bourne kicks ass, I get it; don't fuck with Ethan Hunt or he will track you down and make you pay, I get it. Johnny Depp's character Jack Sparrow is entertaining, funny, witty, seems like a cool drinking buddy, but how played will it be by the time the third movie comes out? By then you will have seen the original on TBS about 412 times.
Pedro Martinez's pussy is beginning to hurt a little earlier this season. Yes folks it is mid summer and time for Pedro's arm to start breaking down. Red Sox and Expos fans you know it, you've seen it, now explain it to Mets fans. How every year Pedro's pussy begins to get inflamed, his ERA begins to swell, like my junk at a strip club (now that is an analogy), and you are left wondering why the hell do we have to pay this putz $30 million for another 2 years. Now of course if the Metropolitans do go on and win the whole thing this season they will credit the shutting down of Pedro in mid July as the reason why, but you know they are shitting rocks. Mets fans, we kid because we care; watch out the Braves are only 13 back!!!!
Things I liked:
I think I said this same thing at this time last year, but Tennis is still a pretty cool sport. I somewhat enjoy this time of year when we can pay some attention to our non traditional and individual sports. I actually saw something online today about all these southern inbred redneck idiots complaining that stuff like Golf, Soccer, and Tennis were all the rage right now. They were wondering when football season is starting, what a bunch of shallow retards. These are the same people who have never read a book from beginning to end that didn't have the words "Dale Earnhardt" in the title. Back to my point, the Wimbeldon Men's Final this year was some of the most well played, fiery, competitive tennis I have seen in years. Of course I awoke to late to see the first set in which Roger Federer rolled 6-0 over Rafael Nadal, this was probably a good thing because I might have shut it off then. But I got to watch three sets and about 2 1/2 hours of brilliant tennis. This match was for more than just Wimbeldon. You see Nadal has beaten Federer the last 4 times they have played, including last months French Open Championship match. It was also for the number 1 ranking in the world, something Federer has had a firm grasp on for the last 3 years or so. Also it was for Nadal to stand toe to toe on grass and prove that he was no longer just a clay court specialist but a force on all surfaces and a legitimate challenger to Federer's thrown. The US Open should be an interesting tournament for these two, if they somehow meet up in a third Grand Slam final in one year, and Nadal can win two of them we could have that rivalry we are always looking for in Tennis, even if an American isn't involved.
Things I disliked:
You know soccer people, the Beautiful Game, it almost had me, it really did. However, you can blame on guy for losing me, and that is retiring French superstar and "ambassador" of the game Zinedine Zidane. For the past month no ugly American soccer hater has given the game more of a chance than me. Even at my best, I will still only really be a World Cup guy, never much of a Champions league follower or Euro Cup aficionado, but I'll pay attention every four years, more than I had in the past. Like every American I gave the game a chance in 1994 when the Cup was in the good ole USA and in 1998 I still cared a little bit. What happened in 2002 I am not sure, maybe I was just completely wasted that year, but I don't remember a single game being on TV, who won the damned thing or what the hell country it was in. But again this year, with the emergence (or so called emergence) of the US as a possible contender we gave a crap once again. I watched and I watched, and I never really complained. The penalty kicks to decide games really don't bother me all that much, I can get over that. The one thing that gets a little annoying is the diving and faking injuries bullshit, but even that I was mostly over. The thing that I did love was the high quality of play and then even the higher level of class and sportsmanship shown before and especially after games. Watching the exchanging of jersey's and the players genuinely feeling sorry for friends or even teammates of theirs who played their asses off only to come up a little short. The story of French captain and one time worlds greatest player Zidane making his final national team appearance captured the attention of the world. Zidane had helped lead France to a surprising victory on their home turf in 1998 and now he was trying to do it again. One more time, for the gipper, the French team played hard, gave all out effort. After the Portugal game in the semi's Zidane and longtime friend and teammate, Portuguese Captain, Figo tearfully exchanged jerseys. It was, what the beautiful game is all about. Then came the finals, France's best player, Thierry Henry, dazed early in the game, but aging superstar Zidane again came through on a penalty kick to give his time a 1-0 lead. Italy tied the game up and they played deep into the Berlin night. Regulation time ended 1-1, then came overtime, both teams exhausted after the first 15 minute overtime period. Then in the second overtime period Henry too tired to go on suffering from cramps was substituted out for. With ten minutes remaining it looks like this thing is headed for a final Penalty kick showdown, we are dreaming it, tied up Zidane versus Italian goalie Buffon, earlier in the match Buffon bested Zidane on a header after Zidane had already scored on a PK. But then in one instant; brutal, vicious and totally classless Zidane ruined it all. After an attack by the French, the Italian defenders cleared the ball and Zidane and Italy's Materazzi exchanged a few words (as all athletes do, as all soccer players do). Then Zidane in one of the most idiotic moments and ill timed frustration walks over and rams his head directly into the chest of Materazzi, for no reason. This is a play normally reserved for the hacks of sports, the Bill Romanowski's and the Todd Bertuzzi's, Not the Mike Singletary's and the Steve Yzerman's. Forever and a day now, Zidane will be remembered as a hack, that's it, its that plain. For all the world to see on the biggest stage in the biggest game, he pulls that bush league play. It is inexcusable. The only thing I can think of that comes remotely close is that of Roger Clemens and the shattered bat incident against Mike Piazza (but even that can still be claimed as somewhat reactionary). Zidane's move was calculated, vicious and meant to cause danger and harm to Materazzi.
Saturday night I am on my way home and I am listening to Fox Sports Radio, presumably ESPN Radio must have been in commercial. Time and again Fox Sports proves why they are clearly second best. This talking head is going on and on about LeBron James and how he has agreed to a $180 million contract and how it is ridiculous for someone that young to be making that much money playing basketball. He also thinks it is shame that sports stars who make this insane amount of money aren't forced to give back money to social programs or foreign aid to help Tsunami relief and war relief. How much of an absolute tool can this guy be? First of all he kept harping in the number, $180 million, which isn't even correct. LeBron is going to sign a max deal for 5 years and $80 million. Secondly, you would think if you are in any level of sports journalism you would have learned to get over the whole money think long ago. All of these players making way too much money, the cats out of the bag pal, get over it. I get upset when Nene makes $60 million, not because he is making $60 million but because he is making more than about 100 basketball players who are better than him. And again, sports nuts like me always love to point this out, how come people don't get as outraged over movies stars like Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, and Tom Cruise making $25-70 million a picture? Well I am going to use some bad language here, white people still hate to see a nigger make money, it's that simple. But still that is not the whole of my point here with this Fox Sports Radio ass clown. He kept saying these people should be forced to give part of their salary back to these various type of social programs. I hate to inform this guy of something, but we already have a system in place for that, it is called taxes. You pay your taxes on your income for those very types of social programs and foreign aid initiatives, that is what the government does with that money (or is supposed to do with that money). You cannot specifically earmark a certain percentage of LeBron James' salary to go to feeding the homeless, he is a tax paying citizen just like you and me (well save for all the illegal immigrants reading this blog).
PS
The coolest most retarded thing just happened. I was running a spell check on this latest blog and the last word here today was blog, and it was not in the spell check dictionary. And no I was not spell checking this on Word or anything, I was spell checking this in the blogger publishing window. So the word Blog is not in the Blog hosting websites spell check dictionary.
2 Comments:
Thanks for regurgitating ESPN's coverage of Wimbledon. Also, soccer sucks again, because the World Cup is over. And why am I not surprised that you could find anyway of defending Roger Clemens. I mean, everybody knows that Piazza purposely shattered his bad and had it sent right towards the Rocket. What Clemens did was just as bush league as what Frenchy did.
Pedro is a primadonna. he has been and he will be. I don't think Mets fans or anyone else needs to be told that when he wants to take a couple of weeks off, like most people in the working world, he'll get it because he can still dazzle with an 87 MPH fastball...
You should check out the documentary on HBO about Hollywood bombs and flops. It's got studio heads and big time actors like Clooney, Jodie Foster and Morgan Freeman. They attack exactly what you're talking about, both from the actors and execs side.
Think about it. If Depp doesn't sign on to do a second Pirates, he probably doesn't get a chance to make Finding Neverland, a great film in which he plays a great part.
Zidane's move was stupid, but it wasn't the first time he's head butted someone and got a red card. The 2002 World Cup was in Korea and Japan. The US had their best performance ever and every game was broadcast on ESPN. They just started at 5 and 7 in the morning and Brazil won the whole thing.That's why they were on an undefeated streak going into Germany.
Nadal had beated Federer five straight times, according to Around the Horn, and Fox Sports guys always need something to sound off on.
The money thing is tired, but as a sports journalist, it's insulting to me to hear most if not all sports radio idiots called my profession. Any asshole with a good voice and loud opinions can get a radio show. That's why I'm surprised someone hasn't already signed you up...
Wayne Rooney OUT
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