Friday, May 23, 2003

“The New Sharkeys”


I go to Sharkey’s Bar mainly because its close to my house and cheap. Not to mention some of the best Wings around are dished up there. However one of the best reasons to go there is for the lack of annoying club and dance music. If I wanted that I would go to various hotspots in Philly or locally in Vallaries.

This is the only time I can tolerate this sort of music, because I accept it do the that fact its part of going out. Most guys that don’t like it accept simply because girls get up and shake their little thing. However Sharkey’s is different, because you just pump money in the music box (just don’t use quarters!) and you can listen to music and talk about it. You can actually hear one another talk over the music and carry some sort of conversation. I might be the only person to ever make the sweet sounds of Francis Albert echo through the bar.

If you wanted to approach a girl ( although its rare in this usually sausage heavy bar) they might actually hear what you are saying. Drew once approached a girl for a bet, and a chance to score a number. This rare example of aggressive heterosexuality from my friend likely wouldn’t have occurred at Vallaries.

However, now Sharkey’s has remodeled and added a dance floor. Yep the good old fashion sports bar has sold out. I guess its time for the percolator. The next time I walk into the bar on a weekend I doubt I will be hearing a song from Pearl Jam’s prime. I doubt I will be able to hear anything song that isn’t mind numbingly repeative. So long Glory Days, hello BUMP, BUMP, BUMP.

Next time I we are there to discuss what will become of the Philly Sports scene we will have to be shouting our lungs off most likely.

Thursday, May 22, 2003

"Winning for Roger"

When you are down 3-1 against the New Jersey Devils you might as well start planning your summer of golfing. However that is simply not the case this post season. The hockey Gods seem to be sending a message this season. Just look at the final four. The Mighty Ducks the long ridiculed franchise named after a Disney film trilogy. The Ottawa Senators who were so broke that they couldn’t pay their own players earlier this season. The New Jersey Devils a team that prides itself on having players checking their egos at the door and the Minnesota Wild a third year team no expected could make it to the final four let alone come back from 3-1 deficits in back to back playoff match ups.

If the Senators do win the series and go on to win the cup, a few nights ago will be story told by generation to generation. Assistant Coach Roger Nelison who is suffering from two forms of cancer came down into the locker room and made an inspirational speech. It clearly worked. They managed to win their next two games forcing a game 7. Now anything is possible.

Roger known as captain video, because of his long hours of studying previous game is quite simply a hockey machine. Despite losing all his hair and much of his strength to this illness he still works for the Ottawa giving advice to the players. Roger has never sipped from Lord Stanley’s Cup. He made it to the finals with Canucks in the early 80’s. He almost made it to the finals in 2000 while up 3-1 against the same Devils. It was around that time when he first found out he had cancer. So he was given a more limited role and his assistant coach Craig Ramsay took over. He used amazing courage and strength to remain behind the bench after missing a few games due to treatment. Clarke rewarded Roger’s dedication by firing him later that year. No, he didn’t wait to see if he would get better over the summer, he fired him a shot period after the team was eliminated. That would later turn out to be a huge mistake. Clarke didn’t care that though he needed a scapegoat for that Spring, and he usually likes to pick on the ill or ones stricken by tragedy.

Anyway his speech touched the hearts of all the players and they seem to have all the energy now. What an image to see Roger touch the cup. Its realistic in thinking it his final wish. The man never married or had any kids. His marriage was to the game of hockey. The closest person in his life was his sister who died a few years back. Known for his dry sense of humor, whacky ties, and his way of reaching players made him shoe in for the hockey hall of fame earlier this year. Roger even help keep the rocky relationship between Lindros and Clarkie manageable for longer that it would have been. He tried to make sure Lindros had someone he could trust on the team.

It’s easily the first time I could root for a team that ousted the Flyers. It could just be the final breath of a team on its way to summer or vacation. Or maybe the hockey Gods are giving Roger his wings.

Monday, May 19, 2003

"Help Tucker"

I am suffering from horrilbe writers block, anyone with any ideas for a blog topic feel free to email me. Anything you would like to see my take on, or questions you think I should be answering. E-mail me at Mst3keith@aol.com.
"Some of Tucker's Hated"

There are certain actors out there that just annoy the God honest heck out of me. There mere names in the opening credits make me cringe in anticipation of their screen time. They are ones that can almost ruin or make me want to boycott a film altogether. These are some of the worst actors I have ever seen and continuously embarrass the profession.

William Devane: Its fitting that he starred in the worst Alfred Hitchcock film I ever saw. The one that Hitch almost died during filming. Whoever thought this guy had what it takes must have been on crack. He is overacts and makes a complete ass out of himself in ever performance I have ever seen. He comes across as cartoonish even when the script obviously does not call for it.
Looking up his career on IMDB I learned he starred on the long running TV series Knots Landing. However, most my readers will likely know him from his string of films in the past 7 years or so, because he has had a minor come back. Most of these films were as wretched as his talents, Space Cowboys, Payback and Hollow Man were some of the horrible awful films which become increasingly unbearable with his presence.

Devane even showed up in the last eposide of the X-files for no other reason. Perhaps part of some sort of large conspiracy to annoy me, I was so pissed that when I saw his name on the cast list I almost boycotted the final show of the series. His character did nothing and he made Anabeth Gish ( only in the final two seasons) look like an Oscar winner. Oh yeah, he was also apart of the short lived MICHEAL RICHARDS show. Reason enough to be suspended by the actors union.

Corben Bernsen:
Don’t get me wrong I love Major League, hell what guy doesn’t ? However if your career performance lies in this film (although it’s easily that for James Gammon who plays the manager) your in big trouble. Bernsen who stared on LA Law, might have some of the worst timing I have ever seen in any professional actor.
People who have been up late watching HBO have benefited from his acting because he generates laughs even when he is playing a scene serious. The king of the bargain bin struck a minor cord with the B- Movie the Dentist, and its sequel. If anyone wants to see how bad a film can get one of his recent flicks Fangs, about genetically engineered bats. Wisely Hollywood has pretty much stopped calling him back, and he wasn’t graced the big screen since in 1998’s Major League: Back to the Minors. I am not sure that counts because I don’t know anyone who actually saw that film.

Keanu Reeves: Keanu Reeves made his name in Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventures, and sadly hasn’t improved much in any capacity as an actor since that movie was made. In all fairness I haven’t seen the Devils Advocate which I have heard was a pretty good flick. Reeves broke into leading man status after the Action flick Speed, despite getting almost every scene stolen from him by various actors. I liked it better when he had roles like in Youngblood where he didn’t have more than a few lines. The only other movie I even liked that involved him were the Gift (which I totally forgot two months after seeing it and it was a minor supporting role).
As a result of the success of Speed Reeves was awarded many starring vehicles some perhaps could have worked if any actor with and sort of a range was cast as the lead. He either plays the part as the overly nice guy (Walk in the Clouds, Sweet November), or laugh out loud take no crap type (Johnny Mnemonic, the worst movie ever). He had a list of films that totally flopped Feeling Minnesota, Chain Reaction, and a Walk in the Clouds. Usually after three strikes your out in Hollywood. All that changed when a little movie by the name of the MATRIX came a long.

Although I applaud the movie for the grounds that it broke (I think it was spoofed a record about of times) but I just never cared for this movie. I honestly think many people just liked this film because everyone else liked it. Making it one of the biggest sheep films ever I HATE the Matrix and all its mainstream merchandising. Oh thanks to the success of the first one we got treated to such gems as Hardball, Sweet November and the Replacements. Before you are quick to judge, keep in mind that since most of this films are done by Warner Brothers they surface on HBO, and I have given them all a chance. Very few do I actually make it through.


Goldie Hawn
: I am glad that she doesn’t get much work anymore, because she was never attractive or remotely funny. I can’t think of anyone more annoying than her, and I am thankful I don’t see her in much these days. I would rather have a root canal than watch anything with her name attached.

Bruce Willis:
I hate him. He is either rasp voice for serious roles or just plain annoying for his “fun” movies. Although I liked a few of this film The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable come to mind, his mere presence knocked the films down a notch or two in my book.