Good morning, BAYLOR WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP…KATZ CLAIMS CREDIT No one I know predicted a Baylor upset…except Bobby Katz. NO HERO WORSHIP QUITE APPROACHES THIS The challenge to name the 10 top basketball players of the modern era produced a number of happy reminiscences of local heroes. None tops this love letter to a favorite player from Mark DiMaria: “As for top basketball players, I would tap Willis Reed, an under-sized, yet dominant center who played only for my New York Knicks, without whom the Knicks would never have had a championship. 1964-65 NBA Rookie of the Year. Hall of Famer. Voted one of 50 Greatest NBA Players ever. Even Laker fans will know/remember how in game 7 of the 1969-70 NBA Championship Series, Reed, the Knicks team captain who had missed a game (a loss) due to torn ligaments in his hip that would require surgery, came limping out of the tunnel at Madison Square Garden to start the game at center against the much taller and athletic Wilt Chamberlain, score the first four points of the game, and inspire his teammates to win against the highly-favored Lakers. In 1972-73, a healthy Reed led the Knicks to their second NBA championship, once more against the Lakers. After the following season, he retired, and the Knicks since have wandered about the basketball desert for the last 48 years, despite occasionally hosting other hall of famers.” MORE ON EPIC MOVIES Jesse Sharf is on it. His recommendations are below, with his commentary. I agree with his choices, other than the last (although it was a great movie):
Diner. Indescribable. Almost a bible on how to live (and not), and the importance of friendships.
Casablanca/Play It Again Sam, back to back. Unreal juxtaposition between the lead characters of each. Great story. Valuable lessons.
Pulp Fiction or Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. The latter is more epic in scope/story. The former, a better movie—derivative and original at the same time
Swingers. Surprised I’m saying this, but the best break up/buddy movie ever.
STAR WARS IS EPIC? Ordinarily, I consider Adam Torson to be a wise man of deep thought. Then there are his views of Star Wars, proving he is but a flawed mortal: “I'm with Jeremy [Rosen] on Star Wars. The central plot is Anakin Skywalker becoming Darth Vader and back again. A theme of the prequels and Clone Wars series is the moral ambiguity of the Jedi. And the new trilogy is also a light to dark to light journey in the main villain Kylo Wren. And the story spans several generations.” Star Wars is as much an epic of profound dimension as is Mighty Mouse or Flash Gordon. Anakin is good, then bad, then good. Kylo Ren does the same, but in only three movies, rather than six (saving us the tedium of Jar Jar Binks and other forgettable characters and circumstances). But how can one say that the “draw” of pure evil offers a moral dilemma? Anakin becomes Darth because he wants power. He becomes Darth because he is betrayed? Feels remorse? Oh, puh…lease… I say this as someone who stood on a long line in Westwood to get tickets to the second installment of the original series, back in 1980… PS: All this said, Jake, no great fan of Star Wars, says that it is, indeed, an epic. Three great debaters disagree with me. I will consider conceding this point. Stay safe and keep your perspective, Glenn
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