Monday, January 15, 2007

Reasons to Be Cheerful, Part 7

1. Pats play smarter and tougher than the Chargers and, despite throwing three picks, Tommy Sawyer Brady brings it on home, the rookie kicker comes through, and the ultimate teamguy Troy Brown makes one of the pivotal plays by causing a Chargers fumble right after they made a fourth down interception and poor soul Schottenheimer gave us the Marty Ball we were hoping for, going for it in the 1st quarter on fourth and 11 from the Pats 30, getting ignored by the Refs we-he tried to call a time out right before Faulk went in for the trick 2 point conversion, and neglecting to take one more shot at the sidelines and a closer field goal attempt as time ran out. Bring on the Colts, with Brady/Bill Russell ready to take it to Peyton/Wilt the Stilt one more time.
2. Excellent piece in the ProJo about Dickie Reed and his hearing struggles. Dickie always been something of an anomaly in the local rock biz--A totally smart and nice guy seemingly devoid of ego and lacking the excess gene that normally seems to be part and parcel of a musician's make-up. Like most people who hover around the scene I've heard Dickie play countless times in countless settings and he's never failed to move me--the guy's got whiteboy soul and he taps into that Dylanesque Old Weird America every time he caresses the keys. (Hadda laugh at poor Marky Cutler, who comes across strong in the article, but lost out to Dizzy Gillespie in the photo department twice, with Marky Mark displaying some of the more photogenic hands and fingers I've seen in quite some time.) Acknowledgement should also be paid to Rick Massimo, who's is more than delivering as the Pro Jo's music writer, deftly utilizing his own eclectic (and wide-ranging) tastes, his insider's view of the local music world, and, maybe best of all, demonstrating a bright, witty, and erudite writing style that goes beyond some of the ProJo's typical standards. He's easily the best hire since the legendary Tony Lioce (sorry Mike Boehm), and one only wishes the ProJo would let him reign wide and free a little more frequently.
3. Watched some of the Pat's game with the one and only Bob Giusti, who's never found a sport he knew anything about, even now, at the tender age of 50. Bob himself was be the first to acknowledge this (right after he's done telling ya about how he was there at The Beatles' break-up, or helped The Ramones carve out their first power chord, or lectured Prince about going back to the funk), and watching any kinda sports event with him is akin to watching a cricket match with Mike Tyson or a sandlot baseball game with Helen Mirren. Yet despite this (because of it?) Bob can't help but keep a running commentary on all those on-field happenings, never once getting the sports parlance quite right, and most of the time unaware of who's on first or what's on second. Its annoying sure, but patently hilarious, and Bob, I'll tell you right now, that if we put our heads together, there's a dynamite stand-up routine there, waiting to be hatched.

11 comments:

skylolo99 said...

What a squirmy wormy game that was. I can only enjoy it now that it's over.
Regarding the front page photo of my arm (Dickie who?) I now have in my contract that only my appendages can be shown in press photos and if a face is to be shown, Dizzy shall be my stand in. He's gonna be insufferable for the next few weeks. YIKES!!

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is true I really wouldn't know a turnover from a danish, but I believe Darren Hill can vouch that I actually understood, prior to the game beginning, that even though the Chargers were on a 10 game streak and had not lost at home this season, the Pat's had the advantage of rising to an occasion they had attended many times before...namely playoff territory. Do they call it second season like in baseball? Helen Mirren probably knows allot more about baseball than I do actually and Tyson and I could discuss the tradition of the great heavy weights (the only sport I really know a bit about and have watched as a fan is boxing). I like the comedy act pitch...a 21st century version of who’s on first, with Scott doing the slow burn as he would correct my incessant banter.
Nice to see the niece Dickie and I share getting some face time as well...I spoke with her and she was thrilled to be in the paper (plus she received well wishes from her peers by phone).
Bobby Gillespie, God bless him, must be thrilled as well.

mdoggie said...

Strangely enough, I too watched some big league action here on the Left coast. Deanna and I intermittently watched the Seahawks lose to the Bears. Mostly motivated by the sesire to taunt her father via long distance as he was officiating a funeral in home-town Chicago.
The taunts were returned in kind of course but by that time we had departed to engage in some Left coast activity like hiking in the lower-elevation mountains. It was a damn good game though.

john k said...

Mike Tyson at a cricket match-That's funny Scott. How is it that "professionals" can get into the playoffs and forget what any 10 year old knows... You do not intercept on 4th down-you knock it down and take the ball at the previous line of scrimmage. Good Lord here comes Vinatari.

Scotty D said...

How bout the week long much ado about nothing(winning)? LT's claim that he's a classy guy and the Pats and Coach Hoodychek are classless because they celebrated a playoff win on an away field by imitating the idiotic dance of steriod abuser at the center of the field upon the logo seems rather clueless-The Chargers lost at home, made dumb mistakes, and invented the stupid dance themsleves. I thought it was a most appropriate way to turn 'em and burn 'em.

mdoggie said...

I'm not a true sports fan anymore, but I do have an inclination to root for the "home team" - (which means NE Pats even though I haven't lived there for 30 years). To reveal the awful depth of my sports ignorance, I thought the Colts were from Baltimore until this week. I have to confess I'd like to see the Saints overcome odds due to the whacking New Orleans has taken. I guess I don't have to worry about inner-sports-turmoil yet. This weekend my "in-laws" will be questioning my fealty and humanity if I don't pretend to favor the Bears.

Blondbitch said...

I must have missed something...does this mean I have to watch the Pats play again on Sunday? Is their going this far considered to be an "upset"? Is there a crash course in "Sports for Girls"? Is there anybody out there who would (I know you all can) explain this to me?

Scotty D said...

Baby, baby, baby I'd love to teach you all about scoring and also drink your bathwater, but (sadly) you don't need me. It breaks down like this:Pats---Ex-champs/now underdogs,who,post-December each year gain countless minions of clueless, bandwagon, temporary football fans. Tommy Boy Brady--All-American Pie-Eater who pulls wins out of his manly ass and has yet to say anything remotely interesting to the gathered, drooling press. Coach Bill Hoodychek--So-called genius who can't comb his hair or dress like an adult and each football week makes sure to claim at least half of his players are too incapicated to perform before putting most of them on the field at game time. Teddy Bear Bruschi---Had the big H, came back from the dead, and flashes his tussled hair, toothy smile, and chiseled features each and every game after stomping his bigfoot on some running back's neck, further endearing himself to desperate housewifes all over New England whose husbands are scratching thier balls while their hands continue to fuse to the remote control. For now that's all you need--we'll get to Huge Papi, Manny being Manny, Perfect Curt, and the rest during the next class in a few quick months.

john k said...

Scott, you don't think that the fairer sex would give Tommy B. a pass based soley on his looks? Only we males are that shallow..

http://www.vsocial.com/video/?d=59670

BTW left coast Mark. Try to fathom this right coast Townie biking thru Green Lake Park and later sampling pizza with pineapple and Canadian bacon. Methinks that if you asked for this topping in some pizza joints in Providence you could be 'whacked'.

Blondbitch said...

OOOOOH, Thakn you Scottyd. I feel sooooo much better...

sen.miller said...

If Bob had my name he would say he was a senator and a punter...I'm back