February 4, 2007

I think of myself as your average American sports fan.  I follow the ups and downs of the Lakers religiously (ever since the glory days of the Magic-Bird wars). I attend the odd Dodgers, Angels, or Clippers game. I coach my son’s basketball and soccer teams. And I usually catch a few televised games on the weekend. As I wait for today’s Super Bowl festivities to begin (just wishing for a close game and some great ads), I can’t help think of the greatest football game in recent memory — Boise State vs. Oklahoma in this year’s Fiesta Bowl.

It literally had all the elements of a great story. The David vs. Goliath build-up. The early hope-against-hope of a nearly unthinkable upset. The sudden turn of fortune, making you think all was lost. A rookie coach who wasn’t afraid to actually use every play in his playbook. The breathtaking comeback. And, of course, a true fairytale ending — running back Ian Johnson winning the big game and proposing to his girlfriend, Boise State cheerleader Chrissy Popadics. If it had merely been a movie, the critics would say it was unbelievable.

If you’re not a sports fan, those are the moments we hope for, and it’s something no other form of entertainment can give us.

The St. Petersburg Times’ award-winning nostalgia blog, Stuck in the ’80s, recently graced us with their picks for the worst movies of the “Me Decade.” Their top ten?

• Absolute Beginners — “Welcome to the world of your dreams!”
• Yentl — “Nothing’s Impossible.”
• Cobra — “Crime is the disease. Meet the Cure.”
• Heartbeeps — “Be on the lookout for this gang of misfit robots.”
• The Pirate Movie — “Buckle Your Swash and Jolly Your Roger for the Funniest Rock ‘N Rollickin’ Adventure Ever!”
• Defcon-4
• Rhinestone — “A rip roaring, hard lovin’ comedy hit with wonderful new songs by Dolly Parton.”
• Ishtar
• Over The Top — “Some fight for money… Some fight for glory… He’s fighting for his son’s love.”

And the “winner” is…

• Gymkata — “The skill of gymnastics, the kill of karate.”

You’ll forgive me if don’t rent these to see if I agree or not. LINK