10,000 Strong…and Growing
Last night the Phillies got a head start on their next 10,000 losses, losing 10-3 in a game that I’m sure nobody stayed up to watch. I’m not here to philosophize on why this group seemed destined to be the ones to reach the dubious record, or why 10,000 losses is such an important mark. Instead, my contribution to the 10,000 losses rhetoric comes courtesy of my friend John – a Yankee fan but Phillies sympathizer – who sent me the following text message this morning.
Quack Quack Quack
I know that I’m the umpteenth person to make this joke today, but it’s nice to see that Charlie Conway finally made the big time. Don’t get me wrong; I’m happy for the people of Anaheim. It just irks me that a hockey team named after a movie won the Stanley Cup. That makes the last three champions from California, North Carolina, and Florida. Every time a warm weather team wins it all, I die a little inside. Way to go, NHL. Your game is on the verge of extinction, and your best teams are in cities that can’t even produce a decent ice-covered pond in the winter.
Repeat Business
Okay, so I’m the owner of one of the most coveted, coolest gaming systems out there, the Nintendo Wii, and I’ve got a MacBook that runs Windows for all my Lego Star Wars II and Madden 2007 needs. I’ve spoiled myself a little bit when it comes to gaming entertainment, even if I consider myself anything but a gamer (I don’t ever recall having “fragged” anyone, nor do I claim to know what the hell that even means). But until recently, there was still a gaming itch I’ve been dying to scratch. The need was fulfilled this weekend when Movie Hawk cohort Pat bought himself an XBox 360 and passed his previous-generation XBox along to yours truly in exchange for a couple beers. What do I plan to do with this new-to-me system…play some Halo? Get my Knights of the Old Republic on? Get a dance pad and hit up some DDR? Not quite yet (real answer key: no, probably, maybe some day once I get the bobbleheads off my entertainment center and out of harm’s way). The very first thing I did was run to my local gaming establishment and right up to the “used” rack, where I bought EA Sports’ NCAA March Madness 2004 and began recreating my beloved Hawks’ 2003-04 perfect season.
Ruffled Feathers
It’s always disappointing when your favorite team’s season ends earlier than it should, but for some reason, last night’s loss by Saint Joseph’s to George Washington – a loss that could very well keep the Hawks out of postseason play (the NIT could still very well come knocking) – can’t be seen as much of a surprise. For months, the Hawks have confused and frustrated their followers; the season may have come complete with a cardboard Foghorn Leghorn cutout declaring “I say, I say, you must be at least THIS tall to ride this ride). And last night’s game summarized everything about these Hawks that has infuriated me throughout the season. As a matter of fact, I came up with a game specifically designed for this team: let’s see how many ways you can complete the sentence “The problem with this team is…”
…And Counting
Sure, last night’s Super Bowl was notable for its racial implications and for the fact that Bill Simmons’ mentions of the “Manning Face” will probably be cut in half, but the news of more concern to Movie Hawk was yesterday’s victory by Saint Joseph’s over Dayton, an historic victory in that it earned Hawk head coach Phil Martelli his 235th win, enough to make him the second winningest coach in school history. He’s now only 74 wins away from the all-time record – at his pace, it will only take 4 years.