Monday, April 29, 2013

Summer Sidekick to the Rescue

                                       Ben Gazzara                               Robert Loggia

                                                                Mistaken Identity


Once again, Summer Sidekick has demonstrated very clearly why he's been kept on the payroll here at Reggie Tales.  While thousands hundreds of you blindly accepted Robert Loggia as the actor who portrayed bad guy Brad Wesley in "Road House," the Best Worst Movie Ever,  SSK knew better.

In fact, he was so determined to right a wrong, he texted The Tales Home Office within minutes of reading last Friday's blog.  He correctly pointed out that it was indeed Ben Gazzara who had played Patrick Swayze's arch nemesis.

Now,a lot of people would have stopped right there.  But not SSK.  There's no quit in SSK.  He went on to point out that Robbert Loggia did appear in one of our Best Worst Movies Ever, "Necessary Roughness."  Fans of awful movies will remember he played assistant coach Wally Rig at Texas State University.

Now, some random facts to impress people with who walk by your house on the weekends:  Ben Gazzara died in February.  He was born in 1930.  Robert Loggia was also born in 1930.  Loggia played a great character on the "Sopranos" for a few episodes.  But then Tony tired of him and got rid of him and had him arrested for parole violation.

Thanks Summer Sidekick.  Your usual payment is in the mail.
                                  

Friday, April 26, 2013

Best Worst Movie of All Time







Sometimes when I'm flipping through the channels during a Minnesota Twins game, I'll stumble upon a bad movie I love and then watch the remainder of it.  It doesn't make any difference at what point the movie is at.  Beginning, middle, or end. 

At the top of that distinguished list is "Road House."  Easily the Best Worst Movie of All Time.  Patrick Swayze at his Best/Worst.  Quite possibly the worst dialogue, acting, directing and believability in the history of film making.

And I love it.  Swayze is a bouncer who has killed before.  Robert Loggia plays the bad guy who has no fear of law enforcement because there isn't any.  Well, except for the last two minutes of the movie.  By then, people have been shot, killed, beaten.  Buildings have been burned.  Businesses ransacked.

I'm not sure why I thought of this today.  I miss Patrick Swayze.

Other notable Best Worst Movies are "Son In Law," and "The Fan" where Robert De Niro plays a bad man who loves the San Francisco Giants.  That's a really bad movie.  I watch it every time.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Random Thursday

*This blog comes to you from the friendly confines of the Choice Wellness Center in beautiful  Grand Forks.  Choice has been a haven of girls tennis during our "spring."

*Is it just me or does it seem like the Minnesota Twins have a lot of days off?

*Dan Patrick continues to be the best thing going on either television or radio.

*It only took two years but I am now fully invested into Duck Dynasty.  The crazy uncle is my favorite. Obviously.

*I still have never watched an entire episode of Modern Family.  And yes, i realize it's probably quite good.

*Reggie Tales shout out to Big Doug who had a birthday on Monday.

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Hockey Stuff

*The Minnesota Wild find themselves in a precarious situation.  Once thought to be a lock for the playoffs, they now are clinging to the final spot in the West.  

*If the Wild miss the playoffs, Coach Mike Yeo is gone.  He was given a ton of talent this year, and I'm not talking just Parise and Suter.  There are a lot of good players on that team.  But somehow, they are struggling mightily.  

*Speaking of the Wild, they take on the defending Stanley Cup Champions Los Angeles Kings tonight.  Congratulations to Out of Work Hockey Guy on getting back on the ice for the Kings after back surgery early in the season.  It begs the question, can I still call him OWHG?

*If/When Yeo is fired, I'd like the Wild to hire former UND guy Dave Tippett who is in a dead end situation in Phoenix.

*I know the Wild are having trouble scoring, but it wouldn't hurt if goalie Niklas Backstrom stole a game every once in awhile.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Random Thursday on a Saturday

*I've been busy trying to figure out what the bright object in the sky has been the last couple of days.

*Are the Twins done for the season?  It's been so long since they've played I assumed they had been mathematically eliminated.  Although I am moderately pleased by their 6-7 start.

*CNN didn't do a very good job of covering the Boston Bombings story.  I watched a lot of the coverage and felt like FOX News probably had the best overall product.

*I'm not sure what I'm more excited about:  "Anchorman 2," the new season of "Eastbound and Down," or the new season of "Boardwalk Empire."  I guess "Mad Men" will have to suffice.

*Reggie Tales shout out to Big Poe who celebrated another birthday on Tax Day.

*Congrats to Richy's little brother, Jared, on the birth of his baby boy.  I bet grandma and grandpa are proud as heck.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

42: Reviewed



Full disclosure:  I love baseball and baseball movies.

"42" is the true story of Jackie Robinson's journey to becoming the first African American to play in the Major Leagues.

My advice to you is to run, don't walk, to see this movie.  

Not a fan of baseball?  Don't worry.  This movie is less about baseball and more about the state of racial inequalities that faced Robinson in 1947.  Baseball is merely the backdrop.  And if you are a baseball fan, it's even more enjoyable.  Although, the subject matter isn't always enjoyable.  There are scenes in the movie of overt racism that will make you cringe...hard.

The movie is a lengthy 2:08 but seemingly flies by.  Harrison Ford plays Brooklyn Dodgers owner Branch Rickey and will most likely receive Oscar consideration.  He's brilliant.  

The movie is so good and educational that I would make it mandatory viewing for seventh grade history classes everywhere. 

On this occasion, I brought Dad and Red Sox Daughter along.  Dad was 15 when Robinson broke into the Major Leagues. He recalls it happening back in '47, but he didn't realize some of the particulars.  One of my father's many talents is naming the make and year of any car built before 1980.  Since the movie is so riveting he didn't say too much.  But when he did, it was usually something like, "46 Dodge."  Or, "47 Buick."  I'm not sure how he does that.

42

4 out of 5 stars
Popcorn and 80% Red Powerade and 20% Sprite.  Astute Tales followers will recognize that I've gradually increased the Red Powerade dosage.  Historians will decline to comment.  Dad had a Dr. Pepper and I'm not sure what RSD had.  Probably something gross.   



Thursday, April 11, 2013

Random Thursday

*I'd like to golf at Augusta with my friends from Stephen.  I wonder if they would enforce their "rules?"

*Jackie Robinson movie comes out this weekend.  I think I will go early next week.  I'm expecting good things.

*Apparently we aren't going to have an April.  It's pretty much the opposite of last spring.  People on Facebook are really mad about this.

*Reggie Tales shout out to Muffy from Florida.

*Chicken in the Biscuit still remains an all-time classic.

*I come from a Jif Peanut Butter family and I consider all other peanut butters substandard.  Gun to my head and no Jif available?  Skippy.  Ps...seems like it should be spelled JIFF.



Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Basketball Stuff

*Although it's the 11th hour of a busy tax preparing season, Jimmy From Accounting organized an NCAA Basketball Tourney pool.once again this year.  The pool consisted of 41 people picking the tournament games.  And, you guessed it...Jimmy From Accounting won his own pool.  In the tax game, an audit would be appropriate.  

*How did I do, you ask?  I finished a respectable 6th, but still out of the money not within bragging rights.

*I find it hard to believe that those were the three best basketball officials they could find last night.  The first fifteen minutes of the game they didn't call anything.  Then they started calling everything, including imaginary fouls.  It didn't make any sense.  And I thought the bad calls were evenly divided.

*I'm not quite sure we needed to see Kevin Ware 95 times last night.  I get that it's a nice story, but it went way overboard and actually started to get kind of weird.  I can imagine in a dorm room somewhere college kids were playing a game every time he was shown on TV.

*During the post game handshakes, Rick Pittino seemed quite frightened when some fireworks were set off.  He and his hair remained intact.  

*I wonder how Rick's son Richard will do as the Golden Gophers coach?

*I think Charles Barkley has the same cold I've had for the last three weeks.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Random Thursday

*My newest guilty pleasure is a reality show about a trailer park in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  It's called "Welcome to Myrtle Manor."  To be honest, a train wreck would stop and watch this show.  My favorite character is the "security guard."

*The Twins improbable win yesterday will keep me on the bandwagon for at least another week.  But the noticeable lack of a big hit from Mauer, Morneau, and Willingham looks a lot like last year.

*The Minnesota Wild adding Jason Pominville to their lineup tells me they are planning on "going for it" this year.  He's a good player and a captain.  He plays both ends of the ice and can score.

*Lost in the shuffle a few weeks ago was UND great and all-around good guy Chay Genoway getting traded from Houston to Hershey.  Good luck, Chay!

*Reggie Tales shout out to Chad in Horace.


Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Tuesday Stuff

*I saw some good, some bad in the Twins loss yesterday.  It might be too early to jump off a cliff if you're a Twins fan.  Justin Verlander is good.  But he only pitched five innings yesterday.  And Minnesota had plenty of chances to come up with a big hit against a couple of relievers, and didn't.

*And while Vance Worley did  a decent job yesterday, if he's their number one starter, then we all should worry.

*CJ is getting a haircut this morning.  A good sign:  when I handed him to the groomer he didn't try to bite anyone.

*I'd like to hear more about George Gwozdecky and what happened in Denver.  Something doesn't quite add up.

*I did not see the broken leg in the Louisville basketball game on Sunday nor will I ever. 

*Kudos to my family for putting together a classic Easter Brunch.  If you've never had a ham ball, you might want to check into them.