Classes may have started up again, but Jack Bauer has returned from a Chinese prison with a taste for blood, VH1 is continuing to put on innovative reality trash ("The White Rapper Show" is a work of genius) and its only 28 days until pitchers and catchers report, so it's not all bad.
1. Rocky Balboa is not the best movie of the year, but it is my favorite.
When Stallone first announced that he was making a sixth Rocky movie, almost everyone horrifyingly asked, "Why?" However, after seeing the final product, "Rocky Balboa" was my favorite movie of the year.
I saw the film on opening night with several of my friends, many of whom were worried that it wasn't going to be any good. However, the moment Bill Conti's score started playing during the opening credits, the crowd started cheering and all my worries faded away.
The movie does have several flaws, the most obvious of which is the fact that Stallone is over 60. However, the film is a throwback to the original, more of a character piece than a Cold War superhero film (not that there's anything wrong with that). Fittingly, it isn't the training montage (which was met with another cheer) or the fight that is the best scene of the film, but Rocky's speech to his son the night before he starts training. It's all about personal responsibility, and I hope one of my friends was listening, because Rock might as well have been talking to him.
The original "Rocky" is still the best film in the series, and "Rocky IV" is still the best movie (and I have a 10-page research paper that proves it), but "Rocky Balboa" is the perfect ending for the character, and a great film to watch with your father.
2. Boise St. is my BCS Champion.
Sure, they may not be as talented as several major conference teams, but not only did they play in one of the greatest football games that I have ever seen, but they didn't lose a game all year. What kind of a league allows a team to go undefeated and not be champion?
Sure, this is a topic that has been debated by people across the country, but they seem to be ignoring one important fact: if Boise St. played Florida for the national title, they would have won on the final play of the game. What would that play have been you ask? A little something I like to call "The Annexation of Puerto Rico." (First person to e-mail me the name of the movie that is referenced here gets mentioned in the next column: pa3684a@american.edu).
3. I don't want to admit it, but the NHL is in trouble.
To paraphrase legendary Hollywood producer Bob Ryan: "What if I were to tell you that you could watch a fast-paced, physical sport with some of the best young talent to ever play, would that be something you'd be interested in? "
Unfortunately, the NHL is interested in making it as difficult as possible for people to see their product. The league may be boasting that this year's All-Star balloting set a voting record, but the game will be broadcast on Versus, which is probably available in fewer homes than the NFL Network.
Worse off, over break I sat down to watch my woeful New York Islanders, only the game wasn't on any of the four local cable sports stations. After going online, I found out what channel the game was on: C-SPAN 2. This would be like putting playoff games on ABC Family . oh wait, Bud Selig already did that, so I guess it could be worse.
4. Drew Bledsoe cost the Cowboys their playoff game.
Oh Drew Bledsoe, Tony Romo may have botched the hold on a game-winning field goal, but maybe if you weren't too good to play special teams, the Cowboys would have won. If Jake Plummer can be a holder, anyone can do it . except Tony Romo, apparently.
5. Barry Zito may have gotten an absurd contract, but I'd rather have him than any of the Mets starters not named Pedro or Pelfrey.
I'm way over my word limit, so it's a good thing that this one is self-explanatory. I'll be back next week, unless I quit before then.
