The Grandstander
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Oneil Cruz, The Home Run Derby, and the Pirates at the All-Star Break
Monday, July 14, 2025
"Superman" and "The Better Sister"
Hey, I just realized that it has been fourteen days since I last posted here. No, I wasn't on vacation, and I wasn't sick. Just not much has struck my fancy over the last two weeks, or did you want me to wax endlessly about how lousy the Pirates have been? (Don't worry. I do plan to write about the Buccos as we settle into the All-Star Break, but that will come later in the week.) For today though, some Critical Commentary.
"Superman"
The movie is also being criticized by those on the right end of the political spectrum as being too "Woke", and the movie certainly can be seen as an allegory for what we see happening in this country today, right down to the concentration camp facilities where "undesirables" are placed. So, if you're a fan of the guy now residing in the White House, you've been warned. And if you're not a fan of Felon47, you might ask "Can't I even go to a comic book movie to get away from what is going on the real world today?"
All that aside, I found the movie to be entertaining enough given that you have to suspend belief a bit and believe that "meta humans" from the planets exist. David Corenswet, a likable enough hunk of beefcake with whom I was not familiar, although he does boast 23 other acting credits in IMDB, is fine as the Man of Steel. Rachel Brosnahan, Mrs. Maisel herself, was quite good as Lois Lane, and she was charming. She also had some of the best comic lines in the movie. Some guy named Nicholas Hoult (again, someone with whom I am not familiar, but he seems to have been in a whole bunch Mad Max and X-Men types of movies, which would explain that) played Lex Luthor, and was totally hateable, so I guess that means he did a good job in the role.
The best character in the movie, though, was Krypto, the CGI dog. He was even more charming that Ms. Brosnahan! Maybe they'll do a feature movie about just him. I'd go see that one.
"Superman" gets Two and Three-Quarters Grandstander Stars.
"The Better Sister"
Monday, June 30, 2025
Two Movies
Two movies upon which to comment today.
I give this movie Three and One-Half Grandstander Stars, and make this observation. The way the British Royal Family is portrayed in movies and television - if only a third of it is actually true, then they are just a bunch of batshit crazy eccentrics. I mean, what was with "Randy Andy" and the stuffed animals on his bed pillows? The man was sixty years old at the time!
Last Sunday afternoon, Linda staged a surprise "Date Afternoon" for me. I had no idea where we were going until we got to the place:
In a 1992 book, "The Making of Casablanca", marking the fiftieth anniversary of the movie, author Aljean Harmetz includes this paragraph in the Preface:
"Cynicism is a necessary protective cost for those who come close to the film industry's seductively hot center, and I have needed a doubly thick coat. I grew up on the outskirts of MGM where my mother worked in the wardrobe department, and I later wrote about Hollywood for the New York Times. But my cynicism dissolves when Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman say goodbye at the airport, and, at least in the dark corner of a movie theater, I am sure that I would be capable of such a sacrifice too."
That is the essence of "Casablanca". It is a perfect movie.
To Absent Friends - Dave Parker
One of the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Time Greats, Dave Parker, died this past weekend at the age of 74. In a sad twist, Parker's death came one month before he was to be officially inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In poor health for many years, at least Parker knew that he had finally made it to the Hall, even if he never got the chance to see his plaque hang in that Gallery in Cooperstown.
Here are the numbers. In a 19 year career, Parker was a league MVP, a three time Gold Glove winner, two time batting champion, two time World Series champion, and seven time All-Star. He hit .290 lifetime, with 2,712 hits, 339 home runs, and 1,493 RBI (.290/22 HR/98 RBI per 162 games). In his eleven seasons with the Pirates from 1973-83, this numbers were .305, 166 HR and 758 RBI (.305/22 HR/94 RBI per 162 games).
Those are the numbers, but you would have had to have actually seen Dave Parker when he first arrived in the big leagues to truly understand his impact. He was big, 6'5", 230 pounds when ballplayers just weren't that big. He was "Aaron Judge" before Aaron Judge was even born. He was strong and fast. A true five tool player.
He was also brash and colorful, said what was on his mind, and humility was not his strong suit, as exemplified by this famous picture. Oh, and by the way, this t-shirt can still be purchased at select retailers in the Pittsburgh area.
Dave Parker eventually went the free agent route and signed with his hometown Cincinnati Reds, where he stayed for four years, and then spent five more seasons splitting time among the A's, Angels, Brewers, and Blue Jays.
Parker also was a central figure in the "Pittsburgh Baseball Drug Trials" of the mid-1980's, and that further eroded his popularity among the Pittsburgh fan base, However, sometime in the early part of the 21st century, the Pirates welcomed Parker back into the family, and he became a frequent visitor to PNC Park and team reunions and other Pirate Alumni events. This was also at a time when Parker was diagnosed as having Parkinson's Disease, and his demeanor in the face of the disease as well as his efforts to raise funds for research were seen as heroic.
Dave Parker was the best player in baseball for an extended period of time in the late 1970's and early 1980's, and, all due respect to Willie Stargell, he was the best player on the Pirates World Series Champion team of 1979. In the two days since his death, I have pondered the question "Have the Pirates had a better player than Dave Parker since he left the team in 1983?" I suppose that you might be able to make a strong case for Andrew McCutchen, but if you had a choice who would you take for your team: an In-His-Prime-Parker of an In-His-Prime-McCutchen? I love Cutch, but I'll take Dave Parker.
Dave Parker becomes the twelfth member of the 1979 We Are Fam-a-lee Pirates to die. Fourteen members of the 1979 World Series roster remain with us.
1979 | ||
Pitchers | Jim Bibby | |
Bert Blyleven | ||
John Candelaria | ||
Grant Jackson | ||
Bruce Kison | ||
Dave Roberts | ||
Don Robinson | ||
Enrique Romo | ||
Jim Rooker | ||
Kent Tekulve | ||
Catchers | Steve Nicosia | |
Ed Ott | ||
Manny Sanguillen | ||
Infielders | Tim Foli | |
Phil Garner | ||
Bill Madlock | ||
Willie Stargell | ||
Rennie Stennett | ||
Outfielders | Matt Alexander | |
Omar Moreno | ||
Mike Easler | ||
Lee Lacy | ||
John Milner | ||
Dave Parker | ||
Bill Robinson | ||
Manager | Chuck Tanner | |
Deceased | 12 | |
Still With Us | 14 |
Monday, June 23, 2025
The Thunder Rolls
McConnell is a local kid out of Chartiers Valley High School. His father was and is a legendary high school coach at Char Valley. His aunt is Suzie McConnell-Serio, one of the great athletes to ever come out of western PA, and his sister was a star player at Duquesne and is now a rookie in the WNBA. He started his college career at Duquesne before transferring to Arizona. He was undrafted but has fashioned a nice little career as bench player and sixth man. In this series, he came off the bench and was effective in every game he played. Coming into the game last night in place of Haliburton, he kept the Pacers in the game through the first half, before the Thunder just wore them out. He is one of those types of players that are common in sport: one that you love when he plays for YOU team, but one who drives you nuts when he plays for the other guys.
To Absent Friends - Chuck Spatafore
Saturday, June 21, 2025
Speaking of Sports.....
Idle sports thoughts from an idle mind.....