"No Time To Die" (NO SPOILERS!!)

I took in the newest James Bond movie, "No Time To Die", yesterday.  As anyone with even the slightest interest in such things knows, this is Daniel Craig's final appearance as 007 in this most lucrative of film franchises.  I have liked Craig in the role, but good for him for choosing to move on.

So how was this one, and what was it about?

It was about a villain who has somehow brought about the destruction of the evil organization, SPECTRE.  And he might be somehow related to Bond arch villain Blofeld?  He also has developed some type of microbots that when they get on your skin does....something irreparable and terrible?  Why is he doing this?  Who knows and who cares?  Sensible plots are about the last thing that are important or even necessary in a James Bond movie, but "No Time To Die" checks all of the other boxes and delivers another solid Bond thriller:

• A handsome and dashing Bond who looks good in a tux and still drinks his martinis "Shaken, not stirred."
• Beautiful women.
• Gorgeous costumes.
• Spectacular scenery.
• A loathsome villain in Rami Malek.  His character's name is Lyutsifer, pronounced "Lucifer."  Subtle.
• Chase scenes.  Numerous spectacular case scenes.  In cars, on motorcycles, and even on foot.  Some amazing stuff.

Did I mention beautiful women?  The main "Bond Girl" in this one is French actress Lea Seydoux....

...and Cuban actress Ana de Armas....

Miss de Armas played Paloma, an agent for either the CIA or MI5, I wasn't too clear on that point, who assisted Bond in an operation in some scuzzy bar in Cuba.  I think it was in Cuba.  She had just completed "three weeks in training school" which caused 007 to shudder a bit, but she proceded in totally kicking the asses of a battalion of Bad Guys along with James Bond, and doing so while wearing a low cut, backless, slit-up-both-sides evening dress that was spectacular, to say the least, while drinking those shaken and not stirred martinis.  Her character only got about ten or so minutes of screen time, but I think I could take an entire movie based on Paloma's adventures.

My only quibble with NTTD is that it lasted for two hours and forty-five minutes.  Way too long.  That takes at least a half-star off of my rating.

Also, and again, if you have listened to some of the talk surrounding this movie, you know that there is a development in this movie of major importance to the entire Bond Film Franchise.   Makes it hard to write really extensively about the movie without giving it away, but I think that I pulled it off here.   I will look forward to talking with others who have seen it and be able to discuss what happens next.

Two and One-Half Stars from The Grandstander (would have been Three if it was about 20-30 minutes shorter.)

The World Series Begins....

 

For numerous reasons, I have been completely detached from the MLB Playoffs here in 2021.  I probably have not seen five innings total throughout the games that have been played thus far.  However, that ends tonight when the World Series, once but no longer America's most preeminent team sports event but still a pretty big deal, begins.  The Houston Astros will be playing in the Fall Classic for the third time in five seasons, and the Atlanta Braves will be making their first appearance since 1999.

I shall be rooting for the Braves to win it all this year, and that has nothing to do with the Astros of 2017 Cheating Scandal infamy.  They are a good team and fun to watch.  However, I will be rooting for Atlanta for primarily one reason: first baseman Freddie Freeman.

I can remember watching Freeman early in his career, circa 2011-12, playing against the Pirates and thinking, "this guy is a really nice ball player" and he has proven to be just that over his career, averaging .295, 28 HR, 97 RBI, and an OBP of .893.  He has been a five time All-Star, two time Sliver Slugger, a Gold Glove winner, and is the reigning NL Most Valuable Player.  He also seems to be wildly popular among his peers, because every time an opponent reaches first base against the Braves, Freeman is seen yucking it up talking to him, the umpire, and the first base coach.   It seems that there is nothing not to like about the guy, so I for one am hoping that Freeman lights it up big time on the game's biggest stage.

In a World Series Pool that I have entered, I have picked the Braves in six games, so let's go with that as the Official Grandstander prediction.

Enjoy the Series, folks!

Grandstander Power Rankings - Week 7

 Big changes in the GPR this week:

1. Cardinals 7-0
2. Bucs 6-1
3. Packers 6-1
4. Rams 6-1

The Cowboys (5-1) and the Bills drop out because they didn't play this weekend.  The Ravens (5-2) drop out because they got waxed by the Bengals.  Wow, that was some shellacking in Baltimore yesterday.

Knocking on the door....Bengals (5-2), Bills (4-2), Cowboys (5-1), Raiders (5-2), Titans (5-2).

Week Eight Games worth watching.....

• Steelers (3-3) @ Browns (4-3).  Because that one is always of interest, locally, at least, and a Browns loss could really set them back from their pre-ordained (in some circles) trip to the Super Bowl.
• Packers (6-1) @ Cardinals (7-0) on Thursday night.  This one should draw a lot of eyeballs to TNF on Fox!
• Giants (2-5) @ Chiefs (3-4) on MNF. Both teams with losing records, and the Giants stink on ice, but this will be a real litmus test for the Chiefs: Just how good - or bad - are they really?

Pitt 27 - Clemson 17, aka Pickett's Charge

A phrase that I often use in this space when writing about a particularly notable game or contest is "this is why you follow sports."  Pitt fans experienced just such a moment when the Panthers outplayed and defeated the Clemson Tigers and, more importantly, their self-righteous coach, William Christopher Swinney, by a score of 27-17.  I know that I have been at sporting events that have been more enjoyable, but it's hard to remember one in the immediate afterglow of that win yesterday at Heinz Field.

The game turned on a most improbable play, when Pitt linebacker SirVocea Dennis intercepted a shovel pass from the Clemson quarterback at midfield and sprinted alone and untouched into the end zone for a touchdown that upped the score to 21-7 in Pitt's favor.  None of us could ever remember seeing an interception of a shovel pass before, and undoubtedly no one in the entire stadium was more surprised to have the ball land smack in his breadbasket than Dennis himself.

It can also be considered the game where Pitt's senior QB Kenny Pickett announced himself to the nation at large as a serious Heisman Trophy candidate.  He threw two TD passes yesterday and no interceptions (he has thrown only one INT all season).   Even more impressive was how he took control of the game in the fourth quarter.  Pitt controlled the ball for over thirteen minutes of the fourth quarter, and when they took possession with a bit more than seven minutes remaining, Pickett himself ran for gains of six and seven yards for first downs on two third down plays in that drive that allowed Pitt to bleed the clock out until the it read 00:00.

The afternoon and evening at Heinz Field yesterday was fun, exciting, and exhilarating, and games and days like that are why you follow sports.

Oh, and speaking of Pickett and the Heisman, back in August, I placed a $1 bet on him to win that Trophy at 100-1 odds.  He wins it, I get a hundred bucks.  That same $1 bet made today would only win you nine (9) bucks.

Grandstander Power Rankings - Week 6

The NFL cruises through another exciting week, and the GPR becomes tougher to figure out each week, but here we go.....

1. Cardinals (6-0).  When you're undefeated, you're #1
2. Cowboys (5-1).  Dak Prescott continues to roll.
3. Ravens (5-1). They romped over the Chargers, a good team.
4. Bills (4-2).  Despite loss to Titans, still could be the best in the AFC when all is said and done.

Knocking On The Door:  Bengals (4-2), Bucs (5-1), Chargers (4-2), Packers (5-1), Rams (5-1),  Titans (4-2).

Coming up in Week 7....The bye weeks begin.  Frankly, not a lot of games that scream "MUST SEE" at you this week, but here's two:

• Bengals @ Ravens.  Just how good are the Bengals?  
• Chiefs @ Titans.  Patrick Mahomes vs. Derrick Henry.  Bet the Over, whatever it is.

To Absent Friends - Colin Powell

 Colin Powell

1937 - 2021

United States Secretary of State

2001 - 2004

Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

1989 - 1993

United States Army

1958 - 1993

This week the nation (with one notable, classless, and ignorant exception) mourns the death of notable soldier, diplomat, and public servant, General Colin Powell.   He died earlier in the week at the age of 84, yet another victim of COVID-19.

The very last time that I attended an event at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena, it was in the summer of 2009, and it was one of those all day "Get Motivated" seminars.   My boss at the time had requested that everyone in the department attend.  It was as hokey and contrived as you would expect, and while most people bailed out as the day went along, I stayed until the end only to hear the featured speaker at the end of the day: Colin Powell.  He was a commanding presence and an inspirational speaker, and it was worth sitting through all the snake oil speakers just to hear him.

RIP Colin Powell.

A Very Special Round

First, the background.

Last month, for my 70th Birthday, Marilyn handed me a card.  Inside the card was a check with a note that said "For new golf clubs."  Given all that was going on with her at the time, I was completely overwhelmed, but here  was the thing.  I was fine with the clubs that I had.  I neither wanted nor needed new clubs, and I told her that she really needn't have done that.  Then she said, "But I really want you to have new clubs.  It's important to me that you get them."  That is when the light bulb switched on and penetrated my thick skull.  So, I ordered a new set of hybrid irons, 3 through PW.  Given all that we were going through here, I had yet to use them, other than hitting a few balls into the woods behind my house.

On to today.  Most of you know that Marilyn passed away after her almost five year battle with cancer on Tuesday morning.  I will write more on that topic in full at a later time.  Suffice to say, life has been a whirlwind the past three days.  So much to do, so many details to tend to, so many phone calls to make and answer.  Anyway, by this morning, I had just about everything nailed down, so I was looking at an afternoon with nothing to do, fairly nice Fall weather, and a new set of golf clubs sitting in the garage.

So off I went to Clover Hill Golf Course in Franklin Park.

It wasn't especially busy, and the tee box was wide open, so I went off as a single, which is exactly what I wanted.  Just me with my thoughts, my new golf clubs, clubs which are now forever linked with my wife.  They were the last gift - the last physical gift, anyway - that she gave me.  I think that she knew that she wasn't to see Christmas with me, let alone another birthday.  I am now so glad that I saw the light and bought those clubs.  She will be with me every round I play from now on.

As my nine hole round was winding down, I thought of how Marilyn would have greeted me at home, excitingly asking "How were your new clubs?"

When I go to bed tonight, I'll tell her all about it.

The 2021 Grandstander Power Rankings (GPR)

 

After allowing things to shake out a bit, The Grandstander is ready to release his first Grandstander Power Rankings for the 2021 NFL season.  The theory behind the GPR is to look at the NFL in the same way that College Football crowns its Champion: a four team playoff.  Yeah, yeah, I know, the NFL's system is much, MUCH better, but what the hell, this is kind of fun, it's easy on my cranium, and if it generates any interest or debate, so much the better.  From here on out, right through Week 18, you will get an updated GPR, and here is the first one:

1. Cardinals - Got to go with the only undefeated team remaining.
2. Bills - This team lost to the Steelers?
3. Cowboys - Yes, the Cowboys are always over-rated, so how long will this last?
4. Rams - The rematch with AZ later in the season should be fun.

Knocking on the door - Bucs, Chargers, Chiefs, Packers, Raiders, Ravens.

Fun Off the Field Story of the Week.  While his 0-4 team flies back to Jacksonville without him, HC Urban Meyer stays on in Ohio, yucks it up in his Columbus area restaurant, and gets caught on video sleazily acting out with women young enough to be his daughter.   Three questions: (1) Will Meyer finish out his rookie season in the NFL? (2) Will he now become toxic and unemployable? (3) Which NCAA D-I school will whore itself out and hire this jackass as their head coach for 2022?