"I'll See You On The Other Side....", and A Few Other Thoughts

Yes, I am stealing a quote for "Hamilton" as the title of this post today because tomorrow, Friday, January 12, I check into AHN Wexford Hospital to have surgery for a partial knee replacement.  I anticipate no problems, and frankly, I am anxious to get it done and have it behind me.  I anticipate that post-surgical pain, recovery, and rehab might keep me away from the keyboard for some period of time, but rest assured, I will back in The Grandstand pounding away at this as soon as I possibly can.

Big Coaching News

I cannot leave, though, without acknowledging two monumental bits of news that occurred within the last day.   Of course, I am referring to the resignation of Nick Saban at the University of Alabama and whatever it was in New England that has brought about the departure of Bill Belichick as head coach of the Patriots.

Arguably, the greatest College coach and the greatest NFL coach of all time are hanging up their whistles within twenty-four hours of each other.  I have always admired greatness in any form so over the years I have come to admire, and even root for both of these guys.  

I know, I know.  I live in an NFL city and cheer for a team that has been on the wrong side of Belichick's greatness too many times, but I had come to like Bilichick's single minded devotion to a cause - winning - and his, shall we say, iconoclastic behavior in the course of doing his job.

I will comment more upon that and on my other thoughts on both Saban and Belichick when I come off of the IR list and can devote more thought on the topic these two coach's careers.

My Favorite Movies of 2023

I usually devote extensive space at the end of a year to my favorite movies of that year.  In total, I saw twenty-two new movies in 2023, some of which were actually 2022 releases.  Professional movie critics have  to see every movie that comes out.  I am not one of those.  I see only the movies that I want to see, hence, I tend to like every movie that I do see. 

Herewith, then My Ten Favorite Movies of 2023:

1. Oppenheimer
2. Killers of the Flower Moon
3. No Hard Feelings
4. Emily The Criminal
5. All Quiet on the Western Front
6. She Said
7. Barbie
8. Yogi Berra, It Ain't Over
9. NYAD
10. BlackBerry

What was Number 22 on my list, you may ask?  Well, it was last year's Oscar winning Best Picture, "Everything Everywhere All At Once."   Unlike some years, where I actually hated the last movie on my list, I didn't hate this one.  It was...interesting, and the acting was great, but there were 21 movies ahead of it that I enjoyed more.

Movie viewing for 2024 got off to a rousing start two nights ago with a viewing of "The Holdovers".  I'll be surprised it that one isn't among my Favorite Ten for this year when all is said and done.

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Okay, that'll do it for awhile.  See you on the other side.