Mighty Macs Mighty Good

I attended the world premier of the Tim Chambers film The Mighty Macs last night at the Kimmell Center in Philadelphia.

My suggestion is that you lace up your sneakers, load up on some hankies, and make a wind sprint down to your local theater on October 21st to see this groundbreaking film that chronicles the amazing story of tiny Immaculata College winning the 1972 NCAA Women's basketball championship.

This film stars Carla Cuggino as Cathy Rush, David Boreanaz as her husband (and former NBA referee) Ed Rush, and Ellen Burstyn as Mother Superior and takes you on a delightful journey back in time to the psychedelic days the early 70's when women's sports were hardly a blip on the radar screen. Cuggino, who plays a role similar to Gene Hackman in the epic hoops film Hoosiers, does an amazing job of capturing the frustration and passion that went along with the unenviable task of taking a cash strapped program with no facilities and turning it into a champion.

Chambers captures the essence of the emotion with his fast paced action and timely edits. The score (London Philharmonic) along with hits from the 70's provide an enjoyable backdrop to the G-rated action that any father would be comfortable taking his little girl to see.

Chambers has taken a stand and is taking on Hollywood to help bring the "family" back to family entertainment.

And to me...that's a slam dunk.

Political Nostradamus

Here is my theory. You tell me if it is plausible.

President Barack Obama is sinking like a stone. He announces he will not run for a second term which opens the door for Hillary Clinton. Forget Joe Biden...no how, no way he gets the nomination.

The Republicans, partially in response to this panic move, give the nomination to Herman Cain (an increasingly impressive choice, I might add).

A long shot? Just remember, you heard it here first.

One Of A Kind

Some people are just larger than life....and Al Davis was absolutely one of those people.

During his storied NFL football career, Al Davis held the positions of assistant coach, head coach, GM, owner, and league commissioner of the AFL. If there was a more qualified individual in his field of endeavor, or one who was more passionate and dedicated to his company or team, I would certainly like to meet him or her.

I had two brief encounters with Al Davis. The first was pregame at the 1980 Super Bowl. I noticed him a distance milling around the field pregame. Whirling with constant motion and enthusiasm, his hands were clapping with such great intensity I felt like offering him a pair of receivers gloves to save the skin on his palms. Entering that game, I was sure my Philadelphia Eagles were going to win, but after witnessing Davis and his demeanor prior to the game, I wasn't so sure. Unfortunately for us, my premonition was correct.

Many years later my ex-Stars teammate Chuck Fusina and I were the guests of Dick Vermeil and Carl Peterson for a Kansas City Chiefs vs. Oakland Raiders game at Arrowhead Stadium. While taking a tour of the press box and suites, a moody and tempermental Al Davis passed us in the hallway while being wheeled to his private box in a wheelchair. Davis was barking at his handlers, the Chiefs staff, and pretty much anyone within earshot. You see Al Davis wanted it his way, and for him there was no other way.

He was also a man of courage and conviction. Most people don't know that although he was the AFL commissioner in the late 60's when the leagues merged, he was AGAINST the merger because he felt eventually the AFL would be a superior league. And when the struggling USFL took on the NFL with their anti-trust lawsuit in 1986, Al Davis actually testified FOR the USFL. Davis loved backing the underdog, and standing up for what he believed regardless of the circumstances. For him, it was as clear as black and white.....OK, we'll fudge a little bit here and say black and silver. Regardless of the color scheme, right was right and politics be damned in his eyes.

So Al Davis now resides with George Halas, Vince Lombardi, and the other icons who helped make the NFL the mega giant it is today. And Raider Nation has lost it's leader and face of the franchise.

Let's hope whomever steps up and replaces him can (just) win, baby. It's what Al Davis would have wanted.