The final cut

2012-01-12T12:19:00.001+09:00

The top 10 conservative movies of the modern era

By Nile Gardiner

Two years ago I produced a list of the top 10 conservative movies of the last decade, which sparked a good deal of debate among film fans on both sides of the Atlantic. I’ve produced a sequel, a list of the ten best conservative films of the last half-century, from the 1960s onwards. I plan to eventually write a list of the top ten conservative films of all time, where the likes of On the Waterfront (1954) and High Noon (1952) will certainly be leading candidates for inclusion.

As I noted in my 2009 post, this is a list of cinematic treasures that have “advanced a conservative message, ranging from strong support for the military and love for country to the defence of capitalism and the free market. These are all brilliant movies that conservatives can be inspired by, and which are guaranteed to offend Left-wing sensibilities in one way or another.” I include four films from my first list: Master and Commander, Black Hawk Down, The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Pursuit of Happyness.

These are movies that I believe can and will inspire conservatives and conservative leaders. They are not necessarily made by conservative film-makers, however, and the majority of directors on this list are not known for their political views. Some ideologically liberal directors have made great conservatives movies. Steven Spielberg for example is a politically liberal figure who consistently makes films that advance conservative values. The second film on this list, Zulu, was directed by Cy Endfield, who was wrongly blacklisted during the McCarthy era and forced to work in exile abroad in Britain.

In recent decades Hollywood has been a bastion of liberalism, but at the same time its studios have produced and distributed some major hit movies that have a conservative outlook or message, not least because, as Gallup has found, conservatives significantly outnumber liberals in the US population as a whole and form a major part of the cinema-going public. Witness the recent success for example of Sandra Bullock's The Blind Side, a film that grossed more than $300 million for Warner Brothers in 2009.

Below are films that conservatives can be taken to heart in both the United States and Great Britain, movies that celebrate conservative values, the defense of the free world, deep-seated patriotism and individual liberty.

1. Chariots of Fire (Hugh Hudson, 1981)

Chariots of Fire is one of the greatest British films of all time, and a truly conservative masterpiece. It received seven Academy Award nominations in 1982, winning four including Best Picture, Score (by Vangelis), Original Screenplay and Costume Design, and also went on to win Best Film at the BAFTAS. Ben Cross and Ian Charleson played the athletes Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell who competed for Britain in the 1924 Paris Olympics, both winning gold medals, in the 100 Metres and 400 Metres respectively. The superb supporting cast included Sir Ian Holm, Sir John Gielgud, Nigel Havers, Patrick Magee and Lindsay Anderson. Chariots of Fire exudes patriotism, tradition, faith, honour and sacrifice in a magnificently inspiring motion picture that captured the hearts of cinema goers all over the world. Produced by David Puttnam, Chariots led a renaissance of British cinema in the 1980s, including a string of major hits including Gandhi, A Passage to India, The Mission, and The Killing Fields. In accepting his Oscar, the film's writer Colin Welland famously declared "the British are coming" – and how right he was.

2. Zulu (Cy Endfield, 1964)

Arguably the most influential war film of the modern era, Zulu is a magnificent tribute to the tremendous bravery of the 140 British soldiers of the 24th Regiment of Foot who defended the small mission post at Rorke’s Drift, Natal, in the face of thousands of Zulu attackers during the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879, winning 11 Victoria Crosses in the process. At the same time the film honours the great courage of the Zulu impis, who died in the hundreds during the battle. The film featured a breakout performance by a young Michael Caine, who brilliantly played Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead, alongside Stanley Baker’s Lieutenant John Chard, stunning cinematography by Stephen Dade and a rousing score by John Barry. Made in the dying days of the British Empire in Africa, Zulu was strikingly old-fashioned even for its day, in its heroic depiction of the British warrior ethos at the height of the Victorian era. Zulu is one of the only films of the modern age that chose not to condemn or vilify Britain's imperial heritage, but instead highlighted the extraordinary courage of the men who fought and died in defence of the largest and most benevolent Empire the world had ever seen.

3. Saving Private Ryan (Steven Spielberg, 1998)

Steven Spielberg has made some of the best and biggest movies of the last four decades: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Schindler’s List to name but a few. His finest film though is Saving Private Ryan, inexplicably overlooked for Best Picture at the 1999 Academy Awards in favour of Shakespeare in Love. His soaring tribute to the bravery of American soldiers who stormed the beaches of Normandy in June 1944 was a powerful reminder of the huge sacrifices made by an earlier generation in the defence of freedom. It is a reminder that the defence of liberty comes at great cost. It should be essential viewing for every US president as he takes office. It is a truly humbling film that depicts the horror of war in unflinching detail while illustrating the magnificent courage of those who laid down their lives for the United States on the European battlefields of World War Two.

4. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World (Peter Weir, 2003)

Peter Weir’s unashamedly old-fashioned and visually stunning adaptation of Patrick O’Brian’s novel is one of the greatest odes to leadership ever committed to celluloid. Australian director Weir has made many terrific films, including Gallipoli, Dead Poets Society, The Year of Living Dangerously, and Witness, but Master and Commander was the pinnacle of his career so far. Nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture, it should be essential viewing for any Commander-In-Chief. Russell Crowe delivers a immensely powerful performance as Jack Aubrey, Captain of HMS Surprise, a British warship that hunts and ultimately captures a far larger French adversary during the Napoleonic Wars. Set in 1805, it is an epic tale of heroism and love for country in the face of incredible odds, and a glowing tribute to the grit and determination that forged the British Empire. Needless to say, it should be shown at the next EU summit by the UK delegation for the benefit of Nicolas Sarkozy when he gets on his high horse and starts lecturing Britain about French superiority.

5. Rocky (John G. Avildsen, 1976)

Sylvester Stallone has been one of the most successful conservative movie stars of his generation, and rose to fame in the 1977 Best Picture winner Rocky. Made for less than $1 million, Rocky was the underdog that went on to beat All The President’s Men, Taxi Driver and Network at the Oscars, with Stallone nominated for Best Actor for his performance as humble boxer Rocky Balboa who rises from poverty to become a world champion. The film sparked five sequels, culminating in the terrific Rocky Balboa in 2006, and the series has pulled in more than $1 billion at the US and worldwide box office combined. Produced largely on location in Philadelphia (out of the reach of the powerful film industry unions), and featuring a dynamite score by Bill Conti, Rocky was an incredible success filmed in the space of just 30 days. Conservative to the core and deeply patriotic in outlook, the Rocky films are a celebration of American values and individualism, and have come to embody the nation’s tremendous fighting spirit and love of liberty.

6. The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino, 1978)

The Deer Hunter came away with five Oscars, including Best Picture, Director and Supporting Actor, and is one of the most iconic dramas of the 1970s, alongside the likes of Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, Alan J. Pakula’s All the President’s Men and William Friedkin’s The French Connection. But in contrast to several other major Vietnam-themed films of the time, which include Apocalypse Now and Coming Home (and later Platoon and Full Metal Jacket), it cannot be described as an anti-war treatise. Michael Cimino’s visceral masterpiece was attacked upon its release by some critics for its portrayal of the Vietcong as a sadistic, brutal enemy, with its infamous Russian roulette sequence featuring Robert De Niro, John Savage and Christopher Walken as American prisoners held by the North Vietnamese. It even prompted a walkout at the 1979 Berlin International Film Festival by delegations from a number of Communist countries led by the Soviet Union. It is undeniably patriotic, with the film ending with a moving and unforgettable rendition of “God Bless America” sung by the film’s main characters, including a young Meryl Streep. A truly great film, The Deer Hunter is an American epic that three decades on still packs a powerful punch.

7. The Killing Fields (Roland Joffe, 1984)

Despite the huge destruction wrought by Communism in the 20th Century, disappointingly few films have addressed its evils. A notable exception was Roland Joffe’s searing The Killing Fields, the story of American journalist Sydney Schanberg (played by Sam Waterston) and his interpreter and fellow journalist Dith Pran, set against the backdrop of the Khmer Rouge takeover of Cambodia in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. The film’s harrowing depiction of the Cambodian genocide between 1975 and 1979 is simply unforgettable, conveying the full horror of Pol Pot’s savage killing machine and inhuman forced labour camps that wiped out up to two-and-a-half million people. Pran’s character, played by Oscar winner Haing S. Ngor, was himself a real-life survivor of the Killing Fields. The British film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, winning three, as well as the BAFTA for Best Film. The Killing Fields is an uncompromising portrait of a brutal Marxist tyranny, and a warning to the world never to allow this kind of barbarism to be repeated.

8. Black Hawk Down (Ridley Scott, 2001)

Sir Ridley Scott’s searing depiction of the ill-fated US raid on Mogadishu in 1993, which left 19 American servicemen dead, was released just months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States and the launch of the War on Terror. Based on the book by Mark Bowden, it won Academy Awards for Best Film Editing and Sound, and Scott was nominated for Best Director. Many critics enthusiastically dubbed Black Hawk Down an anti-war film, and it is in some respects a cautionary tale about the perils of nation-building. But I regard it above all as an extraordinarily powerful and deeply patriotic tribute to the heroism and bravery of the US military, faced with overwhelming odds in a hostile city dominated by brutal Somali warlords, a story of incredible sacrifice and camaraderie in the heat of battle.

9. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (Peter Jackson, 2001, 2002, 2003)

All three parts of the Lord of the Rings trilogy were breathtaking pieces of cinema – The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and finally The Return of the King, which won Best Picture at the 2004 Academy Awards. J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of Lord of the Rings, was a devout Catholic and conservative, and a close friend of C.S. Lewis at Oxford. His vision of a mighty battle between good and evil in the realms of Middle Earth was brilliantly transferred to the screen by New Zealand director Peter Jackson, perfectly fitting a post 9/11 world where the forces of freedom found themselves pitted against a barbaric enemy. A two-part prequel to the trilogy - The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and The Hobbit: There and Back Again – will be released in December 2012 and December 2013.

10. The Pursuit of Happyness (Gabrielle Muccino, 2006)

This Will Smith classic, based on the autobiographical bestseller by Chris Gardner, is one of the most compelling, heart-felt tributes to the free market and the value of individual responsibility ever made. Smith plays an impoverished entrepreneur from a humble background in 1980s San Francisco who through sheer determination and strength of human spirit defies all odds to become a stockbroker with a top investment firm, before making his fortune. Smith’s character embodies the can-do spirit of Reagan’s America, and rejects the welfare state in favour of the capitalist ideal, while bringing up a young son on his own. The Pursuit of Happyness is an inspiring and often deeply moving tribute to the American dream, and one of the great conservative movies of this generation.

Runner-up

The King’s Speech (Tom Hooper, 2010)

The King’s Speech thoroughly deserved its Oscar success last year, sweeping the major awards for Best Picture, Director, Actor and Original Screenplay. As I wrote after seeing the film on its opening night in Washington: “Anyone who doubts the Special Relationship is alive and well in the hearts of the American people should see this film in a US theatre and listen to the rapturous applause it receives. The King’s Speech is undoubtedly one of the best British films since Chariots of Fire, with stunning performances from Colin Firth as George VI and Geoffrey Rush as his unconventional Australian speech therapist, Lionel Logue. Tom Hooper’s period drama is a hugely inspirational and moving film that is a triumph for British cinema. It is also deeply patriotic in its portrayal of a stammering, shy monarch who ultimately overcomes tremendous odds to lead a nation at war in the face of a totalitarian enemy.”

Honourable Mentions

These films didn’t make the final list, but deserve recognition for their contribution to conservative values, ideals and principles:

Dirty Harry (Don Siegel, 1971); A Bridge Too Far (Richard Attenborough, 1977); Who Dares Wins (Ian Sharp, 1982); Uncommon Valor (Ted Kotcheff, 1983); Rambo: First Blood Part II (George P. Cosmatos, 1985); Field of Dreams (Phil Alden Robinson, 1989); Henry V (Kenneth Branagh, 1989); Top Gun (Tony Scott, 1986); Shadowlands (Richard Attenborough, 1993); Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994); Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000); We Were Soldiers (Randall Wallace, 2002); Tears of the Sun (Antoine Fuqua, 2003); Hotel Rwanda (Terry George, 2004); The Passion of the Christ (Mel Gibson, 2004); The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006); United 93 (Paul Greengrass, 2006); Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone, 2006); Katyn (Andrzej Wajda, 2007); 300 (Zack Snyder, 2007); The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008); Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood, 2008); The Blind Side (John Lee Hancock, 2009); 5 Days of War (Renny Harlin, 2011).

2012-01-06T02:38:00.002+09:00

Movie Review. The Flowers of War (simplified Chinese: 金陵十三钗; traditional Chinese: 金陵十三釵), previously called Nanjing Heroes and 13 Flowers of Nanjing.

The film is based on the novel The 13 Women of Nanjing by Geling Yan, and has been selected as the Chinese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 84th Academy Awards.

As I have said in many prior reviews that I am a History teacher and I have a very bad habit of looking at these type of "Historical Dramas" and either really loving them or just flat out dismissing them due to the historical half-truths and lies that are shown in the film.

I knew that I was going to have a heck of a time with this film because it was made about an event that I have studied from many different sides and that is the 1937 Nanking Massacre.

(Now I am going to ask if you have no idea about what happened back with the historical story before you go see this film then please read this link. I never want to hear another story like I heard after I saw Titanic, when a 18 year old girl stated to her friends, 'I didn't know that the Titanic sank!"

For the rest of the review I will assume that you now know about this event.

With a cost of about US$ 94 Million, this will be the most expensive Chinese film ever made and the fact that it was directed by Zhang Yimou (2002 Hero, 2004 House of the Flying Dagger and 2006 Curse of the Golden Flower, were 3 of his previous films that I really loved), I was looking forward to seeing this film. (Please remember about the dialogue of the film, it was shot about 40% in English and the rest in Mandarin Chinese, So when it comes to Korea you might have a heck of a time trying to follow the film without English subtitles.)

I was ok with the film for about the first 8 minutes and then I saw a clear sign of the Chinese Propaganda start to enter this film with the Heroic Chinese soldier stand against the Japanese and I felt that every time the film went to him, I should have stood up and heard the PROC (Peoples Republic of China) National Anthem. I felt that this really hurt the film and took away from the story.

(Now to clarify a point here in the film, Prior to the outbreak of the war, Germany and China had close economic and military cooperation, with Germany helping China modernize its industry and military in exchange for raw materials. More than half of the German arms exports during its rearmament period were to China. Nevertheless the proposed 30 new divisions equipped and trained with German assistance did not materialize when Germany withdrew its support in 1938, because Adolf Hitler wanted to form an alliance with Japan against the Soviet Union. Link to why Chinese Troops are dressed like Nazi soldiers in this film. (I did notice a few reviews of this film confused about this point and I wanted to give a reason why they were dressed in this way.)

To me, the film could have been the next step of China's entry into the world cinema stage but fails on a few reasons that I let other peoples voices speak.

From Twitch

In the end I am left conflicted by THE FLOWERS OF WAR. On the one hand it is an impressively staged war drama and a frequently exhilarating experience, from which I honestly feel many viewers can get quite a lot. On the other hand, it is a blinkered, unbalanced and frustrating portrayal of the Japanese that makes no attempt to explain, question or even understand their behavior. Because of the film's narrow perspective on this particularly troubling chapter of history, it is very difficult to recommend, despite its many strengths. What can be said with some certainty is that THE FLOWERS OF WAR will reach a wider audience than many of China's other recent militaristic dramas, but it is unlikely to win the Chinese Film Industry many more supporters in the long run.

From Leo in Canada

This movie stumbles upon a extremely sensitive topic in Chinese history, and should be treated seriously.

My great Grandmother's village during wartime was ransacked by the Japanese army with her barely escaping. Being a Chinese Canadian, I almost walked out of the theatre half way through the movie the moment I saw prolonged rape scenes of children.

Yes, during the Nanking massacre, Chinese children and even infants were raped and slaughtered like animals. Yes, Chinese women were raped repeatedly and bayoneted between the legs. Yes, it was a dark and inhumane time in Chinese history. But that does not justify the over exaggerated yet artistic camera work on prolonged rape and murder scenes of children and Chinese Women.

It seems the director was trying to evoke a certain emotional reaction by referencing random scenes from fiction films like grindhouse, yet falls flat with plot holes such as when Chinese soldiers lined up to be killed in a row, or the ludicrous storyline for 2 women to be wandering outside the church, then gang raped and killed by the Japanese soldiers.

I’m unsure if the director even have a clue as to why events of Nanking took place. Before the Japanese even arrived in Nanking, The KMT pulled out of Nanking with soldiers looting, killing and beheading other Chinese believed to be CCP officers, leaving locals (or what’s left of them) to fend for themselves, yet in the film, they’re branded glorious heroes. The CCP during this time were hiding in caves and could only use guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. When the Japanese surrendered, Chairman Mao refused payment from the Japanese for war crimes (hence no proof of what happened in Nanking), and he even thanked them for weakening the KMT in order for the CCP to rise in power.

All in all, what I felt after walking out of the theatre was disgust for the director's lack of sympathy and respect for real history, while capitalizing on utilization of high end camera work for scenes of rape, pedophilia and brutality.

In a nutshell, these 2 voices state why this film should have been a great one but ultimately fails in the end of it.

The actual historical event was horrific enough but to make it into a fictional story with obvious PRC or CCP tie-ins to make the Army look more heroic that it actually was, to me is an insult to the victims and actual survivors. The director had an excellent chance to tell a story that needs to be told and sad to say, this film will will not satisfy anyone's search for the real story of Nanking.

Readers, it is my recommendation that you pass on this film and find other films about this subject that go more into the detail of "Hell on Earth" back in 1937.

Grade. C-

2011-12-31T22:55:00.002+09:00

Movie Reviews: War Horse and We Bought a Zoo

As I kept watching the many previews for this film, I couldn’t help but wonder would I actually like this film? After his last 2 films, Tin Tin and Indy 4, I was wondering had the director, Steven Spielberg, lost his way. I am happy to report that the director not only made a good film, he made a great one.

As this reviewer has stated in the past that he is a history major and a former US Army soldier, I take a very hard look at historical films and look for their accuracy. Sometimes the lack of accuracy doesn’t bother me (Gladiator) or the total lack of the truth (BraveHeart) will really turn me off on a film. I kept thinking about that before I went in to see the film and wondering what I would see in this film.

I can say that I saw a film that I, historically, that I actually could believe in. The idea of the film is very simple, a boy learns to train and love a horse. World War one has started and the British need all horses for the war effort and his horse is sold and the horse goes to war.

For the rest of the film I was reminded of this fact, of the million horses that were sent abroad from the UK, only 62,000 returned, the rest dying in the war or slaughtered in France for meat. World War 1 had a massive and indelible impact on the male population of the UK: 886,000 men died, one in eight of those who went to war, and 2% of the entire country's population. The film is shown through the Horses reaction and to what happened to him. The bells scenes made that fact very clear to me in the film.

My favorite part of the film is when the horse is trapped in barbed wire and a German and British Soldier both work together to free the horse. The sheer lunacy of this moment in the War made me believe in the film more, the film then takes you where usually dramas will take you, so you won’t be surprised by it but you might actually like it. The ending was pretty easy to see coming but after the adventure of this film, this is the way that this film had to end.

After the film was over, I realized that I would want to add this film to my collection and to show it to people who need to see that great films are still being made in 2011. Please see it when it plays in South Korea.

Grade A+

We Bought a Zoo

Now when I saw that Cameron Crowe had directed this film, I knew that I had to see it. I have no idea why, but I have either really liked his films or really hated them in the past with there never being any middle ground on his films. I had seen the preview and knew that the film would have some awesome music but could the rest of the film work and make this review like what he had seen and thus recommend the film to you, the reader?

The film starts off sad when you see that it is a single father trying to raise 2 kids after his wife has died. He tells his brother that he needs a new start because everywhere he goes in this town, he had memories of her. In this thinking he decides to purchase a nice house that has 1 little problem, A zoo comes with the house, and here is where the film takes off.

What I liked about the film was the story of the old tiger in the zoo and how this tiger becomes the lynchpin of the film and when you see it you’ll understand why the tiger hold a very vital part in this film. What I also liked was the young love story of, the son, Dylan and 13-year-old Lily Miska, who also works at the zoo, start a youthful romance, although Dylan is shy and uneasy initially like most 13 year old boys are at this stage of their life.

The movie is based on the story of a real zoo. The zoo in the film is called Rosemoor Wildlife Park and is based in California. The real zoo is named Dartmoor Zoological Park which is located in Devon, England. However, the fictional Rosemoor Wildlife Park is closely based on Dartmoor Zoological Park. The original story was adapted for an American audience and the changes met with the approval of the author, Benjamin Mee.

I thought the film told a good story that could have used a tighter editing but I think that the majority of the readers will like this film when it plays in Korea. Please see it when you get the chance.

Grade. B

2011-12-27T07:34:00.013+09:00

Merry Christmas 2011 Cartoons.

text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 195px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BZu3A5squDA/TvkRZ_3LALI/AAAAAAAACmM/3PcZcqez44M/s400/Zits.20111225_small.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5690598742496575666" border="0" />

2011-12-19T21:39:00.005+09:00

Movie Reviews- Mission Impossible-Ghost Protocol, The Sitter, Sherlock Homes 2 and Alvin and the Chipmunks 3.

Well, the first film on the review list is the one that I wanted to see the most and it was not because of the actor, it was because this was the first live action film for the director, Brad Bird. (If the name sounds familiar, he is known for his work in Pixar films, The Incredibles and Ratatouille. I wanted to see if he could try and make the film at least watchable after the total mess of the last film in this series and I must confess that, I actually liked this film.

The idea of the film was simple enough about the destruction of the Kremlin and its aftermath and how the team was set up. The rest of the film is how the team tries to clear their name and get things right in the world.

I was lucky and got to see this film in the IMAX format and this film really needs to be seen in the format to be able to show you all of the tricks that this film will have in it. The film was an action film that the audience and me really seemed to like and after the film was over, the audience left happy and they really seemed to enjoy it.

The film needs to be seen spoiler-free and I have made this review that way. The one thing I will say about it was that I did like the Pixar nod to A113 in the film and I was laughing when I heard it.

Please see the film in the IMAX format if you can at CGV in Korea.
Grade B+

The Sitter
Now, if you are looking for an adult comedy then this one should do the trick when or if it ever plays in South Korea.

The idea of this film is a simple one, Noah Griffith (Jonah Hill) has dropped out of college and has become a stay at home son with no future. His mom has a chance at a date with a nice Dr and he decides that his mom needs a night out and he will be the baby sitter at the last minute.

The film then introduces you to the 3 children that become the center of the film. Slater, the pill popping child who is at the state of uber over-medication, Blithe, no-nonsense wild child, who has seen one too many shows of “The Kardashians” and wants to go to the hottest clubs and wear the most expensive make up but knows what is going on around her. The last child’s name is Rodrigo, who is a pyromaniac exchange student who likes to destroy bathrooms. The rest of the film is his night of babysitting these 3 kids and what happens when his frigid girl friend want to have sex tonight while he is babysitting these children.

The film will offer nothing new and you will have seen of many of the plots in this film before and that could make a lot of viewers turn off on this film. If you want a simple film that you will laugh at then please see the film. If you are looking for anything else then you might want to give this film a pass.
Grade C –

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Now, I had no real feel for the film before I went into the theater and afterwards I still wasn’t sure of the film. I could see a good film here but with a lot of the mistakes made in the film, I started to notice the errors and quit watching the plot of the film.

If you know the back story then this film is very simple, it’s Holmes against his main rival Professor James Moriarty. For a modern look, think Batman vs. Joker.

The idea of the film is simple enough it’s the 1890’s and Moriarty wants to let Europe start a war, as long as he can supply both sides with the weapons of war and Holmes wants to try and stop him. Now what you see is a nice game of cat and mouse between the 2 foes in this film and if you just focus on that, I think you’re going to really like this film. My fault is that I was catching a lot of the small errors made in the film and it started to bother me. In the past reviews when this has happened then, I really haven’t enjoyed the film that much.

The film is a good film that could have been great if they had kept a better pace and eliminated all of the mistakes. Either you are going to like this film or really hate it and try and see it spoiler free like I have tried to do in this film.
Grade B-
Alvin and the Chipmunks [3]: Chipwrecked

Now, I knew that I was the wrong person to see this film, I had seen the other 2 and decided, oh heck, it can’t be that bad..I was wrong..it was much worse than the other 2 put together.

I knew that when I hated the Scrat carton in front of the film that this could be a bad time watching a movie. The film just started out lame and it just kept getting worse with every bad remake or attempt at humor being based of past songs or films. The “Cast Away” plot was old after the first 10 seconds but to see it for 80+ minutes was way too much for the majority of the audience I went to see it with.

After the film was over I saw a few kids tell their parents not to take them to any more Alvin films and if this was their core audience then this maybe the film that kills this franchise for a few years.

Please pass on this film at all cost, even if your child tries to drag you to this..Do not see this film.

Grade F

2011-12-08T05:55:00.002+09:00

Movie Reviews: Arthur Christmas, The Adventures of Tintin & J. Edgar

There are days that I really enjoying to the movies, I really thought a day of these 3 films would be a great day, by the time the 3rd film was over, I couldn't believe that I had wasted about 6-7 on these 3 films.

Arthur Christmas

Now I had seen a preview of the film and it really left me flat and sad to say the film never really got better for me or for the audience that saw the film with me.

The film was shot with British English and I realize that I might have missed a lot of the jokes in the film but when the audience I was with wasn't laughing at this film either, I realized that it just wasn't me. Nobody was laughing at this film. When the little kids in the audience were not laughing at this film, I knew that this film just wasn't clicking with this audience.

This film should have been a nice Christmas hit but for some reason it just didn't work for me. The film just left me flat and wondering why the company that made the awesome "Wallace and Gromit" made this bad of a film.

Please pass on this film at all cost

Grade: D

The Adventures of Tintin

Now I had no idea about this film. I knew who the character Tin Tin was and I had seen his cartons in the past. The problem is that I am not a fan of the character and the film did nothing to change that.

In my simple opinion, if you like the character TinTin, then you are going to love this film based on the world wide reaction to this film so far. if you have no idea or are not really keen on this character, then you might want to pass on this film because it brings nothing new to the table for liking or hating this film.

Please remember in Korea it will be released in 3D IMAX and the people who have seen this film in this format and loved this character, have praised this film.

If you like the character then see the film. If not and your like me and you are not a fan of this series, you might want to give a pass on this film.

Grade C-

J. Edgar

Of all of the films this day, I was looking towards this one the most because my favorite director, Clint Eastwood had directed it and when the film was over I could not believe the mis-step this film was.

To me, the film was a collection of greatest hits of J Edgar Hoover but that the film just seemed never in the right mood, the film just never really synched for me. I thought that the writing was horrible and some of the acting just seemed lazy and never made me believed in what I was watching on the screen.

I really thought that Leonardo DiCaprio could pull of this role of this historically complex man, but in the end he never really made me believe that he was Hoover.

It was a noble attempt to make a film about this man but in the end it just never worked for me and should not be sen when, or if, it ever comes to the Korean Theaters.

Grade: C-

2011-12-08T04:17:00.005+09:00

Movie Reviews: "The Way" & "The Descendants"

There are days that I actually dread going to the movies because I know that I am going to see a "crap" film and that I will actually try and write a review telling you how bad the film was that I had just watched. Today was a rare day, I did not see 2 good films back to back, I saw 2 great films today that I want to add to my Blu-Ray collection ASAP!

I had heard good things about these 2 films and was surprised that both films had done great business by word-of-mouth. I was able to both of these films in AMC's new Dine-in theater experience.

This film opens up with a man (Tom)trying live his life and he has missed a call from his son. We are then taken to the screen where the father learns that his son has died in France and that he has to go there to retrieve his body. However, in a combination of grief and homage to his son, the father decides to walk the same ancient spiritual trail, "The Walk of St. James", where his son died in order to try and understand his son better.

What we are soon introduced to is the rest of the people that the father meets along the way. He kind of falls in with three other pilgrims in particular. Joost is a large overweight Dutchman from Amsterdam who says he is walking the route to lose weight to get ready for his brother's third wedding and so that his wife will want to have sex with him again. He is a warm, extrovert who is the first to start walking with Tom and is marked by an unfailing kindness to all he meets. Sarah is a Canadian divorcee who has fled an abusive marriage and the resulting loss of a child through abortion, who she stills see and talks to, who says she is walking the pilgrimage to quit smoking. She is the second to join Tom and belittles him as a defense mechanism and calls him "Boomer" due to him being a baby-boomer. "Jack from Ireland" is a travel writer from Ireland who when younger had desires to be the next Yeats or Joyce but grew accustomed to the lucrative field of travel writing. He states that the great writes died broke and he didn't want to do that. He is the last to join the quartet and has been suffering from writer's block.

What I really liked was the path that all 4 of these people take and how they interact with the different people that they met along the way. I kept thinking that, if I was healthy, this would be a great summer trip and one heck of a walk between France and Spain. I was also thinking how many Ex-Pats would love to take this trip.

The story of the Spanish Gypsies and its results was the highlight of this film for me. The film at times pace is very slow but if you can look past that, you are in store to see a great film. I have no idea if this film will ever see the light of day in Korea. If it plays there, it might just be at the small independent cinema's that are in the major Korean cities. This one might have to be a DVD Screener viewing in Korea. Please watch this film when the opportunity presents itself. I am leaving the ending of the film spoiler free because that the way it needs to be for this film.

Please see this film when you get the chance

Grade: A+

The Descendants

Now with George Clooney either I have loved his films (Up in the Air, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, Ocean 11-13, O Brother, Where Art Thou?)Or I have really hated them (The American, The Ides of March, Letherheads, Michael Clayton, The Good German) I have very rarely had him in the middle. SO going into this film I knew that it had great word-of-mouth and that the film was directed by Alexander Payne. I loved his film "Sideways" and was looking forward to seeing this film.

This film is basically about 2 paths that Matt King (George Clooney)has to take. We are shown that his wife is now in a coma and will not recover and that the machine keeping her alive will be turned off. It is discovered that she had an affair and that Matt knew nothing about it.

The 2nd part of the film is that Matt is the sole trustee of sole trustee of 25,000 acres of untouched land on the island of Kaua'i, passed down from his ancestors. The trust will expire in seven years, and the family has decided to sell the land and Matt has to decide who to sell the land to.

The rest of the story I will leave unspoiled for you.

What I really liked about this film was the way that George kept dealing with these 2 main issues and how it is affecting his 2 daughters in this film. I really believed that this was his family and that he was trying to keep it all together and he really was not sure how to do it. The more I watched the film, the more I believed what I was seeing.

The magic that was in the film "Sideways" was also in this one and when it was over I was really glad that I had watched this film and I understood why George is getting serious Oscar talk for his role in this film.

Grade: A

Now for the AMC dine-in experience. I saw that these 2 films were both shown in this type of theater. I had no idea what to think about it. I had a film worker come to my seat and explain to me how it worked. You could order food, drinks and beer at this screen and all you had to do was push a service button and this person would come and take my order. What I really liked was that the seat was awesome and I felt very comfortable in it and for me and my size to say that, it was something. When you come back to the USA or to a visit, please check out this type and I think that you will enjoy it. I know that some CGV's in Seoul offer a similar experience and the food's menu I know is different.

2011-11-24T10:44:00.002+09:00

Film Reviews: Twilight Breaking Dawn Part 1, Happy Feet 2 (3D), The Muppets

Well, the big film for the week was the new "Twilight" and I was all ready to write a review, in which, I hated the film. Only thing was that I actually liked the film.

For those who have followed this site, you have read of my utter disgust of the first 3 films in this series and I went into this film with no real high hopes in this film.
But, in this case, the film wasn't that actually surprised me and I think I know why.

In the first 3 films we have seen the choice between Team Edward and Team Jacob and in this film there wasn't that conflict. The choice was made and there wasn't any of the teen drama or any of the whining that the 3 films seemed to have in an abundance.

If you have read the books then you know this story and I could not believe it when the film was over that I had actually liked it. It had a good story, good plot and one heck of a cliffhanger. Now wait 2 minutes into the credits and you see the little extra scene that will blend very nicely into the next one.

Now there are some moments of this film in which, the male audience groaned out loud and we couldn't believe what was being shown at my theater was 75% female and 25% male. After the film was over the majority of the females that I heard talking about the film wanted to see it again, while the majority of the males that I heard speak wanted never to see this film again.

The female audience will love this film and want to see it more than one. The male audience will want to pass on this film at all cost. If you're a fan of the books then beware,they left a lot out of this and I have no idea if it will be included in a future special edition of this film.

Grade: B

Happy Feet 2

Now if you remember the my first review of the first film http://socius.or.kr/2006/11/25/movie-review-happy-feet/ you might remember that I really liked the first one and I so wanted to like this one, but after the film was over, the film was missing something...A heart.

In the first film we saw a great love story between Mumbles' parents Memphis and Norma Jean and after I watched this film, that when I realized why i didn't like this one as much, the mail love story wasn't there and no explanation was given why they weren't in this one.

Now if you are looking for comedy in this one then please watch all of the scenes with Will (Brad Pitt) and Bill (Matt Damon). They voice 2 krill's in the film that venture outside of their swarm. The majority of the audience laughed when these two were featured in the film.

I also liked the songs that were used in this film and so did the majority of the audience Is aw the film with. The children really liked the film in the 3D but it wasn't really worth the extra cost of the film.

I should have really liked this film, The story was about the climate change and how it is hurting the penguins. The film had some great songs and some great comedy but it was missing the heart and that is why the film failed for me.

The film was released with a Looney Tunes short called 'I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat.' The majority of the audience seemed to like this short than they did the film that followed it.

If you have little ones, they will love this film. For the rest, you might want to pass on this one.

Grade: C-

The Muppets (2011)

Now if you are a fan of "The Flight of the Conchords" a lot of the original songs in this film have that "vibe" and it is because Bret McKenzie was the film's music supervisor. I liked the original songs because they just were different and not like a normal films' music. The Chris Cooper Rap was the hit of the film.

As a child I was a huge fan of the tv's "The Muppet Show" and I was hoping to see some of the same magic in this film. The film is great in parts but all together it just wasn't that bad of a film but it wasn't that great of a film. It just left me flat and I was definitely in the minority at the showing I went to.

The little kids seemed to love the music and the majority of the parents seemed to like the film. I heard a few comment that they loved them back then and now, they could share this with there children.

The film plot was simple and in the end were are shown 2 love stories and maybe a part 2 is in the future. The children seemed to love the Ms. Piggy and Kermit plot line the best.

After the film was over, all of the little children had smiles on their faces and the parents were happy that the kids enjoyed it. The film was preceded by a short "Toy Story" cartoon and it was a great short cartoon.

Overall the film will be a huge hit with the children but may leave the adults a little flat

Grade: B-

2011-11-17T10:52:00.003+09:00

Movie Reviews: Immortals Jack and Jill

Have you ever had one of those feelings that when you walk into a movie theater that you are going to see a crap film but you can't take your eyes off of it? Welcome to these 2 films that I watched back to back.

I kept seeing the previews of this film called Immortals and it just looked so bad and I couldn't believe that people were saying that this was going to be a great film. I never believed the hype and after the film was over I could not believe that the 3D in this film was that bad and that the 3D in Harold and Kumar was so much better. They sold this as a 300 type of film and after it was over, I couldn't believe that this was a huge miss of a film.

This film fails for the basic reasons, bad acting, bad plot and such an open ended finale of the film that I just left the film with total disgust for everyone involved in this turkey of a film.

Please pass on this film at all cost

Grade: F-

Jack and Jill

Now I have no idea if this film will be a total flop or a huge hit in South Korea due to the main actor wearing female clothing. As we have seen on Korean TV and Movies, the more popular comedians dress in ladies clothing and the Korean audience seem to love it.

The idea of this film is simple enough, Adam Sandler plays both the role of twins Jack and Jill. The main plot is Jack has to try and hire Al Pacino for a Dunkin Doughnuts commercial or his company could go bankrupt. Now Al hates Jack but falls in love with Jill and then they film begins.

What really surprised me about the audience of this film was that every child who was under the age of 13 was laughing at this film and that the majority of the audience that was over 13 left this film with a look that they had wasted their money with this film. When the final payoff of this film was over the kids were laughing and the adults really couldn't believe what they had just seen.

I usually like Adam Sandler's film because they make me laugh. In this film, I didn't laugh much and really felt that this film was ill acted and not written very well for a comedy.

If you have kids then take them to see this film. If you don't, wait until it comes on Catch On or Catch On +, this way you won't have wasted your money on this sub-par comedy.

Grade:D+

2011-11-07T18:50:00.003+09:00

Movie Reviews: Puss in Boots, Tower Heist & Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas.

Well I really didn't know what to think about this single film of the "Shrek" series about Puss in Boots. The previews kinda left me with a flat taste in my mouth and after watching this film, the flat taste did not leave me.

To me, they tried to set this film up as a stand alone prequel to the Shrek series and that's where the film lost me. Whatever magic Shrek, Donkey and Puss had in the original films never came across in this film. We are shown Puss's childhood but with all of the new characters, it just never really felt right. We are shown his story but never given a real reason why we should care about him.

The film is great for kids with seeing the film for one time only, after that, I really can not see any reason a child would want to see it again for a 2nd time and as for this parent, I really never want to see this film, purchase or rent it ever again. It just left a very bad taste in my mouth. Please pass on this film at all cost and see it in 2d if you're dragged to it by your children.

Puss in Boots Grade: D-

Tower Heist

Now on this one, the previews had made me laugh and I was wondering will this be a bad version of the "Ocean 11" series or would it come across as its own stand alone film. After watching this film, I really wouldn't mind seeing a part 2 to this story.

This film shouldn't work with the partnership of Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller but these 2 actually convinced me and the audience that I saw the film with that they could actually pull off this revenge film.

the plot is simple here, Ben Stiller plays an apartment manager who has invested his employees 401k money with A respected man firm but soon finds out that all of the $ has disappeared via a Ponzi scam. He soon recruits a cast to see if they can get the $ back to the wronged employees.

The film then turns into a very smart cat and mouse film in which you think you know whats going on but the twist were well played and very believable. The audience I saw the film with was really into it and when the film was over, the majority left with smiles on there faces.

This film could have failed and some people will think its a bad copy of the heist films of the past but I liked it because the film never insulted my intelligence and made me cheer for the bad guys.

Please see the film when you get the chance.

Tower Heist Grade: B+

Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas

Now I have no idea if this film will ever be shown in South Korea due to the use of marijuana and other various drug usage all over this film, but if they do then this is a film that you should watch without the kids.

One of the things that I liked about this film was the use of classic Christmas songs into this drug world fantasy and as for me and the audience, this really produced some heavy laughter. Now mix in the 3D twist and you really begin to see some strange and very different looks at life in to 2010's.

Now hopefully, you will have some thick skin when you see this film because it takes pot shorts at a lot of different people and believes. When you see some of it, the audience instead of complaining was laughing at it even louder.

As a critic, there are certain films that I like and this series has been one. I really can not explain why but these 2 main actors have great chemistry together and when the drugs get mixed in, it just works for me.

If you're a fan of this series then you will love this film. If you haven't seen the first 2 films yet, then some of these jokes in the film you will miss out on. I should have really hated this film due to the blatant use of illegal drugs but by the end of this film, I wanted to see it again and I definitely want to see a part 4 to this story.

Just please be ready to laugh and to be offended by this film and you should have a nice viewing of it and please see it in the 3D format. The jokes work so much better because of it. I am leaving this film spoiler free because you really have to see this film without it to enjoy the simple nods to the past films and the laughs that you're about to see in this film.

Please see it, if it ever play in Korea.

Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas Grade: A-

2011-11-02T01:22:00.002+09:00

Well another update from my battle against cancer.

I have started to take a chemo pill called Xeloda. The US doctor found me a foundation that will pay for this cancer meds. Its about 4,000 cost per 2 week treatment. So far no side effects and after my last chemo debacle, this is nice.

Well a few more things to add. I am on food stamps now for 200.00 per month and it looks like for now 400+ a month for disability and still waiting for the ssi to kick in. I also have a VA appointment set for 22nd of November, I will see what they can do for the fight against cancer. my next dr appointment is set for the 18th.

Now ssi have covered me for medicare, so that is a huge help. I have to wait on the card to arrive in the mail and then go and take care of all of the medical bills so far in the USA.

I have really enjoyed talking with my family and seeing a few old acquaintances.

I helped pass out some candy on Halloween night at my brothers house and I had a great time doing it. This year I didn't scare anyone.

so far all is ok and I am feeling ok. I am still not used to the colonoscopy bag but hopefully it will get better after time.

take care and I really miss working in South Korea.

Mike

2011-10-20T06:13:00.006+09:00

Well i Have been back now in the USA for 1 week and it has been very weird.

I must first thank everyone involved in the last fundraiser @ the Yellow Taxi. I have no words to thank all of you all who helped, gave their time, various lessons and other things that helped me feel a lot of love.

There were A few tears and sad faces at this party and please everyone, I AIN'T DEAD YET!!!

on my facebook, you'll see photos of that night. I thought that the live band was awesome, they played g-n-r and Kashimar by Zeppelin and I loved it. I danced to "Turning Japanese and I just loved it.

It was sad to say goodbye to a lot of good people but please remember, I will see you again..either this side or the other.

Well the next day was Sunday and it was time to say goodbye to my church and that was sad. I actually sang for the first time for the church. I stated that US vets have used this song for funerals and a belief that God will forgive all sins that soldiers have done for king and country. I then sang Amazing Grace. They seemed to like it and after church I said goodbye and went back home to finish packing and breaking down my computer and gave away my TV.

It was sad because my i knew that my time in Korea was coming to an end. On Monday night I went to the Millieaum Cinema near Daejeon Station and saw the hot Korean film and made it my last film review for awhile.

Then it was Tuesday and my friend Thomas helped me get my bags to the Daejeon Train station and to Incheon Airport. I did allow myself one luxury. I cashed out my ktx point card and got a first class ticket to Seoul Station for 10,000 won. It was a great train ride. But I felt very sad that it was time to leave Daejeon and Woosong University.

We waited a few moments for my friend Bryan to arrive at Seoul Station and then we caught the express train from Seoul Station to Incheon Airport. I ink that I convinced Bryan and Thomas that this is a great way to travel to the airport. It cost 13,800 from Seoul to Incheon and took 45 minutes. We all really enjoyed the trip.

When we exited the train we soon found the Korail cart and they transported us and our bags to the airport at no extra cost. I was feeling so spoiled after first class, express and this. I then checked in for stand by and we then went to eat and McDonalds. About 1.5 hours later I received my ticket and said goodbye to Thomas and Bryan.

I then hit the duty free store and went to take the express subway to my gate for the airplane ride. While I was waiting I sent a text to a lot of people and I said.

"See you at the crossroads on this side or the other side." I received a few goodbye and good lucks. I boarded the plane at 1650 and got a great seat.

I watched Cars 2 and a film from Japan about a Star watching dog. It was a nice flight, a few minutes of sleep and then we hit sfo @ 1100 pdt and I had 2 hours to get through customs, recheck the bags and try and make it to the next flight. All went well I did rush it but I made it and we left about 1 hour late but we left and in 3 hours, I had arrived back in DFW and I knew that I was home.

over the next few days, I have done all of the pre paperwork for ssi, va, 2nd opinion and other things. Now I have to hurry up and wait and maybe appeal.

I am glad to be home but I wish it wasn't under these conditions. If I was cancer free, this was going to be my last year of teaching. Now I wish that I was teaching. I hate not being able to work. It been nice to see my family this week and hopefully soon start to see some friends of mine.

I am church shopping right now and when I have made my choice I will pass it on.

I am doing ok but wish that I didn't have the cancer but I will look at what the new doctor want to do and just do it.

More news soon............Mike

2011-10-18T01:43:00.004+09:00

Movie Review: The Crucible 도가니 (Do-ga-ni)

What do you do if you have been told that a devil exist in your children's school and that he is a foreigner. Now you are shown a movie that the devil is one of your own and that the school’s principal and teachers, and even the police, prosecutors and churches in the community are actually trying to cover up the truth. Welcome to the film that has forced South Korea to look at itself and to see the real face of evil.

If you have been following the news here in Korea for the past few years you have seen the false claims against foreigners here and the stories that just seem to get crazier and crazier by the month. The only white face in this film and movie theater was me and the audience couldn't actually believe what they were seeing.

For those who haven't heard of this film yet the basic idea of this plot is that “The Crucible” follows a group of children with disabilities who suffer physical and sexual abuse at the hands of their teachers. The audience had a real problem with so-called Korean teachers actually being the abusers.

The film shows the abuse, the cover up, the trial and its aftermath.

Now if you have a child who is special needs, then you do not need to see this film, because you will become very angry. If you don't have any children then I do recommend that you watch this film. Where I saw the film, there were no English subtitles but for this one, they really were not needed.

The film itself really doesn't pull any punches. You will see the abuse shown on the screen and you will see the inaction, the cover up and when the police finally decide to act, you will feel their actually guilt for not acting sooner.

Overall its a film that needs to be seen and that maybe the Korea public will wake up and realize that anyone can be the devil not just a foreign faqce.

Grade: A

2011-10-07T15:08:00.003+09:00

ITS SO HARD TO SAY GOODBYE TO YESTERDAY...

Well this will be my last article for Socius for awhile dear readers. For those who do not know, my cancer has returned very aggressively and my Korean doctor states that I have stage 4 cancer and that I might have 1 year left in this world. I will be leaving Korea between the 10th and 14 of October to go back to Dallas Texas and get a 2nd opinion and fight this bastard named cancer.

When I got the bad news, I was lucky I had some friends with me in the hospital room visiting me and after a few moments I said, "Ok pitty party is over!, I want to hear stories about Beer and Girls!!" I thought a lot about this Tim McGraw song and I have tried to do this. I have really taken the advice that my father gave me when he was facing his cancer battle. He told me, "Mike, I will either beat this cancer or I am going home to God."

I have told many of you this exact same thing and I believe it!

I am not angry or upset that the cancer has came back, I am actually quite ok with it. Sometimes bad things happen and we don't know why, we just have to deal with it and pray to God that in the end it will be all right.

Now I want to say goodbye to all of the wonderful people at Woosong University and Daehundae Church who have and are helping with many different fundraisers. I do not have the world to say thank you and I will really miss a lot of the teachers from there.

A few weeks ago a few of us went to the Hanwha Eagles baseball game. Me and Beth both caught a souvenir baseball thrown to the outfield crowd.

And it got me to thinking about my 5+ years of watching games there with friends and fellow teachers. We have had some of the most interesting conversations about many varied subjects from all over the world and the majority of them haven't been about baseball. I will really miss going to the Hanwha games and maybe, just maybe, one day the will win another KBO title.

To the Socius reader, thank you for putting up with my views of what the hell I think a good film should be and why you should or shouldn't see a film. I Have always called it liked I saw it and a few times you, the reader, really let me know that either I was a genius for agreeing with you or I was a redneck hillbilly for not agreeing with you point of view. I thank you for making me on of the few ex-pat film critics that stories got posted world wide. I will try later and continue the film reviews but it will depend on my health.

Over the last few decades, this song "Amazing Grace - Bagpipes" has been a staple of US military vets funerals. I have always loved this song because of the things I did for King and country when I served and that this song believe of eternal salvation can be achieved by anyone, if they believe in God. This gave me a lot of strength when times in the hospital weren't that great. If I do die soon, please play this at my funeral.

I was also thinking of this song a lot lately. I got a bad break again with this cancer and I have to fight it once again. But if this is my destiny set out by God, all I can do is follow his instructions and fight. But I also remember all of my friends who I have met along the path. " I COULD HAVE MISSED THE PAIN BUT I WOULD HAVE HAD TO MISS THE DANCE." is one of the lyrics in this song and I have thought a lot about that. I will miss you and I am hating the fact that I have to leave Korea but I am glad that I got to know alot of you and even better, call a lot of you my friends.

The Dance-Lyrics...

Looking back on the memory of
The dance we shared beneath the stars above
For a moment all the world was right
How could I have known you'd ever say goodbye
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Holding you I held everything
For a moment wasn't I the king
But if I'd only known how the king would fall
Hey who's to say you know I might have changed it all
And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd of had to miss the dance
Yes my life is better left to chance
I could have missed the pain but I'd of had to miss the dance

To my former students, I will miss you. I have really enjoyed watching a few of you learn about life love and soon babies will be in your life.

I got to see a newborn baby when i was in the hospital and I immediately thought of this song. I am a teacher and I am trying to teach the next generation and that they will learn much more that I will ever know. Lord, if these are the times of war, let me face them, i am a fighter, please let my students know nothing of this and let them live the rest of there lives in peace.

please remember this my friends, from a song that I love...

but I know Jesus and I talk to God
and I remember this from when I was young
Faith, Hope and Love are some good things He gave us
and the greatest is Love, the greatest is love.

I don't know my future right now here on earth. I will try and beat this damned cancer or I go home to God. After I leave Korea, I hope to see you again, either on this side or the other. Goodbye to my 2 children, my son and my daughter. I love you both very much!!!

Goodbye, farewell and amen!

2011-09-20T06:55:00.003+09:00

Please leave my films alone, thank you!!!

2011-09-16T12:09:00.002+09:00

well this post is a very simple one....

if you can wire $ please do to this account.

account # 312-587-02-213-136
Swift code SHBKKRSEKPO

BANK NAME KOREA POST OFFICE

name flynn mike mcstay

this is how people can wire # to my acct from all over the world.

thanks Mike

all funds will go towards my fight vs cancer..if you're a new visitor to this blog please see earlier post in september, thanks to all.

mike

2011-09-12T10:01:00.003+09:00

9/11 part 4

2011-09-12T09:57:00.001+09:00

9/11 part 3

2011-09-12T09:45:00.001+09:00

9/11 cartoons part 2

2011-09-12T09:35:00.001+09:00

9/11 comics.part 1

2011-09-12T09:00:00.001+09:00

2011-09-12T08:46:00.001+09:00

Never forgotten. Forever grateful." To help honor the victims and heroes of Sept. 11, director Spike Lee filmed a unique and moving tribute to the New York Fire Department.
Lee, working with State Farm, filmed roughly 150 children from New York serenading members of the FDNY to the tune of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys's smash hit "Empire State of Mind."

The tribute may remind some of Staten Island's PS 22 choir's version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at the most recent Academy Awards.

This version of "Empire State of Mind" was conducted by James Davis Jr. The spot first appeared online several days ago. It then aired during Sunday's Eagles-Rams NFL game. Now it is quickly going viral. Web searches for "empire state of mind lyrics" and "empire state of mind song" are starting to soar.

Concrete jungle where dreams are made of,
There's nothing you can't do,
Now you're in New York!
These streets will make you feel brand new,
The lights will inspire you,
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New York.

Proceeds for the song, which you can buy on iTunes, go toward the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

update from thr church....

2011-09-10T12:55:00.000+09:00

As some of you know already, Mike's surgery lasted over 9 hours. The doctor told me if situation was bad enough that he cannot operate on him (when he went in), the surgery would only last a little over hour. Even though the doctor told me that surgery could last about 4~5 hours, the actual surgery lasted 9 hours.
I want you to know that this surgery was not to treat or remove the cancer. Mike has been having trouble with his digestive function for few month and doctors did not know for sure what was causing the problem. They just assumed it is caused by intestinal adhesions (fusion--which is caused by repeated surgery and/or spread of cancer) and possilbe paralysis or even could be by some kind of blockage. They knew Mike had bad case of fusion from prior surgery. The last surgery they had before Mike had his Chemo, the doctor who did the surgery told me that he confirmed left side of Mike's abdomen was fused to his intestines. It was bad enough he could not seperate it or see anything under it.

Mike had bad reaction to the chemo after he was discharged and had to be moved back to the hospital. Because of many suspected reasons he was not able to eat and hold them down (he has not been able to eat for months now). Mike was not able to leave the hospital because of this problem (that he could not hold any food at all. He is being sustained only by I.V.). The doctor was hesistant to do another surgery because the surgeries were what partly caused his problem. Mike did not want to go on like this so he made the call to go ahead with another surgery. This surgery was to fix his fistula (the hole on his belly) and clear whatever was causing blockage of his intestinal track so he can be functional enough to leave the hospital.

The doctor told me he did his best to clear the track but does not know if that was enough. Mike has a cololstomy now and it will be a week to 10 days before he can try some kind of food to see if the surgery was successful. (His surgery was September 5th Monday) What we praying for now is to God to intervene and heal him or at least he gets well enough he can get out of the hospital.

well, that sure didnt go as I hoped it woud.

2011-09-08T13:37:00.005+09:00

well as the majority of you know, i have a last shot surgery to try and fix all of my problems. I also told you that this surgery could go wrong and if it did then it was game over.

Well long story short, in the last 7 weeks the cancer attacked me and attacked me in a very bad way. I have too many tumors and they feel that they cant do anymore surgery and chemo will kill me asap. So the dr said maybe 1 year left.

ok, now that is out of the way, just like i told the people who were here, when i got the news. Pity party over, lets talk about beer and girls!

the goal is to try and get me healthy enough so i can go home and soon meet God.

I dont know yet if that will happen but thats the goal. I am not really angry about this, i just got a bad break and I have to deal with it

some of you know this and have given me your love and support, there are no words to describe how this has made me. all I can ask is that everyone keep praying 4 me and please keep raising money because my woosong salary stops next week.

hopefully its painless and it wont hurt too much. please remember faith hope and love are some of the gifts that God gave us but the greatest is Love!

will update in a few days.

i will miss you all.

mike

2011-09-03T20:54:00.002+09:00

FROM MY CHURCH, THEY EXPLAIN BETER THAN I CAN WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME.

I have kept you up to date with Mike McStay. As you know he has been fighting cancer for over 2 years. He has been in and out of hospital because of the complication caused by surgery and the cancer. He was not able to eat anything more than few month now. The doctor and Mike made decision to have operation this coming Monday (September 5th). This is the last resort to solve his complication (Intestine fusion and blockage). The doctor told me that this surgery is very dangerous and complicated. Mike agreed to have this surgery knowing and understanding the risk involved. The surgery is going to start from between 12:00pm-1:00pm.

I have made out my will and i turn it over to my advocate.

Please pray for me on monday.....

2011-09-03T06:13:00.003+09:00

an open letter to my 2 children.

Dear Claudia and Sean.

On monday 9/5/11, I will have to go over some very serious surgery and to be honest, there is a chance if it goes wrong and fast, that your father will no longer be here on this planet.

Long story short, i have a lot of problems that put together has caused me to be in a place where I am stuck right now. If I do not have the surgery and it is a cancer tumor, then i die. If I ave the surgery and something goes wrong then I could die from that. As of right now, I can not eat, drink or pass gas. I am being kept alive by IV's bu this is only a temporary fix.

if you ever get back on facebook, you will see on my page that yesterday, I did the old McStay traditional, we will fight this!!! Me, your grandfather and great grand parents all decided when to fight when we faced this type of health problem.

I have really missed the 2 of you a lot. I miss seeing you 2 grow up and becoming adults. This is the biggest regret of my life, not being there for you 2 24/7.

I saw Claudia that you played AAU basketball and that your team went 8-4. Well done my daughter and Sean How are you doing? What sports, if any, do you play?

I so miss you 2 right now and I have no way to call or contact you so one day I do hope that you find this note to you 2 online.

Just please remember, I am your father and I will always love the 2 of you.

I have asked that my korean pension $ go to Grandma Claudia. Under Korean law it goes to you 2 but since I have no idea how to contact you 2, I have written the $ to grandma in my will. Please dont be mad at me or her. I did not make this decision lightly.

Please take care my kids and if I dont you see you on this side, I will see you on the other side.

Love you both very much.

Signed Dad (Flynn Michael McStay)

2011-08-29T22:25:00.002+09:00

well i have been in eulji hospital since 8-5-11. my stomach really isnt working and i am not really sure what else is wrong but i am ok i just cant eat anything at the moment. please keep me in your prayers.

2011-07-10T16:04:00.000+09:00

To my friends who are Red Socks fans..Thinking of you all today.

2011-07-10T10:40:00.001+09:00

Where Does Derek Jeter Rank On The List of Greatest Yankees Ever?

Now there are six.

The greatest New York Yankees have long been counted on one hand. Babe Ruth is the unquestioned No. 1, after which the order is debatable but not the names: alphabetically, Yogi Berra, Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle.

Add Derek Jeter to the mix.

Jeter became the first Yankee to accumulate 3,000 hits in pinstripes when he hit a solo home run off Tampa Bay lefty David Price in the third inning Saturday in the Bronx. Jeter, who just returned after spending three weeks on the disabled list with a calf injury, singled in the first inning for No. 2,999. In his next at-bat, Jeter ripped a full-count slider from Price into the leftfield seats. And despite the recent cyber-trend to disparage Jeter's game and accomplishments, he deserves mention alongside the best to play for baseball's most storied franchise.

Precisely where does he rank? From a poetic standpoint, No. 2 would be the perfect perch. Cue a tape of Bob Sheppard to make the announcement:

"The shortstop, number 2, Derek Jeter, number 2."

ThePostGame brings you the most interesting sports stories on the web.

But that's a difficult case to make. To eclipse every Yankee except Ruth, Jeter would need to bounce back offensively through 2013. He'd need to change positions so his deficient range at shortstop recedes into memory. And the Yankees would need to win two more World Series with Jeter a driving force through those postseasons.

Today, though, Jeter has gained entry into the land of the elite. A Fab Five is now a Sparkling Six.

Here's our list, in reverse order. Class, grace and a certain "Yankee-ness" count. So do stats. Only accomplishments with the Yankees are considered.

It all adds up to "greatness," an admittedly imprecise blend of hard numbers and subjective notions. Cast your vote in ThePostGame.com poll.

6. Yogi Berra

Berra was part of a major league record 10 World Series champion teams, was named American League Most Valuable Player three times and played the most demanding position on the field. He also developed an iconic oracle-like persona with his fractured speech and hilarious yet astute observations. And at 86, he's not only the lone living member of the Sparkling Six besides Jeter, he still wears pinstripes. Berra anchored the team during its late-1940s and 1950s heyday, succeeding Hall-of-Famer Bill Dickey at catcher and playing alongside DiMaggio and Mantle. He has the fourth-highest Wins Above Replacement of any catcher in history.

5. Derek Jeter

Jeter's stature and leadership are unsurpassed. His production in the media hellfire of the Bronx has been phenomenally consistent. His five World Series titles and overall postseason excellence set him apart from other active players. In 2001, his flip of a relay throw to home plate and his walk-off home run in Game 4 of the World Series are among the most memorable moments in Yankees history. Of course he's slipping at 37: Mantle, DiMaggio and Gehrig were retired at that age. Yes, he's made more outs and hit into more double plays than any other Yankee and he'll probably pass Mantle for most strikeouts. One milestone begets others for the player with the most plate appearances, official at-bats, hits and stolen bases. Each category speaks to longevity, durability, toughness and resilience.

4. Mickey Mantle

Like DiMaggio, Mantle retired at age 36. Like Jeter, his defensive skills eroded with age and -- in Mantle's case -- injury. But like Berra, Mantle played 18 Yankee seasons because he broke in at age 19. He and Willie Mays vied for the title of best player on the planet through the 1950s and much of the '60s. The switch-hitting Mantle was AL MVP three times and he led the Yankees to 12 World Series, winning seven titles. He might have had more natural ability than any player ever, but he frittered away some of his talent partying. Who knows the numbers he could have amassed had he not been such a carouser? That question need never be asked of Jeter, who by remaining productive for two more seasons could swap places with Mantle.

3. Joe DiMaggio

The Yankee Clipper was the team's most majestic player, and only Gehrig and Jeter approach his stateliness. DiMaggio's greatest accomplishment is his record 56-game hitting streak. A close second is his nine World Series titles, behind only Berra in Yankee history. DiMaggio's offensive numbers across the board are exceptional per season, but his career totals are lacking because he retired after 13 seasons, at least four fewer than the others on the list, primarily because he missed three years serving in World War II. At age 35 in 1950 DiMaggio had a stellar season that mirrored his career numbers. A year later his performance declined because of nagging injuries and he hung 'em up after helping the Yankees to one more World Series championship.

2. Lou Gehrig

As he was in the Yankees lineup from 1925 to 1934, Gehrig is immediately behind Ruth on the list of Yankee Greats. When the measure is a blend of batting statistics, World Series titles, impact on baseball, impact on New York, larger-than-life persona and unforgettable nickname, The Iron Horse noses out the rest of the pack. Gehrig's greatness was perhaps best displayed after Ruth left the Yankees. Gehrig led the team to three more World Series titles for a total of six, and he batted .361 with a staggering 1.208 OPS in the postseason. His career was tragically cut short at 36 after 17 seasons because of the rare disease that bears his name.

1. Babe Ruth

Besides singlehandedly introducing home run power as the game's most lethal weapon and gate attraction, Ruth also made the Yankees the greatest team in baseball. Before his arrival in New York in 1920, the franchise had a losing record. In Ruth's 15 seasons with the Yankees, and for the next 30 years beyond his departure, they had only one losing season. His career offensive Wins Above Replacement of 143 is easily the franchise best and he holds the trifecta of highest batting average (.349), on-base percentage (.484) and slugging percentage (.690). Ruth won fewer World Series titles with the Yankees (four) than any of the others on this list. But he delivered, hitting 15 homers in 117 at-bats. .

2011-07-10T06:34:00.000+09:00

As a 23-year-old cell phone salesman, Christian Lopez had thousands of reasons to hold out for the highest bidder on the baseball from Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit. In fact, some estimates put the ball's worth at $250,000, money that the recent graduate from St. Lawrence University could have certainly used.

And yet when New York Yankees officials found Lopez after he corralled Jeter's historic home run, the only thing that the big Yankees fan wanted was to return the ball to the man who had hit it.

Watch an interview with Lopez on YES

Yes, Lopez was willing to just give away what seemed like a sure lottery ticket

"No, not really," Lopez said when Yankees announcer Michael Kay later asked him if he asked for anything in return. "He deserves this, he's worked hard for this ... I'm not the type of person to take this away from him."

That's a pretty nice gesture, no doubt. But lest you think the Yankees were just going to take the ball away without any compensation, they rewarded Lopez's generosity with a pretty nice package. According to Kay, Lopez will receive four tickets to a suite for every remaining game at Yankee Stadium this season (including any possible playoff games) plus first row Legends Suite tickets to Sunday's game. He will also receive an assortment of bats and jerseys, plus the opportunity to meet Jeter.

Update: And, topping it off, a 5-4 Yankees victory in which Jeter drove in the go-ahead run in the eighth to cap a 5 for 5 day in the batter's box. Lopez was a guest of honor at one the best Yankees games of the season.

Not a bad haul for someone who was at the game on birthday tickets he received from his girlfriend. And while there are going to be plenty of people who question his decision, I'm guessing that the integrity Lopez showed in returning the ball to Jeter is going to benefit him in his life and future career as well.

What would you have done?

2011-07-10T06:31:00.001+09:00

Jeter homers for 3,000th hit, goes 5 for 5 in win

By MIKE FITZPATRICK, AP Sports

NEW YORK (AP)—Derek Jeterhomered for his 3,000th hit and raced right past the milestone in a scintillating performance Saturday, going 5 for 5 with a tiebreaking single in the eighth inning that gave the New York Yankees a 5-4 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jeter doubled and had three singles while starting a pair of Yankees rallies and finishing off their last one. He bounced a single through the left side his first time up to give him No. 2,999, then sent a no-doubt drive into the left-field seats off Rays ace David Pricein the third inning.

That made Jeter the 28th major leaguer to get 3,000 hits, one of baseball’s biggest milestones, and the first to do it with the Yankees. Former teammate Wade Boggs was the only other player to reach the plateau with a home run.

It also set off quite a celebration in the Bronx, with teammates mobbing Jeter at home plate in a pack of pinstripes before he took a curtain call and saluted the sellout crowd of 48,103. The game was held up for 3-4 minutes, and Jeter also acknowledged the Rays players who applauded from their dugout.

Moments later, a montage of messages from ex-teammates, including Andy Pettitte , was shown on the big video screen in center field. By the fourth inning, the screen showed DJ3K merchandise flying off the shelves at Yankee Stadium souvenir shops.

The home run was Jeter’s third of the season and first at home since an inside-the-park shot July 22, 2010, against Kansas City. But the 37-year-old captain was just warming up in a turn-back-the-clock performance—and the Yankees needed all of it.

Eduardo Nunez, perhaps Jeter’s heir apparent at shortstop, doubled to start the eighth against Joel Peralta ) (2-4). Brett Gardner dropped down a sacrifice bunt to push Nunez to third and up stepped Jeter again, looking to cap his big day in style.

Tampa Bay brought the infield in and Jeter poked a two-strike pitch up the middle, giving New York a 5-4 lead and prompting another round of “De-rek Je-ter!” chants.

Mariano Riveragot three quick outs for his 22nd save in 26 chances, his first outing since blowing a save Sunday against the Mets. Rivera was out of action for three days because of a sore right triceps before pronouncing himself available to pitch Thursday night.

Curtis Granderson caught Kelly Shoppach’s long drive at the center-field fence for the second out in the ninth.

Granderson also had an RBI single to drive in Jeter in the fifth, and A.J. Burnett struck out nine in 5 2-3 innings. He left with a 4-3 lead, but Tampa Bay tied it in the eighth against David Robertson (2-0).

Jeter matched a career high with the first five-hit game for any player at the new Yankee Stadium, which opened in 2009.

The last player to reach 3,000 hits, Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros, did it with his third hit in a five-hit game on June 28, 2007.

Jeter’s run-up to 3,000 turned into a winding, drawn-out journey, beginning with a calf injury June 13 that landed him on the disabled list for 20 days.

Six hits shy of the milestone, he returned in Cleveland on the Fourth of July and managed three hits in a three-game series.

Back home Thursday against Tampa Bay, Jeter laced the first pitch he saw for a double but then came up empty the rest of the night, disappointing a sellout crowd that came to see history.

The teams were rained out Friday and settled on a Sept. 22 makeup date because the Rays didn’t want to play a split doubleheader this weekend. That left Jeter with only two more home games to reach the milestone before the All-Star break—the Yankees begin the second half with an eight-game road trip.

Lined up to pitch for the Rays? A pair of aces in Price and James Shields

Pressure on Jeter, even in July? You better believe it.

But he delivered all day, even stealing a base Saturday after entering the game in a 4-for-18 slide.

“Nobody better in the clutch,” said good buddy Jorge Posada the first to greet Jeter with a bearhug after his home run. “He looks forward to that moment and today was a perfect example.”

Before the first pitch, thousands of fans lined up at ticket windows outside Yankee Stadium hoping to get in—even though an electronic sign read: Today’s game is sold out. Many of them were trying to exchange rain checks from Friday night, but there was no room in the packed house.

B.J. Upton (notes) hit a two-run homer for Tampa Bay, and All-Star outfielder Matt Joyce (notes) also went deep. Price lasted only five innings, giving up four runs and seven hits.

2011-07-10T06:28:00.000+09:00

Jeter was destined to be a Yankee hero

By Les Carpenter, Yahoo! Sports

NEW YORK – The Armitron clock high above the left field stands said 2 p.m. as Derek Jeter’s (notes) 3,000th hit dropped into the seats below. Typical Jeter, always perfect at just the right moment.

Somehow we should have known it would happen this way, with a sellout crowd at Yankee Stadium chanting his name “Dehhhhrick Jetah. Dehhhhrick Jetah.” He had gone nearly a year in this stadium without a home run and then on a Saturday afternoon with everyone anticipating the hit that would seal his Yankee legacy, he drove a 3-2 pitch high toward left field and there was no doubt where the ball would land, his second of five hits on the day. He dropped his head as he always has, trying to stifle the smile that was spreading across his lips. His teammates spilled from the dugout, led by the two he played with the longest here – Jorge Posada (notes) and Mariano Rivera (notes).

With his second hit on Saturday, Derek Jeter became the 28th player – and first Yankee – to reach 3,000 hits.
(Getty Images)

It was as if the whole thing had been scripted from the beginning.

In these times where offensive records seem to fall with regularity, there is still a magic to 3,000 hits. Jeter, the sole Yankee to achieve the feat, is only the 28th player to achieve the milestone and the line of potential candidates to join him in the near future includes just his teammate Alex Rodriguezand Mariners right fielder Ichiro Suzuki . And while Rodriguez is a superior hitter with a real chance to someday own the all-time home run record, his 3,000th hit (which should come in 2013) won’t have the same impact as Jeter’s.

Rodriguez is a representative of his era. He was a baseball mercenary who abandoned his first team to seize the bounty offered him by the Texas Rangers and then manipulated a trade to the New York Yankees after a deal to the Red Sox didn’t work out. There is no sense of loyalty from A-Rod. He is just another great player without a home. And no matter how much he outshines Jeter at the plate and on the field, he will never be beloved here the way Jeter is. Jeter is different. Jeter is immune to the vacillations of the city’s sports fans.

Jeter was born to be a Yankee. And while such a line would come off as a trite cliché if used about any other player, it’s actually true when it comes to him. As a child growing up in Kalamazoo, Mich., he adored the Yankees, who were the favorite team of his grandmother Dot. Each summer he visited his grandparents in New Jersey and Dot would take him to Yankee Stadium where the young Jeter gazed at the giant ballpark around him and dreamed of someday wearing the same pinstriped uniform as the players running across the field below him.

According to the book “The Captain” by Ian O’Connor, Jeter announced to his fourth-grade class that he was going to play shortstop for the Yankees when he grew up. And as he got older the obsession only strengthened. O’Connor’s book portrays the adolescent Jeter as something of a dork when it came to his favorite baseball team. He came to school wearing a Yankees cap with a Yankees pendant around his neck. Former teammates from a travelling basketball team say he even wore Yankees boxers.

It became a source of ridicule among his childhood friends, especially in the Midwest, where all things New York were not beloved. But Jeter never wavered. He forever told his teammates he was going to be a Yankee. And so it was fitting that a Cincinnati Reds official named Julian Mock overruled his scouts and chose a now long-forgotten outfielder named Chad Mottola with the fifth pick of the 1992 draft, leaving Jeter to be picked by the Yankees.

But even after Jeter’s dream came true and he became the Yankees’ shortstop, he played as if he was still that kid back in Kalamazoo wearing his Yankees cap and pendant, playing through injuries that would have sidelined other players. He was forever a constant in New York’s lineup, hitting first or second for most of his more than 16 years with the team. The other day manager Joe Girardi, a former teammate, talked about the comfort of always knowing Jeter would be there. If nothing else Jeter brought consistency to a franchise often embroiled in tumult. Players came and players went. George Steinbrenner raged. The games kept getting bigger and bigger and the only thing anyone could say for sure was that Jeter would be at the top of the lineup, playing shortstop and lining singles to right field.

He is not the player he was. He came into the game hitting .257, his range at shortstop diminished with age. In recent days, as the attention intensified, he tried to smile but also looked weary. When he led off Thursday’s game against Tampa Bay with a double, he seemed hopeful two more would come that night, getting him to 3,000 and ending this chase. Failing to do so disappointed him.

“Sure I want it to be over,” he said on Friday afternoon before that game was rained out.

Then on Saturday, with a blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds as if the afternoon had been painted by Norman Rockwell, Jeter delivered as only he has all these years. He hit a single to left in the first inning and came up in the third to an enormous roar from a crowd that sensed something big. As soon as his bat made contact with the changeup from Rays pitcher David Price (notes), the crowd began to scream. Jeter, the kid from Kalamazoo who longed to be a Yankee, did exactly what would be expected of a Yankee in such a situation. He dropped his head and ran. He was already to first base when the ball finally disappeared into the seats.

Just like Jeter. As if this was going to happen any other way. The perfect moment from the perfect Yankee.

2011-07-08T16:41:00.000+09:00

A fan reaching to catch a ball died after he fell over the left-field wall at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington during the second inning of Thursday night’s game.

The man had been reaching over the rail for a foul ball tossed into the stands by Rangers left fielder Josh Hamilton during the game against the Oakland A’s.

The city manager of Brownwood confirmed that the man, Shannon Stone, was a firefighter there, the Brownwood News reported late Thursday.

Stone, who was sitting in the left-field lower-level reserved seats, fell about 20 feet in the area behind a wall supporting a scoreboard.

“We are deeply saddened to learn that the man who fell has passed away as a result of this tragic accident. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family,” said Nolan Ryan, Rangers CEO and president.

It is routine for players to throw balls that are out of play into the stands.

“As anyone would be, Josh is very distraught about this, as the whole team is,” Ryan said.

Stone was treated by Rangers medical personnel before being taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.

The Rangers’ TV broadcast did not show the incident, but the A’s broadcast did, returning to it during a break in the action on the field.

Ronnie Hargis was sitting next to Stone, who was at the game with his young son. The men had been talking to each other before the accident.

“He went straight down. I tried to grab him, but I couldn’t. I tried to slow him down a little bit,” Hargis said.

Witnesses said the victim’s head was bleeding badly.

David Dodson was at the game with his daughter and saw the fall.

“Just as the ball hit his hand, it kind of threw him off balance and he just went head-first,” Dodson said. “It looked awful because you knew there was no way he was going to land on his feet. … The way he fell, it looked like it was just straight on his head.”

Oakland relief pitcher Brad Ziegler said he thought Stone was going to be OK after the fall because he was telling medical personnel to “please check on my son up there.”

Rangers manager Ron Washington said several players saw the incident unfold. The Rangers played the rest of the game, winning 6-0, without knowing the spectator had died.

“We knew about it, but we didn’t know exactly what had happened,” he said.

On July 6, 2010, a fan plunged 30 feet from the upper deck at the stadium while trying to catch a foul ball during a game between the Rangers and the Cleveland Indians.

That man, 25-year-old Tyler Morris of Rio Vista, landed on several people below, suffering a fractured skull and a sprained ankle.

Ryan said after last year’s accident that he thought the stadium’s railing heights were adequate.

“The ballpark was built above specs, and we feel good about that,” Ryan said.

In 1994, 26-year-old Hollye Minter of Plano fell 35 feet from the upper deck during the home opener against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Minter suffered fractured vertebrae, broken ribs and teeth, and shoulder and leg injuries.

After that incident, the Rangers raised some of the stadium’s railings and added warning signs.

Staff writer Gerry Fraley, WFAA-TV and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

2011-07-08T16:26:00.002+09:00

Man dies after falling out of stands at Rangers game

By David Brown

This kind of thing isn't supposed to happen at the ballpark.

But it has.

A man attending a Texas Rangers game with his young son died after falling out of the left-field stands and about 20 feet to the ground Thursday night.

He was trying to catch a ball flipped into the stands by Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton but apparently lost his balance and fell head-first in a space between the 14-foot outfield fence and the grandstand near the Oakland Athletics bullpen.

"We had a very tragic accident tonight and one of our fans lost their life reaching over the rail trying to get a ball," team president Nolan Ryan said. "As an organization, and as our team members and our staff, we're very heavy-hearted about this, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family."

The Brownwood (Texas) Bulletin identified the man as Shannon Stone, a lieutenant in that town's fire department and a fireman for 18 years.

The accident happened in the second inning after Oakland's Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that bounced back onto the field.

Horrifying TV replays from the Oakland broadcast show Stone positioning himself to catch Hamilton's throw, then tumbling over a railing as his young son watched. A man next to Stone tried to hold onto him, but couldn't.

It's the second fatal fall at a major league ballpark this season. In May, a fan at Coors Field fell down a stairwell and died. Also, last July at Rangers Ballpark, a fan fell 30 feet from the second deck of seats while trying to catch a foul ball and suffered a fractured skull and sprained ankle.

Ryan said Hamilton and the rest of the club were made aware of what happened.

"We spoke to the ballclub, they understood what has happened and we spoke to Josh," Ryan said. "I think as any of us would be, Josh is very distraught over this, as the entire team is."

What must be going through the mind of not only the boy, but also Hamilton? Obviously, what happened wasn't his fault but it would only be human nature to feel guilty. And, as most fans realize, Hamilton is quite human.

The other players were taking it hard as well:

Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler was in tears after the game when he found out the man had died.

"They had him on a stretcher. He said, 'Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.' The people who carried him out reassured him. 'Sir, we'll get your son, we'll make sure he's OK,"' Ziegler said. "He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he's not, it's just tough."

This has to be the saddest possible event at a baseball game. A man goes to a ballgame with his son — it's the ultimate American experience — and he dies trying to catch a ball. It's hard to comprehend.

As for the need to raise the railings, or not throw balls into the stands ... that's the crazy part. How many thousands of games happen where nobody gets hurt, and now this?

Maybe more cogent thoughts will come to me in the morning.

Fan dies after falling from stands at Rangers game

By STEPHEN HAWKINS, AP Sports Writer

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP)—A man attending a Texas Rangers game with his young son died after falling out of the stands and about 20 feet to the ground while trying to catch a baseball tossed his way Thursday night, the Rangers and Arlington fire officials said.

Arlington Fire Department officials said in a statement that another fan nearby tried unsuccessfully to grab the man to keep him from falling. They said the victim’s son did not fall.

“We had a very tragic accident tonight and one of our fans lost their life reaching over the rail trying to get a ball,” team president Nolan Ryan said. “As an organization, and as our team members and our staff, we’re very heavy-hearted about this, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.”

A very somber Ryan didn’t get into details about the accident or release the man’s name.

Ronnie Hargis was sitting in the stands at Rangers Ballpark next to the victim. The men were talking to each other before the accident.

“He went straight down. I tried to grab him but I couldn’t,” Hargis said. “I tried to slow him down a little bit.”

TV replays showed the man falling head-first and landing behind a 14-foot-high wall supporting a video board for replays and scores. The area where the man fell is out of sight from the field.

It is the second fatal fall at a MLB ballpark this season. In May, a 27-year-old man died after he fell about 20 feet and struck his head on concrete during the seventh inning of a Colorado Rockies game. Witnesses told police that the man had been trying to slide down a staircase railing at Coors Field and lost his balance during a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The accident in Texas occurred in the second inning after Oakland’s Conor Jackson hit a foul ball that ricocheted into left field. Josh Hamilton, the reigning AL MVP, retrieved the ball and tossed it into the stands. Replays on Oakland’s television broadcast show the man reaching for the ball and apparently catching it before tumbling.

“We spoke to the ballclub, they understood what has happened and we spoke to Josh,” Ryan said. “I think as any of us would be, Josh is very distraught over this, as the entire team is.”

The Rangers clubhouse was closed to reporters after the game.

Replays on Oakland’s television broadcast show the man reaching for the ball and apparently catching it before falling.

The visitor’s bullpen at the stadium is in left-center field. Athletics reliever Brad Ziegler was in tears after the game when he found out the man had died.

“They had him on a stretcher. He said, ‘Please check on my son. My son was up there by himself.’ The people who carried him out reassured him. ‘Sir, we’ll get your son, we’ll make sure he’s OK,”’ Ziegler said. “He had his arms swinging. He talked and was conscious. We assumed he was okay. But when you find out he’s not, it’s just tough.”

There was an audible gasp in the stands when the man tumbled over the rail, eerily similar to an accident last July when a man fell about 30 feet from the second-deck of seats down the right-field line while trying to catch a foul ball.

Before the Rangers batted in the second, manager Ron Washington spoke briefly with one of the umpires. Michael Young, who was leading off the inning, could be seen talking to A’s catcher Kurt Suzuki and pointing toward the area where the previous accident happened.

Former president George W. Bush was sitting in the front row with Ryan near the Rangers when the accident happened. Ryan left moments later while Bush remained in the seats.

Ryan said the former president, who used to be the team’s managing general partner and is a frequent visitor to Rangers games, was aware of what was happening.

Hargis’ daughter said the victim’s head was bleeding badly.

Safawna Dunn, who was sitting behind the victim, said he appeared to have injuries to both arms and was conscious when taken away on a stretcher.

“Josh Hamilton tried to throw (the ball) up to the guy because they were yelling for the ball,” Dunn said.

Last July at Rangers Ballpark, a fan fell 30 feet from the second deck of seats at Rangers Ballpark while trying to catch a foul ball. That fan, Tyler Morris, suffered a fractured skull and sprained ankle.

After Morris was hurt last year, he called the incident a “100 percent, total accident that could have happened to anybody.” He said he didn’t blame the Rangers or the ballpark.

Ryan said it was too early to talk the two accidents and what evaluations the team might make about railings at the stadium.

“Tonight, we’re not prepared to speak about anything further than the accident and the tragedy,” Ryan said. “That’s where I’m going to leave it.”

AP freelance writer Ken Sins contributed to this report.

2011-07-05T10:01:00.001+09:00

Opinion
July 4, 1939 -- ALS, Lou Gehrig and Me

By Fay Vincent

On July 4, 1939, at Yankee Stadium, before a full house, Lou Gehrig stood in front of a microphone and announced he was “the luckiest man alive.” His somber teammates were lined up behind their captain and stellar first baseman. One of them, Tommy Henrich told me Gehrig had not planned to speak but changed his mind and broke the hearts of all who heard him. Henrich never forgot seeing Babe Ruth crying openly when he came over to hug Lou after the brief talk.

Just a few months earlier Gehrig had been forced to break his remarkable record of consecutive games when his powerful frame began to fail. His speech is still well known as the defining act of a remarkable baseball legend. Gehrig’s talk was emotional because everyone knew he was seriously ill—fans were told he had a form of “polio”-- and though his disease was then not as well understood as it is today, the public and his teammates knew he was not ever going to play again.

When he died a few years later, the disease-- amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-- was named and is still known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” Ever since then, baseball and that debilitating disease have been closely linked.

My school classmate and friend Franz Opper was born on that Fourth of July in 1939 and many years later, in the midst of a busy career in Washington as an official at the SEC and on the staff of Congress, he learned he had ALS.

He and his wife Barbara stoutly confronted the illness and for many years Franz kept up a lively correspondence with me in which his letters never betrayed his declining health. When I was elected baseball Commissioner the letters took on a baseball flavor as Franz began to give me baseball advice. The letters were fun to read, full of wit and wry comments. And then came one with a serious request.

Franz asked me to try to arrange for him to come to Yankee Stadium for one final baseball game. He and Barbara knew their request was a challenge in light of what had become by then his complete disability. He was totally inert on a respirator unable to move any part of his body. He could only blink. He was able to communicate as his nurse help up the alphabet and pointed to the letters in turn until he blinked at the one he wanted to use to spell out a word. His letters were the product of determined and tedious effort.

I agreed to try to help and turned to George Steinbrenner the owner of the Yankees for assistance. And here comes a story about George that is witness to his generosity to those with acute needs. When I explained what Franz had asked and the many complexities the Yankees organization and I would have to face if we were to proceed, George was immediately supportive. “It is not going to be easy for us and him,” he responded, “ but we will help all we can.”

That was all I needed and with the deft cooperation of the Yankees, we brought Franz to a final game at the Stadium. His bed had to be tilted so he could see the field from the owner’s office Steinbrenner had made available but somehow we managed. The logistics effort was considerable but the touching letter I later received from Franz made it all worthwhile.

When I called George to thank him, he shrugged off my profuse appreciation –“I am glad it worked out for him.” I had the sense he was a bit embarrassed by letting me see his gentle side. This was not as well-known as the tough guy side. But I never forgot what he had made possible for my friend Franz.

Not long after the baseball visit, Franz died. He had endured many years of total paralysis, but never lost his good cheer.

It is impossible not to think of Franz when I see a tape of that memorable Gehrig speech at Yankee Stadium on the day he was born.

Interestingly, George Steinbrenner was born on the fourth of July as well.

It is often said baseball brings generations together. In baseball, Franz, George and I came together briefly. On this Fourth of July I will remember them and Gehrig and ALS. Presiding from the poet-- Life like baseball is a series of tragedies separated by times of sheer joy.

Fay Vincent is a former CEO of Columbia Pictures Industries and from 1989-92 served as the Commissioner of Baseball

2011-07-04T07:19:00.001+09:00

Thanks Runs Forever” — Korean War Photo Exhibit in Daejeon

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Jeffrey

There’s a Korean War photo exhibition outside Daejeon Train Station which thanks the 67 UN member governments that supported the Korean War (16 nations sent troops to Korea; another 5 provided medical assistance).

This is a period of remembrance, this past Saturday was the 61st anniversary of the start of the Korean War and next Tuesday is the 61st anniversary of The Battle of Osan and Task Force Smith. Next month, on July 27th is the anniversary of the Armistice.

It was something to see all these flags flapping in the breeze today as well as all the photographs of significant moments during the war (with English and Korean captions).

2011-06-24T09:47:00.000+09:00

The drafting of Len Bias: An oral history

By Kirk Minihane

Twenty-five years later, the drafting of Len Bias remains a hot topic among Celtics fans. (AP)

We all know what happened after the Celtics drafted Len Bias.

The death of Bias has virtually turned into an industry. Documentaries, magazine articles, Internet sites and even books have covered the subject to the point where it seems that there is nothing left to say or write. Everybody knows what happened and what it meant to the Celtics and the NBA.

But in this oral history, we instead decided to focus on how the Celtics -- just a couple of days removed from winning an NBA title -- were able to draft Len Bias on June 17, 1986.

It all started in October of 1984. The Celtics were four months removed from their 15th NBA title, and were -- at the very worst -- co-favorites win again in 1984-85.

Jan Volk, Celtics general manager (1984-97)

We had won a championship. Gerald Henderson had started with us -- he and Dennis [Johnson] were our starting backcourt. Danny was our third guard. And now Gerald's contract was up. He wasn't holding out in the sense that he had a contract, he didn't have a contract, we just couldn't agree on a contract. About halfway through training camp, we did in fact reach agreement on a contact which was in large part close to what we had been offering. We had our best offer out there and weren't going to be able to do much with it.

Gerald Henderson, Celtics guard (1979-84)

It was pretty much the same stuff everyone goes through with contracts. We wanted more money, they didn't want to pay. We came to agreement, and Jan Volk decided that he wanted to move in another direction after we signed that contract.

Jan Volk

Gerald came in during the course of training camp and one of the things that we saw in that context was that Danny [Ainge] played better as a starter, both better than he had as a third guard and better than Gerald. We envisioned that they would probably switch spots, with Gerald coming in as a backup, though to say just a backup role minimizes it.

Gerald Henderson had just finished his fifth season in the NBA -- all with the Celtics -- and 1983-84 was his most productive year, as he set career highs in points per game (11.6) and assists per game (3.8). A very nice role player on a championship team? Sure. But at age 29, it was clear that he wasn't going to be more than that and the Celtics knew it. But they weren't looking to trade him until the phone rang a couple of days after inking Henderson to a three-year, $900,000 deal.

Jan Volk

We signed Gerald on a Thursday, very late in the day on Thursday [Oct. 11, 1984]. The team was in Texas playing two games on the road. Gerald met the team in one of those cities, played the weekend games, I don't know. On Monday, during the day, I got a call from an Eastern Conference general manager, someone I knew quite well.

He asked, 'So what did you finally sign Henderson for?' And that is information that he could get, and I told him. He said, 'That's a very fair contract.' I told him I thought it was right. He said he saw how well Ainge was playing and if we were willing to move Henderson they'd give us a first-round pick for him. I said, well, OK, thanks.

I'm thinking, wow, a first-round pick, that's pretty good. If we decide that's what we want to do, in terms of moving him to a third guard, that might be a pretty good thing to consider. I immediately got Red, K.C. Jones and Jimmy Rodgers on the phone on a conference call and we all agreed that this was something that we should pursue. But not with them, we didn't want him in our conference.

Pat Williams, 76ers general manager (1974-86)

Gerald Henderson was a nice player and very nice young man. But I'm not sure -- at that point in his career -- he was worth a first-round pick, at least not where the pick turned out to be.

Jan Volk

The question was: Where could he could go that he could be out of conference and with a team where the draft pick is going to be meaningful in the next year or two?

We were now in the fall of 1984, I went to two clubs -- Seattle was one, I'm not going to tell you the other, that were also in the Western Conference and we felt had a good chance of being in the lottery and being a quality pick.

We got offers from both of them -- I got offers from Seattle and the other team -- and they both offered a first-round pick. One offered it in 1986 and Seattle initially offered it in 1987. I would have taken the 1987 pick with Seattle because they looked like they were going to be less successful in the next two years, but they were more likely to be good in two years than in one year, we could predict one year with better certainty. So I really wanted the 1986 pick, so if we had the 1986 picks of both teams I was going to take Seattle. So if Seattle offered us the 1987 I was probably going to go with the other team. I told them that, gave them a chance to think about it.

Five minutes later they came back and said they would give us the '86 pick.

That conversation [with the Eastern Conference GM] came in on a Monday. I think the trade was done on Tuesday.

Gerald Henderson

I was very disappointed to be traded. I felt a bit betrayed. I signed a contract and thought I was going to have a nice, long relationship. I thought I was going to be part of the organization. I guess Volk thought he was going to be a hero.

So it was the SuperSonics, a team that was five years removed from an NBA title and at the time of the Henderson deal were coming off of a 42-win season and first-round playoff loss to the Mavericks.

Glenn Walker, SuperSonics beat writer, Seattle Times (1982-99)

This was a team in a complete state of flux. They had an NBA title in 1979, and had stayed with that group way too long.

The Sonics won 31 games in 1984-85, Henderson's first season with the club, and suddenly the first-round pick a year away looked to have a real shot of being a lottery selection.

Jan Volk

We started looking at a more elite group of players with the expectation that we might act upon them.

Gerald Henderson

The culture in a winning organization is so different from one in a losing organization. Just the way people are, they way they think about things. It was just different in Seattle. It wasn't the same. Even the referees treat you differently. It was night and day.

Jan Volk

We looked at the SuperSonics every day [during the 1985-86 season]. Every day. We tracked them, I was very interested in them. Ownership would also do the same.

Glenn Walker

I do remember it being tumultuous. Lenny Wilkens had lost control of the team the year before [1984-85 was the last year for Wilkens as head coach of the SuperSonics. He moved to the GM position in 1985-86 and Bernie Bickerstaff took over as coach].

In 1986 it just all went in the shi--er. They were really unathletic, slow, unentertaining.

When you look back on the trade, I think they were looking for a fix, which Henderson obviously wasn't.

Jan Volk

He was a starting guard on a championship team and there's a lot of cache that goes with that.

Glenn Walker

Franchises can spin things any way they want, you know? I think they were trying to bring him in as incoming hero, he just won a championship. Gerald Henderson just wasn't that player.

Jan Volk

Maybe we win the 1985 championship if he plays, I don't know. Who knows? Quinn [Buckner] didn't play well, we brought in Ray [Williams] and we was very good at times and not so good at times. Kind of what the knock on him was everywhere else. Inconsistent.

Gerald Henderson

I can't say if I was missed or not, but I do know that they didn't repeat as champions the next year.

The SuperSonics finished the 1985-86 season with a 31-51 record, second-worst in the Western Conference. That meant the lottery for the Celtics and the chance to land one of the elite college prospects, a group that most felt included Brad Daugherty of North Carolina, Chris Washburn of North Carolina State, William Bedford of Memphis State and Len Bias, a forward from Maryland and former counselor at Red Auerbach's basketball camp.

If the Lakers were now the main rival of the Celtics, the Sixers still weren't far behind. And thanks to a 1979 trade with the Clippers that sent Joe Bryant (yup, Kobe's dad) to San Diego for a 1986 first-round pick, the Sixers were another playoff team with a spot in the lottery.

Pat Williams

There we sat. They kept pulling those cards and it came to Boston and Philly, the two rivals. And they pulled the Boston card and I prevailed. I remember my greatest joy was finally over and I could get away from under the cloud of Red's cigar smoke. I was about to choke, so I took a deep breath and chipped a tooth.

Jan Volk

We were very happy, we knew that we were going to get an impact player. There were two impact players, and we knew that we were going to get one.

Pat Williams

It was a funny draft. Brad Daugherty was the big guy, but there were questions about him. Was he tough enough?

Jan Volk

The word was that he was soft. And that was only because of the way he looked and it turned out to be wrong.

Rick Weitzman, Celtics scout (1982-97)

I have to admit that I did [think Daugherty was soft] to a degree. North Carolina's system was a lot different than anybody else. It was tough to tell how good a North Carolina player would be at next level, the system hid a lot of things.

The Celtics liked Daugherty, thought he would be a solid NBA center, and would have been content if he was the best player available at the No. 2 spot. But it was Bias who was the player the Celtics -- a franchise still run by Red Auerbach -- coveted.

Jan Volk

We knew Bias, he was very well known. It gives way too much credit to our strategic planning to suggest that when we made the trade in October of '84 we knew that Bias would our guy in June of '86. We couldn't have known that.

Rick Weitzman

Bias was a counselor at Red's camp. We had seen him often. Red had a relationship with [Maryland basketball coach] Lefty Driesell. Now, it's a lot different than today. Fewer scouts, the technical resources were not there, It was just a different process back then.

Jan Volk

Bias liked to play, he played really hard, and he was downright mean. Just a mean player. If you looked at Daugherty being soft -- which he wasn't -- this guy was the antithesis. He was hard as a rock, tough. If you go back and look at our scouting reports you will see a number of characterizations comparing him to Michael Jordan. Now Michael Jordan had not reached the iconic stature that we know now, this was after two years. The characterization was: Michael Jordan, only bigger, with a better outside shot and doesn't go to the hoop quite as well.

Rick Weitzman

He was a unique as a player. Bias was so gifted athletically, 6'8 with that body, athletic, could jump, could play inside and top it off with that he had a very, very good perimeter game. He was the whole package physically, an incredible skill level. He just did all the things on the court that you wanted a player to do.

Paul Williams

We knew how talented Bias was, there was a lot of potential with him.

But the Sixers never brought in Bias for a pre-draft workout, a scenario that would seem impossible today. In fact, Daugherty -- a player they were admittedly cool on -- was the only player who worked out for the Sixers.

Why?

Pat Williams

Jack McMahon was our longtime scout. I said to him, 'What about Bias? Should we bring him in?' He said no. He said he wouldn't draft him. I said, 'Really, we won't consider him?' He said no. I said, 'Jack, tell me why.' He said, 'There's something about him that bothers me.' That was all he would say.

Jan Volk

That surprises me. I'm surprised that they didn't look further. If they were not interested in Bias, it's kind of an interesting position given that Bias was a very intriguing player. I wonder if they knew more than they were saying.

Pat Williams

For us, it was the wrong year to win the lottery. It was just a different field and we could not get comfortable. And we leaned so heavily on Jack, he was our eyes and ears. He just didn't like Bias and none of us were enamored with Daugherty.

Jan Volk

Now, when we got the No. 2 pick, we immediately concluded Bias was our guy. If we had the first pick we would have taken Bias. Red at the forefront had decided that we were going to take Bias regardless of we had the first or second pick.

Rick Weitzman

Red would have said Bias and that was all that mattered. None of us had any objections to taking Bias, and none of us spoke negatively about Bias at all. And Red wanted to hear what you had to say, whether it was positive or negative about any player.

Jan Volk

Larry [Bird] was thrilled with the idea of playing with Bias. He thought that would extend his career. And it probably would have. Bird saw him at camp, he knew what he was. Larry was very astute. I know Larry thought that was a really good short and long-term opportunity for the Celtics and that the short term was going to benefit him as a player.

Larry Bird, Celtics forward (1979-92)

The two college players that I can remember Red talking about were [Ralph] Sampson and Bias. He really thought Bias was going to be great. Maybe he would have been.

Jan Volk

We didn't bring Daugherty in [for a pre-draft workout]. We did not bring Daugherty in because Dean Smith did not want him in Boston. We did not have -- this was the era of salary cap, there was no rookie scale, a rookie could only get a minimum unless you were under the cap, and Dean Smith wanted Daugherty to go to a team that was under the cap so he could get money immediately. And we were not in a position to do that. We would have still drafted him if Bias had been picked, it would have changed the dynamic.

There was a hard white snow falling on the NBA by the late 1970's. And as much as Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and the "NBA: It's Fantastic" ads changed the public image of the league, cocaine was still very much a factor in the NBA. And the cocaine era was about to be defined by the Class of 1986.

Gerald Henderson

In the 1980's, drugs were everywhere. And not just in the NBA or with the Bias stuff, it was all over the country. The Bias incident wasn't something that just appeared out of nowhere.

Pat Williams

Now we are deep in the drug draft. Here comes Chris Washburn, here comes William Bedford, here comes Roy Tarpley. And as it turns out, Bias. It was a very scary group. In those days we weren't up to date on the drug thing, it was still very early. As NBA people we didn't understand it at all. If we did, none of those people would have been drafted.

We sat at meetings and discussed all the players. Washburn, Bedford, there were so many rumors all around those guys. There was just a haze around them. And we were naive, we didn't know what it all meant. But we knew that there was something going on with those guys that wasn't good. So we just passed.

Jan Volk

We brought Bias in, worked him out, we gave him a physical, we gave him a drug test. We were at that point where we were doing that. It was the first year we did it, as I recall. As it turns out, we violated the CBA in doing so. Unintentionally.

Yes, he passed. I'm not going to get into that. But Bias passed the drug test. I don't think you'll find anybody who said they knew there were drugs.

Wayne Embry, Pacers consultant

We saw Bias play, he was a terrific player. Some of his character issues were a concern. We had heard about character issues, so Indiana had no interest in him.

Pat Williams

Chuck Person was out. We had Barkley there, he had been at Auburn with Person and we had heard the two didn't get along all that well. We passed on Person.

Jan Volk

We weren't interested in Kenny Walker. He went fifth, which was really high.

Rick Weitzman

Again, things were not the same back then as they are today in terms of the [drug] situation, but we were well aware of the stuff surrounding Washburn.

The Celtics elected not to bring in Roy Tarpley or Chris Washburn for pre-draft workouts, but did bring in center William Bedford, who had led Memphis State to a Final Four in 1985 and averaged 17.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and three blocked shots a game in 1986.

Jan Volk

We did bring Bedford in, and reached the same conclusion with him (as with Washburn). I'm not going to get into the details. One, I don't remember them well enough to do justice, and two I'm not going to disparage them.

So the Celtics were done. It wasn't going to be Kenny Walker, or William Bedford, or Chris Washburn or Roy Tarpley. They wanted Bias. The Sixers, though, were about to throw a massive curveball. This was a team, remember, that won 54 games in 1985-86, with Charles Barkley as an emerging superstar and Moses Malone -- a season removed from First-Team All-NBA and still only 30 years old -- coming off a 23-10 season. They seemed to be in a similar situation to the Celtics, a chance to use a lottery pick to add a nice price for the future while staying relevant in the title picture.

But the Sixers instead elected to completely change the look of the team, making two trades the night before the draft that ultimately served as the domino that sent the franchise on a decade and a half path of mediocrity.

After turing down an offer from the Pistons of Bill Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson and Kelly Tripucka for Moses Malone and the No. 1 pick, the Sixers traded Malone -- who had finished 10th in the MVP voting in 1986 -- 1985 first rounder Terry Catledge and a pair of future first rounders to Washington for Jeff Ruland and Cliff Robinson.

And just a few minutes later the Sixers made the Moses Malone deal, they traded away the pick they were could never get comfortable with.

Pat Williams

No one was sold on Daugherty. Turned out we were wrong on that. But we had a chance to get Roy Hinson, who looked like a very, very solid NBA player So we pulled the trigger, sending the pick to Cleveland for Roy Hinson.

Mike Bruton, 76ers beat writer, Philadelphia Inquirer (1982-2001)

As a reporter, I'm sitting there trying to evaluate why Pat Williams and Jack McMahon -- who was a very good personnel guy -- would they go with this gut feeling type thing. That Daugherty was soft. That was the off the record thing they kept saying. That he was soft. It's too vague.

Pat Williams

Don't forget that Cleveland kicked in $800,000, which appealed very much to our ownership group.

Mike Bruton

I think the financial part was almost a fig leaf, almost a 'look at what we did' because of the displeasure of not keeping Brad Daugherty. The fans were really unhappy about that. I don't the team was in any financial distress, and they knew that the trade was a controversial move.

Pat Williams

At least Hinson -- this was our thought -- had played a couple of years, was a proven NBA player, he was 24 years old. So we went that way. Turns out he was injury prone and never did much for the 76ers.

Jan Volk

Very surprised, I was very surprised, I think Red was very surprised. I remember that morning being quite concerned that it was done specifically to jump over us and get Bias.

Rick Weitzman

We were pretty certain that if Philly had gone first pick they would have gone with Daugherty. I remember the morning of the draft, I talked to Red, asked him what happens if the Cleveland takes Bias. He told me that we would take Daugherty and that solves that.

Wayne Embry

I had already agreed to take over [as Cavaliers GM] job after the draft. There wasn't going to be a conflict [with the Pacers] because we had the fourth pick and Cleveland had the eighth pick. So I called Cleveland and told them I wouldn't participate in the draft. But later that evening, [Cavaliers owner] Gordon Gund called and said that they were in the process of possibly obtaining the first pick in the draft with a trade with Roy Hinson. Later that night or the next morning, I was asked who we should take. I told them it had to be Brad Daugherty. There were questions in the room, maybe it should be Len Bias. I said 'draft Brad Daugherty, he's the best player in the draft.'

Jan Volk

Red picked the phone up that morning and called [Cavs GM] Harry Weltman in Cleveland to find out what he was planning to do. Weltman said, 'We're picking Daugherty.' I can't say this with complete certainty but I think Red said -- with a little smile -- 'That's exactly what I would do too. I understand.'

Madison Square Garden hosted the 1986 NBA Draft on June 17. TBS covered the event, and both Marty Blake -- the Director of Scouting Services for the NBA -- and Georgetown coach John Thompson (a close friend and former player of Red Auerbach's) both predicted on air that the Celtics would draft William Bedford, not Bias.

After the the Cavaliers picked Daugherty, Red Auerbach called the Celtics representative at Madison Square Garden. And just a minute later, David Stern made the announcement.

The Boston Celtics select Len Bias, from the University of Maryland.

Jan Volk

What better situation for someone to come in as the second pick in the draft? To come in and play with a team that just won the championship and looking to him to come in and be a transition to the future. It was the perfect situation.

He wanted to be here, he really wanted to be here.

2011-06-24T09:46:00.000+09:00

The life and loss of Len Bias, 25 years later

By Kelly Dwyer

Twenty-five years ago, the Boston Celtics lucked into the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, even after coming off a championship season with a team that many consider to be the greatest of all time. They used the pick to select Maryland's Len Bias, who died two nights after the draft following a cocaine overdose. It's been 25 years, and his story won't ever stop being as sad as it was the night of his death.

Boston's front office took advantage of a desperate Seattle SuperSonics club that overrated fringe Boston starting guard Gerald Henderson (notes), dealing the off guard to Seattle for a lottery pick that ended up ranking second just behind Philadelphia's top overall pick. Philly was no slouch itself, three years removed from a championship, and it lucked into the top pick in the draft as a result of a seven-year old trade that dealt Joe "Jellybean" Bryant (Kobe's father) to the Los Angeles Clippers. And this is all just four years removed from the Los Angeles Lakers trading their way into taking James Worthy first overall, coming off of their own championship. In 1986, the rich were getting richer.

The rich, in 1986, were also using their riches on copious amounts of recreational drugs, and the NBA and its newest draftees were not immune. Bias could have been the link to several more Boston championships, or (far less likely) he may just have been a another nice player on Boston's roster. Whatever the NBA outcome, the loss of the young man was unnecessary, and 25 years later it's still a heartbreaking tale to reflect back upon.

But moving through the heartbreak, WEEI's Kirk Minihane has put together a must-read oral history detailing the lead-up to the Bias draft, and the fallout that came after Len's needless death. There's too much great stuff here to slough off with one pull quote, but I should offer one surprising anecdote from the era, one that saw the team with the top pick pass on even working out one of the top prospects available, in a draft that had a clear but not obvious first overall selection in Brad Daughrety.

From the piece:

But the Sixers never brought in Bias for a pre-draft workout, a scenario that would seem impossible today. In fact, Daugherty -- a player they were admittedly cool on -- was the only player who worked out for the Sixers.

Why?

Pat Williams

Jack McMahon was our longtime scout. I said to him, 'What about Bias? Should we bring him in?' He said no. He said he wouldn't draft him. I said, 'Really, we won't consider him?' He said no. I said, 'Jack, tell me why.' He said, 'There's something about him that bothers me.' That was all he would say.

Jan Volk

That surprises me. I'm surprised that they didn't look further. If they were not interested in Bias, it's kind of an interesting position given that Bias was a very intriguing player. I wonder if they knew more than they were saying.

Pat Williams

For us, it was the wrong year to win the lottery. It was just a different field and we could not get comfortable. And we leaned so heavily on Jack, he was our eyes and ears. He just didn't like Bias and none of us were enamored with Daugherty.

There's a lot of that in this piece. Wayne Embry, then working as a consultant for the Indiana Pacers, also pointed out that Indiana didn't even consider trading up for nor drafting Bias had he fallen to them at the fourth spot in the draft. Bias wasn't regarded as a head-case, or someone dealing with noted drug issues. He even passed what was an illegal drug test with the Celtics prior to the draft. But there were whispers, and rumors.

And, in the days following the draft, the passing of a potentially great player and person that resonates to this day.

Put down the mock drafts, on this Thursday, and take in Minihane's documentation. You'll be glad, if also sad, that you did.

2011-06-24T08:11:00.000+09:00

Dallas Mavericks

The Top 5 Worst Draft Picks in the History of Your Dallas Mavericks

By Richie Whitt

Coulda been Kobe

Determining the best Mavs' pick of all-time is simple: Dirk Nowitzki.

You know the story. In 1998 then-general manager Don Nelson took the giant German in a draft-day switcheroo with the Milwaukee Bucks for the late, not-so-great Robert "Tractor" Trayor.

Just a week after their championship parade climaxed in the same building, tonight at American Airlines Center the Mavs will have the 26th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.

Dallas has to plan for the July 1 lockout, re-sign free agents Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea all the while trying to save some pennies for 2012 free agents such as Chris Paul, Dwight Howard and Deron Williams.

But first, they must make a pick that stays off this list of laughable misses. And even though he amassed more NBA Finals' tattoos (1) than playoff minutes (0), no, last year's top pick Dominique Jones doesn't sneak among the worst.

5. Chris Anstey -- Hyped by Nelson as the "best running big man in the NBA", the Australian 7-footer was an absolute joke as the 18th pick in '97 (the Mavs actually acquired him in a draft-day trade with Portland for Kelvin Cato). Too skinny and embarrassingly unskilled, he started just 23 games in three seasons before going back Down Under to, we can assume, run. Mavs' should've taken Stephen Jackson, or even Bobby Jackson.

4. Randy White -- Pegged as the next Karl Malone as a power forward out of Louisiana Tech, the 8th overall pick in '89 fell flat. In five seasons he never averaged more than 9.7 points per game. Mavs could've taken Shawn Kemp, Mookie Blaylock or Vlade Divac.

3. Bill Garnett -- A stiff, white, horrible power forward from Wyoming, the No. 4 overall pick in '82 simply couldn't play at the NBA level despite the amazing "character" so praised by then-GM Norm Sonju. Somehow the Mavs ascended to '80s greatness despite this botched pick that should've been Fat Lever or Ricky Pierce.

2. Leon Smith -- A year after landing Dirk, Nellie went absolutely nuts and drafted an immature, unpolished Chicago high-schooler with mental problems. Drafted 29th overall in '99, Smith never played a game in a Mavericks' uniform and only 15 overall with the Hawks and Sonics. Meanwhile, 28 picks later, the Spurs selected Manu Ginobli.

1. Samaki Walker -- Needing a power presence to supplement The Three Js (Jason Kidd, Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn), the Mavs took the Louisville power forward with the 9th overall pick in '96. Walker played only three years in Dallas, but produced a 10-year career punctuated by starting 63 games on the Lakers' championship team in '02. Drafted after Walker: Peja Stojakovic (15th), Steve Nash (14th) and a guy named Kobe Bryant (13th).

The final cut

9/11 part 4

9/11 part 3

9/11 cartoons part 2

9/11 comics.part 1

update from thr church....

well, that sure didnt go as I hoped it woud.

Where Does Derek Jeter Rank On The List of Greatest Yankees Ever?

6. Yogi Berra

5. Derek Jeter

4. Mickey Mantle

3. Joe DiMaggio

2. Lou Gehrig

1. Babe Ruth

Jeter homers for 3,000th hit, goes 5 for 5 in win

Jeter was destined to be a Yankee hero

Rangers fan dies after falling over fence at Rangers Ballpark

Man was reaching for ball tossed into stands by player

Man dies after falling out of stands at Rangers game

Fan dies after falling from stands at Rangers game

Thanks Runs Forever” — Korean War Photo Exhibit in Daejeon

The drafting of Len Bias: An oral history

The life and loss of Len Bias, 25 years later

The Top 5 Worst Draft Picks in the History of Your Dallas Mavericks