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You could see Joe Paterno’s entire career in the sad eyes of Jay Paterno, his son and one of his assistant coaches at Penn State. When the Jerry Sandusky matter first blew up, Jay Paterno faced interviewers not with defiance, but rather melancholy resignation. He knew what had been, he saw what was coming and he seemed to experience the slow onset of grief in front of the public over his father’s fate and legacy.
As advertising campaigns go, “Suck for Luck” is simple and effective. It has two mildly offensive elements — the word “suck” which, for better or worse, has wormed its way into everyday American discourse and seems here to stay; and the suggestion that certain NFL teams should lose on purpose in order to secure the services of Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. But for the most part, it’s catchy, and people like to repeat it.
Being George Clooney is not for the squeamish. There are the leading roles in major motion pictures, the jaw-dropping ladies, the villa on Lake Como, the cocktails with cohorts Brad Pitt and Matt Damon, the Academy Award, the humanitarian work …
Being a heartthrob to legions of young women and starring in an immensely successful series of movies might not be all its cracked up to be, although it’s safe to say most young men would love to give it a whirl. What happens when the “Twilight” fades, and the harsh glare of expectations focuses on what comes next?
If you built a movie star from scratch, he would probably possess these qualities: traffic-stopping looks, charisma, wit, character, and probably most important, the savvy to get to the top of the Hollywood heap and remain there.
I have long conversations with my Mini Cooper. Don’t tell anybody. I have a dark green one, with white roof and mirrors. It cuts a dashing figure on the freeway. People point.
From "Bridesmaids" to "The Change-Up," recent movies have dared to ratchet up the bawdiness to levels that usually were seen only in "Porky's"-style films. But in a stark departure from those locker-room peep-hole days, these films are attracting major stars, major budgets and in some cases, winning critical praise. Apparently it's acceptable to be naughty again in Hollywood.
If you had done a word association game with the name "Tiger Woods" just a short couple of years ago, you might have come up with responses such as "dominant," "champion," "majors," "winner," etc. Unfortunately, that Tiger is no longer with us.
Chances are you have a wide-screen television. That’s good, because the New York Jets and the Philadelphia Eagles will soon test the boundaries of your set with their preposterously large presences.
Journey stands as perhaps the quintessential example of rock by association.
A brief period existed in the spring of 2007 when Amy Winehouse teetered between chanteuse with a cult following, and international superstar. It was right about the time her game-changing album, “Back to Black” was released, and just before the resulting wildfire of fame engulfed her.
The first time Harrison Ford really burst onto moviegoers’ radar was as the Stetson-wearing Bob Falfa in the 1973 film “American Graffiti.” From that, he got a carpentry gig remodeling director George Lucas’ office, and as a result of that association snagged small roles in the Francis Ford Coppola films “The Conversation” and “Apocalypse Now.”
As hot button issues go, teen pregnancy probably ranks low on the U.S. list — not because of a lack of importance, but rather a dearth of attention. Young women who become pregnant and give birth as teenagers often have to endure the trials of sudden parental duty on their own, with little or no help, and generally the world around them shrugs and moves on.
Nobody likes to lose. It makes your cereal taste soggy and your bed feel lumpy. Depending on the circumstances and what's at stake, losing can remain in your system like a parasite. There is no known cure, other than to go out and win the next time around.
If the court of public opinion has a bailiff, I pity him. Imaging dealing with the outcry from the Casey Anthony trial, for instance. When you consider TV, radio and internet social media, it’s overwhelming. One item on CNN’s website said, “Online verdict buzz: Kardashian weighs in.” Well, it’s official: Everybody has an opinion on it.
Often when a dictator is removed from power, the society he presided over erases all memory of his existence there. That includes murals, statues, bobblehead dolls, images on currency, billboards and lots more. Sometimes it even happens to kings.
Admit it, you don’t trust baseball. You suspect baseball of doing things behind your back. You believe baseball might even be Tweeting photos of itself to young women. Baseball insists, “Baby, I would never cheat on you!” but somehow you’re not convinced. It has to do with that old “Fool me once …” notion. You found performance-enhancing drugs in the pockets of baseball’s suit, and the relationship has just never been the same since.
As the father of three daughters raised in the heyday of the New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys, Gordon Thompson knows a bit more about the magnetic appeal of boy bands than the average academic.
Arguably, Dirk Nowitzki is the greatest Dirk of all time. A case can be made for Dirk Bogarde, the British actor whose remarkable career thrived mostly in the 1950s, '60s and '70s and who was later knighted. But he has been out of the public eye since his death in 1999, known more for art-house fare than popular releases, and he really had no outside shot to speak of.
Like the real thing, “The Hangover” was a doozy. It stayed with audiences for days, weeks, even months. Fans woke up wondering what happened, and asking how they could experience that same level of cranial activity once again.
You’ve heard the arguments on the topic of movie franchises. They usually go something like this:
Mitch Kupchak is like the proverbial man at the circus whose job is to follow the elephants around with a shovel. In this case, the pachyderms under his authority will be harder to move.
Mark Cuban had flirtations with baseball not long ago, and like many affairs of the heart, they didn’t end well. No, Cuban didn’t stalk the Chicago Cubs or Texas Rangers afterward, or drown his sorrows in cheap whiskey while listening to old blues songs. All he did is swear off baseball. But you know how that is. A wink from an attractive new team and he’ll be smitten again.
This week we are reminded once again that our national pastime is still baseball, and not watching Roger Goodell and DeMaurice “The Lid” Smith lead groups of men down city streets, or waiting for the simmering squabble between the NBA and its Players Association to pop its top.
High-backed comfortable chairs, surround sound, cup holders built into the armrests, extra leg room, “black box” screen aspect ratio ... these are just some of the amenities offered in the modern state-of-the-art motion picture palaces.
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