The greatest sports movies of all time

I'm almost embarrassed to have watched any television at all last weekend.

It was the first really warm weekend of the year, and I did spend a little time outside, at least enough to get the lawn mowed, play some ball with the kids, and get a nice little sunburn.

But it was also a good weekend to watch some TV, especially for anyone who is a fan of sports. There was the NFL draft, covered in minutia by ESPN, a couple of Cardinals-Cubs games, and a mini-marathon of sports movies on the AMC cable channel.

I stayed up way too late Saturday night watching AMC. First was “Rudy,” then came “The Rookie.” Both are fine sports movies.

I think anyone who is a fan of sports is a fan of the sports movie. Sure, there’s been a load of duds. But there’s also been a whole lot of winners, the kind of films that capture the essence of the game, tell a good story and are worth watching over and over.

All this got me thinking about the greatest sports movies of all-time, and I decided to come up with a list of my personal favorites.

But there are a couple of caveats. For one, there are a few sports movies considered among the all-time greats that I just haven’t seen. This includes movies like “Pride of the Yankees” and “Raging Bull.” They may be great, but I just wouldn’t know.

Then, there are those so-called classics that I’ve seen, but only long after their original release, when the magic was no longer there, at least for me. This would include flicks like “Rocky” and “Chariots of Fire.” Both are fine movies, just not films I would rank among my favorites.

So what follows is what I would consider my list of the greatest sports movies of all-time (or at least of “Andy-time”). It was too hard to cut it to 10, so I'm presenting a top 12, in descending order:

12. “Seabiscuit.” The horse-racing movie, starring Tobey McGuire, is often forgotten among top sports movies, but it’s a good one nonetheless.

11. “Hoosiers.” A great underdog story, a tale of what a team can do, working together.

10. “The Rookie.” Another great underdog story. The father-son angle offers added meaning for me.

9. “Miracle.” Based on the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, this movie is special, as it is framed around one of my earliest sports memories.

8. “A League of Their Own.” As the father of a little girl who plays ball, I have to include this one. But I always find myself rooting for the little sister, rather than the Geena Davis character. Perhaps this is because I, too, am a younger sibling, and can relate to being in an older sibling's shadow.

7. “Jerry McGuire.” Really more of a romantic comedy than a sports movie, but a good supplier of catch-phrases, if nothing else.

6. “Remember the Titans.” The struggles of race relations are played out on the football field. Movie is still poignant today.

5. “Major League.” A great cast, and a very funny movie. The scene near the end when Charlie Sheen walks out as the whole stadium sings “Wild Thing” is great cinema.

4. “Rudy.” The “underdog” theme continues. It would be ranked higher if it wasn’t Notre Dame. I can’t stand Notre Dame.

3. “The Sandlot.” A story about baseball in its purest form. A great coming-of-age movie.

2. “Field of Dreams.” As a native Iowan, I obviously have an affinity for this one. Besides that, I’ve even been to the actual field. It's still there,, and it’s open to the public. You can even bring your bat and glove, and hit a few balls between the corn fields. It's not heaven, it's Iowa.

1. “Bull Durham.” This movie has it all. Great characters. Great comedy. Great storylines. It captures the essence of that wonderful world known as minor league baseball, and tells a great story along the way. I watch this one every time it comes on.

Council should resist using wrong criteria

Reading the profiles of the seven candidates for the Ward 1 opening on the Blytheville City Council in Sunday’s Courier News provided a sobering glimpse of the tremendous challenge before the council.

On Tuesday, the five sitting members of the council will pick one of those seven to serve the remainder of the term of James Sanders, who resigned his seat after being appointed Mississippi County sheriff. The good news for the council is there are a number of highly qualified candidates for the open seat. The bad news is they can only pick one.

Much has been made the last couple of weeks about the need to pick the “most qualified” candidate, or more specifically, that the selection should not be based on race alone. That is obviously the case. The color of a person’s skin no more makes him or her more or less capable of a task today than it did 100 years ago.

But among criteria council members should resist using when making their pick, race is certainly not alone. Indeed, there are other traits that council members may be tempted to place value on, which they would be better served to largely ignore.

For instance, just because a candidate may be a “lifelong” or “longtime” Blytheville resident, it doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is better qualified to serve on the City Council. There’s nothing wrong with taking pride is such a feat, mind you. But as far as being able to make decisions in the best interests of the ward and the city, people who have lived here for just a handful of years are just as capable as those who have lived here for 30 or 40.

In fact, having lived elsewhere could potentially give a candidate a leg up in the ability to do the job. Having seen how cities function elsewhere could be a benefit for a local leader. After all, there are times when the answers to our questions and the solutions to our problems exist outside the confines of our fair city.

Another factor that the council should resist weighing too heavily when making its decision is the perception of a candidate’s ability to "get along" with other council members. Whether it’s hiring subordinates or making political appointments, there is a natural tendency among us humans to pick people who agree with us. But the candidate who is most “agreeable” may not make the best city council member.

City councils — like other governmental bodies — should be places where divergent opinions are welcome. Show me a city council — or a school board, or a chamber board, or a quorum court — where the vote is always unanimous, and I’ll show you board members more interested in serving each other than their constituency.

We need people on the City Council who have new ideas. We need people who can bring new sets of eyes and new perspectives to our problems. This is the way to keep the city moving forward.

Besides that, efforts in the past by the City Council to bring “like-minded” members into the fold have kind of ended up backfiring.

The decision ahead of our City Council is an awesome responsibility. Any other time there is an opening on the council, hundreds of votes would decide who fills the seat. But this time, it will be a mere five votes that make that determination.

I don’t envy the challenge facing our council members. The decision will be straining, and no doubt whatever they decide will be met with criticism. But I urge them to be diligent, to be thoughtful, and to be courageous.

Picking one-sixth of the City Council is no easy task, nor should it be. Let's hope proper thoughtfulness goes into the decision.

Favorite shows, past and present

Wednesday is a good day, because it means “Lost” is on. It’s pretty much my favorite show these days.

Sure, it’s a bit weird, as far as TV shows go; and it’s probably more sci-fi than I would normally like. And I certainly would pity the poor soul who would start watching the show right now and even try to obtain a remote understanding of what the heck is going on. But it’s must-see TV for my wife and me, and we’ve been known have entire conversations debating what might happen in the episodes to come. We’re pretty geeky that way.

“Lost” is one of the only shows I try to watch every week. Another would be “The Amazing Race,” though that Emmy-winning reality show has lost some of its freshness the past few seasons, and if I missed an episode or two, it probably wouldn’t break my heart.

In past years, I’ve been a fan of “American Idol,” though I’m proud to say I haven’t watched a single second of the show this season. It was neat for a few years, but if you ask me, it’s kind of run its course. There’s only so long you can go on watching karaoke-esque performances and sardonic critiques from Simon.

When I think about it, there’s only a handful of television shows from my lifetime that I would truly call favorites. There are hundreds that I’ve sat through, but far fewer that I’d really rate as exceptional TV.

In recent years, “The West Wing” rates as one of the best. It was actually midway through its run before I discovered the political drama. But once I watched, I was hooked, and I was sad when it went off the air. America could use a little Jed Bartlet these days. The Bravo cable channel still airs “West Wing” reruns, and thanks to this and my handy-dandy DVR, I’ve been able to catch all the early episodes.

Another all-time favorite for me is “M*A*S*H.” I was but a child when the show aired in its original run, so it wasn’t until college that I fell in love with the show. One of the local stations used to air a “M*A*S*H Triple-Play” every weeknight, so we could catch a full 90 minutes of Hawkeye, Hot Lips, Trapper John and the rest almost every night of the week. Though it’s been 26 years since a new episode has aired, the show remains relevant today, and I’m still known to tear up when I watch the finale.

Thursday night has always been a big night for TV, and never was that more true than in the 1980s, when NBC ruled the night with the knock-out lineup of “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “Cheers” and “Night Court.” All were great, but my favorite was “Family Ties.” It was one of the last great family-based sit-coms, and much of my early political ideology was influenced by Alex P. Keaton, played memorably by Michael J. Fox.

I probably ought to throw “Little House on the Prairie” on this list as well. “Little House” is one of the first shows I remember watching religiously, usually laying on the floor with my sister, both of us in pajamas, and ready for bed as soon as the closing credits rolled. I still remember how much I hated Nellie Oleson, or “Mellie,” as I called her.

“Lost” will no doubt rate among these classics, at least for me. The producers and writers have determined there will only be one more season, once the current one is complete. And so while I am excited for each subsequent episode, I almost also a little sad, knowing that with each episode, the end is nearer.

There are times when I wish our lives weren’t as centered around the television as they are. But I’ve concluded that it’s just the way things are. No doubt we all need to get up off the couch a little more, but there’s nothing wrong with getting some quality entertainment from the tube a few nights a week, too.

Especially when there are shows like “Lost” on every Wednesday night.

Older now, but still running against the wind

Scratch one off the list.

A few months ago, I made a list of things I hoped to accomplish this year. It was one-part New Year's resolution, and one-part "ways to not waste the year away." Kind of a carpe-diem, "bucket list" for 2009, if you will.

Well, on Sunday, I ran in — and completed — my very first 5K run. And with that, I am on my way toward completing my personal agenda for the year.

I've been doing the fitness thing for about a year now, trying to eat a little better, and exercising a few times a week. But I felt like I needed an added sense of accomplishment, to do something I wouldn't have been able to have done before.

So, a few weeks ago, I threw my hat over the wall and signed up to run in a 5K. I chose a race in nearby Marion. It was labeled a "family fun run," which seemed about right for my skill level. And I figured that by April, the weather might be showing some signs of stability.

Well, I was at least half-right. The field of runners was just about perfect for me. Some old, some young; some fit, some not-so-much; some expert runners, some novices. I finished with a time of about 29:29, which was about the middle of the pack, and just a few minutes off the pace for placing in my age division.

Weather-wise, I probably could have done a little better. It was just a little windy. And by "just a little," I mean "hurricane-strength." At least it seemed that way for a while. Toward the end of the run, we had a long stretch with the wind in our faces, up a slight incline. Not fun.

Other than the wind, though, the weather was fine. Luckily, the cold front that brought January-like temperatures to the area for a few days didn't roll through until later in the evening.

My philosophy going into the race was something I had seen printed on a t-shirt: "Finishing dead last is better than not finishing. And not finishing is better than not trying." So I was pretty happy with my performance. Not only did I finish, but I had a respectable time, especially for a 36-year-old who just a year ago was a fast-food-eating couch potato. And to cross the finish line, with my family on hand cheering me on, was one of the coolest things I have gotten to do in a while.

The highlight of the day, though, might have been the 100-meter dash held for little kids. In the 7-and-under age group, my 6-year-old son, Drew, bested the entire field, taking first place. "I smoked 'em!" he said, after finishing. And in the 8-and-up division, 9-year-old Katie took third place. Had she not gotten crowded out of position at the start, I have little doubt she would have won as well.

The kids both got little plastic medals for their finish. Later, Drew said I could have his, saying "You're the winner to me, Dad."

So I guess you could say it was a good day, and I'm looking forward to doing it again sometime. It is really amazing how for 29 minutes and change, the problems of the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of my feet hitting the pavement and the wind blowing across my face. I've already perused the Internet for races in the months ahead, and there are a couple of area offerings that look promising. Maybe I'll recruit a few folks to run with me next time.

I just hope we can find a race where there's not going to be any wind.

The foolishness that once passed for normal

When I was a kid, going anywhere meant piling in the family station wagon.

It was the classic family wagon — a '75 Pontiac Catalina, complete with wood paneling on the side. If you remember the beast the Griswolds took across the country in the original “Vacation” movie — that was pretty much our family vehicle.

The wagon had three rows of seats, but we usually only used one. My mom and dad would sit up front, but the rest of the seats would usually be all folded down, so my sister and I could move throughout the rear of the vehicle. We could bring our sleeping bags and stretch out, or sit cross-legged and play a board game, at least until we figured out anything with too many movable pieces just wasn’t a good idea on a car ride. Most often, I would sit at the very front of the folded-down seats, half hanging over the front seat, so I could see where we were going and talk to my mom and dad.

If anyone today allowed their kids to do what my sister and I did in the back of a car, they would no doubt be arrested for child endangerment. Today, pretty much any parent knows that kids need to be properly restrained when riding in cars — the younger ones in car seats; the older ones at least buckled up. There is to be no roaming aimlessly throughout the rear of a car over two sets of folded-down seats.

I’m not writing this to condemn my parents, mind you. Nor is this one of those “it didn’t kill me, so what’s the big deal” columns. I’m simply remarking how times have changed. Behavior once considered perfectly normal is now widely known to be somewhat irresponsible.

In some cases, it’s utterly amazing to think of the things once considered by adults to be perfectly OK for children, which later turned out to be incredibly stupid. Perhaps the best example of this is candy cigarettes.

I used to get these all the time when I was a kid. They weren’t even all that good, but they just seemed cool, I guess. Some of them had a chalky powder on them, such that if you blew on them, the powder would fly off, resembling smoke.

Looking back, it's stupefying to me that somewhere, somebody, thought these were a good idea — and that stores actually sold them, and parents actually bought them. Sure, it makes perfect sense to get kids thinking at an early age that cigarettes are cool. It's like, "Here, kids, you can practice with these. This way you'll be ready for the real thing when you're 13." They could just have well sold us candy meth and toy crack pipes while they were at it.

You hear a lot of lip-service these days about the decline of society, and that our moral judgment is going down the tubes. And while there may be some examples of that, I think there are just as many reasons to think we’re heading in the right direction.

I mean, I think it’s a good thing that my kids are growing up in an era when their parents have been given enough information to know that they need to adhere to certain safety standards while riding in the car. I think it’s a good thing that my kids are not seeing candy cigarettes that make it look like smoking is fun every time we check out at the grocery store.

In other words, we're making progress. It’s still not a perfect world, and there are new challenges for adults and children every day. But that's the way it's always been. We just tend to forget the ills of yesterday.

I’m glad we’ve learned from the stupid things we did in the past. But I also wonder what “normal” things we’re doing right now will seem incredibly stupid in 30 years.