AFI 100: #78 - Modern Times

I admit I was pretty trepidatious about watching Charlie Chaplin's "Modern Times."  In my AFI 100 journey, I had yet to watch a old silent film.  The natural worries about 2013 attention spans and differences in humor were definitely creeping up.  I was concerned that the movie might appear boring and very alien to my tastes.

All those fears were allayed when I started the movie.  In my first viewing of Chaplin and his classic Little Tramp character, I was immediately entertained and charmed.  It turns out that Chaplin is a comedic genius whose work absolutely stands the test of time.  I found his brand of frenetic physical comedy hilarious.  The action and the jokes were enough to make up for the lack of dialogue.

This 1936 release is an interesting movie.  It's the last appearance of Chaplin's famous Little Tramp character and the last of his silent films.  By the time this film was made, "Talking" movies had been the norm for almost a decade starting with "The Jazz Singer."  So Chaplin was going against the grain by releasing a "mostly" silent film.  Although this movie contains songs, sound effects, and some sparse spoken dialogue, Chaplin was adamant that the Little Tramp did not speak.  He didn't want to destroy the mystique of the character by having him suddenly talk.  He only cheats a little when the Tramp sings a funny song of foreign worded gibberish toward the conclusion of the film.

The movie is also notable for its content.  Inspired by the setting of economic depression and struggle, Chaplin made a movie about the common man's plight during this time.  He showed how hard it was to find work, a decent home, and something to eat.  He showed a restless people who couldn't comprehend why they didn't have much while successful business people seemed unaffected.  In this regard, the film takes a very populist theme which borders on support of socialist/communist themes.  Later Chaplin himself would be targeted as a communist supporter just as his Little Tramp was mistaken as a communist labor leader in the film.

The other theme in the movie refers back to the title.  The tramp opens the movie working in a steel factory.  He works furiously on an assembly line which no doubt inspired the famous "I Love Lucy" chocolate factory episode.  He rides along and plays with artifacts of that accelerating industry age such as massive gears, switches, and levers.  A laughable moment occurs when the president of the company demonstrates an automated lunch feeder on the Tramp for efficiency sake.  Times are definitely changing, especially the advent of technology.  In a way, the film parallels the Tramp's decline with the arrival of "Talking" film technology.  There is a sad nostalgia for those glory days and an understanding that the old must ultimately give way to the new.

Ultimately, the charm, humor, and feeling carry this movie.  It's these core components that make it surprisingly fresh and timeless.  Chaplin would have been proud of his movie today because it showed those things he held very dear still matter, even in the face of the endless march of "modern" advances.


Rating: **** - Good

Highly recommended viewing.
Note: This movie is better than 2011's "The Artist", a throwback to the silent era.  "The Artist" was a good movie, but it can't capture the spirit of the originals.

AFI 100: #65 - The African Queen

Katherine Hepburn plays an English Missionary in the middle of Africa.  She is stationed there spreading the word of Christianity to a village of natives.  When her village is decimated by World War I German soldiers looking for conscripts and supplies, she joins up with Humphrey Bogart's disheveled steamboat captain, Mr. Allnut.  Bogart just wants to hide and stay out of sight until the war blows over.  The war is no concern of his and the smart money is on steering clear of trouble.  Hepburn has other ideas.  She clings to an improbable scheme meant to hit the Germans where it hurts for jolly England.  She drags a reluctant Bogart into a perilous river journey whose trials and tribulations neither could have imagined.

This movie is beautifully filmed.  Some of it was filmed on location in Africa.  The story moves along at a brisk pace.  I don't feel there are a lot of wasted scenes.  It's always nice to have a movie at or under the standard two hour running time.  Bogart and Katherine Hepburn are fantastic actors.  They have good chemistry in the adversarial relationship that later blossoms into love (think Han Solo and Princess Leia).  I also liked the pace at which their relationship developed.  I didn't feel like it was forced or rushed.

The bad thing about the movie is that it can be a bit dull at times.  It moves along like a play in one setting (the steamboat) just like Hitchcock's famous experiments with "Rear Window" and "Rope."  Also I am not sure I buy Bogart's motivation to take the river journey to blow up the German warship.  I understand that at first he just wants to humor Hepburn's character and show her how hard it will be to embark on the trip, but I am not sure his character would truly be convinced to carry on.

Overall, a good movie with two great acting legends and a good director in John Huston.  However, among the other greats in the AFI 100, I find it pretty ordinary.

Rating: *** - Average

AFI 100: #80 - The Apartment

Jack Lemmon plays C.C. Baxter, a low level corporate shrill in NYC.  Baxter works as an insurance clerk for a large company headquartered in downtown.  He's just a young kid trying to climb the corporate ladder through long hours and dedication, or so we think.  We find out Baxter has a fairly nice apartment across the street from Central Park, but he often doesn't go directly home after work.  It's not because of his dedication, but because of a strange arrangement he has made with his office superiors.  Baxter has agreed to lend out his apartment on various weekday nights as a secret home base to four different executives in the company so they can have secret liaisons with their young mistresses.

We see how much trouble this causes Baxter.  In one scene, he gets sick from sleeping out in the winter air of NYC when one of the bosses is using the apartment a little later than usual.  Then the next day when Baxter just wants to go home and recover from sickness the rest of the night, he has to work like crazy to rearrange the bosses' scheduled visits.  We see that the bosses themselves don't seem to care that Baxter's health, but rather only about their own affairs.

Besides work, Baxter also has a crush on a cute and sharp tongued elevator girl within his building.  The girl, Miss Kubelik, is played by Shirley MacLaine.

Eventually Baxter's generosity to his bosses pays off with four great recommendations from them to the director of HR.  There, the HR director, Mr. Sheldrake, played by Fred MacMurray, promotes Baxter to an office position.  However, he clever deducts why Baxter is so popular and asks to borrow the apartment himself.  The rub comes when we ironically discover that Sheldrake is using Baxter's apartment to romance Miss Kubelik.

Hijinks ensue as we see the true nature of adulterous relationships and when Baxter is ambushed by a tough situation.  Eventually Baxter has to make a decision.  What does he want more? Advancing his career or the girl of his dreams.

"The Apartment" is a good movie.  It's an interesting look into 1950s/1960s life in NYC a la AMC's "Mad Men."  Jack Lemmon does a great job portraying Baxter who is a nice, enthusiastic guy trying to find his way in the world.  Unfortunately, Baxter is too eager to please and often finds people taking advantage of his generosity and convenience.  It's gratifying to watch the film as he realizes high company positions may not be worth the price of being a pushover and losing out on what he really wants.  The movie can sometimes be sad and serious with its subject matter.  One example of this is seeing Baxter as an isolated bachelor engrossed in his work.  However, I never felt the movie's lighter mood was ever compromised.

I think ultimately people are drawn to the movie because they relate to Jack Lemmon's character.  Most of us have been in his shoes as a young professional sometimes feeling lonely and bored.

Movie Rating: *** - Average

AFI 100: #93 - The French Connection

To be honest, I have wanted to view this film for a very long time.  I was always attracted to the mystery and the thrill it seemed to promise.  It's definitely a movie people such as my dad remember and note as a good movie.

The movie stars Gene Hackman (Hoosiers, numerous other movies) and Roy Scheider (most notably Jaws) as two cops in NYC working the narcotics beat in the 1970s.  Hackman is tough guy cop Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, a reckless man who doesn't care much for doing things by the book and is relentless in his quest to bust more junkies.  Schneider plays his more reasonable partner Buddy "Cloudy" Russo.  Together they shake down low level junkies in bars hoping to get the glory of the big bust.

As the cops are cleaning up the city, they happen upon a low level criminal who seems to be involved in a large international drug deal with a French heroin magnate.  The rest of the movie chronicles the cat and mouse game as the cops shadow, stake out, wire tap the involved parties as the "bad guys" try to close the lucrative deal in NYC.

The movie shows 1970's NYC as a gritty, dirty place with subdued colors.  Along the course of the film, we begin to discover that the character of the cops matches that setting.  Doyle is relentless in his quest to bust more criminals through any means possible.  He is shown senselessly beating perpetrators during arrests and interrogations, pushing for wiretaps, shooting adversaries in the back, and being utterly destructive in the famous car chase scene.  The things he does makes civil liberties attorneys drool with anticipation.  Even his colleagues seem to think his results lack true impact and cause all kinds of collateral damage.  He is a despicable character to say the least.  In contrast, the French drug lord is suave, urbane, and sophisticated.  He is very well dressed, cultured, and surprisingly well behaved.  Therein lies the rub of the movie: Who are the good guys?  Who the bad guys? And more importantly who do you want to win in this battle of wits?

The question presented to us as viewers is that old Machiavellian one of "Do the ends justify the means?"  Can we do immoral things to punish and eliminate immoral people and activities (think US Patriot Act)?  Perhaps the most shocking question posed is "How do you feel when you pull out all the stops (thus comprising yourself), but you still come up short?"

The French Connection is a sometimes thrilling look at the world of cops and criminals.  The setting and characters are done well.  However, I was really disappointed overall with the movie.  The movie was sometimes very slow with all the stake outs and shadowing going on.  Also I was not pleased with the ending because I felt it was very abrupt and incomplete.  I don't think it's worthy of being on the AFI 100 list.

Movie Rating: ** -Bad

Movie Review Ratings

Before beginning to write out my thoughts about various movies, I will outline my rating system.  Personally, I like the five star system for rating a movie's quality.  It is as follows:

One Star * - One of the worst movies I have seen.  Don't waste precious time on this.
Example: Adam Sandler's "Just Go With It", an awful movie that made my skin crawl just watching it.

Two Stars ** - Disappointing movie.  Not good.
Example: "Public Enemies."  Just didn't click as I had hoped.

Three Stars *** - Average.  An OK movie.  Most movies fall into this range
Example: Too many to count.  I thought "The Blind Side" definitely falls into this range.

Four Stars **** - A good movie.  Well made and worth seeing in theaters
Example: "Marvel's Avengers."  Very well put together, entertaining, funny, and took super hero movies to the next level.

Five Stars ***** - Spectacular movie.  One of the best I have ever seen.  Highly recommended.  A true and often timeless classic.
Example: "Citizen Kane."  Lauded by most as the best of all time.  Watch it and you will see why.  It changed the game.

For AFI 100 movies, I will add an additional rating.  This rating is in relation to the movie being ranked on the list and follows stock analysis ratings.

Overrated - Movie is ranked too high by AFI.  Didn't live up to expectation.

Neutral - Ranked about right on the AFI list.

Underrated - Should be ranked higher.  Undervalued.

For purposes of reference, I will be using the revised 10th year anniversary AFI 100 (2007) ratings to refer to movies and their rankings.

With all that said, let's starting writing some posts.

Classic Movie Kick: AFI 100

Time to dust off this blog.  It's been a long time, but I am back and motivated to write a bit more.

Movies are a big part of our culture.  Some people are movie buffs and always see the latest flicks in the theater, while others have never seen "Star Wars" well into adulthood.

I have seen my fair share of movies, but I could never claim to be an expert on classic movies.  In years past, I was always filled with curiosity when I watched the AFI TV specials about their top 100 movies of all time.  Obviously, I had seen some of them, but many of the greatest ones were a complete mystery to me.  It had always been a goal to see more of these classics at some point in my life.

I am finally gearing up for that goal now.  After watching movies from a list off another website, I realized that many of the movies overlapped with the AFI 100.  Since I was watching a decent amount of them anyway, I figured I just start knocking off the ones I hadn't seen yet.

So in the next few weeks, I will be posting some thoughts and reviews about AFI 100 and other movies that I come across.  Hopefully it will mark a triumphant return to blogging.

The Jeremy Tyler Decision Part 1

Jeremy Tyler is not your typical high school junior. Instead of daydreaming about Prom, Graduation, and moving on to college, Jeremy is thinking about adjusting to professional adult life. Tyler is a 6-11 basketball star from San Diego who has decided to forgo his senior year of high school and become a professional basketball player internationally.

This trend began last season. Brandon Jennings, a McDonald's All American high school phenom decided to skip his freshman year of college at Arizona and play professional basketball in Italy for one year (It was said he was academically ineligible for college). Thus he could comfortably be paid while waiting out the NBA/NCAA rule of having high school seniors delay one year before declaring for the NBA draft. This year, Jennings returned to the US and was drafted 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks.

Now Tyler has taken the trend a step further. He is skipping his last year of high school to become a professional basketball player. Recently, Tyler signed a one year contract worth $140,000 to play for the Israeli team, Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Premier League. Not bad for a kid without a high school diploma.

Jeremy, who initially committed to Louisville, claimed it was time to go professional. He was tired of being hacked and triple teamed on the high school courts. The level of competition wasn't challenging, and he wanted to showcase his all around game skills rather than be planted permanently in the paint.

His bold decision tells me two things. First of all, people are willing to make daring moves just to bypass and protest the NBA/NCAA's rule of having to wait one year out of high school before entering the draft. Secondly, more than ever, American basketball is moving more and more toward a youth professional development model used in other parts of the world and in other sports.

The cause of this commotion is the fabled "One and Done" rule issued by the NCAA (College Presidents) and the NBA (David Stern). This rule is unnecessary and absurd. They claim they want to protect the kids from making mistakes. They point out that for every Kevin Garnett, there is a Korleone Young. In reality, the motivations for this rule are quite contrary. NBA veterans didn't like the flood of younger players pushing them out of the league. Also the NCAA and its College Presidents loved the fact that the "one and done" superstars would generate excitement and revenue for college basketball. This is the same NCAA who makes millions of dollars from these players and yet denies them a dime in a show of exploitation. The fact of the matter is that high school players have proven ready and able to play in the NBA. Look no further than LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, and Rashard Lewis. These players have thrived in the NBA and didn't need college basketball. If people are capable of making it at this age, then why dictate that they can't try. Last time I checked, people took responsibility for themselves and their own risks. Without this rule, we wouldn't be talking about Brandon Jennings and Jeremy Tyler. Do we really want our next generation of stars to showcase themselves while playing in Europe and Asia?

As an avid basketball fan, my answer to this question is a resounding no.

Welcome to the Sky

Most people know that I have always wanted to go skydiving. I have talked about it many times. As the years passed, I watched as acquaintances and friends went and later posted their pictures. Eventually, I grew tired of procrastinating and waiting for friends to come with me. Most people were too scared to do it, so I decided to take matters in my own hands.

Back in October of 2008, I heard that the Chicago Sports and Social Club had an outing for skydiving from a friend. I looked into it and decided to sign up. I made an early morning bus trip with tons of strangers out to the Western Suburb of Hinckley, IL, home of Chicagoland Skydiving Center. After a promising morning, clouds settled in and we never got the chance to go due to the weather. However, I had signed all the paperwork, paid all the fees, and taken the basic training. So I left with a debit like card full of my skydiving credits. It was good for one year.

For many months during the Winter and Spring I thought about that card and when I could return to make my jump. I was just waiting for favorable weather conditions.

Once May rolled around, a few things caused me to schedule my jump. First of all, my good friend, Jake, was skydiving out in Cali with his little brother. Secondly, I heard that Jay Niice and Julian from Chicago's B96 jumped over a weekend. This made me realize that I had to take action. So the next Monday, I took a break from working and called CSC. I took a chance and scheduled a jump for Sunday. I then waited nervously all week watching weather.com. The forecast was sunny, then rainy, and finally sunny again right before the big moment. I was set, there would be no weather delays this time.

I drove out to Hinckley early on a Sunday morning. I checked in at the desk and within fifteen minutes I was called out to the hanger. In a whirl of events, I was suited up, and had a harness tied around me. I briefly met my skydiving instructor and quickly had the camera man interviewing me. They joked about being scared and dying, but I was never really worried. I had dreamed about this moment on many nights. Some nights it was a pleasant freefall while other nights were terrifying nightmares. Either way I was ready.

I was quickly ushered out to the plane. It turns out that I was added last minute to a flight full of hard core jumpers. I sat in the small, cramped plane flanked by my instructor and camera man.

As the plane elevated, I watched the dial altimeter's needle slowly move. It quickly went from zero to 15000 feet. It was at this point that everything started to come together. Everyone starting filing to the front of the plane. I watched as they nonchalantly dropped out of the side door. They made it look easy. I strapped onto my instructor and we waddled to the side door. My camera man hung on to the outside of the plane, waiting for us to drop. I looked down and saw countryside way below. This was the time where most people would freeze up. The time their brains would scream "No, don't do this!" To be honest, I didn't have much time to think or resist. My instructor counted to three and before I knew it we were on our way out of the plane. It was a total shock, I couldn't quite comprehend what was happening since I was tumbling.

Eventually I came to a stable position, facing the ground. The instructor tapped my shoulder which meant I could spread my arms and legs. The feeling of flying was exhilarating. The sound of air was whisking past my ears. I was screaming and yelling, but like in space no one else could hear me. The one thing that shocked me was the fact that I couldn't really breathe. I definitely wasn't ready for that. I played around with the camera man, trying to grab his hand and use him to spin myself. It wasn't long before play time was over. The instructor showed me his digital altimeter, which meant it was time to deploy the parachute.

Now before taking off I made sure to see the bright orange ripcord handle on the instructor's hip. For the life of me, I didn't quite remember where the handle was while falling thousands of feet toward the earth. I searched for a bit and just as I saw it, the instructor pulled it. Before I knew it, I was shot upward with the parachute overhead.

I also had the preconceived notion that the parachute descent would be scary for me. I believed freefall would be less scary than being slowly suspended so high off the ground. Rather it was a peaceful journey down. I liked looking below and seeing the lay of the land as well as the other skydivers landing in the field.

Soon, the ground was closing in. I watched and realized for the first time how fast we were really descending. It was kind of scary to think how fast you fell even with a parachute on. I lifted my legs and we slid into a landing. As I sat on the ground, I was dazed and lost in a natural high. It was one of those feelings you had after being on a thrilling roller coaster. I had realized what I had just done.

Skydiving is a thrilling adventure. I am glad I did it, and I recommend it to everyone else as well.

King of Pop

Today, the King of Pop, Michael Jackson passed away.

Despite his eccentricities and scandals, there is no denying that Michael Jackson is one of the greatest music artists and performers to ever live. His resume speaks for itself. He first burst out on the scene as the precocious lead singer of the Jackson 5, displaying a powerful voice and funky dance moves. He later went solo releasing "Thriller" which is the best selling album of all time worldwide. He revolutionized music videos with long epic storylines and dance numbers as seen in the video for the "Thriller" single. His dance movies were smooth, innovative, and jaw dropping. How many people could pull off the "Smooth Criminal" lean, jumping on to their tippy toes, or 720 degree spin moves? People the world over (including myself) are still trying to figure out the moonwalk.

Michael Jackson is one of those people whose name and persona is known all over the world. His influence is readily apparent in music and popular culture. Why else would people wear white socks with high waters or single sequenced gloves? Also without Michael Jackson, there would be no Usher or Chris Brown. It's that simple. He really was larger than life.

When I look back on Michael Jackson, a few key moments will always come to mind. I will recall the little boy in hippie stylings singing "I Want You Back" (my favorite J5 song). I will remember him lighting up the floor tiles in the music video of "Billie Jean." Finally, I will always see the live performance of "Billie Jean" for Motown 25 where he first publicly busted out the moonwalk on national television.

His style, moves, and music will always live on.

Video of Motown 25 "Billie Jean" Performance

It's been awhile....

It's been awhile since I have posted to this blog. Well the good news is that I have decided to become more motivated, and I have more material to write upon.

With that said, I will start with a movie recommendation. When I took my trip to Asia, I watched a few movies. One such film was "The Express." I have seen many sports movies, and I would say this is one of the best ones. It's kind of like a football version of "Glory Road" (the second best basketball movie) since it deals with college athletics and racial issues centered upon black athletes. I liked the depiction of 50s college life and the scenes showing the football games. They were shot in a way that was not overly flashy or sensational. It had a nice balance to it. Plus the story of the first black football player (Ernie Davis) to win the Heisman trophy while gunning for the National Title held my interest.

I have one warning though. This movie is more than just about football. It is a bittersweet story of one man's life. A story that will move you and make you reflect.

Temporary Repreive

This weekend, those of us in Chicago were given a nice surprise: temperatures in the 30s and40s. For a brief moment we were treated to temperatures above the freezing point. After a long unwanted stay, the ice and snow were forced to relent. It gave us a glimpse into what Spring and Summer could bring once again.

It's amazing how things that were once mundane and taken for granted suddenly transform into being fresh and appreciated after a long absence. I mean after having to endure a temperature of -15 degrees Fahrenheit, 10 degrees Fahrenheit really doesn't feel so bad. So 40 degrees Fahrenheit felt awesome. I suppose this is what people mean by relativity. I guess going through the worst of extremes makes you realize how well you had it in the first place.

Coach Tiller

It was a cold Thursday in Chicago. Cowboy Joe was standing on the grass of Soldier Field taking a picture for the press. He was smiling and a flanked by his two greatest proteges, Drew Brees and Kyle Orton. Joe Tiller had made a postseason stop in Chicago to watch his two star pupils go head to head as NFL starting quarterbacks. He was just stopping by before he rode off into the Montana sunset.

Coach Tiller had just completed his final season as Purdue's football coach after 12 seasons. This last season had been a disappointing losing season, but Tiller went out a winner in his last game with a smashing victory over intrastate rival Indiana.

It's hard to fully appreciate the impact that coach Tiller had upon Purdue and the Big Ten. He came to a Purdue program in 1997 that had been a losing program for 13 years. He completely changed Purdue's offense from a running based attack to his fabled "basketball on grass" spread assault. This offensive makeover was seen by other coaches in the Big Ten as ridiculous. The Big Ten played in harsh weather conditions and most teams followed the "three yards and a cloud of dust" mold popularized by Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. The coaches thought Joe was crazy and that the spread would never work.

The other coaches look silly now. Boy were they wrong about Joe and his offense. After falling flat against MAC school Toledo in his first game, Purdue came out and beat out traditional power Notre Dame (Purdue had been ND's punching bag for many years) in a program changing victory. They went on in that first year to post a winning record of 8-4 and then win the Alamo Bowl. It was the first bowl game for Purdue in 13 years.

Joe furthered his success in the next few years. With little known, undersized Drew Brees as his quarterback, Tiller coached the Boilermakers to more winning seasons making the Alamo and Outback bowls. However, his crowning accomplishment came in 2000. That year Purdue beat Big Ten powers, Ohio State and Michigan, going on to become Big Ten co-champions and earning a berth to the prestigious Rose Bowl. Brees also did well that year. He was a Heisman finalist and won the Maxwell Award as Football's most outstanding player.

When Brees graduated, Tiller made tall, rocket armed Kyle Orton his quarterback. With Orton, Purdue continued to have winning seasons. They went to the Sun Bowl multiple times as well as the CapitalOne Bowl. However, they suffered a heart breaking, program changing loss against Wisconsin in 2004.

The next few years would be tough for Coach Tiller. Without a superb quarterback to lead his attack, he suffered 2 losing seasons in 4 years. He also had problems keeping players under control as many legal troubles and attitude issues ate away at his team. It was clearly the decline of his success with Purdue Football. As the pressure on him mounted, Joe agreed 2008 would be his last season before retirement. He then picked former assistant, Danny Hope, to succeed him and serve as his apprentice during the 2008 season.

Tiller left the Big Ten having opened some eyes. He had made Purdue a respectable Football team that was accustomed to winning and bowl games. In 4 seasons, he took Purdue from Big Ten cellar dweller to a Big Ten championship and a Rose Bowl berth. Also in 2008, it was noted that the stodgy Big Ten had changed a lot too. 8 teams of 11 (including powers Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State) now ran some form of the wide open spread offense. He was now known as an offensive innovator within the Big Ten conference.

As coach Tiller eases into fly fishing and retirement, I give my sincere thanks. He practically made something out of nothing with Purdue Football. He also coached many players who would go on to NFL success. Cowboy Joe will always be known as a good and beloved coach to his players and fans.

Picture Perfect

It's funny to note how people react when you tell them their picture will be taken. They usually get nervous and self conscious. The reactions span from people putting on serious faces, taking off glasses, primping and preening their hair beforehand, and even displaying real live action poses haha. Many people ask to see the picture and want another one if they feel it doesn't put their best foot forward. In a way it shows how many people are very self conscious (we all are to an extent). It also shows how we are often our own worst critics (it's not as bad as you think, really). However, the importance we put on pictures also belies the fact that in our society, perception is very key when it comes to making a favorable impression on others.

When I had my picture taken today, I am sure it wasn't ideal. However, I never think of it being that big of a deal anymore. I know that if I flash my smile, it will be good enough to represent me.

Tough as Nails: David Goggins

A few weeks back I received the latest issue of "Runner's World" in the mail. The most interesting feature of the magazine was a section entitled "Running Heroes." The section consisted of one page write ups for various running figures like distance running legend Haile Gebrselassie and Olympic sprint phenom Usain "Lightning" Bolt. Among these heroes was a person I had never heard of before. His name was David Goggins.

David Goggins is a US Navy SEAL. After experiencing the loss of a few friends in missions gone awry in Afghanistan, he decided to dedicate part of his life to raising money for the children of his fallen comrades. A highly motivated individual, David googled the "10 hardest things to do in the world" and decided he wanted to complete the Badwater ultramarathon for himself and for his charity cause.

There were a few kickers about this situation. First of all, the Badwater ultra is known as one of the toughest endurance events in the world. It's a 135 mile race held in the July heat that begins in Death Valley, California and rises in elevation up to the portal of Mount Whitney. Secondly, although David Goggins is a Navy SEAL, he had never ran a marathon, let alone an ultramarathon.

David asked the race director to let him enter the race. The director told him he needed ultramarathon experience first. So David looked quickly for his first ultramarathon race. He soon entered the San Diego 24 hour 100 miler. Despite breaking metatarsal bones in both feet and suffering kidney failure (he urinated blood), David managed to finish the 100 mile race in about 19 hours. Ten days later, he amazingly ran the Las Vegas marathon in 3:08. His career as an endurance athlete and philanthropist had begun.

David went on to place well in many races including the vaunted Badwater ultra. He even placed second in the 2006 Ultraman Championships, a double ironman race held over the course of a few days. All the while, David has raised around $200,000 for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation which provides college scholarships to the children of fallen special operatives.

A few things are evident from reading David's story and website. First of all, David is obviously extraordinary in his ability to endure and tolerate pain. He is motivated by discovering how far he can push his limits. To me, he is definitely one of the most inspiring individuals because of his toughness and his commitment to his cause.

If you would like to read more about David, check out these links:
http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/content/content.jsp?contentId=content3808
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-408--12944-0,00.html
http://the100mileman.com/davidgoggins/

Here's a link to David's charity cause, Special Operations Warrior Foundation:
http://www.specialops.org/

Chicago Marathon 2008

After a disastrous outing last October, I ran the Chicago Marathon again.

This year we were hoping for better conditions compared to the oppressive heatwave and humidity of last year. However, the race day temperature was still high since it pushed up into the 80s.

Luckily, the race organizers learned much from last year and decided to take extra precautions. For example, they increased the number of water stations from 15 to 20. This helped out a lot for dealing with the heat.

I also was smarter this year. Last year we didn't stick with a consistent pace and ended up burning out early. So this year my plan was to hang around the 4 hour 30 minute pacers. I ran with a friend from my training group and tried to stay steadily ahead or with the pacers.

My plan worked out well. Through most of the race we were a minute or two ahead of 4:30 pace. It wasn't until mile 20 or 21 that my friend had to slow down. A little bit after that I started to slow and saw some of the pacers pass me. This immediately inspired me to catch up with them. I tucked behind the pacers for most of the last 6 miles knowing if I stayed with them I would beat my goal. They only built a slight lead on me as I hit the last 2 or 1.5 miles of the race. However, I knew at that point if I could keep them in sight and run this out, I would best 4:30.

The last 2 miles were particularly brutal. I concentrated by looking at my shadow in front of me and imagining that I was keeping the shadow man running. All around me I heard people calling my name and cheering me on (I had a good marathon shirt with my name on it this year), but all I could focus on was finishing out a distance that is usually a routine run. Eventually, I turned on to Roosevelt and felt like I was running in concrete due to the slight incline. Finally I rounded the last corner and saw the finish line. That's all I needed to see. I ran out the last stretch.

I looked down at my watch and saw I finished shortly after 4:29. I had beaten 4:30, I was happy with that performance.

I want to thank all those who came to watch me on the course. I would also like to thank those who wished me well and tracked me at home. Finally I would like to thank my training group leaders and teammates. Your support means a lot to me. I couldn't accomplish this without you guys.

Thanks.

Pretty Little Hype Machine

In this day of multiple 24 hour news channels and 6 hour Super Bowl previews, one thing becomes clear to me. We live in an age where we are constantly bombarded by the modern day equivalent of "Barnum and Bailey." The media would have you believe that the hype and hoopla that surrounds an event is greater than the event itself. They try to create an environment where the slightest downturn is transformed into the deepest despair and pessimism. Meanwhile a solidly good thing is dressed up into being the greatest phenomenon since Jesus.

They like to create this roller coaster among the masses because the drama and sensationalism sells while gathering tons of viewers. This wild ride is further exacerbated due to the fact that the media holds great creditability as an official, accepted, and convenient authority about happenings in our world.

In my experience, I have found most of the jokers in the media to be pretty clueless when it comes to interpreting events or forecasting the future. In my mind, they live to stroke the flames of the herd mentality.

There is no better place to look in regards to this than the fortunes of the stock market. Back in the late 1990s and early 2000s, technology stocks were all the rage. Analysts, commentators, and hot shot fund managers told everyone that tech stocks were the only ones to own. They projected recent annual 50 percent returns well past 10 years into the future. Jim Cramer was telling everyone that the tried and true stock principles of Benjamin Graham were dead and that tech stocks were the only ones worth owning. It suddenly became fashionable to load up on fast rising stocks of companies that didn't have profitability or a good business case. The public eagerly bought in, not wanting to miss the tremendous gains. The bubble grew and grew with many people never expecting it to end. Then all the sudden, it popped. Leaving in its wake a vast destruction of wealth.

Today, we are faced with a similar situation. The housing bubble recently burst and suddenly everyone was calling in their debts. The chain reaction shut down respected brokerages like Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers. It threatened to topple giant companies like Citibank and still is a concern for the big three US automobile manufacturers. The entire market tumbled and everyone went into a panic. People were selling like crazy and were dumbfounded by their losses. Pessimism set in.

In reality, I don't believe the situation to be as bad as people or the media make it out to be. If you think things today are dire then think back to 1930s. The world was going through a Great Depression where people drifted through the countryside exchanging a day's work just for food. We haven't reached that point.

Also you must look back in history to when market crashes occurred. Eventually the market rose again to prosperity. In time people once again believed the hot streak would continue forever. It's not as though these things haven't happened before. They appear to be somewhat cyclical.

You must think for yourself and not be carried away by the torrent of hype that others have sold you. Despite the cries of panic and despair, there is another perspective to adopt in regards to this situation. It is the viewpoint of optimism. The attitude that despite all of the bad things that happen, there is always an opportunity to be had. This opportunity is that market securities are now trading at a discount and will most likely ride high again. Much as they did after the Great Depression.

In the end, remember what Public Enemy said, "Don't Believe the Hype."

186 and Holding

Awhile back I was listening to a morning talk radio on one of the popular FM stations. During this show, they usually take topic suggestions given by the listeners. They then take calls from listeners who want to talk about or comment on a particular topic. One topic was about motorcyclists in Chicago and how they were upset about almost being killed by crazy motorists.

One local guy called in about this topic. After briefly acknowledging that he hated Chicago drivers for almost blindsiding him, this guy went on to talk about a more interesting point. He described to the radio show how he liked to take his motorcycle out on Interstate 290 during the day and proceed to accelerate up to 186 MPH while swerving in and out of traffic. He then went on to say how his high speed exploit was on YouTube and how everyone should check it out. The radio hosts viewed the video and decided to post it up on their webpage. Immediately, the pleased guest blurted out his gratitude. Even going as far to say "this will help get me hits man!." Wow what a display of shameless self promotion.

Of course, the topic couldn't die there. The radio show decided to take other callers on the topic. The next caller was a semi truck driver who operated in Chicago. The man had a very confrontational and angry tone, but he had a few interesting points.

The truck driver went on to challenge the motorcyclist claiming that his high speed exploits were a danger to other motorists around him. The motorcyclist then responded that he was a skillful driver and would be careful not to crash into other people. The motorcyclist went on to say that his actions were fine because he would be the only person who would be hurt or killed in case of an accident. The truck driver countered with a hypothetical. He said that if the motorcyclist crashed in front of his truck at that speed, there would be no time to react and avoid running over the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist once again reiterated that the crash would only kill him. However, the truck driver made perhaps the most poignant point. He said that because the motorcyclist was engaging in this dangerous behavior, he was not only harming himself. He would be placing the burden and guilt of his death upon the truck driver since there would be nothing the truck driver could do. For that reason, the truck driver believed that burning up I290 at 186 MPH was wrong and dangerous.

After the heated exchange, the radio host had a change of heart. He decided to remove the video of the motorcyclist. He did not wish to promote his dangerous behavior. I believe this was the correct decision.

The whole discussion evoked one key thought within me. This was the fact that no matter how much we believe ourselves and our actions to be isolated, we do affect others in many undesired and unseen ways. No man is truly an island.

The Joker

One movie is sweeping the box office this summer, “The Dark Knight.” The latest Batman installment from Christopher Nolan’s revitalized franchise is bigger and better than even I personally expected. The story is good, the action is good, and most notably the characters are excellent. Although the movie is centered on the caped crusader, the character who really keeps you fixated on the screen is the frightening Joker played by the late Heath Ledger.

Ledger’s Joker is a vast departure from Jack Nicholson’s version in 1989’s “Batman.” While Jack portrays the clown prince of crime with a silly goofiness and clearly defined clown makeup, Ledger makes the Joker dark, scary, and psychopathic. His hair is green, greasy, and unkempt. His makeup is flaky and smeared mightily across his face. It looks as though a madman or a two year old applied his red lipstick and the black halos around his eyes. The transformation of Ledger, an actor who started years ago as a teen heartthrob in “10 Things I Hate About You”, into a unrecognizable lunatic is incredible. He changed his movements, his voice, and his laugh in order to fully become the Joker.

The Joker is not an intriguing character just because of his physical mannerisms, but also due to his mindset. Most people’s actions are shown to be driven by common motives such as love, power, money, or revenge. The Joker doesn’t appear to be motivated by any of these things. He wants to create mischief and chaos simply because he enjoys it. He laughs at the best laid plans of others around him and revels in exposing society’s hypocrisies and denied truths. Alfred describes the Joker best when he tells Bruce Wayne, “…some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn.”

When the movie debuted, I was watching a History Channel show about Batman’s psychology. In one segment, they decided to focus on the Joker. They talked about how Batman and the Joker serve as counterpoints to each other, especially with their philosophies. Batman is a man who was scarred by the senseless murders of his parents at a young age. His hurt leads to anger and a thirst for revenge. He believes that the world is divided between good and evil, justice and injustice. He feels he could be an agent of influence who sways the world’s balance between these extremes toward what is good and just. The Joker on the other hand doesn’t believe in justice. He thinks that the world is simply chaotic and unpredictable. His shocking actions further illustrate and contribute to this overall mayhem and chaos. To the Joker, the world and life are just a big joke. So he figures he may as well enjoy himself while exposing and laughing at others.

His biggest challenge is Batman. The caped crusader is very steadfast and true to his principles and beliefs. The Joker’s goal is to break him down and show that the structure of his philosophy is flawed. The Joker figures that Batman’s actions are all for nothing. If there is no sense of justice or good in the world, then there is no point for Batman to even exist. This is the ultimate opposition to Batman’s philosophy.

Olympic Spirit

That time has returned. The time when soccer moms, the elderly, and even small children become experts on subjects such as how many points are deducted for a hop step on a gymnastics landing and what makes Michael Phelps a superhuman swimmer. Yes, the time of the 2008 Summer Olympics have arrived.

The Olympic Games is one of those events that captivates minds the world over. Its reach is far and wide, crossing boundaries of culture, language, age, and gender. For a rare occasion in the summer heat, the best of the best from around the world congregate to compete and bond.

While there is an element of global brotherhood, there is also the inherent presence of competition. The Olympics is one of those occasions where people rally behind their nation for good old fashioned bragging rights. In the past, the Olympics have served as a peaceful parallel to the struggles and rivalries waged in the real world. Who could forget the race between the USA and the Soviet Union for the most medals? What about those unforgettable head to head clashes between the superpowers in sports such as basketball? Despite being a sporting competition on the surface, the Olympics have always served as a stage for making statements and for proudly representing one’s country.

Even though it may sound jingoistic and sentimental, I feel a stirring as I sit and listen to “The Star Spangled Banner” and see our champions softly singing the lyrics. It’s hard for me not to feel a great sense of pride in our country, in our team.

The decades have passed and many things have changed on the Olympic landscape. First of all, the rival has changed. Now instead of the Soviets, the Americans are vying with the emergent Chinese for medal supremacy. Also the statement at these 2008 Beijing games is very different than before. The overwhelming message of these Olympics is that China has arrived as a major world power. Things going forward in the next twenty years will be very different than to what we have grown accustomed.

The Stage is Set for the Baby Boilers

As a young kid, I remember the years when Purdue and Indiana were almost always at the top of the Big Ten standings. Those were the times that the legendary Bob Knight and the scowling Gene Keady prowled the sidelines. Those were the days when Calbert Chaney, Alan Henderson, Brian Evans, and the school boy superstar Damon Bailey wore the proud cream and crimson. They faced off against the likes of Glenn Robinson, Cuonzo Martin, Brad Miller, Chad Austin, and Brian Cardinal in the old gold and black. Most years in the early to mid nineties, the IU – Purdue basketball games were a heated rivalry between two good teams. They played not only for bragging rights in the basketball crazed Hoosier state, but also usually for a Big Ten title. At that time, the rivalry was closer in recognition and importance to North Carolina and Duke.

Oh how times have changed. Purdue fell into a horrible slump of losing since their 2000 elite eight appearance under Gene Keady. IU, meanwhile continued to be respectable (even making the 2002 title game vs. Maryland), but were never quite the same after the legend Bob Knight was fired. The upper echelon of the Big Ten was filled by teams such as Illinois, Michigan State, and Ohio State. While the rivalry remained important to Purdue and Indiana, the national significance faded. This was mainly due to Purdue stumbling and Knight’s departure.

This year has been a return to that feeling I had as a young fan. Coach Matt Painter took over in a succession plan for Gene Keady and led the Boilermakers back to the NCAA tournament last year with seniors Carl Landry and David Teague. He then pulled off a stunning coup by landing the Big Ten’s best recruiting class and one of the best ones nationally with the Fresh Four (JuJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore, Robbie Hummel, and Scott Martin). All four players hailed from the state of Indiana and were widely regarded as four of the nation’s top 75 high school basketball players for their class.

The fresh four’s impact has been immediately felt. After Purdue struggled early in the preseason with losses to Iowa State and Wofford, they have come on strong in Big Ten play. They have shocked everyone by going on an eleven game winning streak and posting a league leading 12-1 record with their lone loss coming at Michigan State by three points. Counting key wins over ranked Michigan State and twice over Wisconsin, Purdue has seen awesome contributions from many players in their balanced attack. Freshman Robbie Hummel has shown himself to be a versatile jack of all trades while E’Twaun Moore has emerged as a smooth scoring threat. Sophomores Keaton Grant and Chris Kramer have also stepped up. Kramer remains the young leader of the team playing smart basketball, strong defense, and exhibiting incredible toughness. Grant is quite possibly the Big Ten’s most improved player showcasing a three ball this year that has proven to be deadly. Overall, Purdue has been one of the most physical teams and they play great, suffocating team defense. People expected them to compete for the conference crown a year or two down the line, not right now. But the baby boilers have arrived earlier than expected, and they are wise beyond their years.

Indiana meanwhile has had a great season themselves. They enter the game 21-4 overall and 10-2 in the conference. They have been led by the Big Ten’s most potent one two punch, D.J. White and Eric Gordon. White is the senior stalwart and resident inside enforcer for the Hoosiers. He’s had a great year averaging around 17 points a game and is considered by many to be the front runner for Big Ten Player of the Year. Gordon is another in a long line of Indiana high school greats. The freshman phenom leads the Big Ten in scoring this year and can just hurt you in so many ways. His talent level is so great that he is certainly a one and done player to the NBA.

IU has faltered some this year. They lost at home to a surging and now ranked UConn team. They have lost twice to Wisconsin. However, they have shown they are still a good and dangerous team. They most recently routed a ranked Michigan State at home, mostly without the services of D.J. White due to a knee injury.

This game means so much. It is the only scheduled meeting between two bitter instate rivals. It is probably the most influential game of the conference championship chase. The winner will not only earn state bragging rights, but most likely Big Ten supremacy. The feeling of old has returned, and the stage is set.

Go Purdue!