I don't think this guy thought things through very well

Kyle Smith may not be able to enjoy dinner out ever again.

There's a movie critic for the New York Post who hates waiters.  His name is Kyle Smith, and last week he published a story about his disdain for the people who bring him food in NYC restaurants.  He also appears to be proud of himself for irritating so many people with the article, based on his recent blog post.

I'm not going to go on one of my restaurant worker rants and make counter arguments to all the stupid stuff he wrote, because that would take forever.  I'll just say I think he's an idiot for making enemies with this large portion of the population.

I keep thinking of one particular scene from the film Fight Club (I'm not in any way condoning violence or expressing an opinion here; I'm only saying this is what I'm reminded of).  In the the movie the guys in "Fight Club" are just regular blue collar people, and they're everywhere.  When a politician goes after them he has no idea who he's dealing with, and he ends up tied and gagged on the floor of restaurant bathroom with a knife to his testicles.

Warning: This clip contains adult language.


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I bet the Bruins could* beat the Blackhawks

As I've said before, I'm not much of a hockey guy.   When the NHL lockout happened I was totally prepared for the season not to take place at all.  But now they're playing, and the Chicago Blackhawks are becoming a huge story by not losing.  They are 21-0-3 at the halfway point of the shortened 48 game campaign.  The Boston Bruins are doing quite well themselves, posting an Eastern Conference best 15-3-3 mark through 21 games (they're 1 point behind Montreal, but the 15-5-4 Canadians have played three more times).

While watching the B's at work last night I thought to myself "wouldn't it be cool if they were the ones to end Chicago's streak?"  When I got home I took a look at the schedule to find out when the two teams play each other.  They don't.  The NHL decided to adopt Major League Baseball's pre-1997 format (when American and National League teams never met until the World Series) for this abbreviated season, eliminating games between the Eastern and Western Conferences.

Worried about losing viewers because the lockout, the league did this to create more "rivalry" matchups.  Maybe the diehard fans appreciate this, but they weren't going anywhere anyway.  People like me with a casual interest are the ones who might stop watching, and I think this is dumb.  I don't care about seeing the Bruins vs. Buffalo five times.  Variety is a lot more interesting.  I'd much rather they played at least one game against Chicago, Detroit, Anaheim, etc.  And what about the rivalry Boston's had with Vancouver ever since the Stanley Cup Finals two years ago?  I can't imagine there's anybody who'd complain about having the Canucks on the schedule instead of that 4th game with Ottawa.

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Awesome Old Song of the Week: "Mary Jane's Last Dance" by Tom Petty

This song came out in 1993, during what I consider to be the beginning of the end of MTV's music era; when the network first starting airing more shows, and fewer videos.  Mary Jane's Last Dance would never have become so widely popular without the video.  Two things about it stand out to me:

1.  I'm not sure if I was ever aware of the obvious marijuana reference that Tom Petty was making.

2.  It's hard to believe that Kim Bassinger's prime was 20+ years ago.

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This Celtics season is giving me crazy deja vu

The looks on the Pacers faces are priceless (click to enlarge).

The Celtics just beat the Indiana Pacers (the #2 team in the East) in the second night of back to back games road games; something they've shockingly done twice in a row against very good opponents (Utah 9 days ago, in the "best win of the year" until now), after previously being unable to accomplish it all season.  Trailing 81-72, Boston closed out the game with an 11-0 run over the final 4:35 in order to get the 83-81 victory.

It makes no sense that the C's were able to pull this one out.  They should have been the tired team that faded down the stretch.  It also defies logic that Boston has played so well without Rajon Rondo (and Jared Sullinger).  I am at loss for words to try to explain what's been happening, but it seems crazy to doubt this team right now.

This all has a very familiar ring to it.  Probably because I wrote a nearly identical piece almost a year ago, entitled "I have unlimited faith in the Celtics right now."  They had just completed an improbable home victory over the Hawks, moving into a tie with them in the Eastern Conference standings.  This Friday Boston will host Atlanta, again with the chance to pull even with them in the playoff race.

Midway through last season the Celtics were 15-17, but they finished 24-10 to end with a 39-27 record (there were only 66 games because of the lockout).  Just past the halfway point of this year Boston was 20-23.  They've gone 13-4 since then on the way to their current 33-27 mark.  I'm starting to get that same feeling of "unlimited faith" all over again.

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I wonder if there's more drunk driving in Mexico than here?

I'm back from Mexico after 4 days at an all inclusive resort.  It was the first time I'd ever been to one of those, and I pretty much tried to eat and drink as much as I possibly could.  If you know me you're probably thinking "of course he did."

The beach where I stayed on the Mayan Riviera.

The thing that really surprised me the most was actually what happened just after I got off the plane.  Right outside the airport in Cancun there are vendors with carts of beer for everyone waiting for cabs and buses.  Then as soon as I got into the van to the hotel the driver was also selling beers, out of an igloo cooler sitting next to him.  He was popping them open and handing them out with one hand, and driving with the other.

Having said that, the above title is a somewhat serious question.  The driver wasn't drinking; and while it was clearly a situation that would have been illegal here, it seemed perfectly normal there.

And don't worry mom, I made it home safe and sound.

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My all-time #1 Celtics highlight that I've ever witnessed in person

This happened five years ago tomorrow, March 5th, 2008.  Boston would go on to win the title that season, after knocking off the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals.  Rajon Rondo was in just his second NBA season, and his first as a starter.  At the time he was viewed as potentially the Celtics weakest link; he was still unproven as a point guard.  As I watched this game from my seat in Section 8 at the Garden, I remember thinking Rondo was becoming my favorite player.  Then all of a sudden he did this, and there was no longer any doubt:



The thing about this play that continues to amaze me is that he decided he was going to dunk the ball before he even crossed half court.

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The worst movie I've ever seen

A week ago the Academy Awards happened, and while I don't care much for them myself, most people think they're a pretty big deal.  So he's my slightly delayed and only marginally related Oscars post.  Silver Linings Playbook was nominated for all four major acting awards (actor/actress and supporting of each), the first film to accomplish that since Million Dollar Baby in 2004.  'Baby also won the award for best picture that year.  I think Million Dollar Baby is the worst movie I've ever seen.  Before you get all mad and call me crazy, hear me out.

Movies are entertainment, and entertainment should be enjoyable.  If you don't have fun while watching them, what's the point? (Silver Linings Playbook succeeds admirably at this)  I saw Million Dollar Baby on a date, and afterwards we were planning to go out to dinner.  But once the movie was over, neither of us had any interest in eating.  I felt depressed and a little nauseous, unable to get the disturbing images of a paralyzed Hillary Swank lying in a hospital bed out of my head.

Why would anyone want to subject themselves to that?  If it's a film with historical value or one that educates (Schinlder's List comes to mind), I understand.  But a fictional movie that is purely entertainment?  How can it be good if it makes you feel gross?  To this day I wish I'd never watched Million Dollar Baby, and because of that I believe it's the worst movie I've ever seen.

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