Inspired By A Night Owl...Kinda

Hey everybody,

When you're blogger of the year, you don't just write cool stuff that your blogger brethren love to read.  Heck, if that were enough to win, I might just take that title myself next year - or the year after that - or the year after that one.

No, you've gotta do way more than write stuff we like to read.  You've gotta write cool stuff that helps us see our hobby through a new filter and through refreshed eyes.  And if you're good -  i mean, if you're really good, you inspire other bloggers to write yet even more cool stuff about our hobby.  That's what B.O.Y. Night Owl did with his offbeat, but definitely interesting new "thing".  Over at N.O's blog, he's matching up albums and song titles to cards.

So here's my take on it, my "thing", if you will.  I'm offering up my top 20 movies represented by cardboard.  Two rules to be included:

1. It must be a movie I can watch 100 times or more. 
2. The card must be in my collection (and a Dodger card whenever possible).  Check 'em out...

20. BOOGIE NIGHTS
A movie chock full of young actors just bursting on the scene, Marky Mark Whalberg, Don Cheadle, William Macy, John C. Reilly, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and veterans Julianne Moore and Burt Reynolds.  The story of a young man's rise and fall in the California porn industry, circa 1975-80, and the group of actors, actresses, camera people, hangers onners and the director who become his supportive "family".

"I never take my skates off." 

Karros and Piazza were rumored to love the night life during thier heyday, basking in the glory of being a rich, young baseball player in LA.  Back in those days, whenever we heard a car driving by blasting loud marengue or salsa music, we used to joke, "There goes Raul Mondesi."

19. GHOST DOG: WAY OF THE SAMURAI
Director Jim Jarmusch's  smart, funny and violent study of an African-American hit man (Forrest Whitaker) who follows the ancient ways of the samurai in modern-day Brooklyn, New York.

"If a warrior's head were to be suddenly cut off, he should still be able to perform one more action with certainty." 

When Jackie broke the color barrier in baseball, even if unwittingly, he followed the way of a quiet and serious samurai, silently enduring hardship and defeating countless enemies with his physical prowess and the weapons of his chosen art.

18. RAISING ARIZONA
The first true comedy in my countdown.  A quirky and at times, hilarious baby-kidnapping film starring Holly Hunter and Nicholas Cage.  Also, in a brilliant bit of casting as a bounty hunter, 'Tex' Cobb.

"Well, it aint Ozzie and Harriet."

I couldn't for the life of me find anything connecting to the film, so here's a backdoor reference to the All-Star game that was played that year in Arizona.

17. GOODFELLAS

I think we all know this one.

" You're really a funny guy!"

Dodgerdom's first Goodfellas - the 1955 Brooklyn squad.  The first team to bring home the World Series Championship.

Our last Goodfellas - The 1988 Los Angeles squad.

16. ANIMAL HOUSE
Hands down, the absolute funniest college comedy, ever.

"See if you can guess what I am now."
 

The Dodgers have had a few "animals" over the years.  First we had a Toro.

Then we had a Bulldog.

Now we have a Bison.

15. SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

Wow. The storming of Omaha Beach scene alone was worth the price of the ticket.

"I was a schoolteacher."

If you were a Dodger pitcher needing a 9th inning save, watching Eric Gagne take the mound meant Game Over! 

Hope you enjoyed the first installment as much as I enjoyed writing it.  Thanks for reading!

Next Post: Part 2

When A Trade Is Cards On Cards On More Cards

Hey, everybody.  Kerry from  Cards On Cards has been posting trade bait for the past couple of months.  I've been lucky enough to snag some of that cardboard awesomeness and generosity.  In my previous post, I included a Roy Campanella card from our latest trade.  Here are the remaining fruits from this great trade package...

Reggie is one of the great contradictions in my collection.  Although he was a dreaded Yankee during the great Dodger/Yankee wars of the 70's, and he accomplished one of his biggest WS accomplishments to cement him as Mr. October against my Dodgers, and although he cheated and stuck his hip out in order to knock a double play ball off-track and keep a Yankee rally alive, I still love collecting his cards.  Believe it or not, the card above is my first cloth sticker from that set.  Nice.

Reggie was one of baseball's biggest figures and I had the privilege of watching him play. I loved to hate him.  He was larger than life and he often backed it up.  However, one of my greatest memories of the Fall Classic was watching rookie Bob Welch come in and freakin' STRIKE OUT Reggie in a major world Series pressure situation.  This was also one of Tommy Lasorda's great moments of trusting his players.  Sometimes that bit us in the behind (Tom Neidenfuerer), but Tommy's hunches mostly played out in the positive for the Blue.

I really wish we had a baseball card of Welch's World Series heroics.  It was WS drama at its best.  Reggie vs. a rookie - game on the line - 9th inning and a slim lead to be protected - one of the WS biggest bats ever at the plate - you could cut the tension with a knife.

Welch threw absolute heat and dared Reggie to hit 'em.  Mr. October swung with ALL of his might.  I could feel the wind whooshing off of Reggie's bat and through my TV set!  The frustration on Reggie's face when Welch blows strike three past him is absolutely priceless.  Let's watch...

Back to the cards...

I can't resist cards featuring the K-Boys

I'm a big Eddie Murray fan.  I was glad when he was a Dodger.  I usually only want cards from guys in thier time with the Blue Crew, but I make an exception for Murray.  He's certainly more widely known as an Oriole.  

Kerry, being the cool trader he is, didn't stop with with the cards I requested.  He generously tossed in some extras: Dodgers and HOFers.  Check out some of my faves...

I didn't collect much heritage, and the packs I did buy yeilded very few Dodgers, so I'm very glad to get these.

 Unfortunately, I don't remember who posted earlier about this card capturing the magnificence of a day game at good 'ol Chavez Ravine.  The blue bullpen gates, the All-You -Can-Eat Gluttony Pavilion, the towering palm trees.  The card really is beautiful. 

Who don't like cards of the Bison?

This is a cool card that I didn't know existed till it was in my hands. 

Sooner or later I'm gonna have a binder page of Lou Gehrigs...and that's only going to be possible because you all helped me get there.  :)

 

Last up, Teddy Ballgame in classic form.  This is a great card from a great set!  Fantastic. 

THANKS for the awesome trade, Kerry.  Looking forward to the next one.