The Longshots

Just finished watching The Longshots on Showtime, a movie about the first girl to play in the Pop Warner little league football Super Bowl. I freely admit that I am a sports movie addict. And in fact, there are two things guaranteed to get me teary-eyed. Not love stories, or involved dramas...no, it's sports movies where the underdog team wins and commercials about animal shelters or animal abuse (ever since I became the proud dad of two little kitties).

When my friend Tony Hooper was up to visit and we went skiing, we spent several chair lift rides comparing our favorites (he's an addict too). This one was quite good - in fact it might have made my top 10, which is saying something. So I thought I'd try to actually list them here:

1. 61* - by far my all-time favorite, about Roger Maris's drive to the home run record. I wish that had been a more main-stream movie, it was fantastic
   
2. Rudy - I still cry like a baby when he sacks that QB at the end
3. A League of Their Own - just had everything
4. Rookie of the Year - this is the movie I watch whenever I have a bad dream, watch a scary movie, can't sleep, or am just in a bad mood
   
5. Hoosiers - you can't get more underdog winning the big one than this one
6. The Replacements - I'm sure I'll get all sorts of flack from people on this one but I LIKED IT!
7. Major League - and I wish they had just stopped at 1 and not done sequels :(
8. Happy Gilmore - can't even count how many times I've watched this one
   
9. Necessary Roughness
10. Varsity Blues

And I have to give these honorable mention as these are fantastic kids movies:

1. The Sandlot
2. Air Bud (the original)
3. Angels in the Outfield
   

Weekend wrap-up...

I really literally could not work this weekend because our development cluster is down for maintenance. After several months of finishing up a release, it was good to have a little forced down time.

Saturday morning I had a substitute bell practice since we were canceled due to weather on Tuesday. This group - the high school quartet - made its debut this morning and was fantastic! (Our newest pastor was also installed this morning, so a great morning all around!) Oh...and anyone who lives in Rochester, I hope you got to see the trees Saturday morning - perfectly coated in show...it was really pretty (didn't take a picture!)

Saturday afternoon was the first practice for the show "Gypsy" pit orchestra, which I'm going to be doing half the shows in. The shows run Thurs-Sun all weekends in March, and the Rochester Civic Theater always does a great job. The music looks fun.

After church today, I came home and did a long overdue chore - cleaned the lint out of the dryer exhaust pipe and vent. It wasn't actually all that bad, I was expecting worse...but still needed to be done.

Finally, a Happy Valentines Day to all - whether coupled or single, I think everyone can take the day and appreciate and remember the people in our life that we love.