Movie Review: Creed

Creed debuted in theaters in November, stirred up Oscar talk in February and was released to DVD in March.  Inexplicably, it took me until April to see the film.  With Creed, the seventh installment of the series, the Rocky franchise takes a leap forward while keeping a firm grip on the past.  It's a winning combination that will satisfy old fans and win over a new generation.

Creed begins in a California juvenile detention center where an orphan boy with a penchant for fist fights is given a second chance at life when he learns that he is the son of the legendary Apollo Creed and is adopted by Creed's widow.  As the plot unfolds, an adult Adonis, played by Michael B. Jordan, learns what it truly means to be a fighter and what it means to bear his famous father's last name.  Along the way, Adonis makes his way to Philadelphia where he convinces Rocky Balboa to come out of retirement to train him in the ring and in life.

Creed is a standalone movie, but it is a far richer experience for viewers who are familiar with the original films.  Despite this connection to the past, the franchise took a leap forward by injecting young and talented blood into the mix with writer-director Ryan Cooler and leading man Michael B. Jordan.  Acting alongside the young Jordan, an aging Sylvester Stallone delivered a performance worthy of his best supporting actor nomination.  But, at the end of the day, Creed is still a Rocky movie with all the melodrama and predictability that has characterized the franchise since Rocky III.

Creed is a perfect next step in the Rocky saga.  It is uplifting and entertaining and an all-around fun two hours of entertainment.


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Book Review: Calico Joe

Baseball season is upon us.  In order to get in the mood, I decided to read Calico Joe by John Grisham.

In Calico Joe, Grisham departs from the world of legal intrigue and delves into the world of baseball.  The narrative bounces back and forth between modern day and the summer of 1973.  In both settings, the story is told from the first person perspective of Paul Tracey, son of fictional, major league pitcher Warren Tracey.

The clarification that Warren Tracey is fictional is an important one because the action in 1973 is set within the context of a real baseball season.  Real teams, real ballparks and real players serve as the backdrop for the fictional action.

This interweaving of real baseball references led the Washington Times to declare that Grisham "knows his way around the ballpark as well as he does a courtroom."  The trouble is, Grisham doesn't actually know his way around a courtroom all that well (I am a lawyer, I get to say these things).  What normally sets Grisham apart from the competition is not legal realism.  It is rich characters and detailed southern settings.  Calico Joe lacks both of those characteristics.

Die hard baseball fans will likely find the baseball storyline fantastical and irritating.  Fans of a good yarn about a father and son will likely find that storyline lacking depth and insight.  If you are looking for an audio book to distract you on the treadmill, then Calico Joe might fit the bill.  But, if you are looking for the baseball version of A Time to Kill, you will be sorely disappointed.


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Anniversary Flashback: Sports are Hard

I love sports.  I love everything about them.  The whole reason I created Banshee Sports was to share that love with as many people as possible.  One of the reasons I love sports is because even the most mundane aspects of our favorite games require a high level of skill and excellence.  This post from April 26, 2014 explored some of the hard things in sports that we take for granted when we watch and criticize from our couches and barstools.


Sports Are Hard

Busy pit road in NASCAR

Are you kidding me?  How can a pro mess that up?  We've all heard ourselves yell something like this at our television as we watch world-class athletes mess up something they usually make look easy.  Well, the answer to those questions is simple:  Sports are hard.

I have compiled a list of run of the mill athletic activities that fans take for granted every day.  This is not a list of the most difficult things in sports.  I think we all acknowledge that we could not perform hand stands and flips on a balance beam.  We acknowledge that we could not dunk from the foul line.  And, nothing from hockey appears on this list because everything those guys do looks extremely hard.

The list below only includes actions that we watch the pros do effortlessly everyday.  The actions that make us incorrectly scream, "Come on, I could do that!" when a pro fails.  Click here to continue reading.


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Banshee Bracket Winner

Villanova and North Carolina gave us one of the most thrilling national championship games of all time.  Likewise, the Banshee Bracket Challenge came down to the wire.  As the Tarheels and the Wildcats traded baskets, Jason Todd and Tyler Skeeters were trading the bracket championship back and forth.  When Villanova finally clinched the title on Kris Jenkins' buzzer beater, Tyler Skeeters clinched first place and the grand prize subscription to Tailgater Magazine.

Heading into the Final Four, five competitors had a chance to win the Banshee Bracket Challenge.  Out of that group, only Mr. Skeeters picked Villanova to win the championship.  Tyler was in fifth place heading into the final weekend, but stormed to the top thanks to 'Nova's gritty defense and amazing shooting.  For Tyler, this was not just a head pick.  It was also a heart pick.  Tyler is from the Philadelphia area and was rooting for the Wildcats even if there was no prize on the line.  So, it was just a bonus to Tyler that he also won a subscription to Tailgater Magazine.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's competition.  I look forward to seeing you all in future Banshee Sports competitions.


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Bracket Challenge Update: It's Madness

Two weeks ago, the NCAA basketball tournament began with 68 hopeful teams.  Likewise, the Banshee Bracket Challenge began two weeks ago with 21 hopeful entrants vying for bragging rights and a subscription to Tailgater Magazine.  It's time to analyze the possible victors under the eight possible scenarios this weekend.

The NCAA field is now whittled down to four teams:  Villanova, Oklahoma, North Carolina and Syracuse.  As we head into the final weekend of the tournament, Julie Chittock leads the Banshee Bracket Challenge with 79 points and a bracket named "My Kids Picks."  Julie also has the highest possible remaining score, but she does not yet have the competition clinched.

I am not a math major, but it appears that in addition to Julie Chittock, there are four others who still have a chance to win the Banshee Bracket Challenge.  The remaining contenders are Jamee Wetzel (3rd place), TSkeet (5th place), Jason Todd (tied for 7th place) and Jeff Greenberg (tied for 7th place).  I'm not willing to swear to this under oath, but here is what I believe is the path to victory for each of the remaining contenders.

If Oklahoma wins the championship then Julie wins the challenge.  End of story.  Julie also wins the challenge if Syracuse beats Oklahoma in the final game.

If Villanova wins the championship then TSkeet wins the challenge.  The other side of the bracket does not matter.

If Villanova plays for the title but loses to North Carolina, then Jason Todd wins the challenge.

If Villanova plays for the title but loses to Syracuse then Jamee Wetzel wins the challenge.

That covers seven of the eight possible scenarios.  In the eighth scenario, North Carolina defeats Oklahoma in the championship game.  In that case, Jeff Greenberg will win the challenge.

So there you have it, folks.


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Cooking with Banshee: Creamy Horseradish Spread

We are in the midst of March Madness.  Nothing goes better with watching sports than a good dip.  I originally found this Creamy Horseradish Spread in Tailgater Magazine, but I added some of my own tweaks to the recipe.  I also found a new use for the Creamy Horseradish Spread.

In Tailgater Magazine, this was called a dip.  The first time I made it, that's how I used it.  It is a delicious dip for pita chips, raw veggies, or potato chips.  But, the second time around, I discovered that this recipe is also an amazing topping for burgers or steaks.  Hence, I changed the name to Creamy Horseradish Spread.

Creamy Horseradish Spread

Creamy Horseradish Spread

Ingredients:
8 oz whipped cream cheese
2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
3 Tbs prepared horseradish
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 tsp kosher salt

Directions:
Place the salt and the bouillon cube in a morter and mash them together with a pestle.  Add all ingredients, including the mashed bullion and salt to a food processor.  Process until all ingredients are fully blended and the mixture is creamy.  This might require stirring the ingredients halfway during the processing.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate.  The spread can be served cold or at room temperature.

Tips and Tricks:
If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you can mash the bouillon and salt together with the back of a spoon in a bowl.  I used hot horseradish instead of the normal kind.  This makes a pretty powerful dip for veggies, but if you are using this spread on meats, I highly recommend the hot variety.  Don't skimp on the quality of the cheese.  Cheese is expensive, so I know this can be tempting.  Horseradish is the name of this topping, but it really is the cheese that makes it special.  Color doesn't affect the taste, but if you stick with white, the spread will look a lot prettier.

Enjoy!

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2016 Banshee Sports Bracket Challenge

The NCAA tournament gets underway this week.  Join in the fun by signing up for Banshee Sports Bracket Challenge at Yahoo!.

The Banshee Sports Bracket Challenge is not just about bragging rights.  It is also about prizes.  This year's winner will receive a 12-month subscription to Tailgater Magazine.  This includes hard copies of the magazine and monthly email newsletters.  Tailgater Magazine has something for everyone, not just season ticket holders.  Delicious recipes, grilling gadgets, entertainment ideas and party games are all a part of this magazine.

All year long, we have been celebrating the fifth anniversary of Banshee Sports.  Since this is the fifth annual bracket challenge, we hope to make this the biggest competition yet.  That will need your help.  Invite your friends.  Invite your family.  Heck, invite people you hate so you can rub it in their noses when they are eliminated from contention after the first weekend.

Since this is the fifth year of the competition, the goal is to get fifty entrants.  If we make it to that mark, there will be a prestigious booby prize for the last place finisher.

Sign up and let's have some fun.


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Anniversary Flashback: Most Bizarre Moments in Sports

In March of 2012, Banshee Sports was still just a baby blog.  I was still using an old layout with old graphics and a "blogspot" domain name.  I was still getting the hang of using pictures and videos in my posts.  So, this post from March 2, 2012 is special to me not just because it was super fun to write but because it was also a big step forward in terms of production quality on the site.

It's been four years since this column was published.  I'm curious to know if there are any new moments that should be added to the list.  If you think so, please leave a comment.


10 Most Bizarre Moments in Sports

Bobby Valentine in disguise

In the early morning hours of February 28, 2012, the 3-Daystona finally came to an end.  The Great American Race was supposed to be run on Sunday, February 26, but rain pushed NASCAR's premier event into primetime on Monday, February 27.  This knocked FOX's regular Monday night lineup off the air.  As a result, thousands of casual fans were watching the Daytona 500 when Juan Pablo Montoya wrecked into a jet dyer during a caution on lap 160.  200 gallons of jet fuel spilled onto the track at Daytona International Speedway and exploded into fire.

This was truly one of the most bizarre incidents I had ever seen or even heard of in sports.  This led me to start thinking about the other most bizarre moments in sports history.  I'm sure there are plenty other worthy events, but this is what I came up with.

10.  Jeff Van Gundy vs. Alonzo Mourning's Leg.  The NBA has changed a lot in the last 15 years.  Back in the 1990's teams were expected to settle their own disagreements on the court.  Click here to continue reading.

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2016 NASCAR Preview

The Daytona 500 is in the rearview mirror.  The Sprint Cup series is headed on to Atlanta and normalcy.  Now that the Daytona dust and confetti have settled, it is time for the Banshee Sports 2016 NASCAR preview.

Here are five things to watch for in the 2016 NASCAR season.

Talladega restart wreck

New Rules for NASCAR.  This blog has taken a lot of shots at NASCAR for their rules and officiating.  In the wake of several controversial endings to races in 2015, NASCAR has changed two key rules.  The first big change actually started near the end of last season after several controversial restarts.  That involves the institution of restart zones.  I won't bore you here with all the particulars.  If you want them, read up here.  The point is that NASCAR is trying to actually have something in writing to govern late race restarts that will reduce gamesmanship by front row cars and judgement calls by NASCAR officials.

The other major rules change has to do with overtime.  The Green-White-Checkers rules have been drastically altered in order to correct the debacle that occurred at the end of last year's fall race in Talladega.  From here on out, there will only be one attempt at GWC finishes, but there are now some actual rules governing what constitutes a real attempt at a restart.  Those rules differ from track to track, but there are now lines on the raceway that determine when a real restart has occurred.  Again, this is a step in the right direction in terms of removing arbitrary judgement calls from NASCAR officials.

SHR heats up the Chevy-Ford rivalry

Stewart-Haas Turmoil.  It appears that I could pencil this heading in for the preview every year.  Last season, I had a similar heading, but it involved a whole different set of variables.  This year, SHR has taken chaos it to a whole new level.  Heading into the season, we already knew that Danica Patrick would be breaking in a new sponsor after Go Daddy decided to get out of the sport.  We also knew that this was supposed to be Tony Stewart's final year behind the wheel.  Then the bombshells really started to drop.

First, Tony Stewart suffered a freak injury while riding an ATV in the offseason.  Stewart didn't actually wreck, but he sustained a ruptured vertebra in his back.  Smoke missed Daytona and even now there is no timetable for his return to the #14.  But, evidently the injury didn't stop Stewart from making some huge changes on the business side of the team.  Following Daytona, SHR announced that they would be leaving Chevy and joining Ford for the 2017 season.  This ruffled the feathers of fans of both manufacturers.  But, more importantly, the announcement will have repercussions for many other teams in the series as financial and equipment partnerships will have to change.  It will be interesting to see if this announcement affects the on-track performance of SHR this season.  I will also be interesting to see if the ripple effect impacts other teams this season.

Chase Elliott debuted on the pole at Daytona

Changing of the Guard.  For the first time in over 20 years, there will be a new driver in the #24 at Hendrick Motor Sports.  Jeff Gordon has retired.  Enter Chase Elliott.  Elliott proved he had financial value when he brought NAPA with him as a sponsor to Junior Motorsports.  Then Elliott proved his driving skills when he won the Nationwide Series Championship for JRM in 2014.  Unlike fellow rookie Chris Buescher who has to be the face of Front Row Motor Sports, Elliott will have the vast Hendrick resources behind him as he joins a stable of drivers that already includes Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kasey Kahne.  It is not at all unreasonable to expect Elliott to compete for a spot in the Chase his rookie season.


Return of the Wood Brothers.  The Wood Brothers have been involved in racing for 66 years, and some of the most famous names in NASCAR have driven for the team at one time or another.  However, it has been ten years since the Wood Brothers had a full time driver eligible to compete for a series championship.  This year, the Wood Brothers make their return to championship competition with Ryan Blaney driving the #21 Ford.  Blaney had a couple of top-ten finishes last year while running a partial Sprint Cup schedule.  While it is unlikely that this single-team operation will make the Chase, it is fun to have the #21 and the Wood Brothers back in the discussion.

Kyle Busch wins 2015 championship for JGR

JGR Juggernaut.  In the early 2000's, Joe Gibbs Racing gobbled up three championships in five years.  In 2015, JGR returned to championship form when Kyle Busch came back from injury to win the Chase.  But, it wasn't just Kyle Busch who had a good season.  Three of the four JGR teams qualified for the Chase with the fourth team narrowly missing out.  As we move into 2016, it looks like JGR has picked up right where they left off.  They started the season with a victory by Denny Hamlin at Daytona and strong finishes by the rest of the group.  It's important not to read too much into a single race, but this team could definitely get four drivers into the sixteen-car Chase.


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2016 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show: Day Two

The 140th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show wrapped up on Tuesday night in Madison Square Garden.  Before the coveted title of Best in Show was bestowed, the best in group titles were handed out in the Sporting, Working and Terrier groups.

Bogey in his "natural" habitat

Sporting Group:  If there was a blue blood, country club of dog show groups, that group would be the sporting group.  This is the group that includes retrievers and setters and spaniels.  You know, the kinds of dogs that are painted on canvases in the Vanderbilts' billiards rooms.  CJ the German Shorthaired Pointer fits that part exactly and won the group.

Working Group:  The working group can be described as the blue collar, lunch pail group.  This group does include rough and tumble guard dogs, but it was a gorgeous, fluffy dog that won the group this year.  Bogey became the first Samoyed to ever win the group at Westminster.  It was fitting for a sled dog to succeed after snow and sleet pelted Manhattan during the dog show.

Terrier Group:  The terrier group has been my favorite group at Westminster ever since Coco the Norwich Terrier captured my heart over a decade ago.  I also love this breed because I consistently get labeled a terrier on Facebook quizzes.  Last year's group winner, Charlie, was back to defend his title.  And defend it he did.  Charlie the Skye Terrier advanced to the Best in Show competition for the second year in a row.

Best in Show:  Last year's Best in Show winner, Miss P, the 15-inch Beagle retired on top last year to start a family.  That left the competition wide open for the seven group winners in 2016.  Terriers have won more best in show prizes at Westminster than any other group, and Charlie was the only dog with previous best in show competition experience at Westminster.  But this year's top prize went a true blue blood.  CJ, the German Shorthaired Pointer, took home the top prize and won  the prestigious title of Best in Show at the 140th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

CJ celebrates Best in Show at Westminster

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