Random holiday sports blog

As the two-week holiday break comes to a close a variety of sports-related items come to mind and are hopefully blogable.  Two of those items were prompted by events Evan and I attended.

• One was going to see 'Grudge Match' starring Robert 'Raging Bull' De Niro and Sylvester 'Rocky' Stallone.  I'm not going to review the film, which was better than I expected (despite Kevin Hart's complete lack of self respect/minstrel show-like performance) and had an ending that was not obvious or formulaic. There were many mostly-tongue-in-cheek homages to the Rocky movies, which struck me most obviously during the climactic fight between De Niro and Stallone. Once that sequence started I found myself rooting hard for Stallone.  How can anyone root against Rocky?  I stopped watching that franchise after number III, but 'Grudge Match' reminded me how great the first Rocky film was, and how great of a character Rocky Balboa was, I mean IS. 
• in 'Grudge Match' Stallone's character is an out and out liberal. He buys dolphin-safe albacore tuna which he pulls out of a reusable shopping bag while standing in front of a Union Yes sticker on his fridge in a house without a TV but with an artist studio where he fashions small sculptures out of reclaimed scrap metal. All that's missing is NPR on the radio, some free trade coffee and a copy of The New York Times.
• Our second event was last night's disappointing loss to the Tyler Hansbrough-less Toronto Raptors. Though it was only one game, one in which the Wizards came out inexplicably flat and only had about 6 productive minutes the entire game, the loss was another reminder about how cursed DC sports teams are. And the biggest curse is the one of expectations. The 2013 Nats and Washington football team are the most obvious examples, but the 'Zards are doing their part. Every time they come close to .500 they stink up the joint, as they did again on Friday night in dropping their record to 14-16. The only good news is that in the Eastern Conference they are still the 5 seed for the playoffs, and that John Wall is playing like an All Star.
• I guess Washington sports resembles our current political situation. Breaking even is the best we can do - perhaps the most we can expect - with a Democrat in the White House, Dems in charge of the Senate but crazies in charge of the House.
• The best basketball news of the break - NBA division - has got to be Kendall Marshall signing and now excelling with the Lakers. K Butter had 20 points and 15 assists in last night's win over the Jazz. Here's hoping he can build on that and craft the successful NBA career he deserves.
• Speaking of the NBA, I still can not understand how limited Hansbrough's success has been. Some of it has been injuries, but I thought on effort alone he would be more established and successful at this point in his career. Carolina's best NBA player now is probably Ty Lawson, though injuries have slowed him down lately after a great start to the season. Danny Green seemed poised for the title after last year's breakout performance in the NBA finals but has been replaced in the starting line up by Marco Belinelli. 
• San Antonio's starting line up features 4 players - Belinelli, Parker, Splitter and Tim 'U.S. Virgin Islands' Duncan - born outside the 50 United States. Not to be outdone, their in-state colleagues the Texas Rangers' starting line up will likely feature players from EIGHT different countries (if you count Puerto Rico; Japan, Korea, Curacao, DR, Venezuela, Cuba, and the U.S.) on opening day. And the Mavericks' best player is from Germany, their point guard from Spain, and their center from Haiti. Ironic that one of America's most nativist states features sports teams with so much diversity.
• GO HEELS! My ACC preview is coming soon.