COVID COUNTY, USA – Welcome to Memorial Day Weekend, where we look forward to BBQ’s, MLB baseball, NHL and NBA playoffs… oh wait, none of those things are on tap anymore. Oh well, we can watch some reruns of old games. Wait… I guess Horse Racing is happening now?
Well, in the spirit segues from the left-field bleachers and this site subliminally shifting to movie reviews, I’d want to talk about one the greatest uses of a fictional baseball series in a movie ever.
Yes, I’m talking about the inspiration for a great early MTM series by West Coat Craig. I’m talking about the gritty early 90’s; Harvey Keitel’s tour def force… “Bad Lieutenant” It features Harvey smoking crack and shooting heroin and sorting cocaine and drinking on the job… like the MTM Staff. But it also revolves around his character, who goes by nothing but Lieutenant the whole film, gambling away and doubling down infinitum on a fictional Mets vs Dodgers NLCS featuring the 1992 Mets and Darryl Strawberry and the Dodgers. Yes, we often see in cinema depictions of fake teams – or even real teams – with fake players – but this featured real teams with their real rosters at the time. Even better, it features the voice talent of the legendary Bob Murphy calling the fictional series AND Chris “Mad Dog” Russo talking about the series on drive time radio.
If you haven’t already, please check out this classic and please do not waste your time with the Nicolas Cage version, which is a total waste of oxygen. Don’t do it.
In other news…
All sports are negotiating to restart in June/July sometime. Will we care anymore? No fans. Hollow, cavernous audio. Canned fan noise? It all sounds awful to me except I do want to watch a game. Will be very interesting to see NBA, MLB and NHL all firing simultaneously.
It’s safe to come out again, until it isn’t…
‘Til then, leave your comments below and enjoy tomorrow’s installment of Vincent Price Theatre featuring Short Matt.
