I saw "Invictus" today. This is the story of how Nelson Mandela used the 1995 Rugby World Cup as a way to unite the country of South Africa. South Africa was the host country and did not have to qualify. Well, they won against New Zealand, otherwise we would not have had the movie. And, in the movie, they did have the traditional Haka, performed by the New Zealand team, known as the All Blacks. I think it was an abbreviated version, but it was depicted nonetheless.

On a side note, I was in Mexico the day that Mandela was released from prison. That unbelievable event came on the day after Buster Douglas beat Mike Tyson for the heavyweight title, so these events have been burned into my head for a long time.

Good stuff from Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, the captain of South Africa's rugby team. Enough politics to keep you interested. Enough sports to keep you interested. And certainly enough about Mandela to definitely keep you interested.

As in most sports films, there is that one lump-in-the-throat moment. For me, this didn't come on the pitch or in the locker room. Nope, it was when Damon visits the cell that Mandela languished in all of those years. He spreads his arms out and can almost touch the opposite wall with his hand. As he looks out the window, he imagines Mandela slaving away on the rockpile, then in his cell, reading the poetry that kept Mandela driven. Very powerful.

Meal of Links

Your TV marathons for New Year's week. Tomorrow: Three Stooges on AMC, Kathy Griffin is back on CNN again for New Year's Eve, Wrestling on Spike, Elvis Costello on Sundance, Hoops on TNT. New Year's Day: The Bruins at Fenway and Looney Tunes are highlights.

The Washington Times cuts its sports section. Huh?

Quit misspelling these words. OK?

Feed the Children is all fucked up.

Here is how Israel protects its travellers. It's all about the eyes, the eyes.

Dave Diles died over the weekend. Hard to believe now, but he used to host the Prudential College Scoreboard on ABC, which was a big board of football scores and the camera would follow the board. Lines like, "Now to the Yankee Conference..." and he always got the Slippery Rock score into the mix. Let's see, George Michael, Dave Diles...Van Earl Wright needs to be careful the next few days.

Exercise Yard

The list is out. If the NFL goes capless next year (IMHO, a certainty), These players, who thought they were unrestricted free agents, will be restricted free agents.

Visitor

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