Smoke from a Distant Fire

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The Sanford Townsend Band‘s biggest hit was “Smoke from a Distant Fire.” You may not know the band, but I bet if you’ve heard the song once, it made an impact with it’s perfect blend of lyrics and music. How can you not be pulled into a song that opens with:


“You left me here on your way to paradise
You pulled the rug right out from under my life
I know where you goin’ to I knew when you came home last night
‘Cause your eyes had a mist from the smoke of a distant fire…”

Here’s a link to a live performance of “Smoke from a Distant Fire.” No lip syncing or recorded instrumental tracks, and The Sanford Townsend Band doesn’t miss a beat. It makes me wonder why they weren’t better known, because they sure could play.

UFC 86 Results

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Okay, let’s take a look at last night’s UFC results:

* Light-heavyweight title fight: Rampage Jackson vs Forrest Griffin: Forrest fought an extremely smart fight and was able to win a unanimous decision and the title. He hurt Rampage early with repeated hard leg kicks. I gave Rampage the 1st and 3rd rounds and Forrest the 2nd, 4th and 5th with the second being a 10 – 8 round. There will no doubt be a rematch down the line.


* Ricardo Almeida vs. Patrick Cote: Cote won via a split decision.

* Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau: Joe Stevenson won via a second round submission.

* Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle: Josh Koscheck won via a unanimous decision.

* Marcus Aurelio vs. Tyson Griffin: Tyson won via a unanimous decision.

Congrats to Joey “Bartledoo” C. for picking every fight right!

UFC 86 Predictions

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Okay, let’s take a look at tonight’s UFC card:

* Light-heavyweight title fight: Rampage Jackson vs Forrest Griffin: the smart money is riding on Rampage and the “heart” money goes with Forrest. I’d bet on Rampage straight up, but I’m pulling for Forrest.

* Ricardo Almeida vs. Patrick Cote: Alemida is in his second fight after a three year layoff and Cote is on a three fight win streak. I’ll take a chance that Cote pushes the streak to four.

* Joe Stevenson vs. Gleison Tibau: I like Big Daddy Joe Stevenson and that’s reason enough to pick him against Tibau.

* Josh Koscheck vs. Chris Lytle: Josh Koscheck is talking about dropping weight and taking on BJ Penn in a title fight, first he’ll need to win against Lytle. I think he will.

* Marcus Aurelio vs. Tyson Griffin: This will be an exciting and explosive match. I’m predicting Tyson Griffin will find a way to win.

Here’s to great fights with more fireworks than we saw last night!

How I Spent My 4th

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I love used book stores. My buddy, Rob, has been telling me about Chamblin’s Book Mine in Jacksonville, Florida for some time now. Today, I knew I would be in the area and so I made it a point to go there. My wife and I were excited about hitting Chamblin’s. If it was half as good as Rob described it, we’d get some great books at great prices.Funny thing is… I didn’t consider that they’d be closed on the 4th of July. They were. Arrrgh! We’ll try again the next time we’re in the area.In the meantime, have a Happy 4th of July! We’re off to see the fire works and then back home to catch some episodes of Twilight Zone Marathon on the SciFi Channel!

Top Westerns

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The Western Writers of America recently posted their list of the 100 Top Westerns. You just know I had to use their top 100 to come up with my top 20:
  1. The Searchers
  2. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
  3. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
  4. The Wild Bunch
  5. The Outlaw Josey Wales
  6. Tombstone
  7. Open Range
  8. The Cowboys
  9. True Grit
  10. Shane
  11. The Magnificent Seven
  12. Dances with Wolves
  13. Stagecoach (1939)
  14. Unforgiven
  15. The Ox-Bow Incident
  16. High Noon
  17. The Shootist
  18. Red River
  19. Silverado
  20. The Long Riders
After The Searchers a lot of the order is subject to change depending on my mood. Also some of the movies that made their top 100 didn’t fit my definition of a “western.” Sure, “Blazing Saddles” is a great COMEDY set in the west, but is it really a western? “The Last of the Mohicans” is a great adventure/romance, but where are the cowboys? In other words, I left off what some might consider to be classics because to me, a western is cowboys and Indians.

– A tip of the hat and a hearty “Hi Ho Silver!” to Bill Crider for the link!

 

Goon Optioned

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I’ve been an Eric Powell fan for years. His Goon is one of my favorite comics currently published. [I’d have said that even if Eric didn’t draw one of my all-time favorite Stallone pieces!]

Eric recently announced on his website that David [Se7en] Fincher has teamed with Blur Studio and optioned the rights to the Goon for a CG animated feature. Dark Horse Entertainment, the publisher of the Goon will also be involved.

This is great news for Eric and Goon fans everywhere.

Only One Cooke Needed

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Darwyn Cooke is one of my favorite comic book creators. I was lucky enough to get a Stallone sketch from Darwyn at MegaCon 2007. It was the last sketch that he did on the last day of the show. Whew!

If you read this interview with Darwyn posted today at Newsarama you’ll begin to understand why he’s a fan favorite.

If you read Darwyn’s The New Frontier; Batman: Ego and Other Tales; or his take on Will Eisner’s The Spirit Volume I and 2 you’ll know why.

Heck, anyone whose favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz [my all-time second favorite movie] has got to be alright in my book!

MMA Update

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On June 19th I suggested that Dana White reconsider his tolerance for the drunken destruction that is encouraged in the house during the filming of The Ultimate Fighter. The following day, Ken Iole, who covers the MMA for Yahoo Sports posted similar thoughts.

Guess what Dana White announced today?

“Fighters of Season 8 – which completed filming last week and will begin airing in September – were told they’d have to pay for any damage they did.”

White also announced that Jesse White will fight C.B. Dollaway on the July 19th card headlined by Anderson Silva moving up to light heavyweight to fight James Irvin.

Check out Ken Iole’s column for the full story!

T.H.E. Cat

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About a year and a half ago I posted that I’d love to find the opening to the sixties tv show “T.H.E. CAT.” I hadn’t seen the show since it originally aired in 1966-1967. I was 8 years old at the time and thought T.H.E. Cat was the man. Often things we find awesome as kids don’t hold the same appeal when we become adults. I doubted that the opening could be as cool as I remembered it.

I was wrong. It’s even cooler. Here, see for yourself. How can you not love an opening that describes the “hero” like this:

Along comes a man who saves lives at the risk of his own. Once a circus performer, an aerialist who refused the net. Once a cat burglar, a master among jewel thieves. And now, a professional bodyguard. Primitive, savage, in love with danger. The Cat.

Add in the jazz score by Lalo Schifrin, stunts, a hero with a past, great graphics, and filmed in color but not afraid to focus on black and white — shadows and light. Here is another opening. I just wish that the season [it only lasted one] was available on dvd!