Totally Random
This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.
Writer-director Tim Carr calls it a documentary within a movie, but San Diego Chargers fans will no doubt describe it as a horror film. It’s an 82-minute film about Ryan Leaf, and it’s being screened tonight at the San Diego Library.
Perhaps anticipating the reaction in San Diego, Carr is screening the film for free.
‘I insisted it be free for all the Chargers fans because it’s their story,’ Carr told the San Diego Union-Tribune. ‘I was like, ‘Chargers fans have been through enough -- let them have this.’ ‘
Carr, who plays Leaf in the film, is a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fans who said, “I put myself in the San Diego fans’ spot so many times because I’m a huge sports fan and I love my team like San Diego loves their team. I think when they see it, they might get on me for maybe taking it easy on him, although I assure you I didn’t -- we throw everything in -- but the way we kind of left it was so people can kind of make their mind up: Maybe he redeemed himself; maybe he moved beyond this.”
Carr won’t be at the screening. Right now he’s re-editing the ending to include Leaf’s resignation last month from his job as an assistant football coach at West Texas A&M. “That kills my redemption ending,” Carr said.
Trivia time
Peyton Manning and Leaf were the top two selections in the 1998 NFL draft. Who was chosen third?
Ouch, part I
The political comedy website 236.com on Monday listed ‘plaxident’ as its “Word of the Day.” Plaxident, inspired by the act of New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress’ accidentally shooting himself in the thigh, is a noun that is defined as “An act of stupidity that costs you $35 million.”
Ouch, part 2
Burress’ plaxident prompted the cbs46.com website to list a few bizarre injuries suffered by other athletes. Here is a sampling:
Kim Clijsters: The former top-ranked women’s tennis player injured her tail bone after tripping over her dog while playing soccer. Sam Torrance: The Scottish golfer had a sleepwalking problem and during the 1993 Ryder Cup left his bed to tackle a tree he mistook for an intruder. Torrance suffered a broken toe in the process. Joel Zumaya: The Detroit Tigers relief pitcher sustained inflammation in his arm, causing him to miss three games of the 2006 American League Championship Series, because of playing too much of the video game “Guitar Hero.”
Paper or plastic?
Old habits die hard, former grocery store employee Kurt Warner said on “The Best Damn Sports Show Period.”
“I go to the grocery store and still want to bag my own groceries,” Warner said. “I still think I can do it better than anyone else in the grocery store. And definitely, the eggs always go separate.”
Trivia answer
Florida State defensive end Andre Wadsworth, by the Arizona Cardinals.
And finally
Ted Wyman of the Winnipeg Sun, on the Tampa Bay Lightning’s promotion of Rick Tocchet to coach: “He’s said to be an intense, demanding, no-nonsense guy. Oh, and he runs a hell of an NFL office pool.”
-- Mike Penner