Coping with fake sports, athletic movies and endless commercials

One of the most popular phrases of the day is “fake news.”

The term has been used appropriately, applied properly, overused and abused on many fronts when it comes to substantive information and complete misinformation disseminated to the masses through social media, television, radio, and e-mail.

The beauty of the world of sports is the drama, the unfolding of great games and great stories which create a diversion for many in the drama and difficulty of daily life.

That is what we are sorely lacking, missing more and more on a daily basis.

Everyone is doing their level best to fill the massive gaps lacking in our sports lives and in life, in general. To all, props and commendation for your efforts.

We continue to do the same with features on a daily basis and with accurate information and occasional breaking stories here at Crescent City Sports and will continue to do so.

I don’t know about you but I have quickly, rapidly, make that instantly grown tired, gotten over and have even totally ignored the ridiculous “brackets” pertaining to comparisons and fake competitions that people have come up with, locally and nationally.

Being at home regularly has been all about watching a ton of television.

The concept of virtual competition through the interaction of video games is understandable and perhaps fun for many. Somehow, it escaped me.

Watching athletes operate remote control devices to get cartoon-like figures to react and perform doesn’t do it for me.

From Magnovox to Atari to Game Boy, from Coleco to Bally to Sega, from Nintendo to Playstation to Xbox, the home units and remote concepts of playing sports games captured our son for a period of time but somehow missed me, which may explain my view of these airings on television.

The “HORSE” competitions have been a bit more enjoyable, since they are actually occurring with the genuine athletes taking, making and missing real shots.

With too much time on my hands, I have taken in all of my favorite sports movies continuously, including good ones, average ones and even those which were less than stellar.

Just in the last three weeks, we have caught part of or watched all of:

A League of Their Own, The Babe, The Bad News Bears franchise, Bend it Like Beckham, The Blind Side, Blue Chips, Bull Durham, Caddyshack, Cinderella Man, Dodgeball, Field of Dreams, The Fighter, For the Love of the Game, Friday Night Lights, Hoop Dreams, Hoosiers, Invincible, The Jackie Robinson Story, Jerry MaGuire, The Karate Kid catalog, The Legend of Bagger Vance, The Major League trilogy and Million Dollar Baby.

Then, there were Miracle, Moneyball, The Natural, North Dallas Forty, Pride of the Yankees, Raging Bull, Remember the Titans, Replacements, Rocky movies galore, The Rookie, The Sandlot (skip the sequel), Seabiscuit, Slap Shot, Space Jam, Talledega Nights, Tin Cup, Trouble With the Curve and White Men Can’t Jump. It has gotten to the point of basically being able to recite most lines in most of the flicks.

Then, there are the sports-centric commercials which have caught my eye.

I am not an ancient relic but I can vividly remember one of my childhood heroes, Joe Namath, hawking panty hose and Joe Greene’s memorable Coca-Cola spot where he gifts a young boy with his Steelers jersey since I was a huge fan of the Steelers and of Greene.

Now, Namath is promoting the advantages of Medicare. Time flies, doesn’t it?

Who knew that a popular undergarment brand bears the name of a major league pitcher who won 288 games and underwent a surgery which revolutionized the modern science and medicine for pitchers and professional athletes? I wonder how Tommy John feels about the new product?

Who knew that a Hall of Fame catcher whose body was aging and worn out could suddenly hold eight baseballs, uh, make that eight hamburgers in his right throwing hand, thanks to an an analgesic cream? He may be benched as a player for life but Johnny Bench can still get it done with big hands, and I’m not talking Big Hands Johnson.

Who knew that the fountain of youth, in a manner of speaking, was available to you through a supplement that would not allow to experience a “big hurt” as you age, thanks to a former American League Most Valuable Player and batting champion? Frank Thomas is still in the public eye.

Who honestly knew that Peyton Manning hawked more products than you could possibly count? You likely knew that already.

Who knew that the insurance company I have utilized for many years has the seal of approval from Aaron Rodgers and CP3? Who knew there was a guy claiming to be Chris Paul in some of those spots?

Who knew that you can lose weight like Dan Marino with Nutrisystem?

Who knew that a prominent left-handed swinging golfer could utilize a drug to handle psoriatic arthritis? I am glad that Phil Mickelson can overcome and continue to play, whenever golf resumes.

My guess is that when this all ends and life resumes on a part-time to somewhat regular basis, we will get away from the television ritual, outside of watching real games. The video game craze will calm. The desperate attempt at creating somewhat creative to meaningless information will cease as we have a new lease on life. I am counting the days to the end of this malaise!