Sunday Potpourri No. 20

Today's post comes with the Standard Sunday Disclaimer: "The post title is using the term 'potpourri' in the second of the two senses listed here. The post may also be rather short, although not necessarily so."

Foot-bawl

There's not a lot of interest for me on college football Saturdays now that my beloved Missouri Tigers have gone into a free fall.

Drew Lock is gaining experience, but it hasn't been pretty so far.

Is "free fall" too strong? After yesterday's dreary 10-3 defeat to lowly Vanderbilt (it was Vandy's first SEC win in two seasons), they have now lost three straight games, and have not scored a touchdown for thirteen consecutive quarters.



They still need two wins to even be bowl-eligible, and looking at the upcoming schedule it is difficult to see who they should be expected to beat.

Coach Gary Pinkel has clearly decided to spend the rest of the season letting true freshman Drew Lock get some experience, even if it means a losing record. Maty Mauk did not play for a fourth consecutive game, and it seems likely he will never play another game for Mizzou except in a dire emergency.

The weekend wasn't a total loss, even though Iowa State lost badly and Notre Dame didn't play. Nebraska got beat at home by a late Northwestern field goal, which was sweet, and Kansas got clobbered by Oklahoma State. My best friend's Penn State Nittany Lions also won.

"How did Cal-Irvine do?"

*sigh* We've been over this so many times...

Kind of a Big Deal, I Guess

Today is the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt.

It is difficult for us moderns to grasp the significance of military engagements that took place so long ago, but that doesn't stop us from writing about them.

Peter Jackson's The Wonderful Story of Britain: The Battle of Agincourt

For my own part, as a theatre guy my only interest in this battle is its role in Shakespeare's Henry V.

Requiescat in Pace

In The Quiet Man (1952)

One of my least-favorite parts of growing old is coping with the deaths of actors, musicians, athletes, and other prominent figures who enriched my life. Yesterday brought the sad news of the death of Maureen O'Hara.

O'Hara had been a favorite of mine in part because I tended to identify with actors with bright red hair like my own, and partly because she appeared in some of my all-time favorite movies as a child (especially The Parent Trap and Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation).





Because I grew up in an Irish family, John Ford's Academy Award-winning The Quiet Man was also held in high regard. When I was young, I didn't really understand all of what was going on, but eventually came to appreciate it for the masterpiece of cinematic storytelling that it is. O'Hara's performance certainly has much to do with that.

If you don't watch this wonderful film every St. Patrick's Day, I don't know how you can call yourself Irish.

Until Next Time...

During the production of The Quiet Man, Ford heard Bing Crosby's rendition of Dick Farrelly's "Isle of Innisfree" and liked the song so much he decided to feature it prominently in the film, including a key scene where O'Hara's character, Mary Kate Danaher, plays and sings part of the song...

For obvious dramatic reasons, Ford cut the song short, so today's send-off is a double-header. Part Two is a full-length performance of "Isle of Innisfree" by the acclaimed musical ensemble Celtic Woman, from their 2005 debut album, paired with evocative images of Ireland. Enjoy...