' ' Cinema Romantico: A Digression: Three Wonders of the World

Monday, October 15, 2007

A Digression: Three Wonders of the World

"What you have to ask yourself is what kind of person are you? Are you the kind that sees signs, sees miracles? Or do you believe that people just get lucky? Or, look at the question this way - is it possible that there are no coincidences?" - Graham Hess, "Signs"

On Saturday, my beloved Nebraska Football Team, through whom I live vicariously, was ripped to miniscule shreds. It was our worst loss on our homefield in 48 years. This is without question the worst team in my 21 years as a Nebraska fan. It is likely we will not win another game this season. The announcers on the radio as I listened to the game were at various points very nearly speechless. Rumors are swirling. Coaches may be fired. If coaches aren't fired, the athletic director may be fired. Fans are wearing bags on their heads to the game. (Peter Venkman: "Cats and dogs living together! Mass hysteria!")

The so-called Husker Nation is being ripped asunder right before my eyes. The Big Red is (as J. Peterman once said on "Seinfeld" of his own proverbial house) "in disorder". Sportswriters are calling it the "death of Nebraska Football". Needless to say, it was not a good weekend. I moped out about for two days, stuck in a funk. As I listened to the game to the bitter end I think I could literally feel my heart breaking.

(Note: If you're about to lob the "it's just a game" crap at me then allow me to cut you off at the pass with what Nick Hornby once had to say on that subject: "Don't say that! Please! That is the worst, most stupid thing anyone could say! Because it quite clearly isn't 'only a game.' I mean, if it was do you honestly think I'd care this much?")

It's at times like these that you want a reason to hope. You want to know there's still light, not just darkness. You want to know that the world still makes sense and that good things can happen. You want to believe. You want something, anything, to give you joy, lift your spirits, make you smile.

This morning when I arrived at work I was on the verge of checking my regular Nebraska Football web site to see if there had been any updates regarding my beloved football team's situation. Were heads rolling? Were there any more depressing articles with which I could torture myself? But no, I decided, I didn't want to do that to myself. Not right away, at least. Instead I decided to check my regular Springsteen web site for the setlist from his show in Ottawa, Canada since, you know, I'm seeing he and the band in a week's time and I like to keep tabs on what I may be hearing. These are the words (verbatim) that I found:

"....in the six-song encore, Bruce and the E Streeters were joined by members of Arcade Fire, husband-and-wife band co-founders Win Butler and RĂ©gine Chassagne. First up was 'State Trooper,' a song Arcade Fire has been known to cover, and which the E Street Band hasn't played live since the Born in the U.S.A. tour. After that, they all went into 'Keep the Car Running,' a hard-hitting track from Arcade Fire's magnificent Neon Bible."

Are you kidding me? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! The two greatest bands in the world onstage at the same time?! AT THE SAME TIME?! That's like....that's like....that's like....

It's like if that pesky thing known as time wasn't a factor and George Washington and Abraham Lincoln stood together at a podium. It's like if the Atlantic and Pacific decided to unite and form one mega-ocean.

(Just look at this photo. I mean, that is unreal to me. I was in New York two months ago. I saw Lady Liberty. She ain't got nothin' on that photo. That is whole-heartedly the single coolest thing I've seen this year.)

I mean, finding life on mars is nowhere as near interesting to me as finding a bootleg of this moment.

On Saturday Nebraska Football completely, totally, unequivocally hit rock bottom. On Sunday my two favorite bands in the whole entire world joined forces.

In the words of Joaquin Phoenix from "Signs" responding to the above quote: "Yeah, I'm a miracle man."

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Boo-hoo. Your Huskers are doing badly. Waa-waa. Try the trifecta of depression. Hawks, Cubs, and Bears...oh my. The Huskers have more Championships in the past 99 years than all three of these teams together. Since 1985 I haven't felt true bliss. Yes, there have been dashes of hope, but right around the corner the foot of depression waits to kick me in the nuts. I've been kicked so many times I have depressed kidney stones and acute incontinence of happiness. So, please forgive me if I don't cry for the Huskers; my tear ducts have dried up long ago.

Anonymous said...

My friend here is suffering from a typical American disease. Number 1 or nothing. THREE Big 10 titles in a row wasn't bliss? Going to the Orange Bowl in 2002 wasn't bliss? That Drew Tate pass in the Capital One Bowl wasn't bliss? GOING to the Super Bowl wasn't bliss? GETTING to the playoffs this year wasn't bliss?

I APPRECIATED our Cotton Bowl berth last year. I APPRECIATED our Alamo Bowl berth the year before that. For God's sake, I even APPRECIATED our berth in the Poulan Weed-Eater Independence Bowl in 2002. Only when we have our worst loss in FIFTY years do I complain.

Living in Chicago has made me realize Chicago fans take more joy in complaining than reveling. Your teams have accomplished much this decade. Revel in those accomplishments, whatever they may be.

Anonymous said...

I'm not saying I'm not proud of their accomplishments. I am. Each of them have given me some amount of happiness. But. I would really like to feel that wave of overwhelming joy and ecstasy that comes with a National Title, World Series Championship, or a Super Bowl Championship. I am a parent of a underachieving, slightly stupid, and ugly child; I love and support them, but at the same time I can't expect too much.