The Master of Disaster
Thank you for everything, Carl Weathers!
It is a busy time, of course, as Thursday's 3 PM ET NBA trade deadline approaches.
So maybe this isn't the ideal time to veer away from trade talk and other basketball matters in the Tuesday Newsletter Extravaganza.
Can't help it, though.
I had to say a few words about last Friday's passing of legendary actor Carl Weathers at age 76, because the Rocky movie franchise — and Weathers — has been such a massive part of my life for more than 40 years. It goes all the way back to Rocky III in 1982 when I watched my first movie in a theatre without parental supervision and was absolutely mesmerized by the graceful, forceful and loquacious character Weathers so memorably made an all-timer: Apollo Creed.
I said on Twitter last Friday when his passing was announced that I don't think it's possible to have loved an actor and his signature role more than I loved Weathers' Apollo Creed. I've watched Rocky IV hundreds of times and can’t stop myself from hoping every time it comes on again that — this time — Apollo doesn’t die in the ring against Ivan Drago. I'm in my 50s now and not ashamed to say that an Apollo Creed figurine that I fortuitously found on a clearance rack in the mid-1980s at some point stands in my home office in a spot that ensures I see it every day.
I loved him that much.
It is not rational. You might call it silly or childish. Yet for me it is true: Carl Weathers made Apollo Creed real to me. In my twisted, nostalgia-fueled brain, Rocky movies and the cornerstone characters who had such remarkable staying power that they spawned a Creed franchise for my children to enjoy decades later are not treated as fictional.
What’s the harm in believing that if it makes you feel young (and good)?
Friday, then, was an unavoidably sad day. I dedicated my Saturday radio show to Weathers and dedicate this newsletter to him, too.
As only Jimmy Lennon could say it …
The Master of Disaster …
The King of Sting …
The one and only Apollo Creed.
(Here are some past articles I’ve written about Rocky IV and Creed III for your review if these films and their stars mean something similar to you.)
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Numbers Game
🏀 10
All-Star Weekend officially starts in 10 days in Indianapolis. Early goal now that I have confirmed that I will be in attendance: Hit the famed St. Elmo Steakhouse at least twice (and maybe even three times) while I’m in town. Many, many thanks to St. Elmo for helping set the mood by sending out this All-Star gift pack which naturally features its famed fiery Shrimp Cocktail Sauce. It’s a concoction as synonymous with Indy as the Pacers themselves.
🏀 6
Six different players have scored at least 60 points in a game this season: Luka Dončić (73), Joel Embiid (70), Giannis Antetokounmpo (64), Karl Anthony-Towns (62), Devin Booker (62) and Stephen Curry (60).
🏀 3
No other season in NBA history has had more than three players who recorded a 60-point game, according to research from my fellow Substacker
.🏀 9
(There have also been nine 50-point games this season even though the hoopla for those has obviously been drowned out somewhat.)
🏀 55-15
Prior to this season, NBA teams had gone 55-15 (.786) when a player scored between 60 and 69 points. This season teams are 1-3 in that scenario; Towns, Booker and Curry all posted 60-point games in defeat.
🏀 2
There are only two seasons in league history, per Kubatko, with more 60-point games than we’ve seen so far this season: 1961-62 (17) and 1962-93 (9). Twenty-four of those 26 games, mind you, belong to Wilt Chamberlain.
🏀 2:26
LeBron James’ recent hourglass emoji tweet, widely perceived as a thinly veiled nudge from James to push the Lakers’ front office for a roster upgrade before Thursday’s trade deadline, was published at 2:26 AM ET.
🏀 2010
San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama was not selected to the All-Star Game by Western Conference coaches, leaving Blake Griffin as the last rookie to earn All-Star honors in 2010.
🏀 2
A sad illustration of the current state of American newspapers: When the Knicks played in Dallas recently, only two beat writers (Stefan Bondy of The New York Post and Newsday’s Steve Popper) traveled to Texas for the game to cover what probably ranks as the best Knicks team in 30 years. The Knicks have historically traveled the largest contingent of beat writers in the league.
🏀 12
Twelve of the 14 players I chose last week as All-Star reserves were selected by East and West coaches. I was 7 for 7 in the East; my two misses were choosing Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert and Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis over Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns and the LA Clippers’ Paul George.
(Unofficial) NBA All-Star Reserve Selections
NBA coaches turned in their All-Star reserve selections to the league office on Monday. Those choices will be officially revealed Thursday night on TNT. Who most deserves those seven spots in each conference? Let's break it down in this Tuesday Newsletter Extravaganza after a quick recap of your All-Star starters …
🏀 5
Teams will continue to have five minutes between first-round picks in the NBA’s new draft format that will be instituted in June, which breaks up the first round of the draft (Wednesday) and the second round (now to be conducted on its own on June 27).
🏀 4
Teams will get four minutes between second-round picks in June … doubled from two minutes.
🏀 97.1
I’m on the radio Saturdays from noon to 1 PM CT on 97.1 (FM) The Freak in Dallas with an hour of live NBA talk presented by Panini Trading Cards and Collectibles. Join us online by clicking the link embedded in this sentence or via the iHeart radio app to listen to The Saturday Stein Line on this or any Saturday ... or catch the podcasted version of the show once it drops via Apple Podcasts, Spotify or #whereveryougetyourpodcasts. And we repeat: Click the microphone icon on the 97.1 (FM) The Freak feed on the iHeart Radio app to leave a 30-second message or a question for me to answer on an upcoming show.
Marc, Like you the Rocky trilogy meant so much to me. Every time the character Apollo Creed made the Movies 1-4 something that left an impression on me to this day. Carl’s passing on Friday felt like I lost a friend. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet him. Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts Sylvester Stallone has a great saying that I think is appropriate Keep Punching 🥊 Ty Marc
Marc, like you I will miss Carl Weathers. He will always be Apollo Creed to me but to my kids he is Karga from the Mandalorian and Chubs from Happy Gilmore. He really was a talented actor. I will also remember him in the red, white and blue shorts in the ring. RIP Carl.