Sports Will Always Be the Tie That Binds

By Clint Switzer


It's funny how you remember certain things from your childhood as if they occurred just a few hours ago.  Certain events take place that provide us with such powerful nostalgia that we cannot conceive of our lives without the memory of those events. I don't remember much about my first several birthday parties. I can only vaguely remember winning a spelling bee when I was in third grade.  I have sparse memories of watching my first rated R movie. But I will never forget the first time my dad took me to see the Chiefs play at Arrowhead Stadium.

I recall how my dad cursed profusely as he attempted to negotiate a parking space. I remember how the crisp December air felt like knives against my face as I got out of the car. I remember the smell of the barbeque permeating throughout the parking lot. I remember standing in our upper-level seats in awe of the players warming up before the game.  I recall how I looked up at my dad during the National Anthem and noticed that his lip was quivering and tears were streaming down his face as the anthem called up memories of his own years as a storied athlete and military veteran. As long as I live, I will not forget the way the crowd roared when the Chiefs were announced and revved to a frenzy each time they scored a touchdown.

It is an experience that I have relived many times since and one to which many Americans can relate. That is because sports has a special way of uniting us. They unite us with our family, our friends and with 70,000 perfect strangers that we might find ourselves high-fiving and hugging in the midst of an intense athletic competition. There is nothing else in the world that provides the emotional roller coaster. In many ways, sports are the ultimate reality shows. We watch to be inspired, to witness greatness and even to see failure. Some of us live vicariously through our favorite teams. When they lose, we can't sleep that well, and we probably lack concentration at work the next day. In many ways, sports are symbolic of life itself. The quest for stardom and success and the bitter feeling of defeat are things we all encounter in our daily lives.

The truth is, sports are not for everyone. Competition does not make every human's heart race in nervousness or make everyone's spine tingle when they witness a 19-year-old-kid make a half court shot to win a game. And that's ok. Some might beg the question, "Why do you care so much about something that you have no control over?" or "The players you cheer for have no idea who you are, how could you possibly care that much?" And for me the answer has always been simple: because sports unite us. Sure, we sports fans all love to go out to the stadium to cheer on our favorite teams on a perfect fall afternoon, but it will always be deeper than that. When the Twin Towers fell in New York City on September 11th, 2001, we quickly tried to pick up the pieces of a nation that was a damaged soul. NFL stadiums across the land stood as one that next week as we honored the victims with football-field sized American flags and rousing National Anthems. The games would continue and would be symbolic that we would not crumble under the threat of terror. Last April, two bombs went off during the Boston Marathon as three perished and over 200 were injured. Just a few days later, 18,000 Boston Bruins fans sang the National Anthem as one during one of the most emotional scenes you will ever witness. Why did our eyes stream with tears upon seeing this occur? Because sports unite us.

Now, when I attend sporting events with my father, I still find myself glancing over at him during the National Anthem. His eyes are still wet of course but the difference is, 9 times out of 10 there are tears welling up in my eyes as well. For every game that I attend, I am taken back to a past memory from my youth. When I am at a baseball game and someone hits a home run, I am reminded of the time my dad took me to Royals Stadium in the late 80's when they played the Blue Jays and how Fred McGriff's home run sounded like a gunshot when the bat connected with the ball. And when I see a father with a little boy on his shoulders entering a stadium, I often wonder if that boy will remember the day with as much fondness as I recall random days from 25 years ago. Sports remind us of the good days in our lives. The days when we sat amongst throngs of fans and helped cheer our favorite team to victory. They remind us that our lives are not defined by the rigors of a dead end job or the many tragedies that surround us in society today. And that is because sports unite us.

Top 10 Horror Movies 2000-2009

1. Saw (2004). A tremendous horror/thriller along the lines of "Se7en" which came out nearly a decade before. "Saw" in its original form was true horror greatness before the series became more like a slightly scarier version of "CSI." This movie would help define the first decade of the 2000's by introducing us to the "torture" genre which would both excite and inevitably bore people for the next several years.

2. Session 9 (2001). A bit of an underdog sliding into the 2 spot, "Session 9" is a  cerebral and psychologically torturous horror film that will likely haunt you long after the ending credits roll. The abandoned asylum setting creates the perfect canvas for the madness that ensues as a group of workers slowly decent into madness while trying to renovate the place.

3. Jeepers Creepers (2001). For 60 minutes, "Jeepers Creepers" is as perfect a horror film as you will ever see. Director Victor Salva creates an awesome horror atmosphere as somone (or some thing) is stalking a group of kids road tripping home from college. The end result may have disappointed many viewers but credit must be given to the originality displayed here.

4. High Tension (2005). "Haute Tension" is a French film that follows a girl who is trying to thwart a brutal killer's attempt to kidnap her best friend after murdering her entire family. "High Tension" sums this movie up brilliantly and provides a very edgy twist in the end that will leave you wondering what in the world you just watched.

5. Skeleton Key (2005). Such a great movie on so many levels. The Louisiana bayou is a perfect backdrop for this thriller which deals with the practice of "hoodoo" and its effect on those who believe in it. Kate Hudson actually turns in a solid performance here as she tries to uncover the secretes of hoodoo magic.

6. The Decent (2005). This is a movie that attacks you from several different directions and preys on several of your worst fears all in one 90 minute masterpiece. A group of women head into an uncharted cave system and encounter a bit more than a slight case of claustrophobia. The terror builds throughout this film as you start feeling that the women's chances of escape are minimal and that is even before they uncover blood-thirsty, human-like creatures.

7. The Strangers (2008). The beauty of "The Strangers" is in the simplicity. A couple is being stalked by a group of individuals in masks for seemingly no reason at all. The use of odd country music and the stunning visuals really help build the dread very slowly. Stephen King referred to one moment in the film in particular as "the true definition of horror."

8. Funny Games (2007). This is a remake of a German film that breaks all the rules and comes at you in a very unconventional style. Two quirky acting gentleman stumble upon a family's vacation home where things quickly turn into one psychologically distressing "game" after another. It is a film that sticks with you for days after you have viewed it. It is certainly uncomfortable to watch at times and could be considered abstract art for the horror genre.

9. House of 1,000 Corpses (2003). Director Rob Zombie's first film, "House of 1,000 Corpses" is a visually stunning, horror thrill ride that pays homage to classic horror films of the 70's and 80's. Some fans actually prefer the sequal "The Devil's Rejects" which was completely different and took  more of a "Natural Born Killers" approach but "House" was a very solid effort given that it was Zombie's first foray into film making.

10. House of the Devil (2009). A creepy little atmospheric film that takes place in the 1980's (which certainly adds to the tone of the movie). The pacing is slow at times, but the payoff is very solid as a girls' house sitting job quickly turns horrifying. They actually released this on VHS back in 2009 to play off the 80's vibe and the film is definitely a throw back of sorts.







Honorable mentions: Trick R Treat, Hostel, Paranormal Acticity, REC (Quarantine), The Ring, Ju-on (The Grudge), Drag Me To Hell, Orphan, The Fourth Kind

Best Horror Films of the 90's

The 90's are certainly not known universally as the "golden age" of horror by any means. The genre struggled to gain traction and really didn't find a true identity until about halfway through the decade. With that said, there were certainly films worth of discussion. So now let's take a look at the top 10 films of the 1990's.

1. Silence of the Lambs (1991). Half horror film, half FBI crime drama, "Silence of the Lambs" is an epic film that still resonates over twenty years later. Anthony Hopkins is brilliant as the psychopathic Hannibal Lectar and Jodi Foster shines in her role as FBI Agent Starling. "Silence" gets under your skin in a way that very few films are able to achieve.

2. Misery (1990). One of the greatest adaptations of a Stephen King novel to date, "Misery" is a simple yet provocative thriller that slowly builds dread and makes you realize that James Caan's character may not survive at the hands of his quirky caretaker Annie (played by Kathy Bates). The storytelling in this movie is outstanding and by the end you are cheering for Caan to brutalize the psychopathic Annie in any way possible.

3. Scream (1996). This movie single-handedly salvaged the horror genre in the 1990's and is a quintessential pop culture flick as well. Wes Craven created a perfect parody of the slasher genre which would lead to countless copycat movies such as Urban Legend, I Know What You Did Last Summer, etc. Craven used references to many horror films of the past and put his own stamp on the classical "who done it?" movie.

4. Se7en (1995). Seven is an amazing psychological thriller that cleverly blurs the lines between horror and drama. The idea of a "John Doe" serial killer using the seven deadly sins to off his victims proved to be absolute brilliance on screen as we find ourselves almost dreading what kind of horrors will be uncovered next by Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman.

5. The Blair Witch Project (1999). The film that kicked off the "found footage" craze that still exists today, "The Blair Witch Project" was a gigantic box-office success back in the summer of '99. We had never really seen anything like this before and this movie made it clear that the horrors you can create in your own mind while watching it were far worse than the actual events shown on screen. Today it is both loved and hated, but there is no debating its influence on the horror genre.

6. Strangeland (1998). Written and starred in by Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider, "Strangeland" introduces to the sadistic sexual saddist, Captain Howdy. Howdy preys on victims via internet chat rooms which was pretty ground breaking subject matter for the time period. This movie is wildly entertaining as Snider portrays the psychopathic Captain Howdy to perfection.

7. Army of Darkness (1991). The third installment to the "Evil Dead" trilogy showcases our hero Ash as a bonafide comedic, comic book hero as he continues battling deadites in midevil times. "Army of Darkness" picks up right where "Evil Dead 2" left off and turns the comedy meter up to 11. Some fans of the original "Evil Dead" did not enjoy the comedic direction but this is movie is as entertaining as a horror/comedy can get.

8. Candyman (1992). A college student uncovers the urban legend of the "candyman," and the result is a very original film that deviated from the forumlaic slasher movies we had grown accustomed to in the late 80's/early 90's. Tony Todd's creepy presentation of the hook-wielding candyman definitely brings the film to life.

9. Brainscan (1994). Perhaps the most underrated horror film of the decade, "Brainscan" was another film that was far ahead of its time. "Brainscan" is a virtual reality video game that allows you to be the serial killer. Which seems cool except that after playing, the lines of reality and fiction become blurred and it is very possible that you are actually killing people. Edward Furlong shows up here in a post-Terminator 2 role and finds himself woven in a web of terror after becoming addicted to the hypnotic "Brainscan."

10. Dead-Alive (1992). Long before director Peter Jackson was directing "King Kong" and "Lord of the Rings," he brought us this gory gem from the early 90's. "Dead-Alive" is an unabashed, bloody, gut-wrenching puke fest that was one of those movies that all the kids were talking about back when it was released in 1992. It is likely that there are movies in existence which contain more blood and guts as "Dead-Alive" but certainly none of them present it in such a ridiculous, humorous fashion.





Honorable Mentions: Event Horizon, Jacob's Ladder, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, Urban Legend, It, Bram Stoker's Dracula.