Tuesday 13 September 2011

Leo Tolstoy And Football

 The title may seem as if Leo is going to play a few quarters this season. Nah, he is just on my mind as well as football.

I have been taking advantage of the beautiful weather here in the mid-west. Cleaning porches, windows, painting and gardening have been going on just about every day. That is my favorite kind of tired at the end of the day. The kind of tired you earned so to speak.

During this time I watched a really good movie. The Conspirator stars James McAvoy, Kevin Klein, Robin Wright and Tom Wilkinson. Robert Redford directed the movie, based on true events. The center of the film is Mary Surratt and her reluctant lawyer, Fredrick Aiken. James McAvoy plays Fredrick and he is fast becoming one of my favorite actors.  Mary, played by Robin Wright, was charged with conspiring with John Wilkes Booth and the other conspirators, including her son. She owned a boarding house were they would meet to make plans.  

This movie is a thinking film. I found myself floundering on whether or not she was telling the truth that she had no idea of Booth’s plans. This film pointed out to me that even though I have read large amounts of material about Abraham Lincoln, I have never really looked into Booth and those who were tried for the same crimes. I have watched several documentaries about Booth, but I have not read anything about him or those like Mary Surratt. I plan to change that and seek out more information.  

I knew Mary was the first women the U.S ever hanged, but I did not know about much more information surrounding her possible involvement. If you love history and these types of stories, I high recommend the film. I don’t understand why some films are “limited released”. This was one that was only shown in certain theaters in 2010. 

This past Friday night our local high school had their first game of the season. One sure sign that fall in on the way is when I can hear the high school band practice. From my house I can hear them and their leader on his bull horn usually right before lunchtime. That sound oozes football and hopefully cooler temps.  

College football is kicking in the coming weekend.  CBS Sports has Oklahoma in the first spot with Alabama in the second.  Then Oregon and LSU. There is heavy talk about LSU and how this may be their year. The 2010 National Champions, The Auburn Tigers, is ranked in and around the 25 spot on various polls. Coming off such a great season last year with the Championship and the Heisman Trophy winner, Cam Newton, the team has lost many veteran players.  

Seeing Oklahoma on top of the rankings kind of caught me off guard. I must have taken a nap when something was going on with the Sooners. So I did some reading and I am still a little confused. Their running game was not very impressive last year and I don’t see where anything has been added to change that. They averaged 3.4 yards per carry. I am going to assume they spent considerable time working on that area.  

Is there something I am missing here?  I tend to keep more watch on the SEC than other conferences until we get toward the end of the season, so I am scratching my head on OK in the number one spot. I think it may have more to do with the QB, Landry Jones. Some are even saying he will win the next Heisman as he is the best in the nation. Time and a few hard hits will tell. 

They have an impressive returning sophomore, Brenna Clay, who will most likely lead in carries and make some excitement happen. So now my curiosity is way up there and I will make a point of watching some Oklahoma football this year. Former Sooner, Sam Bradford is now playing for the St. Louis Rams and they are happy to have him.  

On an entirely different note, I read a book about Leo Tolstoy and his marriage. I have never really taken an interest in Leo Tolstoy until I saw the movie, The Last Station. After reading further about him and his wife, I am convinced these people would have greatly benefited from some modern Prozac usage! One thing that cracked me up was how Leo told his followers they should refrain from sex, even those married, yet his wife practically stayed pregnant. People followed him as if he was one of the apostles. 

He was also a hardened male chauvinist. His opinion of women was about as low as you can go and not be a dictator in Iraq. He and his wife, Sophia, both kept journals that were more for tearing the other apart in words rather than for actual everyday life.

To be considered so smart he never seemed able to commit himself to anything other than the sound of his own voice or his words on paper. Even there he floundered some.   Leo certainly had a knack for setting the Russian leaders in a tailspin. I think that was enough for me. I really don’t have any further interests in Leo and his thoughts.  That is Leo in the first picture. He looks like the life of the party doesn’t he? I have heard he was a genius and far ahead of his time. Well, he is too far ahead for me, I just don’t get it.

One more day and we have September. Hope you are having a good week so far. Take care and be safe,

KJ

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