Remember that wonderful 1988 sports movie Bull Durham? There’s a hilarious scene where veteran minor league catcher Crash Davis (Kevin Costner) is instructing the hot young up-and-comer Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh (Tim Robbins) in how to deal with the press. The dialogue goes like this:
Crash Davis: It’s time to work on your interviews.
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: My interviews? What do I gotta do?
Crash Davis: You’re gonna have to learn your clichés. You’re gonna have to study them, you’re gonna have to know them. They’re your friends. Write this down: “We gotta play it one day at a time.”
Ebby Calvin LaLoosh: Got to play… it’s pretty boring.
Crash Davis: ‘Course it’s boring, that’s the point. Write it down.
I thought of that memorable scene while reading this New York Times article on the struggles of the New York Giants in their first preseason contest against the Carolina Panthers. The defense, minus All-Pro defensive end Michael Strahan (who is contemplating retirement), had a weak game against the run, giving up 154 yards to the Panthers’ rushers.
