Sunday, November 11, 2007

Get Your World War II Movie References Right, Please

Al Michaels, after Adam "Most Clutch Kicker Ever" Vinatieri missed a potential game-winning chip shot field goal allowing the Chargers to squeak by the Colts on Sunday Night Football:

"And the Chargers have just completed 'The Greatest Escape' anyone's made since Charles Bronson!"

Thanks to TBS's annual Memorial Day war movie marathons, I (despite being only 23) know that Charles Bronson wasn't in "The Great Escape." He was in "The Dirty Dozen." Is that what Al was going for?

[edit: Commenter AJ, the kind of person who doesn't let ANYONE get away with ANYTHING, astutely points out that Bronson was indeed in "The Great Escape." My bad. Actually, if memory serves, Bronson was one of the few guys got away at the end of the movie. So looks like there's some egg on my face, courtesy of Al Michaels. But it's still an awkward reference, because Bronson was far from prominent in the movie as a whole. He dug the tunnel... that was about it. On the other hand, he was a fucking badass and probably the coolest character after Lee Marvin in "The Dirty Dozen." I still say it's a shitty reference. Steve McQueen was probably the biggest name in "The Great Escape," and had the best capture scene. Richard Attenborough was also more important. Michaels should have referenced one of them in Bronson's place, even though they ultimately were recaptured/shot. Just saying. Or alternately, if he really wanted to use Bronson, he should have said "And the Chargers have just put up a performance that was almost as great as Charles Bronson's in The Dirty Dozen!" Doesn't that just sound better? No?

Oh, and by popular demand, by tomorrow morning (Tuesday), I will have finished up a thorough review of the Simmons piece published mid-last week about how the league is out to get the Patriots. Should be fun. Stop by and check it out.]

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Charles Bronson was in "The Great Escape".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057115/

He was also in "The Dirty Dozen", but Al Michaels was right this time. Do you believe in miracles? Yes!

larry b said...

Oh snap. You're right. Well, I'll leave the post up, with an edit. It was still a lame reference. Thanks for keeping me on my toes. firelarryb.blogspot.com is available.

Chris W said...

"this guy's like charles bronson in the great escape--he's digging tunnels"