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Mizzou Links, 4-5-13

On Roger Ebert, a big softball series, and a challenge to be a meaner conference mate.

By Bill Connelly
YouTube

If you only knew the Movie Critic version of Roger Ebert, you might have been a little thrown with the rather deep mourning that hit a lot of people on Twitter yesterday when they found out that he had passed away. The general response in my wife's office, for example, was basically, "The movie guy? Didn't he die a long time ago?"

But if you are a writer/blogger type, and if you stumbled across Ebert's blog when he started writing a few years ago, you probably fell in love with a different Roger Ebert.

Now, make no mistake: Movie Critic Roger Ebert was enough. The man was a star in a field that doesn't exactly produce many stars. He made art out of criticism, if you will. For more than a decade now, when his new reviews were released, I checked to see if there were any one-star reviews in the batch because there was nothing -- nothing -- in the world more entertaining than Roger Ebert reviewing a bad movie. (For evidence, go here.) Ebert was smart and immensely talented, and I grew to enjoy his reviews so much even though a) I've always been more of a TV guy, and b) I frequently disagreed with him. He was a writer first, critic second, and he was just fun to read no matter what movie he was writing about. His talent and passion for cinema (and his job) shined through almost 100 percent of the time.

In recent years, though, he started writing prolifically about things other than just movies. (He still wrote an insane number of reviews, however.) Blogging fit him like a glove, and once he started -- once he discovered that you can build a strange, wonderful community online and interact with it (don't I know it) -- he embraced it entirely. Those following his blog read his thoughts about death, and politics, and literature, and Gene Siskel, and his wife, and his family, and his faith. Sometimes his views mirrored mine exactly, and sometimes they very much did not. But his writing either taught or verified certain things for me that I feel and reflect on nearly every day.

1. If you love what you do, people can tell. And if you love what you do, share that love. Communicate that love as much as possible.

2. Try to learn as much as possible about everything. Don't be ashamed of knowing things. And don't ever stop asking questions.

3. Demand as much as possible from others.

4. When you realize you're wrong, admit it. Have strong opinions and challenge people to change them. And never, ever be afraid to make fun of yourself.

5. Pride, confidence, and humility are infinitely more important than appearance.

It's not like I didn't know these things before Ebert came around. I've had some pretty good role models in my life. But he embodied those beliefs as well as any public figure I can remember. He served as a role model for me and so many other young writer/bloggers. Cancer is an asshole, as The Champaign Room says below, and we always knew this day was going to come (even though, after what he posted on his journal earlier this week, we all thought we would get at least a few more months of him with us). But he fought that bastard off for quite a while, and we are all better for it. He lived a full, and surely very satisfying 70 years. And we should all hope that both our lives and our passing can so deeply impact so many.

This is a really odd transition to links, now, but since I included so many Ebert pieces in this links space through the years, I wanted to share my thoughts about him here, too.

Mizzou Diamond Sports Links

Mizzou Basketball Links

  • Torren
    MUtigers.com: Future Tiger Torren Jones Invited to West Coast All-Star Game
  • Keyon
    The Trib (AP): Keyon Dooling is lured from retirement
  • Miami
    The Trib: Miami details alleged unethical conduct by investigators in motion to dismiss NCAA case
    KC Star: Miami's motion to dismiss Haith case outlines unethical tactics by NCAA
    Post-Dispatch: Miami motion asserts more NCAA misconduct
  • You Say "Metaphor," I Say ... It Was A Dunk Contest
    The Maneater: Keion Bell's defeat a fitting ending to Tigers' season

Mizzou Football Links

As usual, there will be a standalone post about the most recent football practice ... but here are a couple of other football links. Including a challenge to be meaner from Senator Blutarsky. I know that's a challenge we can live up to...

  • In Response To The Rivalry Check...
    Senator Blutarsky: Welcome South, Tigers!
  • 2014 Recruiting
    PowerMizzou: Hance makes return trip to Mizzou

Other Mizzou Links

  • Mizzou Tennis
    MUtigers.com: Tennis Hosts Alabama, Auburn in St. Louis
  • Mizzou Gymnastics
    The Missourian: Missouri gymnast Rachel Updike takes quiet confidence into regionals
  • Mizzou Track & Field
    MUtigers.com: Track Heads into Alabama Weekend with National Rankings
  • Mizzou Women's Golf
    MUtigers.com: Tigers Continue Spring Season at Rebel Intercollegiate
  • Mizzou Men's Swimming
    MUtigers.com: Hladik Named Male SEC Community Service Leader of the Year

Other

  • This. Sounds. Disgusting.
    So Good: Pizza Hut's Crazy New Crust

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