Pinkley & Hawkeye
Folks know that Commentary doesn’t talk a lot about college athletics. I might have to start changing my tune some, now that they are spreading the dough around to a few of the athletes.
The University of Houston fired their athletic director yesterday. Here is from the Chron:
Before a packed crowd Wednesday night, athletic director Chris Pezman mapped out the immediate future for the University of Houston athletic department.
“Spread the moment,” Pezman told a roomful of supporters at the “Coogs on the Road” summer tour stop in Webster. “This is a great time to be a Houston Cougar — and trust me we’re just getting started.”
Less than 24 hours later, Pezman was out of a job.
Pezman, a former football team captain who returned to help usher UH into the Big 12, was fired on Thursday.
In a statement, UH president Renu Khator called the move a “difficult but necessary decision.”
And this:
“He didn’t have anybody in his corner,” a source said.
One issue was UH’s lack of progress to increase revenue through fundraising and sponsorships, especially at a time when the men’s basketball program has been one of the best in the nation the past six years.
Here is the entire read: UH athletics: Chris Pezman out as athletic director (houstonchronicle.com).
Best I can figure, when it comes to UH athletics, there is only one person you can have in your corner, and I don’t think this needs explaining.
Oh, well.
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“Never heard of it.”
That was a memorable line by Prisoner #2 Pinkley played by the great Donald Sutherland in “The Dirty Dozen” where I first noticed Sutherland. Pinkley was pretending to be a general on a top-secret mission who was inspecting troops commanded by Robert Ryan’s character Col. Breed.
Donald Sutherland left us yesterday. Here are some flicks where I most enjoyed his roles:
“The Dirty Dozen,” “M*A*S*H,” “Kelly’s Heroes,” “Klute,” “Don’t Look Now,” “Ordinary People,” “Backdraft,” “Outbreak,” “A Time to Kill,” and the TV series “Dirty Sexy Money.”
His son Kiefer said this about his dad yesterday:
“one of the most important actors in the history of film.”
Who am I to argue with this.
His Hawkeye Pierce in “M*A*S*H” in the featured photo is certainly a memorable role in a groundbreaking flick. The featured photo is the back cover of the soundtrack on vinyl to the flick “M*A*S*H” that is still in my possession.
“Ordinary People” won Best Picture.
A few other flicks he starred in were nominated for Best Picture
“Kelly’s Heroes” still resonates with movie buffs.
“Outbreak” was revisited during the pandemic.
“Klute” and “Don’t Look Now” were cutting edge and pushed the envelope of sorts.
“JFK” still starts arguments.
In “Backdraft” he had a small but chilling role as the arsonist Ronald Bartel.
“The Hunger Games” flicks got him a new generation of fans.
Like I said, who am I to argue.
In case you are wondering, of the 12 actors who played the titled roles in “The Dirty Dozen,” only Prisoners #5 and #7 are still with us.
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The Orioles are in town this weekend for a three-game series.
