Paul Altobelli, Steve Murray, and Willie Mays

Hangin' out with the Say Hey Kid

Paul Altobelli, Steve Murray, and Willie Mays

Megahole 2000: VII

The Carl White, Jr. Invitational

This past Saturday I had the pleasure to golf with three of my oldest friends: Tom Hartman, Brian Dugan, and Steve Murray. I've know these three guys since the first grade and off and on we've been part of each other's lives for 35 years. We've played baseball as kids and then gone to Phillies games as adults. We discovered music together and then saw our bands in concert. We've been in each other's weddings and celebrated the birth of our children. And sadly we've been there to comfort when a loved one has passed.

There's a song by the Who called "How Many Friends" that asks:

How many friends have I really got?
You can count 'em on one hand
How many friends have I really got?
How many friends have I really got?
That love me, that want me, that'll take me as I am?

Well, I can honestly say that Tom Hartman, Brian Dugan, and Steve Murray are three friends I can count on my hand that love me, that want me, that'll take me as I am.

Listen / Download:
The Who - How Many Friends

"Hey, where the white women at?"

Today, my mother reminded me of a line from Blazing Saddles:

Hedley Lamarr: My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.

Taggart: God darnit Mr. Lamarr, you use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore.

Just typing Blazing Saddles makes me laugh. It's my all-time favorite comedy. I'll take this movie over any Marx Brothers move including Duck Soup. The actors, the direction, the writing, the satire, the jokes--Blazing Saddles is about as perfect as perfect can be.

Interestingly enough, given that we live in a politically correct society, Blazing Saddles would never see the light of day if it was pitched to a movie executive. Case it point: ALL RIGHT! WE'LL GIVE SOME LAND TO THE NIGGERS AND THE CHINKS -- BUT WE DON'T WANT THE IRISH!

Thanks Mom for reminding me about this movie today. It put a smile on my face. And thank you for taking Stephen, my good friend Steve Murray, and me to the Tacony-Palmyra Drive-In so many years ago to watch this classic for the first time.

Click here for more Blazing Saddles quotes.