Bill Simmons on Boogie Nights, Again

Apr 12, 2006 7:46 PM
Tags: film, sports, writing
Q: ESPN2 obviously stole the script from "Bonds on Bonds" from Amber Waves' Dirk Diggler documentary. Seriously, has The Worldwide Leader ever produced a less honest puff piece? You have to admit that the Dirk Diggler doc involved more rigorous investigative journalism. Is it OK if I say this into the camera, Amber?
--Rob Jackson, New York

SG: And I thought I was the only one waiting for Bonds to fire back at his critics by saying, "I only am who I am because I was born that way. I have a gift and I'm trying to not be selfish about it, but to use it, OK? Jealousy will get you nowhere!"

"It's jealousy. It's deceitfulness. It's vindictiveness. It's all of that stuff, ya know? But I mean ... God, what can you expect when you're on top? It's like Napoleon. When he was the king, people were just constantly trying to conquer him in the Roman empire, so it's history repeating itself all over again."

This week's Sports Guy mailbag also includes:

  • a reference to Jimmy Snuka's appearance on Piper's Pit
  • a claim that the New Orleans Saints aren't even the worst team in their sport
  • and a reasonable-sounding explanation of how Oscar Robertson's year-long triple double (the most astonishing single-season stat not held by Wilt Chamberlain) is overrated

The most underrated record for a season is Chief Wilson's 36 triples for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1912. The odds of that being broken are roughly the same as Beetlejuice the dwarf becoming Secretary General of the United Nations.


Comments: Bill Simmons on Boogie Nights, Again

This is the first blog entry of yours that I've seen that I have no clue what you (or the people quoted) are talking about.

Something about baseball?

Posted by: Od-ll on April 13, 2006 2:41 AM | permalink

Bill Simmons is an ESPN columnist who gets fan mail. Barry Bonds is a steroid-using baseball player whose "defense" of his cheating is incoherent. In Boogie Nights, the main character makes a similarly incomprehensible response to critics, which includes the lines in quotes.

Simmons dude wrote to Stein about a perceived Bonds-Boogie Nights parallel.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on April 13, 2006 6:21 AM | permalink

You mean Bill Simmons - not Marc Stein.

Posted by: Blub on April 13, 2006 7:21 AM | permalink

Fixed. Thanks Daffy.

Posted by: Joe Grossberg on April 13, 2006 8:35 AM | permalink

No more comments! Either someone has violated Godwin's Law, I'm tired of the discussion or, most likely, the ten-week window has closed. You can, however, contact me through email.