Madden's Most Memorable Oakland Moments

 

John Madden celebrates the "Sea of Hands" victory in the 1974 playoffs that ended the Miami Dolphins' dynasty.

                                             

One of my earliest childhood memories is of my dad taking me for the first time to see the Raiders play at the Oakland Coliseum in 1977 when I was 6 years old. I don't recall any images from the action on the field that day (I think the Raiders annihilated the Seahawks), but I do faintly recall the image of a hulking man stalking the sideline, arms waving in the air, a wind-whipped field pass tied to his vintage 1970s powder-blue trousers. "That's John Madden," I recall my dad telling me.

Just as my love affair with the game of football was taking root, and I was starting to master the intricacies of the game and eccentricities of the Raiders, Madden's epic coaching career was winding to a close. He would retire from coaching after the next season. As he carved out a new legacy for himself in the decades to come as a broadcaster teaching me and millions of others all there was to know about football, my fascination with him would grow, along with my desire to learn about all those great games I had been too young (or not even born yet) to witness in his thrilling 10-year run at the helm of the Silver and Black.  

The legendary Madden will be honored with a public memorial Monday at the stadium he called home for his Hall of Fame coaching career with the Raiders. In tribute, I put my head together with the biggest Raiders fan I know, Joe DeLoach, to come up with this list of the five greatest Raiders home games that Madden coached from 1969 to 1978. Like a broken record, Joe kept uttering “I was at that game” as we winnowed our list down to these five classics (sadly, I wasn’t at any of them, but trust me, I know them inside and out).

See below to relive these five classics, along with other tidbits and memories, both in and out of the game of football, that revealed the soul of this football legend and made him a treasure to generations of fans. 

5. Sept. 12, 1976: Lifting the (Steel) Curtain on a Super Season

Fred Steinfort's field goal caps the improbable fourth-quarter comeback that saw the Raiders score 17 points in the final three minutes of the game. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Steel Curtain defense looked impenetrable when it arrived in Oakland to kick off the 1976 regular season, having already throttled the Raiders in the past two AFC Championship games on the way to back-to-back Super Bowl trophies. With less than six minutes to go in the game, the only question seemed to be whether the Steelers would turn the game into a blowout, as they threatened to pad their 28-14 lead with the ball on the Raiders’ 19 yard line. Then it all changed. A Franco Harris fumble resulted in a 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by a Dave Casper touchdown catch, to cut the lead to seven points. A blocked punt on the Steelers’ next possession led to a game-tying touchdown run by quarterback Ken Stabler. Next came a Willie Hall interception of Terry Bradshaw, setting up a 21-yard field goal by Fred Steinfort with 18 seconds remaining for a 31-28 victory (trivia note: Steinfort, who replaced the legendary George Blanda as the Raiders' place-kicker to start the season, was cut several weeks later after having two PAT attempts blocked against the Packers). The Raiders had shredded the Steel Curtain for 17 points in the final three minutes of the game, setting the stage for a season that would end with Madden hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

4. Sept. 23, 1973: Miami’s Epic Win Streak Vanishes into a Black Berkeley Hole

More than 74,000 fans packed Memorial Stadium in Berkeley to watch the Raiders end the Dolphins' 18-game winning streak.

The Miami Dolphins were riding an 18-game winning streak, including the NFL’s first and still only perfect season, into the second game of the 1973 season against the Raiders (Joe and I debated whether to include this game since it was played not at the Coliseum but at Cal because of a scheduling conflict with the A’s; Joe won the argument). More than 74,000 fans packed Memorial Stadium in Berkeley to see Madden’s Raiders throttle Don Shula’s juggernaut, 12-7. George Blanda, who at age 46 was nine years older than his coach, kicked four field goals to account for all of the Raiders’ scoring, and the defense shut down Bob Griese, Larry Csonka and company until the final 2 minutes of the game. The Raiders and Dolphins would meet again in the AFC Championship Game, this time with Miami winning on its home turf.

3. Nov. 8, 1970: King of the World

Before ageless wonder George Blanda was anointed "King of the World" in this 1970 epic against the Browns, he conferred with Madden to plot another wild fourth-quarter comeback. 

The 1970 season would become known in pro football lore for ageless wonder George Blanda’s miracle run coming off the bench to lead the Raiders to a series of improbable comebacks. The most memorable came in Week 8, when the 43-year-old relieved an injured Daryl Lamonica late in the fourth quarter and the Raiders down 20-13. He tied the game with less than 2 minutes to go on a 14-yard touchdown pass to Warren Wells, then lined up for a 52-yard field goal try with 3 seconds left on the clock. A week after he nailed a 48-yard kick in the waning seconds to salvage a 17-17 tie with the Chiefs (there was no overtime in 1970), Blanda did it again, inciting bedlam on the field and in the radio booth, where legendary announcer Bill King declared: “George Blanda has just been elected King of the World!”

2. Dec. 26, 1976: “We’re Going to the Super Bowl”

After losing five previous AFC Championship games, Madden celebrates finally punching his ticket to the Super Bowl with a 24-7 victory over the Steelers in 1976 -- his last playoff game at the Coliseum.

For all the great wins in Madden’s first seven seasons as coach, he had endured one gut-wrenching playoff defeat after another, leaving his dream of a Super Bowl championship out of reach. Madden’s record in AFC Championship games stood at 0-5 (not to mention the “Immaculate Reception” loss four years earlier in the divisional playoffs) as his team took the field against the hated Steelers on the day after Christmas with yet another Super Bowl berth on the line. The Raiders had already pulled out the thrilling season-opening comeback over the Steelers and stormed to a 13-1 regular season, but Pittsburgh came into the game red hot, having won nine straight games (including five shutouts) to close out the regular season and destroying the Baltimore Colts 40-14 in their playoff game a week earlier. The Raiders, on the other hand, had needed a last-minute comeback (with the help of a questionable roughing the passer penalty) to slip past the New England Patriots 24-21 in their first playoff game. But on this day, it was all Raiders as they cruised to a 24-7 win and Madden finally punched his Super Bowl ticket (Steelers fans tried to blame their team's poor performance on the fact that Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier were out with injuries, but no one who saw the game bought it). In one of the more poignant moments of his career, Madden’s players tossed him in the shower in the locker room. Smiling ear to ear with a towel draped around his neck, he muttered “We’re going to the Super Bowl” to no one in particular, as if trying to convince himself it wasn’t a dream. This would be Madden's final home playoff game.

1. Dec. 21, 1974: The Sea of Hands

Clarence "Hands of Wood" Davis clutches the game-winning touchdown pass from Ken Stabler in one of the greatest playoff finishes in NFL history.

A no-brainer for the top spot on the list. This was unquestionably the most memorable win in Madden’s coaching career. Coming two years after the devastating “Immaculate Reception” loss in Pittsburgh, Madden got his chance to be on the other end of one of the greatest finishes in NFL history, in the process ending the Dolphins’ dynasty of the early 1970s when they became the first team to reach the Super Bowl three consecutive years. The first-round playoff game see-sawed from the opening kickoff, which the Dolphins’ Nat Moore returned for a touchdown. Fred Biletnikoff hauled in a marvelous one-handed catch to give the Raiders a 14-10 third-quarter lead, and Cliff Branch’s controversial 72-yard catch and run on a pass that he appeared to trap (thankfully there were no replay reviews in 1974) put them back on top 21-19 in the fourth quarter. After the Dolphins retook the lead with just over 2 minutes to go, Stabler frantically marched the Raiders down the field. With the ball on the Dolphins’ 8 and 35 seconds left on the clock, Stabler rolled to his left and, as he fell to the ground after being tripped by a Miami defender, lobbed what  he called a “dying duck” into a “sea of hands,” all of which belonged to Dolphins except for one black jersey occupied by Clarence Davis (who was nicknamed "hands of wood" by teammates for his chronic inability to catch passes). Somehow, Davis emerged from the horde with the ball pinned against his helmet, and the Raiders knocked off the two-time defending Super Bowl champs, 28-26. Fans stormed the field as if the Raiders had just won a Super Bowl, and Madden was carried by his players through the throng with the game ball thrust in the air. The Raiders would lose the AFC title game to the Steelers the next week, but on this day, they had pulled out one of the most epic playoff games ever. Legendary broadcaster Curt Gowdy called it the greatest game he had ever seen. To this day, it stands as the greatest finish to a sporting event ever contested at the Oakland Coliseum.

Soul of a Champion: Other Games That Provided a Special Glimpse into Madden the Man

Dec. 6, 1976: The Game That Meant Nothing ... and Everything

Some pundits suggested that Madden should cage "Snake" Stabler and let the Bengals slither away with a Monday Night win that would keep the hated Steelers out of the playoffs. Instead, he unleashed the Snake, who devoured the Bengals defense with four touchdown passes.

Madden not only loved the game, he respected what it stood for and would never do anything to diminish its integrity, whether it aided his team or not. Perhaps the greatest example of his coaching soul came during a Monday Night game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 6, 1976. When the Bengals arrived at the Coliseum that night, the Raiders had already wrapped up home-field advantage for the playoffs and had nothing to play for -- on paper anyway.  A Bengals win, on the other hand, would knock the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Steelers, who had broken the Raiders' heart time and again, out of contention for a playoff berth. Some suggested the Raiders should sit their stars and lie down to the Bengals to avoid having to meet their longtime nemesis yet again in the playoffs, but to Madden, that would be an insult to the game and a betrayal of all he believed in as a coach. Incensed at the very notion, he not only refused to have his Raiders lie down, he made sure they laid it all on the line before a national television audience. Quarterback Ken Stabler, whom Madden could have rested for the playoffs, put on a clinic, completing 16 of 20 passes, including four touchdowns. The Raiders dominated the Bengals, 35-20, in perhaps their most impressive performance of the regular season and, three weeks later, dominated the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game on their way to Madden's one and only Super Bowl triumph.

Jan. 4, 1976: "My Name is John"

As if losing the AFC Championship Game for the fifth time wasn't bitter enough, Madden suffered the indignation of being called "Al" by a reporter in the locker room afterward.

Many great figures in history will attest that before exalting on the mountain top, they first needed to experience what it was like to crawl through the deepest valley. For Madden, the low point of his coaching career came on Jan. 4, 1976, when his Raiders lost the AFC Championship Game to the Steelers, 16-10, on an ice cold day in Pittsburgh. It was Madden's fifth loss in an AFC Championship Game and third in as many years. Madden's regular-season coaching success had been unrivaled, but it seemed increasingly likely that his legacy would be as the coach who couldn't win the big one.

Not only that, many had also come to think of him as a puppet to Raiders owner Al Davis. That was never more true than after this game when a reporter in the locker room referred to Madden as "Al" when asking him a question about the game (view the exchange here). Known for his fiery demeanor and outbursts on the field, Madden might have been expected to explode at such a slight after the bitter loss. Instead, he simply corrected the reporter in a forlorn voice: "My name is John...A hell of a time, I know, but anyway John thinks..." The gracious response elicited chuckles amid the assembled media and a lighthearted moment in an otherwise crestfallen Raiders locker room.

After that day, Madden's fortunes would change greatly on and off the field. He would finally chase down that elusive Super Bowl trophy the following year; two years after that, he would retire from coaching and launch a television broadcasting career that would turn him into a national icon. No one would ever again forget John Madden's name or doubt his greatness.

Madden Coaching Fun Facts

• Madden never had a losing season in his 10 years as the Raiders' head coach, and in six of his seasons the Raiders finished the regular season with three or fewer losses. His .759 career winning percentage ranks second all time behind Guy Chamberlin (.784).
• Madden led the Raiders to the playoffs in 8 of his 10 seasons (1971 and 1978 were the only exceptions). His career playoff record was 9-7. 
• Madden coached the Raiders to five consecutive AFC Championship games from 1973 to 1977 (it would have been six straight if not for the "Immaculate Reception" loss in 1972). The only other coach in history to coach a team to as many consecutive conference championship games is Bill Belichik. 
• Madden went 1-6 in AFC Championship games. In the five of the six losses, the team that beat the Raiders went on to win the Super Bowl (the only team that didn't was the 1977 Denver Broncos).
• Madden's Raiders met Chuck Knoll's Steelers in the AFC playoffs five consecutive seasons from 1972 to 1976. The Raiders won in 1973 and 1976 and lost in 1972 (the "Immaculate Reception"), 1974 and 1975.
• Madden beat the Steelers by 17 points in his only AFC Championship Game win. His five championship game losses all came by 17 or fewer points (the closest being 20-17 to the Broncos in 1977). 
• The final game of Madden's coaching career was Dec. 17, 1978 at the Coliseum against the Minnesota Vikings, the team he had beaten two years earlier in the Super Bowl. The Raiders won 27-20. 
• Before overtime was introduced for regular season games in 1974, Madden coached seven games that ended in ties. 
• Madden went 11-1-1 in Monday Night Football games, his only loss coming 21-20 in the 1974 season opener  against the Buffalo Bills. 
  
• No coach in history is associated with as many iconic plays that received lasting nicknames ("The Immaculate Reception," "The Sea of Hands," "The Ghost to the Post," "The Holy Roller.") He was also an assistant coach during the 1968 "Heidi Game."

Madden on the Radio

Most of my personal memories of Madden came neither on the football sideline nor in the television broadcasting booth, but in his daily Bay Area radio segments that spanned decades. I would listen to them on my way to school in the 1980s and on my way to work in the 2000s, and they often offered a more personal glimpse into Madden the person, and his innate personality and humor, than was readily available when under the glare of the national media spotlight. Some of my favorite recollections from those radio segments:

• Madden's love of food -- particularly barbecue -- were a regular staple of these segments, especially when he was in the midst of prepping for his annual Madden Barbecue in his hometown of Pleasanton. As the years went on, the anticipation for his barbecues took on the feel of Super Bowl Week. He would talk with pride about the hand-picked pig that hat been earmarked for the big day, giving play-by-play accounts of its physical attributes and growing waistline as if he was sizing up a lineman on draft day.
• After football and food, Madden's next true love was probably bocce ball. Each year, he put on a fundraising bocce ball tournament with fellow NFL broadcaster (and former coach) Steve Mariucci, with the two naturally coaching competing bocce teams. The real show, however, was when Mariucci would come on the radio segment a few days before the big day and engage in a smackdown, trash-talking exercise with Madden over whose team was going to dominate the big day (and who was the more skilled bocce player). It was like something out of one of those World Wrestling Federation Smackdown shows.
• Another of Madden's loves after football, barbecues and bocce was none other than the dying newspaper. He was a voracious reader of local and national newspapers and would describe the scene at this kitchen table with newspapers spread from end to end. And his interests weren't limited to the sports section. When I was the metro editor at the East Bay Times, I recall one slow news day where I had to put a feature story about towel knitting on the front page of the local section. The next morning while listening to Madden's radio segment, he made some awkward sports analogy that included knitting something together and acknowledged that he had just read a story in the paper about the topic, so it was top of mind.
• Of course, most of Madden's insights on the radio dealt with football or sports in general (he was a huge Derek Jeter fan and would often describe his visits to Yankee Stadium with the awe of a 10-year-old; he also loved boxing, particularly the legendary Manny Pacquiao). But he also would venture into other topics, some serious, some poignant, some light-hearted. I recall after Barack Obama's election in 2008 listening to Madden discuss the momentous event of seeing the nation elect its first Black president with wisdom and insight that matched what you'd expect out of an esteemed American historian. While traveling to a game in his Madden cruiser on one Christmas Eve, he lectured any kids who might be listening on the importance of getting the cookies and milk ready for Santa and hanging those stockings with care.
• During his broadcasting days, he would often call into the radio while traveling cross country in his cruiser (he famously refused to fly to games). During these segments, he provided a unique snapshot of the sights and sounds of America, from out-of-the-way diners in Nebraska and long expanses of the American heartland to the hustle and bustle of Chicago and New York. 

And Finally...

As much as Madden loved the game, he was not oblivious to its costs. He coached in an era when the long-term of effects of concussions and the reality of brain disease were not yet known. The physical toll the game took on the players he coached and coached against was never lost on him, particularly when the reality of the brain disease CTE became known (both his star quarterback, Ken Stabler, and one of the stars of his arch-rival Steelers, Mike Webster, fell victim to it). 

He believed fervently in making the game he loved safer for the next generation, and was one of the few high-profile figures in the sport to publicly and forcefully advocate for eliminating tackle football for youths. I heard him speak about the topic multiple times on his radio segments, trumpeting the virtues of flag football and pleading that kids not play tackle football until high school.

Sadly, Madden's pleas on this topic were largely ignored up until his death. After he died, I wrote this piece asking that we honor his legacy by honoring his wish to make the game he loved safer for kids. I hope someday we can make that happen for this man who gave the game, and fans like me, so much over so many years.

 

My Inauguration Playlist

I've never been more hopeful, relieved and excited for a presidential inauguration than I am for Joe Biden's. So much so that I put together a playlist to mark the occasion, trying to reflect what the Biden administration and the event means for our country during this troubled time.

Much like Biden's cabinet, my 15-song playlist represents the diversity of America and music, with at least one song from every decade from the 1960s through 2020, encompassing artists from diverse backgrounds and genres. 

Let me know what you think and if you have other selections worth listening to.

"R-E-S-P-E-C-T" (Aretha Franklin, 1967)

After four years dominated by hate, lies and meanness, we need so much for respect to return to our world: respect for facts, respect for decency, respect for each other. Fifty years before the #MeToo Movement, this was the song that called out the lack of respect so many women face in our society.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to me

 “Bridge over Troubled Water” (Simon & Garfunkel, 1970)

The greatest song ever written about making it through tough times. I know Joe will be our bridge and ease our minds amid the troubled waters roiling our nation.

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind

Like a bridge over troubled water

I will ease your mind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbVJ08jkU10

“Lean on Me” (Bill Withers, 1972)

Because it’s time to lean on one another, instead of pitting us against each other, as we build back better through the pain and sorrow. Joe Biden is all about empathy, and so is this song.

We all have pain 

We all have sorrow 

But if we are wise 

We know that there's always tomorrow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrlhn1H1EWw

"Don’t Stop Believin’" (Journey, 1981)

The theme song of the pandemic, because no matter what, you should never stop believing in a better tomorrow. 

“Don't stop believin'

Hold on to that feelin'.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KGe_4leh_Y

“Chariots of Fire” (Vangelis and Laura Wright, 1981)

The greatest song for firing you up to meet the challenges life throws at you, and Joe knows a thing or two about that. (I like the the version with lyrics). 

The passion and courage

It takes to be there 

The spirit of freedom Alive in the air.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGF3nE27GXo

“I’m Still Standing” (Elton John, 1983)

The story of Joe Biden’s life, through trial and tragedy, he's still standing, better than he ever has.

Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did 

Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid 

I'm still standing after all this time

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue4Jx1oBviI

"Coming Out of the Dark” (Gloria Estefan, 1991)

The song of perseverance and resilience, about coming back when you're knocked, and finding the light through the darkness. 

Coming out of the dark

I finally see the light now

And it's shining on me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_TNrfvyZUc

"That's the Way it Is" (Celine Dion, 1999)

A great song for making you feel better when you feel bad. And a great reminder that love and faith conquer all. And to all those who tried to overturn our democracy through the Big Lie, Joe Biden is president, and "that's the way it is."

When life is empty with no tomorrow

And loneliness starts to call
Baby, don't worry, forget your sorrow
'Cause love's gonna conquer it all, all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHOKCrShaXo

“Better Days” (OneRepublic, 2000)

Because it’s time to put the past behind us and look ahead to better days. 

May we never ever shed another tear for today

'Cause oh, I know that there'll be better days

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jdhvju4s2W0

“Waitin’ on a Sunny Day” (Bruce Springsteen, 2002)

When the Boss says, “Everything’ll be OK … Don’t Worry We’re Gonna Find a Way,” you can just feel the sun beginning to break through the clouds.

  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4-OnaH79HY

"Survivor" (Destiny's Child, 2002)

With apologies to Gloria Gaynor, this is the best song ever about surviving toxicity and working toward a better life free of ill will. This song of strength and determination is also perfect for the social media age, even though Facebook and Twitter didn't exist when it was recorded ("you know I'm not going to diss you on the internet"):

I'm a survivor (what), I'm not gon' give up (what)
I'm not gon' stop (what), I'm goin' work harder (what)
I'm a survivor (what), I'm gonna make it (what)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4OOum4Vm-M

“Where is the Love?” (The Black Eyed Peas, 2003)

Every lyric of this song speaks to the ills of our current age and the path to redemption and healing. A song filled with raw power, honesty ... and hope.

Yo', whatever happened to the values of humanity 

Whatever happened to the fairness and equality 

Instead in spreading love we're spreading animosity...

Gotta keep my faith alive till love is found

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FotCW5OIFZc

"21 Guns" (Green Day, 2009)

Since Donald Trump apparently wants a 21 gun salute to mark the end of his disastrous four years, this song sums up him and all his delusions. It's time to give up the fight.

When you're at the end of the road
And you lost all sense of control
And your thoughts have taken their toll
When your mind breaks the spirit of your soul
Your faith walks on broken glass
And the hangover doesn't pass
Nothing's ever built to last
You're in ruins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcOK_YATp6U

“Born this Way” (Lady Gaga, 2011)

For all those who were marginalized and ostracized the past four years because of their race, gender or sexual orientation. We again have a president who will respect you.

I'm beautiful in my way 

'Cause God makes no mistakes

I'm on the right track, baby I was born this way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BsLd4Y060Q

"South Gotta Change" (Adia Victoria, 2020)

Of all the lies that haunt our nation, none continues to inflict deeper wounds than the one embodied in Confederate statues and flags, and which continues to grant cover to racism and white supremacy more than 150 years after the Civil War. It is time to set history straight in America, starting with the South, and once and for all set us all free from the lies. 

You've told a lie for so long
You're a stranger to yourself
You're all dressed up in make-believe
To be somebody else
So listen closely when I sing
That the truth would set you free

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMt7Jo_tLgo

Days of Infamy: COVID and Pearl Harbor

 

The USS Arizona Memorial as seen from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

I've visited the  USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor twice in my life, in 1997 and 2016. Each time, the experience was deeply moving and emotional as I choked up contemplating the tragedy of Dec. 7, 1941, that sent 2,403 American sailors to their watery grave.

But both times, I was also struck by the behavior of some my fellow visitors to the floating memorial, who seemed to treat it as just another tourist attraction to check off on their Hawaii vacation checklist. I was struck by the laughing and chatter I heard at such a solemn site. I'll never forget in 2016 seeing people next to me shoot selfies with their cellphones. For them, the victims of the Arizona seemed little more than faceless names, the tragedy itself distant and removed from their understanding. 

The gallant sailors of the USS Arizona who gave their lives

As the COVID-19 pandemic death toll surges to a point where the number who perish on a given day equals or surpasses the total that perished on that Day of Infamy on Dec. 7, 1941, I'm struck by something else: the parallel between how so many of us are treating the tragedy of COVID and the tragedy of the USS Arizona. For too many of us, the gravity of this loss (nearly 300,000 lives and counting) is simply not registering. The victims are nameless and faceless, except to their loved ones. We can't seem to grasp what these numbers mean in terms of human loss because we don't see the faces, don't feel the pain. Even worse, so many don't even seem to care, more interested in ensuring they are able to live their lives as they always have and rejecting even the slightest sacrifice, even wearing a mask.

For those who spend time at the Arizona memorial trying to grasp what happened that day, there is a powerful reminder that continues to bubble to the surface.  For the past 79 years without interruption the battleship has emitted drops of oil that float from its hull to the surface, creating a fresh sheen for all who visit to see. Every minute or two, a new drop appears. During my visits, I found myself hypnotized by those drops. Each drop made me feel that the tragedy of Pearl Harbor was more than a distant, remote, unrecognizable event; for me, it was a symbol of an event that lives on to this day, whose victims continue to speak to us from their final resting place. Legend has it that the drops of oil will continue to float to the surface until the last Pearl Harbor survivor passes away. 

Oil drops from the USS Memorial

Someday, the tragedy of COVID-19 will end and we all will return to our lives. The hundreds of thousands of victims who were lost will be little more than numbers to most of us and our descendants. There will be memorials, as there was to the Arizona. But will we really understand what was lost? Will there be something like those bubbles of oil to make sure this infamous event in American history lives on in our hearts, if not our lives? If we don't get it today in the midst of the catastrophe, how will we ever get it then?

My Playlist of Uplifting Songs During the Pandemic

I've been listening to a lot of music to help lift my spirits during the coronavirus pandemic (including every song ever nominated for the Grammy Record of the Year).

I decided to select an uplifting "Song of the Day" to inspire me or simply put me in a good mood during these challenging times. I hope some of these do the same for your.

May 24:

Don’t Worry, Be Happy (Bobby McFerrin)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=d-diB65scQU&feature=emb_logo

May 25:

Hero (Mariah Carey)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IA3ZvCkRkQ

May 26:

Beautiful Day (U2)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co6WMzDOh1o

May 27:

From a Distance (Bette Midler)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN4AcFzxtdE

May 28: Let It Be (The Beatles)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d5ST3tbPIU

May 29:

Coming out of the Dark (Gloria Estefan)

English version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS7qLDizDYo

Spanish version:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhs9SarCcvI

June 1:

Lean on Me (Bill Withers)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrlhn1H1EWw

June 21:

Waitin' on a Sunny Day (Bruce Springsteen)

What to watch, listen to while sheltering in place from coronavirus

Many of us are undoubtedly spending more time looking for ways to entertain, inspire and distract ourselves during the coronavirus pandemic. Here's a list of movies, TV shows and songs that my daughter Leah and I are putting that that might be worth your time and/or speak in some way to the current situation. I'll keep this list updated as I come across new recommendations and try to update it every week (subscribe to the blog if you're interested in getting updates).

MOVIES

The King's Speech (2010, Rated PG-13): An Oscar Best Picture winner, this is an inspiring tale of King George's VI struggle to overcome a speech impediment and rally his country with his words during the dark days leading up to World War II. This movie particularly hits home in the wake of his daughter Queen Elizabeth's recent speech rallying her nation in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Two Popes (2019, Rated PG-13): A beautifully shot, directed and acted film about the strained, spirited and ultimately spiritual relationship between conservative Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins) and liberal Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce) is a perfect selection for Easter weekend. The theological debates between the two are often as fierce as the political debates we saw during the Democratic presidential primary, but in the end the two come together in a way Democrats can only hope that Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders do. Even if you're not into Catholicism and papal politics, the striking cinematography that captures the splendor of Italy makes this movie worth watching.

The China Syndrome (1979, rated PG): This thriller starring acting luminaries Jane Fonda, Michael Douglas and Jack Lemon spotlights the daring and dangerous work of TV journalists and a nuclear power plant whistleblower to reveal the truth about a nuclear accident and the resulting threats to public safety. A timely movie in light of all we've learned over the past few years about the importance of whistleblowers and journalists to inform the public about things that the powerful and self-interested would much prefer to keep hidden.

The Florida Project (2017, Rated R): Being isolated at home during a pandemic is one thing; being isolated in a motel room on the outskirts of Disney World because of poverty is something far different. This critically acclaimed movie starring Willem Dafoe as the stern yet compassionate manager of a cheap motel where single, impoverished parents raise their kids is at times both heartbreaking and heartwarming. Heartbreaking because it forces us to peer into the uncomfortable truths of inequality and the gulf between the haves and have nots in America, miles from Florida's version of the the Happiest Place on Earth. Heartwarming because it shows the capacity of children to find friendship and joy even amid the most difficult of circumstances, proving that there truly is more to life than money (kudos to my daughter Leah for recommending that we watch this one).

Signs (2002, Rated PG-13): It only took me nearly 20 years to get around to watching this M. Night Shyamalan mystery-thriller. As with our current predicament, this movie finds the inhabitants of earth hunkering down in their homes as a mysterious event overwhelms the planet. Not quite a great movie, it nevertheless keeps you on the edge of your seat wondering how it will all turn out as an ex-minister (Mel Gibson) struggles to rediscover his faith while questioning whether there is a deeper meaning to the twists and turns, and tragedies, of life (the answer finally comes into focus at the end). Also a good opportunity to a young Joaquin Phoenix.

Gorillas in the Mist (1988, Rated PG-13): Based on the true-life story of an aspiring naturalist (Diann Fossey, played by Sigourney Weaver) who quickly finds herself in over her head as she navigates civil war and deprivation of deepest Africa to study and eventually bond with and save mountain gorillas from extinction. The moral of the story: Following your passion and persevering through adversity can not only make a difference in the world but teach you important lessons about yourself: namely, that you're capable of much more than you ever thought possible.

  

(From Leah) Leave No Trace (2018, Rated PG) A father and daughter live a perfect but mysterious existence in Forest Park, a beautiful nature reserve near Portland, Oregon, rarely making contact with the world. But when a small mistake tips them off to authorities, they are sent on an increasingly erratic journey in search of a place to call their own. This is perfect to watch because it shows these two strangers trying to find a home of their own and trying to adapt to new environments. This explores theme of togetherness and resilience. This is a peaceful, quiet, and tranquil movie that is perfect to calm your nerves. 

 

(From Leah) The Princess Bride (1987, Rated PG): A fairy tale adventure about a beautiful young woman and her one true love. He must find her after a long separation and save her. They must battle the evils of the mythical kingdom of Florin to be reunited with each other. Based on the William Goldman novel "The Princess Bride," which earned its own loyal audience. This movie is perfect escapism and a fun ride through a magical fantasy and romance. It's funny, sweet, lighthearted, and can make anyone smile no matter the age. A perfect movie to bring up your spirits.

 

(From Leah) Silver Linings Playbook (2013, Rated R):  After losing his job and wife, and spending time in a mental institution, Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) winds up living with his parents (Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver). He wants to rebuild his life and reunite with his wife, but his parents would be happy if he just shared their obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles. Things get complicated when Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), who offers to help him reconnect with his wife, if he will do something very important for her in exchange.

 

(From Leah) Her (2013, Rated R): A sensitive and soulful man earns a living by writing personal letters for other people. Left heartbroken after his marriage ends, Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) becomes fascinated with a new operating system which reportedly develops into an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. He starts the program and meets "Samantha" (Scarlett Johansson), whose bright voice reveals a sensitive, playful personality. Though "friends" initially, the relationship soon deepens into love. A movie about love and adoration in many forms, this is a movie with a perfect amount of drama and a perfect amount of romance.

 (From Leah) Winter's Bone (2010, Rated R) Faced with an unresponsive mother and a criminal father, Ozark teenager Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) does what she can to manage the household and take care of her two younger siblings. Informed by the sheriff (Garret Dillahunt) that their father put their home up for bond and then disappeared, Ree sets out on a dangerous quest to find him. Her entire family's fate now in her hands, Ree challenges her outlaw kin's code of silence and risks her life to learn her father's fate. This is a movie about strength, resourcefulness, and what you do for love. 

 (From Leah) Freedom Writers (2007, Rated PG-13) A dedicated teacher (Hilary Swank) in a racially divided Los Angeles school has a class of at-risk teenagers deemed incapable of learning. Instead of giving up, she inspires her students to take an interest in their education and planning their future. She assigns reading material that relates to their lives and encourages them all to keep journals.

 (From Leah) Forrest Gump (1994, Rated PG-13) Slow-witted Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) has never thought of himself as disadvantaged, and thanks to his supportive mother (Sally Field), he leads anything but a restricted life. Whether dominating on the gridiron as a college football star, fighting in Vietnam or captaining a shrimp boat, Forrest inspires people with his childlike optimism. But one person Forrest cares about most may be the most difficult to save -- his childhood love, the sweet but troubled Jenny (Robin Wright).

 (From Leah) The Aeronauts (2019, PG-13) In 1862 headstrong scientist James Glaisher and wealthy young widow Amelia Wren mount a balloon expedition to fly higher than anyone in history. As their perilous ascent reduces their chances of survival, the unlikely duo soon discover things about themselves -- and each other -- that help both of them find their place in the world.

 (From Leah) V For Vendetta (2005, Rated R) Following world war, London is a police state occupied by a fascist government, and a vigilante known only as V (Hugo Weaving) uses terrorist tactics to fight the oppressors of the world in which he now lives. When V saves a young woman named Evey (Natalie Portman) from the secret police, he discovers an ally in his fight against England's oppressors.

 (From Leah) Cast Away (2000, Rated PG-13)  Obsessively punctual FedEx executive Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) is en route to an assignment in Malaysia when his plane crashes over the Pacific Ocean during a storm. The sole survivor of the flight, Chuck washes ashore on a deserted island. When his efforts to sail away and contact help fail, Chuck learns how to survive on the island, where he remains for years, accompanied by only his handmade volleyball friend, Wilson. Will Chuck ever return to civilization and reunite with his loved ones?

 (From Leah) The Help (2011, PG-13)  In 1960s Mississippi, Southern society girl Skeeter (Emma Stone) returns from college with dreams of being a writer. She turns her small town on its ear by choosing to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent white families. Only Aibileen (Viola Davis), the housekeeper of Skeeter's best friend, will talk at first. But as the pair continue the collaboration, more women decide to come forward, and as it turns out, they have quite a lot to say.

 (From Leah) Melancholia (2011, Rated R) A planet hurtles toward a collision course with Earth. Two sisters, one of them trying to recover from a heavy bout of depression and a failed marriage, cope with their destiny in very different ways. A movie literally about the end of the world, shows a mystical and moving take on this sci-fi drama.

 (From Leah) Donnie Darko (2001, Rated R) During the presidential election of 1988, a teenager named Donnie Darko sleepwalks out of his house one night and sees a giant, demonic-looking rabbit named Frank, who tells him the world will end in 28 days. When Donnie returns home, he finds that a jet engine has crashed into his bedroom. Is Donnie living in a parallel universe, is he suffering from mental illness - or will the world really end?

 (From Leah) The Girl With All The Gifts (2016, Rated R) One of several children immune to a mutated fungal disease that has eradicated free will and turned the rest of humanity into cannibalistic zombies, a gifted young girl escapes the safety of a special school and helps guide mankind's survival.

 TV SHOWS

The Crown (Netflix): The History Channel meets Lifetime in this brilliant drama series chronicling the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, filled with equal parts political and family turmoil. A young queen struggles to unify her nation and her family through turbulent times after the death of her father, King George VI. Not surprisingly, she finds that leading a nation is much easier than managing a royal family, and at times no place on earth is as self-isolating as Buckingham Palace.

Lost in Space (Netflix): This reboot of the campy 1960s TV series chronicles the misadventures of the Robinson family through the vast reaches of outer space. Much is different with this version, and not just the modern special effects and spruced-up theme song. The Robinsons are a multi-racial clan, Maureen Robinson does much more than cook meals in the galley of the "Jupiter 2," and the sinister Dr. Smith is a woman (who is just as devious but much less cowardly than the original). But some things thankfully remain the same, most notably the special human bond between a boy and his robot.

The Good Place (Netflix):  No sitcom has made me laugh this much since "Friends" (and we certainly need reasons to laugh right now). Four flawed humans bite the dust and find themselves trying to justify an afterlife in The Good Place, which is seemingly filled with all-you-can-eat frozen yogurt shops on every corner. But things aren't always what they seem, and in this world, the struggle to become a better person doesn't end on your deathbed.



 (From Leah) The OA (Netflix)

Description

In addition to her role as creator and executive producer of this mind-bending series, Brit Marling also plays the role of Prairie Johnson, a young woman who returns home after a 7-year disappearance. Her sudden return is not the only miraculous occurrence: everyone is shocked to learn that Prairie is no longer blind. While the FBI and her parents are anxious to discuss Prairie's disappearance, she won't talk about what happened during the time that she was missing. Zal Batmanglij, the co-creator and an executive producer of the series, is the director of every episode.This show is mysterious, mystical, and mind blowing. A true hidden gem. It explores themes of the meaning of life and perseverance. A thought-provoking, empowering show that has unique characters and plots you'll fall in love with.

 (From Leah) Cheer (Netflix) Cheer is an American television docuseries airing on Netflix starting in January 2020.^[1] The six-part series follows the nationally ranked 40-member Navarro College Bulldogs Cheer Team from Corsicana, Texas, under the direction of coach Monica Aldama, as they prepare to compete in the National Cheerleading Championship held annually in Daytona, Florida.^[2][3] The episodes focus especially on five individual Cheer Team members and include elements of the history of cheerleading, including the formation of the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA).^[4]

 (From Leah) The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)  The Handmaid's Tale is an American dystopian tragedy web television series created by Bruce Miller, based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Canadian author, Margaret Atwood. The series was ordered by the streaming service Hulu as a straight-to-series order of 10 episodes, for which production began in late 2016. The plot features a dystopia following a Second American Civil War wherein a totalitarian society subjects fertile women, called "Handmaids", into child-bearing slavery

 (From Leah) The Mandalorian (Disney +)  A lone gunfighter makes his way through the outer reaches of the galaxy, far from the authority of the New Republic.

 (From Leah) Glow Up (Netflix) In this competition series, aspiring makeup artists navigate colorful challenges to win a career-making opportunity in the beauty industry. Full of color, wonder, and creativity. This is the perfect show to watch when you need some inspiration. 

 (From Leah) Big Little Lies (HBO Now And Hulu)  Based on the same-titled bestseller by Liane Moriarty, "Big Little Lies" weaves a darkly comedic tale of murder and mischief in the tranquil beachfront town of Monterey, Calif. Amidst doting moms, successful husbands, beautiful children, and stunning homes exists a community fueled by rumors and divided into haves and have-nots, exposing fractured relationships between husbands and wives, parents and children, and friends and neighbors. Told through the eyes of three mothers -- Madeline, Celeste and Jane -- the series' narrative explores society's myths regarding perfection and its romanticization of marriage, sex, parenting and friendship. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley star as the three prominent "mothers of Monterey."





 (From Leah) Glow (Netflix) Alison Brie stars as Ruth Wilder, an out-of-work actress living in Los Angeles in the '80s. Wilder finds an unexpected chance at stardom: enter the glitter and spandex-laden world of women's wrestling, where she must work alongside 12 other Hollywood misfits. Marc Maron plays the role of Sam Sylvia, a washed-up director of "B" movies who tries to lead the group of women to fame. The series is created by Carly Mensch and Liz Flahive, who serve as executive producers with Jenji Kohan and Tara Herrmann.

SONGS

Bridge over Troubled Water (Simon and Garfunkel): The perfect song to see us through troubled times (and a reminder that social distancing or not, people need each other more than ever). 

From a Distance (Bette Midler): In times of struggle and crisis, we need reasons to fill hopeful, and the Divine Ms. M's soaring hymn envisioning a better world ranks as one of the most hopeful songs ever written. "From a distance, we all have enough, and no one is in need. And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease." 

Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Green Day): Probably not the most uplifting of tunes for this time, but are any lyrics from any song ever written more fitting right now? "I walk alone, I walk alone, I walk alone."

 (From Leah) Alive (Sia)

 (From Leah) Dreaming (Jasmine Thompson)

(From Leah) I Get Overwhelmed (Dark Rooms)

(From Leah) Eye of The Tiger (Survivor)

(From Leah) Fallingwater (Maggie Rogers)