HBO have a winner in new Dustin Hoffman series 'Luck' - VIDEO

Poster for HBO's "Luck"

For the racing scenes alone the new HBO show 'Luck' is worth watching.

There was a scene on opening night's episode when an Irish female jockey played by Kerry Condon was exercising a hot young horse for veteran horse trainer Nick Nolte.

The up close of horse and jockey was far better than anything the recent movie about Secretariat or the recent Seabiscuit' film.

There were also several racing scenes showing in full flower, the magnificent acceleration of the modern thoroughbred.

It also showed the sheer daring of the jockeys, riding essentially unprotected, on an animal going close to 40 miles an hour.
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The scene where a horse suffers a fatal breakdown was also beautifully filmed as we watched his dying breaths as the vet plunged the euthanizer into him and his eyes softly closed then froze in the open position.

The other star so far has been Santa Anita racetrack, one of the most beautiful tracks in the world. The early morning gallop scene with the cold air visible with every breath was a wonderful scene.

The first episode featured four racetrack rats who finally strike it lucky with the pick six.

Be careful what you wish for might be their motto as we can see their ordered if dishevelled lives are about to change for ever.

It also featured the sly trainer Escalanate who will clearly play a much bigger role in the series.

The Dustin Hoofman character, Ace Bernstien, did not come into sharp relief in the first episode but judging by the trailer for future episodes he will be very much front and center.

Hoffmann in any role is always a pleasure.

There was much to like about 'Luck' which HBO has been promoting widely over the past few weeks.

I think they may have a winner.

Here's a trailer for the HBO show:

Tom Coughlin and Tom Brady will have their Irish up for Super Bowl --Two warriors of the NFL face off in the big game

It will be Tom Coughlin versus Tom Brady in the Super Bowl for the ages in Indianapolis in two weeks.

The two may be of Irish American heritage but the similarities end right there.

Coughlin is the epitome of self effacing, a former Catholic seminarian from a small town in upstate New York who always shares the credit with his team.

Coughlin hates any show or glitz, bans his players wearing sun glasses or black socks, is a stickler for discipline and keeps his mouth shut when other coaches like Rex Ryan is shooting his off.

A grandfather with ten grandchildren, Coughlin is known as 'Colonel Coughlin' for his strict military discipline in camp and his determination to have everything done with spit and polish kids .

Tom Brady is from California and a continent away from Coughlin's lifestyle.
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Married to a world famous model with glitzy homes in California and Boston, Brady is the epitome of California cool.

He married Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bündchen on February 26, 2009 and was previously married to actress Bridget Moynihan.

Brady's every public appearance is fodder for the paparazzi. Coughlin lives anonymously in New Jersey.

When they face off in Indianapolis Coughlin will know that containing Brady will be the key to the game for the Giants. Stop Brady and you stop the Patriots-- it is as simple as that.

So when the two Irish American legends square off, one on the sideline, one under center, it will be a fascinating clash between two warriors who represent all that is best in the NFL.

May the best man win.

Joe Paterno dies a damaged legend who did not do the right thing when it counted

The death of Joe Paterno reminds us all of how suddenly the fall from grace can occur.

Joe Paterno should have died a year ago, his reputation intact and garlands for his grave from everyone who ever worked or encountered him.

He was the beloved Joe Pa, the epitome of class and steel, who strode the college football world like a colossus.

Alas, he died a broken figure.

He was an 85-year-old legend who spent his final months in hell after his Penn State former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested for abusing young boys.

Paterno had been told of the abuse and choose essentially to ignore it.

His reasons for so doing were never fully explained.

It was a mortal black blot on a previously white as snow copybook.

What must he have thought as his lung cancer advances and his reputation retreated?

How often must he have wondered why he didn't do the right thing for the kids who were abused?

Joe Paterno still dies a legend but a deeply sullied one, whose reputation will never recover from what happened during the last year of his long life.

It is a tragedy for everyone concerned, especially the kids he never spoke up for.

Say it aint' so Joe! VP Biden mixes up San Francisco 49ers and San Francisco Giants

Say it ain't so Joe!

Vice president Joe Biden made one of his infamous gaffes on Thursday mixing up the San Francisco Giants baseball team and the San Francisco 49ers.

Biden told a Bay Area audience that the Giants were going to the Superbowl before he caught himself and apologized.

No doubt the New York Giants will have a good chuckle that Biden called them out as Super Bowl bound.

The 49ers might not care either though.

When it comes to football Barack Biden, I mean Joe Biden doesn't really have it does he?

Alex Smith channels Joe Montana and leads San Francisco 49ers to victory

Was that one of the greatest football games ever?

The San Francisco last second win over New Orleans had everything including a barnburner finish that will go down in San Francisco history.

It was eerie that 30 years ago Joe Montana found Dwight Clark in the end zone for an historic play off win against the Dallas Cowboys

Thirty years later Alex Smith found Vernon Davis in the end zone with just five seconds left.

When it comes to history Candlestick Park oozes it.

Saints coach Sean Peyton must have thought the game was won when the incomparable Drew Brees threw his fourth touchdown pass with a minute and 47 seconds to go.

But San Francisco at home are an historic tough nut to crack.

Alex Smith who had unimpressed in the game, suddenly, found his mojo and marched down the field.

Somehow he found his inner Joe Montana.

It was a great win for the Niner who will now fancy their chances against either Green Bay or the Giants next week in the NFC championship game.

Candlestick Park once more shook down the echoes and history was made

New York Jets coach Rex Ryan says he cried because he's Irish and emotional

Rex Ryan

Rex Ryan broke down when addressing his New York Jets players after their disappointing season but placed the blame for his blubber on his Irish heritage

“I’m Irish. So what do you want?. “It’s hurtful. I’m extremely prideful. I want to be the best. I want to win. Sometimes it comes out like that.”

Ryan has lots to cry about. After leading his team to two successive conference finals the Jets bombed this year, riven by personal feuds and non performing stars
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Many on his team still love him.

“He was crying because he loves us so much,” right guard Matt Slauson said.

Read the full story in the Daily News.

Rory McIlroy's acceptance of Queen's award will raise eyebrows with some Irish Catholics

Rory McIlroy has firmly nailed his colors to the post by accepting an MBE or Member of the British Empire award in the Queen's New Year honors list.

He and fellow Northern Ireland golfer Darren Clarke have been acknowledged in similar fashion by the Queen.

As a Protestant, Clarke would certainly have been expected to accept.

As a Catholic however, McIlroy will stir some resentment in nationalist circles over accepting the award.

McIlroy has always tried to be non-political, a wise path in Northern Ireland but by accepting the OBE it shows that he is leaning much more towards a British identity than an Irish one.

Most Northern Catholics will not accept a British award from the queen, while some will take it on an honorary basis.

This will have a practical application in the Olympics in 2016 where he will surely represent Great Britain rather than Ireland in the sport which will make an Olympic comeback then.

Most people could give a fig about McIlroy's religious or political affiliation but the acceptance of the British award makes it clear that he himself considers himself primarily British.
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