The cover story in the this months Philly Mag is about Ryan Howard, which isn’t really journalism but hero worship. But the story that really stuck in my craw is one about two high school basketball players. Decent enough story, but it ends with a couple of the lamest sentences I have ever read:
“It’s a happy story, Scoop and Rick’s. And such a Philly story. It’s just like Rocky, where the good guys win in the end.” (The italics are the magazine’s, not mine).
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! OK, this so bad I don’t know where to begin. A) the schmaltzy “such a Philly story” line is almost unbearable to read B) Can we get through ONE F****** Issue without referencing Rocky? He was a fine reference in 1977, but it’s now 2007, and we’re over it. You don’t hear our friends out in western PA saying, “It’s just like in The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, where the good guys win in the end.” C) If you are going to reference Rocky, uh, I suggest watching Rocky. He doesn’t win in the end! Apollo Creed wins in the end.
If there is a single reference to freaking Rocky in next month’s issue, I will cancel my subscription. That’s right, Philly Mag, $12 a year-POOF-gone just like that. No more freaking Rocky! Please! We are over it!!!