On New Year's Day, my friend Eron and I saw "Rocky Balboa." Not because we thought the movie would be good (and it wasn't). Not because we had nothing better to do.
No, we saw the new Rocky yesterday because we did the exact same thing 19 years ago, when our parents drove us out to the old Brown Port Theatre to see "Rocky IV" on Jan. 1, 1986.
I recall being quite inspired by Rocky's triumph over Ivan Drago -- when I was 11. I was less thrilled to watch Sly Stallone mumbling around at his (and my) advanced age.
That's just the kind of sticklers we are for tradition.
We were the guys who wept when they tore down County Stadium. We're the dudes have made nine consecutive annual trips to Phoenix for Spring Training and 13 straight to go camping in Door County. Collectively, we've seen the Violent Femmes in concert something like 25 times. We like continuity, and some say we hate change (not true: we like progress, but dislike change for change's sake). Both of our wives think all this "tradition" is a little silly. But that's how we roll, and we make no apologies.
For the record, "Rocky Balboa" wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen. Though there was precious little boxing, and it didn't really have much of plot to speak of, it seemed like a better way to close out the series than "Rocky V."
Now, if Pee Wee Herman ever completes his trilogy, please let me know. Because we saw his big adventure fold on Christmas, 1985. I doubt there's another Pee Wee movie in store, but if there is, Eron and I will make a point to be there for that anniversary, too.
No, we saw the new Rocky yesterday because we did the exact same thing 19 years ago, when our parents drove us out to the old Brown Port Theatre to see "Rocky IV" on Jan. 1, 1986.
I recall being quite inspired by Rocky's triumph over Ivan Drago -- when I was 11. I was less thrilled to watch Sly Stallone mumbling around at his (and my) advanced age.
That's just the kind of sticklers we are for tradition.
We were the guys who wept when they tore down County Stadium. We're the dudes have made nine consecutive annual trips to Phoenix for Spring Training and 13 straight to go camping in Door County. Collectively, we've seen the Violent Femmes in concert something like 25 times. We like continuity, and some say we hate change (not true: we like progress, but dislike change for change's sake). Both of our wives think all this "tradition" is a little silly. But that's how we roll, and we make no apologies.
For the record, "Rocky Balboa" wasn't the worst movie I've ever seen. Though there was precious little boxing, and it didn't really have much of plot to speak of, it seemed like a better way to close out the series than "Rocky V."
Now, if Pee Wee Herman ever completes his trilogy, please let me know. Because we saw his big adventure fold on Christmas, 1985. I doubt there's another Pee Wee movie in store, but if there is, Eron and I will make a point to be there for that anniversary, too.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
