Am posting this on MSG, because it has a movie tie-in.
During my brilliant career in film, I took part in helping to produce "The Internship," a comedy by WWPSP.
That's Wild West Picture Show Productions, a company owned by Vince Vaughn, who also starred in the film, alongside fellow comic miscreant, Owen Wilson.
A friend, Sandra Smith, was Vince's longtime producer. She called, while I was working as the interim head of video production at Google.
Vince's script called for the movie to be set at Google. Vince and Owen were going to be the Search Engine Giant's first middle-aged interns.
Jumped through a few proverbial hoops, but WWPSP did indeed work at the Googleplex for a few weeks, though much of the film is set Georgia State U, doubling as Google's campus.
Several months later, the movie premiered in Los Angeles. Sandra invited Lee and me to the event, which included an after party at the "W" hotel.
Great fun. Got to walk on the red carpet. Briefly chatted with Owen.
And met, of all people, Jim Harbaugh (At that point, the coach of the 49ers) at the after party. Talk about incongruity.
What the heck is Jim Harbaugh doing at the after party, in Los Angeles, for a Vince Vaughn comedy? He ain't the coach of the Rams.
Seems Vince Vaughn, in addition to being a big, athletic guy, is also a pro sports nut. Somewhere during production, he struck up a friendship with Harbaugh, who gave Vince bench seats for the 49er home games while "The Internship" was filming in the Bay Area. Vince invited Jim to the premier as well as, ahem, Yours truly.
Being the shy and reticent type, I immediately inflicted myself on Jim and his drop dead gorgeous wife, Sarah. Harbaugh took advantage of my stealth flirtations with Sarah to chat up my drop dead gorgeous wife, Lee.
But I also had the opportunity to talk to Jim.
Could not have been nicer.
Yes, I understand multiple personas, in particular one for an NFL and Division I head coach. On the field, Jim is passionate and wants to win. If that means taking on the referees, so be it.
In a social situation, he is articulate, accessible, and charming.
A couple seasons later, Jim was bounced by the 49ers. The man had rescued them from several bad seasons. The team was more than respectable once more. Rumor is Jim Harbaugh isn't a coach who would put up with players kneeling; dissing the military; and putting Colin Kaepernick on the cover of TIME.
Oddly enough, Kaepernick (Who has FINALLY disappeared), had his best seasons with San Francisco while Harbaugh was coach. One more well-placed pass and Colin has a Super Bowl ring to go along with his charter membership in BLM.
Don't think any of that happened AFTER Colin and Jim left the team.
And now, Harbaugh is on the cusp of a National Championship. His Michigan Wolverines are two wins from the title. I hope he gets it.
Yes, he's brash, loud, and focused.
Jim Harbaugh is a man in a difficult job, and he takes it seriously. If that means an overload of testosterone, then all the ofay types will just have to deal with it. The writers at Yahoo News! just don't like the fact that if a barroom brawl broke out they'd be unconscious in a nano-second while Jim Harbaugh would be taking on a room full of effete wannabes.
And enjoying the odds.
Here's to Jim Harbaugh, and the men like him. May you never, ever leave the national stage.
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