Remembering the late Gene Hackman's connection to the Washington NFL franchise
Remembering the late Gene Hackman's connection to the Washington NFL franchise
Gene Hackman and Dan Aykroyd in Bob Clark's LOOSE CANNONS released on this day in 1990. pic.twitter.com/SUxZOICD2q — Peter Avellino (@PeterAPeel) February 9, 2014
Thursday was a sad day for the entertainment world. Legendary actor Gene Hackman, his wife Betsy Arakawa, and their dog were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico home. They were reportedly dead for "some time," and their deaths were ruled "suspicious enough," but foul play was not suspected, at least initially.
The 95-year-old Hackman had been retired from the Hollywood spotlight for years but will be fondly remembered as one of the best actors ever, with several notable films across different genres.
Hackman starred in one of the greatest sports films ever. In "Hoosiers," a 1986 film, Hackman played a high school basketball coach with a questionable past in rural Indiana.
However, Hackman also has a connection to the current Washington Commanders, formerly known as the Washington Redskins.
In 1990, Hackman starred with Dan Aykroyd as a tough cop in the film "Loose Cannons." In the movie, Hackman plays the role of a Redskins' fans, donning a burgundy and gold jacket.
That wasn't Hackman's only connection to Washington football. In 2000, Hackman starred as Jimmy McGinty in the "Replacements," a movie loosely based on the 1987 Redskins. When a player strike hits the league, McGinty is named head coach of the Washington Sentinels, as long as he can pick the players. McGinty then assembles a roster full of either washed-up former stars or players who never made it big for one reason or another.
The movie didn't have NFL licensing, which is why the team was called the Sentinels and not the Redskins. However, some of the drama in the film mirrored the 1987 Redskins.
Finally, in 2007, Hackman was again connected to the Redskins, narrating "America's Game" for NFL Films, focusing on the team's triumphant 1987 season.
The legendary Gene Hackman lent his distinctive voice to #NFL Films, narrating four episodes of their tremendous "America's Game" series.
RIP🕯️ pic.twitter.com/MuXqSRfrUq — Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) February 28, 2025
It's unknown if Hackman was a Washington fan, but he certainly had multiple connections to the franchise.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Geek Vibes Nation
3 days ago
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Scarecrow' (1973) Blu-Ray Review - Gene Hackman & Al Pacino Bring Emotional Honesty To Road Movie
Just out of jail after serving time on an assault rap, Max (Gene Hackman) is headed for Pittsburgh to open a deluxe car wash. Back from five years at sea, Lion (Al Pacino) wants to hit Detroit and visit the child he's never seen. The dreams may not be glorious but you'll want Max and Lion to fulfill them, because Scarecrow, cowinner of the 1973 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prize, has a heart as big as its cross-country journey. Its hard-luck drifters drift permanently into our souls. This is due to teamwork of a high order: The moving performances of Hackman and Pacino, the sensitive direction of Jerry Schatzberg and the glowing landscape cinematography of Vilmos Zsigmond. Hit the road with these two. You'll find the trip unforgettable. For thoughts on Scarecrow, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality Warner Archive provided Scarecrow with a strong 1080p master transfer in 2.39:1 when it was released in 2017 sourced from a new 2K scan of the Interpositive. The cinematography of Vilmos Zsigmond is handled with care thanks to the retention of the natural film grain. The transfer unveils great detail and clarity in many background elements and costumes. Black levels are fairly deep, and highlights stay firm with nothing blown out. The film is primarily clear of shortcomings with little damage or dirt lingering. Compression artifacts, banding, and other such issues are avoided in this transfer. The film presents complex colors within the costumes and the environments that are not overly vibrant yet appear natural. Warner Archive has done a nice job with this one. Audio Quality The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio split mono track that is accurate to the intended soundscape of the feature. The film is not overly reliant on a score, but the diegetic and non-diegetic music comes through with respectful fidelity. Dialogue emanates clearly to capture all of the nuances of the exchanges. The more bustling moments are handled favorably and give the track a bit of texture. There is no serious age-related wear and tear to the track such as hissing, dropouts, or popping. The audio presentation matches the quality established by the video side of things. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film. Special Features On The Road with Scarecrow: A four-and-a-half-minute archival featurette that gives a promotional overview of the production of the film. Trailer (3:21) Final Thoughts Scarecrow is a really engaging road movie that finds two distinct, complicated characters fumbling their way across a number of states, making poor decisions while in search of redemption. With two of our greatest performers in the spotlight, the acting craft on display is unbelievable. These two are able to bring an emotional honesty to the characters even when you find some of their actions baffling. This film is not as known as it should be in the pantheon of '70s cinema, but hopefully it will get the respect it deserves at some point. Warner Archive has released a Blu-Ray that sports a lovely A/V presentation and a brief selection of special features. Recommended Scarecrow can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Warner Archive has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Indianapolis Star
5 days ago
- Indianapolis Star
It's Pride month. Here are 11 LGBTQ+ owned or allied bars and restaurants in Indy
Pride month will soon reach a crescendo in Indianapolis with Indy Pride Weekend, a celebration of LGBTQ+ culture in the Circle City. In addition to the parade on Mass Ave, festival on Monument Circle and star-studded concerts at the American Legion Mall this weekend, LGBTQ+ Hoosiers and allies can show their support for Indy's queer community year-round at these local restaurants and bars that are queer-owned or known for fostering friendly spaces for the LGBTQ+ community. 2147 N. Talbott St., (317) 600-3559, Located at the former site of Talbott Street, long a popular hangout for Indy's LGBTQ+ community, Baby's regularly hosts drag brunches and lunches inside a pastel pink version of a 1950s diner. Burgers, fries and milkshakes (optionally spiked by a liquor of your choosing) headline the eatery's classic Americana menu. 922 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 941-6595, 21+ Named one of USA TODAY's 2025 Restaurants of the Year, Bodhi serves a high-end blend of traditional Thai dishes with a few contemporary curveballs alongside a creative cocktail menu. Chef-owner Taelor Carmine helms the acclaimed eatery with the aid of her mother, Nicky, and her grandmother, Pen Phojanasupan. The multigenerational family business, which opened at the north end of Mass Ave in 2021, has become one of Indy's most sought-after dining destinations thanks to a classy yet excited atmosphere and dishes like the generously apportioned pad kra pow (minced pork with Thai basil and vegetables, $19) paired with inventive drinks like the Thai tea-inspired cha yen cocktail (served with its own fried banana spring roll, $16). Bodhi does not take reservations, so show up early or be prepared to wait an hour or longer. 822 N. Illinois St., (317) 636-5597, 21+ Named the LGBTQ+ Venue of the Year at the Bar and Restaurant Expo's 2022 Industry Excellence Awards, this decades-old downtown haunt serves classic brunch fare by morning and all the grease-slicked pub classics you could want until late at night. Downtown Olly's frequently hosts no-cover events including regular drag brunches and its annual Pride block party. 944 Alabama St., (317) 822-5070, 21+ Listed as one of America's best gay bars by Esquire magazine in 2022, English Ivy's has been dishing up classic American comfort food and hangover-curing brunches in downtown's historic St. Joseph neighborhood for more than two decades. During the Colts' and Pacers' seasons, English Ivy's often hosts watch parties in its rainbow-adorned sports bar setting. 765 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 634-4545, Longtime Indy restaurateur Bill Pritt, who also owns popular Mass Ave nightclub Metro, opened FortyFive Degrees in late 2008. Named for the sharp-angled intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and College Avenue on which it sits, FortyFive Degrees features a Japanese-inspired menu heavy on sushi and a full bar well-stocked with sake. The chic eatery frequently hosts events to raise money for nonprofits such as the Damien Center — Indy's largest care center for people with HIV/AIDS — including its upcoming Pride fashion show. 22 E. 22nd St., (317) 258-2222, One of the more memorable dining experiences in the Circle City, Gather 22 dishes up a globally inspired fare in an ever-changing atmosphere. The fingerprints of owners and partners Pablo Gonzalez and Adam Reinstrom can be seen throughout the Near Northside restaurant, from the light fixtures and bar top designed by Reinstrom to the colorful cocktail menu Gonzalez spearheaded. A shaded veranda and backyard patio that features personal hammocks and even a small jungle gym complete Gather's eclectic vibe, where guests can share Korean sausage skewers ($16) and grilled pizzas ($14 to $24) while sipping cocktails that challenge even adventurous drinkers to push the confines of their comfort zones. More: Globally inspired but Indy at its heart, Gather 22 serves food morning and night 231 E. 16th St., (317) 638-8138, 21+ Originally a one-room bar called the Wawase, Gregs has long been a popular haunt among Indy's gay community. The Wawase became Our Place (known colloquially as OP's) in 1980 under owners Bill Brown and Dean Gardner and has since undergone several facelifts while still catering to its prominently LGBTQ+ clientele. When then-co-owner Greg Powers died in 2002, his partner and co-owner Phil Denton renamed the bar Gregs in his honor. Now owned and operated by Derek Theriac and Greg Cotton, Gregs still regularly hosts drag shows, screenings of "Ru Paul's Drag Race" — with occasional appearances from some of the show's contestants — and frequent "queeraoke" nights. 2324 Shelby St., This Garfield Park coffee shop was opened in late 2021 by Jillion Potter, the captain of the 2016 USA Olympic women's rugby sevens squad, and her wife, Carol Fabrizio, a longtime consultant and executive coach who has worked for multiple organizations including USA Gymnastics. Helm roasts and brews a variety of beans primarily sourced from South America and North Africa at its brick-and-mortar café and also offers delivery coffee subscriptions. 707 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 639-6022, 21+ Acquired last year by Pritt, who also owns FortyFive Degrees, Metro has developed into a cornerstone of Indy queer nightlife — and generally a very popular nightclub — since it opened in 1990. The first floor features a bar and restaurant serving wings, nachos and similar pub grub, while guests can gather with drinks on the fenced-in patio out back. But perhaps Metro's biggest draw is the second story, where bargoers flock to dance and absorb the music of a live DJ. 2489 Shelby St., (317) 875-1932, 21+ Although this Garfield Park pub and its upstairs speakeasy, Scofflaw, are currently closed for renovations, Shelby Street Tavern aims to reopen in late June. Established in 1934 and recently revitalized as a proudly LGBTQ-friendly space under owner Jay Pearl, Shelby Street frequently hosts events geared toward the queer community in its mid-19th century tap room where beer, spirits and pub food are plentiful. 717 Massachusetts Ave., (317) 986-6603, 21+ Tini operates as a cocktail bar on weeknights, but opens up its second-floor bar and dance floor on Friday and Saturday nights. Live DJs and drag shows are commonplace at Tini, but the bar's distinguishing tradition is "movie Mondays," when Tini's projector screens an eclectic, genre-spanning slate of films — in June, each Monday will feature films with LGBTQ+ protagonists. Know of an LGBTQ-owned or -friendly restaurant or bar in Indy that we missed? Let dining reporter Bradley Hohulin know @bhohulin@
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Yahoo
‘We're here, we're queer' — Smaller communities in Indiana have Pride too
Volunteers for Harrison County Pride work a tent at a recent festival. (Courtesy photo) Pride celebrations in urban communities attract thousands — but LGBTQ+ Hoosiers in rural parts of the state are also celebrating. That's despite limited funding and, in some cases, threats. This year's events come as the climate nationally has changed. 'We received a lot of hate, especially messages, emails, over the top stuff – you know – 'we should die, they need to hang us up by our heels in the downtown square and let people beat us,' that kind of stuff,' said Tammi Shafer Bailey, Decatur County Pride treasurer and festival chair. 'I'm an old protester from back in the '60s and '70s. I wasn't afraid of any of that. But, people who aren't used to that kind of stuff would be.' Decatur County, located halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, has approximately 26,000 residents. 'We saw a need for queer joy,' she said. 'We found out quickly when we took over the group that people were afraid to come out and we wanted to show them they didn't have to be.' Decatur County Pride was formed in 2023 by two allies. Those allies chose to step back, allowing members of the local LGBTQ+ community to take control of the group. Decatur County Pride hosted their first Pride Festival in June 2024. It hasn't been without challenges. Bailey's goal was to hold the festival no matter what, 'we wanted to come out and show them that you can say what you want to say. Tell me you're going to show up at the Pride parade, come on, we welcome everybody. I want to show you that we're no different than you. We're your neighbors, we're your coworkers, you just don't know it.' Hate and threats aren't uncommon. 'There's two things – one, always keep your head on a swivel when you're in public,' Bailey said. And two, 'the thing they need to remember is that most of these people are just bullies and you'll never get anywhere cowering to a bully. You have to stand up and say no, you're not going to do this to me. That's what we try to teach our youth group, that's what we try to teach people who are afraid.' This year, they're facing an additional challenge – funding. 'We pretty much cut back on everything. We would like to do more for the community, but pulled back.' They received a grant that'll sustain the youth group through the year from the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Beyond the festival, Decatur County Pride members also do work in the community, filling a little free pantry, organizing a youth group and an adult support group. For Bailey, though, one of the most rewarding aspects of Pride fest is seeing the youth group members working the festival, 'meeting new people, being who they can be, who they really are out in the open, is so rewarding, because so many of them can't be. They have to hide in their school – hide everything about them and at Pride Fest we just open up and say you are who you are.' She also loves how everyone smiles at the event — 'they may not know who they're walking past, but everybody just smiles at each other – it's like, you're different but that's okay! That's the biggest accomplishment – having a space where everybody accepts one another, because it's very rare in this world.' LGBTQ+ Hoosiers also gather in Harrison County – Indiana's first state capital and home to roughly 40,000. 'Gay pride here in Corydon – it's anyone that feels like they've been on the fringes or not accepted into the status quo,' said Elizabeth Redding, co-founder of Harrison County Pride and Corydon Pridefest. She founded Harrison County Pride with Corydon native Adam Schneider. Redding is originally from New York City but moved to Harrison County a few years ago as a caregiver for her mother. 'I was introduced to this area and thought, if this is going to be the community I live in, then I want to have the things I'll miss the most – and one of them would be the Pride festivals in the big cities I've lived in,' she said. Not long after Redding moved to Corydon, she met Schneider, a gay man. Redding shared that she asked if Corydon does anything for Pride, 'and he was stunned, he's like, 'we've never even thought of it.' So I said, 'well, we're going to do this.'' That's how Harrison County Pride started in 2022. They hosted a small, informal Pride event that year, organizing the first official Corydon Pridefest in 2023. Turnout in 2023 exceeded expectations, drawing nearly 500 people. Last year's festival had approximately 1,000 attendees. This year, they expect 2,000 attendees. 'It's just amazing,' said Redding. 'Everything gets bigger!' There has been pushback – mostly from churches, Redding noted. However, they've also received support from other faith-based institutions, particularly Corydon Presbyterian and Corydon Methodist churches, which both sponsor Pridefest. They've also found the town council to be supportive, granting permission to host Pridefest in the face of objections from citizens, even when a drag show was added to the festival. 'Our first festival didn't have,' a drag show, Redding explained, 'so the drag queen show was contested by some of the religious members of the community.' But Redding said the town council held steady. 'They just told those people, 'look they applied to use the park. They paid their money. They've got this date set and they're going to do it.' It was really nice. This town council has conservative members but they were upholding that this is a public place. It was nice to have that backing,' Redding said.' A look at government support for Pride month — or lack thereof Pridefest, for Redding, is 'a heart warmer – it's very worthwhile,' seeing those who have felt like outcasts have one day where they can rejoice and feel accepted for who they are. Batesville hosted its first Pride Festival in 2022 with between 200 and 300 in attendance. Last year they drew 500. The city on the border of Franklin and Ripley counties has a population of roughly 7,200. 'It was a group of like-minded individuals' coming together and forming Batesville Area Inclusion and Diversity, that ultimately led to Batesville's Pride festival, according to BAID's chair, Ameilia Kubicek. Batesville, 'definitely has a bigger population than you would expect of people who are looking for diversity and inclusion and Pride,' added BAID's Pride Chair, Bee Copeland. 'We're here, we're queer, we're not going anywhere,' she continued. 'This is still small-town Batesville. There are obviously going to be people who are like, 'we don't really need that here, it's kind of in your face.'' But she said the organization fosters community. Pride, 'has created a community for people that maybe didn't feel like they were part of the area,' Kubicek explained. 'We've been able to find like-minded people,' they said, forming friendships and support systems. Visibility is crucial in the community, fostering greater acceptance and inclusion. The organization has advice for smaller communities like theirs who want to organize a Pride festival – be prepared for work, seek resources everywhere and don't be afraid to partner with larger communities or organizations such as the ACLU. 'It can feel daunting,' said Copeland, 'when you're a small-town group to go out and try to find those things, but it's possible.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
