Me and Rocky Balboa

The other day, I learned the difference between me and Rocky Balboa. In his mid 50's he can give the champ hell for ten rounds and make a very nice, well crafted, thoughtful film for a built in crowd. At 40, I can barely work in a moderately busy restaurant for five hours without back spasms, leg cramps and praying to St. Augustus of Busch for his blessed relief.

A lot of people have wondered over the years about my fascination with Rocky, it's sequels and the whole mythos. Now, pop culture pundits will give you the whole after-Watergate-and Vietnam-America-needed-a-hero spiel, and I'm sure that's accurate. But as a pretty perceptive 9 year old when I saw Rocky at the late, lamented Starlite Drive-In in Sactown, I had my own ideas. The son of a blue collar AFB civilian who enjoyed his job and seemed to dig his family, I was a product of the working class '70's. Although Rocky worked for a loan shark, you know he didn't break thumbs. A good guy, needing a break. Just like my old man, and a lot of kids' dads.

It was realistic. Rocky knows he can't win; he just wants to go 15 rounds. And in doing so, he shook the hell out of the HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD. Even at 9, I knew it wasn't whether he won or lost. He did his best. All you can ask for.

And when Rocky II came out, there we were, at the Starlite, watching that horseshit, who-gets-up-first ending. And crying at "Yo, Adrian! I did it!"

First day in line for III. Conning a dj for sneak preview passes for IV. Embarrassed that I took my friends to V.

And not being ashamed to cry in front of my girlfriend for Rocky Balboa.

Rocky Balboa was a film, not a sequel, not Cobra or the other shit films Stallone did through the 80's and 90's. This is how Robert 'Rocky' Balboa should go out, with Mason Dixon telling him respectfully, "You a crazy old man, you know that?" With Rocky walking out of the arena before the decision, because winning or losing doesn't matter. As someone in the midst of a crippling depression at the time, I had counted down the days til this film was here. (Thanks, Totalrocky.com) It didn't pull me out, but it gave me an emotional release I hadn't felt in quite some time. I felt a quiet, spiritual high for days. Like Rocky, back in 1976. 1976. I was nine, and 30 years later, I was nine again.

So, to my friends who ask, What the hell is it about Rocky? I say, 'Wouldn't it be cool to be 9 again.. for just two hours?'

Absolutely.