Catch Of The Day

The Fillerbuster Oscars

The Fillerbuster Oscars

The Cast by The Fillerbuster

03/09/2024

DISCLAIMER:  Ok, sure, I could spend hours on this, and have better answers.  But, I don’t have that time, so this is what you get.  Let it marinate a little, but mainly off the cuff.  It is a little heavy on hoops because I was watching hoops at the time.  Trust me, football, I meant more for you.  Sorry, golf, UFC, and some other sports.  I didn’t have any award winners in my cranium at print time, and the actual off the cuff writing took long enough once I started typing.

I guess, in my world, The Nuggets are what possibly Oppenheimer will do on Sunday.

Barely edited.  I got tired.

BEST PICTURE

  • WINNER: The Denver Nuggets Starting Five.  This is a beautiful movie every single night, for the most part.  While everyone else is texting their superstar buddy to team up, or GM’s are forcing round superstar combination pegs into a square hole, the Nuggets just roll along seamlessly.  They are perfectly built.  The best basketball player in the world would rather be racing his horses overseas, can’t jump on a curb, yet schools people every single night.  More on Jamal Murray in a bit, but he is the perfect PG in this system.  Kentavious Caldwell Pope has one constant in his career besides very mild, yet timely stats…winning.  Michael Porter has found his role in the lineup.  He is good when he is just hitting three’s.  He is a monster when he is exerting effort for loose balls and on defense.  And Aaron Gordon might be the best role player trade…like ever.  Stopping Jokic and Gordon when close to the basket is impossible, and it is worse for the league because they are great friends too.  Now that the bench is coming into its own late in the year, this has repeat written ALL over it. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it…

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

  • WINNER: Molly Qerim, ESPN. Poor Molly.  Seriously.  Stephen A. Smith yelling on First Take is irritating and even scares my dogs.  Molly has to be the mediator on that train wreck of a show.  She wins this award going away in my book for her tolerance, and acting very realistically like she likes Stephen A. off camera.

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

  • WINNER:  Jamal Murray, Nuggets.  Sure, I live in Denver, and, sure, this is a little homer thinking in awarding this to Jamal.  But, seriously, it is true.  It is a travesty that he hasn’t gotten an All-Star nod, but you can make arguments for the others taking his place on that squad.  But, he doesn’t truly care.  Denver doesn’t truly care.  And, the world knows the truth.  When Jokic and Murray are both healthy and playing, their two man game is almost unstoppable.  AND, Murray sort of chills out during the year, and then puts up ridiculous numbers when the postseason bell rings.  So, good luck, everyone else.  Jokic and Murray are both in their prime, and it will get worse for everyone else before it gets better.

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

  • WINNER: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks. (AND 2024 NBA Draft).  My favorite player in the NBA needs to improve on his defense, but he is getting better, and it is getting scary.  He puts up 30 pts without blinking, and seems to enjoy the rebounds and assists just as much when posting his numerous triple doubles.  He is tracking for the play-in tourney once again, so he needs A) to possibly expend less energy on offensive end to focus a little on defense and B) needs a little more help on the roster.  Also, he needs to stop complaining to the refs. But, combine his court time with his pregame ritual fun that rivals Steph, and in the meantime, he is well worth the watch every single time.  Oh, and the parentheses above mean that if you read a mock draft, the foreign invasion will be felt in this year’s draft more than any other in history.  ALL of the top 4-5 players will be from overseas.

DOCUMENTARY (SHORT)

  • WINNER:  Carl Weathers, Various.  I wasn’t sure how to classify this.  Some athletes we lost in 2023 that I miss are Jim Brown, Billy Packer, Dick Butkus, Bob Knight, and Doyle Brunson.  So, any memorial done on any network for any of these guys would qualify.  But, in the end I have to go with Apollo Creed, Colonel Al Dillon, and Greef Karga.  Apollo Creed was a huge part of my life as a kid (and adult still), and Carl will very much be missed.

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

  • WINNER:  Welcome to Wrexham.  I actually have only seen one episode.  Not sure why I didn’t get hooked and bust it all out.  But, combine the critics, friends word of mouth, and I will go out on a limb and say this wins.

ORIGINAL SONG

  • WINNER:  CBS March Madness Theme.  Easy.  It would win every year in my book, and every year…it IS sort of new again.  Side note.  I met the guy who wrote it at a symphony concert, and he had NO idea why I was so excited to meet him.  Good to meet you, David Barrett. The tune: Bing Videos

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

  • WINNER:  Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors.  Draymond easily takes the film portion of animation.  He has a bunch of rings, so we really can’t laugh at him, but him trying to pull late 80’s shenanigans on the court these days WAS comical.  It has been a long process of both quality defense in big games, and immature acts of violence and assault when the wheels fell off the train presently.  The script has had highs and lows, and has been a joy to watch.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

  • WINNER:  Russell Wilson, NFL Free Agent.  The script had already been written in Seattle, and this was a story of quick demise and brand and HOF depreciation.  One would have thought this would be an uplifting script, but the writers had other ideas.  Russell first had a new head coach who thought he would be coaching Aaron Rodgers at QB.  Then, he gets Sean Payton, who decided to take a wrecking ball the house and his pedestrian numbers and start over.  Side note.  He will sign with my Steelers and win another title.  Book it.

ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

  • WINNER:  Lionel Messi to Inter Miami.  So, what a script!  The screenplay centers on a guy who arguably is the best soccer player in the world and maybe in history.  Then, this guy wins the World Cup and is the hero of soccer.  But, it gets better.  He comes to the U.S. and joins a team in the MLS.  It is a team that has never won the Leagues Cup Title.  He then makes the rest of the league look stationary, joins them midseason, and leads them to the title.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

  • WINNER:  Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets.  Well, as we know, when best picture wins, so do a lot of the actors.  And, this guy is simply the best in the world.  He has redefined the position, how a title run should look, how interviews should be done, how to win horse races, how to sing karaoke, and how to seem like he doesn’t care about ONE single individual accolade.  Our only concern in Denver is that he won’t ride the wheels until they fall off.  His horses might need him more after another title or two.

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

  • WINNER:  Caitlin Clark, Iowa Hawkeyes.  Unless you live in a cave, I don’t need to elaborate much on this.  Best player in college hoops.  Broke the all-time known record.  Broke the all-time not known record.  Broke Pete Maravich’s unbreakable record.  March eyes will be on the unstoppable force of South Carolina (led by a Wahoo by the way), but also on how far she can take HER squad again.

DIRECTOR

  • WINNER: Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs.  Sure, the best QB in the world took the game over at the end, as he always does.  Sure, the defensive coordinator had some credit for the win.  But, it is the little things that we see also by Andy.  He knows every move and counter move.  He has a relationship with his star QB that is immovable.  He made some halftime decisions that were brilliant and immobilized a very potent San Fran offense and their playmakers.  Reid is like Leonard Bernstein, like Martin Scorsese, like Van Gogh all in one.  And he just looks loveable while doing so.  Winning two titles is still a large group of coaches.  Winning three, along with his close misses with the Eagles, and he is on track to being on the short list of best ever.
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid gestures during a news conference following an NFL divisional football playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts in Kansas City, Mo., Saturday, Jan. 12, 2019. The Kansas City Chiefs won 31-13. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)

PRODUCTION DESIGN

  • WINNER:  Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines.  Production Design is defined as creating the visual identity for the movie.  Production design is the art of creating a film’s aesthetic through its set.  Well, in football the visual identity and aesthetic can be spun as A) game strategy and B) toughness.  Whereas Andy Reid is a great ADJUSTER, Jim Harbaugh is a master at initial game strategy.  He gets far enough ahead that he doesn’t have to adjust at halftime.  More importantly, although he was known at Michigan for running it last season, his team could change style like a chameleon if needed.  He can be pass happy if that is the opponent’s weakness, run it up the gut, or do a pro-style.  Then, after all of that genius, he somehow conveys toughness to whoever he coaches.  Michigan was tougher than Washington, hands down.  It was obvious.  Jim did it with Stanford, with the 49ers, and then with Michigan.  Imagine, folks.  Next year, we will be talking about how tough the CHARGERS are.

(Need to start writing less for each one.  This is taking a while)

CINEMATOGRAPHY

COSTUME DESIGN

  • WINNER:  Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Clippers.  He is always one of the best dressers, and since he earned our hearts by voluntarily going to the bench for his team, The Fillerbuster Oscars reward him with the 2024 title of Costume Design.

ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

  • WINNER:  Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers.  Batting practice, a game where he pitched, a game where he hit, whatever.  Dude is must-watch TV.

ORIGINAL SCORE

VISUAL EFFECTS

FILM EDITING

  • WINNER:  Kyle Brandt, Good Morning Football, Angry Runs.  Have you ever checked out this segment on NFL Network.  It is perhaps my favorite part of every Tuesday morning during the season.  And although tight ends and running backs win most of the weeks, let’s check out the one where Baker Mayfield won.  Here is a random one so you get the idea.  GMFB| Angry Runs presented by FedEx (youtube.com)

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

  • WINNER:  LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers.  Whether a fan or not, you HAVE to respect him.  He is the only member of the 40k scoring club, and is averaging 25/7/8 at age THIRTY NINE.  It is getting ridiculous what he is doing.  I kind of believe he will play a year or two with his son now.

Well, just like the real Oscars, this took WAY longer than I thought it would to get to the end.  Hope you enjoyed.  Talk to you before March Madness Thursday kicks off.