George Roy Hill

George Roy Hill is remembered most for being one of the great directors of the past 60-years but what sparked interest in me was a little known fact about the man. Hill flew planes for the US Marines in both World War II and in Korea - just like the great Ted Williams.

Unlike Williams who flew fighter planes in both conflicts - Hill first flew transport planes in WWII and then fighters in Korea. Still that's an accomplishment that's worthy of a little bragging. However, self promotion was never something George Roy Hill was interested in which in itself is another reason to admire the man.

And I still say that Slap Shot is the best sports movie ever made. Here's what I consider the Top 5 Movies by George Roy Hill.

Top 5 – George Roy Hill Films

Today would have been director George Roy Hill’s 88th birthday (he died in 2002). You probably haven’t heard of George Roy Hill but you have heard of his movies. Here are what I consider his top 5:

1. Slap Shot
2. The Sting
3. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
4. The World According to Garp
5. Slaughterhouse Five

It should also be noted that Hill was a Marine who fought in both World War II and Korea.

Flotsam and Jetsam

Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.

Sounds like Ryan Mallet needs to go to a college that helps drop back QB's prepare for the pro game. A college like BC maybe?.... Some people who worship Peyton Manning will point out that Manning basically sat out the last game in 2004 when he set the TD record of 49 TD passes that Tom Brady will probably be breaking in his 16th game this Saturday night. To those people I would like to point out that Manning played the majority of his games in climate controlled domes (10 out of 16 games) while Brady has played in some of the worst conditions imaginable this season. I would also point out that Manning's backup - Jim Sorgi - played in just 4 games in 2004 (including that last game of the season). Meanwhile Brady's backup - Matt Cassel - has already relieved Brady in 6 games and there is a good chance he will do so again on Saturday... I was always under the impression that Mark Knopfler kicked his brother David out of the band Dire Straits. Turns out that David Knopfler left on his own. File that under "you learn something new every day"... George Roy Hill died 5 years ago today. Manny people will consider either Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or The Sting as his masterpiece but to me Hill's great contribution to the world at large will always be the movie Slapshot.