When The Game Ends

TigerBlog yesterday talked about Frank Sinatra and how great a singer he was.

Who's the best singer of the 21st century? To date at least?

TigerBlog will go with Adele. The British vocalist certainly knocked it out of the park in her first concert in three years with her performance at Radio City Music Hall, highlights of which were shown Monday night on NBC from 10-11.

If you're looking for the two best voices that TB has heard in this century, he'd go with Adele and Lady Gaga. If you think Lady Gaga can't sing, just listen to the first note of THIS.

It's the rest of the act that clouds what a great singer Lady Gaga actually is.

Adele? There's no act. She stands up there and sings her songs.

And yes, most of her songs are fairly similar, with a familiar theme. That doesn't matter.

Okay, she doesn't have Sinatra's charisma. You know what she does have?

She has the voice. It's powerful. It explodes.

TigerBlog was one of the four million of so who bought Adele's "25" album on iTunes. He can't remember the last time he bought an entire album, but it's been awhile. It was either Bruce or Train. But it's not something he does often.

When Adele sang on the NBC show, TigerBlog's thought was "wow." It was enough to get him to switch off the Giants-Dolphins Monday Night Football game.

The Giants won the game 31-24 to surge into a first-place tie in the division with three weeks left. Okay, maybe "surge" isn't the right word.

The Giants are 6-7, as are the Eagles and Redskins. Someone has to win the division. It might as well be the Giants, though they don't have any of the tiebreakers.

TigerBlog hasn't watched much of the Giants for the last few years, not since the team won its second Super Bowl in five years and fourth overall. Since then, he's had an "eh" attitude towards the NFL, possibly because he said he wouldn't complain at all about anything the Giants do for 10 years after the two recent improbable Super Bowl runs.

He does want to say two things about the team though. First, Eli Manning should be a Hall-of-Famer when his career ends. Second, it's very possible that Odell Beckham Jr. is the best player in the NFL.

And, while he's on the subject of football, TigerBlog wants to talk about Chuck Dibilio. That's pretty good. Adele to the Giants to Chuck Dibilio in a few short paragraphs.

Coming up Jan. 5 in the Taylor Auditorium in the Frick Chemistry Building will be the premiere of "When The Game Ends," a 35-minute documentary about Dibilio put together by John Bullis, Department of Athletics video dude.

The plan is to produce one such documentary each year. This is the first in what hopefully becomes a series.

The subject is Dibilio, who was going to be the centerpiece of the rebuilding of the Princeton football program after becoming the only true freshman in Ivy League history to rush for more than 1,000 yards, which he did in the 2011 season.

By 2013 Princeton had won an Ivy League title. Dibilio, though, didn't get to experience it the way he would have wanted.

Instead, Dibilio - 19 years old, in apparently perfect physical condition - shockingly suffered a stroke two months after the season ended. He would never play again.

Today, Chuck is a Princeton senior, a year behind his original class. If you see him today, you'd never ever suspect that anything could hurt him, let alone a stroke. He is strong, muscular and fit. What would you expect from someone who is dedicated Cross-Fitter?

His story is a fascinating one. The movie talks to him, as well as those who have been with him through this rather improbable road from record-setting freshman to soon-to-be graduate.

TigerBlog knew Dibilio's name, accomplishments and story before the filming began. What he didn't know was the person himself.

TB's role in Bullis' movie was to be the interviewer. He talked to players, coaches, staff, family and friends about Dibilio. And he talked to Chuck himself.

He's a remarkable young man. Maybe he didn't set out to be remarkable. Maybe he just wanted to be a football player. But that wasn't his destiny, and he had no choice but to face a different path. 

"When The Game Ends" will be shown Jan. 5 at 7:30. There's a reception at 7 and a Q&A after it.

Yes, that's still a few weeks away. Don't worry. TigerBlog will remind you the week leading up to it.

In the meantime, here's a little more information, including the trailer. Actually, it's HERE.