SPORTS & MORE

JUDY BLUME’S ‘MARGARET,’ PLUS A COUNTDOWN TO FOOTBALL SEASON

As the movie ended and the lights came up, I turned to my friend and said, “That was much better than I expected.”

My friend agreed. The movie, “Are you there God? It’s Me, Margaret,” is based on the famous coming-of-age book by Key West resident and renowned author Judy Blume.

We were concerned it would be crowded at Regal Cinema, but needn’t have worried.

Blume and her husband, George Cooper, have lived in Key West for several years. The author has been on several daytime television talk shows lately and was even the answer in a recent Jeopardy clue.

“Her living here and the book being so popular is the reason I thought so many people would be seeing the movie,” said my friend. “Maybe a lot of folks have already seen it.”

We both liked the movie. Yes, it deals with a lot of problems that young women must face. Of course, the main physical issue that confronts 12-year-olds is in there. But there are other issues that face adults as well as preteens.

The one that interested me the most was how the parents handled Margaret’s father being Jewish, her mother Christian and the parents’ parents likewise. Her parents intended to let Margaret choose her religion when she was an adult. But Margaret gets a head start.

It’s very well done and very interesting.

That’s probably enough without spoiling the movie for the people who haven’t seen it, but intend to.

NOW, LET’S

TALK SPORTS.

Namely pro football.

The National Football League has released its 2023 schedule and the big game announced for this part of the world is 9:30 a.m., Week 9, Sunday, Nov. 5, Miami Dolphins versus the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany.

The game is listed for the NFL Network, but it will probably be on a Miami station as well.

Now, if you’ve got a few bucks and want to go to Germany, there are package deals. For starters, try $1,200 for roundtrip air. Then somewhere around $1,500 for your package deal. Of course, that’s per person.

... a veteran sports columnist, says the only sport he doesn’t follow is cricket. That leaves plenty of others to fill his time.

ralphmoro1936 @gmail.com

There are two preseason away games, at Houston and Jacksonville following a home game against Atlanta on Aug. 4 at 8 p.m.

Miami opens its regular season Sunday, Sept. 10. at 4:25 p.m. at the Los Angeles Chargers and follows that up the following Sunday at 8:20 p.m. at New England before playing its first home game Sunday, Sept. 24, at 1 p.m. against Denver.

Then, it’s back on the road again as the Dolphins go to Buffalo for game on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.

Sunday Night games may be moved between Weeks 5-17 and Monday Night games in Weeks 12-17. The games initially scheduled for Sunday Night (on NBC) and Monday Night (ESPN or ABC) are subject to change.

Only Sunday afternoon games (or those listed as TBD) are eligible to be moved to Sunday night or Monday night, in which case the Sunday/Monday night game would be moved to Sunday afternoon. So the wait begins for another NFL season.

The NFL countdown begins.

By: Tracy and Sean McDonald