Friday 5: Nick Digilio

Well, stat nerds...today is the big day.

"Moneyball" hits the big screens.

Even though the reviews around the blogosphere have been mixed, the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer is sitting at 92%, so, who can you believe?

Enter my old friend, WGN radio personality, film critic and baseball fan Nick Digilio.  I caught up with Digilio and asked him what he thought of "Moneyball" and where he would rank it among his all-time favorite baseball movies.

1. The Bad News Bears  (1976, directed by Michael Ritchie)

2. Field of Dreams  (1989, directed by Phil Alden Robinson)

3. Eight Men Out  (1988, directed by John Sayles)

4. Moneyball  (2011, directed by Bennett Miller)

5. Bang the Drum Slowly  (1973, directed by John D. Hancock)

Personally, I'm a big "Bull Durham" guy...but what about you?  What are your favorite baseball movies?

And if you've never listened...you can check out Digilio every weekend on WGN Radio (and online), Friday from 10:00pm until 2:00 am and again on Saturday from 6:00 to 11:00pm.

Mustache May 'stache of the Day: Lee Elia

Thanks to the continued support of the American Mustache Institute, it is with great pleasure that I continue our month long celebration of the 'stache with the most foul-mouthed manager ever to don the lip sweater...Lee Elia.

As a tribute to Nick Digilio of 720 WGN-AM Radio (you can listen to my appearance on his show HERE)...I've gotta go with another Cub.

AMI Style: Looking like 87% of the men in their mid-50s at the time...Elia rocked the chevron

Grade: C Elia was un-mustached throughout most of his career. However, in true Chicago fashion, he grew out his cookie duster and the results...average.

Unless you've been under a rock for most of your baseball lovin' life, you've heard the following 1983 rant by Elia. If you have heard it...hear it again HERE.

MM09...We're past the midway point! Win a free shirt!

We're half way through Mustache May, gang. I hope that those of you that are growin' are proudly showin'. And to the rest of you...thank you for your support of this month long celebration!

TONIGHT (Sunday, May 17)...I'll be representing the cause (and The Hall of Very Good) on WGN 720 Radio sometime after Midnight CST.

If you can tune it in on the old transitor...go nuts. If not, listen live online HERE.

And when you done listening, podcasting, iTuning or what have you...drop The Hall an email. Put "Digilio" in the subject line and you'll be entered to win a t-shirt. Sometime during the week...I'll hit you back and get your details, etc.

Join in on the madness, gang! Hit up the facebook group and chime in on your thoughts. Be part of the trend that is surely going to sweep some portion of the nation. Keep up to date on the time and place for the proposed "Mustache May 'stache Bash Bar Crawl", email The Hall with 'stache of the Day suggestions, photos, contributions, etc.

And lastly, you can still read the interview Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins gave us HERE.

MM09...God 'stache America!

MM09: so far...so good!

All in all, Mustache May has gone off without a hitch. We've gotten some notice and all in all...no complaints.

Last Thursday, in preparation for Mustache May, Dr. Aaron Perlut made mention of MM09 during his weekly column over at JoeSportsFan.com. He writes:

"Welcome back to The Shakedown! Friday begins "Mustache May," as our friends at the Hall of Very Good are reporting. While that did not stop the Cardinals' Rick Ankiel from killing an angel in heaven by shaving his lip garment..." Read the rest HERE.

Then, on Friday, our friends at the American Mustache Institute sent out this decree.

"Today begins Mustache May. Not 'mOUstache' May, because spelling mustache with an 'OU' is communist. But 'mUstache' May. So what is this devine holiday you might ask?"

Check out the rest HERE!

The coup de gras (so far) came on Friday night, when WGN 720 Radio DJ Nick Digilio joined in and alerted his viewers that it was officially Mustache May.

Listen to the podcast HERE!

Join in on the madness, gang. Be part of the trend that is surely going to sweep some portion of the nation. Email The Hall with 'stache of the Day suggestions, photos, contributions, etc.

Also...check out Mustache May over on Facebook and keep up to date on the time and place for the proposed "Mustache May 'stache Bash Bar Crawl".

MM09...God 'stache America!