Desert Island Pop Culture Tournament: Round Two – Day Three

The premise is easy. You are stranded on a desert island for the rest of your life and are permitted to bring just one entertainment choice along with you. Chad Campbell & Justin Rozzero, along with an assist from the PTB Nation staff, have chosen 64 essential items across eight different categories. After a random draw, these 64 items have been matched up tournament-style. You will vote to determine the one item you could never live without! Here are the categories!

Games & Activities: All materials needed to play the game or activity are included

Yearly Events: You get to watch these special televised events each year

Complete Television Series Collection: You receive a DVD set of the entire series

Complete Movie Series Collection: You receive a DVD set of the entire collection of movies, where applicable

Wrestling Pay Per View DVD: You receive a DVD copy of the full unedited wrestling DVD

Magazine Collection: You receive an ongoing subscription to the magazine

Complete Video Game Series Collection: You receive a copy of the entire series of a game title, where applicable

Music Albums: You receive a digitally mastered CD of the album

Come back each and every day to vote and share your opinions at the Place to Be Nation Facebook page!

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Rocky vs. Olympics

First up today is Sylvester Stallone’s epic movie series facing off with the premier global sports competition.

Released nationwide in late 1976, Rocky was a massive sleeper hit, raking in a cool $225 million on a budget of $950,000. It was easily the highest grossing movie of the year and would take home three Oscars, including the award for Best Picture. Staring Sylvester Stallone as underdog slugger Rocky Balboa, the film was the embodiment of the underdog story. Rocky II followed in 1979, featuring Rocky finally knocking off champion Apollo Creed. Battles against Clubber Lang (1982), Ivan Drago (1985) and Tommy Gunn (1990) followed and all three elicit strong emotion from viewers, both good and bad. After sixteen dormant years, the series received a proper sendoff in 2006′s Rocky Balboa. The movie put a bow on the story and let us see Rocky duke it out in the ring one last time, putting to bed the bad memories of the mentally challenged pugilist we last saw trading fisticuffs in the streets of Philadelphia. All these years later, the Rocky series still endures and, mimicking the training regiment of its titular character, can often be found running marathon style on various cable networks at any given time.

The Modern Olympic Games are a true worldwide event.  Invoking ancient origins, the modern Summer Olympic Games debuted in 1896 after the formation of the International Olympic Committee.  The Winter Games came on the scene in 1924.  Both summer and winter games mix some of the greatest athletes in the world in a variety of events to suit any sports or games fan.  The variety of the events and the stories that intertwine each games always is my favorite aspects as a sport like curling is something that I only care about every four years, but if the U.S. is competing in the finals, I am invested heavily in the outcome.  One would hope that national pride would not be lost on a desert island.

Dumb and Dumber vs. Baseball & Glove

Next, one of the best movie comedies of all time versus the old ball and glove.

In late 1994, Jim Carrey had established himself as a top player in comedy. Riding a wave of success that started with In Living Color and crested with Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and The Mask, Carrey hooked up with Jeff Daniels and directors Peter & Bobby Farrelly to make Dumb and Dumber. The movie was the Farrelly’s first foray into film and, as would become tradition, is based out of Rhode Island. Following the dimwitted Harry and Lloyd on a cross country adventure, the film delivered plenty of laughs, quotable dialogue and even some swerves along the way. Initial reviews of the film were not strong, but it quickly gained steam as a cult favorite and was successful at the box office, meaning the flick would go a long way in cementing both Carrey and the Farrelly brothers as top dogs in the industry. With a sequel on the books for the 20 year anniversary, Dumb and Dumber will live on and become a cult legacy film for a whole other generation of teenagers.

A baseball and glove means more than simply throwing and catching a ball for a variety of people.  It symbolizes for me personally some of the best bonding experiences between loved ones a great release from everyday mundane life.  Throwing a ball around while exploring the island sounds like a Twain-ish endeavor.

Basketball & Hoop vs. Anchorman

Next, another sports object against a fantastic comedy movie.

Created in 1891 by a weary gym teacher on a rainy day, the sport of basketball is now played across gyms, playground and driveways across the world on a daily basis. Originally played with a soccer ball and a peach basket, the sport has evolved immensely and now consists of a metal cylinder raised ten feet off the ground and affixed to a backboard and a 22 oz inflated ball. The simple complexity of the game is what makes it great and of any sporting equipment in existence, is the most conducive to spending eternity trapped on a desert island.

Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy was right at the apex of Will Ferrell’s prowess on the comedy genre.  Old School and his cameo in Wedding Crashers showed the potential and were great comedies in their own regard.  Anchorman was the best Judd Apatow produced movie and mixed a dynamic cast with an interesting premise in a period setting.  Featuring a ton of one-liners and memorable quotes to be applied to everyday life, Anchorman has a great amount of sustaining ability.

Seinfeld vs. NBA Finals

Finally, one of the greatest television comedies of all-time faces off with the best basketball played in the world.

Debuting in near anonymity on Wednesday July 5, 1989, Seinfeld didn’t seem long for the TV world. However, the network stood by it and after a move to Thursday nights, the writers, including legend Larry David, and actors found their inspiration, leading to officially launching an epic run of high quality, well woven, time tested sitcom gold. Gold, Jerry. Gold. With a main cast of aces, the stacked supplemental roster flanking Jerry, Elaine, George and Kramer added to the show’s rise to prominence. Seinfeld would become a ratings juggernaut and still dominates the airwaves 15 years after it closed up shop. It’s influence in pop culture ranks as highly as an TV show ever created, as catchphrases and memorable moments are still quoted endlessly to this day. Many shows have tried to be Seinfeld, but the shadow this sitcom giant casts makes it near impossible to knock it off its perch as the greatest sitcom ever created.

The NBA Finals is the climax of the NBA season that in a lot of ways doesn’t begin until the playoffs start.  Some classic encounters and rivalries have been fought in the NBA Finals over the past few decades.  Legends will be made and legacies will be formed.  The NBA is on an upswing so the NBA Finals should be an enjoyable event for years to come.