Phungo 5 Returns with Capewood's Collections!

Today is opening day for many teams across the Major Leagues, while the Phils open tomorrow versus the Houston Astros.  This means the return of Phungo 5,  and for the second consecutive year Capewood's Collections will help us out with the season debut of P5.


1) As an Astros and Phils Fan, how cool is it to have the Phils and Astros meeting on opening day?

The Astros have played the Phillies pretty tough the past few years. It's hard to tell what the Astros are going to do in 2011. They finished last season strong but haven't looked too good this spring. It's always a tough decision for me as to who to root for. It wasn't too long ago when both teams had a chance for the playoffs and I would usually root for whoever I thought had the best chance. This year I think it's the Phillies and I'll be rooting for them. It would be cooler if Oswalt was going to pitch against them in the opening series but I think he is 4th in the rotation.

2002 Bowman Chrome #79 Roy Oswalt

2) Who is your favorite player to follow that has been involved in the many Phils-Astros trades we have seen recently?

Obviously, the Big O. He's been one of my favorite Astros and I heavily collect his cards. He hasn't gotten the recognition he's deserved while pitching in relative obscurity in Houston. I'm hoping he has a great season.

3) Thumbs Up or Down for the centerfield pole and Hill in Houston.

A Thumbs Up. It's an interesting feature to have in a ballpark. It's fun to watch a right fielder trying to play a ball there. But to tell the truth, I think it's pretty rare for the Hill to be a problem. It's a long way from home plate.

4) Any  News on the Bonsai Trees, I don't believe we have seen them in a while. 

Ah, the Bonsai Trees. I started this hobby without realizing how much effort it was going to take. I've lost a few plants but am now down to a number that I can deal with. I've got 8 healthy plants, 4 inside and 4 outside. It was a cold winter here with some freezing rain. I lost one plant because I didn't get them inside fast enough. I'm hoping to have them cleaned up and featured in a post soon.

5) What is your favorite Movie set in Houston?  

I had to think about this for a bit and look up movies on Wikipedia. The only movie which came to mind was Bill Murray's Rushmore. There are a few movies, which in some way or another deal with the space program, such as Apollo 13, Armageddon and Space Cowboys, but most of those movies actually take place in outer space. Arlington Road with Jeff Bridges and Tim Robbins was set in Houston but could have been anywhere. The subdivision where Arlington Road was located pretty much looked like a hundred different subdivisions in the Houston suburbs. And there there is Independence Day where the government sacrifices Houston while atomic bombing an alien ship. That scene where they show a road sign indicating a freeway exit to the University of Houston, used to establish that we really were in Houston, totally does not exist. 

There are a few more either set in Houston or filmed in Houston but I haven't seen them. All in all, I'd say Rushmore. It was a good movie and it was one of Bill Murray's first real serious roles and I like that side of him.

Scorecard

Team Phungo frowns upon the Hill, but awards double points for coming up with Rushmore as a film recommendation.  So 5 out of 5 for Cliff for the opening Phungo 5 of 2011.  

For a look back at Cliff's P5 from 2010 click here.