Leonardo DiCaprio (L) and Kate Winslet
Leonardo DiCaprio (L) and Kate Winslet (Christopher Polk/Getty Images)
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The 88th Academy Awards, a 3-hour plus gala in which Hollywood pats itself on the back, featured some major surprises on a night when the theme was clearly the controversy over the film industry’s lack of diversity.

Host Chris Rock came out swinging and while he might have crossed the line on a couple of occasions for the most part drew wide praise for the way he handled the issue of no black nominees for the second straight year among the 20 actors up for Oscar.

Even he found out in these politically correct times you have to be careful as a skit featuring three Asian kids did not go over well with some. While Rock had plenty of funny moments I thought the show itself was rather dull and slow moving. The highlight might have been when Louis C.K. presented the Oscar in the Documentary Short category, saying those producers and directors do what the others in the audience do without money and fame. He added “this Oscar is going home in a Honda Civic” and might have set himself up to be a host in the future.

As for the winners none was bigger than “Spotlight” which was the surprise choice for “Best Picture” and was the best movie I saw all year as it chronicled the Boston Globe’s investigation into the sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brie Larson as expected took home gold statues as best lead actors and to the surprise and disappointment of many Sylvester Stallone did not win the Best Supporting Actor for his work in “Creed” with the award going to Mark Rylance in “Bridge of Spies.”

Mater Dei celebrates their win over CBA
Mater Dei celebrates their win over CBA (Mike Brown)
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I’ve always said the best thing about sports is you really never know what’s going to happen when you watch a game or competition and sometimes you’re treated to something special. Last year in the finals of the Shore Conference Boys Basketball Tournament Rumson held CBA to just five second-half points and stunned the favored Colts to win their first-ever championship.

I left Monmouth University that night still not believing what I saw. Saturday night CBA led Mater Dei Prep by 18 points late in the 3rd quarter and the only question my broadcasting partner Matt Harmon and I had was who would be our Player-of-the-Game. Little did we know the Seraphs would close the game by outscoring CBA 32-7 and win their first-ever Shore Conference Basketball title. I left Monmouth that night still not believing what I saw.

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