With A Little Help From My Friends
- Mike Fisher
- Jun 16
- 7 min read
“F&%k It.”
- Matt Damon (more often than you think)
Often when trying to come up with player comparisons for actors, you get fixated on one or two aspects that shift your choice. At first when trying to manufacture Damon’s sports equivalent I struggled as I insisted to myself that it be a Boston Red Sox. I gave serious consideration to Wade Boggs for a while as he had the same working class vibe and a surprisingly down to Earth, if not vulgar tone at times. Yet the thing that really bothered me was that Boggs had to leave to win his title whereas while Damon left Boston for success in Hollywood, he has not shaken his Massachusetts roots so I couldn’t pull the trigger with anyone who didn’t succeed without Boston being a key focal point. Boggs also had team success late in his career while many might argue that Damon almost peaked too early having his early career run be one of the all time best 5 movies in a succession (Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, Rounders, Dogma, Talented Mr. Ripley). But ultimately the nail in the coffin was the idea that Boggs was allegedly paid by the Devil Rays to wear their hat when going into the Hall of Fame. He has denied this, but it helped to prompt the Hall to stop asking players and have them go in with the team logo of the Hall’s choice (it’s been changed to the Sox). Plus - Damon is such a unique figure that no one player will capture all the parts of his story, so I was going to have to pick the parts that I think reflect him right now. To do so, I had to leave the sport - but not the city.
Jayson Tatum became a Boston Celtic in 2017 after Boston famously traded away the overall number one pick to the 76ers (who took similarly famous disappointment Markelle Fultz) for the number three overall pick. This was their second 3rd pick in a row having previously taken Jaylen Brown in the previous year's draft. Tatum was a one and done at Duke and was meant to contribute to Brad Stevens recent rebuild as Boston had returned to the conference finals the year before, only to be dominated by LeBron’s Cavs. In Tatum’s rookie year, they returned to the conference finals and again lost to LeBron, but this time in 7 games. Tatum got first team rookie honors but became the second player in history (Abdul-Jabbar being the other) to have 10 or more playoff games over 20 points in their rookie year. In Tatum’s eight seasons with the Celtics he has had a single 1st round exit, two conference semi loss, three conference finals losses and is 1 and 1 in the Finals. All of this can also be said for his partner in crime Brown who has the same record but adds one more conference finals loss to that resume. The difference between the two is also that along that time span Tatum is more individually recognized as he is a 6X All Star (with an AS MVP) and a 3 time All NBA First team selection. However, as last summer highlighted, Tatum made the US Olympic team while Brown was left off the list. Instead he went on a more promotional tour and had to answer questions about their potential beef (no confirmed incidents so right now it seems more like speculation with no evidence) and how he was Final MVP but didn’t even make the All NBA Third Team (however he did make second team last year). The comparisons between the two are constant and yet they seem to be close enough that it has never manifested on the court. In fact, there are arguments made that they help to ease the burden of being a single prod team (with Brown’s massive contact showing they are both valued by the Celts themselves). While none of this directly puts Tatum at fault, it has altered his narrative.
Last summer Tatum made the Olympic squad (that’s good), but barely played (that’s bad). He has been All NBA First Team four years in a row (that’s good), but much of it gets shadowed as either Embiid has been hurt too much to qualify or there was one year when he made it over Jokic when you could only pick one center (that’s bad). So essentially, he is considered by some as a top five player in the league - but with an asterisk. In fact, while I’m not a hater - put me on that list of someone who will happily put him on my top 10 - but not my top 5. But such is life when you are known for your positive relationships as much as your individual talent.
Perhaps the comparisons are now all too clear. Pillars of the Boston communities. Check. Early success. Check. Known for having close relationships with one or more key individuals who also have issues with respect. Check. Therefore - the conclusions are the same. Due to their level of success and work - they are often in the conversation about the best in their generation - yet - I don’t know of anyone who considered them on their short list for greatest all time.
Damon even won People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive in 2007 and yet if you Google this, it will likely come up with an added line that George Clooney and Brad Pitt had been lobbying for this for half of a decade. For some reason we can’t even let him have that one. His career has had defining roles including one where he was acting on his own for the majority of the movie as he was teaching us all how to science the shit out of growing potatoes on a distant planet. Yet, say the name Matt Damon and you can’t not think of Ben Affleck. Say his name three more times and you will no doubt get mentions of Pitt, Clooney or any combination of people he worked with (nine directors that he has worked with have won best director Oscars), or famous friends from his hometown (Wahlberg and Bill Burr come to mind first). I don’t think too many would deny his status as an A list actor, but he just doesn’t feel like it. I would bet that people like Ryan Reynolds or Dwayne Johnson can get movies made easier than he can - despite the fact that they have not achieved his level of acting achievement. You may argue that their movies have made more money all time - but according to Statistica - the Rock only has him by a few slots and he is comfortably ahead of Reynolds. Remember, Damon has a few franchises himself as well as some movies that have both commercial and critically well received (most notably 2023's Best Picture). So why is Damon just on the outside looking in, much like the last cut of the Hollywood All Star Team? It isn’t due to some of the more controversial things he has said or done (or defended), as each time he has gotten in that spot, it’s almost inevitably explained as someone who is being supportive of his friends (not all of these are explained this way mind you..). He is known for being fiercely loyal and for trying to work with his closest friends as much as possible. He’s also known for being grounded and not as interested in the fame part of the game (notably marrying someone he actually loved who was a bartender instead of another famous person, despite having some earlier relationships with famous actresses). He has the air of someone who expresses innocence despite having a notoriously dirty vocabulary and even more famously dumping Minnie Driver in a fashion that is less than gentlemanly.
For lack of a better expression - Matt Damon seems like the kind of guy most people would want to have a beer with. He is likable and seems to be somewhat grounded. And while this makes him a favorite to some and be able to get away with being occasionally questionable - it might also prevent him from getting into the top tier. He is sitting at the popular kids table, but he isn’t the popular one. Pitt, Clooney, and even Affleck seem to get more attention in that regard. Even though Damon gets more “credit” than Affleck, Big Ben is the one who played Batman.
I suppose it’s a matter of context and end goals. The traditional story of fame is the person that uses all those they meet to rise up the ranks and be known as the top dog. Stepping on people as they climb the ladder of success in order to achieve their goals. Clearly, this is a story we are so used to that when someone does it through relationships and quality of work - they don’t win MVP’s - they don’t get to play at the Olympics - and they don’t get to be as “famous” as their friends. I’ve never met him, but based on his major life choices - I don’t think Damon would have it any other way.
If you want to enjoy the chaos of the pre-wedding pod that sadly did not include Chad, but introduced Stetson and got a bit carried away, check out Spotify's "A Pint or Three" Podcast or just click here.
Other Media Consumed:
Re-Watchables: The Departed, The Re-Departed, Good Will Hunting, Ocean’s 11, Ocean’s 12, Rounders, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Contagion, The Martian, The Bourne Identity, Saving Private Ryan, Rounders (Live from NY), School Ties. Hot Ones: Matt Damon & Jaylen Brown
Movies Watched Within Months of Pod:
Departed, Oceans 11, 12 & 13, Oppenheimer, Good Will Hunting, Rounders, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Martian, The Informant!, The Bourne Identity, Supremacy & Ultimatum, Adjustment Bureau, Saving Private Ryan, Air, Invictus
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