There’s no doubt that AMC is a great channel. A lot of great movies can be viewed and there’s nothing better than their theme weeks or weekends. I love them.

But not when they pit them against football.

New Year’s Day was a football junkie’s greatest fix. College football games from 11 a.m. to midnight. But AMC had to throw a challenge flag. It was an all-day festival of the Three Stooges.

The Stooges are supposed to make men laugh, not make them have to choose.

For me, football won out. I had to sneak a few views of the Stooges throughout the day.

It wasn’t fair. The program director at AMC must not like football. Or, maybe that person is a typical man. He knew he could create a viewing dilemma with the Stooges.

But New Year’s Day has passed. All focus is now on football, right?

In the words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast.”

The first round of the NFL playoffs came along this weekend so it was time to kick back and enjoy.

And then that @#%* program director at AMC came up with another idea. He decided to have a John Wayne fest. The original True Grit vs. the Chiefs-Ravens and El Dorado vs. Eagles-Packers.

I guess they’re saving Big Jake, The War Wagon and Rio Bravo to go against the Super Bowl. And they still have all the Clint Eastwood “Dirty Harry” movies at their disposal.

Fortunately, today’s world has things such as DVDs, recorders, and, more importantly, remote controls with a previous channel button.

Oh sure, the football games are happening right now and AMC will have plenty more John Wayne fests. They’re usually their most viewed weekends. The Duke has been dead for more than 30 years and he’s still among the top three most popular movie stars.

But men are men. They can’t help the lure of a good John Wayne or Clint Eastwood flick or the slapstick of the Three Stooges.

I think I’ll be okay. I’ll stay with football for now since there are only a few weeks left.

Besides, I found Rio Bravo on YouTube. Just download “Rio 1” and continue through all 10 segments.

And I still blame AMC.

——— Sinatra ———

Jim Walker is sports editor of The Ironton Tribune.