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If you're of a certain age or comedic disposition, the name Don Rickles has immediate resonance. His particular brand of winking snark has influenced generations of comedians, from Howard Stern (and his clones) to Sarah Silverman. Tonight on HBO is the cable premiere of "Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project," a documentary that celebrates and analyzes the comedian's caustic career and continuing appeal. If nothing else, it could be the funniest thing John Landis has directed since "Coming To America" -- unless you're a "Blues Brothers 2000" fetishist.

Rickles's connection with the greatest sport ever invented by man is quite infamous: One of his most-referenced verbal jabs is calling his comedic target a "hockey puck"; a site that calls itself "the ultimate Don Rickles Web experience" is even called The Hockey Puck. I've wondered for years where the seemingly random insult originated; the Minneapolis Star-Tribune asked Rickles about it recently in a preview for the HBO film:

A. ... If I'm walking down the street with Clint Eastwood, people are afraid of approaching him, but they've got no problem coming up to me and saying, "Hey, you hockey puck."

Q. What's the deal with "hockey puck"?

A. You got me, babe. I think years ago, I heard it from some hecklers and I liked it. It's weird. I've got hockey pucks all around the house, hockey sticks, jerseys from strangers. The game is fine, but it's not my whole life.

"The Game Is Fine." -- Don Rickles. Start printing up the posters now, Bettman. As for the rest of you, here's something Comedy Central might think twice about airing today: A "classic" Dean Martin introduces Casey Kasem as Adolf Hitler roasting Don Rickles, via YouTube.

Ah 1986 ... the days of Iran Contra, ALF, and the New York Mets, who swore, drank, and pillaged their way into your hearts. Oh yeah, and they won the world championship as well (which is how their swearing, drinking, and pillaging became public knowledge).

They were music stars as well, as August of that year saw the debut of "Lets Go Mets Go", their response to the Chicago Bears who starred in "The Super Bowl Shuffle" earlier that season. Check out not only the players clowning around, but the celebrity cameos near the end, including Tony Bennett, Dr. Joyce Brothers, and a very young (and very hairy) Howard Stern. Joe Piscopo made a memorable cameo as well. Piscopo recently admitted he was a life-long Yankee fan, which basically means that I can never look at this video quite the same again. But it's still a fun watch.