One of the greatest sports debates of all time is over which records are the best. By the best, I mean those records that were the hardest to obtain, and have the least likelihood of being broken. I don't break these down between single season records and career records because some single season records simply will never be broken, so they need to be included. It is tough to break it down to just ten, but here we go:
10. Jim Brown's 5.22 career rushing average: The next closest was Barry Sanders at 5.0, I believe, so if Barry can't do it, I don't think anyone can
9. Wilt Chamaberlain 50.4 NBA single season scoring average: There simply isn't anyone who could dominate the league like Wilt did. We make a big deal when someone scores 50 in a game, averaging 50 just isn't going to happen
8. Richard Petty's 200 career wins: Jeff Gordon is like 50 back of this record, if not more, and the way NASCAR is set up now, this will never fall.
7. Hack Wilson's 191 RBI in a single season: Manny came close in 99 with something like 160. In my opinion, this is one of the more underrated records in baseball history.
6. Bill Russell's 11 NBA titles in 13 seasons: I can't imagine a situation where this could happen in any sport. It is just an abused record that no one will come close to. 11 titles will be tough enough, but in 13 years just isn't going to happen
5. Wayne Gretzky's 92 goals in a single season: Put it this way, the league leader in goals this year was Ovechkin and he had 56, 36 behind The Great One. The next closest scorer was at 87 and that was Wayne Gretzky. The closest this decade was 59 back in 2000-01 season.
4. Joe Dimaggio's 56-game hitting streak: For a long time I considered this is the top baseball record (though I have since changed my mind). The closest this decade was Jimmy Rollins with 38. It just isn't going to happen. The consistency among hitters just isn't there any more.
3. Phil Jackson's 43-0 record after winning first game of playoff series: I hate to include this and jinx Phil after the win last night, but this is simply an amazing record. I didn't know about it till this year, but winning 43 playoffs series is one thing, but 43-0 after winning the first game is insane and will never be matched.
2. Cy Young's 511 careers wins: The closest modern day player to this record is Greg Maddux and he is 156 wins behind. I am not sure when the next pitcher to win 300 will come around, and nobody, nobody, I mean nobody will ever get even close to this record. I bet that, from today on, nobody gets with 175 wins of this record.
1. Cal Ripken's 2,632 consecutive games played: Simply the greatest feat in all of sports. There is no question, no argument, nothing compares to playing 2,632 consecutive games, especially in the modern era. Lou's record was amazing, but in that time it was expected. Today, guys take off every four days or during a day game. I don't care the sport, the distance, the person, anything, nothing will ever compare to this record.
Please share your own if you disagree.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Friday, May 29, 2009
Very Funny Recommendation
I was up last night watching the Cavs/Magic game and on Comedy Central was the roast of Bob Saget is an extremely underrated comedian. Because of his roles on Full House and America's Funniest Home Video, Saget gets pegged wrong. He isn't this clean cut, children's comedian. Saget is raw and dirty and very, very funny. If you get a chance sometime, check out Saget's HBO Special That Ain't Right. Saget is also very funny in Farce of the Penguins and various other movies where he makes hilarious cameos.
Anyway, seeing Saget made me think of a very funny movie that I saw a couple of years ago that I wanted to recommend. The movies is called The Aristocrats. The movie is a documentary of a series of over 100 comedians telling the same joke. It is a joke told by comedians to other comedians. The outline of the joke is that a man goes into an agent's office and says he has a family act. he then either acts out or describes the most obscene acts possible. The stunned agent says, "And what do you call yourselves?" and the man answers, "The Aristocrats." Penn Jillette produced the movie as a documentary on the joke. It is a joke that every comedian tells, but never on stage, just to other comedians. Now, by itself that really doesn't seem that funny, but it is one of the top five funniest things that I have ever seen. It is watching each comedian tell their version of the joke that is so funny. I have never laughed so hard.
The best part of the movie is the cast. It isn't just a few lower comedians telling the joke. The following are just a few that tell their version of the joke in the movie: Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, Lewis Black, Drew Carey, George Carlin, Carrie Fisher, Gilbert Gottfied, Eric Idle, Richard Jeni, Richard Lewis, Bill Maher, Howie Mandel, Kevin Nealon, Penn Jillette, Trey Parker, Kevin Pollak, Paul Reiser, Don Rickles, Chris Rock, Bob Saget, Sarah Silverman, Jon Stewart, and Robin Williams just to name a few. For what it is worth, in my opinion, the funniest were Richard Lewis, Penn Jillette, Bob Saget, Sarah Silverman, and the best was Gilbery Gottfied (I am not a Gottfied fan, but I could even sit down while I watching him).
Anyway, if you get a chance and want to watch something really funny, go out and find The Aristocrats. I haven't seen anything funnier since I watched it a few years ago and could watch it 50 times and laugh harder every time. It is completely worth it.
Anyway, seeing Saget made me think of a very funny movie that I saw a couple of years ago that I wanted to recommend. The movies is called The Aristocrats. The movie is a documentary of a series of over 100 comedians telling the same joke. It is a joke told by comedians to other comedians. The outline of the joke is that a man goes into an agent's office and says he has a family act. he then either acts out or describes the most obscene acts possible. The stunned agent says, "And what do you call yourselves?" and the man answers, "The Aristocrats." Penn Jillette produced the movie as a documentary on the joke. It is a joke that every comedian tells, but never on stage, just to other comedians. Now, by itself that really doesn't seem that funny, but it is one of the top five funniest things that I have ever seen. It is watching each comedian tell their version of the joke that is so funny. I have never laughed so hard.
The best part of the movie is the cast. It isn't just a few lower comedians telling the joke. The following are just a few that tell their version of the joke in the movie: Jason Alexander, Hank Azaria, Lewis Black, Drew Carey, George Carlin, Carrie Fisher, Gilbert Gottfied, Eric Idle, Richard Jeni, Richard Lewis, Bill Maher, Howie Mandel, Kevin Nealon, Penn Jillette, Trey Parker, Kevin Pollak, Paul Reiser, Don Rickles, Chris Rock, Bob Saget, Sarah Silverman, Jon Stewart, and Robin Williams just to name a few. For what it is worth, in my opinion, the funniest were Richard Lewis, Penn Jillette, Bob Saget, Sarah Silverman, and the best was Gilbery Gottfied (I am not a Gottfied fan, but I could even sit down while I watching him).
Anyway, if you get a chance and want to watch something really funny, go out and find The Aristocrats. I haven't seen anything funnier since I watched it a few years ago and could watch it 50 times and laugh harder every time. It is completely worth it.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Observations of the NBA Playoffs
I have followed the NBA Playoffs pretty closely this year and I was watching the Cavs/Magic game last night and I had a few thoughts come to mind, so I thought I would share...
...this is the worst playoff officiating I have seen in any major sport playoffs, including college. I don't know what the NBA has done to these refs, but they have just been bad. No one team can complain that they lost a game because of an official, because they have been equally bad for every game. It isn't that they are making awful calls, it is that they are extremely inconsistent. They let the big guys kill each other underneath and then they call weenie reaching calls out front. Nobody out there can figure out how to play. One minute they are letting the guys play and the next everything is a foul. They really need to shape up before they truly cost someone a game and a shot at the championship.
...nobody can win one alone, not now, not ever. Okay, so some would say that Jordan won alone, but that is garbage. Pippen is a HOFer and Paxton and Kerr were the ultimate role players. Jordan was the closest to winning one alone, but other take him out of the equation and no other superstar has even come close. Kobe won with Shaq, Duncan had Robinson and then Parker, Shaw had Kobe and Wade, Garrnet had Peirce and Allen, Magic had Kareem and company, Bird had Parrish and company, and the Pistons have always been a team effort. So this does not bode well for LeBron and Kobe. Kobe at least has some help, but where have those guys been and LeBron is just out there on a mountain by himself.
...speaking of LeBron, I think that this is probably it for him in Cleveland. He will be there next year, but I don't think that he will stay after that unless they help him out a little. There is no reason that he shouldn't be winning championship after championship expect he doesn't have any help. I hope that he doesn't go after the money and put himself in the same situation, because the money will be there, but he goes somewhere to win.
...no disrespect to the best coach of all time, but Phil Jackson has done his worst coaching job ever in these playoffs. I believe that Phil has done his best coaching job over the last two season, but something is not clicking right for him in these playoffs. He changes schemes every game and for some reason refuses to let guys play when they have the hot hand. It just seems like he is lost over there and that is really not like him. I hope he figures it out before it is too late.
...speaking of bad coaching, Mike Brown gets the award for the worst of the playoffs. What was Brown thinking putting Ben Wallace on Rashard Lewis at the end of regulation. Ben Wallace. They guy can't even move out there and Brown puts him on the best score on the Magic. What could he have been thinking. Brown gets credit for that loss.
...speaking of that loss, I learned last night that LeBron isn't ready yet. He is probably the best player in the game and is the most physically gifted player of all time, but he isn't quite ready yet. If you want your name mentioned with Jodran, Magic, Bird, West, Kobe, etc then you cannot miss two big free throws in the fourth quarter and you certainly cannot have six turnovers in the fourth and overtime. Put the ball in your hands and win the game. Now I know he doesn't have much help and that is all the reason more to put the ball in your hands. When he does he is amazing, but he has to take over and not make those mistakes. Also, again with all respect to LeBron, and it could have just been last night, but he doesn't seem to have that drive or determination that Jordan and company had. Nobody wanted to win more than Jordan and I just don't see that on LeBron. He is still the best player, but if the game is on the line, and I don't mean last shot, I mean closing the game out, he needs to shape up.
...if you follow the comments on this blog you will see that there was a comment made in disrespect to Robert Horry. There is no doubt that if I had a gun held to my head and my life depended on one shot that I would pick up the phone and call Big Shot Bob. No doubt. If the game is on the line, Horry could not have played for three weeks straight, pick up the ball and nail a three. So please, if you don't like what I say fine, but don't show any disrespect to Big Shot Bob, the man is a living legend.
...finally, I want the NBA executives that read my blog to imagine something for me, and the rest of you can join in. It is Game Six of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Magic. The Lakers are up three games to two. There are three minutes left in the game and the Magic are up by four. Kobe has decided to take over and pull the Lakers back into the game. Kobe steals the ball from Lewis and heads toward the basket. Not wanting to give Kobe and easy two points, Dwight Howard steps in and knocks Kobe down. The two guys get up and exchange words in a very tense situation. To ease the situation, the refs hit them with a double technical. No big deal, no free throws are taken. Kobe does all he can, but the Magic pull it out and they are headed to Game Seven. Game Seven is getting ready to start and everyone in the Staples Center is pumped. Jack is there along with Spike Lee, Tom Cruise, Andy Garcia, etc. This is what the NBA is wanting, and it will be the highest ratings game of the year. The tip is thrown up and the epic battle begins.
...oh wait, did I forget to mention that Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard were both wearing suits and ties because they were suspended for Game Seven because of the NBA's rule for seven technicals in the playoffs. Give me a break. Something inside of me, though I am a Lakers fan, really wants this to happen to the NBA. They deserve something like this for creating such a stupid ass rule. I think that if this happens that the NBA executives should all line up and Jack and Spike Lee get to punch them all in the groin before the game starts. Of course, it never would happen, because I am sure the NBA would rescind the technicals and let Kobe and Howard play, which would make them look even worse. Would they do the same for Luke Walton and Rafer Alson? I am completely feed up with the NBA and all of there stupid rules. These guys are idiots. Let the players play and what happens happens. Stop with all of the silly rules that make you feel like you have some control over your league. (UPDATE: 3:50 pm--The NBA just rescinded Howard's technical from last night. I agree with the decision, but it isn't one that they should even have to make. What a pitful disgrace)
...this is the worst playoff officiating I have seen in any major sport playoffs, including college. I don't know what the NBA has done to these refs, but they have just been bad. No one team can complain that they lost a game because of an official, because they have been equally bad for every game. It isn't that they are making awful calls, it is that they are extremely inconsistent. They let the big guys kill each other underneath and then they call weenie reaching calls out front. Nobody out there can figure out how to play. One minute they are letting the guys play and the next everything is a foul. They really need to shape up before they truly cost someone a game and a shot at the championship.
...nobody can win one alone, not now, not ever. Okay, so some would say that Jordan won alone, but that is garbage. Pippen is a HOFer and Paxton and Kerr were the ultimate role players. Jordan was the closest to winning one alone, but other take him out of the equation and no other superstar has even come close. Kobe won with Shaq, Duncan had Robinson and then Parker, Shaw had Kobe and Wade, Garrnet had Peirce and Allen, Magic had Kareem and company, Bird had Parrish and company, and the Pistons have always been a team effort. So this does not bode well for LeBron and Kobe. Kobe at least has some help, but where have those guys been and LeBron is just out there on a mountain by himself.
...speaking of LeBron, I think that this is probably it for him in Cleveland. He will be there next year, but I don't think that he will stay after that unless they help him out a little. There is no reason that he shouldn't be winning championship after championship expect he doesn't have any help. I hope that he doesn't go after the money and put himself in the same situation, because the money will be there, but he goes somewhere to win.
...no disrespect to the best coach of all time, but Phil Jackson has done his worst coaching job ever in these playoffs. I believe that Phil has done his best coaching job over the last two season, but something is not clicking right for him in these playoffs. He changes schemes every game and for some reason refuses to let guys play when they have the hot hand. It just seems like he is lost over there and that is really not like him. I hope he figures it out before it is too late.
...speaking of bad coaching, Mike Brown gets the award for the worst of the playoffs. What was Brown thinking putting Ben Wallace on Rashard Lewis at the end of regulation. Ben Wallace. They guy can't even move out there and Brown puts him on the best score on the Magic. What could he have been thinking. Brown gets credit for that loss.
...speaking of that loss, I learned last night that LeBron isn't ready yet. He is probably the best player in the game and is the most physically gifted player of all time, but he isn't quite ready yet. If you want your name mentioned with Jodran, Magic, Bird, West, Kobe, etc then you cannot miss two big free throws in the fourth quarter and you certainly cannot have six turnovers in the fourth and overtime. Put the ball in your hands and win the game. Now I know he doesn't have much help and that is all the reason more to put the ball in your hands. When he does he is amazing, but he has to take over and not make those mistakes. Also, again with all respect to LeBron, and it could have just been last night, but he doesn't seem to have that drive or determination that Jordan and company had. Nobody wanted to win more than Jordan and I just don't see that on LeBron. He is still the best player, but if the game is on the line, and I don't mean last shot, I mean closing the game out, he needs to shape up.
...if you follow the comments on this blog you will see that there was a comment made in disrespect to Robert Horry. There is no doubt that if I had a gun held to my head and my life depended on one shot that I would pick up the phone and call Big Shot Bob. No doubt. If the game is on the line, Horry could not have played for three weeks straight, pick up the ball and nail a three. So please, if you don't like what I say fine, but don't show any disrespect to Big Shot Bob, the man is a living legend.
...finally, I want the NBA executives that read my blog to imagine something for me, and the rest of you can join in. It is Game Six of the NBA Finals between the Lakers and the Magic. The Lakers are up three games to two. There are three minutes left in the game and the Magic are up by four. Kobe has decided to take over and pull the Lakers back into the game. Kobe steals the ball from Lewis and heads toward the basket. Not wanting to give Kobe and easy two points, Dwight Howard steps in and knocks Kobe down. The two guys get up and exchange words in a very tense situation. To ease the situation, the refs hit them with a double technical. No big deal, no free throws are taken. Kobe does all he can, but the Magic pull it out and they are headed to Game Seven. Game Seven is getting ready to start and everyone in the Staples Center is pumped. Jack is there along with Spike Lee, Tom Cruise, Andy Garcia, etc. This is what the NBA is wanting, and it will be the highest ratings game of the year. The tip is thrown up and the epic battle begins.
...oh wait, did I forget to mention that Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard were both wearing suits and ties because they were suspended for Game Seven because of the NBA's rule for seven technicals in the playoffs. Give me a break. Something inside of me, though I am a Lakers fan, really wants this to happen to the NBA. They deserve something like this for creating such a stupid ass rule. I think that if this happens that the NBA executives should all line up and Jack and Spike Lee get to punch them all in the groin before the game starts. Of course, it never would happen, because I am sure the NBA would rescind the technicals and let Kobe and Howard play, which would make them look even worse. Would they do the same for Luke Walton and Rafer Alson? I am completely feed up with the NBA and all of there stupid rules. These guys are idiots. Let the players play and what happens happens. Stop with all of the silly rules that make you feel like you have some control over your league. (UPDATE: 3:50 pm--The NBA just rescinded Howard's technical from last night. I agree with the decision, but it isn't one that they should even have to make. What a pitful disgrace)
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Random Thoughts
No topic for this blog, expect just some random, non sequential thoughts about things...
...I hate interleague baseball play...it ruins fantasy stats and it is just pointless...so please stop this mess
...how is it that a Major League baseball player could actually miss a base, more or less miss third base while trying to score the go ahead...i once missed a base (maybe two) when I was nine years old
...by the way, you can now do mock fantasy football drafts on espn.com...only about four months before the season
...i am anti-no trade clauses in major sports
...let Mick Vick play football...i despise what he did and am glad he served time but he has served his time and now should be allowed to make a living...dan synder anyone
...just to make it clear...i don't care who won idol
...but...drumroll please...season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance starts tonight...get your dvr ready
...Team A has an ERA of 3.67, a BA of .299, a run differential of +62...Team B has an ETA of 3.71, a BA of .248 and a run differential of +23...Team A and Team B have the same record in my fantasy simulation league...that is horseshit
...i have taken up gardening a little bit...just thought you would like to know
...the Black Mamba will score 40+ again tonight and the Lakers will win
...just close down Guantanamo Prison and lets take George Carlin's advise on create state prison farms please
...special thanks to the President and Congress for helping people out a little when dealing with the sneaking credit card companies...it is about time
...my wife claims that the new Terminator movie is the first movie to be both a prequel and a sequel...i don't see how that is possible but I am not going to argue with her...anyone have an opinion
...I wish I could dunk like Dwight Howard...he broke the basket last night
...speaking of which...I have said all a long that the Magic are the best in the East but I still want that Kobe v. LeBron finals to shut everyone up...though I agree with an article written by J.A. Adande that the match up between Kobe and Melo is more exciting to watch than Kobe and LeBron would be
...speaking of match ups...the best may turn out to be Obama v. Cheney...in a battle of wits, intelligence, or anything that matters I take Obama...steel cage match...I would take Cheney...cause he would be the guy to bring in a weapon he shouldn't have...a la Man Kind
...another great match up is brewing between political blogs in West Virginia...in one corner you have West Virginia Blue for Democrats...in the other corner you have West Virginia Red for Republican...in a match up between them...they would both lose because neither of them are any good or make any sense...you know a la freeze frame at the end of Rocky III
...apparently my Outlook calender is broke because I missed my invitation to the Billionaire meeting yesterday with Ophra, Gates, Buffet, and Bloomburg
...he gets some credit but not nearly enough so please check out Nate Silver's blog...http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/
...I am thrilled that Scrubs will be back next season and the main stars will be in six episodes to transition the show...to what I have no idea
..."to what I have no idea" makes me think of the classic scene in Back to School between Rodney Dangerfield and Sam Kinison...the final line of one of the funniest scenes in movie history is "...good teacher...he really seems to care...about what I have no idea"
...the new season of Next Food Network Star starts the first week in June...just and fyi
...a new movie networking site that was helped launched by Martin Scoresese is pretty nice...http://www.theauteurs.com/home...they have free movies and forums...pretty fun
Maybe I will add some more later...
...I hate interleague baseball play...it ruins fantasy stats and it is just pointless...so please stop this mess
...how is it that a Major League baseball player could actually miss a base, more or less miss third base while trying to score the go ahead...i once missed a base (maybe two) when I was nine years old
...by the way, you can now do mock fantasy football drafts on espn.com...only about four months before the season
...i am anti-no trade clauses in major sports
...let Mick Vick play football...i despise what he did and am glad he served time but he has served his time and now should be allowed to make a living...dan synder anyone
...just to make it clear...i don't care who won idol
...but...drumroll please...season premiere of So You Think You Can Dance starts tonight...get your dvr ready
...Team A has an ERA of 3.67, a BA of .299, a run differential of +62...Team B has an ETA of 3.71, a BA of .248 and a run differential of +23...Team A and Team B have the same record in my fantasy simulation league...that is horseshit
...i have taken up gardening a little bit...just thought you would like to know
...the Black Mamba will score 40+ again tonight and the Lakers will win
...just close down Guantanamo Prison and lets take George Carlin's advise on create state prison farms please
...special thanks to the President and Congress for helping people out a little when dealing with the sneaking credit card companies...it is about time
...my wife claims that the new Terminator movie is the first movie to be both a prequel and a sequel...i don't see how that is possible but I am not going to argue with her...anyone have an opinion
...I wish I could dunk like Dwight Howard...he broke the basket last night
...speaking of which...I have said all a long that the Magic are the best in the East but I still want that Kobe v. LeBron finals to shut everyone up...though I agree with an article written by J.A. Adande that the match up between Kobe and Melo is more exciting to watch than Kobe and LeBron would be
...speaking of match ups...the best may turn out to be Obama v. Cheney...in a battle of wits, intelligence, or anything that matters I take Obama...steel cage match...I would take Cheney...cause he would be the guy to bring in a weapon he shouldn't have...a la Man Kind
...another great match up is brewing between political blogs in West Virginia...in one corner you have West Virginia Blue for Democrats...in the other corner you have West Virginia Red for Republican...in a match up between them...they would both lose because neither of them are any good or make any sense...you know a la freeze frame at the end of Rocky III
...apparently my Outlook calender is broke because I missed my invitation to the Billionaire meeting yesterday with Ophra, Gates, Buffet, and Bloomburg
...he gets some credit but not nearly enough so please check out Nate Silver's blog...http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/
...I am thrilled that Scrubs will be back next season and the main stars will be in six episodes to transition the show...to what I have no idea
..."to what I have no idea" makes me think of the classic scene in Back to School between Rodney Dangerfield and Sam Kinison...the final line of one of the funniest scenes in movie history is "...good teacher...he really seems to care...about what I have no idea"
...the new season of Next Food Network Star starts the first week in June...just and fyi
...a new movie networking site that was helped launched by Martin Scoresese is pretty nice...http://www.theauteurs.com/home...they have free movies and forums...pretty fun
Maybe I will add some more later...
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Yet Another Reason
I was watching the Lakers/Nuggets game last night and I learned yet another reason why I never got to play in the NBA. First, it is important to go over some of the previous reasons that have prevented me from playing professional basketball.
I am a six foot, two inch white guy who can't jump. I have a decent, but inconsistent jump shot and never have been a great free throw shooter. I can't dribble with my left hand, or really even to to my left at all. I am a decent passer, but sometimes I tend to throw the ball a little hard and wild, leading to a broken nose or two, and I usually see holes that aren't really there and I try and slip it in. I have deceptive speed, though, all in all I am pretty slow. My best move was to start at the top of the key, put my head down, lower my shoulder, pick up my dribble, and go to the basket. It was an affective move if I didn't commit a charge and if I was able to slow down and get under control. So I had that going for me so I think that would have given me a chance.
But I learned last night that one of the top reasons I am not playing in the NBA is because I don't have any tattoos. I have always noticed the tats on NBA players, but watching the game last night it just really stood out to me. I mean, really the only difference between me and Chris "Birdman" Anderson is that he can jump, wears a headband, looks like a tool, and is covered in tats. All of the tats don't bother me, I really don't care, I just noticed it and realized that that was one of the reason I didn't make it to the NBA.
All of this led to me thinking about a match up between an All-Tat Team and an All-Clean Team. I am going limit the players to those that have played in my lifetime and I am considering each guy in their prime (though some haven't reached their prime yet). To be on the All-Tat Team you have to have multiple, vi sable tats. I am going to compare each position match up and declare a winner and then declare the overall winner. Okay, let's give it a try.
Point Guard
All-Tat: Chauncey Billups
All-Clean: Magic
Winner: Magic...Billups is going to be great, but he is no Magic. It wasn't easy to find a tatted up point guard, but Billups could hold his own in a big game.
Shooting Guard
All-Tat: The Black Mamba
All-Clean: Jordan
Winner: Jordan...As much as you all know I would love to give it to Kobe, I just can't
Small Foward
All-Tat: King James
All-Clean: Larry Bird
Winner: LeBron...Could you all imagine Bird with a bunch of tats...funny...anyway, as good as Bird was, LeBron takes this on.
Power Forward
All-Tat: Dennis Rodman
All-Clean: Tim Duncan (he has a tattoo, but it is on his back and you can't see it during games)
Winner: Duncan...He is the best, but boy, I would love to see Rodman go at it again.
Center
All-Tat: Shaq
All-Clean: The Dream
Winner: Shaw...This is a close one, but Shaq in his prime was the best.
Bench
All-Tat: Carmelo, AI, Amare Stoudemire, Deron Williams, Tracy McGrady
All-Clean: Barkley, The Admiral, Stockton, Garnett, D Wade
Winner: All-Clean...Not really even close.
In my examination of these teams I realized that while tattoos are a big part of the NBA, they really aren't any indicator of the type of player you will be. Now I know that these teams look the the 80s versus the 2000s, but even still, the bench on the All-Tat Team isn't great compared to the players that were left of the All-Clean Team that play today. So I have to give the advantage to the All-Clean Team on this one, but it would be a fun game to watch.
I am a six foot, two inch white guy who can't jump. I have a decent, but inconsistent jump shot and never have been a great free throw shooter. I can't dribble with my left hand, or really even to to my left at all. I am a decent passer, but sometimes I tend to throw the ball a little hard and wild, leading to a broken nose or two, and I usually see holes that aren't really there and I try and slip it in. I have deceptive speed, though, all in all I am pretty slow. My best move was to start at the top of the key, put my head down, lower my shoulder, pick up my dribble, and go to the basket. It was an affective move if I didn't commit a charge and if I was able to slow down and get under control. So I had that going for me so I think that would have given me a chance.
But I learned last night that one of the top reasons I am not playing in the NBA is because I don't have any tattoos. I have always noticed the tats on NBA players, but watching the game last night it just really stood out to me. I mean, really the only difference between me and Chris "Birdman" Anderson is that he can jump, wears a headband, looks like a tool, and is covered in tats. All of the tats don't bother me, I really don't care, I just noticed it and realized that that was one of the reason I didn't make it to the NBA.
All of this led to me thinking about a match up between an All-Tat Team and an All-Clean Team. I am going limit the players to those that have played in my lifetime and I am considering each guy in their prime (though some haven't reached their prime yet). To be on the All-Tat Team you have to have multiple, vi sable tats. I am going to compare each position match up and declare a winner and then declare the overall winner. Okay, let's give it a try.
Point Guard
All-Tat: Chauncey Billups
All-Clean: Magic
Winner: Magic...Billups is going to be great, but he is no Magic. It wasn't easy to find a tatted up point guard, but Billups could hold his own in a big game.
Shooting Guard
All-Tat: The Black Mamba
All-Clean: Jordan
Winner: Jordan...As much as you all know I would love to give it to Kobe, I just can't
Small Foward
All-Tat: King James
All-Clean: Larry Bird
Winner: LeBron...Could you all imagine Bird with a bunch of tats...funny...anyway, as good as Bird was, LeBron takes this on.
Power Forward
All-Tat: Dennis Rodman
All-Clean: Tim Duncan (he has a tattoo, but it is on his back and you can't see it during games)
Winner: Duncan...He is the best, but boy, I would love to see Rodman go at it again.
Center
All-Tat: Shaq
All-Clean: The Dream
Winner: Shaw...This is a close one, but Shaq in his prime was the best.
Bench
All-Tat: Carmelo, AI, Amare Stoudemire, Deron Williams, Tracy McGrady
All-Clean: Barkley, The Admiral, Stockton, Garnett, D Wade
Winner: All-Clean...Not really even close.
In my examination of these teams I realized that while tattoos are a big part of the NBA, they really aren't any indicator of the type of player you will be. Now I know that these teams look the the 80s versus the 2000s, but even still, the bench on the All-Tat Team isn't great compared to the players that were left of the All-Clean Team that play today. So I have to give the advantage to the All-Clean Team on this one, but it would be a fun game to watch.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Seriously
I am sitting here watching the Lakers/Rockets game and the Lakers look like a bunch of sissies. Seriously, give me a Rockets uniform and I could post Pau Gasol up. Anyway, despite the Lakers looking like shit, the worst part of the game is the officials. The NBA is getting completely ridiculous with all of the bullshit fouls and technicals. These guys need to watch a Big East game and watch the college officials do a game and then maybe they could learn how to call a game. The Lakers and Rockets aren't even playing physical and the officials are still calling the game as if it was a church league championship game.
I have complained about this before, but it is getting worse and worse as the playoffs go on. The NBA needs to fix this and they need to fix it during half time of this game and let these guys play. I am sure that they don't have to worry about Gasol or Bynum being too physical, I don't think that there is any chance of that happening.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Let Me Clear Things Up
Last night I was reminded of what George Carlin once said, "Now let me ask you this, the two pandas in the zoo, do you care if they fuck, I don't. Why don't they stop telling me on the news the pandas didn't fuck again this year. I'm not concerned, I have no stake in panda fucking, alright. If they want to they will, if they don't they'll watch The Price is Right"
During the day, I sit in a room where the TV is on mute the entire day. The vast majority of the days we have some cable news network on, usually CNN, but every now and then, Fox News. So I don't get to hear the news much, just watch the ticker and read the headlines, but I get the gist. Then when I go home, I proceed to do what, well, watch the news. I don't really know why, I get news updates on my email and read stuff on line, so I keep up pretty well, but I will sit at home and while we are cooking and eating dinner, we watch the news. Anyway, last night was enough for me, I just can't take watching the same stuff over and over again anymore, especially stuff that I really could care less about. It reminded my of a great rant on Scrubs by Dr. Cox, "I have a finite amount of brain space and your inspiring story of the little breast who couldn't just pushed out my memory of the 1980 Olympic Hockey team's victory at Lake Placis. Miracle on Ice...gone!"
So, I decided that for today's post, I would put together two Top Ten Lists. The first list will be the issues that dominate the news that I could really give two shits about, while the second list will be those topics that get very little news coverage, but that I care a great deal about.
Things I Could Care Less About:
10. CEO Bonuses: I care, but seriously, enough is enough. We all know what goes on and there are many more important aspects of business corruption and ethics that need to be talked about.
9. The Fall of the GOP: I really don't care, or believe it. Sure, they need to get their act together, but politics and ideology run in cycles in this county. Eight years ago everyone was talking about the demise of the Democratic Party, and they appear to be doing just fine.
8. Arlen Specter: Look, if one Republican votes with the Democrats or one Democrat votes with the Republicans, then Specter's switch is meaningless. The only winner here is Specter who was getting crushed in the Primary polls and now is beating the same guy handling in the General polls.
7. iReports: Go to Wal Mart or Kroger this afternoon and look to your left and then to you right. Then think about whether you want those people reporting news to you. I bet you know, and I know I don't.
6. Naked Celebrities: Maybe if I was 13 again I would care, but I really don't care about Miss California or Rhianna, so please stop talking about it.
5. Steroids: I have said time and time again, I don't care whether Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Barry Bonds, etc have used steroids. Even if I did, there are more important things for the news to cover, so leave this to ESPN and move on with your life.
4. Swine Flu: I think that someone needs to give the news networks, the CDC and the WHO a copy of the book, "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." As George Carlin said, "...calm down, have some dip."
3. Budget Deficits: This has not actual impact on me and never will (or my kids) so please stop talking about it. This is the greatest scare tactic ever used and it is a bunch of shit. Just focus on jobs, homes, and people.
2. Anything Dick Cheney Says: Oh, how I long for the good ol' days when Cheney would disappear for 18 months at a time. I understand covering a former Vice President, so this is aimed more towards him, but if he says something everyday, the news doesn't need to go into a four hour debate over who is the head of the Republican Party.
1. What people think: I want news. I don't care what O'Reily, Olbermann, or Hannity think. I can form my own opinions and go on a rant about them, so I don't need them to fill in that gap for me. Report the news and shut these people up.
Things I Care About
10. Torture: I really care about this, but it gets covered some, so that is why it is number ten. My problem with the coverage is that it is all about who is to blame, not about what we need to do to prevent this from happening and how torture doesn't work.
9. Summer TV Lineup: Now we are talking about important stuff. "So You Think You Can Dance" is starting back up, as is "Burn Notice," so I need information about when to set my DVR.
8. Human Rights: This story has pretty much gone away, but I am beating that the violations have not. This story pears perfectly with the torture story, so lets get back to discussing all the injustices in the world.
7. Homelessness: With the economy the way that it is, our homeless population is growing at a ridiculous rate, especially among children. The problem will never be solved, or even helped, until we start talking about it.
6. Consumer Confidence: The Stock Market and housing numbers are great, but the one that I really care about is consumer confidence. This is the number that is essential to the growth in our economy and us fully coming out of the recession, so let's pay a little more attention please.
5. Lakers/Cavs NBA Finals: Everyone says that it is time for Kobe to pass the torch to LeBorn. Not so fast big fella, and a beat down by the Lakers in the Finals will prove it.
4. Innocent Killings: It is becoming a major problem in the Middle East and other war areas. Civilians shouldn't and probably aren't targets but we should do everything we can to make sure they don't get hurt in this mess. It is not something that anyone likes to talk about or hear about, but it is important.
3. Arctic Riches: You want to learn about the next great war that may occur among the world superpowers, you need to read about the fight for over the Arctic. There is oil, water, natural gas, and other needed resources that have been untapped there and world powers are lining up to stake their claim. This could mean trouble.
2. Africa: The greatest injustices in the world occur in those countries over there, so we need to be talking about it here. I know it isn't a fun and wonderful thing to discuss, but we need to understand their situation, because once again, nothing can be done until we start the conversation.
1. Pakistan: If the world is going to end anytime soon, this is where it will start. There is a serious problem (or two) brewing over there and we need to pay attention. This is not one that we can ignore, though the media is doing a fine job of it. As you all know, I will listen to anything Fareed Zakaria tells me to, and he is dead serious about this one.
During the day, I sit in a room where the TV is on mute the entire day. The vast majority of the days we have some cable news network on, usually CNN, but every now and then, Fox News. So I don't get to hear the news much, just watch the ticker and read the headlines, but I get the gist. Then when I go home, I proceed to do what, well, watch the news. I don't really know why, I get news updates on my email and read stuff on line, so I keep up pretty well, but I will sit at home and while we are cooking and eating dinner, we watch the news. Anyway, last night was enough for me, I just can't take watching the same stuff over and over again anymore, especially stuff that I really could care less about. It reminded my of a great rant on Scrubs by Dr. Cox, "I have a finite amount of brain space and your inspiring story of the little breast who couldn't just pushed out my memory of the 1980 Olympic Hockey team's victory at Lake Placis. Miracle on Ice...gone!"
So, I decided that for today's post, I would put together two Top Ten Lists. The first list will be the issues that dominate the news that I could really give two shits about, while the second list will be those topics that get very little news coverage, but that I care a great deal about.
Things I Could Care Less About:
10. CEO Bonuses: I care, but seriously, enough is enough. We all know what goes on and there are many more important aspects of business corruption and ethics that need to be talked about.
9. The Fall of the GOP: I really don't care, or believe it. Sure, they need to get their act together, but politics and ideology run in cycles in this county. Eight years ago everyone was talking about the demise of the Democratic Party, and they appear to be doing just fine.
8. Arlen Specter: Look, if one Republican votes with the Democrats or one Democrat votes with the Republicans, then Specter's switch is meaningless. The only winner here is Specter who was getting crushed in the Primary polls and now is beating the same guy handling in the General polls.
7. iReports: Go to Wal Mart or Kroger this afternoon and look to your left and then to you right. Then think about whether you want those people reporting news to you. I bet you know, and I know I don't.
6. Naked Celebrities: Maybe if I was 13 again I would care, but I really don't care about Miss California or Rhianna, so please stop talking about it.
5. Steroids: I have said time and time again, I don't care whether Roger Clemens, Manny Ramirez, Barry Bonds, etc have used steroids. Even if I did, there are more important things for the news to cover, so leave this to ESPN and move on with your life.
4. Swine Flu: I think that someone needs to give the news networks, the CDC and the WHO a copy of the book, "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." As George Carlin said, "...calm down, have some dip."
3. Budget Deficits: This has not actual impact on me and never will (or my kids) so please stop talking about it. This is the greatest scare tactic ever used and it is a bunch of shit. Just focus on jobs, homes, and people.
2. Anything Dick Cheney Says: Oh, how I long for the good ol' days when Cheney would disappear for 18 months at a time. I understand covering a former Vice President, so this is aimed more towards him, but if he says something everyday, the news doesn't need to go into a four hour debate over who is the head of the Republican Party.
1. What people think: I want news. I don't care what O'Reily, Olbermann, or Hannity think. I can form my own opinions and go on a rant about them, so I don't need them to fill in that gap for me. Report the news and shut these people up.
Things I Care About
10. Torture: I really care about this, but it gets covered some, so that is why it is number ten. My problem with the coverage is that it is all about who is to blame, not about what we need to do to prevent this from happening and how torture doesn't work.
9. Summer TV Lineup: Now we are talking about important stuff. "So You Think You Can Dance" is starting back up, as is "Burn Notice," so I need information about when to set my DVR.
8. Human Rights: This story has pretty much gone away, but I am beating that the violations have not. This story pears perfectly with the torture story, so lets get back to discussing all the injustices in the world.
7. Homelessness: With the economy the way that it is, our homeless population is growing at a ridiculous rate, especially among children. The problem will never be solved, or even helped, until we start talking about it.
6. Consumer Confidence: The Stock Market and housing numbers are great, but the one that I really care about is consumer confidence. This is the number that is essential to the growth in our economy and us fully coming out of the recession, so let's pay a little more attention please.
5. Lakers/Cavs NBA Finals: Everyone says that it is time for Kobe to pass the torch to LeBorn. Not so fast big fella, and a beat down by the Lakers in the Finals will prove it.
4. Innocent Killings: It is becoming a major problem in the Middle East and other war areas. Civilians shouldn't and probably aren't targets but we should do everything we can to make sure they don't get hurt in this mess. It is not something that anyone likes to talk about or hear about, but it is important.
3. Arctic Riches: You want to learn about the next great war that may occur among the world superpowers, you need to read about the fight for over the Arctic. There is oil, water, natural gas, and other needed resources that have been untapped there and world powers are lining up to stake their claim. This could mean trouble.
2. Africa: The greatest injustices in the world occur in those countries over there, so we need to be talking about it here. I know it isn't a fun and wonderful thing to discuss, but we need to understand their situation, because once again, nothing can be done until we start the conversation.
1. Pakistan: If the world is going to end anytime soon, this is where it will start. There is a serious problem (or two) brewing over there and we need to pay attention. This is not one that we can ignore, though the media is doing a fine job of it. As you all know, I will listen to anything Fareed Zakaria tells me to, and he is dead serious about this one.
Friday, May 8, 2009
$20 Million Ain't What It Used to Be...
For those of you who don't live in West Virginia or don't follow the news much, yesterday local West Virginia businessman Jim Justice bought The Greenbrier Resort for $20.1 million, yes just $20.1 million. Are you kidding me, that would even get you a top of the rotation pitcher or a solid shooting guard. Oh who the mighty have fallen. It was reported that the Marriott was going to take over The Greenbrier for $130 million, with some considerations, but still.
So The Greenbrier, one of the east coast's largest and most luxurious resort, sold for $20 million while it cost New Yankee Stadium cost right around $200 million to build. Give all the credit in the world to Mr. Justice, who not only just bought the Greenbrier for just $20 million, but also for making the Greenbrier West Virginia owned. It is nice that we have a local owner for the resort, which has had it share of hard times recently. Maybe he brings in some big name to run the hotel and resort, but it is still West Virginia owned and that is really important.
So The Greenbrier, one of the east coast's largest and most luxurious resort, sold for $20 million while it cost New Yankee Stadium cost right around $200 million to build. Give all the credit in the world to Mr. Justice, who not only just bought the Greenbrier for just $20 million, but also for making the Greenbrier West Virginia owned. It is nice that we have a local owner for the resort, which has had it share of hard times recently. Maybe he brings in some big name to run the hotel and resort, but it is still West Virginia owned and that is really important.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
No Mas
I will keep this short this afternoon, but I have a point to make. I am completely against any suspension punishment during the NBA Playoffs. These games have been great and I don't care if these guys want to go out and beat the shit out of each other, it is great to watch. This is what the NBA needs and what they don't need is to suspend guys for playing tough. Unless someone goes out and just complete beats down someone on the court, I say let them play. I have no problem with guys getting thrown out of games. If Derek Fisher wants to run over some with his shoulder lower or Vaun Wafer wants to slap someone in the head, then throw them out of the game, but do not suspend them for more games. The playoffs are really the one time of year that the fans really get into the NBA and when the NBA is at its best. The Celtics/Bulls series was wonderful and the Lakers/Rockets and Celtics/Magic games are shaping up to be great. So my note to the NBA is to make sure that they don't step in and do what they usually do and mess things up. Let these guys knock the crap out of each other and smack talk for seven games. That is what playoff basketball is all about.
Just why I am on the suspension topic, I really don't care about the Manny Ramirez thing. It is my opinion that he just wanted to take some time off and this was the easiest way. I don't for a second think that Manny took steroids. He may have taken some illegal drugs during his days, but I seriously doubt they were steroids. My bet is that when Manny comes back (and I would not be surprised if MLB shorted this thing before the end of 50 games) that he hits around .390 with 20 homeruns and 60 rbi, all the while leading the Dodgers to the NLCS where, of course, they will get beat by the Mets.
Just why I am on the suspension topic, I really don't care about the Manny Ramirez thing. It is my opinion that he just wanted to take some time off and this was the easiest way. I don't for a second think that Manny took steroids. He may have taken some illegal drugs during his days, but I seriously doubt they were steroids. My bet is that when Manny comes back (and I would not be surprised if MLB shorted this thing before the end of 50 games) that he hits around .390 with 20 homeruns and 60 rbi, all the while leading the Dodgers to the NLCS where, of course, they will get beat by the Mets.
My Favorite Sitcom
Last night may have well been the end of an era for me, in fact it was. Last night was the season finale and possible the series finale for Scrubs. Scrubs is my all time favorite sitcom and I will miss it very much (though nightly I watch reruns on DVD and Comedy Central). It is hard to believe that the show, at least in its original format, won't be on TV anymore. Scrubs was the only show that I watched during its scheduled air time (everything else is DVRed). Scrubs ranks right up there with The West Wing as my favorite shows of all time and it's characters certainly were among my favorite.
I don't know if Scrubs will be back for another season, but I do know that if it is that it will be without its heavy hitters, including Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison. Scrubs was great because it was not only extremely funny every week, but they were also able to throw in the occasional drama episode. One week the show would make you cry from being sad and the next you would cry from laughing so hard. It was/is a brilliant show created by the genius Bill Lawrence (he also did Spin City folks) and it is really sad to see it go.
The relationship between the characters is what made the show. JD and Turk's relationship was one of the greatest "buddy" relationship ever. But it was how all the characters interacted that made the show what it was. The show wasn't just carried by its main two stars, you had Dr. Kelso, Dr. Cox, Carla, and Elliot all making sure that the show stayed fresh. The show centered around JD, but what made it great and what made it last so long was the fact that the show moved its focus around to different stars.
The characters on the show were what made it so great. Forget about the main characters, though they were wonderful, it was the other cast of characters that made the show great. The Todd is possibly one of the greatest side characters in TV history. Jordan Sullivan was the hot, mean lady that kept the show very edgy and funny. Nurse Roberts was hysterical and also a good moral compass. Doug was the idiot that everyone kept putting up with but that always kept the show light. And my favorite was Ted, who always kept the level of humor at the top level. Also, I have to through out some love for Snoop Dogg Intern/Resident/Attending. Manley Henry didn't get to say much during his tenure, but if you pay very close attention, you will notice that he appears in every episode, I mean every episode.
The special guest stars were also nothing to sneeze at. Here is a short list, Matther Perry, Ryan Reynolds, Michael J. Fox, Barry Bostwick, Richard Kind, Heather Locklear, Tara Reid, Brendan Fraser, Tom Cavanagh, John Ritter, Michael McDonald, Sean Hayes, Nicole Sullivan, Scott Foley, Rick Schroder, Molly Shannon, Julianna Margulies, Heather Graham, and Elizabeth Banks just to name a few.
So in honor of the season/series finale last night, I will list my favorite Scrubs episodes from each season. Yes, I have watched every episode enough times on DVD to know which are my favorites. You will notice that I titled my blog in honor of Scrubs (every show title starts with "My...") Here we go:
Season 1: "My Old Man": John Ritter appeared, so that is enough for me. It was one of those great episodes that included both drama and humor.
Season 2: "My Case Study": Very funny because it included a reference to "front butt."
Season 3: "My Clean Break": JD finally breaks up with a girl, but the best part was Dr. Cox becoming happy and then angry again.
Season 4: "My Last Chance": This is one of the my favorite episodes of all time because so much is going on.
Season 5: "My Lunch": This is probably my favorite episode because it truly embodies everything you need. It was very funny, serious, sad, and insightful. This is a classic.
Season 6: "My Musical": The Scrubs musical was priceless. I was a little nervous at first, but when JD and Turk did "Guy Love" I still laugh just thinking about it.
Season 7: "My Bad Too": One of the funniest episodes of the latter season. It has Dr. Cox stealing food and Turk gets brenner (breakfast for dinner) which we all love.
Season 8: "My Finale": This is an easy one. I was really worried about how they were going to end things and they could not have done it better. I was very happy with how it went down. Thank you Bill Lawrence.
This has been a long post, but the show deserves it. I will miss my friends on Scrubs because they never let me down. I understand that things must move on and I will follow all of the stars on the show. It wasn't one of those shows that went away for a season or even half a season, the show and its cast were also on top of their game. TV lost a giant last night, because no matter what the ultimate fate of the show is, it will never be the same. I hope it comes back next year with a new cast and I will watch it, but I will still miss the good old days and my good friends.
I don't know if Scrubs will be back for another season, but I do know that if it is that it will be without its heavy hitters, including Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke, and Donald Faison. Scrubs was great because it was not only extremely funny every week, but they were also able to throw in the occasional drama episode. One week the show would make you cry from being sad and the next you would cry from laughing so hard. It was/is a brilliant show created by the genius Bill Lawrence (he also did Spin City folks) and it is really sad to see it go.
The relationship between the characters is what made the show. JD and Turk's relationship was one of the greatest "buddy" relationship ever. But it was how all the characters interacted that made the show what it was. The show wasn't just carried by its main two stars, you had Dr. Kelso, Dr. Cox, Carla, and Elliot all making sure that the show stayed fresh. The show centered around JD, but what made it great and what made it last so long was the fact that the show moved its focus around to different stars.
The characters on the show were what made it so great. Forget about the main characters, though they were wonderful, it was the other cast of characters that made the show great. The Todd is possibly one of the greatest side characters in TV history. Jordan Sullivan was the hot, mean lady that kept the show very edgy and funny. Nurse Roberts was hysterical and also a good moral compass. Doug was the idiot that everyone kept putting up with but that always kept the show light. And my favorite was Ted, who always kept the level of humor at the top level. Also, I have to through out some love for Snoop Dogg Intern/Resident/Attending. Manley Henry didn't get to say much during his tenure, but if you pay very close attention, you will notice that he appears in every episode, I mean every episode.
The special guest stars were also nothing to sneeze at. Here is a short list, Matther Perry, Ryan Reynolds, Michael J. Fox, Barry Bostwick, Richard Kind, Heather Locklear, Tara Reid, Brendan Fraser, Tom Cavanagh, John Ritter, Michael McDonald, Sean Hayes, Nicole Sullivan, Scott Foley, Rick Schroder, Molly Shannon, Julianna Margulies, Heather Graham, and Elizabeth Banks just to name a few.
So in honor of the season/series finale last night, I will list my favorite Scrubs episodes from each season. Yes, I have watched every episode enough times on DVD to know which are my favorites. You will notice that I titled my blog in honor of Scrubs (every show title starts with "My...") Here we go:
Season 1: "My Old Man": John Ritter appeared, so that is enough for me. It was one of those great episodes that included both drama and humor.
Season 2: "My Case Study": Very funny because it included a reference to "front butt."
Season 3: "My Clean Break": JD finally breaks up with a girl, but the best part was Dr. Cox becoming happy and then angry again.
Season 4: "My Last Chance": This is one of the my favorite episodes of all time because so much is going on.
Season 5: "My Lunch": This is probably my favorite episode because it truly embodies everything you need. It was very funny, serious, sad, and insightful. This is a classic.
Season 6: "My Musical": The Scrubs musical was priceless. I was a little nervous at first, but when JD and Turk did "Guy Love" I still laugh just thinking about it.
Season 7: "My Bad Too": One of the funniest episodes of the latter season. It has Dr. Cox stealing food and Turk gets brenner (breakfast for dinner) which we all love.
Season 8: "My Finale": This is an easy one. I was really worried about how they were going to end things and they could not have done it better. I was very happy with how it went down. Thank you Bill Lawrence.
This has been a long post, but the show deserves it. I will miss my friends on Scrubs because they never let me down. I understand that things must move on and I will follow all of the stars on the show. It wasn't one of those shows that went away for a season or even half a season, the show and its cast were also on top of their game. TV lost a giant last night, because no matter what the ultimate fate of the show is, it will never be the same. I hope it comes back next year with a new cast and I will watch it, but I will still miss the good old days and my good friends.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
In Case You Missed It
I just wanted to provide an update for everyone who may have been under a rock for the last couple of days. A certain NFL quarterback, who shall remain nameless for the duration of this blog under protest and whose name I hope to never speak again, has decided that he in fact wants to play again and is talking with a certain team, who will also remain nameless because I blame them for this as well. No this is not an old post from last year, this guy is at it again. I mean the guy was great. A hall of famer even, but enough is enough already. This is not the first instance where this particular quarterback has been in the news for not being able to decided whether to play again for not, as a matter of fact this is about the tenth time this asshole has been in the news for this kind of shit.
Okay, so the last sentence gave away my stance on this issue so I don't have to go into that, but for goodness sake it is just time for this guy to hang it up. You know what, I don't care if he hangs it up or plays, my life will be exactly the same tomorrow whether this media whore decides to play or not, but I am just tired of hearing about it. I take that back, if he decides to play, my life will be a little worse because it will be on every news network and internet site on god's green earth. Though, I suppose that if he decides not to play the same coverage will be there, for some unknown worldly reason, so I am back to the idea that it makes no difference on my life.
This is not my typical stance on these types of issues. I like to follow sports story, even to nauseam sometimes, but I have been through it with this guys before so enough is enough. And who really cares anyway. It has no real life factors because the guy is fantasy dog meat, so what other value could he have. The only people who care about this are his former, former (two teams ago) teammates. And they only care because I am sure that they are licking their chops at the chance to accidentally hit late fifteen or sixteen times a game. It would be one of those games where the starters go to their backups before the game and say "you might want to be ready today, because there is a good chance I will get tossed for nailing that jackass the first chance I get."
Bottom line, unless you are bashing this guy for being a jerk, I don't want to hear anyone talking about it anymore. If you have the same stance that I do, then please feel free to talk about it all you want and I will read it. Just make sure you don't come close to mentioning his name.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Shows That I Miss
It is no secret to anyone that reads this blog that I am a big TV fan. I watch a good bit of TV, though I have begun reading more so yeah for me. Anyway, I have focused a few blogs about my favorite shows and characters on TV. This blog is going to focus on those shows that got cancelled too early. These are the shows that I really miss and wish I could get more from. These aren't shows that had great, long runs, like The West Wing that I really miss, but shows that were great, but never really got a chance. By the way, I love Top Ten Lists, so here we go:
10. Jericho: I never really got into this show until I heard it was going to be cancelled, so I took a look and loved the show. I remember people were really up in arms about this being cancelled and after watching it, I can understand why.
9. The Tick: I didn't really get into this show until after it was cancelled, but it is very funny and very smartly written. Plus, Patrick Warburton (Puddy) was wonderful and extremely funny.
8. Futurama: I mean what a well written show. It is difficult to write this kind of humor. This is another show cut by Fox (which is a pattern on this list) that should have been given more time. It was funnier than King of the Hill and to some extent The Simpsons (though I love the Simpsons, but it is a different type of humor).
7. Firefly: I only caught a few episodes of this show, but I loved the ones that I saw. It was created by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The show didn't even make it through a full season on Fox (surprise) and was probably one of those shows that was too smart for a network audience.
6. Sports Night: One of two Aaron Sorkin shows that are on this list that were too smart for their audience. Sorkin wrote the shit out of this script and the audiences just couldn't handle it. The old shows are still fun to watch and I really wish that this could get started up again. The cast was wonderful, Peter Krause, Felicity Huffman, Joshua Malina, and Josh Charles were great, but weren't really given a chance.
5. Freaks and Geeks: One of two great shows that Judd Apatow (Undeclared). This is one of the best shows ever created about teenage and high school life. It was a very smart comedy that should still be on TV. If you think back the show had James Franco, Seth Rogen, John Francis Daley, and Jason Segel in it. How could those guys not still be on TV.
4. Family Guy: Some of you all may not be aware that Family Guy was once cancelled by Fox, but was lucky brought back by the network. We all know how funny the show is, so that doesn't need to be mentioned, but how lucky was Fox to keep this show and how lucky are we that the show came back.
3. Kitchen Confidential: What a great show. It was extremely well written and very funny show that was based on a book written by Anthony Bourdain. The two producers were Darren Star (Sex and the City) and Dave Hemingson (Just Shoot Me and American Dad) so they got star power there and the cast was not full of big names, though it had Bradley Cooper, John Francis Daley, and John Cho in it, but the cast worked very well together and only one season of this show just wasn't enough.
2. Arrested Development: It is very hard to think of a funnier show ever on TV. Once again, Fox dumped a great show that for some reason just didn't find a steady audience. No one could ever figure out why the show could find and audience, though my opinion is that you just can't write comedy that smart for networks. The movie is in the works, but I would prefer the show make a comeback.
1. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: It is difficult to say that a show that only last one year is one of the best written shows ever on TV, but this show fits that bill. Sorkin once again did an amazing job and put together a wonderful cast. Lets just take a look at a few cast members, Matther Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, D.L. Hughley, Sarah Paulson, Timothy Busfield, Steven Weber, and Nathan Corddry. Lets not even mention that Sting was a musical guest. Still, I could have started in this show and it was so well written that it would not have mattered. Sorkin is a king and this show should still be on the air. Once again, too smart for network.
10. Jericho: I never really got into this show until I heard it was going to be cancelled, so I took a look and loved the show. I remember people were really up in arms about this being cancelled and after watching it, I can understand why.
9. The Tick: I didn't really get into this show until after it was cancelled, but it is very funny and very smartly written. Plus, Patrick Warburton (Puddy) was wonderful and extremely funny.
8. Futurama: I mean what a well written show. It is difficult to write this kind of humor. This is another show cut by Fox (which is a pattern on this list) that should have been given more time. It was funnier than King of the Hill and to some extent The Simpsons (though I love the Simpsons, but it is a different type of humor).
7. Firefly: I only caught a few episodes of this show, but I loved the ones that I saw. It was created by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer). The show didn't even make it through a full season on Fox (surprise) and was probably one of those shows that was too smart for a network audience.
6. Sports Night: One of two Aaron Sorkin shows that are on this list that were too smart for their audience. Sorkin wrote the shit out of this script and the audiences just couldn't handle it. The old shows are still fun to watch and I really wish that this could get started up again. The cast was wonderful, Peter Krause, Felicity Huffman, Joshua Malina, and Josh Charles were great, but weren't really given a chance.
5. Freaks and Geeks: One of two great shows that Judd Apatow (Undeclared). This is one of the best shows ever created about teenage and high school life. It was a very smart comedy that should still be on TV. If you think back the show had James Franco, Seth Rogen, John Francis Daley, and Jason Segel in it. How could those guys not still be on TV.
4. Family Guy: Some of you all may not be aware that Family Guy was once cancelled by Fox, but was lucky brought back by the network. We all know how funny the show is, so that doesn't need to be mentioned, but how lucky was Fox to keep this show and how lucky are we that the show came back.
3. Kitchen Confidential: What a great show. It was extremely well written and very funny show that was based on a book written by Anthony Bourdain. The two producers were Darren Star (Sex and the City) and Dave Hemingson (Just Shoot Me and American Dad) so they got star power there and the cast was not full of big names, though it had Bradley Cooper, John Francis Daley, and John Cho in it, but the cast worked very well together and only one season of this show just wasn't enough.
2. Arrested Development: It is very hard to think of a funnier show ever on TV. Once again, Fox dumped a great show that for some reason just didn't find a steady audience. No one could ever figure out why the show could find and audience, though my opinion is that you just can't write comedy that smart for networks. The movie is in the works, but I would prefer the show make a comeback.
1. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip: It is difficult to say that a show that only last one year is one of the best written shows ever on TV, but this show fits that bill. Sorkin once again did an amazing job and put together a wonderful cast. Lets just take a look at a few cast members, Matther Perry, Amanda Peet, Bradley Whitford, D.L. Hughley, Sarah Paulson, Timothy Busfield, Steven Weber, and Nathan Corddry. Lets not even mention that Sting was a musical guest. Still, I could have started in this show and it was so well written that it would not have mattered. Sorkin is a king and this show should still be on the air. Once again, too smart for network.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Who's Funnier
I was watching movies the other day and began to think about different directors/writers/producers. I began to think about whose movies I liked more, Kevin Smith or Judd Apatow. It is a tough choice between the two, and then I figured that if I was going to compare the two, I better throw in the guy who started it all, John Hughes. So this blog looks at the body of work of the three guys and tries to figure out which is the best.
John Hughes: Anyone my age knows John Hughes movies. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and She's Having a Baby. Still those aren't the only movies that Hughes is responsible for. Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Great Outdoors, Vacation, European Vacation, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Career Opportunities, Curly Sue, and Dutch. He hasn't had much success since 1991, but that is one impressive resume.
Kevin Smith: Not as long a resume as Hughes, but just as big of an impact. We all know the big ones, Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. But don't forget about Jay and Slient Bob Strike Back, Jersey Girl, Clerks II, and Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Don't forget though folks, Smith is one of the primary people responsible for Good Will Hunting, so that is a big bonus for him.
Judd Apatow: Currently, Apatow is the best comedic director around. The thing about Apatow is the of the three he has the strongest TV resume (The Larry Sanders Show, Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared) and it isn't that well known, but his movie work dates back to around 1995. His big ones include, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Walk Hard, and Pineapple Express. Apatow was also a part of Anchorman, Kicking and Screaming, Fun with Dick and Jane, Tallagega Nights, and Superbad. Going back some years, he worked on such films as Celtic Pride, Heavy Weights, and, The Cable Guy.
Results:
Well, I must admit when I started this blog I knew I was going to go with Kevin Smith. Of all the movies above, Mallrats is by far my favorite and Dogma is next. Also, of the three, I grew up more with Smith than the other two, because his movies came at a time when I could appreciate the comedy more. I figured that I would put them in this order, Smith, Hughes, Apatow.
But as I did my research things began to chance. I am seriously impressed with Apatow. I didn't realize all the movies that this guy was involved in. So after doing my research, and even though Mallrats is still my favorite, and this was a shock to me, I have to put the guys in this order:
Judd Apatow
Kevin Smith
John Hughes
John Hughes: Anyone my age knows John Hughes movies. Sixteen Candles, Pretty in Pink, The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and She's Having a Baby. Still those aren't the only movies that Hughes is responsible for. Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Uncle Buck, The Great Outdoors, Vacation, European Vacation, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone, Career Opportunities, Curly Sue, and Dutch. He hasn't had much success since 1991, but that is one impressive resume.
Kevin Smith: Not as long a resume as Hughes, but just as big of an impact. We all know the big ones, Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, and Dogma. But don't forget about Jay and Slient Bob Strike Back, Jersey Girl, Clerks II, and Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Don't forget though folks, Smith is one of the primary people responsible for Good Will Hunting, so that is a big bonus for him.
Judd Apatow: Currently, Apatow is the best comedic director around. The thing about Apatow is the of the three he has the strongest TV resume (The Larry Sanders Show, Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared) and it isn't that well known, but his movie work dates back to around 1995. His big ones include, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, Walk Hard, and Pineapple Express. Apatow was also a part of Anchorman, Kicking and Screaming, Fun with Dick and Jane, Tallagega Nights, and Superbad. Going back some years, he worked on such films as Celtic Pride, Heavy Weights, and, The Cable Guy.
Results:
Well, I must admit when I started this blog I knew I was going to go with Kevin Smith. Of all the movies above, Mallrats is by far my favorite and Dogma is next. Also, of the three, I grew up more with Smith than the other two, because his movies came at a time when I could appreciate the comedy more. I figured that I would put them in this order, Smith, Hughes, Apatow.
But as I did my research things began to chance. I am seriously impressed with Apatow. I didn't realize all the movies that this guy was involved in. So after doing my research, and even though Mallrats is still my favorite, and this was a shock to me, I have to put the guys in this order:
Judd Apatow
Kevin Smith
John Hughes
Monday, April 27, 2009
Top Ten Non Sporting Sporting Events
In honor of the NFL Draft this past weekend, I decided to follow suit with some other blogs and put together a list of the Top Ten Non Sporting Sporting Events. These are events that focus on sport topics, but there is not actually in physical activity taking place. Things like drafts, selection shows, etc, where teams and leagues make or break themselves, but nobody really breaks a sweat. These are events that confuse your significant other when you say that you are out for the whole day and they ask what game is on and you tell them that it isn’t a game at all you just want to watch people talking.
10. Bud Shootout Selection Show: I love random chance games and this is one of the best. The Bud Shootout doesn’t mean much, but it is the one NASCAR event where every driver has an equal opportunity to start up front. And making the selection out of Bud bottles is pretty cool too.
9. NCAA Selection Show: This is beginning to run a little thin for me, so that is why it is ranked so low. CBS could certainly do a better job. The one thing that keeps is on the list at all is the fact that it leads to everyone filling out their brackets, which is one of the best sports traditions out there.
8. Season Odds Release in Vegas: No matter the sport, it is always very fun to wait for Vegas to release their season odds. You get to see where you team stands in their eyes and if there are any bargains out there to put a few bucks down on.
7. SportsCenter: Possibly the greatest show every created. It is mostly a bunch of people that have never played sports in their lives talking about sports. It is also the one show that for some reason you can watch over and over again in the same day. You watch the 9:00 am SportsCenter and then the 10:00 am SportsCenter, though nothing has changed.
6. NBA Lottery Selection Show: Forget the draft, because the NBA Draft is boring and pointless. There are only two rounds and players drafted in the second round rarely have the chance to make the team. But the selection show is great, because, as most of you know, I really love selections that involve random chance. The Lottery selection show is fun because everyone there has a chance to get the first pick (though not equal) and it is great when someone sneaks in there and gets the first pick and makes there team and immediate contender.
5. NFL Draft: There isn’t another major sport whose draft even comes close to being as exciting as the NFL Draft. First off, it takes up an entire weekend and it is the one draft that truly impacts your team. As a Redskins fan, I have really only gotten to enjoy the draft over the last couple of years because we always like to trade away our picks, but even so, I still watch the draft both days because it is fun and exciting to watch.
4. Release of Madden Football: This is one of the best sports traditions, because it is truly the start of football season. The draft is over with and the teams are pretty much set, so it is time to play some Madden. Every year I say that I won’t get excited, but every year I am waiting in line on the first day to pick it up.
3. The National: This might not matter to some of you, but The National is the largest sports collectables show of the year. This is the place where all card collectors come together and enjoy their addiction. You save you pennies, nickels, and dimes for an entire year to search through a hundred dollar boxes to find a great deal on a Jeff Bagwell jersey, autograph card.
2. MLB Trade Deadline: I love the MLB trade deadline because the Mets are usually involved in a big move, though in Steve Phillips case that was a bad thing. It is just incredible interesting for a baseball fan to watch and read about trade rumors for a week and then wait around all day to see if your team gets better, or if they have given up and are planning for the future.
1. Fantasy Drafts: This is number one for so many reasons, but mainly because it is the one event that guys like me and my friends get to participate in. Fantasy sports make the real life sports so much more interesting and the season is that much more exciting if you have a good draft and put together a good team. I particularly enjoy the fantasy draft order selection show, where you learn what pick you get. Fantasy sports are the best thing to ever happen to sports, so that is what gives this event the top spot, no matter what fantasy sport you are playing.
10. Bud Shootout Selection Show: I love random chance games and this is one of the best. The Bud Shootout doesn’t mean much, but it is the one NASCAR event where every driver has an equal opportunity to start up front. And making the selection out of Bud bottles is pretty cool too.
9. NCAA Selection Show: This is beginning to run a little thin for me, so that is why it is ranked so low. CBS could certainly do a better job. The one thing that keeps is on the list at all is the fact that it leads to everyone filling out their brackets, which is one of the best sports traditions out there.
8. Season Odds Release in Vegas: No matter the sport, it is always very fun to wait for Vegas to release their season odds. You get to see where you team stands in their eyes and if there are any bargains out there to put a few bucks down on.
7. SportsCenter: Possibly the greatest show every created. It is mostly a bunch of people that have never played sports in their lives talking about sports. It is also the one show that for some reason you can watch over and over again in the same day. You watch the 9:00 am SportsCenter and then the 10:00 am SportsCenter, though nothing has changed.
6. NBA Lottery Selection Show: Forget the draft, because the NBA Draft is boring and pointless. There are only two rounds and players drafted in the second round rarely have the chance to make the team. But the selection show is great, because, as most of you know, I really love selections that involve random chance. The Lottery selection show is fun because everyone there has a chance to get the first pick (though not equal) and it is great when someone sneaks in there and gets the first pick and makes there team and immediate contender.
5. NFL Draft: There isn’t another major sport whose draft even comes close to being as exciting as the NFL Draft. First off, it takes up an entire weekend and it is the one draft that truly impacts your team. As a Redskins fan, I have really only gotten to enjoy the draft over the last couple of years because we always like to trade away our picks, but even so, I still watch the draft both days because it is fun and exciting to watch.
4. Release of Madden Football: This is one of the best sports traditions, because it is truly the start of football season. The draft is over with and the teams are pretty much set, so it is time to play some Madden. Every year I say that I won’t get excited, but every year I am waiting in line on the first day to pick it up.
3. The National: This might not matter to some of you, but The National is the largest sports collectables show of the year. This is the place where all card collectors come together and enjoy their addiction. You save you pennies, nickels, and dimes for an entire year to search through a hundred dollar boxes to find a great deal on a Jeff Bagwell jersey, autograph card.
2. MLB Trade Deadline: I love the MLB trade deadline because the Mets are usually involved in a big move, though in Steve Phillips case that was a bad thing. It is just incredible interesting for a baseball fan to watch and read about trade rumors for a week and then wait around all day to see if your team gets better, or if they have given up and are planning for the future.
1. Fantasy Drafts: This is number one for so many reasons, but mainly because it is the one event that guys like me and my friends get to participate in. Fantasy sports make the real life sports so much more interesting and the season is that much more exciting if you have a good draft and put together a good team. I particularly enjoy the fantasy draft order selection show, where you learn what pick you get. Fantasy sports are the best thing to ever happen to sports, so that is what gives this event the top spot, no matter what fantasy sport you are playing.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Tortured by Torture: Book Recommendation
You can turn on the TV today and not hear a story about torture. Since the release of the torture memos that is all the media wants to talk about. And for good reason. It is an important topic that needs to be talked about, but it beginning to get old. It is the same old talking heads giving the same old bullet points.
Now I don't think it would come to anyone's surprise that I am against the use of torture and I am glad that the memos got released. It is important that people understand what is happening and it is also important that we recognize our mistake to the world. Some people won't view are acts of torture as mistakes and that is okay, I can respect that, I just disagree. First off, torture doesn't really work, but more importantly, we can't be a nation that stands up for human rights around the world and punishes countries that don't conform, if we are going around committing acts that are in clear contradiction to human rights laws. There are many arguments against the use of torture that I don't have time to get into, so I must move on.
Anyway, this post isn't for me to rant about my beliefs (too late), it is a book recommendation. I strongly recommend to all of you that you pick up Matthew Alexander's "How to Break a Terrorist: The U.S. Interrogators Who Used Brains, Not Brutality, to Take Down the Deadliest Man in Iraq." This is a story written by the man to go the information that lead to the killing of Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Alexander, which isn't his real name, demonstrates how the use of torture and fear techniques yielded exactly nothing and how he and his team used techniques like building a rapport understanding, and respect to break the one of the greatest criminal rings of our time.
As most of you know this isn't the first time that I have recommended this book, but with the happens of the recent weeks, I think it is important to put it back into the discussion. Whether you think that releasing the torture memos was correct, or even if we should be using torture techniques, this is still an important read. It provides great insight into negotiation strategies, along with demonstrating that even though you might hate the person you are interrogating, it is important to put that aside to get the information you need. It is a quick read and shouldn't take long, so pick it up (or ask me to borrow it) and give it a read.
Also, I would like to recommend my friend's new blog "Who Cares?" It is a fun read and will provide some insight into things that people say and do, that no one else really cares about...http://walksthoughts.blogspot.com/
Now I don't think it would come to anyone's surprise that I am against the use of torture and I am glad that the memos got released. It is important that people understand what is happening and it is also important that we recognize our mistake to the world. Some people won't view are acts of torture as mistakes and that is okay, I can respect that, I just disagree. First off, torture doesn't really work, but more importantly, we can't be a nation that stands up for human rights around the world and punishes countries that don't conform, if we are going around committing acts that are in clear contradiction to human rights laws. There are many arguments against the use of torture that I don't have time to get into, so I must move on.
Anyway, this post isn't for me to rant about my beliefs (too late), it is a book recommendation. I strongly recommend to all of you that you pick up Matthew Alexander's "How to Break a Terrorist: The U.S. Interrogators Who Used Brains, Not Brutality, to Take Down the Deadliest Man in Iraq." This is a story written by the man to go the information that lead to the killing of Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Alexander, which isn't his real name, demonstrates how the use of torture and fear techniques yielded exactly nothing and how he and his team used techniques like building a rapport understanding, and respect to break the one of the greatest criminal rings of our time.
As most of you know this isn't the first time that I have recommended this book, but with the happens of the recent weeks, I think it is important to put it back into the discussion. Whether you think that releasing the torture memos was correct, or even if we should be using torture techniques, this is still an important read. It provides great insight into negotiation strategies, along with demonstrating that even though you might hate the person you are interrogating, it is important to put that aside to get the information you need. It is a quick read and shouldn't take long, so pick it up (or ask me to borrow it) and give it a read.
Also, I would like to recommend my friend's new blog "Who Cares?" It is a fun read and will provide some insight into things that people say and do, that no one else really cares about...http://walksthoughts.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
What if I was on trial for murder
I was watching a show the other day about a guy that was on trial for murder and he was being defended by the public defenders. Now there is nothing wrong with public defenders, but if I am on trial for murder, I would need to bring out the big guns. So, it got me thinking about which TV lawyers I would want defending me if I was on trial for murder.
So tonight I am going to break it down for you all in two separate categories. The first list is the individual I would want defending me if I was innocent. The second, and most important list, is the individual I would want defending me if I was guilty. There is a big difference between the lawyer you want defending you if you are guilty and the one you want if you are innocent, so I will lay those out for you.
Innocent List:
If you are heading into a murder trial and you are innocent, then you need someone who is compassionate and trustworthy. You need that person to believe you and fight for you, not because it is their duty, but because they truly believe that you are innocent. It doesn't hurt either when they go out of their way to find the person who is actually guilty.
5. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie (Catherine Bell)--JAG: Not only is she an amazing lawyer who fights for her clients, but it doesn't hurt for the jury to look at someone who is easy on the eyes. She is soft and trustworthy and she also does some investigating on her own, which always helps.
4. Victor Sifuentes (Jimmy Smits)--L.A. Law: Another one that the jury will see as easy on the eyes, but a hard nose lawyer that provides some of the most impassioned closing arguments ever given on TV. The reason he would defend me if I was innocent is because he is one of the few TV lawyers that has a conscience which is helpful when you are innocent.
3. Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen)--Boston Legal: If I am on trial for murder, I want someone that has years of experience and a few favors that they can call in. Shirley is one of the most respected lawyers and that would be very helpful. She is also very good at defending innocent people because she likes to believe them and it makes her work harder.
2. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr)--Perry Mason: The king of all TV lawyers. Mason always defending innocent people and lucky for me, he always found the real killer.
1. Jimmy "The Grunt" Berluti (Michael Badalucco)--The Practice: An odd choice here, but let me tell you about The Grunt. Jimmy is always the underdog in every case he goes into. He is seen as incompetent and beneath most other lawyers. That is exactly the guy I want defending me for murder. I want someone that has something to prove and that knows they can't lose, not only for my good, but for their own good as well. I want the little guy fighting for me. Jimmy also always believed his clients and liked helping out those who were truly innocent.
Guilty List:
If you are guilty of murder, you need a lawyer that doesn't give two shits about you and could care less if you go to jail for life. You need a lawyer who isn't compassionate, but a lawyer that believes every person deserves a fair trail and a lawyer that will fight for you even though they know you are guilty. These are a different breed. Truth be told, there aren't many of these characters out there, so the shows to choose from are few and far between.
5. Denny Crane (Willam Shatner)--Boston Legal: Denny would be number one if he didn't suffer from mad cows disease. First of all, Denny has never lost a case, or at least that is what he says. Secondly, he is Denny Crane man, just ask him. Denny just wants to win. The facts don't matter, he may not even learn my name, but what do I care, I just want to get set free.
4. Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott)--The Practice: Many might think that Bobby is number one. There is no doubt that Bobby gave the best closings in TV history and he always the person you want to do your closing. Bobby would fight for the guilty, but the thing that keeps him down on my list is that he always has a crisis of consciousness. I really don't need that in a murder trial. Bobby usually wins, so he will do.
3. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston)--Law & Order: Okay, I know that he usually puts people in jail, but if he would ever switch sides, I would hire him in a heartbeat. The man does anything and everything he can to win and I could use that. It never bothers him to break the law to serve the law, and that is what I would need if I was guilty for murder.
2. Alan Shore (James Spader)--Boston Legal: If I was on trial for murder, I would need a lawyer that doesn't care that I am on trial for murder, all they care about it winning and serving the law. That is what Alan does. It also doesn't hurt that is always able to "pull a rabbit out of his hat." I mean that man got Al Sharpton to come in and speak for one of his clients. Alan simply wins and does it with great passion. If you are guilty, you need a lawyer that defends you as if you were innocent and Alan Shore does that.
1. Eugene Young (Steve Harris)--The Practice: One word and one letter provide the reason for Eugene being number one: "Plan B." Eugene was the king of Plan B and never worried about using it. For those of you that don't know, Plan B is where you are defending someone that is pretty much going to lose, so you put up a friendly witness and you accuse them of committing the crime, thus establishing reasonable doubt. Plan B always works and Eugene is the best. Eugene also never has a crisis of conscience during a trial, though he might afterwards, but that is not my problem. He also never has a problem getting a guilty person off on a technicality, so hey go for it. Eugene Young is the perfect defense lawyer because he fights for the law, not the person. You don't want a lawyer that cares about you if you are guilty, you want one that cares about winning and serving the law.
So tonight I am going to break it down for you all in two separate categories. The first list is the individual I would want defending me if I was innocent. The second, and most important list, is the individual I would want defending me if I was guilty. There is a big difference between the lawyer you want defending you if you are guilty and the one you want if you are innocent, so I will lay those out for you.
Innocent List:
If you are heading into a murder trial and you are innocent, then you need someone who is compassionate and trustworthy. You need that person to believe you and fight for you, not because it is their duty, but because they truly believe that you are innocent. It doesn't hurt either when they go out of their way to find the person who is actually guilty.
5. Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie (Catherine Bell)--JAG: Not only is she an amazing lawyer who fights for her clients, but it doesn't hurt for the jury to look at someone who is easy on the eyes. She is soft and trustworthy and she also does some investigating on her own, which always helps.
4. Victor Sifuentes (Jimmy Smits)--L.A. Law: Another one that the jury will see as easy on the eyes, but a hard nose lawyer that provides some of the most impassioned closing arguments ever given on TV. The reason he would defend me if I was innocent is because he is one of the few TV lawyers that has a conscience which is helpful when you are innocent.
3. Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen)--Boston Legal: If I am on trial for murder, I want someone that has years of experience and a few favors that they can call in. Shirley is one of the most respected lawyers and that would be very helpful. She is also very good at defending innocent people because she likes to believe them and it makes her work harder.
2. Perry Mason (Raymond Burr)--Perry Mason: The king of all TV lawyers. Mason always defending innocent people and lucky for me, he always found the real killer.
1. Jimmy "The Grunt" Berluti (Michael Badalucco)--The Practice: An odd choice here, but let me tell you about The Grunt. Jimmy is always the underdog in every case he goes into. He is seen as incompetent and beneath most other lawyers. That is exactly the guy I want defending me for murder. I want someone that has something to prove and that knows they can't lose, not only for my good, but for their own good as well. I want the little guy fighting for me. Jimmy also always believed his clients and liked helping out those who were truly innocent.
Guilty List:
If you are guilty of murder, you need a lawyer that doesn't give two shits about you and could care less if you go to jail for life. You need a lawyer who isn't compassionate, but a lawyer that believes every person deserves a fair trail and a lawyer that will fight for you even though they know you are guilty. These are a different breed. Truth be told, there aren't many of these characters out there, so the shows to choose from are few and far between.
5. Denny Crane (Willam Shatner)--Boston Legal: Denny would be number one if he didn't suffer from mad cows disease. First of all, Denny has never lost a case, or at least that is what he says. Secondly, he is Denny Crane man, just ask him. Denny just wants to win. The facts don't matter, he may not even learn my name, but what do I care, I just want to get set free.
4. Bobby Donnell (Dylan McDermott)--The Practice: Many might think that Bobby is number one. There is no doubt that Bobby gave the best closings in TV history and he always the person you want to do your closing. Bobby would fight for the guilty, but the thing that keeps him down on my list is that he always has a crisis of consciousness. I really don't need that in a murder trial. Bobby usually wins, so he will do.
3. Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston)--Law & Order: Okay, I know that he usually puts people in jail, but if he would ever switch sides, I would hire him in a heartbeat. The man does anything and everything he can to win and I could use that. It never bothers him to break the law to serve the law, and that is what I would need if I was guilty for murder.
2. Alan Shore (James Spader)--Boston Legal: If I was on trial for murder, I would need a lawyer that doesn't care that I am on trial for murder, all they care about it winning and serving the law. That is what Alan does. It also doesn't hurt that is always able to "pull a rabbit out of his hat." I mean that man got Al Sharpton to come in and speak for one of his clients. Alan simply wins and does it with great passion. If you are guilty, you need a lawyer that defends you as if you were innocent and Alan Shore does that.
1. Eugene Young (Steve Harris)--The Practice: One word and one letter provide the reason for Eugene being number one: "Plan B." Eugene was the king of Plan B and never worried about using it. For those of you that don't know, Plan B is where you are defending someone that is pretty much going to lose, so you put up a friendly witness and you accuse them of committing the crime, thus establishing reasonable doubt. Plan B always works and Eugene is the best. Eugene also never has a crisis of conscience during a trial, though he might afterwards, but that is not my problem. He also never has a problem getting a guilty person off on a technicality, so hey go for it. Eugene Young is the perfect defense lawyer because he fights for the law, not the person. You don't want a lawyer that cares about you if you are guilty, you want one that cares about winning and serving the law.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
This is just what I needed
Recently, I have had a difficult time coming up with stuff to blog about and, as most of you know, I have been gone for quite some time. I am officially back now and you can expect that I will be posting daily again.
What I needed was something to get me completely pissed off and motivate me to post again. That happened today thanks to an article in the Charleston Daily Mail. The title itself was enough to make my blood boil. The title read: "Patrick White's No. 5 may not qualify for retirement." My first thought was that it was a keep-over article from April Fools, but clearly it was not. It never even crossed my mind that this was even possible.
Now I know that Major Harris doesn't have his number retired because of the stupid rules that WVU has come up with to retire jerseys. That is completely ridiculous, but Pat White is even crazier. Let me lay out a few stats to back up my case:
Pat White provided WVU fans with four of the greatest years of WVU football that we could have ever asked for. Let's just put it this way, without Pat White, I am quite sure that we all wouldn't have had as much fun, excitement and enjoyment over the last four years. If any of you get the chance, tell WVU to get rid of this ridiculous criteria and cement Pat White as the greatest WVU football player ever.
What I needed was something to get me completely pissed off and motivate me to post again. That happened today thanks to an article in the Charleston Daily Mail. The title itself was enough to make my blood boil. The title read: "Patrick White's No. 5 may not qualify for retirement." My first thought was that it was a keep-over article from April Fools, but clearly it was not. It never even crossed my mind that this was even possible.
Now I know that Major Harris doesn't have his number retired because of the stupid rules that WVU has come up with to retire jerseys. That is completely ridiculous, but Pat White is even crazier. Let me lay out a few stats to back up my case:
- Starting record of 34-8 is unmatched by any quarterback in WVU history and is sixth in NCAA history.
- Is the only quarterback in FBS history to win four bowl games as a starter.
- One of only eight players in NCAA history to rush for 200 and pass for 200 in a game.
- Has three of the top seven highest rushing games in WVU history
- Highest single-game rushing total by a quarterback in Big East history
- Second in career passing efficiency at WVU
- Second most in WVU history in passing touchdowns
- First in NCAA career quarterback rushing list in yardage
- First in total offensive yards in a career in WVU history
- One of five players in NCAA history to rush for 1,000 and pass for 1,000 in a season
- The athlete must have earned an undergraduate degree from WVU (this is an outdated criteria, but Pat met this one, much to every WVU fan's enjoyment)
- The athlete must have played the maximum number of years of athletic eligibility as set forth by the NCAA (this is dumber than the first one, who gives a shit if someone player four years, if the three that they play are great...either way, Pat met this as well)
- The athlete was a consensus All-American or a two-year first team All-American as chosen by an accepted or primary organization or the most valuable player of a national championship team (absolutely absurd and should be removed all together...not many players in college football history can meet this criteria, not to mention WVU players)
- The athlete was a individual held in high standard while on campus and has maintained a role as a solid citizen in the community (fine...and this one looks like it was written for Pat White specifically)
Pat White provided WVU fans with four of the greatest years of WVU football that we could have ever asked for. Let's just put it this way, without Pat White, I am quite sure that we all wouldn't have had as much fun, excitement and enjoyment over the last four years. If any of you get the chance, tell WVU to get rid of this ridiculous criteria and cement Pat White as the greatest WVU football player ever.
Friday, April 3, 2009
It Should Be About the Fans
You know what, I don't give two shits about Jay Cutler and his crying about being traded. It never bothered me at all. I like Cutler as a quarterback and I was even kind of hoping that he might get traded to the Redskins, but that didn't work out and I will give 100% of my support to Jason Campbell. Cutler probably makes the Bears a little better, and I think that Denver got the better of the deal, with getting a first and third round pick this year and a first next year, not to mention Kyle Orton, who isn't a bad quarterback.
But here is my beef. In making this deal, the teams didn't think about the fans. Sure the teams' fans may be happy, but the true NFL fans. You know, the fantasy football players. This deal kills Cutler's value for fantasy next year. Quick, name a wide receiver for the Bears. I said quick, don't look it up. Cutler was a Top Five fantasy quarterback. Don't scream and shout, I said Top Five fantasy quarterback, I don't care about where he ranks in real life.
Say Cutler had been traded to the Redskins. He would have Santana Moss, Randle El, Cooley, and two really good young receiver in Kelly and Thomas. Cutler would have dropped off a little because of Portis, but Cutler would have only added to the value of Portis, Moss, and Randle El. Maybe he makes the Bears receivers a little better, and I am still waiting for you to name one, but they were so far down to begin with that it would only bring them up to middle of the road value.
The trade does help Orton's value a little bit, but he really doesn't have big fantasy potential. Orton is a get it done type of quarterback and the stats may be there, they may not. I think his value does increase, because of the system that he will be in. I am a little concerned about Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, but I think that the thought that there value will drop actually makes them pretty good value. In the end, even I think that the Broncos won the real life trade and fantasy trade.
Fantasy football is a $1 billion dollar business and teams need to begin to realize that the moves that they make affect that business. It is hard enough to field a good team in a deep league because there are so much position sharing and middle of the road guys that it is getting harder and harder to field a solid team. That, of course, is what makes fantasy football so much fun, but still they need to quit making it even harder. Like it or not, the NFL's popularity is tied heavily to fantasy football. It is not a big surprise that the NFL started gaining in popularity and fantasy football began gaining popularity.
But here is my beef. In making this deal, the teams didn't think about the fans. Sure the teams' fans may be happy, but the true NFL fans. You know, the fantasy football players. This deal kills Cutler's value for fantasy next year. Quick, name a wide receiver for the Bears. I said quick, don't look it up. Cutler was a Top Five fantasy quarterback. Don't scream and shout, I said Top Five fantasy quarterback, I don't care about where he ranks in real life.
Say Cutler had been traded to the Redskins. He would have Santana Moss, Randle El, Cooley, and two really good young receiver in Kelly and Thomas. Cutler would have dropped off a little because of Portis, but Cutler would have only added to the value of Portis, Moss, and Randle El. Maybe he makes the Bears receivers a little better, and I am still waiting for you to name one, but they were so far down to begin with that it would only bring them up to middle of the road value.
The trade does help Orton's value a little bit, but he really doesn't have big fantasy potential. Orton is a get it done type of quarterback and the stats may be there, they may not. I think his value does increase, because of the system that he will be in. I am a little concerned about Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal, but I think that the thought that there value will drop actually makes them pretty good value. In the end, even I think that the Broncos won the real life trade and fantasy trade.
Fantasy football is a $1 billion dollar business and teams need to begin to realize that the moves that they make affect that business. It is hard enough to field a good team in a deep league because there are so much position sharing and middle of the road guys that it is getting harder and harder to field a solid team. That, of course, is what makes fantasy football so much fun, but still they need to quit making it even harder. Like it or not, the NFL's popularity is tied heavily to fantasy football. It is not a big surprise that the NFL started gaining in popularity and fantasy football began gaining popularity.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Latest, Greatest Man Crush
That's right. I'm back baby. Sorry it has been so long since I have blogged, but haven't had much time lately, but after I had so many complain about me not posting, I will make time from now on.
I decided to make my return post about my latest man crush, Rahm Emanuel. For those of you who don't know him very well, here is a little info. Emanuel is the current White House Chief of Staff. He was a four term Congressman and was the chair of the DCCC during the 2006 mid-term elections when the Democrats regained control of the House. He was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and he has spent the majority of his professional life in public service. He helped get Paul Simon elected in 1984 and went on to be national campaign director for the DCCC in 1988, after which he back senior advisor and chief fundraiser for Richard Daley's victorious campaign for Mayor of Chicago in 1989. Emanuel moved on to become director of finance for Bill Clinton during his 1992 campaign and crafted the strategy that helped Clinton win the Democratic Primary. After Clinton was elected, he became a senior advisor in the Clinton Administration. In 2002 he was first elected to Congress. Emanuel is now probably the most powerful and influential person in America.
So why the man crush? Well first off, he was my dream job. I am not sure anything professional could top becoming White House Chief of Staff. That position is easily the most powerful position in the entire world. He basically sets the agenda for the country and the President carries it out. Now, I am sure every White House is different, but undoubtably Emanuel has a great deal of influence in shaping this country. Also, he has the job that was once held by one Leo Thomas McGarry. McGarry for course was the Chief of White on the West Wing. John Spencer played what could be argued to be the greatest character ever on television.
But the real reason for the man crush is the Emanuel is just the type of guy that you look at and can tell that he won't take any shit from anyone. He always looks like he is thinking about how to win at something and he wears his emotions on his sleeve. He is also a no-nonsense kind of guy. He tells you what to do and you do it, or else. My favorite President of all time is Lyndon Johnson. Johnson was the kind of President (probably more so as a Senator) that stood over you and told you what to do and even if you didn't want to, you still thanked him for letting you do it. Emanuel, like Johnson, tells you do something and you do it with the hope that they may someday remember your name.
Emanuel also doesn't really seem to like doing stuff that he feels is beneath him. I watched him on Larry King Live the other night and it just seemed like he couldn't wait to get out of there. King would ask him a question and Emanuel would smirk and start to answer the question the way that he wanted to, then remember that he is White House Chief of Staff and he gave the answer he was supposed to. You could just tell that he wanted to rip his tie and jacket off and go to work. The best comparison that I can think of is when Phil Hartman player Ronald Reagan on SNL. He was nice and sweet when there were people around and then an attack dog when it was just him and his staff.
I am man enough to admit when I have a man crush and this is a serious man crush.
FYI: Fantasy baseball draft this weekend, so you can expect a few blogs relating to that issue, so stay tuned.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Sports Fan Manifesto
Pop Quiz:
You are a fan of an obscure tennis player who doesn't win all that often. He rarely makes it to national television, so you are forced to pay to watch his matches online. All of the sudden, he makes a run in a Grand Slam and after watching three matches online, he finally makes it to national television. What do you do? Do you...
A. Of course you watch him on the big screen, he is never on television
B. Stick with the computer because he has won while you were watching him on the computer
C. It doesn't matter, so I will decide what to do based on where I am.
If you answered A or C, unless you are a Cowboys, Phillies, Celtics, or Pitt fan, you need to keep reading. The answer is clearly B and if you don't know that, then I would have to question how much you really care about your favorite teams.
Let's get this out of the way early. What you do does matter as a sports fan. You are not just somebody watching a sporting event, your actions affect your team. I write this post because it is getting to be tournament time and we need to go over a few rules. These aren't rules that you can take some and leave some, they are serious. Here we go:
1. Don't Move
During the 2005 NCAA, West Virginia made a great, unbelievable run, some of which I must take credit for. During the Wake Forest game we weren't playing all that well early, so of course I shifted positions to change the course of the game (which is the only time during a game you are allowed to move). The game did change, which was great, but I was in a pickle. For the last hour or so of the game, I couldn't reach my drink or the food that I had made because my new position didn't allow me too. Did I move? Hell no. What would have happened if I moved? I wasn't about to find out. During the 2000 World Series between the Mets and the Yankees, we were having a big party at my frat house. One of my frat brothers made the mistake of coming upstairs to watch the game with me. He had been drinking, but the Mets were playing well. At one point, he tried to get up to go to the bathroom and he was not allowed. To his credit, he sat their quietly having to pee, but he understood that he couldn't move. The Mets went on to lose in extra innings, but it wasn't our fault. A final, more hurtful example, occurred during the 1999 NLCS. The Mets were playing the Braves in Game 6 and it was a tense game. The Mets were up by one entering the bottom of the 10th and the guy I was watching the game with decided to get up and leave despite my displeasure. The Braves tied the game in the bottom of the 10th and Kenny Rodgers went on to walk in the winning run in the 11th (which I still haven't forgiven him for). I didn't talk to my friend for a week. He cost the Mets a trip to the World Series.
2. Don't change anything
In 1993, WVU was going for a perfect season. During the last game, West Virginia was playing Boston College and was trailing 14-3 with about 7 minutes left. WVU made it 14-9 with under siz to play. I am watching the game in my basement with my dad and my mom wasn't home. WVU forced a fumble and gets the ball back with only a couple of minutes to play. We hear the garage door open because my mom was home. WVU started driving and my mom tried to walk into the room. She is promptly denied entrance into the room. We would not allow her anywhere close enough to see the tv and asked her to wait in the outside room. Ed Hill went on to make on the greatest catches in WVU history and we won. My mom was then allowed to enter the room. Though she was not very happy, she made it possible for WVU to finish their perfect season. If you haven't been calling your friends during the game and your team makes a run, don't pick up the phone and try to call. If they are a true fan they won't answer anyway, but just don't even attempt to mess things up. If you live with someone else, don't say 'hey come watch this' because it just screws things up. If your wife/husband wants to come in and watch the end of the game with you, suck it up and tell them no. A victory is worth all of the trouble you will face later, trust me.
3. Never, ever, say it's over
We have all been there. You are tense during the game and then your team does something to "put the nail in the coffin" and you begin to relax. All of the sudden, your team loses. Think back, did you say "yes, this one is over." Maybe you didn't say it, but you probably thought it. Don't ever do that. I was sitting in the stands in 1996 when WVU was upsetting Miami and the game was over and everyone knew it. The celebration was starting. All WVU had to do was to punt the ball away, make a tackle, and the game was over. Not so easy. Miami blocks the punt, picks it up, laterals it, scores, and WVU loses. It isn't a myth. The sports' gods are sitting up on the mountain waiting, just waiting, for someone to say it is over. Here's a tip. If you are watching the game with someone who says it is over, simply ask them to go outside, turn around three times, spit and curse. That may satisfy the sports' gods and hopefully undo the damage that they have caused.
4. Your lucky shirt/outfit/chair/drink/food is really lucky
You know, all of these rules go hand in hand, which is why I said earlier that you can't pick and choose which rules you will follow. Wearing your lucky shirt or outfit goes together with not moving and not changing anything. A good example of this was when we learned last night that Bob Huggins was wearing the same suit he wore the night before and WVU won again. So, I wore the same outfit to work today that I wore yesterday. I will go home and put on the same outfit tonight that I wore last night. It is the very, very least that we can do for our team. I say this a lot when I talk about what a fan should do, but do I know what would happen if I didn't wear the same outfit, no, and I am not going to find out and you better not either. If your team wins when you eat hot dogs, then damn it, keep eating those hot dogs.
5. Be consistent
This is the most important rule to follow. Simply put, do what you always do. If your team is successful when you watch the game in your kitchen, then watch the games in your kitchen. Don't get caught up in the big game experience. If you watch the games alone, when a big game comes up, don't be stupid and go to the party, stay at home with your dog and do what you always do. It isn't hard. Too many times people get caught up in the moment and decide to break out of their habit and it costs their team. I don't do well when I actually go to the game, so I stay away. In 2007, WVU lost two football games, to Pitt and South Florida. Those two games were the only two games that yours truly went to. It isn't a coincidence, it is fact. Even when I was going to grad school in Morgantown, I didn't go to football games because I don't do well there. The game would be going on two blocks from my place, and I would be sitting in my chair watching the games on tv. That is how it works best.
Some of you may think that these rules are ridiculous. I don't care what you think, just follow them. The bottom line here folks is that you don't tempt fate. Because she will reach up and bite you square in the ass if you do.
You are a fan of an obscure tennis player who doesn't win all that often. He rarely makes it to national television, so you are forced to pay to watch his matches online. All of the sudden, he makes a run in a Grand Slam and after watching three matches online, he finally makes it to national television. What do you do? Do you...
A. Of course you watch him on the big screen, he is never on television
B. Stick with the computer because he has won while you were watching him on the computer
C. It doesn't matter, so I will decide what to do based on where I am.
If you answered A or C, unless you are a Cowboys, Phillies, Celtics, or Pitt fan, you need to keep reading. The answer is clearly B and if you don't know that, then I would have to question how much you really care about your favorite teams.
Let's get this out of the way early. What you do does matter as a sports fan. You are not just somebody watching a sporting event, your actions affect your team. I write this post because it is getting to be tournament time and we need to go over a few rules. These aren't rules that you can take some and leave some, they are serious. Here we go:
1. Don't Move
During the 2005 NCAA, West Virginia made a great, unbelievable run, some of which I must take credit for. During the Wake Forest game we weren't playing all that well early, so of course I shifted positions to change the course of the game (which is the only time during a game you are allowed to move). The game did change, which was great, but I was in a pickle. For the last hour or so of the game, I couldn't reach my drink or the food that I had made because my new position didn't allow me too. Did I move? Hell no. What would have happened if I moved? I wasn't about to find out. During the 2000 World Series between the Mets and the Yankees, we were having a big party at my frat house. One of my frat brothers made the mistake of coming upstairs to watch the game with me. He had been drinking, but the Mets were playing well. At one point, he tried to get up to go to the bathroom and he was not allowed. To his credit, he sat their quietly having to pee, but he understood that he couldn't move. The Mets went on to lose in extra innings, but it wasn't our fault. A final, more hurtful example, occurred during the 1999 NLCS. The Mets were playing the Braves in Game 6 and it was a tense game. The Mets were up by one entering the bottom of the 10th and the guy I was watching the game with decided to get up and leave despite my displeasure. The Braves tied the game in the bottom of the 10th and Kenny Rodgers went on to walk in the winning run in the 11th (which I still haven't forgiven him for). I didn't talk to my friend for a week. He cost the Mets a trip to the World Series.
2. Don't change anything
In 1993, WVU was going for a perfect season. During the last game, West Virginia was playing Boston College and was trailing 14-3 with about 7 minutes left. WVU made it 14-9 with under siz to play. I am watching the game in my basement with my dad and my mom wasn't home. WVU forced a fumble and gets the ball back with only a couple of minutes to play. We hear the garage door open because my mom was home. WVU started driving and my mom tried to walk into the room. She is promptly denied entrance into the room. We would not allow her anywhere close enough to see the tv and asked her to wait in the outside room. Ed Hill went on to make on the greatest catches in WVU history and we won. My mom was then allowed to enter the room. Though she was not very happy, she made it possible for WVU to finish their perfect season. If you haven't been calling your friends during the game and your team makes a run, don't pick up the phone and try to call. If they are a true fan they won't answer anyway, but just don't even attempt to mess things up. If you live with someone else, don't say 'hey come watch this' because it just screws things up. If your wife/husband wants to come in and watch the end of the game with you, suck it up and tell them no. A victory is worth all of the trouble you will face later, trust me.
3. Never, ever, say it's over
We have all been there. You are tense during the game and then your team does something to "put the nail in the coffin" and you begin to relax. All of the sudden, your team loses. Think back, did you say "yes, this one is over." Maybe you didn't say it, but you probably thought it. Don't ever do that. I was sitting in the stands in 1996 when WVU was upsetting Miami and the game was over and everyone knew it. The celebration was starting. All WVU had to do was to punt the ball away, make a tackle, and the game was over. Not so easy. Miami blocks the punt, picks it up, laterals it, scores, and WVU loses. It isn't a myth. The sports' gods are sitting up on the mountain waiting, just waiting, for someone to say it is over. Here's a tip. If you are watching the game with someone who says it is over, simply ask them to go outside, turn around three times, spit and curse. That may satisfy the sports' gods and hopefully undo the damage that they have caused.
4. Your lucky shirt/outfit/chair/drink/food is really lucky
You know, all of these rules go hand in hand, which is why I said earlier that you can't pick and choose which rules you will follow. Wearing your lucky shirt or outfit goes together with not moving and not changing anything. A good example of this was when we learned last night that Bob Huggins was wearing the same suit he wore the night before and WVU won again. So, I wore the same outfit to work today that I wore yesterday. I will go home and put on the same outfit tonight that I wore last night. It is the very, very least that we can do for our team. I say this a lot when I talk about what a fan should do, but do I know what would happen if I didn't wear the same outfit, no, and I am not going to find out and you better not either. If your team wins when you eat hot dogs, then damn it, keep eating those hot dogs.
5. Be consistent
This is the most important rule to follow. Simply put, do what you always do. If your team is successful when you watch the game in your kitchen, then watch the games in your kitchen. Don't get caught up in the big game experience. If you watch the games alone, when a big game comes up, don't be stupid and go to the party, stay at home with your dog and do what you always do. It isn't hard. Too many times people get caught up in the moment and decide to break out of their habit and it costs their team. I don't do well when I actually go to the game, so I stay away. In 2007, WVU lost two football games, to Pitt and South Florida. Those two games were the only two games that yours truly went to. It isn't a coincidence, it is fact. Even when I was going to grad school in Morgantown, I didn't go to football games because I don't do well there. The game would be going on two blocks from my place, and I would be sitting in my chair watching the games on tv. That is how it works best.
Some of you may think that these rules are ridiculous. I don't care what you think, just follow them. The bottom line here folks is that you don't tempt fate. Because she will reach up and bite you square in the ass if you do.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
I'm Not Easily Impressed...but I'm Impressed by This
I am a big fan of sports (though I know some of you would rather I not write about sports on here, but this story is different) and I love following sports more everyday. It doesn't really matter what sport it is, I like sports stories. I came across this story today and I was amazed. I am not a big fan of players guaranteeing that there team will win. It just seemed pointless to me. Until now. Courtney Paris just told Joe Namath to sit down and shut up. Namath's guarantee isn't anything compared to Paris's recent promise. Namath might have looked like a fool if he the Jets didn't win the Super Bowl but it would really be no big deal. It wouldn't have cost him anything. Paris thinks that those types of guarantees are for kids, so she took it to the next level and I hope other follow.
Some of you may be asking the questions, "who is Courtney Paris." Paris is an All-American women's basketball player for Oklahoma University. I don't follow women's college basketball that much until tournament time, but I have heard of Paris before because she is one of, it not the best player in college basketball. She is clearly also a stand up person. as well. The following statement was made by Paris to OU fans recently:
"We're gonna win a national championship. If we don't, which is not even an option, just to put something on the line - and it might take me the rest of my life - I will pay back my scholarship because I didn't do what I said I was going to do."
$64,000 is what her scholarship is worth. Now most people pay their way through college, but Paris has lead OU to three consecutive Big 12 championships and they are going into this year's tournament as a #1 seed. So she has earned her scholarship. Either way, that statement takes guts. OU is certainly capable of making the Final Four, but they will have to get by the heavily favored, in my opinion, UConn to win the whole thing.
The odds really aren't with Paris, because it is a tough road to win the whole thing, but she just made the tournament more interesting for me and I will now be following closer than ever. I wish her the best of luck and hope that OU is able to pull this one out. This would then go down as the greatest guarantee of all-time.
Some of you may be asking the questions, "who is Courtney Paris." Paris is an All-American women's basketball player for Oklahoma University. I don't follow women's college basketball that much until tournament time, but I have heard of Paris before because she is one of, it not the best player in college basketball. She is clearly also a stand up person. as well. The following statement was made by Paris to OU fans recently:
"We're gonna win a national championship. If we don't, which is not even an option, just to put something on the line - and it might take me the rest of my life - I will pay back my scholarship because I didn't do what I said I was going to do."
$64,000 is what her scholarship is worth. Now most people pay their way through college, but Paris has lead OU to three consecutive Big 12 championships and they are going into this year's tournament as a #1 seed. So she has earned her scholarship. Either way, that statement takes guts. OU is certainly capable of making the Final Four, but they will have to get by the heavily favored, in my opinion, UConn to win the whole thing.
The odds really aren't with Paris, because it is a tough road to win the whole thing, but she just made the tournament more interesting for me and I will now be following closer than ever. I wish her the best of luck and hope that OU is able to pull this one out. This would then go down as the greatest guarantee of all-time.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Being an Uncle
I don't really have anything but news to post yet, but I thought I would let me loyal readers know that I am an uncle now. My brother and his wife had their little girl today. Emma Jane Sutton. She was 7 lbs, 3 oz and is 20 3/4 inches. Here is a photo. I will have more later.
Book Recommendation--sort of
You know, it takes some guts to recommend a book before you have actually read it, but it takes real guts to recommend a book that hasn't even come out yet. That doesn't matter to me, because I have book recommendation for all of you out there. On Monday, it was announced that former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has signed a six-figure book deal. YES! I can't wait.
Blagojevich found a place in my heart quickly after he tried to sell the Illinois Senate seat, not because of his actions, but because of his brass and his ability to be completely oblivious to his situation. Then he named Ronald Burris to the Senate and I quickly found a new favorite public figure. Either Blagojevich just didn't care what he had done or he was in complete denial, either way, the months of his saga were great tv. I really miss seeing him on tv, holding those press conferences where he just completely ignored his situation. I was a fan.
Now he is writing a book that is said to be "embarrassing to himself as well as to others." It is also said that some people "in high places" tried to prevent a book deal. I can't imagine what this guy is going to say, but it is going to be great. I wanted to be the first to recommend the book to all of you, but you will have to wait until October before it comes out. Trust me, it will be worth the wait.
Blagojevich found a place in my heart quickly after he tried to sell the Illinois Senate seat, not because of his actions, but because of his brass and his ability to be completely oblivious to his situation. Then he named Ronald Burris to the Senate and I quickly found a new favorite public figure. Either Blagojevich just didn't care what he had done or he was in complete denial, either way, the months of his saga were great tv. I really miss seeing him on tv, holding those press conferences where he just completely ignored his situation. I was a fan.
Now he is writing a book that is said to be "embarrassing to himself as well as to others." It is also said that some people "in high places" tried to prevent a book deal. I can't imagine what this guy is going to say, but it is going to be great. I wanted to be the first to recommend the book to all of you, but you will have to wait until October before it comes out. Trust me, it will be worth the wait.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Top Ten Political Movies of All Time
A little short on topics today, so I thought I would break out my list of Top Ten Political Movies. There was some argument (yes, I argue with myself...get used to it) about what is the definition of political movies. I decided to define political movies as a movies whose main plot is political in nature. Maybe it is about the government or an election, either way you will get the gist once you see the list. Here we go:
10. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)--No, not the 2004 version, but the real version, the one with Frank Sinatra in it. This is one of the first great political thrillers and it still stands the test of time. Please don't base your opinion of this movie on the new version, go out and get the real version.
9. The American President--Another list that is talked about somewhat is the list of greatest presidential speeches in film. The speech the Andrew Shepard gives at the end of this movie clearly tops that list. "This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up. My name is Andrew Shepherd, and I am the President." Awesome!
8. Wag the Dog--Put Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro in any movie and it is going to be great. Add William H. Macy, Woody Harrelson, Denis Leary, and Willie Nelson and you have a classic. This is probably the best political satire ever. "War is business, that's why we're here." Great line from a really funny movie.
7. The Best Man--Probably the best political movie that most of you have heard of. Henry Fonda is in this wonderful movie about political campaigns. The basic premise of this movie boils down to how much dirt a candidate is willing to fling to win their nomination. Funny story about this movie, apparently Ronald Reagan tested for this movie, but was turned down for "not having the presidential look."
6. All The President's Men--This is just a classic. I get excited to watch this movie every time I sit down to watch it, even though I have seen it about 50 times. Based on the Watergate scandal, this movie delivers in the toughest of circumstances. We already know the ending and the story, yet the movie keeps you intrigued right up until the end. That is tough to do.
5. Primary Colors--One of my favorites of all time. John Travolta and Emma Thompson are amazing and Billy Bob Thornton puts it over the top. Best line that sums up this movie comes from Emma Thompson's (the candidate's wife) character. She explained her husband like so, "your grandfather was a great man. Jack Stanton could also be a great man, if he wasn't such a faithless, thoughtless, disorganized, undisciplined shit."
4. The Candidate--Probably Robert Redford's best movie. If you are a political person you have probably seen this movie, otherwise you might not of. Redford's character runs for Senate with no chance of winning and they run their campaign that way. It is a fabulous story about political campaigns and contains the greatest line in political movie history. Redford's character has just won in a huge surprise and he is sitting on the bed in his hotel room and he looks up at his campaign manager with this worried look and says, "What do we do now?" Classic.
3. Citizen Kane--Easily could be considered the best movie of all time and I would have no problem with that. This still is a motion picture master piece. My favorite line from this movie is, "you're right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars next year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place...in 60 years."
2. All the Kings Men (1949)--Unlike most, I like the Sean Penn version of this movie, but it is probably because I love Willie Stark, aka Huey P. Long. Still, the new version doesn't even hold water to the original version when Broderick Crawford plays Stark. It is a great story of how a person can get caught up in power and politics and Stark is just the kind of guy you root for even though he changes. It is also a great story of Stark's aid, who is just bright eyed and who becomes a political animal overnight. The best line in this movie and one of the greatest of all times is "Now, shut up! Shut up, all of you! Now listen to me, you hicks. Yeah, you're hicks too, and they folled you a thousand times like they fooled me. But this time, I'm going to fool somebody. I'm going to stay in this race. I'm on my own and I'm out for blood."
1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington-- Not only does this top this list, it also tops my best movies of all time list. It is simply the greatest story ever told in a movie. My favorite line is when Jefferson Smith gets really mad, at least as mad as he can, and says, "I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too." This movies gives you hope and makes you wish there were more leaders out there like Smith.
10. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)--No, not the 2004 version, but the real version, the one with Frank Sinatra in it. This is one of the first great political thrillers and it still stands the test of time. Please don't base your opinion of this movie on the new version, go out and get the real version.
9. The American President--Another list that is talked about somewhat is the list of greatest presidential speeches in film. The speech the Andrew Shepard gives at the end of this movie clearly tops that list. "This is a time for serious people, Bob, and your fifteen minutes are up. My name is Andrew Shepherd, and I am the President." Awesome!
8. Wag the Dog--Put Dustin Hoffman and Robert De Niro in any movie and it is going to be great. Add William H. Macy, Woody Harrelson, Denis Leary, and Willie Nelson and you have a classic. This is probably the best political satire ever. "War is business, that's why we're here." Great line from a really funny movie.
7. The Best Man--Probably the best political movie that most of you have heard of. Henry Fonda is in this wonderful movie about political campaigns. The basic premise of this movie boils down to how much dirt a candidate is willing to fling to win their nomination. Funny story about this movie, apparently Ronald Reagan tested for this movie, but was turned down for "not having the presidential look."
6. All The President's Men--This is just a classic. I get excited to watch this movie every time I sit down to watch it, even though I have seen it about 50 times. Based on the Watergate scandal, this movie delivers in the toughest of circumstances. We already know the ending and the story, yet the movie keeps you intrigued right up until the end. That is tough to do.
5. Primary Colors--One of my favorites of all time. John Travolta and Emma Thompson are amazing and Billy Bob Thornton puts it over the top. Best line that sums up this movie comes from Emma Thompson's (the candidate's wife) character. She explained her husband like so, "your grandfather was a great man. Jack Stanton could also be a great man, if he wasn't such a faithless, thoughtless, disorganized, undisciplined shit."
4. The Candidate--Probably Robert Redford's best movie. If you are a political person you have probably seen this movie, otherwise you might not of. Redford's character runs for Senate with no chance of winning and they run their campaign that way. It is a fabulous story about political campaigns and contains the greatest line in political movie history. Redford's character has just won in a huge surprise and he is sitting on the bed in his hotel room and he looks up at his campaign manager with this worried look and says, "What do we do now?" Classic.
3. Citizen Kane--Easily could be considered the best movie of all time and I would have no problem with that. This still is a motion picture master piece. My favorite line from this movie is, "you're right, I did lose a million dollars last year. I expect to lose a million dollars this year. I expect to lose a million dollars next year. You know, Mr. Thatcher, at the rate of a million dollars a year, I'll have to close this place...in 60 years."
2. All the Kings Men (1949)--Unlike most, I like the Sean Penn version of this movie, but it is probably because I love Willie Stark, aka Huey P. Long. Still, the new version doesn't even hold water to the original version when Broderick Crawford plays Stark. It is a great story of how a person can get caught up in power and politics and Stark is just the kind of guy you root for even though he changes. It is also a great story of Stark's aid, who is just bright eyed and who becomes a political animal overnight. The best line in this movie and one of the greatest of all times is "Now, shut up! Shut up, all of you! Now listen to me, you hicks. Yeah, you're hicks too, and they folled you a thousand times like they fooled me. But this time, I'm going to fool somebody. I'm going to stay in this race. I'm on my own and I'm out for blood."
1. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington-- Not only does this top this list, it also tops my best movies of all time list. It is simply the greatest story ever told in a movie. My favorite line is when Jefferson Smith gets really mad, at least as mad as he can, and says, "I wouldn't give you two cents for all your fancy rules if, behind them, they didn't have a little bit of plain, ordinary, everyday kindness and a little looking out for the other fella, too." This movies gives you hope and makes you wish there were more leaders out there like Smith.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Are the Glory Days Really Behind Me?
Okay, a little back story is needed here. About a week ago it was determined that A-Rod's cousin was the person who injected him with an over-the-counter substance to gain an energy boost. This started a rash of emails back and forth between my brother, my cousin, and myself. In one of the emails my cousin starts off by saying "When one reflects back on the 'glory days' one can add details to the story at will." We have began referring to our former years in the gym and playing ball as the "glory days," mainly since they have passed the three of us up and now all we have our stories. My cousin's point was that while A-Rod couldn't remember much detail about these days, while we are always able to remember exactly how successful we were during our "glory days." It never fails that when we get together my brother explains to us how much we was able to curl and my cousin reflects on how bad an idea it was to try and squat twice his body weight. Anyway, to end his email, my cousin wrote, "One doesn't realize they're in the glory days until they have past."
So I wrote the two of them back, mind you they are both older than me, and said, "Are you saying that we aren't still in our 'glory days'." My brother then put an end to the question with the following email, "I promise you both that the glory days are over. If you have any doubt, try to remember the last time you hurt your back bending over. Was it to pick up a 75-lb. dumbbell or just something on the floor? Or maybe even just getting out of bed? 'I don't know what I did to my back!' That's a first sign indicator, the glory days are long gone."
I bring this all up, because I woke up this morning in a good deal of pain. For you doctors out there, or want to be doctors, see if you can figure this injury out. I work up this morning and my right shoulder was killing me, I could barely bend over because my back hurt, and I couldn't put hardly any pressure on my left knee. So right shoulder, back, left knee. Doesn't make much sense huh? For some of you it does. It is a common injury that is the result of playing too much Wii Sports Bowling.
I thought to myself, "seriously, I can hardly move because I played to much Wii Bowling." I wasn't even using a real bowling ball. Now most of you know that I remain somewhat active (not as much as in my "glory days") with tennis and squash. I play at least two to three times a week and most weeks more. I play pretty hard and most of the time it doesn't take long to recoup, but man I am sore this morning. So maybe my "glory days" are really past me. I am not willing to give them up just yet, but some of the signs are there.
So I wrote the two of them back, mind you they are both older than me, and said, "Are you saying that we aren't still in our 'glory days'." My brother then put an end to the question with the following email, "I promise you both that the glory days are over. If you have any doubt, try to remember the last time you hurt your back bending over. Was it to pick up a 75-lb. dumbbell or just something on the floor? Or maybe even just getting out of bed? 'I don't know what I did to my back!' That's a first sign indicator, the glory days are long gone."
I bring this all up, because I woke up this morning in a good deal of pain. For you doctors out there, or want to be doctors, see if you can figure this injury out. I work up this morning and my right shoulder was killing me, I could barely bend over because my back hurt, and I couldn't put hardly any pressure on my left knee. So right shoulder, back, left knee. Doesn't make much sense huh? For some of you it does. It is a common injury that is the result of playing too much Wii Sports Bowling.
I thought to myself, "seriously, I can hardly move because I played to much Wii Bowling." I wasn't even using a real bowling ball. Now most of you know that I remain somewhat active (not as much as in my "glory days") with tennis and squash. I play at least two to three times a week and most weeks more. I play pretty hard and most of the time it doesn't take long to recoup, but man I am sore this morning. So maybe my "glory days" are really past me. I am not willing to give them up just yet, but some of the signs are there.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
What To Give Up For Lent?
For those of you who don't know, tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent. So, as is custom, I needed to figure out what to give up for the next 40 days (apparently it is something like 46 days, since Sundays don't count). So I thought about it for a while. Most of you know, I am just ending on month without eating any meat, which was for no reason at all. My wife kind of wanted to make that retroactive, but there are no grandfather rules in Lent, so we need to find something else to give up.
Before I started this blog, I did a little reading on Lent and found that the fasting during Lent is intended to be about self-discipline. You don't just fast (and by fast, in modern terms that is giving something up) for the sake of fasting, it has to be something that requires you to use some self discipline, self control, and be something that you will miss so that you think about it and make a conscience effort to ensure that you stay disciplined. That way, you are always keeping in mind the purpose of Lent (I will leave the purpose of Lent up to each of you individually, because that is how I roll).
So with that said, I thought about a variety of things, but nothing really seemed that hard. I then read something that said that fasting wasn't just for self discipline, but also to better one's self. It is not just about fasting, but fasting to cleanse yourself and to better yourself. In modern terms, I took that to be something that would make me healthier or a better person. So I thought about what I use and do everyday (for the self discipline part) and something that isn't necessarily the healthiest thing in the world for me (the cleansing part).
Well, I settled on caffeine. I did soda last year, but that really wasn't' that hard because I still had tea and coffee. This year I am going cold turkey. As I finish up this blog, I am drinking my last cup of coffee till April 11th. I probably drink about a total of 4 or 5 cups of coffee a day and three or four sodas/energy drinks a week, so this is going to be hard. Since I was in the mood to take this seriously, I decided to add chocolate to the list since it is high in caffeine. I will see what else I use that is also high in caffeine and nix those as well (goodbye Excedrin).
So when you see me over Lent, be careful for the first few days, as I will likely have a pretty strong headache. But also make sure that I am following my promise here. I hope that each of you who celebrate Lent have put some thought into your decision and I hope maybe I have provided you with some insight into a way to make your decision. Post your decision here, or hit me up on Facebook and let me know what you decided. Good luck.
Before I started this blog, I did a little reading on Lent and found that the fasting during Lent is intended to be about self-discipline. You don't just fast (and by fast, in modern terms that is giving something up) for the sake of fasting, it has to be something that requires you to use some self discipline, self control, and be something that you will miss so that you think about it and make a conscience effort to ensure that you stay disciplined. That way, you are always keeping in mind the purpose of Lent (I will leave the purpose of Lent up to each of you individually, because that is how I roll).
So with that said, I thought about a variety of things, but nothing really seemed that hard. I then read something that said that fasting wasn't just for self discipline, but also to better one's self. It is not just about fasting, but fasting to cleanse yourself and to better yourself. In modern terms, I took that to be something that would make me healthier or a better person. So I thought about what I use and do everyday (for the self discipline part) and something that isn't necessarily the healthiest thing in the world for me (the cleansing part).
Well, I settled on caffeine. I did soda last year, but that really wasn't' that hard because I still had tea and coffee. This year I am going cold turkey. As I finish up this blog, I am drinking my last cup of coffee till April 11th. I probably drink about a total of 4 or 5 cups of coffee a day and three or four sodas/energy drinks a week, so this is going to be hard. Since I was in the mood to take this seriously, I decided to add chocolate to the list since it is high in caffeine. I will see what else I use that is also high in caffeine and nix those as well (goodbye Excedrin).
So when you see me over Lent, be careful for the first few days, as I will likely have a pretty strong headache. But also make sure that I am following my promise here. I hope that each of you who celebrate Lent have put some thought into your decision and I hope maybe I have provided you with some insight into a way to make your decision. Post your decision here, or hit me up on Facebook and let me know what you decided. Good luck.
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