MLB Season is over

And the Astros did surprisingly well, at least in my opinion. I didn't have very high expectations this year, especially after seeing some of the Ed Wade moves, but the Astros exceeded most of 'em. Now whether Ed Wade's moves leave our farm system debilitated for years to come and ultimately kill our talent on the big league club is still to be seen (I've seen it, and the answer is "yes"), but at least this year, they played some pretty good, scrappy baseball.

Final Standings (the only ones that matter, anyway):

Houston Astros	86	75	.534
St. Louis Cardinals	86	76	.531

That's right, Cards fans, we beat your asses this year. The numbers don't lie. We were obviously the more superior team this season. Better luck next year...

NFL Update - 1/4 of the way through the season...

....and like I said weeks ago, the Titans are good - REALLY good. 4-0, Undeafeated good. And damn does it feel good.

Next up, at Baltimore next week. These teams have a nasty history, and both have smashmouth defenses. Should be a physical slugfest, and could be an ugly game. I think the Titans have the edge on offense though, but I'm not predicting anything, b/c I hate playing the Ravens. I'll just savor 4-0 for now, and sweat next week's game out like I always do.

How to Get a Girl

One of the cooler, funnier, more creative youtube vids I've seen in a while. Stick figure violence rules. Enjoy.

My Room Smells Like Betrayal

Excuse me, Mr. Pickle - Why are you, Clint and Justin getting the full blog post treatment on MRSLP, while this blog is limited to like 6 lines? Is it because I'm Polish? Did I do something to piss off "the family"? Was it all the cracks about the Chiefs? Sorry man, didn't know you were so sensitive. Just b/c your QB like to get down with skeletons doesn't mean you have to take it out on me. At least he hasn't become depressed and quit on the team, like our (ex)QB.

I could understand if it was Justin acting like this towards me - he can't help it with his German ancestry. But all I ask is equal treatment for me and the people of my kind...

Movies I've Seen Recently Deserving of the Official Martin Seal of Approval(TM)

I've been watching a lot of movies lately at home during my free time. My love for seeing movies has been rejuvinated by the overwhelming amount of High-Def movie channels that DirecTV offers nowadays. Being an HD snob, these are about the only movies I watch, and its allowed me to catch up on several old movies that I've missed for one reason or another. HDNet Movies is a great channel, and it offers a ton of new (old) movies seemingly every week. There's also the standard HDNet channel, which I used to only watch for Arrested Development, but they throw movies in there occasionally too. Same w/ Universal HD. Then there's the usual HBO/Cinemax/Starz/Showtime, and they've been showing just about 100% of their movies in HD now. It's heaven.

I've also been watching several movies by streaming them from my computer to the TV via my PS3, which is awesome. Several of these movies haven't been released yet on DVD or cable, but I've been able to get a "sneak peek." Don't ask how.

My buddy Justin Meyer has this thing he likes to call the Official Justin Meyer Seal of Approval. We know that when he affixes this Seal to something, we're in good shape - whether its appoving the theme of an MVC weekend or a restaurant to eat at, if its got the Official Justin Meyer Seal, you know its quality.

While I will give credit where credit is due, this being the internet, I'm going to steal (borrow) this idea from him in making my movie selections. Like Justin, I won't be handing these things out willy-nilly...it will be an honor to be selected, and I only hope that one day the Official Martin Seal of Approval (OMSA) will gain a reputation comprable to the OJMSA, such that friends and consumers alike will know that if its got an OMSA on it, you know its not just good, it's good enough....



Hopefully soon I'll have an offical logo that itself gets the Official Martin Seal of Approval, but I don't yet. Perhaps, Mr. Lowrance - you can help me with that?

Anyway, on to the OMSA's. This is by no means comprehensive, and only applies to movies I've seen in the last month or so (but I've seen a lot in that month), and I'll try to include some movies that you may have missed or that slipped under many people's radar. In no particular order, other than the order I can remember, which probably means I've seen them most recently:

Gone Baby Gone - Casey Affleck stars, Ben Affleck directed. Luckily, Ben Affleck doesn't star in the movie, which helps. Excellent cast - Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, Amy Ryan, and Sgt. Taggert from the Beverly Hills Cop movies. I don't know how, but Casey Affleck is becoming a hell of an actor. And when Ben Affleck sticks to things he knows (i.e. Boston, like in this movie and Good Will Hunting), good things happen.

Into the Wild - Emile Hirsch, nuff said. This guy is awesome - I've liked just about everything he's been in, and he's been awesome in just about all of those movies. Some people may think it slow. I think it amazing. Plus this guy reminds me of my buddy T Nelson from high school. Apparently directed by Sean Penn, a fact I didn't know til just this second when I linked to the IMDB page.

You Don't Mess With the Zohan - Adam Sandler. Let's get to the lighter side - I loved this movie. When Sandler goes over the top with his character, its definately risky, and can suck (see, e.g. Little Nicky), but here, it works. Something about that Isreali character he plays - the accent, the bad-assness, the silky smooth - gets me cracking up every time. I didn't love it at first, but the 2nd and 3rd times I watched it, it had me rollin and quoting the lines more and more. Which brings me to...

Nacho Libre - Jack Black. Directed by the guy who did Napoleon Dynamite. Its almost unfair to put one of JB's movies on the list, b/c this guy could just look at the camera for 5 minutes w/ a blank expression and I'd be rolling. Not a new movie, so I'm kinda cheating here, but since I've seen it again recently, I'll add it to the list. Like Zohan, I didn't love this at first, but I can't get enough of it now. That over the top spanish accent got to where I would laugh at about everything he said throughout the duration of the flick. So many great lines, that you just have to see/hear (over and over preferably) to appreciate.

The Mist - based on a Stephen King short story from way back (one of my favorite authors), and directed by the guy who did Shawshank (an ultimate classic which is the embodiment of everything the OMSA stands for, but not included on this list of "recently seen" movies). This movies stars mainly a bunch of B list actors, and has that kinda B movie feel, with A movie production/direction. I thought it stuck pretty damn close to the short story (which was a good thing since that story was flippin' sweet), with one major difference - the ending. The last 2-3 mintues of the movie are HUGELY different than the book, and instantly vaulted this movie up a notch in my rankings. Its not all about the ending though - the movie is intense and (slightly) scary throughout - in an anticipatory way, not "in your face", which I think makes a better scary movie/thriller.

The Dark Knight/Iron Man - OK, let me explain. These were both hugely popular this summer, and both widely acclaimed, so they're unlike many of the movies I've listed above. I liked both of these movies. Hell, I liked em a lot. Both were excellent. But when you go into The Dark Knight during the 2nd weekend its out, after hearing nonstop how a freakin awesome movie it was, one of the best of all time, best comic book movie ever hands down, etc., that's a lot to live up to. Nearly unmeetable expectations, and in fact, it didn't get there, in my opinion. Still a great movie. Heath Ledger stole every scene he was in - he lived up to everything I heard leading up to the movie. The rest of the movie was good, but it was still a comic book movie, and some of it was still very formulaic. In fact, I think I probably liked Spider-Man the 1st time I saw it better than I liked the Dark Knight the 1st time, so I'm not even sure its the best comic book movie out there.
Keep in mind, I really liked this movie, but we're talking the OMSA here - almost, but not quite. But since this is the Official "Martin" Seal of Approval here, and I can do what I want, I'm gonna combine the Dark Knight w/ Iron Man, and give them 1 OMSA to share. See them in a double feature. Both are really good, and at the end of the evening, you'll definately have that OMSA-like feeling...


OK, that's it, that's all I got for now. If I can think of some more, I'll add them in later posts. And watch out for future movies/games/tv shows/songs/people/places/ideas/theorems, etc. which will be awarded the Official Martin Seal of Approval(TM)(est. 9/18/08) - a brand that's trusted worldwide.

My Room Smells Like Betrayal

Excuse me, Mr. Pickle - Why are you, Clint and Justin getting the full blog post treatment on MRSLP, while this blog is limited to like 6 lines? Is it because I'm Polish? Did I do something to piss off "the family"? Was it all the cracks about the Chiefs? Sorry man, didn't know you were so sensitive. Just b/c your QB like to get down with skeletons doesn't mean you have to take it out on me. At least he hasn't become depressed and quit on the team, like our (ex)QB.

I could understand if this was Justin - he can't help it with his German ancestry. But all I ask is equal treatment for me and the people of my kind...

Could it happen?

The Astros have won 12 of 13, and are now only 4 games back of the Wild Card spot (0.5 games behind the Cardinals, by the way). I have no idea how they're doing it either. First Carlos Lee, our most consistent player this year, going down in early August. Then our starting pitchers (aside from Oswalt) start dropping like flies w/ nagging injuries. Then Ty Wigginton, who has been on a tear since Carlos Lee went down (12 HR's, 30+ RBI last month), is now out for 10+ days. Yet they keep winning.

In fact, two nights ago, a minor leaguer they had just called up and who was filling in for Wiggy hit the HR that won the game. Mark Saccamanno (no relation to Bob, Jay Reimenshnieder, Gomez, or any other of Kramer's friends for that matter) is winning games for us now? I'm speechless. I'm without speech. If the Astros make the playoffs, I'll be as blown away as anyone. Blown away, George. Blow-ow-ow-ownnnnn away...

The Tennesse Titans are good. Really Good. Seriously....

The best NFL team people refuse to believe is any good...the Titans

Despite an 8-8 record in 2006, and a 10-6 record last year w/ a playoff appearance, for whatever reason, people refuse to recognize the Titans as a team that is any good. I would bet that in any preseason publication or article anyone read, any radio or TV preseason prognostication, they picked the Titans to finish 3rd or last in their division (behind the Texans, a team we haven't lost to in 4 years!). Where is the love?

I open my ESPN the Magazine last week, and see that no less than 2 of their "experts" picked the Jacksonville Jaguars to go to the Super Bowl (they also picked the Titans to finish last in the division, but I digress). So, the Titans go out today and pretty much shut down the Jags, a game we could've won by 3 TD's if Vince hadn't played like dogshit. After the game I'm flipping around the tube, CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN post-game shows, looking for any love given to the Titans for smacking down the "mighty" Jaguars, and I get nothing. I get more news about our shitty QB's injury than I do analysis of a game where the Titans defense let the Jaguars do absolutely nothing on offense, and where the Jaguars only scored a TD when Vince gifted an INT to them, giving them the ball inside the 20.

If the Jaguars are supposed to be so good, doesn't the fact that we beat their asses today mean that the Titans are pretty damn good too? Also, the Titans have played extremely tough against the perrenial Super Bowl favorite Colts the last 2 years, and we beat them in each of the last two years. The Titans can play with and beat the Big Boys, no question. If we can beat "Super Bowl" teams in that way, why aren't we considered a Super Bowl contender too? But outside of me, have you ever heard the words "super bowl" and the "Titans" uttered in the same sentence this year? Hell no.

Perhaps its the lack of "flash" on the team. The Titans don't put up great offensive numbers, and don't really have that one star player on offense that people wanna see. Well, maybe Vince Young was, his 1st year, when he actually used his athletic ability to help us win and didn't try to become a "pocket passer." But apparently for VY, based on watching all 16 games last year and week 1 today, those days are long gone. Damn shame.

But for Christ's sake, this team is good - really good! Seriously. I'd venture to say that the Titans Defense is as good as any team in the league. Vikings, Bears, Chargers - I'd put them up against those defenses any day. And the fact that they so often have to clean up the mess our pathetic QB so often leaves behind (i.e. INT's thrown deep in our own teritory, inoppurtune fumbles, countless 3 and outs, etc) and still manages to shut people down, shows just how good they are. And their Offensive Line just pushes people around all day long. If you can make Lendale White look good (1100 yards, 7TD's last year), then you know you've got something special. The only real glaring weaknesses in this squad is our QB and our WR. I'll grant you that those are two fairly major positions in football, but a great defense and a great offensive line will always give you a chance to win in the NFL.

And oh yeah, maybe we've found our "flashy" offensive star this year in the draft in the form of Running Back Chris Johnson, our 1st round pick our of East Carolina (of the shocking Va Tech and West Virginia wins this year). This dude could be a star. Like this year. Like now. He runs a 4.24 40 yard dash, but he's not just a sprinter, he looks like a good NFL RB. I have a feeling he'll compile a nice NFL highlight reel in no time, but for now, this is what 4.24 looked like when he played at ECU. This guy can play in the NFL. He played great today, showing bursts that looked Peterson-esque at times, en route to over 120 total yards and a TD (over 6 yards per carry too).

If Vince Young can rediscover what made him a good, winning QB in the first place, this team could be very dangerous this year. And if he doesn't, ah well. Kerry Collins, even if he is old, runs this offense better than VY right now anyway. This team, unlike most NFL teams, does not live or die w/ the QB - their Defense and Running game is what makes them good. If Vince can rediscover that magic, that'd be great, but if not, the Titans are still a playoff team. With some solid QB play (either VY or Kerry Collins), they are a Super Bowl team.

No, I'm not crazy...

Astros like Sweeps

In the last week, my Astros, who I've had an embattled relationship with this season, warmed my heart with back-to-back butt whoopins of our most hated division rivals. First, we took 3 straight from the Cardinals, then we went to Wrigley, home of the 1st place, best-record-in-the-NL Cubs, and swept them 3 straight. Damn it feels good. I don't know how they're doing it, but they've won 8 in a row now, and are only 1 game back of the Cardinals, and only 6 or so games back of the Wild Card in the NL. It's still a longshot to make the playoffs, but it feels good to see them playing so well at the end of the year after struggling through the middle of the season.

In other news, my favorite football player, Dimitar Berbatov, went to the dark side and signed w/ Manchester United. That's like Lance Berkman signing w/ the Yankees, or Chase Daniel transferring to KU - basically, a betrayal. I don't want to talk about it. Dimitar, you're dead to me now. I started liking Tottenham partly because I so liked watching you play, and now I'm committed - I'm not gonna abandon them now like you did. Freakin' traitor. Go Spurs!!