To recap, I couldn't get part two of my post in before the opening game vs. the Steelers because I had to work late. Then we lost the game in OT. Then we lost another, and another, and another, then lost 59-0, and all my ambition to finish my Titans post was gone. I was so beat down that I couldn't even muster the will to post a negative rant about how crappy the team was. So basically, I felt what it was like to be a Rams/Chiefs fan over the last couple of years. But at least the throwbacks were sweet.
But it's a good thing I didn't finish, because I would've been dead wrong. I would've said something about how what I saw from Chris Johnson in the preseason worried me, because I didn't see that burst he had last year. Well, halfway through the season, he's currently leading the NFL in rushing (by 120 yards over 2nd place), and is averaging 6.7 yards per carry - I WAS DEAD WRONG.
Then I would've posted something about how we needed to keep Vince Young on the bench at all costs, because even as boring or old as Kerry Collins looks at times, he still gives us the best chance to win games and that Vince turns it over far too much and will single-handedly cost us games. Well, with Collins at QB we were 0-6. With Vince the last two weeks, we're 2-0, and Vince has zero turnovers - I WAS DEAD WRONG.
I also said something in my first post about how we'd be good this year and that our defense was awesome. Well, we're 2-6, and have the worst pass defense, and one of the worst overall defenses in the NFL (but it's not b/c of Haynesworth, dammit!) - I WAS DEAD WRONG.
I still think the Titans are better than 2-6, but none of that matters now. Even if we improbably run the table and finish 10-6, I doubt we'd make the playoffs since we started out 0-6 vs. the AFC. What matters now is figuring out if Vince will stay around in the coming years, which I highly doubt. Even if he does keep his steady, turnover-free play going, there's no way he comes back next year at something like $14 mil per year (if they pickup his option). You don't pay that kind of money to a QB who gets you 13-19, 170 yards and a TD line, even if he is wining games right now. You can find a QB to play "smart" on a run-first team, for far less money. If they can somehow let him go and pick him up for less money, then it might be an option. With all the crap he's gone through with this team though, I think that's a longshot, and he's off to a fresh start somewhere else in 2010.
What also matters is being able to watch Chris Johnson dominate. He's on pace for just under 2,000 yards this year, and if the Titans give it to him 20+ times per game from here on out (like they have the last two games), he's gonna get it. What a STUD. His speed keeps on shocking me, and apparently, it keeps on shocking the linebackers and DB's on opposing teams, because he keeps blowing right by them, even when they think they have the angle. Enjoy yet another compilation, and be awed by the speed (and go to 0:58 for one of the best runs of this season):
Anyway, that's my take on the Titans. I still think it's realistic that, given the remaining schedule and how they've played recently, they could still go 7-9 or 8-8 this year, but that's hardly cause for celebration. But given the horrendous 0-6 start, it would be an encouraging way to go into the next offseason, finishing strong.
Hey, look at that. The countdown I made about 5 months ago on my last post is still running. Sweet.
Ahhhhhh, its almost fall. My favorite time of year. The weather gets a bit nipply-er, leaves begin to change, the grass no longer needs to be mowed, and most people's favorite sports season is just around the corner. 24 hours and counting to the start of the NFL season, which means its time to start a new season of blogging.
Although Matt stole some of my thunder (and mylist dump idea) by breaking the nearly summer-long MRSLP silence, that's ok. My post will be better, and will have less "I have an iphone 3GS so I'm better than you" bragging. Though I do have an iphone 3G, so I'm better than you (but not better than Matt, who's better than all of us).
After my Nostradamus-like Titans predictions last year, I have a lot to live up to. Seriously, read that post from Week 1 last year. Jesus, I was spot on. Like I had Gray's Sports Almanac or something.
Well this year, the Titans are still getting little respect. Everyone still has the Steelers, Pats, Colts, Chargers, Ravens, and even the Texans and Dolphins over the Titans in the AFC. I guess that's the respect a 13-3 season gets ya. They were knocked out of the playoffs early after playing a mistake-filled, ugly game where Chris Johnson (our MVP last year - more on that later) dominated the 1st half but was injured for the 2nd half, the refs gifted the Ravens 20 yards and a first down on the last drive with a terrible no-call, and we still only lost by 3 points. Just thinking of that game gets me shaking with frustration. God I hate the Ravens (I called that frustration too - lucky me).
Enough pining over what could have been. It's a New Season, and while I'm optimistic at what the Titans can do this year, I'm less confident in this team than I was at the end of last year. And it has nothing to do with the loss of Albert Haynesworth.
The Titans return 10 of 11 starters from a defense that was just awesome last year. But all anyone talks about is how we'll take a big dip this year because of the loss of Haynesworth. I was torn on re-signing him. Sure, Albert was absolutely dominant the past 2 years. But where was he before that?
We drafted him in 2002, and he was mostly injured or anonymous til 2007-2008. Could it be because 2007 was a contract year, and 2008 was the last year he had the franchise tag on him, and he knew he was playing for a huge contract so he stepped his game up? Part of me says yes. Heck, a lot of me says yes. If we had re-signed him to the tune of $100 million, I think our team would be hurt more than helped, because the strength of this team's defense has always been its depth at Defensive Line, and the ability to rotate quality players in and out at all times. That depth would have seriously suffered if we had that much money tied into one player, even one as good as Albert. And did you realize that, as good as he was, he only played about 55-60% of the defensive plays for the Titans over the past 2 years? So yeah, this defense was and is more than Albert Haynesworth, and will continue to be really good without him.
So yeah, I'm not really worried about the Titans Defense this season. Great Secondary, Good Linebackers, and a really good, deep Defensive line with a nice mix of vets and up and comers that have a chance of making a big name for themselves in the next year or two (kinda like Albert did in 2007).
The thing that concerns me is the offense. I'm not expecting them to have a Saints/Pats/Eagles/Cardinals type, explosive offense. They haven't been that, and will not be that this year. They don't need that to win, and they don't have the personnel to support it. Heck, if the offense is as good as last year (maybe a bit better), then I'd be ecstatic, and I'd be sure we were in for another great season.
We definitely upgraded the pass catchers. Justin Gage came on at the end of last year and looked really, really good. I don't expect him to go over 1,000 yards or anything this year, but he's a solid WR, and should continue to be. Bo Scaife is a good TE, and can make the nice catch and long run when we need him to. Alge Crumpler is now older, and fatter, but is a great blocker and can make catches when we need him to.
The new blood comes in the form of 2 players. The first is our "big" (not really) free agent signing - Nate Washington, formerly of the Steelers. This guy was never a top receiver for them, but seemed to be there to haul in the long bomb for Big Ben whenever he threw one up. It'd be nice if he could provide somewhat of a deep threat for Kerry, who still has a big arm, but my expectations are tempered. He's missed most of the preseason with injuries, so I have no idea what to expect from this guy in our offense.
The other player is someone most have probably never heard of. We drafted a TE in the 3rd round (ahead of Chase Coffman - surely you jest!) by the name of Jared Cook.
Ok, this guy is a freak. We already have Scaife and Crumpler, so I wasn't sure why we "wasted" a pick on a rookie TE, but after seeing him play, I get it. The dude is like 6'6", 250, and runs like a gazelle. He's got great hands from what I've seen too. Big as a TE, fast as a WR. Oh my. He will be fun to watch for the next 10 years, especially in this offense, where the tight end is king. I could see him lining up as the 3rd or 4th WR in pass situations too - he's just that gifted. I just hope he can stay healthy, as he already has some injury issues that may keep him out of our first game. He has the potential to be great. I just hope he's more Antonio Gates, and less Ben Troupe (all the talent in the world, but injuries and poor hands cost him his career).
And the O-Line. I love em. Great. Maybe the best part of our team. The personnel has been pretty uniform over the past few years, and that's usually the most important thing for an Offensive Line. They played unbelievable last year. Chris Johnson and Lendale White ran for over 2,000 yards and 25 TD's combined last year. I've previously said that if Lendale White does good, then you must have a great O-Line, because Lendale White (Ohio State sucks!!) is an awful running back. Just terrible. So if he gets almost 800 yards rushing (including an 80!!! yard TD vs. the Chiefs) and 15 TD's in a time-share situation, your O-Line is great. And they are.
Also, Kerry Collins was sacked a grand total of 8 times in 16 games last year. In case you hadn't noticed, Kerry Collins is 36 years old, and isn't exactly the most mobile QB in the world. So that few sacks allowed means you're doing something great. And that's the O-line.
So, I love the Defense, am ok with the receivers, love the Tight Ends and love the O-line. So why am I heading into this season with a bit of apprehension? Since I've rambled for the better part of forever now, and most people stopped reading at "Sweet", I'll go ahead and save that for part 2 of my post, which I'll type up right before the season opener tomorrow.
But here's a sneak peek at why I'm not as confident as I was last year: 2 players. One of them will not surprise you. His name is Vince Young. He's still pretty much a piece of shit. The other one will surprise you. His name is Chris Johnson. Why does CJ worry me? Didn't I say earlier that he was the MVP of this team last year? (yes I did) Check back tomorrow to find out.....
In the meantime, enjoy some highlights from the NFL's fastest and most exciting player.
Haven't posted in awhile. Since January in fact. Meanwhile, Matt and Justin keep right on posting, trying to make me and Clint look bad. Big mistake. Now I'm bringin' the thunda'. I don't need a bunch of fancy weekly posts to get my thoughts across. I just need like a quarterly newsletter update. Simple, concise, and more importantly, less work for me. So here's it is:
Titans choked.
Astros suck
Rockets look good.
MSU Bears basketball sucks, but they have hope.
MU basketball was fun to watch and had an exciting run.
I guess MSU baseball is ok, but started out slow and got better as the season went into conference play or something. I can't even really pretend to be interested in college baseball.
I was sick for a week, then I got better. Daytime TV sucks. It's like they put the crappiest shows on first, and they get slightly better as the day wears on, culminating in Seinfeld and Family Guy/The Office on during primetime. But during the day it starts with crap like Yes Dear and old cheesiness like Home Improvement.
Nicholas Cage gets a lot of crap, (and rightly so, based on movies like Bangcock Dangerous, 8MM, and The Wicker Man), but the man gets a nearly lifetime-long free pass based on Raising Arizona (good call, Clint), and a bevy of other solid to really good movies like The Rock, Matchstick Men, Adaptation and Nat'l Treasure. Check out his resume. I think overall, there's more hits than misses.
Bedtime Stories and Paul Blart: Mall Cop had some of the worst acting/writing I've seen in recent memory. I believe both of these movies were very successful at the box office. That's sad. I still love the Sand-man and think Kevin James himself is hilarious.
That new Judd Apatow movie called Funny People looks awesome. Sandler, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jason Schartzman. Could be another classic, though the tone of the trailer looks a bit more serious than all out funny.
I haven't been to Funacre this year. I need to go. There's a new indoor mini golf place over by Food4Less. I want to check that place out. I've always wanted to play at a mini-golf place that had a bunch of quirky, playable obstacles like the course in Happy Gilmore. I never have though. When I make my millions, I'm opening up that kind of mini-golf course. There will also be drinking allowed. And I will donate 50% of my profits to Funacre, just to make sure the golf nazi stays in business.
The newest Metallica album rocks my face off. Listening to "All Nightmare Long" while riding my bike or lifting weights makes me feel like running through a brick wall and then punching Chuck Norris in the face repeatedly.
I think Clint changing his blog's color theme to match his "in-season" team's colors is not at all gay.
This blog post is beginning to remind me of that Larry King parody Norm MacDonald used to do on SNL. I'll bet I can find a link by using the magic of google. Yep. But there's no video. NBC gets all huffy with their stuff ending up on Youtube. A-holes. Norm MacDonald is awesome.
It doesn't bother me that Chad doesn't like and has no interest in sports. But it does bother the shit out of me that Chris doesn't like sports. I can't accept it. Quit lying, Max. You know you like sports. You goddamn scientologist.
I know Chris Baer has a notebook (more likely a boxful of notebooks) filled with drawings of dicks somewhere in his place. I picture a complete comic series starring Mr. Dick N. Nuts and crew spread out across those notebooks. The fact that he masterbates to these comics does not make him gay. You see, they're his comics....
I wish the Titans had drafted Chase Coffman (he was drafted like 9 spots later). Instead, they took another TE in the 3rd round. Hope that wasn't a mistake.
The PS3 is better than the 360.
People that move away from Springfield suck.
Matt still owes me $3 from poker.
I think Clint broke my finger when we played basketball back in March, b/c it still hurts. Explain again why I was guarding you?
I'm starting to work out again with an eye on winning the race across the pond this summer.
Blogging is a lot easier when its done only 4 times per year, is in list format, and consists of random thoughts with no central theme.
I don't expect my fears about the Titans to garner any sympathy from my friends, who are mainly fans of the Chiefs (2-14) and Rams (2-14. Also they're gay....), but I don't care. Look, I'm the one who predicted this could be a Super Bowl team way back during Week 1, as long as we had a QB who wouldn't mess too many things up. That's exactly what we got this year from Kerry Collins. Still, the Steelers game aside, this team just hasn't looked right for the last 5-6 weeks (ever since I attended the Jets debacle, coincidentally).
Look, I'm uber happy that we got the bye and homefield - hopefully some rest for Haynesworth, Vandenbosch and our offense will do them well. Still, the AFC is pretty stacked and pretty even this year. The one team I don't really fear in the 2nd round (the Dolphins), is the only team we can't end up playing (b/c they're the #3 seed, even though the Colts and Ravens have better records - stupid NFL). So that leaves either the Colts, Ravens or Chargers as our 2nd round foe. Great.
The freaking Chargers, led by Marmalard himself, beat us twice last year, once in the playoffs. I hate that team, hate their bitch QB, and I fear their offense. They are looking kinda scary hot right now, but maybe they just need an old fashioned beat down by a physical Titans defense to set them straight and shut them up - something they didn't have to face all year in the AFC West. Fear Factor (scale of 1-10): 7
I am one of the few people, apparently, that just doesn't think the Colts are that great this year. At least not nearly as good as they have been in the past 5-6 years or so. But still, it's Peyton Manning, and that bastard can win the game for them on his own. I don't think they're as good as 12-4 indicates, but Peyton is still Peyton, and has tormented us in the division for years now (even though we beat him in the only game that mattered vs. the Colts this season). Fear Factor: 6
And the Ravens? Man, they scare me the most. As I said before, I hate playing the Ravens. We beat them earlier this year, but that was due to a late "comeback" after we were down 10-3 for much of the 2nd half. The Ravens played better that game, but steady Kerry Collins came through at the end to get us the W. Now it looks like Flacco is much more poised than he was in the earlier meeting, so that added to their sick defense is a scary proposition. Plus, Ray Lewis is a scary mofo that always acts like he wants to eat your children. Or at least help you beat a murder rap by obstructing some justice. I hate when justice is obstructed. Let's just say I'll be pulling for the Fins to knock out the Ravens this weekend :) Fear Factor: 9
This all being said, I think the Titans have the best team in the AFC this year, and I see no reason why we shouldn't win 2 and be playing in Tampa for SuperBowl XLIII in a few weeks. It's just a matter of making sure the team that shows up is the same one that beat the Steelers, Colts and Ravens this year, and not the one that laid that stinky egg vs. the Jets a few weeks back.
Oh, and by the way, Steelers fans - you deserved this, you Terrible Towel-waving, obnoxious bastards:
If you really need something like this to fire you up next time we play, then I'm much less worried about your loser of a team than I was before. Stomp that towel, Len-fatty!!!
A buddy of mine sent me this link today, and I couldn't agree with it more. It's an article about the slow death of the quality nacho at restaurants, and how to fix it.
While the whole article is quality, "Nacho Commandment #1" really stood out to me, since its been something I've been harping on for years when I go out to eat and someone suggests nachos. Basically, unless someone with me can vouch that I'm not gonna order nachos and get a dish with one single 'cho stuck together with some nasty, hard shredded cheese, I'm not ordering nachos.
For an example, let's take the image above. While at a glance these nachos look mighty tasty, there are two huge problems. First, is the lack of actual quantity of cheese on the nachos. Isn't that the whole point of nachos in the first place - the freakin' cheese!!??! Second, is that these nachos look to have shredded cheese sprinkled on them, and then likely microwaved for about 40 seconds to melt. This technique assures a disappointing nacho experience. And to think, some restaurant actually put that image up on their website as an the best example of their nacho dish.
Well, if working for 5 years at a Mexican restaurant (that followed the exact flawed nacho technique I've outlined above) taught me anything, it was how NOT to make nachos. I am no longer fooled by images such as the one above that often appear on menus and seek to reassure a satisfying nacho experience. I have learned, and am now a better person (and a better nacho-maker) as a result. Thank you, Tres Hombres, thank you...
Unfortunately, most restaurants out there haven't yet learned, and still don't follow the First Nacho Commandment (from the linked article):
"Nacho Commandment #1: Nacho cheese should never, ever be a solid.
This is the most common and basic of errors, but I see it all the time. You should never, ever make nachos with melted shredded cheese. Shredded cheese melts just fine, but it returns to its solid form about halfway between the kitchen and the customer’s table. When you make a man’s nachos with shredded cheese, you doom him to a steaming plate of heartbreak. I mean, come on. That’s something your mom would do when she’s trying to show your teenage friends that she’s The Cool Mom. “Here, honey, I made you and your friends a plate of those nachos you always talk about.” And you eat them because you don’t want to hurt your mom’s feelings, but really, the moment she isn’t looking, you let the dog eat them even though you know it’s going to give him the runs.
Nacho cheese is a sauce, Joe. Yes, I realize that this means it technically isn’t cheese. We don’t care. If the idea of liquid cheese offends you as a chef, then you know, just go back to serving chutney, take nachos off of your menu, and leave us out of it."
Preach on, brother!!!
Lastly, if you want to try a quality nacho dish at a place that definitely follows the First Commandment, and you happen to be in Aurora, MO (I have no idea why you'd be there, but anyway), then stop by Hawgwild BBQ and sample one of their several varieties of 'chos. That place restored my faith in the restaurant nacho....
Tampa was in last place last year (hell, they've been in last place most of their existence), but they skyrocketed to 1st in the AL East this year - over the Yanks and Red Sox, thank god - and are now in the ALCS, a step away from the World Series. Their perfect blend of young talent and veterans really is coming together this year, and it was all put together mainly by Gerry Hunsicker (I think he's a VP for the Rays), the former GM of the Astros, who put together our NLCS squad of 2004 and World Series squad of 2005.
Kudos to Drayton McLane (the Astros owner) for letting him go - your 2 subsequent GM's, Tim Purpura and Ed freakin' Wade have succeeded in making us a below-average-to-mediocre team the last 3 years (at best), with very little in the way of young talent to look forward to in the coming years. Good thing you got rid of the guy who had a hand in the Astros best years in their mostly tortured history (1996-2005). Brilliant.
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):
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...
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...
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.
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...
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.
I'm too frustrated/angry/tired/busy to expound on this too much now, but that dude with the evil little smile in the picture there is Astros GM Ed Wade. And he's a bitch.
Under his brief period of inept control, he has ruined my beloved Astros, not just for this year, but for many years to come. He sucks. Sad thing is, there were plenty of people out there who already knew he sucked before we hired him, and we still gave that douche-sack control of our team.
I'll expand on this further later on, but right now, I just wanted to express the constant feeling of sick-to-my-stomach-ness I get when I think about the stupid moves this asshole made over the past 6 months (and former GM Purpura's 2 year reign before that was pretty damn awful as well), and how its going to put my Astros in the hole for the forseeable future.
Also, he likes to pick fights with Astros pitchers. God, what a disaster.
I'm not sure how many people actually care about Euro 2008 here in the US (or even know what it is), but I'm lovin' it. For the first time ever, all the games are going to be broadcast on ESPN, in glorious high-def, so we here in the US can see it.
The Euro championship is basically a tournament just like the World Cup, except only national teams from Europe are eligible to participate. That covers just about every elite team in international soccer, save for Brazil & Argentina. It is basically the most prestigious tournament outside of the World Cup, and it only happens once every 4 years. Only 16 teams (4 groups of 4 teams) qualify for the group stage, which is what started on Saturday. I'm watching the Croatia-Austria match as I'm typing this, but I'm really looking forward to the next game involving the always powerful Germans vs. the team I'll be pulling for, the team of my motherland, Poland.
The favorites in this tournament are the usual suspects - Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands. I'm not gonna pretend to be an expert as to all of the teams in the tournament, though I've been following both club and international soccer pretty seriously for going on 4 years now. It's tough to follow it too closely here in the states, as none of the mainstream sports media really covers it, so you have to seek it out most of the time, through subscribing to Fox Soccer Channel, and GolTV, which show English and Spanish club soccer during the year. It's just nice to have all the games on ESPN this time around. Anyways, if you wanna read more about Euro 2008 itself, inlcuding an analysis of all the teams, I found a good summary here.
Unlike most of my friends and people I know, I love watching soccer. My dad loved playing and watching soccer, and always tried to get me interested in it. I would oblige and watch the World Cup here and there, but really, it didn't hold my interest. I first really started following it after I got a soccer game for my PS2 (Winning Eleven 7), and I got to know the names of all the teams and players. After that, I really liked watching the games on TV, because I was just more familiar with the game itself, and I knew the players and teams. Now I'm addicted to watching the English Premier League on Saturdays, and try to get in as much International soccer as I can. I do not watch the MLS. I guess it has gotten better over the years and I want it to succeed, but really the difference between watching the MLS and watching a class league like the EPL or Spain's La Liga, is like the difference between watching a high school football game and the NFL. No comparison.
Unlike most US soccer fans, I have no delusions of soccer becoming the "next big thing" here in the US. Sure the MLS has gotten bigger, but its still a 2nd or 3rd class sports league (yes, even with Beckham...). But I do think soccer is slowly and incrementally inching its way into America, and is slowly getting more and more exposure here. It will never be as big as the NFL, MLB, NBA, or even the NHL here in the US, but that's fine. It doesn't really make any difference to me if it does, b/c I'll enjoy watching it and following it either way. I'm also not trying to convert anybody into a soccer fan, but don't be surprised if you come over ot my house and I'm watching it, and then force you to watch a highlight of an awesome finish or an awesome goal from a game I have saved on my DVR....
Anyways, I hope you guys just give it a chance and watch some Euro 2008 on ESPN this month. It should be pretty good.
I will end this soccer-themed entry with a compilation of goals from my favorite player, Dimitar Berbatov, from my favorite club team, Tottenham Hotspur (located in North London). He's right below Berkman in my pecking order of man-crushes. The guy is just silky smooth on the field (the "pitch") and is just a cold-blooded finisher. Note: unless you really like techno dance music, just go ahead and mute it. I don't know why, but it seems like every goal compilation on YouTube is accompanied by some terrible techno music. I don't get it. Must be a European thing.
In case you didn't know, I really love this man (as much as one heterosexual man can love another).
I mean, look at him. Flipping his glove on the field as if he didn't have a care in the world. "I'm the best player on one of the more successful teams of the past dozen or so years - ho hum." That's how he plays baseball too - effortlessly. And it looks like he's having a blast doing it too.
Lance has got to be one of the most talkative guys in the league. If you ever watch an Astros game, just notice what happens when an opposing player gets to 1st base. My boy just talks his ear off. If Lance isn't talking to someone while he's on the field, then its a pretty safe bet that the other player is either (a) a dick, or (b) doesn't speak English. That's just the way he is, all the time. Whether its a pressure situation, or just the top of the 1st inning - always even keel. That's one of the many reasons I love the guy (as a ballplayer, of course).
Anyhow, I'm sure that several of my coming blog entries will further detail many aspects of Lance Berkman and/or the Astros, including, but not limited to: how great a player he is, how underrated he is, how he never gets the attention appropriate for a player of his caliber, how he is better than Albert Pujols (yes, I went there), how I met/stalked him in Chicago once, etc..... But I just wanted to give a brief intro of my boy, and profess my like/love for him early on - get it all out on the table up front, just so there's no confusion and no mixed messages - I love him (not in "that" way....not really). It's just, well, hard to explain. Perhaps its best that I explain it like all normal heterosexual men express themselves - in song!!!!!
Clear now? Good. Just guy love between two guys, that's all...(actually, its kinda one-sided, but you get the point). And now to leave you with an image that got me all excited while I searched for Lance Berkman images on Google....enjoy. (Again, not gay, not that there's anything wrong with that...)
Well, this is my first post, and it'll probably be a little rough. Actually, I'm just going to cut and paste a chat I had with my buddy Brian on G-Chat a little while ago.
I'm posting this "chat" ("chat" in quotes because it basically involved me typing my rant while Brian patiently waited for me to stop), because it is what inspired me to start this blog. I needed an outlet for my rantings and ravings, so I could save my girlfriend, brother, friends, and anyone else who happens to be in the room, from my (sometimes) endless need to make my point clear, and convince everyone of my position. Maybe releasing my thoughts and opinions here will help mitigate (though not eliminate) the amount of me that I subject the aforementioned people to (I've been told I can be a bit much at times - thanks Ami and Katie).
The following rant starts out about the Astros and Cardinals, as arguments with me often do, and ends with a brief summary of one of my main pet peeves when it comes to MLB analysts - That may seem random, and make very little sense, but that's how I work sometimes (I have slightly edited it from its original chat form, to make it a bit more readable):
me: i was reading something about the NL central, that article that debated the Brewers vs. the cards vs. the Cubs as the best team in the central it was actually a chat 9:06 AM
Some guy asked the supposed expert who was on the chat, "what about the Astros, they've been on a roll lately" (this was a week ago or so). The guy was like - after Oswalt you've got Wandy, Backe, Chacon and Sampson, not exactly top class.
Well what about the Cards, a team they considered above the Astros?9:07 AM After Wainright, they've got who - Lohse, Reyes, Pinero, Wellemeyer? They're doing good, but they're not top guys.
Stupid chat guy. Pitchers can get better, ya know?! 9:08 AM Just b/c Wandy has been average to bad his first few years, doesn't mean he'll always be that way - I'm actaully excited about his return.
Same w/ the Cards - just b/c Wellemeyer has been an average bullpen guy in the past, doesn't mean he can't be a good starter now. 9:09 AM
That's my #1 peeve about baseball analysis "experts", whenever they talk about a team's pitching, they bascially name the team's ace, then say "but after him, you have no other top class guys"9:10 AM. That's the dumbest argument ever. Aces can develop over time and very few teams ever have more than one. Who thought Wainright was a dominant ace 1.5 years ago? No one. Now he's considered a top guy. 9:11 AM. Guys can go from middle of the rotation guys to top line borderline aces over the course of even one year. Happens all the time, like with Wainright last year (or Haren last year).
I'm just saying that I always hear that stupid argument, and its just a cheap way to get out of actually answering a question about a team's pitching - just criticize their chances by pointing out that they have an ace, but no other great pitchers after that. It sounds good, but its really a dumb argument, as it only takes into account past performance in our assessment of what constitutes an "ace", and doesn't take into account the potential of some formerly middle of the road guys to take a step up to potential ace status during the course of the year.
Sorry bri, too much to say. I need to write a blog or something - get my shit out....
Cat Tarot Cards
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[image: Cat tarot cards]
Cat tarot cards
The Gatti deck is an Italian Tarot of 22 cards, each featuring a cat
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What does th...
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All Right, Time to Clean up My Blog
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As I have stated, I would like to keep my blog going. So I will be
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