Movie Reviews

I finally decided to watch "Pulp Fiction" on Netflix. It's practically worshipped on the IMDb rating system (9.0) and consider a cult classic. Here's my take: I didn't get it. None of it. Overrated. Complete waste of my time. I didn't see what the big deal was about the movie. It really shouldn't come as much of a surprise, I typically don't care for Quentin Tarantino movies.

"Sneakers" (7.1 IMDb rating, 1992). Thought it was worth watching on Netflix. Robert Redford usually keeps my interest.

"Eight Men Out" (PG, 1988, 7.3 rating): this movie is about the 1919 Black Sox scandal in the World Series. I thought it was worth watching. I didn't really understand the real backdrop to the story, but according to the movie, they did a great job explaining why they took the bribes.

"The Bad News Bears" (PG, 1976, 7.3 rating): Basically this review is about the PG rating. I honestly can't remember even a 5 minute segment that I would consider PG. The language was bad, yet no F-words. Even more puzzling is typically rating standards have been watered down as years go on. So, what is considered rated R in 1990 or later (as long as no nudity), it's usually given a PG-13 rating if the movie were to have been released in 2005 or newer. Our rating standards have been lowered. The drinking and smoking throughout the movie and the swearing, especially by the 12-year olds, was not acceptable behavior or content to earn a PG rating. Side note: I've never seen the Billy Bob Thorton version and have no plans...it can only be worse with him. I believe it has a PG-13 rating, but still no F-words.

Miller Time

So, with Braxton Miller out for the season, what is MSU fan thinking? Are the planets starting to line up? OSU will still be tough and I'm sure the back up isn't going to be bad. The way I look at it, he'll still have nearly 3 months of game and practice experience before he takes on Big Blue at The Shoe. I'm not optimistic about UM's chances. They still probably win 10 games without Miller.

The Doobie Brothers

Steeler running backs Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount will be charged with marijuana possession. Apparently there is a chronic problem in the Pittsburgh Steeler backfield.

I have to admit, I'd always hoped LeGarrette Blount smoked weed.

UPDATE: They just broke this story at the end of the TV5 Sports segment...and Sam Merrill was pissed. "Hire a driver!"

"...and the word is PANIC"

Yeah, it's time to spread the word, and the word is "panic." If the playoffs started today, the Tigers would be golfing. I'm not blaming the skipper and I'm not using injuries (off-season surgeries or mid-season injuries) that haven't fully healed as an excuse. I'll definitely blame the bullpen. I'd also like to see a few starters with the mindset of "I'm taking matters into my own hands." I'd like to see some starters respectfully tell "Bossmus" they are pitching 7 innings no matter what.

2014 Draft Prep

A few links to help with your draft preparation:

Yahoo Top 150
ESPN Top 300 (Probably our default list)
ESPN Cheat Sheets
NFL.com Draft Kit
FOXSports Player Rankings
FOXSports Draft Guide

Marvel Rankings, Phase 2

After seeing  Guardians of the Galaxy multiple times I decided to redo my Marvel movie rankings. After careful consideration I decided that I couldn't decide so I'm taking the easy way out and leaving a tie at the top of the list.

1a. Guardians of the Galaxy
1b. The Avengers
3. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
4. Iron Man 3
5. Iron Man
6. Thor
7. Captain America: The First Avenger
8. Iron Man 2
9. Thor: The Dark World
10. The Incredible Hulk

Thoughts?

Get Your Groot On

What the...?

I was preset-channel surfing the other day and stopped on "The Middle" by Jimmy Eat World...on Z93!?!? Does that song make you think of great workout music or anything for getting rid of a little anger if you are having a stressful day? Jimmy Eat World is in the Z93 mix now? Are they running out of Metallica songs? Just play Kryptonite for the billionth time from 3 Doors Down.

Draft Day

The NFL preseason has started and fantasy draft day is soon approaching. So, does anyone have a plan as to the time and place? It might be a good idea to have an idea with all the other scheduling difficulties that come with that weekend.

Thoughts on Guardians of the Galaxy

Guardians of the Galaxy opened on Thursday night at the local theater (7pm not 12am) so here are a few thoughts:

-I loved this movie. It's a little hard to rank because it's so different from the Marvel films but it would definitely go near or possibly at the top of the list for me. Definitely the most fun movie I've seen all year.

-A few movies or TV shows I've seen this be compared to in reviews: Star Wars (naturally), Indiana Jones, Avengers, and Firefly. I'd throw Farscape in there too.

-You know how the movie looked a little weird in the trailers? Well, it's a little weird. I'd say the tone was conveyed accurately by the trailers. If Star-Lord dancing through ancient ruins to the sounds of "Come And Get Your Love"  is too much for you then you might want to skip it.

-The music is a major component of the movie, both as part of the plot and the overall feeling of the movie. It's no accident that the songs were featured so much in the commercials.

-The movie is really funny. Most comedies would be lucky to have this many laughs, but it doesn't compromise the movie at all.

-I don't think I could come up with just ten favorite quotes from the movie, there are that many good lines. "We're just like Kevin Bacon!"

-The cast is fantastic. I had some doubts about Chris Pratt but after seeing the movie it's apparent why they chose him and it's hard to picture someone else playing the role. Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista are both very good in their roles, Bautista in particular does a great job considering he's an ex-wrestler.

-Rocket and Groot deserve special mention. Despite being computer animated they easily match or surpass any of the actual people in the movie.

-There is a ton of stuff in this movie that I thought Marvel would never consider trying to put on the screen. At this point I'm not sure there's much they feel like they couldn't adapt from the comics.

-If you're a comic fan the scene after all the credits is worthwhile, otherwise it probably wouldn't break your heart to miss it. It doesn't relate to any upcoming movies.

Some bonus thoughts after a second viewing:

-The audience applauded after both screenings.

-The scene where Rocket is explaining the jailbreak plan is my favorite scene in a movie this year. It's just a perfect piece of comedy.

-I love the facial expressions and reaction shots in this movie. There's a ton of subtle details that really elevate the characters.

Upcoming Marvel

In case anyone is curious here's Marvel's current list of upcoming movies or dates that a movie will be released:

Aug. 1, 2014: Guardians of the Galaxy
May 2, 2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron
July 17, 2015: Ant-Man
May 6, 2016: Captain America 3
July 8, 2016: Untitled film
May 5, 2017: Untitled film
July 28, 2017: Guardians of the Galaxy 2
November 3, 2017: Untitled film
May 4, 2018: Untitled film
July 6, 2018: Untitled film
November 2, 2018: Untitled film
May 3, 2019: Untitled film


One of those 2016 dates is probably Doctor Strange, a movie they've been working on casting but there have not been any official announcements yet. Also, they've released a concept poster (from Entertainment Weekly) for Ant-Man:

Looks pretty decent, it's probably going to take a lot more to sell people on the movie though.

Guardians of the Galaxy Extended Clip

On Dungy

A few thoughts on the "controversy" about Tony Dungy's comments on Michael Sam:

-There was no need for Dungy to clarify his comments, the only people who had any trouble understanding them were those looking for an excuse to criticize Dungy.

-Why were they so eager to attack Dungy? He's been outspoken about being a Christian.

-Dungy's comments were exactly the same comments I heard all over ESPN Radio before the draft.

-The sports media just loves to prove how socially conscious they are. It's kind of pathetic.

-If it's not okay to avoid a player because of a potential media circus then I guess all those people who hated on Tebow are going to admit they just hate Christians, right?

-Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports is a self-righteous jack@ss.

Why Can't We Be Friends

A Facebook conversation between my wife and her cousin Hillary who lives in Fort Wayne, IN:


Re: Justin Masterson's baby shower (Justin is the ace pitcher for the Cleveland Indians)


"...I did get your voicemail, glad you got them and that Molly likes them. I was in Cleveland for Mandy (Masterson's) baby shower. The shower was at Justin and Meryl's house and then we went to Justin's game (he wasn't pitching though). But it was still a cool experience. We got to park where the players park and go in thru their doors. Then we sat in the friends/family section. And for the fireworks after the game we got to go down and watch from the dugout! No players were there, but it was still cool."


My wife used to be friends with Mandy Masterson and Justin in college. They are brother and sister. He pitched for one year at Bethel College and transferred to San Diego St. University. He was born in Jamaica as his parents were missionaries.

Too bad the Mandy's didn't stay in touch...but I wouldn't sell out on my loyalty to the Tigers.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Another poster, this time with a distinctly Star Wars vibe:

!

I'm not watching the World Cup but I was okay with all this soccer nonsense until today. ESPN decided that since they're airing games on ESPN Radio they would cut SVP & Russillo down to only two hours. I'm not pleased at all. Also, the US team's uniforms (kit?) are bad, I look at them and think "Team France."

"I was gonna put it in a box."

Kickoff

The kickoff to the NFL regular season is still 96 days away but Yahoo has opened signup for the 2014 fantasy football season. For some inexplicable reason they've done away with the old league number and password system so check your inbox for an invite. If you don't see one let me know.

"This might not be the best idea."

Counting Down

I was going to write a post about how we're down to about 3 months until the kickoff of the college football season, but in looking at the schedule to get the exact number of days I noticed MSU moved their opening game to a Friday from Saturday, a fact I was not aware of. So for the second-straight year I'm likely going to miss one of the few games (possibly the only one this season) I was actually planning on being around for because they changed the schedule after I bought tickets. Thanks a lot.

Ebron

That right there is exactly the kind of thing I was worried about.

Concern

Just how concerned are you that the Lions are going to totally screw up one of the most talent-filled drafts in history? With all the rumors that have been circulating I'm expecting major disappointment this evening.

?

Anyone else think Jameis Winston's problems from pilfering seafood could be turned to his advantage? I think "Famous Jameis Crab Legs & Seafood" is a franchise just waiting to happen.

Mocking

Since the NFL Draft is finally only a week away I might start to pay attention to the various mock drafts around. But those aside, who would you like to see the Lions pick? I'm completely biased here, but given how horrible their secondary has been forever I'm rooting for Darqueze Dennard. Others I'm seeing mentioned: Aaron Donald (DT, Pitt), Taylor Lewan (dirty player), Eric Ebron (TE, NC), Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (FS, Bama), Mike Evans (WR, Texas A&M), and Justin Gilbert (CB, Oklahoma State).

?

I've heard far more today about the "Sterling Situation" than I cared to and I think ESPN and the rest of the sports media have the subject exhaustively (and exhaustingly) covered. There is one thing that really confuses me though. Here's a picture of the racist old man's mistress:

Now you might have to take a lot of guesses to deduce Ms. Stiviano's ancestry (apparently part black and part Mexican), but I don't think anyone is going to start off with white. She's obviously very attractive, but it is baffling to me that Sterling has all these issues with minorities yet spent time with (and money on) a woman that looks like this. I suppose it's futile looking for logic in the mind of such a man and illustrates the foolishness of such views in general.

?

Even if Ian Kinsler (Doesn't that sound like a name for a Bond villain?) is mediocre for the rest of the season, has he already made the trade for him look brilliant?

RoboUmp

On Mike & Mike this morning the guys talked to Mike Schmidt about some comments he made the other day involving a "force field" over home plate that would cause balls and strikes to be called automatically. Now, a force field, if such a thing existed, would cause the ball to bounce off of the strike zone, but otherwise I think Schmidt has exactly the right idea. As far as I'm concerned, the goal of any officiating is to make the right call all of the time, preferably as fast as possible. For many calls in sports there will always need to be a human element, but the strike zone can be determined with such precision that there's no reason to keep human error or judgement as part of the game. Now, I'm sure there are some technological hurdles to clear and it may not be quite as simple to implement as it first sounds but it seems like a worthy goal to me. Why settle for less when we can do it better?

Greeny Milks a Cow

This sounded really funny this morning, but it's better with video:

Rankings

After seeing Winter Soldier again and looking at my comments on some of the other Marvel Studios movies I decided I'd try and rank my favorites in order since I always refer to the rank but haven't actually done it. So here's the (tentative) list:

1. The Avengers
2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
3. Iron Man 3
4. Iron Man
5. Thor
6. Captain America: The First Avenger
7. Iron Man 2
8. Thor: The Dark World
9. The Incredible Hulk

Keep in mind last place on this list is still a 4-star Netflix review and a film I'm happy to own so I'm not exactly insulting the lower-ranked movies. Also, there's a razor-thin margin between #1 and #2; I could probably call them 1a and 1b but that feels like cheating. There's also not much difference between #3 and #4 and both of them are pretty close to #1 and #2. If you wanted to divide the list into tiers it would definitely be between #4 and #5.

Thoughts on Winter Soldier

Some thoughts on Captain America: The Winter Soldier:

-I liked this one a lot. I need to think over it a bit yet, but right now it would be right near the top of my list of Marvel movies, probably still behind Avengers and maybe Iron Man. Definitely ahead of the first Captain America though by a significant margin.

-This is the first Marvel movie to depart from their familiar tone. The humor is still there, but not near so much as in Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World. It's darker and a lot more intense, more an espionage thriller than a fun action movie. For example, there were a lot of kids (and quite a few young kids) in the audience I saw it with and during the quiet parts of the movie it was dead silent in the theater. I was shocked.

-I was pretty impressed with all of the actors in their roles. Scarlett in particular gives you a good idea of just how messed-up the Black Widow is.

-The fighting is good, though there's a little too much shakycam for my tastes. The Winter Soldier with a knife is particularly cool.

-Fury actually gets to do more in this movie than all of the others combined.

-I love Cap's suit in this film. It's based on one of my favorite comic looks and it really works on screen.

-For a somewhat covert organization S.H.I.E.L.D. seems to put a logo on everything.

-How good is the movie? It made this guy cool:

-I understand why he wasn't included, but Hawkeye kind of seems like he should be a part of the action, or at least mentioned in the film. UPDATE: Apparently Kevin Feige has said that Hawkeye's absence will be explained in Age of Ultron.

-Well, he's not directly mentioned, but the Black Widow is wearing an arrow charm on a necklace which one would assume came from Hawkeye.

-Helicarriers are cool.

-Pretty major twist in this movie. Maybe more than one depending on how familiar you are with the source material. The landscape of the Marvel films will be changed a lot.

-The mid-credits scene is a set up for Avengers: Age of Ultron. The post-credit scene ties back to the movie itself.

?

After the huge contract extension for Miguel Cabrera and the total misfire on the giant Prince Fielder contract are you starting to have doubts about Dave Dombrowski? I understand why you'd want to do an extension, but that number for that many years is insane.

Busted

While I feel like I should be writing something about the NCAA Tourney since it tips off tomorrow I don't really have anything interesting to say. Well, besides that my brackets is awfully similar to the President's, which would be one of the few times we've agreed on anything. Anyway, if you were watching ABC last night they ran a special called "Marvel Studios: Assembling A Universe." It was mostly a lot of patting themselves on the back for the success of their movies (and they do deserve a lot of credit), but they did show some new material from the two upcoming films and some concept art from Avengers: Age of Ultron. You can see most of it here at Marvel's site, but they did leave out one important image:

Iron Man is wearing the "Hulkbuster" armor. It debuted back in Iron Man #304 (May 1994, and yes, I know everyone really appreciates that detail):

It's been something of a fan favorite since it was introduced and often finds its way into toy lines, cartoons, and pretty much anywhere they can make an excuse to use it. Because it's awesome. One more picture:

I'm not sure exactly how it will fit into the movie, but Marvel's really pulling out all the stops if they can find a way to make it work in the movie.

Rise of the Machines

I happened to be looking at the sports feed on my Yahoo! homepage (not sure why it's still home, force of habit I guess) and noticed this article about Rajon Rondo and the Celtics. Now I don't particularly care about the NBA, the Celtics, or even Rondo and his Star Wars-ish name. What caught my eye was who, or what, wrote the article: Automated Insights.

Your next sports anchor?

You probably remember Automated Insights from the fantasy football season. They provide those fantasy matchup rundowns that appear after every game. That's a fun gimmick for a game, but it's a bit startling to see them providing recaps of actual contests. Is your local sports anchor soon to be obsolete? Could Sportsbot 5000 really take the place of the likes of Art Neil?

I've Got An Idea

Roger Goodell has been talking about changing the extra point to make it more exciting. I think all of the proposal aren't exciting enough. My idea? During an extra point attempt when the ball is snapped you unleash hungry tigers onto the field. Not sure on the exact number; I'm thinking three might be best but I could be convinced to go higher. I'd also be willing to listen to someone make a case for lions or possibly bears. Whichever way you go, if you want excitement, that's excitement.

Ugh

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers used to have great uniforms. Not anymore:

Seriously, who approves this stuff?

Obviously these are designed by Nike. They can do good work, but they seem to be obsessed with drawing attention rather than making a sharp uniform, even if they end up with an eyesore instead. I don't get it.

Arkham Knight

?

My interest level in the NBA is somewhere between golf and tennis, but even I was surprised to hear the rumors about Isiah Thomas and the Pistons. The general consensus is that there's no way the Pistons would bring him on as GM and that there's nothing to it. That's got to right, doesn't it? Even I know Thomas was a historically bad GM (largely because Russillo has talked about it). And following Dumars? I know things are a little crazy in Detroit right now, but not that crazy... right?

"I Heard Things"

Warning: Viewer discretion is advised. Language

I recently watched "Raging Bull" on Netflix. I had never seen it before and it was one of those movies that is usually in a top list of all-time sports movies, so I thought I'd put it to the test. Over-rated. I didn't get it. I didn't really know anything about the movie other than it was sports related, possibly boxing, and starred Robert De Niro.

Something else I hadn't paid attention to but started to wonder in the first five minutes of the movie was the director. With that many "F" bombs and that old of a movie, there could be only one possible director: Martin Scorsese. I was immediately turned off. I've seen enough (and that's not a lot) Scorsese films to know he loves using it as much as possible.

I watched the entire movie but didn't find it to be anything special. It did, however, help me better understand the SNL sketch "The Joe Pesci Show" from Season 22 (I couldn't find a clip). De Niro and Pesci make cameo appearances and De Niro keeps saying "I heard things." I realized it was probably some movie line, but at the time didn't know the reference.

Now I know...and now I want two hours of my life back.

"We Brotha's"

With all the discussion lately of the NFL banning the "N" word, I couldn't help put this on the blog. Honestly, I can't believe I haven't heard ONE reference to this movie. I know it's not an extremely popular movie, but I think it has it's own underground, cult-classic following in case it's not too mainstream.

You're Welcome

Stat of the Day

Tonight is game #86 in the Duke/UNC college basketball rivalry. According to Mike and Mike this morning, the head-to-head record is 43-42 in favor of Duke, I believe.

But that's not the impressive stat. Apparently the total points scored by each team is a difference of 2 points.

I don't have the stat exact, but somewhere around 6,466 to 6,464. I'm not sure who holds the humongous 2-point advantage.

Just for fun, let's say Duke leads the series 43-42 by a margin of 2 points. I pick UNC to win by 2 at Chapel Hill.

Well, we can all dream.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

A Thought on Officiating

I saw something earlier this week that made me stop and think for a moment, though unfortunately now I can't remember where it was and give proper credit. Anyway, responding to the usual comments about letting "the players decide the game" it was noted that apparently the Super Bowl is so important that we can't afford not to let the players cheat. That's certainly a different take than we usually hear, but I think I agree. If the rules are important enough to put in place then they're important enough to count in every game. Why should pass interference (offensive or defensive) be okay just because it's the Super Bowl?

Fixed

Mark Cuban was on "Mike & Mike" this morning and said something interesting that didn't involve him making a fool of himself. This might be common for him, but my opinion is pretty heavily skewed due to his antics at basketball games. Anyway, discussing officiating Cuban said something to the effect of "the NBA is the only one of the four major sports that fans think is fixed." I know that's not an uncommon opinion among fans, but it's surprising to hear an owner admit it.

Legacy

There's been a lot of discussion the past week on Peyton Manning's "legacy" and what it will look like after Sunday's game. I'll leave it to others to talk (endlessly) about his playoff wins, his Super Bowl record, his TD records, etc. What I think is more notable is Manning's presence in pop culture and how much he's become synonymous with the word quarterback. How he plays the game seems almost more important than his actual stats. Whenever he retires he might not be the greatest quarterback ever, but he will be the quarterback.

Jersey Colors

Since the Denver Broncos are considered the home team for the Super Bowl they get first pick at uniforms and have chosen to wear orange (They're 0-3 in the Super Bowl in orange, quick, change your bet!) so the Seattle Seahawks will wear white. This brings up a topic that has become a pet peeve of mine: Why do the teams still have to wear white and dark jerseys? What I've read suggests this goes back to the days of black and white TV, but that's not an issue now. If the colors were too similar it makes sense, but no one would have any trouble distinguishing between the teams if the Broncos were in orange and the Seahawks were in blue. Personally, I think the NFL (and college) should go to a system where the home team gets first pick and then the visiting team can choose to wear any uniform they want as long as the home team doesn't veto it, otherwise they can go with the standard away uniform. It seems like a painless change to me.

Calling an Audible

During the game between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning earlier in the season I had an idea, and after all the hype surrounding the upcoming playoff matchup I think it's even better. What is the idea? A Brady-Manning buddy movie. Or possibly a documentary with the two of them on a road trip, maybe to Omaha. And there would need to be guest stars: Archie Manning, Eli Manning, Gisele Bündchen, Bill Belichick, Tony Dungy, Roger Goodell, Wes Welker, etc. How great would that be?

Tweet of the Day

We certainly appreciate all the love from #PeytonManning :) #OmahaOmaha
— Official Omaha Info  (@VisitOmaha) January 12, 2014

The G 63 AMG 6x6

Completion and Other Thoughts

Some thoughts on the Rose Bowl and the rest of the end of the college football season:

-Having your team win the Rose Bowl is pretty cool.

-I can't believe Dantonio thought in May that the Spartans would be there in January. He must have been the only one.

-That game ended perfectly. The whole thing was movie-like in the way things unfolded, as if plot lines from the entire season were being wrapped up.

-So, I want to buy Rose Bowl gear, but I don't think I'd actually wear any of it.

-Do the normal poll rules not apply at the end of the season? How is Auburn still #2 after a loss? I don't really care and I'm cool with the Spartans being #3 (which I think is reasonable but I still can't wrap my mind around it) but it seems a little odd.

-I loved how ESPN set Bob Stoops up to be the butt of jokes about SEC dominance and then Oklahoma went out and beat Alabama.

-How come SEC losses never actually count against the SEC? I get it, the conference (at the top at least) is good, but they aren't invincible.

-It takes too long to get to the title game, I'm totally checked out by the time it's kicked off. And Monday night is a stupid night for a college football game.

-All of the BCS games being on ESPN instead of ABC is ridiculous. I know I'm late to the party on this but it actually makes me pretty mad.

-I think the new playoff format is going to be horrendous.

Booooo!

The Lions finished their catastrophic collapse this evening by losing to the awful Giants in OT, which means they went from first in the division to out of the playoffs in less than a week. Awesome. Jim Schwartz ended the fourth quarter by running out the clock and then swearing at the fans when they booed his decision. Apparently he thought it would motivate his team, not that Schwartz has shown any indication that he knows how to motivate players to play the game. He has to be gone, right? Maybe not tomorrow morning, though that would be a nice Christmas present to fans, but after the season for sure. Even if they owe him $12 million, it's a move they have to make.

Cold Weather Super Bowl

For those that think playing the Super Bowl at a cold weather site will be home field advantage for a team, I'm done hearing it. I love the idea. I actually thought they were doing this for Super Bowl 50 as something special, not SB 48. It would be easier to remember what SB used the first ever outdoor, cold weather location if it was SB 50. No one will remember some random number of 48, but they'll remember the game, no doubt.

Back to my beef, just because a "player" (and we all know they are referring to Peyton Manning) may not perform as well in cold weather conditions as another "player" (and we all know they are referring to Tom Brady) doesn't mean it's home field advantage for one player over another. It's called: you and your team do not play as well in cold weather conditions. Welcome to the NFL.

If they put the game indoors or at a warm site, technically you are favoring the Peyton Manning's and hurting the Tom Brady's. Is it an "advantage" for Tom Brady to play outdoor's in cold weather? No, he just plays better in those conditions than most quarterbacks. Just like another QB (Drew Brees) might play better indoors than Tom Brady.

Nobody has a problem with New Orleans playing the NFC Championship game at the Green Bay Packers for a chance at the Super Bowl, but it's terrible if the SB is held outdoors at a cold weather site because it might favor a team. I'm pretty sure playing in Miami favors Jacksonville more than Green Bay if those types of teams met up. After playing half your season in cold weather conditions, playing in Miami is NOT what you are used to. Therefore, advantage goes to a team from a warm location or indoor stadium.

Coffee is for Closers

The Lions are not drinking coffee today because they are certainly not closers. We knew that before the Monday night game but they went out and definitively proved it on national television. I could write a lot, but my favorite NFL analyst, Trent Dilfer, summed it up pretty well on SportsCenter:

You can't trust the Detroit Lions because of games like this. It was all there for them, and they threw up on themselves.

The consensus today is pretty clear: Megatron dropped too many balls, the Lions made some really dumb plays, Stafford makes too many bad decisions with the ball, and Schwartz needs to go because many of the issues can be traced back to him. What else is there to say?

Breaking News

Have any of you heard there is a new "Anchorman" movie coming out? I think it hits theaters this Friday (tomorrow).

Good

Flacco said he doesn't consider the use of the Wildcat as a slap in the face.



"...I'm all for us doing things to get better but we're not going to be good if we just can't get good at the basics of what we do 90 percent of the time. We have to be good at those things or we're not going to be good no matter what. I just want to make sure that we're focusing on getting good at those things."

?

How much closer do you think Jim Schwartz is to being fired after the debacle in Pittsburgh in general and the fake field goal in particular? He was mentioned as potentially being on the hot seat before, do you think it changes now?

At least we know he's not scared.

Raise You Hand...

...if you will NOT be shocked if the Lions lose on Sunday at Pittsburgh.

These are classic Lion games. Games they are supposed to win, but nobody would be surprised if they lost. The Lions rarely win the games they are supposed to win. That's what makes them the Lions.

Quote of the Day

College basketball game of the month tonight: #1 Kentucky v #2 MSU.

"Kentucky has a bunch of freshman, Michigan State has guys that have been there FOREVER. I think there are some guys on the team that played with Magic Johnson they've been there so long."

 - Mike Greenberg on Tuesday mornings "Mike and Mike Show."


Is tonights game good for the sport? What is better: A college football game in August between #1 and #2 that could determine National Championship opportunities, or a college basketball game in November between #1 and #2 that won't mean ANYTHING at the end of the year?

Sounds Good, But Are They?

I really haven't seen the Pistons play and NBA basketball is boring in general, but it appears the Pistons are either playing well (and still losing) or have some decent talent this year. They are 2-4, but I feel they've played solid competition and aren't getting blown out. Many close loses, some on the road. They made a few moves in the summer that showed they are serious about competing again. In my opinion, I see the Pistons finishing 5th or 6th in the league and could advance to the second round.

For example: They have SIX players averaging double-digits! That sounds great, but is it? Then, they have another three players who average 20 points combined. I think that's pretty good to have too. They are averaging 102 points/game! I remember when the 2004 team could win a game 80-79. They were lucky to score 90. Then again, if you are averaging 102 points and have a 2-4 record, defense is an issue.

LIONS!!!

If the Lions DON'T win the division, will they make the playoffs? The NFC South and West look like they will or should grab two spots. That leaves just one spot for the North and East. I think Detriot has to win the division to get to the post-season.

They could go 10-6 and not make it. If they lose to Green Bay on Thanksgiving, I say they won't win the division and won't qualify for the playoffs, and could still be 10-6.

On paper, the schedule sets up great, except for tough games at Pittsburgh and Philly.


On another note, Michigan sucks.

DD on Netflix

Marvel and Netflix have announced a deal to bring five live action series to Netflix starting in 2015. The characters involved are Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones. There will also be a "The Defenders" series, presumably involving the other four characters together though that isn't completely clear from the announcement.

If you're a fan of what Marvel has been doing lately then this is great news. None of these characters would fit terribly well with the Avengers and are much better suited to the format of a series. They are all also street level characters (with a bit of an exception for Iron Fist) which won't require the kind of resources to film that the blockbuster movies (or Agents of SHIELD for that matter) do. There's also a lot of material to draw from that would make for good stories and the characters are interrelated to a degree where one show should help support another even if they aren't actually crossing over.

A quick rundown on the characters:

Daredevil: A blind guy with heightened senses who is a martial arts expert. And a lawyer. Previously portrayed in a 2003 movie by Ben Affleck.

Iron Fist: An American who is orphaned in an unnamed mountain range and finds himself in the mystical city of K'un L'un. He is adopted, taught martial arts, and gains some superpowers related to the ability to channel his chi, most notably the ability to make his fist "like unto a thing of iron." Eventually teams up with Luke Cage as the Heroes for Hire.

Luke Cage: An inmate (wrongly convicted) who volunteers to undergo a procedure that makes his skin nearly indestructible and gives him super strength. Eventually marries Jessica Jones.

Jessica Jones: A former superhero who later works as a detective and newspaper correspondent.

I've been saying (largely to myself) for a while that Daredevil and Iron Fist in particular are well-suited to the small screen treatment and could potentially make for some fantastic entertainment. If Marvel can play this right they could have something really special.

TAKE COVER!!!

I noticed on Netflix "Reservoir Dogs" is available. I was pretty sure this wasn't a movie for my wife (based on the cast and movie genre it was located in), so I started watching it by myself late last night. I had never seen one minute of the movie, nor did I know anything about it. I didn't even research it on the IMDB.

Needless to say, the first two minutes of the movie (and seeing Quentin Tarantino) told me all I needed to know...there's going to be a lot of F-bombs.

DUCK!

Just how many do you ask? Well, according to the Parents Guide to view content, there are "272 F-words." Gee, is that all? I lost count after 38 in the first 5 minutes. Did someone actually count?

I found myself wondering how this movie could EVER be on cable television. Every word starts with F. Maybe that is why I've never seen it on any regular cable channel...the editors are STILL bleeping out words. Or, they've given up trying to dub all the F-words "Die Hard 2" style. You know, "Yippee-ki-yay Mr. Falcon."

All in all, if you can get past all the expletives, the plot is pretty good. I feel asleep during the movie, so I'll finish it tonight.

Aflac Trivia Question

When is the last time the Detroit Lions were in first place in November? I don't care if they are tied with two other teams or the fact there are only four teams in the Division compared to seasons that used to have five teams. Those things are out of their control. First place, is first place!


Side Note: There are four teams in the NFC North Division. Bears, Packers, Vikings, Lions. The Bears and Packers have both suffered QB injuries this year, resulting in sitting of games. The Vikings have their QB issues. I don't want to jinx anything, but are the Lions next? If so, terrible timing.

Home WEATHER Advantage

I agree that the SEC is by far better than the Big Ten in college football. Just look at the hardware and the results of non-conference Head-to-head matchups and bowl games.

However, here's what I'd like to see: Yes, the Big Ten and SEC play each other in cute September games and meet again in bowl contests. But where do they play those games? All those games are played indoors or in weather that is above 60 degrees. Hey Alabama, why don't you come visit Ohio State in November. LSU, care to reschedule a game at Wisconsin this month? Georgia, want a piece of MSU in late November? Didn't think so.

Peyton Manning is a stud...indoors or warm temps. What is his record in New England? What is his record in January? What is success when playing outdoors in cold weather situations? Enough said.

There is a reason the Green Bay packers rarely lose at home after Oct. 31.

Put your money where your mouth is SEC and come outside like a man. Or is it too cold for you?

Thoughts on the Game

A few thoughts on yesterday's game:

-I don't think I've ever seen a team so thoroughly punish an opponent the way MSU did yesterday. That's a performance that will get them some national talk this week.

-Gardner especially looked ready to be done; he was obviously really beat up.

-Actually, I think he just got sacked again.

-And Fritz Toussaint is probably not his favorite person right now.

-Taylor Lewan doesn't have a leg to stand on complaining about dirty play. You'd think he actually had facemasks attached to his hands.

-I get why he's wearing 98, but Gardner looks stupid wearing that number.

-Speaking of looking stupid, can someone tell Hoke that "soggy fat guy" really isn't a good look on the sideline?

-Though his numbers weren't great, this was the first game where I thought Connor Cook might turn into a good quarterback.

-While MSU did pull out green pants, which I wasn't a big fan of, I'm surprised neither team had a flashy alternate helmet or something else exciting. I think it's a good thing though, because they don't really seem to fit the character of either team.

-How hard do you think the Buckeyes are rooting for the Spartans now?

-So, my prediction about the losing team feeling like they could have won the game? I don't think that's the case here.

RE: World Series - Lions - UM/MSU Game

World Series: I wasn't rooting for the Sox, but it doesn't bother me too much either that they won. They're generally pretty likeable, though Victorino really bugs me for some reason, and they deserved it. I also don't know that the Tigers would have been able to pull it off with the bullpen injuries and Cabrera's injury and seeming them lose the series to the Cardinals might have been worse that the loss to the Sox.

Lions: I heard on the radio that when the Lions got the ball at the end of the game they only had a 1% chance of winning, yet I wasn't surprised at all when they managed it. I said earlier in the season to my Dad that there was no outcome to a Lions game that could shock me. They're so talented and so inconsistent that anything is possible.

The Game: On paper MSU should win this one. The offense has improved from utterly pathetic to just very poor and the defense is legitimately good. However, they have a tendency to give up the big play, and Gardner is good at that, but you'd also think there's a good chance he throws a pick six. Whatever the outcome, I'm pretty sure the loser is going to feel like they should have come out on top.

?

Would anyone else feel a lot better if they knew David Ortiz had passed a drug test in the past week? Besides Colin Cowherd I haven't heard anyone mention this, but it seems worth considering. Sports writers like to point out how foolish "we" all were to take McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds at face value just because it was a great story in the moment. Now a 37-year-old hitter, who has been good, even great, but definitely seemed to be declining, starts performing Ruthian feats and no one is suspicious? I want it all to be true, but I've got this nagging feeling that it might not be.

World Series - Lions - UM/MSU Game

It's gotten a little easier to watch the World Series after the Tigers blew it. But, I'll stick with my personal thought: Watching Boston in the WS is like seeing your ex-girlfriend with the guy you hate the most. By the way, when Boston wins this WS, does it make the Tiger choke job hurt more? Just think, that could have been us winning the title this year!


Lions, what an unbelievable win. The HUGE Show Monday question: Where does Sunday's victory rank in Lions history? That's a great question. Some would say "no where, because it didn't mean anything." And that's just it, the Lions don't play any meaningful games, and if they do, they lose. The only meaningful games they've had are playoff games and Lambeau Field and they lose. So, if you are a franchise that doesn't win many games, let alone a come-from-behind win with 1:02 remaining, no timeouts, and needing a touchdown, then Sunday's win has to be ranked pretty high. And, it DID mean something: the difference between being 5-3 and 4-4. 5-3 is playoff bound. 4-4...forces you to go 5-3 in the second half of the season for a shot at the playoffs with a 9-7 record.

So, the fact they played a meaningful game and won in dramatic fashion has to be one of their all-time greatest wins.


Saturday's game at East Lansing: As a UM fan, I'm nervous. Very nervous. Game is at MSU. Advantage: MSU. MSU has by far the better defense. Advantage: MSU. MSU has gotten better lately. UM has the better overall offense, but MSU appears to have the better running game. Advantage: MSU. MSU is favored by 6.5 points. I'd like to have seen this game played in September and November. It would probably be two different results. All I know is the game will come down to turnovers...and Devin Gardner is a TO machine.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Just Get Me to Verlander

Boston definately played last night like it was a Game 7. They do NOT want to see JV in Boston in a Game 7. I'll still take my chances on the road with Scherzer and JV. Detroit, although it would have been spectacular to win game 5, did not have to win that game. They still have two aces up their sleeve.

"Home field advantage" probably means the most in Football and Basketball and arguably not an issue at all in Hockey. I've heard home field equals about a 3 point advantage in the NFL. I am curious what, if any, advantage there is in baseball. There's obviously some type of gain to playing at home.

So, Scherzer, just get us to Verlander!

Other Notes:
Did you know Boston Manager John Farrell last played/pitched for the Detroit Tigers (May 1996)?

This is Manager John Farrell's second stint (3rd year total) as an MLB manager. It's his first year with the Red Sox. Also, the Red Sox finished 2012 in dead last in the AL East (3rd worst record in the AL). Halfway through the season they traded half their team to the Dodgers, which helps explain why the Dodgers did well in the 2nd half of the 2012 season and why they are successful this year. Probably also explains why the Red Sox did so poorly in 2012. Boston, however, has completely turned things around in one year to finish with the best record in the entire MLB (tied with St. Louis).

Here's my point: We've certainly heard the expression "Worst to First." It happens. But how often does it happen with a new manager/coach in ANY of the "Big 4" (MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL)? I realize many times when a team finishes in last place, with definately higher expectations than finishing .500, that the manager/coach usually gets fired so the next season the team will have a new manager/coach. But still, how often does THAT happen? Worst to first, with a first year manager, and not only first place, but one win from the Championship Series.

However, John Farrell didn't exactly inherit a bad team, just under-performing/motivated players. They were still good. But, he's also not playing the KC Royals, with NO playoff experience, for a chance at the World Series. He's playing the Detroit Tigers, where 75% of the team has been to the ALCS three years in a row and last years World Series! He's beating experience.

How often do you see a first year coach/manager take a last place team and beat a talented, experienced team to advance to the Championship round? Never. And not this year either!

That's why I'm sticking with the Tigers!

I Know How This Movie Ends...

...and it doesn't end well.

I'm pretty sure we've all seen this movie before:

2006 - Great year, great team, and got HOT going into the playoffs. World Series comes and they get embarrassed

2009 - Great year, choke the final 10 days, fail to make playoffs in Game 163 at Minnesota

2011 - Great year, unbelievable team, slammed by Texas in ALCS

2012 - Underachieving year until September 15 when they finally pull ahead to win Division. Get HOTT in the playoffs. World Series comes and they get embarrassed.

2013 - Basically in 1st place all year, yet never pulled away and then nearly gave it away in the final two weeks. (Were in sole possession of 1st place since July 3.) September 15 comes and they forget how to hit. Advance to ALCS and still can't hit.

I know how this movie ends.

By the way, will anyone EVER see playoff pitching like we've seen in the last four Tiger games, let alone the ALCS, again? Verlander...One ER in the last 23 IP and the Tigers are 1-2.

Is the glass half-full or half-empty? The Tigers were down 1-2 with game #4 at Detroit in a 5 game series with a hot Oakland. Tigers are down 1-2 with game #4 at Detroit in a 7 game series with a Boston team that can't hit.

!

Anyone have Dave Dombrowski's number? I'd be willing to be fat and strike out on three pitches for much less than what Prince Fielder makes.

I'm Bad Luck

I was doing homework last night during the game and would randomly come upstairs to check on the game. I'm 100% sure that every time I checked the game, the Tigers were either always batting or it was a commercial break. I am pretty sure I never saw Scherzer throw one pitch...until the 6th inning I took a homework break and the very first pitch I saw broke up the no-hitter. (I did know he had a no-hitter going, though.) The very next batter broke up the shutout.

I came upstairs in the 5th inning to help put the kids to bed and Cabrera was batting. I thought I'd watch for a second...DINGER! Fielder is up. I think I'll watch for a second...Double off the monster! Wife is now mad, so I come back later, score is 5-0 Tigers!!!

It's now the 8th inning. My wife had been asleep with the girls. I decided I would wake her up to watch the Tigers win game 2 and go up 2-0 in the series. Things got dicey so I waited until 2 outs with the bases loaded during a pitching change. She comes out...GRAND SLAM!

Detroit, MY BAD

About Last Night

Going into the ALCS, I told myself the Tigers have to win 2 out of the first 3 games. If they do that, they'll be fine. JV is dealing tomorrow in Detroit and can still accomplish that goal. But after last night, is that good enough? Now it's just greed. They HAD the game. The only positives are the Tigers get today off, play game 3 in Detroit, JV is pitching, and it's a day game. Those four things should help keep the momentum from swinging to Bean Town. If last night had happened and Detroit had to play the next night back in Boston, they'd be mentally screwed.

Hey Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter...ANY TIME NOW BOYS! Time to start showing up! Please come to Detroit!

Hey Don Kelly: Is it too much to ask you at least put wood on the ball in the 8th or 9th inning?  You've seen the closer two nights in a row and he tops out at 88 mph. Please tell me you can see that! I've made as much contact off the Boston closer (Koji Uehara) as you, zero. The only pine you are holding is the bench.

Speaking of closers, it's time for Benoit to go. Actually, that moment passed a long time ago. Why not walk David Ortiz? The worst thing he can do is hit a grand slam...AND HE DID! Look at their line-up. There's David Ortiz and everyone else is smaller than ME. Just walk him. Make ANYONE ELSE beat you. Or, don't give him ANYTHING he can hit 500 feet! Do the ol' unintentional-intentional walk. I know the bases were loaded, but there are two outs in the 8th. One more out and the runners disappear and then you only need 3 more outs in the 9th, starting from scratch with no runners on base. The game plan should have been this: "If you walk him, THAT'S OKAY." Instead, you gave him one pitch to hit; the one that goes 500 feet.

Who wants to watch football?

I'm glad Fox can get in all the commercials they need during the second game this Sunday, even if it means missing a few unimportant plays like first down.

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What's the etiquette for a baseball announcer dealing with a no-hitter? I assume he shouldn't actually say "no-hitter" but can he mention pitcher X has not allowed a hit? Or do you just let the box score do the job for you?

"NFL tried to nix no-huddle"

If even half of this story is true, you have to wonder how often this type of behind-the-scenes activity goes on. Unbelievable.

"I've got a lot of apologies to make..."

I think I owe Brian Hoyer, and Cleveland Browns fans, an apology. You see, my fantasy team is struggling and I needed to do something crazy to keep myself interested so I picked up Hoyer and started him at QB this week, thinking my usual starter, Russell Wilson, might not score many points this week and Hoyer might just come up big again. Plus, if I could win with the former Spartan QB it would pretty much make my season. Within six hours Hoyer's season was over.

Sorry.

"The greatest hitter living..."

The WSJ has a fantastic article today about Miguel Cabrera and hitting in baseball. It has a number of interesting facts and great quotes, but the section below is my favorite:

"The greatest hitter living can't hit bad balls well," [Ted] Williams wrote. "A good hitter can hit a pitch that is over the plate better than a great batter can hit a questionable ball."

Unless the great batter is Cabrera. This season his slugging percentage (total bases divided by at-bats) is a frightening .590 on pitches that pass between him and the inside edge of the plate. That is, inside pitches that shouldn't be swung at, never mind hit.

The downside? You're not going to learn much that will help your players hit better because the big takeaway is that Cabrera is a freak.

Quote of the Day

You feed a lineman a cookie, he's happy, you know?

-USC interim head coach Ed Orgeron on changes he's made after Lane Kiffin was fired

Awesome!

Step aside Jeff Dunham. Move over Melissa Joan Hart. See ya, Conan! I just found out Miguel Cabrera shares my birthday. You are now in 2nd place of most famous people sharing my day...right behind Suri Cruise. Miggy jumped ahead of Eric Robers and Rick Moranis.

Postseason Predictions

There is an interesting article on espn.com about what all the "experts" think will happen in the MLB playoffs. One thing that stood out to me (besides the fact it seemed ESPN had polled 1000 "experts") was that MANY of them picked Oakland over Detroit in the first round. However, I also noticed that if anyone picked Detroit to win the AL Pennant, then they also picked them to win the World Series. No one had the Tigers LOSING in the World Series, which is kind of weird since they are 1-8 in their last 9 WS games.

So, I agree with them. I believe, if the Tigers make it back to the WS, they will win it all. I can't see them losing in the Series again.

It's all about pitching, pitching, and pitching. If you have to go through Scherzer, Verlander, and Sanchez...good luck to you. Oh, and some guy named Fister isn't so bad either. But, I don't care who you have, if you go 1-5 against two last place teams to finish the season, scoring 3 runs in the final 3 games...I'm nervous.

They beat Oakland last year when Oakland had home-field advantage, just like this year. I believe they can do it again, just like they eliminated the Yanks in 2011 and 2012. Even if you lose in the WS, you have to be pretty darn good to do that.

I predict the Tigers in 6 games over the Dodgers for the Championship.

?

Does the fact that Brian Hoyer is potentially a viable fantasy quarterback make anyone else feel like they're living in some sort of alternate universe?

Extremely Loud, "Silent" Snap Counts

Is there an unwritten code in College/NFL football about the silent snap count? Is it only obvious to the TV viewer when the ball will be snapped because of our angle but the defensive players can't see it because of the huge linemen in their vision?

How long has the silent snap count been around? Forever? 25 years? Teams have been doing no-huddle, hurry-up-offenses, 2-minute drills for over 25 years, so they've had to rely on a silent snap count. The "12th Man" has been a big reason as well. Stadiums with a fan base that are much louder require the silent snap (or maybe because the stadium DJ is using artifical noise, which is cheating).

Here's where this is coming from. The QB usually lifts his right foot about one foot off the ground to signal to the center, who is looking between his legs, to snap the ball. It seems it's always about one full second of a delay. But every time, the center lifts his head to get in the ready position before snapping the ball. It's quite clear. So, how are NFL/College players not figuring that out after...one play! "Hey, when the center lifts his head after looking between his legs, that means he's going to snap the ball in one second."

Then I noticed this on Saturday night during the Instant Classic between Michigan and UCONN. The right guard for UM would look for Devin Gardner to lift his leg. He then tapped the center's right hamstring that the QB was ready. And again, one second later, he snapped the ball. The only difference is the center didn't have to lift his head because he was no longer looking between his legs, but the guy right next to him was doing all the pre-snap movements. It still only took one play to figure out when they were going to snap the ball.

So, how are defenses not getting better jumps on the ball because I feel they should clearly know the snap count, even though it's silent. It's actually a lot "louder" than it should be. I understand you can't move until the ball moves, but no one seems to be anticipating the ball moving. No one is even jumping offsides. The linebackers should at least be trying to time the blitz. The cornerbacks aren't even trying to sneak in early for a corner-blitz. There's just nothing.

Ridiculous

Apparently the NBA is considering allowing the Heat and the Nets to wear jerseys with a nickname on the back instead of their last names in at least one of their games against each other this season.  I understand the possible financial incentives of selling additional merchandise, but I'm still a little shocked that professionals would even consider this. Doesn't the NBA already have enough of a reputation as a "Me" league? Doesn't it already get criticized enough for being too much like street ball and not enough like a team game? Maybe each jersey could just say "No Class" on the back just to make it clear to people.

Quarterback U?

After a dismal showing by MSU's QB combo of Cook & Maxwell and a shocking three touchdown performance by former Spartan QB Brian Hoyer for the Browns I've been thinking about quarterbacks. During the fantasy draft we all laughed at the commentator doing the Bears preseason game who called MSU "QB U" and I still think it's pretty ridiculous. However, I did some research and came up with a few interesting stats:

-There are currently three former Spartan QBs on NFL rosters (Stanton, Hoyer, Cousins).*

-The last four Spartan QBs who have completed their careers (Smoker, Stanton, Hoyer, Cousins) have gone on to play (some) in the NFL.**

-Six of the last eight Spartan QBs (Miller, Banks, Smoker, Stanton, Hoyer, Cousins) have been drafted or played in the NFL.

That's not exactly like USC having Palmer, Leinart, and Sanchez all drafted in the first round, but it's not actually too bad either. We tend to minimize guys playing backup roles, but being one of the top 96 in the world at your job is still pretty good when you put it in perspective. I wouldn't say MSU is "QB U" but it isn't quite as crazy as I would have thought.

*And since I know you're going to ask, there are two former Wolverines (Henne, Gisele Bündchen's husband). You could stretch that to three if you want to consider Ryan Mallett a Michigan QB, but that's probably not fair to Arkansas.

**Maxwell will surely break this streak.

Quote of the (Other) Day

This guy is a rolling ball of butcher knives.

-Chuck Pagano, referring to newly acquired running back Trent Richardson

Doppelgänger

Do you remember Kliff Kingsbury? With a name like that he had to be a quarterback in Texas, so he played for Texas Tech from 1998-2002. You might recall he was the first of the crazy stat Red Raider quarterbacks. Anyway, Kingsbury was in the NFL for a while and eventually went into college coaching and now coaches his alma mater. Also, he apparently looks just like Ryan Gosling, a fact which set Twitter on fire last night when Texas Tech was on ESPN. Red Raider fans even have a hashtag, #OurCoachIsHotterThanYourCoach, which may be the weirdest thing I've ever heard of in sports and will never be applied to Brady Hoke.

$100,000

The NFL has fined Ndamukong Suh $100,000* for an illegal low block on Sunday. Everyone knew the fine was coming and that it was going to be steep so it's not really a surprise. You know what is surprising to me though? The number of Lions fans defending Suh. There's no question the guy is a dirty player. He's moved well beyond the point where you can give him the benefit of the doubt. I'm surprised any company still has endorsements with him. Cheer for your team, but don't be an idiot.

*If you're scoring at home that's 20,000 $5 footlong sandwiches.

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Multiple times this week on ESPN Radio I've heard advertisements for Infinity, Marvel's current comics event. While I applaud Marvel for doing a little advertising to more general audiences, does it work at all? If you're an ESPN listener who never reads comics and you hear this commercial are you going to go buy a copy (or download) of the book? If you liked Avengers is it more likely?

"We're watching one of the greatest right-handed hitters who ever lived."

Jayson Stark of ESPN has a fascinating article from last week comparing Miguel Cabrera to some of the all-time great hitters in baseball. There's a lot of numbers in the article, but the short version is that Cabrera compares well with anyone worth mentioning. It makes me wish I had the chance to see a few more Tigers games.

Hypocrisy

With the court cases going on, the Johnny Manziel autograph story, and the beginning of the college football season you're sure to hear plenty of sports writers and personalities (Jay Bilas and Michael Wilbon come to mind) opine on the "hypocrisy" of the NCAA making millions of dollars but not paying the players. I think there's plenty to be said about that, but it strikes me that all of these guys seem to have no problem working for businesses that derive a significant amount of their income from college sports and spend lots of time discussing them. You think Bilas hesitated for a second when he cashed his last paycheck from ESPN? Why not? Doesn't it make him complicit in the whole system he's railing against? It seems like cheap self-righteousness to me if these guys will criticize every chance they get but won't actually take a principled stand.

Still sad...



This is what replaced the Trans Am.


...but this ain't too bad either. Not exactly your typical grandma car.

Men's Devotionals

Does it annoy anyone else when you are looking for a Men's Devotional that it is authored by a woman? I'm sure they have excellent credentials and great writing talent, but come on. Really? I can somewhat cut them a little slack if it's a Boy's Devotional, but not a men's.

Am I a jerk? Am I expecting too much? What am I missing?

Small World

This weekend I met the Kelley family...former Evan Free pastor and wife...who also Baptized much of the Stack family.

Draft Prep Super Megapost

With 26 days until the 2013 fantasy football season starts it's time to start thinking about the draft (And signing up if you haven't yet. Seriously, what is wrong with you people?). Here's few links to help you be successful on draft day:

ESPN Top 300 (I'm thinking we'll use this as the default list.)
Fox Sports Top 200
NFL.com Projections
Eric Karabell's Top 200 (ESPN)
Matthew Berry's Top 200 (ESPN)
ESPN's Sleepers and Busts
NFL.com Rankings based on schedule

And also some advice from FOX Sports on naming your fantasy team.

Redskins.

I just wanted to get that out there. Here's why, if you haven't heard.

The Dark World

Sad Day

The Trans Am has been traded in.