Russian Author Alexander Solzhenitsyn(One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich), Actor/Comedian Bernie Mac(The Kings of Comedy, The Bernie Mac Show), Dave Matthews Band Saxophonist LeRoi Moore, NFL Player's Union President Gene Upshaw, Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) and legendary Soul Musician Isaac Hayes(Theme from "Shaft"). Not too mention the suicide bombings in Pakistan and Airline crash in Spain. I've been overwhelmed at the idea of posting something recently in light of all the tragic deaths the world has seen in recent weeks. I don't what else to say except that my prayers are will all of those affected by the loss of their loved ones and that I hope we are given a reprieve from so much sadness, at least for a little while, even though I know death is an unavoidable constant in this world.
Moving onto lighter fare. I might the one of the few people in the world who is kind of underwhelmed by the Michael Phelps mania. I have done my best to get interested in the Olympics. I found the U.S. women's gymnastics to be a compelling story both for the team competition where they faltered and then in the individual all-around rebounding to a triumphant one-two punch of winning gold and silver for Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson respectively. I've seen several great volleyball matches both indoor and beach and was not surprised to May-Treanor/Wash win gold yet again. My biggest gripe with NBC has been the odd scheduling of the basketball games. I've yet to catch even one of Team USA's games and they have been living up to LeBron's "Redeem Team" catchphrase by absolutely dominating their opponents. Hopefully I'll be able to catch the medal round and see them bring back the Gold to where B-Ball was invented.
Of course outside of the Olympics, it's still baseball season and we're getting down to crunch time. The Rangers recently had a disastrous road-trip where they were beat-up on by the likes of Boston and Tampa Bay. Now they are hovering at .500 with Ian Kinsler lost for the season to a hernia injury that needs surgery. It was a valiant effort and I feel good about next year, but 2008 is over.
This all just makes my mouth water for football to start. College games kick-off Labor-Day weekend! The Longhorns first opponent is Florida International or is it Florida Atlantic? Hell, who cares?! They're nobody, even if former Oklahoma and Miami Head Coach Howard Schellenberger is there. Anyway, apparently they are talking trash about UT. Really? I know Mack Brown has a bunch of new skill players to work into the offense in the backfield and at wide receiver but I'm sure Colt can run up the score enough to go along with new Defensive coordinator Will Muschamp's aggressive attack, not to mention the magic of having Vince Young on hand at the game as there will be a ceremony to retire his #10 jersey. Final score : Texas - 63, Florida Atlantic - 0. Hell yeah, shut-out, blow-out and gross out to start the year. It's going to be a tough year but these Sunshine state chumps got nothing on us for week one.
I have to also comment on filmmaker Michael Moore's open letter to Caroline Kennedy, who is heading up the search team for Barack Obama's VP candidate. In the letter, Moore states that he thinks Ms. Kennedy should follow the lead of our current Vice President Dick Cheney, who back in 2000 was on the team vetting VP choices for President Bush when he threw his own hat in the ring and eventually got the nod. Moore believes that Caroline, former first daughter(her father was President John F. Kennedy, in case you are from Mars) who has been a vocal supporter of Obama and has been involved in politics her entire life from grassroots level without ever becoming a career politician like so many others in her family would be an ideal choice for Obama's running mate. I think it's a bold and unlikely choice, but if it were to happen by some chance I'd be absolutely exhilarated and would probably leave my job to join their campaign full-time, doing whatever I could to help on the election trail and prevent a John McCain presidency.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Thursday Afternoon Quarterback
>> Spent the past two weekends partying with some of our country's finest servicemen. First with my very good friend Alex, who is in the Air Force and stationed in Virginia. He got to come home and visit his family since his younger sister, Elizabeth, recently had a kidney transplant. It was successful and she is doing so much better, which we're all very happy about. Then the next weekend my freind Chrissy's older brother, Josh, also an ex-Bastropian, came home for a mid-tour leave from Kuwait where he serves in the Army. Our military is populated with so many great young Americans, who have friends and families that love and miss them. It's a shameful how they exploitive this administration has been towards them and thier service.
I don't want to go off a political rant right now and I don't want to spills the beans on too much of what happened while partying with Alex and Josh respectively. I now know that too many people read this blog and what happens at the party or on 6th Street stays there. I'll simply say that many drinks and laughs were shared and I very much look forward to the next time each of them are home.
>> This week I've been working a lot on my play, The 9th Ghostly Figure, so that I can have some of it read on 16th of this month when my freind Englea, who is the Artistic Director of EASY Theatre, is hosting a reading for a new one-act play by a local actor and lawyer, Sam Damon. It's going to be nice to hear the words coming out someone else's voice other than my own. My dad has already the first quarter of the script and he liked it and he definitely got the tone that I am going for early on in the play, before the climax takes a decidedly darker and more intense turn. It'll be tricky to make it work, but I think I can do it.
>> So Brett Favre is New York Jet. Which means barring a catastrophic injury, he'll be a Jet in 2009 as well. Because even with Brett taking over the reigns for the Jets this season the best case scenario is just making the playoffs. They are still playing in the NFC East with the Patriots(who for the first time during this current dynasty will be playing with chip on thier shoulder, so watch out) although the hapless Dolphins won't be any trouble, the Bills are up and coming and the Wildcard race will be tight as usual with Tennessee and Cleveland both unlikely to win thier divisions. Still I think this is a better fit for Brett than having to play for an egomaniac like John Gruden who chews up and spits out Quarterbacks like a wood chipper. Sure Gruden won a Super Bowl, although that was with the team Tony Dungy built. And Gruden and the Bucs are so shady they won't even give Chris Simms a shot to play for them again nor will they release him so he can go try to find and compete for a job somewhere else, like Dallas, who is interested in having him as a back-up for Tony Romo.
>> The Summer Olympics start this weekend in China. I'm all for the US Athletes wearing masks, for both the political statement of it and the practical usage since the air quality is so bad. And pollution is not even close to being the biggest problem I and many other people have with China and the Olympics being held there. Team China, with Yao Ming, faces off against Team USA (the Redeem Team, as oppossed to the Dream Team of 1992) in the first round of the Basketball tournament. Hopefully it will be a blow-out, no offense to Yao, and then the Redeem Team can roll on it's way to a Gold Medal. My only other real interest in this year's games is the Women's Soccer team and it's feisty, sexy and kick-ass goalie Hope Solo. If you're reading this Hope, call me, text me, e-mail me, smoke signal, carrier pigeon. Whatever it takes baby. You and me, we could paint this planet red together.
>> So this has been the summer of the Superhero Action Blockbusters at the cinemas, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Indiana Jones 4(not technically a superhero), Will Smith's Hancock(still haven't seen yet) and of course THE DARK KNIGHT. But now it's late in the summer and we are finally getting treated to some good old raunchy comedy. Step Brothers, the latest collaboration between Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and director Adam McKay is just what you'd expect; a funny, silly, simple and instantly quotable film. The same can be said for Pineapple Express, which finds Seth Rogen and James Franco teaming up as potheads on the run from some crooked cops and drug dealers after witnessing a murder. Like Step Brothers the comedy is familiar but comforting and instead of the usual aimlessness of a stoner buddy film there's an attempt to tell a story and there's real relationships formed and evolved throughout. Next week, we get Ben Stiller's big budget War movie satire, Tropic Thunder, that costars Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black and Pineapple Express' scene stealing Danny McBride(also see The Heartbreak Kid, Drillbit Taylor, Foot Fist Way). Tropic Thunder also features British comedic actor Steve Coogan, who will also be seen in the upcoming Hamlet 2, which looks fantastic as well. So as we hit these dog days of summer I say hit the multiplex and laugh your arse off. I know I will.
I don't want to go off a political rant right now and I don't want to spills the beans on too much of what happened while partying with Alex and Josh respectively. I now know that too many people read this blog and what happens at the party or on 6th Street stays there. I'll simply say that many drinks and laughs were shared and I very much look forward to the next time each of them are home.
>> This week I've been working a lot on my play, The 9th Ghostly Figure, so that I can have some of it read on 16th of this month when my freind Englea, who is the Artistic Director of EASY Theatre, is hosting a reading for a new one-act play by a local actor and lawyer, Sam Damon. It's going to be nice to hear the words coming out someone else's voice other than my own. My dad has already the first quarter of the script and he liked it and he definitely got the tone that I am going for early on in the play, before the climax takes a decidedly darker and more intense turn. It'll be tricky to make it work, but I think I can do it.
>> So Brett Favre is New York Jet. Which means barring a catastrophic injury, he'll be a Jet in 2009 as well. Because even with Brett taking over the reigns for the Jets this season the best case scenario is just making the playoffs. They are still playing in the NFC East with the Patriots(who for the first time during this current dynasty will be playing with chip on thier shoulder, so watch out) although the hapless Dolphins won't be any trouble, the Bills are up and coming and the Wildcard race will be tight as usual with Tennessee and Cleveland both unlikely to win thier divisions. Still I think this is a better fit for Brett than having to play for an egomaniac like John Gruden who chews up and spits out Quarterbacks like a wood chipper. Sure Gruden won a Super Bowl, although that was with the team Tony Dungy built. And Gruden and the Bucs are so shady they won't even give Chris Simms a shot to play for them again nor will they release him so he can go try to find and compete for a job somewhere else, like Dallas, who is interested in having him as a back-up for Tony Romo.
>> The Summer Olympics start this weekend in China. I'm all for the US Athletes wearing masks, for both the political statement of it and the practical usage since the air quality is so bad. And pollution is not even close to being the biggest problem I and many other people have with China and the Olympics being held there. Team China, with Yao Ming, faces off against Team USA (the Redeem Team, as oppossed to the Dream Team of 1992) in the first round of the Basketball tournament. Hopefully it will be a blow-out, no offense to Yao, and then the Redeem Team can roll on it's way to a Gold Medal. My only other real interest in this year's games is the Women's Soccer team and it's feisty, sexy and kick-ass goalie Hope Solo. If you're reading this Hope, call me, text me, e-mail me, smoke signal, carrier pigeon. Whatever it takes baby. You and me, we could paint this planet red together.
>> So this has been the summer of the Superhero Action Blockbusters at the cinemas, with Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Indiana Jones 4(not technically a superhero), Will Smith's Hancock(still haven't seen yet) and of course THE DARK KNIGHT. But now it's late in the summer and we are finally getting treated to some good old raunchy comedy. Step Brothers, the latest collaboration between Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and director Adam McKay is just what you'd expect; a funny, silly, simple and instantly quotable film. The same can be said for Pineapple Express, which finds Seth Rogen and James Franco teaming up as potheads on the run from some crooked cops and drug dealers after witnessing a murder. Like Step Brothers the comedy is familiar but comforting and instead of the usual aimlessness of a stoner buddy film there's an attempt to tell a story and there's real relationships formed and evolved throughout. Next week, we get Ben Stiller's big budget War movie satire, Tropic Thunder, that costars Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black and Pineapple Express' scene stealing Danny McBride(also see The Heartbreak Kid, Drillbit Taylor, Foot Fist Way). Tropic Thunder also features British comedic actor Steve Coogan, who will also be seen in the upcoming Hamlet 2, which looks fantastic as well. So as we hit these dog days of summer I say hit the multiplex and laugh your arse off. I know I will.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
This is not an obituary (Part One)
So were about 3 months into this new blog and I guess it's going well. It's not yet become a source for only dumping vile stream of consciousness onto the world. But today's post does bring a few notes of tradgedy and sadness.
My Great-Uncle Homer Williford died this past weekend due to complications from a major stroke he had over a year ago. Homer was one of my paternal grandfather's older brothers and although I had not seen him much over the last several years of his life I was lucky to have spent quite a bit of time with him when I was growing up as my father was closer to his Uncle than his own father.
Homer was a Naval minesweeper during WWII stationed in the South Pacic, mostly in Japan. Although he never spoke a great deal about the war itself, he did always have great things to say about the people and places he saw. I'll never forget the glorious black and white photograph he had taken of Mount Fuji. It seemed Homer reserved his wildest tales for those of a youth growing up in a rowdy and tough West Texas that most of only know from Larry McMurtry novels.
I remember when he taught me and my brother how to use a butterfly knife. This was after regailing us with a story about some younger guys trying to pick a fight with him in bar and pulling the knife on him. Needless to say it did them no good, even though they were younger, out-numbered him and had a weapon he still walked away unscathed and with a shiny souveneir to boot. The knife was then passed onto us, via our Dad, who of course held onto it until we were old enough to be responsible with such a thing.
Homer also had a vivacious and wonderful wife, Aunt Joyce. Originally from Northern California, she was a sweet and adventourous lady who liked to drive around town on an old dirtbike and grew peaches in the same backyard where she taught me to play croquet, a game at the time I had no idea was mostly foreign to this country outside of New England upper-crusters, but it all just seemed normal for her. She loved movie musicals and I remember watching so many for the first time with her when we'd visit. Camelot, Funny Girl, Seven Brothers for Seven Brides, Oklahoma!, Kismet. Joyce and Homer seperated several years ago and she returned to her hometown to be closer to her family there.
Homer and Joyce's son, Steven Williford, is a musician who I grew up watching play with my dad in several Blues bands. Steven now resides in Oregon with his wife Faith and thier teenage son Stevie. He also has an older son, Rusty from his first marriage. Rusty was sort of the cooler older brother I never had myself, he was a dirtbike racer, track and tennis star and eventually went into the Navy where he met his wife and has settled down in the Pacific Northwest as well.
Homer leaves behind a lot of love and a lot of loved ones. I haven't seen much of any of them in quite a long time and it's a shame I'm not going to be able to make it to Homer's services. They are out in Big Spring, Texas. Several hundred and several hours away. It used to be much easier for people, when they lost someone, to drop everything and be there for thier family. Not so much now. Life is too complicated in that way now. Maybe I'm blaming the world when it's really just my life that is too complicated because I let it be.
I don't know. I don't really like to go to funerals or weddings. But that's not the point. The last time I saw Homer was at my brother's funeral just over five years ago. I was barely able to even speak to him because it was his duty to chaperone my grandfather and make sure he was not making a fool of himself. He did as good a job as anyone could expect, I don't remember if they stayed around that long. Homer was in his mid-80s. I know he saw his share of tragedy over the years, including losing a sister-in-law and a teenage neice in a car wreck only 3 weeks after I was born as I was just reminded of when going through some family mementos with my father which included the newspaper clippings. I'm sure at that time of sadness it was nice to have new life in the family even if it was me.
My Great-Uncle Homer Williford died this past weekend due to complications from a major stroke he had over a year ago. Homer was one of my paternal grandfather's older brothers and although I had not seen him much over the last several years of his life I was lucky to have spent quite a bit of time with him when I was growing up as my father was closer to his Uncle than his own father.
Homer was a Naval minesweeper during WWII stationed in the South Pacic, mostly in Japan. Although he never spoke a great deal about the war itself, he did always have great things to say about the people and places he saw. I'll never forget the glorious black and white photograph he had taken of Mount Fuji. It seemed Homer reserved his wildest tales for those of a youth growing up in a rowdy and tough West Texas that most of only know from Larry McMurtry novels.
I remember when he taught me and my brother how to use a butterfly knife. This was after regailing us with a story about some younger guys trying to pick a fight with him in bar and pulling the knife on him. Needless to say it did them no good, even though they were younger, out-numbered him and had a weapon he still walked away unscathed and with a shiny souveneir to boot. The knife was then passed onto us, via our Dad, who of course held onto it until we were old enough to be responsible with such a thing.
Homer also had a vivacious and wonderful wife, Aunt Joyce. Originally from Northern California, she was a sweet and adventourous lady who liked to drive around town on an old dirtbike and grew peaches in the same backyard where she taught me to play croquet, a game at the time I had no idea was mostly foreign to this country outside of New England upper-crusters, but it all just seemed normal for her. She loved movie musicals and I remember watching so many for the first time with her when we'd visit. Camelot, Funny Girl, Seven Brothers for Seven Brides, Oklahoma!, Kismet. Joyce and Homer seperated several years ago and she returned to her hometown to be closer to her family there.
Homer and Joyce's son, Steven Williford, is a musician who I grew up watching play with my dad in several Blues bands. Steven now resides in Oregon with his wife Faith and thier teenage son Stevie. He also has an older son, Rusty from his first marriage. Rusty was sort of the cooler older brother I never had myself, he was a dirtbike racer, track and tennis star and eventually went into the Navy where he met his wife and has settled down in the Pacific Northwest as well.
Homer leaves behind a lot of love and a lot of loved ones. I haven't seen much of any of them in quite a long time and it's a shame I'm not going to be able to make it to Homer's services. They are out in Big Spring, Texas. Several hundred and several hours away. It used to be much easier for people, when they lost someone, to drop everything and be there for thier family. Not so much now. Life is too complicated in that way now. Maybe I'm blaming the world when it's really just my life that is too complicated because I let it be.
I don't know. I don't really like to go to funerals or weddings. But that's not the point. The last time I saw Homer was at my brother's funeral just over five years ago. I was barely able to even speak to him because it was his duty to chaperone my grandfather and make sure he was not making a fool of himself. He did as good a job as anyone could expect, I don't remember if they stayed around that long. Homer was in his mid-80s. I know he saw his share of tragedy over the years, including losing a sister-in-law and a teenage neice in a car wreck only 3 weeks after I was born as I was just reminded of when going through some family mementos with my father which included the newspaper clippings. I'm sure at that time of sadness it was nice to have new life in the family even if it was me.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Touchdowns and Teardrops.
Friday afternoon drags on. Part of me wants to write about a personal situation involving my cousin Stephanie, her son Brent Michael and her current boyfriend. I don't like the way he treats either of them, particularly Brent. I love this boy as if he were my own(he was named after me, partly) and considering how little involvement his real father has in his life I feel I have no choice but to interfere where I normally wouldn't. I can't even write anymore about it, still too angry and frustrated.
Time for distraction. Let's talk Football. College football to be more exact. Two-A-Days are just around the corner and preseason polls and predictions are flying around "like flys on a ...", well you can imagine the colloquialism. Here are my fearless predictions for the upcoming college football season.
Pre-Season Top Ten:
1) Georgia (sure they have a tough road ahead of them, but they are starting off with the most upside and consistency)
2) Ohio State (it seems like they can just sleepwalk into another BCS Championship Game appearance with a strong returning defense and weak conference)
3) Florida (Offense should be even more dynamic with Heisman-winner Tim Teabow being able to feed the ball to tailback Emmanuel Moody this year)
4) USC (an early season match-up with Ohio State is going to show if they can play up to title contention or if they are still reloading, new QB Mark Sanchez must show immediate strides)
5) Missouri (Quietly returning a strong defense to go with Heisman contender Chase Daniel on the other side of the ball, has an easy schedule in the Big 12, only needs to watch out for complacency)
6) Oklahoma (We continue with a run of Big 12 teams, they have a big strong O-Line to protect QB Sam Bradford but can they avoid the inevitable let-down game, especially if it's in January again)
7) Texas (Number One in my heart. New defensive coordinator Muschamp should shore things up on that side of the ball with more aggressive play-calling, but there are questions about whether Colt McCoy can bounce back from a so-so sophomore season and who will replace Jamaal Charles at tailback.)
8) South Florida (After breaking out last year, I think the Bulls are primed to pounce on West Virginia's loss of Rich Rodriguez and capture the mix bag that is the Big East)
9) Arizona State (Coach Erickson will prove last year was no fluke and has a very good chance to compete with USC for Pac-10 dominance)
10) Texas Tech (A sexy sleeper pick for so many this year because of the rumored gains on defense, only time will tell about that but it's certain the offense will be explosive as ever with returning QB Graham Harrell and WR Michael Crabtree)
OK That's how I see things starting off. Let's get onto some predictions for the season itself.
That early match-up between USC and Ohio State at the Coliseum will be a low scoring grind-it-out victory for Ohio State, which will give them a bump to #1 (if they're not already there) but that only lasts until they face-off against the upset minded Fighting Illini in Champlain. Ron Zook and Co. wont have a shot a winning the Big Ten outright but they can play spoiler here and I expect them to have an overall decent year. Losing this late pretty much knocks Ohio State out of that 3rd consecutive BCS Championship game appearance.
USC will bounce back at first blowing past the two Oregon teams before meeting Arizona State. I think USC, in a complete opposite of the Trojan's previous match with the Buckeyes, find themselves in a shoot-out with the Sun Devils and they also find themselves on the losing end again as Sam Bradford leads Arizona State to a big victory over USC, making up for their loss to the Georgia Bulldogs back on 9/29.
Speaking of the Bulldogs, in the SEC the whole shebang will be riding on what was formerly known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, Georgia versus Florida, played on neutral Jacksonville turf. I think Georgia comes into the game undefeated and unanimous #1 in the country, which is not always the best thing to have on your side when you're playing college football these days. Florida will be a formidable opponent, possibly even undefeated themselves at this point, which would put the hype into the stratosphere. Although I think it's more likely Florida drops a game early to either Miami(Fla) or Tennessee. When it comes down to it, I think Florida is still another year away from being able to win it all again. Georgia wins and Gator fans pray Teabow stays for his senior year.
After Florida, the Bulldogs have a possible letdown game against Kentucky but that's just wishful thinking. It's the week after that where I see a letdown game. Georgia faces Auburn, who I think will snatch the SEC West crown from LSU and I think Auburn pulls off a big upset against the Bulldogs before the re-match in the SEC Championship game where Georgia will get it's revenge and be put back in BCS Title contention.
As far as the Big-12, it usually starts and ends with the Red River Shootout between Oklahoma and Texas. I have to go with my heart and say Texas gets back on the winning track with a close victory over the Sooners, but I fear that a week later the Longhorns will not have enough in the tank to defend their home turf in Austin against the visiting Missouri Tigers. Those Tigers will cruise to another Big-12 North title and I'm guessing they will face off against Texas Tech in the Big-12 Championship game. I see Oklahoma avenging last year's lost to the Red Raiders, but then Tech will probably snap their 5 year losing streak to Texas and that will be enough for them to break a 3-way tie atop of the Big-12 South. I just can't see Missouri making it through the entire season unscathed so I say they fall to Texas Tech and Mike Leach captures his first Big-12 Title and improbably a BCS Championship game appearance.
Then I've got Clemson winning the ACC and USF the Big East. While in the end, I think a one-loss SEC Champion Georgia Bulldog team faces off against those Red Raiders and wins decisively. That would make 3-straight SEC teams winning the biggest prize in College football. Just wait until Texas gets our next golden-armed QB Garrett Gilbert in 2009. Then it's Big-12 Reign again!
Time for distraction. Let's talk Football. College football to be more exact. Two-A-Days are just around the corner and preseason polls and predictions are flying around "like flys on a ...", well you can imagine the colloquialism. Here are my fearless predictions for the upcoming college football season.
Pre-Season Top Ten:
1) Georgia (sure they have a tough road ahead of them, but they are starting off with the most upside and consistency)
2) Ohio State (it seems like they can just sleepwalk into another BCS Championship Game appearance with a strong returning defense and weak conference)
3) Florida (Offense should be even more dynamic with Heisman-winner Tim Teabow being able to feed the ball to tailback Emmanuel Moody this year)
4) USC (an early season match-up with Ohio State is going to show if they can play up to title contention or if they are still reloading, new QB Mark Sanchez must show immediate strides)
5) Missouri (Quietly returning a strong defense to go with Heisman contender Chase Daniel on the other side of the ball, has an easy schedule in the Big 12, only needs to watch out for complacency)
6) Oklahoma (We continue with a run of Big 12 teams, they have a big strong O-Line to protect QB Sam Bradford but can they avoid the inevitable let-down game, especially if it's in January again)
7) Texas (Number One in my heart. New defensive coordinator Muschamp should shore things up on that side of the ball with more aggressive play-calling, but there are questions about whether Colt McCoy can bounce back from a so-so sophomore season and who will replace Jamaal Charles at tailback.)
8) South Florida (After breaking out last year, I think the Bulls are primed to pounce on West Virginia's loss of Rich Rodriguez and capture the mix bag that is the Big East)
9) Arizona State (Coach Erickson will prove last year was no fluke and has a very good chance to compete with USC for Pac-10 dominance)
10) Texas Tech (A sexy sleeper pick for so many this year because of the rumored gains on defense, only time will tell about that but it's certain the offense will be explosive as ever with returning QB Graham Harrell and WR Michael Crabtree)
OK That's how I see things starting off. Let's get onto some predictions for the season itself.
That early match-up between USC and Ohio State at the Coliseum will be a low scoring grind-it-out victory for Ohio State, which will give them a bump to #1 (if they're not already there) but that only lasts until they face-off against the upset minded Fighting Illini in Champlain. Ron Zook and Co. wont have a shot a winning the Big Ten outright but they can play spoiler here and I expect them to have an overall decent year. Losing this late pretty much knocks Ohio State out of that 3rd consecutive BCS Championship game appearance.
USC will bounce back at first blowing past the two Oregon teams before meeting Arizona State. I think USC, in a complete opposite of the Trojan's previous match with the Buckeyes, find themselves in a shoot-out with the Sun Devils and they also find themselves on the losing end again as Sam Bradford leads Arizona State to a big victory over USC, making up for their loss to the Georgia Bulldogs back on 9/29.
Speaking of the Bulldogs, in the SEC the whole shebang will be riding on what was formerly known as the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, Georgia versus Florida, played on neutral Jacksonville turf. I think Georgia comes into the game undefeated and unanimous #1 in the country, which is not always the best thing to have on your side when you're playing college football these days. Florida will be a formidable opponent, possibly even undefeated themselves at this point, which would put the hype into the stratosphere. Although I think it's more likely Florida drops a game early to either Miami(Fla) or Tennessee. When it comes down to it, I think Florida is still another year away from being able to win it all again. Georgia wins and Gator fans pray Teabow stays for his senior year.
After Florida, the Bulldogs have a possible letdown game against Kentucky but that's just wishful thinking. It's the week after that where I see a letdown game. Georgia faces Auburn, who I think will snatch the SEC West crown from LSU and I think Auburn pulls off a big upset against the Bulldogs before the re-match in the SEC Championship game where Georgia will get it's revenge and be put back in BCS Title contention.
As far as the Big-12, it usually starts and ends with the Red River Shootout between Oklahoma and Texas. I have to go with my heart and say Texas gets back on the winning track with a close victory over the Sooners, but I fear that a week later the Longhorns will not have enough in the tank to defend their home turf in Austin against the visiting Missouri Tigers. Those Tigers will cruise to another Big-12 North title and I'm guessing they will face off against Texas Tech in the Big-12 Championship game. I see Oklahoma avenging last year's lost to the Red Raiders, but then Tech will probably snap their 5 year losing streak to Texas and that will be enough for them to break a 3-way tie atop of the Big-12 South. I just can't see Missouri making it through the entire season unscathed so I say they fall to Texas Tech and Mike Leach captures his first Big-12 Title and improbably a BCS Championship game appearance.
Then I've got Clemson winning the ACC and USF the Big East. While in the end, I think a one-loss SEC Champion Georgia Bulldog team faces off against those Red Raiders and wins decisively. That would make 3-straight SEC teams winning the biggest prize in College football. Just wait until Texas gets our next golden-armed QB Garrett Gilbert in 2009. Then it's Big-12 Reign again!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
"How about a magic trick?"
* Locally shot and beloved t.v. series Friday Night Lights was overlooked by the Emmys yet again, of course the first season was truly brilliant while the lesser but still great second season is better than most everything else on television. AMC's critically raved Mad Men racked up many deserving nominations and I'm predicting a sizable number of victories as well for the show set in an ad agency in 1960. Can't wait for it's second season to start this Sunday, some of the best writing and acting to come along on television in a long time. That looks weird. I just wrong "along" and then "a long" within a few words of each other in the same sentence. Oh well. Here comes yet another "A-Long".
* Speaking of good writing and acting, Joss Whedon's new online short series Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog has now been completely posted online(available for download at itunes or at the official website http://www.drhorrible.com/) and it's a blast. Neil Patrick Harris stars as Dr. Horrible, an aspiring supervillian who has a crush on a pretty girl(Felicia Day) at the laundromat that he is scared to talk to and he constantly has to deal with his evil plans being thwarted by Captain Hammer(Nathan Fillion). Like most all of Whedon's creations it's hilarious, smart and fun. I hope we get more of Dr. Horrible's adventures in the future.
* I am rarely awestruck or at a loss for words so I'm not going to say much about The Dark Knight except - WOW! OK a few more words. Bravo Christopher Nolan! An absolute masterstroke blend of hard-boiled crime films, superhero extravaganza with intensely dark, humorous and heartbreaking character studies. Heath Ledger is THE JOKER. Period. I was already planning my Halloween costume when I saw the first pictures of him in the make-up several months ago, shortly after his untimely and tragic death. Now it's locked in stone, I will be THE JOKER. Period. As far as the rest of the cast, I would be remiss without mentioning them as well. Christian Bale, Aaron Eckhart(who deserves some Oscar buzz as well for his fantastic turn as Harvey "Two Face" Dent), Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Maggie Gyllenhaal, etc... The entire ensemble down to every last henchman is note perfect as guided by screenwriter/director Christopher Nolan, who is really in a league of his own at this point. I can't wait to see this movie again. Haven't seen it yet, call me up and we'll hit that shizz together.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Dear Travis
I can't explain it. I feel as strong and calm as I've ever felt in my entire life today. I don't know where it comes from. Yesterday was terrible. I was so near the edge only fingernail was holding on the proverbial ciff of sanity.
I wish I could transfer how I feel to mom and dad and to everyone else who loves and misses you and hurt so very deeply since you've been gone. Five years. Wow. Seems so long ago and yet still so sudden.
Of course I still get mad at you from time to time and then I'll feel guilt for it. Then I get mad at myself and feel guilty for that too. Or I'll get so down that I start to believe I completely understand the why - You know, THE WHY, that's all anyone can ever seem to think about. I mostly just nod along when someone starts talking about it. When I know the why and if everyone who wants to know why actually knew why they would certainly wish they had never found out once they did. I gotta little rhymage for you:
"You're in heaven/He's in Hell,
If there are really angels/Then please ring that bell"
Yeah, it needs work. Just a freestyle, you know. I've got something even better. Yesterday on my drive home from work I was listening to the ipod on shuffle and the perfect song came on at the perfect moment. It's a live recording of Pearl Jam covering the Dead Moon song "It's OK". I don't have the details of when or where it was recorded but Eddie turns it into a sing-along with the very lucky crowd. Here be the lyrics:
It's okay, we've all seen better days
It's okay, you don't have to run and hide away
It's okay, It's okay, yeah we love you anyway
For in those reckless moments
When doubt is creeping in your head
Feeling like you've lost your youth
And the dreams you had are cold and dead
I can't reach you anymore
That's gonna take a different man
I can't protect you like before
You've slipped beyond my hands
But it's okay.......
I wish that I could light the path
That leads to a life of no mistakes
Hold you from the damned be done
That living out of safety seems to take
I remember still the child in you
As if only yesterday
It was easy to break through
I only had to kiss the pain
But it's okay.......
This is my chance, this is my life
And my opening hour
This is my choice, this is my voice
There may be no tomorrow
This is my plea, this is my need
This is my time for standing free
This is my step, this is my depth
In a world demanding of me
But is's okay....
Well your old buddy Sam just came by so I better say goodbye, again.
Peace, Love & Proximity
Jon-Michael
I wish I could transfer how I feel to mom and dad and to everyone else who loves and misses you and hurt so very deeply since you've been gone. Five years. Wow. Seems so long ago and yet still so sudden.
Of course I still get mad at you from time to time and then I'll feel guilt for it. Then I get mad at myself and feel guilty for that too. Or I'll get so down that I start to believe I completely understand the why - You know, THE WHY, that's all anyone can ever seem to think about. I mostly just nod along when someone starts talking about it. When I know the why and if everyone who wants to know why actually knew why they would certainly wish they had never found out once they did. I gotta little rhymage for you:
"You're in heaven/He's in Hell,
If there are really angels/Then please ring that bell"
Yeah, it needs work. Just a freestyle, you know. I've got something even better. Yesterday on my drive home from work I was listening to the ipod on shuffle and the perfect song came on at the perfect moment. It's a live recording of Pearl Jam covering the Dead Moon song "It's OK". I don't have the details of when or where it was recorded but Eddie turns it into a sing-along with the very lucky crowd. Here be the lyrics:
It's okay, we've all seen better days
It's okay, you don't have to run and hide away
It's okay, It's okay, yeah we love you anyway
For in those reckless moments
When doubt is creeping in your head
Feeling like you've lost your youth
And the dreams you had are cold and dead
I can't reach you anymore
That's gonna take a different man
I can't protect you like before
You've slipped beyond my hands
But it's okay.......
I wish that I could light the path
That leads to a life of no mistakes
Hold you from the damned be done
That living out of safety seems to take
I remember still the child in you
As if only yesterday
It was easy to break through
I only had to kiss the pain
But it's okay.......
This is my chance, this is my life
And my opening hour
This is my choice, this is my voice
There may be no tomorrow
This is my plea, this is my need
This is my time for standing free
This is my step, this is my depth
In a world demanding of me
But is's okay....
Well your old buddy Sam just came by so I better say goodbye, again.
Peace, Love & Proximity
Jon-Michael
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Sex, Drugs & Kidney Stones
OK. So there wasn't any sex involved last weekend but I did partake in a stupid mix of alcohol and (legally prescribed) pills that had me puking my guts out by 11:30pm Friday night. Seemed kind of strange since I had not drank that much and I've rarely ever puked from drinking anyway. I got dropped back off at my buddy Chris' new place to crash out while they went back out to party some more. Still felt crappy the next morning, but I had to get up at a decent hour and go over to my cousin Stephanie's house in time to meet with grandmother who was visiting for the weekend. Spent all of Saturday just hanging-out with the family and playing with all my little nieces and nephews and boy can they wear me out. So then I wake up Sunday morning and it was like The Exorcist, fluids coming out of every pore possible and excruciating pain. Tea colored urine - Check, Feels like an anvil is on your bladder - Check. G-Damn kidney stones have returned. It had been a while since my last kidney stone attack and this was another whopper but I made it through the toughest parts without any pain meds and by late afternoon I could tell there were not anymore coming, so I was able to lie down and rest. I'm thinking that Friday night's episode of sickness was just a precursor to the stones and not fully a bi product of drinking, smoking and pill-popping, although I'm sure that didn't help. I'm going to take it easy this week and drink a lot of cranberry juice(no vodka).
Now how awesome was Josh Hamilton at the Home Run Derby last night? Totally friggin' super awesome if you ask me! Sure he didn't end up winning but he put on a show of shows with 28 first rounds homers that averaged 500 feet per. It's his performance last night and his play all season long so far to go along with his personal backstory (former heroin addict out of baseball for 3 years makes a triumphant comeback) that people are going to remember. The All-Star game is tonight. I think the AL has won something like 11 consecutive, not counting the "tie game" from a few years ago. I'm more excited about the second half of the season getting started as the Rangers might be able to make a run at a Division Title or even the Wild Card.
I should mention that I'm only able to post this right now because I am in the middle of a "moment of clarity" in a day that has seen me on the edge of a full-blown panic attack and I'm worried tomorrow will even be worse. I am so completely stupid for not taking the day off. I have no idea if my parents have plans to do anything in particular. I know I don't want to be alone after I get off of work tomorrow around lunch time so I have to find something to do. Visiting an Air Force recruiter is one possibility. I wish The Dark Knight was coming out tomorrow and not Friday.
Now how awesome was Josh Hamilton at the Home Run Derby last night? Totally friggin' super awesome if you ask me! Sure he didn't end up winning but he put on a show of shows with 28 first rounds homers that averaged 500 feet per. It's his performance last night and his play all season long so far to go along with his personal backstory (former heroin addict out of baseball for 3 years makes a triumphant comeback) that people are going to remember. The All-Star game is tonight. I think the AL has won something like 11 consecutive, not counting the "tie game" from a few years ago. I'm more excited about the second half of the season getting started as the Rangers might be able to make a run at a Division Title or even the Wild Card.
I should mention that I'm only able to post this right now because I am in the middle of a "moment of clarity" in a day that has seen me on the edge of a full-blown panic attack and I'm worried tomorrow will even be worse. I am so completely stupid for not taking the day off. I have no idea if my parents have plans to do anything in particular. I know I don't want to be alone after I get off of work tomorrow around lunch time so I have to find something to do. Visiting an Air Force recruiter is one possibility. I wish The Dark Knight was coming out tomorrow and not Friday.
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