I’ve spent 3 days waiting for some sort of lucidity for discussing The Fountain, but it hasn’t come. I think this is one of those rare films that sort of defy synopsizing and effective analysis. If you go home after this movie and try to break it down or make all the disparate pieces fit together, I think you’ve missed it altogether. It’s not a film that is the sum of its parts; it is strictly to be experienced in a comprehensive manner, because when you try to piece it together it will probably fall apart within its own labyrinthine logic, but it all works, so it's not a failure despite being messy.
Darren Aronofsky (writer-director) definitely over-reached on just about every level with this one, bringing together conquistadors, Mayan religion, Christianity, animal testing, 26th century space travel, complex non-computer-generated visual effects, and more, only rarely completely achieving what he is aiming for (though the vfx are stunning most of the time); and yet it is all done with such earnestness and passion that you have to appreciate the effort, if not the finished product. There is something to be said for a filmmaker reaching for the stars (literally) even if he doesn't quite get there, especially in comparison to the number of “safe” efforts that come through the cinemas these days.
One thing everyone should agree on, regardless of their thoughts to the material, is that Clint Mansell, the Kronos Quartet, and Mogwai create a hauntingly magnificent score for the film. The music is just perfect all the way through.
I highly recommend this film if for no other reason than to see no less than one man's display of just about everything he knows/thinks he knows about life, love, death, and his medium of creative expression poured out with incredible energy. Not everyone will be entertained and not everyone will like it, but all should be able to appreciate it.
Coming up:
Discussions of Happy Feet, Flushed Away, and The Queen
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
In Response:
I was responding to a comment in regards to a post yesterday and I figured I might as well post it for all to see:
Excerpted from the inciting post:
There are too many movies being released these days. It seems every weekend there are 4,5,6 new movies...this week we saw the wide release of Bobby, Deja Vu, Deck the Halls, The Fountain, Tenacious D, and For Your Consideration...This..has contributed to mass amounts of DVD sales/rentals; it's not that people don't want to go to theater, it's that the movies are in and out so quick there's no chance if you don't go in the first 2 or 3 weekends.
The comment incited:
arent their so many more movies becaue there are so many more niches. like borat is for one crowd, bobby is for another. No longer are film studios trying to make movies for everyone its niche marketing. In order to maximize profits they realease movies for short time in theater to get the die hards and the recoup the rest in DVD sales.
And now, the rebuttal:
The studios don't make much money on theatrical runs unless a film is a mainstream hit so they need movies that appeal to as wide a base as possible. And they don't make as much on DVD's if a film isn't a hit in theaters (or at least pushed by strong word of mouth a la Fight Club and The Boondock Saints). If they don't make it in the theater, odds are it won't play on DVD either. I don't imagine there will be too many people rushing out to rent/buy DVD's of You, Me, and Dupree, The Ant Bully, or even Snakes on a Plane this winter.
Besides, the studios don't really decide what plays in theaters, the theaters do. If it's playing well, they will keep renting the print, if it bombs, they'll try to get something else. Theater owners (at least outside of LA and NY) tend to only rent the prints for the films that are most broadly marketed, which is why in Fresno we won't get to see Half Nelson, Last King of Scotland, we got Marie Antoinette and The Queen on 1 screen out 50+ in the city for 3 weeks each, etc. The individual theater owner needs to make a profit, independent of the studios, and since they make the majority of their profits off concession sales anyway, they need as many people as possible in theaters, eschewing as many niche films as possible in favor of the next Denzel/Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts/Will Smith movie, because those actors appeal beyond any niche.
Of course, there is no way for them to know what is going to appeal. Who would've guessed Titanic would be the highest grossing movie of all-time? Who would've guessed Brokeback Mountain would've played so well in Montana, Idaho, and the Dakotas? Fox didn't expect Borat to be a hit, so they cut the number of theaters it released in from over 2000 down to about 800 in the first weekend; it killed and still opened #1. Someone over the summer expected "My Super ex-Girlfirend" to make more than $20mil return (less the cost of prints and advertising) on a $100+million investment. So the studios/theaters don't know, it's all guesswork.
Also, at least 2 major studios announced they are cutting back their production slate for the coming years from 18 to 15 or 12, so the studios are clearly seeing some downside to the film bonanza as well.
Excerpted from the inciting post:
There are too many movies being released these days. It seems every weekend there are 4,5,6 new movies...this week we saw the wide release of Bobby, Deja Vu, Deck the Halls, The Fountain, Tenacious D, and For Your Consideration...This..has contributed to mass amounts of DVD sales/rentals; it's not that people don't want to go to theater, it's that the movies are in and out so quick there's no chance if you don't go in the first 2 or 3 weekends.
The comment incited:
arent their so many more movies becaue there are so many more niches. like borat is for one crowd, bobby is for another. No longer are film studios trying to make movies for everyone its niche marketing. In order to maximize profits they realease movies for short time in theater to get the die hards and the recoup the rest in DVD sales.
And now, the rebuttal:
The studios don't make much money on theatrical runs unless a film is a mainstream hit so they need movies that appeal to as wide a base as possible. And they don't make as much on DVD's if a film isn't a hit in theaters (or at least pushed by strong word of mouth a la Fight Club and The Boondock Saints). If they don't make it in the theater, odds are it won't play on DVD either. I don't imagine there will be too many people rushing out to rent/buy DVD's of You, Me, and Dupree, The Ant Bully, or even Snakes on a Plane this winter.
Besides, the studios don't really decide what plays in theaters, the theaters do. If it's playing well, they will keep renting the print, if it bombs, they'll try to get something else. Theater owners (at least outside of LA and NY) tend to only rent the prints for the films that are most broadly marketed, which is why in Fresno we won't get to see Half Nelson, Last King of Scotland, we got Marie Antoinette and The Queen on 1 screen out 50+ in the city for 3 weeks each, etc. The individual theater owner needs to make a profit, independent of the studios, and since they make the majority of their profits off concession sales anyway, they need as many people as possible in theaters, eschewing as many niche films as possible in favor of the next Denzel/Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts/Will Smith movie, because those actors appeal beyond any niche.
Of course, there is no way for them to know what is going to appeal. Who would've guessed Titanic would be the highest grossing movie of all-time? Who would've guessed Brokeback Mountain would've played so well in Montana, Idaho, and the Dakotas? Fox didn't expect Borat to be a hit, so they cut the number of theaters it released in from over 2000 down to about 800 in the first weekend; it killed and still opened #1. Someone over the summer expected "My Super ex-Girlfirend" to make more than $20mil return (less the cost of prints and advertising) on a $100+million investment. So the studios/theaters don't know, it's all guesswork.
Also, at least 2 major studios announced they are cutting back their production slate for the coming years from 18 to 15 or 12, so the studios are clearly seeing some downside to the film bonanza as well.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Various Things That Occured to Me at the Cinema
I went to see The Fountain this afternoon (I'll write about it tomorrow) and in regards to the experience, there are 3 or 4 points I'd like to make if I may:
1) There are a lot of people out and about in the middle of day during the week. I never really thought about it before, but there is a large portion of our population (at least here in Fresno) that does not work the regular M-F 8/9-5/6.
2) Movie theaters would probably sell more "combo packs" if they were discounted. Selling me a "Medium Combo" that is a regular priced popcorn and a regular priced medium drink does not constitute a "combo". And while I'm at it, there is no reason anyone should pay $5 for a soda, $4 for a bag of skittles, or $8 for popcorn, regardless of size or how hungry/thirsty you may be.
3) There are too many movies being released these days. It seems every weekend there are 4,5,6 new movies, it's impossible for anyone to keep up. Just this week we saw the wide release of Bobby, Deja Vu, Deck the Halls, The Fountain, Tenacious D, and For Your Consideration, not to mention various other indies/docs that come out every week in LA/NY.
I saw a stat last week that said the average American goes to the movies 4.77 times per year (2nd only to Iceland), but at the rate we release movies, that's not even enough times in one year to see all the movies released this past week. This, I think more than anything else has contributed to mass amounts of DVD sales/rentals; it's not that people don't want to go to theater, it's that the movies are in and out so quick there's no chance if you don't go in the first 2 or 3 weekends.
4) Jennifer Connelly.....wow
now, 5) There needs to be a way to soundproof theaters so that if I am watching a relatively quiet movie I'm being bothered by the incessant blasts coming from the action movie in the theater adjacent. And there is readily available technology to block cell phone signals from coming into the theater, and it is ridiculous that theaters don't take advantage.
6) Generally speaking, the better the movie, the better the audience.
(for those who didn't catch the obvious Dr. Strangelove reference in this post...shame on you for your cinematic illiteracy)
1) There are a lot of people out and about in the middle of day during the week. I never really thought about it before, but there is a large portion of our population (at least here in Fresno) that does not work the regular M-F 8/9-5/6.
2) Movie theaters would probably sell more "combo packs" if they were discounted. Selling me a "Medium Combo" that is a regular priced popcorn and a regular priced medium drink does not constitute a "combo". And while I'm at it, there is no reason anyone should pay $5 for a soda, $4 for a bag of skittles, or $8 for popcorn, regardless of size or how hungry/thirsty you may be.
3) There are too many movies being released these days. It seems every weekend there are 4,5,6 new movies, it's impossible for anyone to keep up. Just this week we saw the wide release of Bobby, Deja Vu, Deck the Halls, The Fountain, Tenacious D, and For Your Consideration, not to mention various other indies/docs that come out every week in LA/NY.
I saw a stat last week that said the average American goes to the movies 4.77 times per year (2nd only to Iceland), but at the rate we release movies, that's not even enough times in one year to see all the movies released this past week. This, I think more than anything else has contributed to mass amounts of DVD sales/rentals; it's not that people don't want to go to theater, it's that the movies are in and out so quick there's no chance if you don't go in the first 2 or 3 weekends.
4) Jennifer Connelly.....wow
now, 5) There needs to be a way to soundproof theaters so that if I am watching a relatively quiet movie I'm being bothered by the incessant blasts coming from the action movie in the theater adjacent. And there is readily available technology to block cell phone signals from coming into the theater, and it is ridiculous that theaters don't take advantage.
6) Generally speaking, the better the movie, the better the audience.
(for those who didn't catch the obvious Dr. Strangelove reference in this post...shame on you for your cinematic illiteracy)
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Music Binge 2006: Episode #2
I recently went on a second fall music binge (the first was covered at the end of this post back in October), collecting 6 more new CD's the last week or so:
The modern tunes:
V - The Revelation Is Now Televised
The album was recommended by Amazon, and executive produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff, so I took a chance on it. It's one of those neo-soul records where all of the songs are mediocre attempts at poetry with 5-6 minute running times with about 2-3 minutes worth of actual content, filled out with repeating and looping the track and you can't tell when one track ends and the next one begins because it all sounds the same. V is a decent singer, and with better production he could be a good artist, but as it stands he is a poor man's Dwele, and Dwele is a poor man's Musiq.
Anthony David - The Red Clay Chronicles
Anthony David made one of my favorite albums of the decade thus far with "3 Chords and the Truth", so I had high expectations for this one, and he subverted them by working in a slightly different direction. He moved toward a more studio produced sound, opposed to the more acoustic sound of his debut. I was unsure about it upon first listen, but it has since convinced me that those reservations are unmerited. The album is solid, with 3 songs (Words ft. India Arie and On & On, and the title track, which sounds like a bona fide Curtis Mayfield song) being better than just about any on his first disc. The rest of the album meets with varying degrees of success. The only misfire is the song "ATL Sunshine", his ode to summer out on the block in Atlanta, which would probably mean more to me if I were from the area, but even then it would still be tepid. I respect the effort though, giving love to his hometown.
James Hunter - People Gonna Talk
Van Morrison declared him the best kept secret in British music, and he may be right. This guy sounds as you would expect Van Morrison to sound if he had been making music in the 1950's. That Little Richard-era R&B sound. A lot of horns and 2.5 minute songs. 14 Straightforward, simple tales about love/relationships without an ounce of pretense. It's fun music, and one of my favorite albums of the year.
Mindy Smith - Long Island Shores
I read about this album in the paper on Sunday and just happened to see it at Target, on sale for $9, so I decided what the heck, I'll give it a shot. She falls somewhere in between Norah and Sheryl Crow, with a nod to her Nashville roots. It's only got one true country song, the rest is pleasant sounding pop-folk with a slight country flavor. She has a good voice, and is musically competent enough to make it worth the purchase price. The lyrics are so-so, but she sings them so well.
And now, the throwback records:
The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo
I have in the last 2 years or so become a fan of all this hippie-era music, and while writing this post about country music I was doing a little research and found this album was considered maybe the best country-rock album ever made, and since just about every other album I have from the 66-69 era (Sgt. Pepper, Odyssey and Oracle, Forever Changes, Pet Sounds, Velvet Underground and Nico) are among my favorites, I figured I should give this a shot, and the album didn't disappoint. Classic rock crossed with classic country = classic music. This album is definitely a pre-cursor to The Eagles, (and probably many other bands I don't know who made similar music). The harmonies, compositions, and arrangements all work astonishingly well. Consider it added to that aforementioned litany of my favorite hippie music. As with several of these vintage albums, the alternate versions/previously unreleased songs are just as good as those on the original album.
The Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale - Sea Shanties
This is the showpiece of the new additions to the collection. This is an album of good ol fashioned sailor's tunes, sung by an all-male chamber chorus that treats them as serious pieces of choral composition. It is one of my favorite music purchases ever. I walked into Borders intending to buy Mozart's Requiem (K. 626). I picked it up, and as I was on my way to the register I saw an album sitting out of place in the Bluegrass section that said in bold letters "Sea Shanties." I turned it over to see what qualified as a "sea shanty". I recognized the songs "Blow the Man Down" and "What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor" and immediately thought to myself "Forget Mozart, I must posses these glorious sea shanties." And, oh, what a marvelous idea it was. No offense, Mozart.
The modern tunes:
V - The Revelation Is Now Televised
The album was recommended by Amazon, and executive produced by DJ Jazzy Jeff, so I took a chance on it. It's one of those neo-soul records where all of the songs are mediocre attempts at poetry with 5-6 minute running times with about 2-3 minutes worth of actual content, filled out with repeating and looping the track and you can't tell when one track ends and the next one begins because it all sounds the same. V is a decent singer, and with better production he could be a good artist, but as it stands he is a poor man's Dwele, and Dwele is a poor man's Musiq.
Anthony David - The Red Clay Chronicles
Anthony David made one of my favorite albums of the decade thus far with "3 Chords and the Truth", so I had high expectations for this one, and he subverted them by working in a slightly different direction. He moved toward a more studio produced sound, opposed to the more acoustic sound of his debut. I was unsure about it upon first listen, but it has since convinced me that those reservations are unmerited. The album is solid, with 3 songs (Words ft. India Arie and On & On, and the title track, which sounds like a bona fide Curtis Mayfield song) being better than just about any on his first disc. The rest of the album meets with varying degrees of success. The only misfire is the song "ATL Sunshine", his ode to summer out on the block in Atlanta, which would probably mean more to me if I were from the area, but even then it would still be tepid. I respect the effort though, giving love to his hometown.
James Hunter - People Gonna Talk
Van Morrison declared him the best kept secret in British music, and he may be right. This guy sounds as you would expect Van Morrison to sound if he had been making music in the 1950's. That Little Richard-era R&B sound. A lot of horns and 2.5 minute songs. 14 Straightforward, simple tales about love/relationships without an ounce of pretense. It's fun music, and one of my favorite albums of the year.
Mindy Smith - Long Island Shores
I read about this album in the paper on Sunday and just happened to see it at Target, on sale for $9, so I decided what the heck, I'll give it a shot. She falls somewhere in between Norah and Sheryl Crow, with a nod to her Nashville roots. It's only got one true country song, the rest is pleasant sounding pop-folk with a slight country flavor. She has a good voice, and is musically competent enough to make it worth the purchase price. The lyrics are so-so, but she sings them so well.
And now, the throwback records:
The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo
I have in the last 2 years or so become a fan of all this hippie-era music, and while writing this post about country music I was doing a little research and found this album was considered maybe the best country-rock album ever made, and since just about every other album I have from the 66-69 era (Sgt. Pepper, Odyssey and Oracle, Forever Changes, Pet Sounds, Velvet Underground and Nico) are among my favorites, I figured I should give this a shot, and the album didn't disappoint. Classic rock crossed with classic country = classic music. This album is definitely a pre-cursor to The Eagles, (and probably many other bands I don't know who made similar music). The harmonies, compositions, and arrangements all work astonishingly well. Consider it added to that aforementioned litany of my favorite hippie music. As with several of these vintage albums, the alternate versions/previously unreleased songs are just as good as those on the original album.
The Men of the Robert Shaw Chorale - Sea Shanties
This is the showpiece of the new additions to the collection. This is an album of good ol fashioned sailor's tunes, sung by an all-male chamber chorus that treats them as serious pieces of choral composition. It is one of my favorite music purchases ever. I walked into Borders intending to buy Mozart's Requiem (K. 626). I picked it up, and as I was on my way to the register I saw an album sitting out of place in the Bluegrass section that said in bold letters "Sea Shanties." I turned it over to see what qualified as a "sea shanty". I recognized the songs "Blow the Man Down" and "What Do You Do With a Drunken Sailor" and immediately thought to myself "Forget Mozart, I must posses these glorious sea shanties." And, oh, what a marvelous idea it was. No offense, Mozart.
Friday, November 24, 2006
The Joy of Minor League Hockey....and the San Diego Chicken
Last night I made my way down to the Save Mart Center to see a little minor league hockey action. Out on the ice, it was the Fresno Falcons vs. Idaho Steelheads, an early season slugfest in the ECHL (how Fresno and Idaho, not mention Alaska, play in the East Coast Hockey League is beyond me).
Watching the game I was once again reminded why there are many people who love hockey. It's a great game to watch live, but it just doesn't translate to the television, and I think part of it is where they have to put the cameras. Watching hockey from the side is like watching tennis from the side, you can do it, but the game makes more sense watching from one of the ends, behind the goal if you ask me. But I digress. What I also noticed was how poorly both teams played the game of hockey.
It was exciting 3-2 game, with Idaho scoring the game-winning goal as the guy who scored it got hammered into the boards, but they didn't play well. The games can be thrilling, but they don't play the game as well as we're used to seeing it played; and minor league hockey is not like minor league baseball, where the best players are good enough to get called up to the pros and just about all pros played at least one season in the minors. No, these guys are as high up the hockey ladder as they'll ever get. At what point to you have to tell these guys to give it up. I mean, it's not like they can be making too much money playing in front of 2-3 thousand people a night, and hockey is a violent game and it takes a toll on you physically. I understand love of the game, but I would think love of the ability to walk when you're 45 would be preferable. Anyway, I won't begrudge these men their game, as it provided me with a night's entertainment.
Although, last night, the entertainment was provided by none other than the legendary San Diego Chicken
For the uninitiated, the San Diego Chicken was the first pro sports mascot and has been, for the last 30 years, THE great vaudevillian of American sports. He was recently ranked as one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in Sports for the 20th Century by TSN, and was invited by President Bush to appear at the first game of the White House T-Ball League. Simply put, The Chicken is a legend. Now, he is getting up in age, so his antics have been scaled back a bit in recent years, but even so, he's still got that irreverent, irascible spirit going, and any time he makes an appearance it's a treat for anyone in attendance who cares about American sports history and/or has a sense of humor. Go see him if he's coming to your area any time soon, he is allegedly looking toward retirement in the coming year(s) and obviously can't make it to every city in the country on an official farewell tour.
Here's a nice sampling of some classic Chicken moments, courtesy of Youtube. Enjoy
Watching the game I was once again reminded why there are many people who love hockey. It's a great game to watch live, but it just doesn't translate to the television, and I think part of it is where they have to put the cameras. Watching hockey from the side is like watching tennis from the side, you can do it, but the game makes more sense watching from one of the ends, behind the goal if you ask me. But I digress. What I also noticed was how poorly both teams played the game of hockey.
It was exciting 3-2 game, with Idaho scoring the game-winning goal as the guy who scored it got hammered into the boards, but they didn't play well. The games can be thrilling, but they don't play the game as well as we're used to seeing it played; and minor league hockey is not like minor league baseball, where the best players are good enough to get called up to the pros and just about all pros played at least one season in the minors. No, these guys are as high up the hockey ladder as they'll ever get. At what point to you have to tell these guys to give it up. I mean, it's not like they can be making too much money playing in front of 2-3 thousand people a night, and hockey is a violent game and it takes a toll on you physically. I understand love of the game, but I would think love of the ability to walk when you're 45 would be preferable. Anyway, I won't begrudge these men their game, as it provided me with a night's entertainment.
Although, last night, the entertainment was provided by none other than the legendary San Diego Chicken
For the uninitiated, the San Diego Chicken was the first pro sports mascot and has been, for the last 30 years, THE great vaudevillian of American sports. He was recently ranked as one of the 100 Most Influential Figures in Sports for the 20th Century by TSN, and was invited by President Bush to appear at the first game of the White House T-Ball League. Simply put, The Chicken is a legend. Now, he is getting up in age, so his antics have been scaled back a bit in recent years, but even so, he's still got that irreverent, irascible spirit going, and any time he makes an appearance it's a treat for anyone in attendance who cares about American sports history and/or has a sense of humor. Go see him if he's coming to your area any time soon, he is allegedly looking toward retirement in the coming year(s) and obviously can't make it to every city in the country on an official farewell tour.
Here's a nice sampling of some classic Chicken moments, courtesy of Youtube. Enjoy
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Thanksgiving is Here (almost) or: There's A Reason Most People Eat Turkey Only Once A Year
Thanksgiving is a wonderful American tradition, dating back to the Massachussets pilgrims, thanking Squanto and the local injuns for teaching them farming techniques in the New England climate through the winter of 1620-21, while the tribes thanked the pilgrims for introducing malaria and other such maladies to the region. All in all, a delightful display of reciprocity.
Today, Thanksgiving is little more than an excuse to overeat and ring in the "Christmas shopping season". Of course, for many in this country, overeating and overspending is business as usual; nevertheless, we continue to "give thanks" with a parade courtesy of Macy's, a Cowboys football game, and a giant family feast every November.
And oh what a feast it is: mac & cheese, cornbread, ham, black eyed peas, cranberry sauce, "pillowy mounds of mashed po-ta-toes, butter drenched dressing, tiny onions swimming in a sea of cream sauce", and of course.... turkey.
Ahhh, turkey. The one fowl deemed fit to serve as the Thanksgiving piece d'resistance. Why? Who knows. There is apparently some evidence that the pilgrims may have eaten, among other items, swan and seal (really think about that for a second....now read on) at the first Thanksgiving, but turkey has evolved into the role of centerpiece. And what a sad thing that is, and you know why:
Turkey is dreadful.
Of all the meats out there, they (whomever "they" are/were) decided the biggest feast of the year would have turkey as its cornerstone. What were they thinking? The driest, blandest, arguably the most boring food there is. Pretty much everything capable of being ingested and digested in the human body tastes better than turkey. I've had good turkey and I've had bad turkey, and it's all the same: Awful. Same goes for pumpkin-based products. Anything that is "pumpkin _____" = terrible. I know this reads like heresy for those of you T'Day purists out there, but I'm just telling the truth. Those items are woeful, and should have no place on your table come Thursday. Think about it, for a week after Thanksgiving there is leftover turkey sitting in the fridge. Is there ever leftover barbecue sitting in the fridge for a week? No sir, it's too delicious to just let is sit there. It's not because there's just more turkey. It's because it's bad and we just don't want to admit it. I tend to be all for traditions, but this is one I would be glad to see fall by the wayside.
Then again, if turkey wasn't such a big deal on Thanksgiving, people might serve it more frequently throughout the year and that would be tragic. Just think if chicken and turkey switched roles in the American food culture. Kentucky Fried Turkey, anyone? Ol' Col. Sanders would need more than his trademark 16 herbs and spices. He'd be better off serving up Kentucky Fried Swan.
Today, Thanksgiving is little more than an excuse to overeat and ring in the "Christmas shopping season". Of course, for many in this country, overeating and overspending is business as usual; nevertheless, we continue to "give thanks" with a parade courtesy of Macy's, a Cowboys football game, and a giant family feast every November.
And oh what a feast it is: mac & cheese, cornbread, ham, black eyed peas, cranberry sauce, "pillowy mounds of mashed po-ta-toes, butter drenched dressing, tiny onions swimming in a sea of cream sauce", and of course.... turkey.
Ahhh, turkey. The one fowl deemed fit to serve as the Thanksgiving piece d'resistance. Why? Who knows. There is apparently some evidence that the pilgrims may have eaten, among other items, swan and seal (really think about that for a second....now read on) at the first Thanksgiving, but turkey has evolved into the role of centerpiece. And what a sad thing that is, and you know why:
Turkey is dreadful.
Of all the meats out there, they (whomever "they" are/were) decided the biggest feast of the year would have turkey as its cornerstone. What were they thinking? The driest, blandest, arguably the most boring food there is. Pretty much everything capable of being ingested and digested in the human body tastes better than turkey. I've had good turkey and I've had bad turkey, and it's all the same: Awful. Same goes for pumpkin-based products. Anything that is "pumpkin _____" = terrible. I know this reads like heresy for those of you T'Day purists out there, but I'm just telling the truth. Those items are woeful, and should have no place on your table come Thursday. Think about it, for a week after Thanksgiving there is leftover turkey sitting in the fridge. Is there ever leftover barbecue sitting in the fridge for a week? No sir, it's too delicious to just let is sit there. It's not because there's just more turkey. It's because it's bad and we just don't want to admit it. I tend to be all for traditions, but this is one I would be glad to see fall by the wayside.
Then again, if turkey wasn't such a big deal on Thanksgiving, people might serve it more frequently throughout the year and that would be tragic. Just think if chicken and turkey switched roles in the American food culture. Kentucky Fried Turkey, anyone? Ol' Col. Sanders would need more than his trademark 16 herbs and spices. He'd be better off serving up Kentucky Fried Swan.
Friday, November 17, 2006
A Second Thought on Borat
While I will not recant my recommendation of the film, because I still think it is by turns funny and intelligent (while also at times overly vulgar), something bugged me earlier this week (or last week, I forget which, the days all run together) and I aim to speak on it.
In the film, the one thing that makes it all palatable is that we know the interviewees/subjects are not in on the joke, so it is funny as a comedy of manners; everyone in America (outside of New York, I guess) is too polite to tell Borat that he is a vile human being because we assume Kazakhstan (or any "-stan" suffixed country for that matter) produces naught but bigots. The anti-Semitism, unfamiliarity with toilets, misogyny and other crassness are excused by those in the film because they are under the impression he doesn't know any better, and we in the audience laugh because we get the joke (I hope). Two grown men get into a hotel elevator buck nekkid and no one says a word; we laugh because we expect someone to say something; maybe a "Get the #%&* off this elevator naked!, perhaps the softer, "Where are you clothes?". Them not saying anything is a classic example of comedy of manners.
What bothered me was seeing "Borat" the character on Jay Leno. In that setting, there is no joke on anyone. Everyone there knows it's an act, and since there is no one playing it straight other than this character, his routine lacks the key ingredient necessary to propel it toward being real comedy. In that situation, his barbs come across as meanness and the laughter is more of a tacit approval of what he says rather than laughing at a joke, because in the comedy of manners, the joke is the affectations of those being pranked. I guess on some level, the fact that calling Madonna a transvestite is met with laughter instead of, I don't know, not laughing, could be seen as the audience carrying forward the idea that they, too, are too afraid to call him out, even when they know it's a ruse.
So, I guess the question is, at this point, in the talk show setting with Borat, what is the joke? Are we at to sit at home laughing at the fact that this audience still laughs at this reprehensible character even when they know it's a gag, or do we laugh because we think it is genuinely funny to tell Martha Stewart she should be in her cage or pulling her plow?
That's what bugged me, I think on some level, we are the joke and either we don't realize it or we are in a state of denial.
In the film, the one thing that makes it all palatable is that we know the interviewees/subjects are not in on the joke, so it is funny as a comedy of manners; everyone in America (outside of New York, I guess) is too polite to tell Borat that he is a vile human being because we assume Kazakhstan (or any "-stan" suffixed country for that matter) produces naught but bigots. The anti-Semitism, unfamiliarity with toilets, misogyny and other crassness are excused by those in the film because they are under the impression he doesn't know any better, and we in the audience laugh because we get the joke (I hope). Two grown men get into a hotel elevator buck nekkid and no one says a word; we laugh because we expect someone to say something; maybe a "Get the #%&* off this elevator naked!, perhaps the softer, "Where are you clothes?". Them not saying anything is a classic example of comedy of manners.
What bothered me was seeing "Borat" the character on Jay Leno. In that setting, there is no joke on anyone. Everyone there knows it's an act, and since there is no one playing it straight other than this character, his routine lacks the key ingredient necessary to propel it toward being real comedy. In that situation, his barbs come across as meanness and the laughter is more of a tacit approval of what he says rather than laughing at a joke, because in the comedy of manners, the joke is the affectations of those being pranked. I guess on some level, the fact that calling Madonna a transvestite is met with laughter instead of, I don't know, not laughing, could be seen as the audience carrying forward the idea that they, too, are too afraid to call him out, even when they know it's a ruse.
So, I guess the question is, at this point, in the talk show setting with Borat, what is the joke? Are we at to sit at home laughing at the fact that this audience still laughs at this reprehensible character even when they know it's a gag, or do we laugh because we think it is genuinely funny to tell Martha Stewart she should be in her cage or pulling her plow?
That's what bugged me, I think on some level, we are the joke and either we don't realize it or we are in a state of denial.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Christmas Movie Marathon
This past week, I spent a fair amount of time contemplating a relatively hair-brained idea: Holding the ultimate Christmas-movie marathon; Several days, several sites, nothing but Holiday double-features the entire week leading up to Christmas.
Will this ambitious project will be pulled together? I'm on a maybe, leaning towards a no, especially since I'll be working tirelessly on the church Christmas production until the the 17th, and there may be a limit to how many sappy holiday films a person can stand, even at Christmas, but in the words of those old McDonalds commercials, hey, it could happen.
If by some unfortunate twist of fate you find yourself in Fresno the week of Christmas, come join in.
Currently on the slate:
Home Alone
Love Actually (if I can find my copy)
Holiday Inn
Noel
Last Holiday
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Also in consideration: Elf, The Santa Clause, White Christmas, The Preacher's Wife, Beyond Christmas, All I Want for Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Prancer, A Christmas Carol, It's A Wonderful Life, Joyeux Noel
Am I missing any Christmas classics?
Will this ambitious project will be pulled together? I'm on a maybe, leaning towards a no, especially since I'll be working tirelessly on the church Christmas production until the the 17th, and there may be a limit to how many sappy holiday films a person can stand, even at Christmas, but in the words of those old McDonalds commercials, hey, it could happen.
If by some unfortunate twist of fate you find yourself in Fresno the week of Christmas, come join in.
Currently on the slate:
Home Alone
Love Actually (if I can find my copy)
Holiday Inn
Noel
Last Holiday
Santa Claus Conquers the Martians
Also in consideration: Elf, The Santa Clause, White Christmas, The Preacher's Wife, Beyond Christmas, All I Want for Christmas, Miracle on 34th Street, Prancer, A Christmas Carol, It's A Wonderful Life, Joyeux Noel
Am I missing any Christmas classics?
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Dan Rather Reports
There is a new show on HDNet, "Dan Rather Reports", and it is quite good, at least based on the first [or possibly second] episode. Dan Rather is out in the field, doing investigative journalism, and with an hour show and given that it airs weekly, he is able to attain a depth and breadth unattainable to him as a network anchor. Check it out if you've got HDNet, it airs Tuesday at 5pm.
The episode I saw was all about the subject of our treatment of our troops when they come home: VA funding, PTSD therapies, Foreign nationals in the Army (or other branch), amputees/artificial limbs, veterans running for office, etc. I'm sure it'll be on again, that channel recycles content constantly.
Dan Rather Reports
"When I first talked to Mark Cuban, he told he that he was prepared to give me total, complete and absolute editorial and creative control. Now stop and think about that for a moment: do you know any journalists past and present (with such an arrangement)?"
-Dan Rather
"We're thrilled that Dan is now part of HDNet. Now that he is finally released from the ratings driven and limited depth confines of broadcast television, I am excited about the impact Dan can have on the future of news."
-Mark Cuban
The episode I saw was all about the subject of our treatment of our troops when they come home: VA funding, PTSD therapies, Foreign nationals in the Army (or other branch), amputees/artificial limbs, veterans running for office, etc. I'm sure it'll be on again, that channel recycles content constantly.
Dan Rather Reports
"When I first talked to Mark Cuban, he told he that he was prepared to give me total, complete and absolute editorial and creative control. Now stop and think about that for a moment: do you know any journalists past and present (with such an arrangement)?"
-Dan Rather
"We're thrilled that Dan is now part of HDNet. Now that he is finally released from the ratings driven and limited depth confines of broadcast television, I am excited about the impact Dan can have on the future of news."
-Mark Cuban
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Happy Veterans Day
Happy Veteran's Day...kudos and thanks to all troops out there, past and present. We appreciate your efforts and sacrifices for those of us too young/old/cowardly/unfit/educated/openly gay to serve. Remember, 110th Congress, supporting the troops does not mean just giving big checks for "discretionary" defense spending that will never reach most combatant soldiers, it also means supporting veterans benefits for them once they get back, for this war you voted to put them in.
I know it is set on this day in memoriam of the ending of WW1, but it is very fitting that Veterans Day is the same week as our elections
I know it is set on this day in memoriam of the ending of WW1, but it is very fitting that Veterans Day is the same week as our elections
I called it again!
Georgia 37
Auburn 15
I knew Auburn was a pretender, and they just got blown out for the second time at home this season.
If you recall, earlier in the week I called it.
Auburn 15
I knew Auburn was a pretender, and they just got blown out for the second time at home this season.
If you recall, earlier in the week I called it.
Friday, November 10, 2006
The First Line Says it All
Sometimes you're scouring the net for something entertaining and you find a headline that seems to have promise, then you read the first line of the story...and that's all you need. That one sentence perfectly tells the whole ridiculous story and there is no need to read on. I give you examples from just the last 24 hours or so:
Exhibit A:
Headline: Guns N Roses cancels show over booze law
Now, I see this headline and I am interested because I figure maybe it is about some city banning alcohol at its concert venue and the band is protesting such nonsense laws, or something of that nature. Then I read the first line:
"Guns N' Roses canceled a performance in Portland, Maine this week after being told by state officials that the band could not drink on stage."
Axl, you drunk. Need there be any more to the article than that? If you want to read more of it, go ahead, but I didn't, and I see no reason for you too either.
Exhibit B:
Headline: Actress hits elderly woman in wheelchair
Well, naturally I had to find out who, and why anyone would assault and old lady in a wheel chair, so I read the first line and get:
"Hollywood actress Denise Richards hit an 80-year-old woman in a wheelchair with at least one flying laptop Wednesday while battling paparazzi during the filming of her new movie at the River Rock Casino in Richmond.."
Hahahaha, not only did she throw AT LEAST ONE laptop, not only did it somehow manage to hit someone, not only did that person turn out to be an old lady, but she is also in a wheelchair...celebrity news doesn't get much better than that. Read it if you want but I got the whole story in one line.
Finally,
Exhibit C:
Headline: Will The Real Borat Please Stand Up?
I think to myself, could it be possible, Sasha B. Cohen cribbed the idea for this Borat character from some other comedian? Then, the first line:
"Turkish Internet celebrity Mahir Cagri is in London to press his case that he is the inspiration for the spoof Kazakh journalist, the creation of British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen whose Borat movie is taking the world's box office by storm."
The only thing more ridiculous than the possibility of there being 2 comedians playing a "naive", anti-Semitic, misogynistic Kazakh reporter is that there is actually a person willing to proclaim himself the real deal. I'm sure he goes on to defend himself as not being exactly like the character, but why bother reading on.
Exhibit A:
Headline: Guns N Roses cancels show over booze law
Now, I see this headline and I am interested because I figure maybe it is about some city banning alcohol at its concert venue and the band is protesting such nonsense laws, or something of that nature. Then I read the first line:
"Guns N' Roses canceled a performance in Portland, Maine this week after being told by state officials that the band could not drink on stage."
Axl, you drunk. Need there be any more to the article than that? If you want to read more of it, go ahead, but I didn't, and I see no reason for you too either.
Exhibit B:
Headline: Actress hits elderly woman in wheelchair
Well, naturally I had to find out who, and why anyone would assault and old lady in a wheel chair, so I read the first line and get:
"Hollywood actress Denise Richards hit an 80-year-old woman in a wheelchair with at least one flying laptop Wednesday while battling paparazzi during the filming of her new movie at the River Rock Casino in Richmond.."
Hahahaha, not only did she throw AT LEAST ONE laptop, not only did it somehow manage to hit someone, not only did that person turn out to be an old lady, but she is also in a wheelchair...celebrity news doesn't get much better than that. Read it if you want but I got the whole story in one line.
Finally,
Exhibit C:
Headline: Will The Real Borat Please Stand Up?
I think to myself, could it be possible, Sasha B. Cohen cribbed the idea for this Borat character from some other comedian? Then, the first line:
"Turkish Internet celebrity Mahir Cagri is in London to press his case that he is the inspiration for the spoof Kazakh journalist, the creation of British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen whose Borat movie is taking the world's box office by storm."
The only thing more ridiculous than the possibility of there being 2 comedians playing a "naive", anti-Semitic, misogynistic Kazakh reporter is that there is actually a person willing to proclaim himself the real deal. I'm sure he goes on to defend himself as not being exactly like the character, but why bother reading on.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
The Most Popular Musician of the Decade thus far...
is probably unrecognizable to half of the country.
Do you know this man?
If not, would it help if I mentioned that since 2000 he's sold 20 million albums, 5+ million concert tickets (becoming the first artist to ever sell 1+million tickets in 4 straight years) and won around a dozen awards from various organizations including an American Music Award as Artist of the Year in 2004?
That good friends, is Kenny Chesney, biggest name in music today and it's entirely possible you've never heard his music.
Country is the most popular music format on the radio airwaves and on the concert circuit, and yet MTV and top 40 radio refuse to play their music despite impressive record sales and concert attendance. It's amazing to me that the most popular singer out today is so marginalized to a specific group. I can't think of any other time when the mainstream was so afraid to embrace something so clearly popular and bankable. It's not like these artists don't have crossover appeal; this isn't Merle Haggard or Hank Williams, this is Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, and Tim McGraw, they're not cowboys, they're pop stars in cowboy boots.
Basically, rap has stopped being as fun as it was in the Timbaland, Irv Gotti, Manny Fresh, Neptunes-produced era and the casual fan has sort of moved on which caused the surge in the pop-punk trash heap that included Yellowcard, Fall Out Boy, and the like. Now there is a nu-pop on the charts, with Justin Timberlake, Pussycat Dolls, and Fergie leading the charge, although you couldn't pay me enough money to sit through the entire song "Fergalicious" (oh how I wish I had made that up). The top 40 ground is ripe for the taking and country has the artists to take it over if they were given the opening.
Geez, talking about football and country music...I'm feeling very American right now
Do you know this man?
If not, would it help if I mentioned that since 2000 he's sold 20 million albums, 5+ million concert tickets (becoming the first artist to ever sell 1+million tickets in 4 straight years) and won around a dozen awards from various organizations including an American Music Award as Artist of the Year in 2004?
That good friends, is Kenny Chesney, biggest name in music today and it's entirely possible you've never heard his music.
Country is the most popular music format on the radio airwaves and on the concert circuit, and yet MTV and top 40 radio refuse to play their music despite impressive record sales and concert attendance. It's amazing to me that the most popular singer out today is so marginalized to a specific group. I can't think of any other time when the mainstream was so afraid to embrace something so clearly popular and bankable. It's not like these artists don't have crossover appeal; this isn't Merle Haggard or Hank Williams, this is Rascal Flatts, Sugarland, and Tim McGraw, they're not cowboys, they're pop stars in cowboy boots.
Basically, rap has stopped being as fun as it was in the Timbaland, Irv Gotti, Manny Fresh, Neptunes-produced era and the casual fan has sort of moved on which caused the surge in the pop-punk trash heap that included Yellowcard, Fall Out Boy, and the like. Now there is a nu-pop on the charts, with Justin Timberlake, Pussycat Dolls, and Fergie leading the charge, although you couldn't pay me enough money to sit through the entire song "Fergalicious" (oh how I wish I had made that up). The top 40 ground is ripe for the taking and country has the artists to take it over if they were given the opening.
Geez, talking about football and country music...I'm feeling very American right now
I called it...
Rutgers 28
Louisville 25
Louisville forgot how to play offense in the 2nd half, and the Rutgers blitz destroyed them. Great game all around. Rutgers missed the potential game-winning field goal, except Louisville jumped offside so they go a 2nd crack at it. Great finish, good riddance to Louisville, they would be championship caliber if they had Michael Bush, but without him, they are just another good team that is one great player away.
I'm usually good for one or two upset picks each year, and that was my 2nd one, I also picked Arkansas over Auburn, but I didn't really tell anyone else that one, so I need to publicize a second one, and I'll make it Georgia over Auburn on Saturday.
Louisville 25
Louisville forgot how to play offense in the 2nd half, and the Rutgers blitz destroyed them. Great game all around. Rutgers missed the potential game-winning field goal, except Louisville jumped offside so they go a 2nd crack at it. Great finish, good riddance to Louisville, they would be championship caliber if they had Michael Bush, but without him, they are just another good team that is one great player away.
I'm usually good for one or two upset picks each year, and that was my 2nd one, I also picked Arkansas over Auburn, but I didn't really tell anyone else that one, so I need to publicize a second one, and I'll make it Georgia over Auburn on Saturday.
Nor-Cal Sports Exodus
Reports this week have the 49ers leaving San Fransisco for Santa Clara, the Kings leaving Sacramento for Vegas or Kansas City, and the A's leaving Oakland for Fremont all because their cities refuse to build modern facilities for the teams.
What gives Nor-Cal?
What gives Nor-Cal?
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Smorgasbord
Hallelujah, this is the most glorious time of the year. Political ads and the MLB season are as far away as they will be all year. Glory be!
There has been an inexplicably noticeable proliferation of lizards in our front yard this fall. The squirrels moved from the back yard to the front, and I guess they invited the lizards to come with them. It's bizarre.
It's the start of the foggy season in Fresno, and for anyone who has never experienced the fog of Central California...I suggest you never do, it is incredibly dangerous and people get injured/killed every year because of it. You literally cannot see anything out there on the freeways in the country. It's bad. I can't wait for it to go away.
Speaking of getting killed, I had to run audio at the church today for a funeral for a 13 year old boy who was killed in an after school fight with an 8th grade (alleged) bully. They say the fight lasted only 20-30 seconds. It's so sad to see a child lying in a casket, but I don't know that there are many things more heartbreaking to see than a grown man completely breaking down in tears despite all his efforts to hold it in, especially when you just know he's one of those otherwise macho guys who hasn't cried in like 15 years. I always think funerals are a strange event, the solemnity of it all makes me uneasy and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe I just don't like seeing people cry.
Those parents/family members of that kid get a pass on not voting today if they miss it. Every one else, no excuses. You should have been to the polls by now, although, I think it is silly that we vote on a week day and there is no holiday from work or requirement to let workers off to go vote, or at least let people vote close to work rather than close to home so it is more convenient. It's bad enough in some places that certain parties are calling people telling them if they vote they or their family will be deported, roads are mysteriously closed around polling places to make them less accessible, voting machines mysteriously malfunction, people get called and told their polling place has been changed, polling places have 1 or 2 voting machines for 3-4 thousand constituent voters, etc. If people want to vote, we should make it possible, and this election fraud/wrangling that happens every time the polls open has to, HAS TO stop. It is ridiculous and it makes a mockery of the system. It's bad enough that the politicians are crooked, but when even the machinery of the democracy stops working, it's time to start over. If this is the endgame of our form of government, if this is what newly liberated Iraq, the former Soviet bloc, the central African nations, and other fledgling democracies around the world have to look forward to in the coming century, I'd tell them to find a new model of government because this is pathetic.
There has been an inexplicably noticeable proliferation of lizards in our front yard this fall. The squirrels moved from the back yard to the front, and I guess they invited the lizards to come with them. It's bizarre.
It's the start of the foggy season in Fresno, and for anyone who has never experienced the fog of Central California...I suggest you never do, it is incredibly dangerous and people get injured/killed every year because of it. You literally cannot see anything out there on the freeways in the country. It's bad. I can't wait for it to go away.
Speaking of getting killed, I had to run audio at the church today for a funeral for a 13 year old boy who was killed in an after school fight with an 8th grade (alleged) bully. They say the fight lasted only 20-30 seconds. It's so sad to see a child lying in a casket, but I don't know that there are many things more heartbreaking to see than a grown man completely breaking down in tears despite all his efforts to hold it in, especially when you just know he's one of those otherwise macho guys who hasn't cried in like 15 years. I always think funerals are a strange event, the solemnity of it all makes me uneasy and I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe I just don't like seeing people cry.
Those parents/family members of that kid get a pass on not voting today if they miss it. Every one else, no excuses. You should have been to the polls by now, although, I think it is silly that we vote on a week day and there is no holiday from work or requirement to let workers off to go vote, or at least let people vote close to work rather than close to home so it is more convenient. It's bad enough in some places that certain parties are calling people telling them if they vote they or their family will be deported, roads are mysteriously closed around polling places to make them less accessible, voting machines mysteriously malfunction, people get called and told their polling place has been changed, polling places have 1 or 2 voting machines for 3-4 thousand constituent voters, etc. If people want to vote, we should make it possible, and this election fraud/wrangling that happens every time the polls open has to, HAS TO stop. It is ridiculous and it makes a mockery of the system. It's bad enough that the politicians are crooked, but when even the machinery of the democracy stops working, it's time to start over. If this is the endgame of our form of government, if this is what newly liberated Iraq, the former Soviet bloc, the central African nations, and other fledgling democracies around the world have to look forward to in the coming century, I'd tell them to find a new model of government because this is pathetic.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Blog Discussions for Make Benefit Glorious Sport of College Football
This year in college football has been wacky. As is usually the case, there are two teams generally agreed upon as the best two, Michigan and Ohio State. Unfortunately, this time they'll play each other in 2 weeks, so one of them will likely be out of the running come Thanksgiving. Which will leave a mess if things continue to go the way they are going. Fortunately, things never do in college football.
There are several games left that can clear up the glut of 1-loss teams (plus Louisville) clamoring for a crack at the national championship:
Ohio State-Michigan: duh
Rutgers-Louisville/West Virginia: A loss by Louisville shuts up the Big East and its fans as no one will make a case for Rutgers to play in the title game, even if they beat both Louisville and West Virginia.
Texas-Texas A&M: Texas hasn't played very well in big games this year, and A&M is quietly 8-2 thus far. As the last regular season game and with a chance to play spoiler (potentially) A&M could take down the 'Horns. Probably not, but hey, it could happen.
USC-Notre Dame/Cal/Oregon: If USC wins all 3 they deserve to go to the national championship, hands down. Wins over Arkansas, Nebraska, Oregon, Cal, Notre Dame, and Washington State would make them the only team in the country with 6 wins over top 25 teams. None of those other teams have a shot without a lot of help (Oregon having no shot), but USC has their chance. A case can be made that USC has the toughest schedule in the country.
Arkansas v. LSU/Tennessee: Win both games and Arkansas is in the SEC title games against Florida, win that game and they deserve a shot with wins over LSU, Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn. It'll be tough because they rely on McFadden and LSU and Tennessee both play solid run defense. If Arkansas loses both, Auburn goes to the SEC championship for a rematch against Florida. The winner of that game has the best shot at making it in as a one loss team, unless USC runs the table (which I doubt they will). I probably shouldn't discount that Florida-South Carolina game coming up this weekend, if SC gets a reliable QB in there who will throw the ball to Sidney Rice, they can give Florida fits.
Florida-Florida State: Florida is definitely more talented than FSU, but a rivalry game is always a challenge.
Those games all take place in the next month and somewhere in there the national championship picture will be cleared up fairly well. This year has the playoff nuts screaming "Playoff! This is why we need a playoff!" but they don't see why it wouldn't help. There has been one year when there was a "controversy" because 3 teams finished unbeaten, back in the 2004-05 season, when USC beat Oklahoma in the title game, but Auburn and Utah both finished undefeated as well. Of course that season, USC was better than any college team in the last decade other than that '01-02 Miami team that included Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Bryant McKinnie, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr, Andre Johnson, Mike Rumph Sean Taylor, Philip Buchanon, Ed Reed, DJ Williams, Jonathan Vilma, Vince Wilfork (my goodness Butch Davis was a monster recruiter).
A playoff system every year would cheapen a season like last year when everyone wanted to see USC-Texas and only USC-Texas. A playoff would have given us 2 or 3 unnecessary USC-West Virginia, Texas-Penn State games, delaying the inevitable. You see, by not having a playoff, we are guaranteed that the team that wins the title can legitimately claim to have been the best team all season. In college basketball, this rarely happens. Last season UCONN was generally considered the best team, yet the title game was UCLA-Florida, but both of those teams started slow, and hit their stride in about February, which isn't a bad thing when you play a 30-35 game season, but in college football you get 11-12 games, so you have to be great from the outset, or you are at the mercy of the system. Remember back to the aforementioned 01-02 season: Colorado got hot in mid-October, and rode Chris Brown and Bobby Purify to a stunner over then #1 Nebraska and Heisman winner Eric Crouch by 35 points the day after Thanksgiving, then beat Chris 'can't win the big game' Simms and Texas in the Big 12 title game, but an early season home loss to Fresno State reminded us that this was just a team on a streak, and not necessarily that great, which bore itself out when they got blown out by Joey Harrington and Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl some 4 weeks later.
You have to have it from the beginning in college football.
An 8 team playoff this year would likely give us OSU, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Louisville, USC or Cal, and likely one of Notre Dame-Auburn-West Virginia. Now, of those teams, in my opinion, Auburn, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and to some extent Cal and Texas, deserve no shot at the title. There are 4-6 teams that could potentially be the best, but 2 or 3 teams would backdoor their way in, get a fluke big play, a fluke injury and all of a sudden we have Louisville-Notre Dame as the championship, which just about every fan (other than homers for those two schools) would agree would not be a match-up of the two best teams.
So, with a playoff being impractical, we work with the system we have. I have devised my own system of how to pare down the teams to determine who should play in for the title in the absence of 2 clearly superior, unbeaten teams:
1. No home losses
2. No losses by more than 14 points
3. Win at least 2 games against top 25 teams, with at least one on the road
Applying this system, right now we have:
Michigan, Florida, and USC
Ohio State and Louisville can get in the mix too if they run the table.
I think that is reasonable. (Texas, Auburn, and Notre Dame fans will be bemused, but when I see L 24-7 @ home, L 27-10 @ home, and L 47-21 @ home respectively....take a hike, that's not good enough)
So, in summation (for now, because 21 waking hours have made me weary, even though included in there was a Madden2006 Super Bowl victory in a 35-21 classic against the Cowboys) this is the time you should look forward to every year if you are a college football fan. The season is just starting in some ways.
I'l hold back on repeating my rant against preseason polls and preseason Heisman Watch until next time.
There are several games left that can clear up the glut of 1-loss teams (plus Louisville) clamoring for a crack at the national championship:
Ohio State-Michigan: duh
Rutgers-Louisville/West Virginia: A loss by Louisville shuts up the Big East and its fans as no one will make a case for Rutgers to play in the title game, even if they beat both Louisville and West Virginia.
Texas-Texas A&M: Texas hasn't played very well in big games this year, and A&M is quietly 8-2 thus far. As the last regular season game and with a chance to play spoiler (potentially) A&M could take down the 'Horns. Probably not, but hey, it could happen.
USC-Notre Dame/Cal/Oregon: If USC wins all 3 they deserve to go to the national championship, hands down. Wins over Arkansas, Nebraska, Oregon, Cal, Notre Dame, and Washington State would make them the only team in the country with 6 wins over top 25 teams. None of those other teams have a shot without a lot of help (Oregon having no shot), but USC has their chance. A case can be made that USC has the toughest schedule in the country.
Arkansas v. LSU/Tennessee: Win both games and Arkansas is in the SEC title games against Florida, win that game and they deserve a shot with wins over LSU, Tennessee, Florida, and Auburn. It'll be tough because they rely on McFadden and LSU and Tennessee both play solid run defense. If Arkansas loses both, Auburn goes to the SEC championship for a rematch against Florida. The winner of that game has the best shot at making it in as a one loss team, unless USC runs the table (which I doubt they will). I probably shouldn't discount that Florida-South Carolina game coming up this weekend, if SC gets a reliable QB in there who will throw the ball to Sidney Rice, they can give Florida fits.
Florida-Florida State: Florida is definitely more talented than FSU, but a rivalry game is always a challenge.
Those games all take place in the next month and somewhere in there the national championship picture will be cleared up fairly well. This year has the playoff nuts screaming "Playoff! This is why we need a playoff!" but they don't see why it wouldn't help. There has been one year when there was a "controversy" because 3 teams finished unbeaten, back in the 2004-05 season, when USC beat Oklahoma in the title game, but Auburn and Utah both finished undefeated as well. Of course that season, USC was better than any college team in the last decade other than that '01-02 Miami team that included Clinton Portis, Frank Gore, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Bryant McKinnie, Jeremy Shockey, Kellen Winslow Jr, Andre Johnson, Mike Rumph Sean Taylor, Philip Buchanon, Ed Reed, DJ Williams, Jonathan Vilma, Vince Wilfork (my goodness Butch Davis was a monster recruiter).
A playoff system every year would cheapen a season like last year when everyone wanted to see USC-Texas and only USC-Texas. A playoff would have given us 2 or 3 unnecessary USC-West Virginia, Texas-Penn State games, delaying the inevitable. You see, by not having a playoff, we are guaranteed that the team that wins the title can legitimately claim to have been the best team all season. In college basketball, this rarely happens. Last season UCONN was generally considered the best team, yet the title game was UCLA-Florida, but both of those teams started slow, and hit their stride in about February, which isn't a bad thing when you play a 30-35 game season, but in college football you get 11-12 games, so you have to be great from the outset, or you are at the mercy of the system. Remember back to the aforementioned 01-02 season: Colorado got hot in mid-October, and rode Chris Brown and Bobby Purify to a stunner over then #1 Nebraska and Heisman winner Eric Crouch by 35 points the day after Thanksgiving, then beat Chris 'can't win the big game' Simms and Texas in the Big 12 title game, but an early season home loss to Fresno State reminded us that this was just a team on a streak, and not necessarily that great, which bore itself out when they got blown out by Joey Harrington and Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl some 4 weeks later.
You have to have it from the beginning in college football.
An 8 team playoff this year would likely give us OSU, Michigan, Florida, Texas, Louisville, USC or Cal, and likely one of Notre Dame-Auburn-West Virginia. Now, of those teams, in my opinion, Auburn, Notre Dame, West Virginia, and to some extent Cal and Texas, deserve no shot at the title. There are 4-6 teams that could potentially be the best, but 2 or 3 teams would backdoor their way in, get a fluke big play, a fluke injury and all of a sudden we have Louisville-Notre Dame as the championship, which just about every fan (other than homers for those two schools) would agree would not be a match-up of the two best teams.
So, with a playoff being impractical, we work with the system we have. I have devised my own system of how to pare down the teams to determine who should play in for the title in the absence of 2 clearly superior, unbeaten teams:
1. No home losses
2. No losses by more than 14 points
3. Win at least 2 games against top 25 teams, with at least one on the road
Applying this system, right now we have:
Michigan, Florida, and USC
Ohio State and Louisville can get in the mix too if they run the table.
I think that is reasonable. (Texas, Auburn, and Notre Dame fans will be bemused, but when I see L 24-7 @ home, L 27-10 @ home, and L 47-21 @ home respectively....take a hike, that's not good enough)
So, in summation (for now, because 21 waking hours have made me weary, even though included in there was a Madden2006 Super Bowl victory in a 35-21 classic against the Cowboys) this is the time you should look forward to every year if you are a college football fan. The season is just starting in some ways.
I'l hold back on repeating my rant against preseason polls and preseason Heisman Watch until next time.
College Football
With one month left in the college football regular season, I think it's time for some prognostication and discussion (read: ranting)
Let's start with my own top 10:
1. Michigan - The defense can be the best in the country when they want to, especially on the D-Line, and the offense is better than I expected, mostly because of Mike Hart. That blowout of ND is good enough for the #1 spot. Mario Manningham came out of nowhere to become a beast of a receiver.
2. Ohio State - Troy Smith is having a great year, and has the highlight plays, but James Laurenitis is my Heisman winner thus far, anchoring that defense. That win at Texas was impressive, but they beat a freshman QB making his 2nd start. Other than that, they haven't been challenged. Northwestern this wekend could be a trap game, with that spread offense, NW has a solid young QB.
3. Cal - I know I'll be called a west coast homer for this, but they were my preseason pick to win the Pac-10 and since that loss in the first game at Tennessee no team has been more consistent offensively (well, maybe Boise State). The defense is capable of making enough plays to keep them in the game for that offense with Lynch, Forsythe, and Longshore. That early loss was bad, but I give them a bit of a pass on it because it was Longshore's first game back from an injury and only his 5th or so start, which ruined any chance for Marshawn Lynch to get going.
4. Florida - Best team in the SEC, with their only loss coming because Urban Meyer undermined Chris Leak's confidence against Auburn in the 2nd half by bringing in Tebow in critical situations. I don't understand this SEC practice of cycling through QBs. Florida is the most complete, consistent team in the SEC.
5. USC - Big wins against Arkansas (who hasn't lost since) and Nebraska. The run game needs to improve, but the Carroll seems to have finally opened up the playbook for JD Booty to make use of Smith and Jarrett, both in the top 10 of college receivers. If they get healthy they have a chance to run the table in their brutal next month with games against Cal, Oregon, Notre Dame, and cross-town rival UCLA. If they win all of those games, they deserve to be in the title game.
6. Louisville - Big wins over a down Miami and West Virginia. With Brohm back in the lineup, they could finish up unbeaten, lest Rutgers pull the upset. They've managed well in the absence of Michael Bush.
7. Texas - If Cal gets a pass for an inexperienced QB, so does Texas, but they go lower because they lost at home. Sweed is one of the top 4 or 5 receivers in college football, and the defense can be staunch when they need to be. That fluke win over Nebraska keeps them out of the top 5, especially compared with what USC did against Nebraska. Big 12 title game should be a rematch with Nebraska in Kansas City means Texas is playing them on the road again, and Nebraska will be out for revenge, so we'll see where McCoy is in his development at that point.
8. Notre Dame - One big home loss ruined their chances at the national championship. Brady Quinn has occasionally looked great, but has looked mediocre against elite defenses. Samardijza and Zibikowski are about as good as a wide receiver and safety, respectively, can be at the college level.
9. Auburn - Blown out at home against Arkansas, but big wins against LSU and Florida get them in the top 10. The SEC keeps this whole thing screwy because Auburn beat Florida, but lost to Arkansas, but Arkansas is not as good as Florida, so it's a challenge to rank them. Auburn would be better with a better QB, but as it stands, they rely a little too much on Kenny Irons to be an elite team.
10. Arkansas - Since getting blown out against USC in the first game they're undefeated, and they played a different QB in that first game, and gave Darren McFadden, who's turned into an All-American caliber back, 9 carries. That blowout win at Auburn was impressive. Upcoming home games against LSU and Tennesee and then a potential SEC title game against Florida will show us how good (or not that good) this team is.
Just outside the top 10-
West Virginia - Slaton and White are a dangerous backfield and that offense can go point for point with just about every team in the country, but the defense looks like it was built by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Rutgers - The Scarlet Knights get little respect, but I think they can beat West Virginia and Louisville down the stretch with their defense and ball control ability with Ray Rice. An undefeated Rutgers is a scary thing, just because its Rutgers football.
Wisconsin - They look like they could be a great team, but the schedule was too easy for them, and they lost the one tough game they had against Michigan, so they'll finish with a very inflated 11-1 record.
Boise State - They need to schedule at least one tough out of conference game, because they smash every team they play by 25-30 points. Ian Johnson is a great running back and Jared Zabransky avoids making big mistakes.
LSU/Tennesee - Two SEC teams with 2 losses, due largely to coaching/injuries, because both of these defenses are every bit as good as Michigan when they play to potential. LSU beat Tennessee, but I imagine Tennessee would've won if Erik Ainge hadn't gotten injured early, and if Tennessee had won that game, they'd be #5 or 6, but they lost twice at home, so they slide.
Well, that top 10 took longer than I wanted it to, so I'm not gonna get into predictions tonight because now the Raider game is on. Maybe I'll come back to it after I go vote tomorrow morning.
Let's start with my own top 10:
1. Michigan - The defense can be the best in the country when they want to, especially on the D-Line, and the offense is better than I expected, mostly because of Mike Hart. That blowout of ND is good enough for the #1 spot. Mario Manningham came out of nowhere to become a beast of a receiver.
2. Ohio State - Troy Smith is having a great year, and has the highlight plays, but James Laurenitis is my Heisman winner thus far, anchoring that defense. That win at Texas was impressive, but they beat a freshman QB making his 2nd start. Other than that, they haven't been challenged. Northwestern this wekend could be a trap game, with that spread offense, NW has a solid young QB.
3. Cal - I know I'll be called a west coast homer for this, but they were my preseason pick to win the Pac-10 and since that loss in the first game at Tennessee no team has been more consistent offensively (well, maybe Boise State). The defense is capable of making enough plays to keep them in the game for that offense with Lynch, Forsythe, and Longshore. That early loss was bad, but I give them a bit of a pass on it because it was Longshore's first game back from an injury and only his 5th or so start, which ruined any chance for Marshawn Lynch to get going.
4. Florida - Best team in the SEC, with their only loss coming because Urban Meyer undermined Chris Leak's confidence against Auburn in the 2nd half by bringing in Tebow in critical situations. I don't understand this SEC practice of cycling through QBs. Florida is the most complete, consistent team in the SEC.
5. USC - Big wins against Arkansas (who hasn't lost since) and Nebraska. The run game needs to improve, but the Carroll seems to have finally opened up the playbook for JD Booty to make use of Smith and Jarrett, both in the top 10 of college receivers. If they get healthy they have a chance to run the table in their brutal next month with games against Cal, Oregon, Notre Dame, and cross-town rival UCLA. If they win all of those games, they deserve to be in the title game.
6. Louisville - Big wins over a down Miami and West Virginia. With Brohm back in the lineup, they could finish up unbeaten, lest Rutgers pull the upset. They've managed well in the absence of Michael Bush.
7. Texas - If Cal gets a pass for an inexperienced QB, so does Texas, but they go lower because they lost at home. Sweed is one of the top 4 or 5 receivers in college football, and the defense can be staunch when they need to be. That fluke win over Nebraska keeps them out of the top 5, especially compared with what USC did against Nebraska. Big 12 title game should be a rematch with Nebraska in Kansas City means Texas is playing them on the road again, and Nebraska will be out for revenge, so we'll see where McCoy is in his development at that point.
8. Notre Dame - One big home loss ruined their chances at the national championship. Brady Quinn has occasionally looked great, but has looked mediocre against elite defenses. Samardijza and Zibikowski are about as good as a wide receiver and safety, respectively, can be at the college level.
9. Auburn - Blown out at home against Arkansas, but big wins against LSU and Florida get them in the top 10. The SEC keeps this whole thing screwy because Auburn beat Florida, but lost to Arkansas, but Arkansas is not as good as Florida, so it's a challenge to rank them. Auburn would be better with a better QB, but as it stands, they rely a little too much on Kenny Irons to be an elite team.
10. Arkansas - Since getting blown out against USC in the first game they're undefeated, and they played a different QB in that first game, and gave Darren McFadden, who's turned into an All-American caliber back, 9 carries. That blowout win at Auburn was impressive. Upcoming home games against LSU and Tennesee and then a potential SEC title game against Florida will show us how good (or not that good) this team is.
Just outside the top 10-
West Virginia - Slaton and White are a dangerous backfield and that offense can go point for point with just about every team in the country, but the defense looks like it was built by the Army Corps of Engineers.
Rutgers - The Scarlet Knights get little respect, but I think they can beat West Virginia and Louisville down the stretch with their defense and ball control ability with Ray Rice. An undefeated Rutgers is a scary thing, just because its Rutgers football.
Wisconsin - They look like they could be a great team, but the schedule was too easy for them, and they lost the one tough game they had against Michigan, so they'll finish with a very inflated 11-1 record.
Boise State - They need to schedule at least one tough out of conference game, because they smash every team they play by 25-30 points. Ian Johnson is a great running back and Jared Zabransky avoids making big mistakes.
LSU/Tennesee - Two SEC teams with 2 losses, due largely to coaching/injuries, because both of these defenses are every bit as good as Michigan when they play to potential. LSU beat Tennessee, but I imagine Tennessee would've won if Erik Ainge hadn't gotten injured early, and if Tennessee had won that game, they'd be #5 or 6, but they lost twice at home, so they slide.
Well, that top 10 took longer than I wanted it to, so I'm not gonna get into predictions tonight because now the Raider game is on. Maybe I'll come back to it after I go vote tomorrow morning.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Cheap Shot!
With yet another gay sex scandal hitting the conservatives, I have to wonder if all this grandstanding for a gay marriage ban is based on real moral/personal conviction or simply fear of commitment.
In poor taste, I know, but I couldn't resist. Tomorrow we talk college football.
In poor taste, I know, but I couldn't resist. Tomorrow we talk college football.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Hacking Democracy
For the second day in a row I recommend a movie.
HBO produced a new documentary called "Hacking Democracy", about the potential unreliability/vulnerability of electronic voting machines. It is frightening, eye-opening, and important. It's short, about 80-85 minutes, but it is powerful. Not only does it expose the potential fraud in the most elemental act to our 'democracy', it also shows that there may be something you/I/we can do about it.
Showtimes
Huffington Post article extolling its importance.
HBO produced a new documentary called "Hacking Democracy", about the potential unreliability/vulnerability of electronic voting machines. It is frightening, eye-opening, and important. It's short, about 80-85 minutes, but it is powerful. Not only does it expose the potential fraud in the most elemental act to our 'democracy', it also shows that there may be something you/I/we can do about it.
Showtimes
Huffington Post article extolling its importance.
Invention of the Century?
Several groups have touted the LifeStraw as the "invention of the century" thus far. It is a device that eliminates most of the bacteria and pollution in otherwise undrinkable water supplies that people in the developing world still drink every day. At present they are set to cost $3.50, lasting up to a year. Humanitarian organization WaterAid of the UK is a critic of it, saying it is too expensive for those who need it most and that the bigger problem is that these individuals live too far away from water, rather than that is is unfit for consumption.
I can see that point, but I think it would just make more sense to collaborate. The problems of the developing world are not going to be remedied by one cure-all solution, and I think if you have a device such as this that CAN potentially help millions of people in the short-term, I think we should do what we can to support it, while at the same time working toward creating sustainable change in the drinking water situations in the maligned areas.
Some advocate a plan of selling the LifeStraws here in the states at sporting goods stores for the outdoors-types (Big 5, REI, etc) and applying a portion of the revenues as a subsidy to supply them to the places where they are needed most.
Saw this on CNN this morning and thought I'd share. What do you think?
I can see that point, but I think it would just make more sense to collaborate. The problems of the developing world are not going to be remedied by one cure-all solution, and I think if you have a device such as this that CAN potentially help millions of people in the short-term, I think we should do what we can to support it, while at the same time working toward creating sustainable change in the drinking water situations in the maligned areas.
Some advocate a plan of selling the LifeStraws here in the states at sporting goods stores for the outdoors-types (Big 5, REI, etc) and applying a portion of the revenues as a subsidy to supply them to the places where they are needed most.
Saw this on CNN this morning and thought I'd share. What do you think?
Friday, November 03, 2006
Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan
This amazingly-titled "movie film" is pure genius.
Go see it.
Now. (But probably not with the parents)
Go see it.
Now. (But probably not with the parents)
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
The Coming "New" Christendom
I've been lazy about writing, so I once again post something written by another.
An interesting article about the changing face of Christianity throughout the world, basically putting forth a notion of a coming "Southern" (as opposed to Eastern or Western) Christianity, rooted in Africa and Latin America, possibly ending the global ignoring of the Southern hemisphere.
The author notes that there are currently more Christians in Africa than there are people in the United States, and the same will be true of Latin/South America in the coming years, while the numbers in Europe and the rest of the western world decline, and that this new church mostly resembles the early church.
Excerpted:
This “global Christianity” threatens to shatter the illusions of the post-Enlightenment intelligentsia, which has assumed for generations that Christianity will either disappear entirely or gradually accommodate its teachings to the spirit of the modern age. The Lambeth Conference is just one example of how this theory has foundered on global Christianity’s moral and theological traditionalism. The church in the Third World has thrived demographically despite brooking no compromise on issues like homosexuality, the ordination of women, the acceptance of divorce, and the tolerance of abortion — practices that many in the West have either advocated or tacitly accepted.
***************
This revival of the early church’s spirit is remarkable, but more remarkable still is the extent to which it has been ignored in the West. Many do not even know that these Christians exist, at least in such numbers — and why should they, when the media’s vision casts Islam as the defining religion of the developing world? Many more, like Bishop Spong, are somehow embarrassed by the fervor and traditionalism of Third World Christians; or worse, they are embarrassed by their very existence, which is after all the fruit of Western colonialism, missionary zeal, and other assorted evils of our less enlightened past.
Read on....
An interesting article about the changing face of Christianity throughout the world, basically putting forth a notion of a coming "Southern" (as opposed to Eastern or Western) Christianity, rooted in Africa and Latin America, possibly ending the global ignoring of the Southern hemisphere.
The author notes that there are currently more Christians in Africa than there are people in the United States, and the same will be true of Latin/South America in the coming years, while the numbers in Europe and the rest of the western world decline, and that this new church mostly resembles the early church.
Excerpted:
This “global Christianity” threatens to shatter the illusions of the post-Enlightenment intelligentsia, which has assumed for generations that Christianity will either disappear entirely or gradually accommodate its teachings to the spirit of the modern age. The Lambeth Conference is just one example of how this theory has foundered on global Christianity’s moral and theological traditionalism. The church in the Third World has thrived demographically despite brooking no compromise on issues like homosexuality, the ordination of women, the acceptance of divorce, and the tolerance of abortion — practices that many in the West have either advocated or tacitly accepted.
***************
This revival of the early church’s spirit is remarkable, but more remarkable still is the extent to which it has been ignored in the West. Many do not even know that these Christians exist, at least in such numbers — and why should they, when the media’s vision casts Islam as the defining religion of the developing world? Many more, like Bishop Spong, are somehow embarrassed by the fervor and traditionalism of Third World Christians; or worse, they are embarrassed by their very existence, which is after all the fruit of Western colonialism, missionary zeal, and other assorted evils of our less enlightened past.
Read on....
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