Story & Plot in Love & Mercy: A trio of Brian Wilson, Ray Charles, & Johnny Cash

Biopics of any sort are always risky in that they are inevitably predictable. Such is the nature of a rather tame beast. After all, the life and events of the film’s subject matter tend to be already etched in the minds of the audience before ticket is even bought. Moreover, because the story is not only known but known to be real, the genre is often overly conservative in how predictable it is, relying on imitation over innovation.

Fries & Ketchup: With Spoon, Denis Johnson, & Baseball

Things we meant to talk about, but never did:

You can see it in the branches of the late summer trees. They slow their growth, fade to red and yellow, and then strip bare. The endless sun exhausts them. This is how they survive the winter.

A Bit of R.E.M. To Get Us Through the Middle of the Week

The following video is to carry on the notion of R.E.M. Week here at LCB:

Arlington, VA and James Madison University

Stan Yuengling and I often roam the streets of Arlington, VA, and Remy finally gave us a song to cruise Glebe and Washington Blvd. to. If you've ever eaten at the IHOP in Balston, in the AM, or are just "a dude in brown flip flops", then this video is for you.

And while I've never been a huge a cappella fan, this video is hilarious, whether you prefer being on a boat or being on JMU's Quad:

Fries and Ketchup

Last week Teach unveiled our new weekly column that tries to catch up with some of the stories we missed over the past couple of days. It's our way of satiating your thirst for our thoughts on a myriad of sports news and other topics. I guess thirst would be a little strong, but here it is anyway.

DC/Baltimore Baseball

The situation in both cities is pretty depressing, as both teams combined have a dismal record of 41-79 (They both lay claim to the worst records in their respective leagues; Baltimore 25-36, Washington 16-43). For comparisons sake, the two teams from Los Angeles combine for a record of 70-51. Both teams have more in common apart from their geographical location on the East Coast. They both have owners who consistently make mistakes with their franchises. They both have/had rotations filled with names most of us don't know or would like to forget (see Daniel Cabrera). However for both teams there is some reason to look toward the future with a little optimism.

For the Nationals that optimism comes from one name and one name alone; Stephen Strasburg. The number one pick of less than a week ago, the future of pitching in baseball, the next big thing, the future of Nationals baseball. With their dismal display of baseball, their declining ticket sales, their inability to sign last years number one pick, and their lack of any progress since their arrival to the District; the Nationals will need Strasburg to be everything he is expected to be to make this franchise a success. If not, it will not be surprising to see this franchise follow the same road as the Senators of 1960 and 1971.

For the Orioles, their future lays in the hand of the front office. Offensively they have a bunch of pieces in place. With the ever improving game of Adam Jones and his .325 avg, the emerging power of Luke Scott and his 14 home runs (he had a total of 23 in 2008 and 18 in 2007), and the consistency of Nick Markakis (hit over .300 and at least 20 HR in his first 2 seasons in the major leagues, and is on pace to do both again this season). The front office now needs to complete the puzzle by bringing in a pitching staff worthy of their division. Whether that is by opening up the checkbook, trading some pieces (maybe Brian Roberts or Aubrey Huff), or through the minor leagues; they need some pitching help to keep them in games. That is what I believe they will need to do, if they truly want to compete on a high level in the richest division in baseball.

It is highly unlikely both teams will do what is needed to take that next step to putting up a fight for their respective divisions. But for two cities that deserve good baseball from the home team; this hope for the future is all we have.

Favre, Favre, Favre..

For the third season in a row, the top story during the NFL offseason has been the annoying question of will he or won't he with Brett Favre. It has become a rite of passage for each blogger to share his or her perspective on what they think of the circus that surrounds the pride of Hattiesburg. But why do we do this to ourselves? Why does ESPN continue to shove this non-news breaking information to us? Sure he is one of the best of all-time, but it's not like their isn't more interesting stories out there. And I understand that by even talking about it, I am just as guilty. But I am over it. I don't want to know the flight plans of Viking representatives. I don't care that the Vikings issued a deadline towards Favre, just to learn that no deadline was ever given. This non-news is almost certainly taking up space in my mind that was once reserved for memories or stories I probably cared about. Like the first girl I kissed, I cannot remember her name now. Was is it Katie Kishner or Laura Owen? Was her hair brown or blond? Was it at the skating rink, the sock-hop or the movies? Wait what was I saying, sorry lost my train of thought... so do you think he's coming back? And if so are the Vikings a true Super Bowl contender?... Jesus Shuttlesworth, now I can't even keep my mind off of him for more than a minute.

Dodger Watch

40-22 on the year; 19-14 without Manny; 17 games left on suspension; 1 awesome beard

No Fries for You...

Nationwide crew chief Bryan Berry, will not be getting any love from us ever and he most certainly will not be sharing any fries with me anytime soon. I have a problem with his actions for two reasons; First of all racial slurs are hurtful to not only the person they are directed at but the entire race. Secondly, it shows a lack of responsibility. As a crew chief he is the manager of his team, could you imagine your boss going over to the competition and hurling racial slurs at them? No because he would be fired and maybe even arrested. Berry made a huge misstep here as he should be a leader with an understanding of what that means; You lead by example whether its in winning or losing. I wonder how Brett would have reacted... WWBFD?

Have as much as you like..

Jason Schwartzman. The actor who has been a big part in some of the funniest movies over the past decade (Rushmore, Slackers, I Heart Huckabees) is a talented musician, and that has never been more apparent than the most recent release from his band Coconut Records "Davy." The album was released in January, but somehow slipped past me until last week. Though I am sort of glad I didn't hear it until the summer, as this is perfect record to listen to on the porch with a beer to the left and your lady to the right.



Rent this movie

Defiance; this movie has it all. Great acting, action, a worthy villain, and most importantly someone worth rooting for. The story is about two Jewish brothers (played by Daniel Craig and Liev Schreiber) who escape into the Belarusian forests, where they join Russian resistance fighters and endeavor to build a village in order to protect themselves and about 1,000 Jewish non-combatants from the Nazis. It is one of the most underrated films of the past year. While 2008 had a fair share of Holocaust movies released this is easily the best of the bunch, due in large part to this story of courage. And with the recent horrific events at the Holocaust museum, it gives us that much more reason to give stories like this the attention they deserve.

Go watch this movie


Anvil: The Story of Anvil. Watch the trailer, read this update, and then go see this movie. This is a story about family, redemption, and metal; Think Spinal Tap mixed with The Wrestler, except real. Hands down, the best documentary of the year.

I Love this Band: Pearl Jam on Conan O'Brien

Pearl Jam helped Conan make his transition to a new time slot with their new song "Got Some." I can't wait for the new album Backspacer, and I just have to say that there are not many bands of this caliber that have rocked this hard so late into their careers. Enjoy and good luck in the new time slot, Conan.

NBA Playoff Preview:

I was talking to Teach today about the NBA playoffs, and throughout the conversation the topic continued to morph into other topics. It culminated in comparing each team with a rock band. The following is what we came up with:

Eastern Conference:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers as Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band; Without the boss, would we know who Max Weinberg is? Or Big Man? How about Little Stevie? The answer is cloudy. Sure they are a talented group of musicians, but without Bruce they wouldn't be the same. The same goes for the Cavs, as Lebron plays the part of Bruce and his underrated yet talented group of teammates make up the band; Big Z was an all-star before Lebron graduated high school, Delonte is a good player in his own right, and Big Ben Wallace is a former NBA defensive player of the year. However it remains to be seen if they can sustain this level of play over multiple seasons, whereas Bruce and his buddies from Jersey are legends.

2. Boston Celtics as The Beatles: The Celtics are the most talented team in the NBA, much like the Beatles. Ray Allen plays the part of George Harrison, as he is the most consistent yet unheralded player on the team. George continued to make great music throughout his lifetime, but as a Beatle he never got as much credit as he deserves. Paul Pierce is Paul McCartney, and not just because they share the same first name. They are both talented, but they are not the best. Even though they will let you know that they believe they are. Rajon Rondo is Ringo Starr, well because he is the fourth best on the team and Rondo as Ringo has a good ring to it. KG is John Lennon, because without KG the Celtics just are not the same team. He gives them their edge and separates them from all the other British Invasion bands. Still, despite the musical product, Teach and I find Lennon slightly annoying. People complain about Bono blurring the lines between rock star and political activist, but he never got naked in a storefront window--Lennon did, and KG's constant screaming and intensity is similar to when Lennon made music with Yoko Ono based on scream therapy...

But who is Yoko? Is it Stephon Marbury? Maybe but he hasn't had that much of an impact yet, negative or positive. He is sort of just there. KG's knee has got to be Yoko. Because his knee has a much higher chance of derailing this team from there glory, and I think we all have gotten tired of hearing about both Yoko and the knee.

3. The Orlando Magic are Huey Lewis and the News. The Magic have Dwight Howard. The News had Huey Lewis. Past that neither has much, but they are both fun to watch/listen to. Plus, can you name me the rest of the Magic lineup or any of the band members of the News? Didn't think so. Also, the News provide the soundtrack for Back to the Future, and Dwight Howard, we believe, is from some other time; whether it's past or present, he's got some McFly in him.

4. Atlanta Hawks are Coldplay. Coldplay is an overrated band, named at times as this generation's U2 . Sure, they sell a lot of records, but who is buying these records? (Teach tells me its either teenage girls or middle-aged adults who think they're hip.) And if someone asked you, would you admit to liking Coldplay? Me neither. The Hawks are the fourth best team in the east. That sounds great but when you look at it, it is kind of demeaning. The east is not good, only three teams out of the east would have made the playoffs in the west. Which shows to me, that their record is a bit inflated. Plus what are the Hawks best known for? Pushing the Celtics to 7 games in the first round of the playoffs. Yeah, they are known best for a series they lost.

5. Miami Heat as Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine seems too good to be true, but it is true. Dwyane Wade is Gloria Estefan, because its hard to admit but both are pretty awesome. However, this analogy works better with the people that accompany them. Dwyane Wade has been getting MVP consideration all year because the Heat were a terrible team last year and now they are in the playoffs. However, the Heat are a lot more talented this year. There is Beasley, Chalmers and Haslem; not a bad squad. Much like the Miami Sound Machine. Without the Miami Sound Machine, would we know Gloria Estefan? Without the group around Wade, would the Heat be in the playoffs? Most likely but that's only because the east is a terrible conference. However they wouldn't be a 5 seed. Also, Teach brought up the slightly inappropriate comparison between Gloria Estefan's near paralysis and Dwayne Wade's "fall down seven get up eight" commercials.

6. The Philadelphia 76ers are The Strokes. When The Strokes came out in 2001, critics hailed them as the next big thing. They were the darlings of every music magazine, and the retro rock revolution was on; but both of their albums since 2001's Is This It? have not garnered the same kind of love or attention, even though they're arguably just as good if not better. Last year, the young Sixers made a solid debut in the playoffs, and in the offseason, they signed Elton Brand, becaming media darlings. They're followup to last year has been solid, if not world changing. (Elton Brand went to Duke, so his body is made of yogurt.) Maybe the expectations were always greater than the talent of the band. Still, Room on Fire is a solid rock album in its own right, just like the Sixers' 2009 season.

7. The Chicago Bulls are a Jam Band Festival. Sure, the Bulls have a lot of talent, but all of it lies at one or two positions. Much like a jam band festival, where all the bands can play but sound exactly the same. The highlight of the festival is usually a guy like Keller Williams. A musician who can write and play, while having a sound of his own. For the Bulls, that player is Derek Rose, an extremely talented point guard that has the ability to take this team to the top. It just won't happen until he is around musicians that do more than take turns soloing--Ben Gordon and John Salmons.

8. The Detroit Pistons are Van Halen. They both used to be good with a possibility of being great. But after multiple lineup changes, they are both shadows of their former selves.

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers are the Rolling Stones. Their purple and gold uniforms are as familiar as the opening riff to the Stones' "Satisfaction," and it feels like they've been doing this show for years. First, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor did their best at the glamorous duo of Mick and Keith. Then, Magic and Kareem carried on the tradition, followed by Shaq and Kobe. Well, now it's Kobe and Pau's turn. According to Teach, the Western Conference playoffs are merely a prance off and a lip pouting competition between these two to see who is Mick and who is Keith.

2. Denver Nuggets are Dire Straits. I was talking to a friend the other day, and we were making a list of the top 10 bands of all-time. Dire Straits was not one of the first bands we listed, but they ended up on the list. They aren't a band you immediately think of, but they should be. They managed to bust out hit after hit and can you tell me ten bands with a better catalog of music? If you asked anyone who they thought would win the championship, this wouldn't be the first second or even the third team you would name, but they could end up being the best team this year. Much like Dire Straits they aren't the first to come to mind but when discussed they have to be looked at as one of the best.

3. The San Antonio Spurs are The Who, which would be great for the Spurs and their fans, except Teach insisted on the fact that we clarify this team as The Who circa Keith Moon's death. Teach feels strongly that without Manu Ginobili the Spurs are pretty much done. He also wants everyone to know that Manu's injury also has him too depressed to write, even if Carolina won a national title, and the longer this conversation went the more depressed Teach got. By the end of the conversation, he had killed off Entwistle too, making the Spurs The Who circa today...a two-man duo playing just for the memories.

4. Portland Trail-Blazers are The Foo Fighters. Teach and I had a hard time pinning this team down. We played around with a few bands before settling on the Foo Fighters, deciding that this year's Portland team is like the Foo Fighters around 1994 when they released their first album. Dave Grohl was clearly showing the world that he had a lot more talent than anyone was previously aware. Isn't that what Brandon Roy has shown the basketball world this year? I mean, when the first Foo Fighters' album dropped, did anyone think that they were about to be one of the most consistent bands of the next fifteen years? Brandon Roy is good everyone, and he's not going anywhere. The only problem right now is that people would rather talk about Roy's oft-injured fellow cornerstone Greg Oden. Roy feel free to consult Grohl on how he handled Cobain's death whenever you're not sure how to answer questions about whether or not Oden's joints have been blasted with a shotgun. Teach wanted me to make that last joke. He's very insensitive.

5. The Houston Rockets are in that period that Pink Floyd experienced when Syd Barrett realized that the rock and roll lifestyle was just too much for him. The Rockets pretty much know that the time period with Tracy McGrady as their leader is done, and it's time that Yao Ming, Ron Artest, and the rest of the supporting cast collaborate to make their version of Dark Side of the Moon. McGrady, shine on you crazy diamond.

6. Dallas Mavericks are the Damn Yankees or any Super Group that is not super. Does anymore need to be said other than the fact that Mark Cuban and Ted Nugent are eerily similar in their abilities to grow increasingly annoying?

7. The New Orleans Hornets are the duo of Simon & Garfunkle. Chris Paul is Paul Simon because he's got diamonds on the soles of his shoes, and the rest of the team is Garfunkle. Seriously, this team wouldn't win 30 games without Chris Paul, much like Art Garfunkle didn't do jack without Paul Simon.

8. The Utah Jazz are the Parliament Funkadelic. Deron Williams is George Clinton, the maestro of funk, and the rest of the cast of characters for the Utah Jazz are just about crazy enough to wear diapers and cavemen alien suits on stage, in order to hide their lack of confidence.  How else does one explain Kirilenko's haircut?  There's something seriously off with these guys. It was only a couple of years ago that they made it to the Western Conference Finals against San Antonio, and two of their key guys went ahead and booked vacations on the dates for the NBA Finals (because they didn't believe they could beat the Spurs), which seems like something only the basketball version of Bootsy Collins would do after taking too much coke.

LCB 1st round Picks:

Cavaliers-Pistons
Langston- Cavs in 5
Teach-Cavs in 4

Celtics-Bulls
Langston- Celtics in 7
Teach-Bulls in 6

Magic-76ers
Langston- Magic in 6
Teach-Magic in 6

Hawks-Heat
Langston- Heat in 7
Teach-Heat in 7

Lakers-Jazz
Langston- Lakers in 5
Teach-Lakers in 5

Nuggets-Hornets
Langston-Nuggets in 7
Teach-Hornets in 7

Spurs-Mavericks
Langston- Spurs in 4
Teach-Spurs in 7

Blazers-Rockets
Langston- Rockets in 7
Teach-Blazers in 6

Holland, 1945

In January I found myself listening to Neutral Milk Hotel's "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" almost daily. I am not exactly sure why; Maybe because it's my favorite album of the 90's. Maybe because the Anne Frank/Holocaust inspired album is perfect for the winter. Maybe because it has a calming effect on me, and that can always be appreciated. Or maybe because I was a little down that the Lakers would be without their center for the foreseeable future. Which seemed like it would take forever at the time. But here we are with less than a week left in the season, the Lakers are looking as if they are now just reaching there full potential and are now whole.

They have posted a 63-16 record, second only to the Cavaliers 63-15 record. They average 107 ppg as a team and hold their opponents to 99.3 ppg, good for a differential of 7.7 ppg. Yet 25 wins and 32 of their games came without their starting center Andrew Bynum. Who made his return last night in what shouldn't have been but was a surprising return, helping the Lakers proclaim that they are a force to be reckoned with. While Bynum didn't reemerge with the same explosiveness that he left with, he did have his way on offense with an over-matched Nene. In the second half, the mismatch was fairly obvious. Nene couldn't stop the young center from getting deep into the paint, allowing him to drop 16 points and grab 7 boards in only 21 minutes.

His return had an immediate impact on the Lakers as well. The constant need for the opposing defense to pay mind of the 7 footer opened up space for Pau Gasol, helping him grab a career high 19 rebounds and score 27 points. Not to mention the fact that Lamar Odom can now move back to the bench, where he gives the offensively sluggish second unit a much-needed shot of adrenaline. Lastly his return made the team complete, leaving the Lakers with only one injured component (Phil Jackson). The hall-of-fame coach is dealing with an ailing leg, that will keep him from traveling with the team to Portland for tonight's game. He will be ready for the playoffs, and thankfully for his sake the Lakers locked up home-court throughout the Western Conference finals months ago.

Oh and by the way, Kobe played pretty pretty pretty good last night. Scoring 33 points, making it seem effortless to eradicate all the championship hopes of the entire Western Conference in one fell swoop. Final score 116- 102, and that brings us to the title of the post which just happens to be my favorite song by Neutral Milk Hotel; Holland, 1945. As a Laker fan in January the lyrics seemed so relevant to my dark state. But now with the return of Bynum it's as if the tables have turned in the forum blue and gold's favor and the sun is now shining on the team. Now the song shall now become the battle cry for the rest of the west, in their inevitable retreat from Los Angeles.

....But now we must pack up every piece
Of the life we used to love
Just to keep ourselves
At least enough to carry on....

So be on alert, Bynum's Back.

NBA Tread Deadline is Thursday, but let's talk about the Maryland Terrapins

This song goes out to all the Tyson Chandler's in the league, who just wanted to hang out with a team that mattered, collect a check, and not get traded to the Thunder.

Sorry, Tyson, I guess the Hornets didn't share your emotions, and how could they? It's hard to be an NBA franchise in these dire times and have one's two highest paid players be you and Peja Stojakovic. Of course, the Thunder apparently have no problem paying you twice as much as they paid Chris Wilcox, which means they are paying roughly $2 million per rebound you average more than him. Chandler averages 8ppg and 8rpg. Wilcox averages 8ppg and 5rpg. I guess that proves Tyson Chandler's upside at 26 is more than Chris Wilcox's upside at 26.

Still, the most interesting aspect of this trade for me is that it features not only Wilcox but Joe Smith. These two guys, plus Steve Francis and Len Bias, may he rest in peace, represent the underachieving that has become synonymous with Maryland Terrapins basketball. I remember when Joe Smith was better than Rasheed Wallace and Tim Duncan. I remember when Joe Smith did things on a basketball court that made one forget he had the most bland name in sports. His nickname should be John Doe, except it would take too much effort for that to become part of anyone's vernacular. Just like, it would have been too much effort for Joe Smith to ever enter a weight room. Maybe Stan Yuengling can solve the conundrum that is Maryland basketball for us.

In the meantime, I agree with David West's thoughts on the trade: "I don't know if that's somebody we can afford to lose, so I'm not sold on the idea. You just don't find a 7-foot-1 athlete like that and he's the only 7-footer we have. Especially if we're planning on making a run into the playoffs, we're going to need size to compete with Portland, San Antonio, and the Lakers." As a Spurs fan, I think New Orleans just got a lot easier to defend and score against. Neither Wilcox nor Joe Smith are the shot blocker that Chandler is.

This trade feels like a white flag from last year's upstart team.

Clemson vs. North Carolina (62-43 Carolina at the time of posting)

Most bands get more polished with time, like stones in a river they lose their edge. Pearl Jam's angriest album was Ten.  Vedder wailed and screamed, but he hadn't learned to sing yet.  His voice possessed a limited vocal range.  Green Day dropped more f-bombs in their early days before they tried making political statements.  U2 was once a punk band.  Led Zeppelin debuted with a thunder clap of rhythm and blues.  The Beastie Boys were their most crude on Licensed to Ill.  They were drunk and misogynistic.  Now, they have gray beards and want to free Tibet.  Time refines everything.  Time makes edges into curves, and curves don't draw blood.  Bands appear on the musical scene with a hunger and a desire that can not be quelled.  Drums pound like the heart of a savage beast.  Guitars thrash like helicopter blades in Vietnam jungles, and the bass pumps like blood.  When bands first arrive on the scene, they play like their hour of light might be the last on earth anyone will ever see.  They play like the end of their set will be swallowed up by an eternal darkness.  

Four seasons ago, Carolina's senior class arrived on the college basketball scene like a brazen punk band.  They were The Clash.  They were The Ramones. They were the Sex Pistols.  They were freshmen, who everyone doubted.  The 2005 championship team was gone, except for David Noel, Reyshawn Terry, and Quentin Thomas.  This team played hard every night.  They crashed the boards and played defense because they didn't realize yet how talented they were.  They didn't realize that in Tyler Hansbrough and Danny Green they had the foundations of an offensive juggernaut.  They played hard because they had to play hard for anyone to notice.  Movements in music and basketball just don't happen.  People make them happen with sweat and fire.  Movements also die and disperse when the adrenaline of what's new wears off.  Punk kicks rock and roll in the ass, and then it becomes new wave music, and bands filled with gasoline and raw spit become The Police.  They're nice to listen to, but they lack the same grit.  They seem too exposed and worldly.  Good punk bands are kegs of dynamite; they are explosives trapped in their local music scenes, and when they break out, it's chaos, a punch to the gut, a transformation of what was through pain.  Bands like The Police don't break through with that same intensity.  

Right now, the North Carolina basketball team is The Police, or any supergroup, that eventually crumbles under the weight of the world's and their own expectations, or at least, that's what they've appeared to be since they took finals at the end of the fall semester.  Since then, they've looked more vulnerable and dropped two conference games.  Now, they're a band trying to rediscover their earlier sound.  They're trying to rediscover what made them successful in the first place.  They're trying to go back to the start.  The only problem is the bands that stay successful are hungry for the future, not the past.  It's the difference between Pearl Jam's Pearl Jam and Guns 'n Roses Chinese Democracy.  Pearl Jam's Pearl Jam is a band moving forward with the hunger of a new purpose, to comment on the struggles and pain that bind everyone, to peel back the avocado, until there is only a pit of truth.  Chinese Democracy is a forced effort to be relevant again.  

Carolina, starting with tonight's game against Clemson, will reveal the core of who it is, its pit of truth.  Is this team The Police, a collection of talent that will break under the pressures of its own egos and their failures to compromise?  Is this team Guns 'n Roses, a band who was always more flash than substance?  Or is this team Pearl Jam, a team that ducks #1 rankings and accolades to carve its own path into history?  

Whatever this team is, I hope they figure it out soon.  I hope the second half against Miami, where Tywon Lawson buckled down to play defense and Wayne Ellington lit up the scoreboard are signs of things to come.  I hope their actions in that game were done for their teammates as much as for themselves.  This team has got to play for one another and no one else, including the fans.  Hopefully, the losses they've suffered so far this season reminded them of who they're fighting for--each other.  

Capitol One Bowl: Georgia beats Michigan St. (and the rest of the BCS mess)

Georgia trailed 6 -3 at halftime.  Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno weren't exactly lighting it up either, which probably made some Georgia fans start to smile about next year.  Anyway, in the second half, Georgia outscored Michigan St. 21-6 to win the game.  A 21 yard pass from Stafford to Moreno with 3:43 left in the fourth gave the game its final margin, and if this is the last game for #7 and #24, it seems fitting that they were both involved on the play.  Right now, Stafford says he's "50-50" on whether to come back to school or not.  Scout Inc. lists him as the number two quarterback prospect for this year's draft, and they list Moreno as the number one running back prospect.  The number two running back prospect, Javon Ringer, was also featured in this game, wearing green and white.  Ringer was held to 47 yards on 20 carries and 1 touchdown.  He also had 30 yards receiving.  

Now, for a bit of a rant...It's a good thing Georgia and Michigan St. hooked up because America really needed the debate about who was better, the #15 team or the #17 team, settled.  This game was extremely meaningful.  I didn't watch it.  Well, I watched the first half of it, but then I had to drive back to Virginia from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  Guess what, there's no manger or baby Jesus in Pennsylvania, just like there's no meaning to this Capitol One Scrimmage.  Guess what we listened to on the way from Pennsylvania to the DC area.  It wasn't radio coverage of any of the New Year's Day Scrimmages.  Four avid sports fans, crammed into a Nissan Sentra, listened to Grupo 5.  I didn't know who they were until yesterday, but it just so happens they are the biggest thing in Peru; and I couldn't tell track one from tracks two through twenty.  I also don't think this was because of a language barrier.  I think it was because every song sounded the same, and you know what, that's just like the Scrimmage season.  I can't tell one game from another.  One game doesn't mean more than another, unless it helps a team get a higher preseason ranking, and I can't tell one year of scrimmages from any other.  If we want to consider the regular season a year long playoff, then maybe we should make it one, meaning as soon as a team loses then they're done playing for the year.   Ohio St. would have been done the week they lost to USC, and in turn, USC would have been done when they lost to Oregon St, except Oregon St.'s season would already have been finished because they'd already lost before they played the Trojans.  Georgia would have been done the week they lost to Alabama.  Michigan St. would have been done the week they lost to California, which was week 1 by the way.  Every Sunday we could then have Barry Switzer and Jimmy Johnson on Fox debating what the next week's bracket should be because that's how often we would redo the brackets...every week.  Teams wouldn't know who they were playing until Sunday night before Saturday's games.  It would be a fantastic system, but instead, we have the Bowl Championship Scrimmages, which for whatever reason insists that the Big Ten doesn't belong playing in the Cul de Sac Division of college football with Northern Iowa, Montana, James Madison, and Richmond.  

Congratulations, Georgia on winning the Capitol One Scrimmage.  Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, I hope you come back next year, so maybe we can play in the one real game that's played this time of year, and if not, thanks for the memories and good luck.  Still, let's keep yesterday's game against Michigan St. off the record.  We finished 9-3, not 10-3, and that's all that matters.  Here's My Morning Jacket to spell it out for the idiots who continue to perpetuate this system.  Yes, we have to call them idiots.  They wouldn't understand any clever insults that actually make a specific conclusion as to why they are idiots...kind of how they seemingly don't understand why a system is needed that determines a specific champion.  I can't believe we have seven more of these scrimmages to sit through.

"Sorry Bout The Things That I Had To Say -
And I'll Make It Up To You Right Now At The Penny Arcade.
In An Open Car Or Wherever You Are -
Push Yourself Too Hard And It Might Get Hot.
Well I Really Don't Need The Confusion -
And You Know I Just Ain't The Type
To Get All Wrapped Up In The Illusion
Of Doin Something That I Know Ain't Right - Right Right???
You've Got To Want To Re-Arrange
And Keep It Off The Record. Off The Record.
You've Got To Know That We Will Change
And Keep It Off The Record. Off The Record.
In A Crowded Room Near The Box Of Boom,
To An Artificial Tune, I See You Swoon.
Well You Knew All This Would Turn To Mist
If Your Idea Wasn't Kissed - Why're You So Pissed?
Well I Know You Don't Need The Confusion
And I Know You Just Ain't The Type.
To Get All Wrapped Up In The Illusion
Of Doin Something That You Know Ain't Right - Right Right???
Right Right??? Right Right??? Right Right???
You've Got To Want To Rearrange
And Keep It Off The Record. Off The Record.
You've Got To Know That We Are Strange
And Keep It Off The Record. Off The Record.
You've Got To Know That We Will Change
And Keep It Off The Record. Off The Record Come On."

Green Bay vs. Chicago Recap (Brought to you by The Whigs' "Right Hand on My Heart")

I assume most Packer fans, like myself, came into yesterday's game against the Bears with a bit of concern. Last week, Mason Crosby missed a field goal to win a game we really should have had no chance of winning; Minnesota dominated just about every statistical category, except for punt and interception returns for touchdowns. That game sent Green Bay into the game yesterday with a 4-5 record against a Bears team with a 5-4 record. Minnesota went into their game against Tampa Bay with a 5-4 record also. If Green Bay had lost yesterday's game, then their situation might have gone from tense to dire.

A loss yesterday to the Bears would have meant that this Packer team would have lost three heartbreaking games in a row: to the Titans in OT, to the Vikings on a missed FG, and to the Bears and their neck beard of a QB, not to mention that Nick Barnett was lost for the season in Minnesota, a state whose existence I only acknowledge because it gave the world Robert Zimmerman.

That's what could have happened; however, "could have's" are as useful as fiction, and other fictional statements that are applicable to yesterday's events are: the Bears have a viable option at quarterback, the Bears have a great defense, and Lovie Smith's leather jacket sets the standard for style on the sideline, actually that statement may be true. Anyway, let's discuss what's real, as opposed to the magical land of Oz, where Rex discovers a brain, Kyle discovers courage, and Forte discovers a heart. (Okay, I really am done with the insults as of now.)

This past week the Packers line units held team meetings, where they acknowledged that they looked pathetic against the Vikings. Yesterday, they dominated the line of scrimmage. Ryan Grant is now rounding into the form that he showed at the end of last season, which made him one of the most productive backs in football. Trade for him now in fantasy leagues if you can. The Hole in the Wall Gang continues to produce, meaning the defense scored for the ninth time this season--it's a trend. Aaron Rodgers needed a game like this after being buried alive in Minnesota. Mike McCarthy needed a game like this after saying that the Minnesota game had nothing to do with coaching and everything to do with execution. Maybe he was right.

"When it comes down to it, football is a simple game. As linebackers, you're trying to tackle the guy with the ball," said AJ Hawk, responding to how he adjusted to playing MLB for the first time since high school. This team didn't do too much thinking yesterday. It just came out and played, and in doing so, kept this season very much alive. 

I'm not going to go on about it. I'm just going to draw inspiration from my sister's blog and let a favorite band of mine make the point:

All the fallen leaves will find their branches again
Raindrops from the heavens I'll eventually swim
A river, an ocean, a wave in my heart
We got your money now we'll make a new start

All the fallen leaves will find their branches again
Raindrops in the heavens I'll eventually swim
River, an ocean, a wave in my heart
We got your money now we'll make a new start

In another week, promise?
In another year, promise?

Put your right hand on my heart

All the fallen leaves will find their branches again
The raindrops in the heavens I'll eventually swim
Don't bypass the train-tracks that lead to my heart
We got your money now we'll make a new start

All the fallen leaves will find their branches again
Raindrops in the heavens I'll eventually swim
River, an ocean, a wave in my heart
We got your money now we'll make a new start

In another week, promise?
In another year, promise?

Put your right hand on my heart

Your right hand on my heart
Your right hand on my heart
Feel the promise of my beating heart

All the fallen leaves will find their branches again
Raindrops in the heavens I'll eventually swim
River, an ocean, a wave in my heart
We got your money now we'll make a new start

The race in the NFC North has only begun.

Q-Tip's "The Renaissance"

If you believe in The Low End Theory, then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.  If jazz is something you get, then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.  If you feel J.Dilla in your spine, then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.  If you ever left your wallet in El Segundo, then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.  If you appreciate Leonardo Davinci's sampling of Christ, then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.  If you've ever danced using just shoulder shrugs, then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.  If you ever "Breathe and Stop," then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.  If you answer "you remember that routine/ that we made spiffy like Mr. Clean" with "a tid bit/ a tad bit," then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance, and if none of these allusions make any sense to you, but you have used a q-tip, then pick up Q-Tip's The Renaissance.   

Link Scrap

Denver Nuggets trade Allen Iverson to the Detroit Pistons for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess and Cheikh Samb.

From Marroons, "Lester Hayes" to the Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Magic Johnson," First Cuts gives you the Top 10 Songs About Athletes.

Stock Lemon confirms our thoughts about tonights game between the Skins and Steelers. It will decide the election. Well it has a 94% chance of deciding it, but that's close enough for me.

Lebron James and Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger get soft-core pornish in the new nike "after six" commercial

The Sporting Blog gives us the college football run-down in alphabetical order

John Daly speaks about his bizarre overnight jail stay from last weekend, after he was allegedly picked up drunk at a North Carolina Hooters restaurant. Saying that the whole situation could have been avoided had the friends he was traveling with only known that he was just sleeping with his eyes open and in no need of dire medical assistance.

We are the Dukes of JMU (2008 football season)

James Madison is currently 7-1 and number one in the college football subdivision, also known as the cul de sac. The Dukes won the national title in 2004, so success on the field is not exactly a new thing; but the way the Dukes have been winning makes one expect that the Mickey Matthews half time speeches have sounded like parables. Rumors abound that the team's Gatorade tastes like wine, and the Duke Dog has been spotted walking across Newman Lake; and if all this sounds sacrilegious, then, at least, buy into the fact that Harrisonburg is overwhelmed by white rabbits. They hop on the sidewalks, mate on Hillside, and scurry over and under I-81. These wins have been pulled out of a hat.

#5 JMU vs. #1 Appalachian St.:
The Comeback--JMU was down 21-0


#1 JMU vs. Richmond:
The Punt Return


ESPN's #4 Play of the Day


#1 JMU vs. Villanova:
The Hail Mary


I can't put these wins into words. I don't understand how one team can be so lucky in one year. I'm thankful for it, but I don't understand it. Hopefully, this music video by The Black Keys puts the strangeness of these events into perspective--"They're using real lasers!":


I'm looking forward to Homecoming this weekend versus Delaware, a rivalry that brings out the best in college mascots.
(All apologies...the mascot incident occurred versus Coastal Carolina, but that's part of JMU football; nothing after the tailgate really matters. Thanks, Langston, for the correction. I'm actually quite embarrassed and ashamed for the mistake)

Music Review: Kings of Leon's Only by the Night

I like my rock and roll to come from the groin and from the gut.  I want it to sound like split spleens and crotch grabbing, like raw spit, pavement, and gravel.  The Kings of Leon have always been that, and they still are.

A lot of people are going to accuse KOL of going soft, trying to appeal to teenage girls, and selling out.  The only reason I say this is because I've already read such comments all over the web.  I dismiss these people's opinions.  These people are the same people who will at every age wish they were back in high school or college.  These people are neurotic bores; people whose tastes, experiences, likes and dislikes do not evolve.

All the rest of life is growing legs and crawling onto beaches while these fish refuse to leave the salt of the sea.  I thank KOL for becoming amphibious and leaving the weak to go belly up in the ocean.  If the weak want to stay in the water, then they can drown without ever knowing anything different than what they've always known.

Each album KOL makes has been a progression that no one saw coming.  I like that; progression keeps life interesting, especially when it's done with confidence and perfection.  Youth and Young Manhood and Aha Shake Heartbreak are shots of whiskey, wild nights, and debauchery.  Because of the Times is still all of that, but shows the wear and tear that comes with always standing on the edge of a brawl, with lines like "I'll still be running from the demons in my head/ I'll be that person till my dying day/ I try so awful hard but I can't change." 

Only by the Night first appears as a break from what KOL have done in the past, but in truth, they haven't changed; they can't.  All they've done is become more self aware of their perfections and their flaws, and they expose both on Only by the Night, which is a good thing.  This band of wanderers have become a lot heavier emotionally and more open with their thoughts, which explains why the tempo of the songs has slowed since Aha Shake Heartbreak and also how Caleb Followill's southern yawp has become more clear and precise, more open in his declaration that no one wants to wander the night alone:

You told me you loved me, that I'd never die alone

Hand over your heart, let's go home

Everyone noticed, everyone has seen the signs

I've always been known to cross lines

I've never ever cried when I was feeling down 

I've always been scared of the sound

Jesus don't love me, no one ever carried my load

I'm too young to feel this old.  ("Cold Desert")

Some roles in life become harder to play with time: the wanderer, the vagabond, the ship without an anchor, the weather vane, the loner, and  this album helps us see to that and to deal with it.  These songs have the potential to age well, just like the band that created them because they touch on everyone's search for meaning, companionship, and love.  These are honest songs.

"I Want You"

Interview with Caleb about recording "Cold Desert"

Greg Oden "This one is for the ladies"

Greg Oden has everything; skills on the court, money, women(they always follow), and he can sing. Ok he can't sing, but here is video of him doing it anyway.

My Great Grandfather told me a story of how he actually got to meet Greg Oden, it was at a campaign rally in Chicago when Oden was stumping for Woodrow Wilson.
As seen on Hard for the Yard

Time Waster: You Get To Spend More Time With Gisele

Ryan Parker has been dedicating songs to NFL players and doing it well for quite some time. His newest song about Tom Brady, "You get to spend more time with Gisele" , does not disappoint. The song is about getting Tom to look at the bright side of having his ACL shredded to resemble pulled pork:

Go check out his website for more songs- Ryan Parker Songs

The number of the day is (Kings of Leon's Only by the NIght) :

17, as in there are 17 more days until the new Kings of Leon album drops. Here are a few tracks from Only by the Night, which will be out September 23.


"Sex on Fire"


"Crawl"


"Manhattan"

One Day as a Lion Review: Lessons in War for the Green Bay Packers

"It's better to live one day as a lion, than a thousand years as a lamb."

These words came to Zack de la Rocha and Jon Theodore by way of Chicano photographer George Rodriguez. His camera lens captured the line tagged on a white wall and that's exactly what One Day as a Lion's EP sounds like--art born out of limitations, a manifesto of war and survival. This project by the Rage Against the Machine frontman and the former Mars Volta drummer is a fist hitting concrete, broken skin and bloody knuckles. Zack is still fighting the same ills of society he always has, but listening to this demo's five songs, one can't help thinking he's a general without an army. The courage to go it alone is what we're here to admire, not the victory or the defeat.

Rage Against the Machine released their last album of original material in 1999, that's nine years ago, and in the time since then, Zack de la Rocha became Where's Waldo, or in musical terms he pulled a Lauryn Hill, doing nothing more than brief cameos while supposedly finding himself in the hills of Mexico, like a contemporary Che, or making a solo disc with Trent Reznor, never to be released. Since 1999, Zack de la Rocha has become a ghost story, floating between legend and reality, but the reality is he was learning the lessons that would pour themselves into the project that is One Day as a Lion.

His lyrics are still highly political and full of animosity. One can only imagine his brain has been simmering to a boil during the eight years of Bush's presidency. The amazing aspect of One Day as a Lion is that it did not happen sooner, but maybe Zack learned a lesson from the President and that is when going to war, do not rush into battle.

The five songs on this demo are the fruits of labors earned in waiting and in watching. Zack's keyboard playing reflects the sonic fireworks he learned firsthand from bandmate Tom Morello, specifically on The Battle for Los Angeles, but the sound here is more straightforward, reflecting the work Zack's done with progressive rockers and dj's Trent Reznor, DJ Shadow, and Saul Williams. All of these artists weave themselves in and out of Zack's keyboard like spirits marching to the beat of Jon Theodore's drums.

One must also admire Zack's subtle efforts to alter his vocal delivery. In the past, the closest he's gotten to singing is a harsh whisper. On the song "Ocean View," he delivers the chorus in a howl that sounds like Chino from Deftones and Perry Farrell from Jane's Addiction spawned a child together. This new way of vibrating the voice box may not sound like singing to everyone, specifically my sister, but it still allows new emotional tones to enter Zack's lyrics. When he offers up the line "one day I say today we live as a lion," it's the most hopeful he's ever sounded and is a prime example of why Zack is such a strong frontman.

His greatest strength as a vocalist is his delivery. His passion and anger have always been delivered with such sincerity that he makes the audience believe the world really will be changed through mics and guitars.

Anyone who's seen Rage live knows that when the songs end one is entranced. There's a taste for blood in the air after chanting all the words to "Killing in the Name Of." Hearing Rage's songs in concert makes soldiers out of the audience, and upon listening to One Day as a Lion, it's not hard to imagine these songs doing the same because Zack bared his chest in making them.

The lyrics here are heartfelt. As stated earlier, Zack's greatest strength is his delivery. His passion allows him to deliver mediocre lines, like "tear mics till my voice get raspy/ faced flame for five centuries/ and if LA were Baghdad we'd be Iraqi," with conviction despite these lines making him sound like one of his own, less-talented impersonators. Still, while his lyrics sometimes become as predictable as Immortal Technique's, the last song on the EP "One Day as a Lion" sees Zack venturing into the form of story-telling, the hardest test for an emcee, with the song's last verse:

I heard this cat got life in the pen
crossing sand in the back of a truck bed
twelve deep heard sirens and lights red
was smacked on his dome with the club of a white fed
no food no water no rights read
he came north to keep his seeds and his wife fed
in the middle of the darkest night bled
stepped to the law and said
you a minuteman wait a minute man
talk like that might limit your life span

The One Day as a Lion EP is worth the six or seven bucks it cost. The only major drawback being that at only five songs it leaves its audience wanting more...

(there really is more to read, especially for Packers fans)

The other drawback cuts deeper. I'm typing this review while ESPN shows highlights from the Jets-Giants preseason game, and I can't help seeing Favre without Green Bay as a metaphor for Zack de la Rocha without Rage Against the Machine. Yes, it takes courage to step out into the unknown and not fold, to keep on fighting without the guys one's gone to war with in the past, but no matter what battles either Favre or Zack wages, the results do not matter. People will always want to see Favre in a Packers jersey, and people will always want to see Zack standing in front of Tom Morello, Y. tim. K., and Brad Wilk. Their major campaigns are behind them now. They're now like Patton at the end of World War II, posing for portraits.

Their legacy is what it is, and anything from here is totally for themselves, which in many regards is something to be commended, art for art's sake, and perhaps, if I can accept Zack de la Rocha's new project, then I can accept Favre's. Of course, "they say that in war that truth be the first casualty," which means we can't trust Favre, we can't trust the front office, we can't trust Zack, we can't trust his band, we can't trust the protester, and we can't trust the president, only the soldier and Aaron Rodgers.

Here's to Aaron Rodgers' one day as a lion, the one person to trust in the Great Packer War of 2008.