The Blindside

Let's be honest here -- "Flogging" is pretty much dead. Once in a while, though, I feel that something demands my attention. Here's the item for today:

When you see a trailer for a sports movie (or, more accurately, a film that describes itself as a "sports movie") and the only name that is mentioned is Sandra Bullock, I feel like I can confidently assert that any legitimate sports fan who goes in expecting a legitimate sports movie will leave discouraged and disappointed.

Rush to Judgment

Didn't this used to be the United States?

I'm going to start by admitting that I used to be a Limbaugh fan. It was about 15 years ago (WOW am I getting old), but it's true.

But with the current uproar about his potentially buying the St. Louis Rams my current ambivalence toward him personally is turning toward shame in our once great country. How can your political positions make you ineligible to make a purchase? Seriously! Isn't that the very foundation of a free country? Some people want to restrict another person's marketplace options because of his opinions? Wow, and wow.


Other recent thoughts:

So Obama got an award for doing nothing. So what? I'm diametrically opposed to most of his politics (when I pay enough attention to care, which is . . . pretty much never), but am annoyed with everybody being annoyed that he got an award. Good for him. Who cares?

Did anybody else see that Phillies/Rockies game last night? Wow, wow, and wow. It can't be all coincidence that flu season and baseball post-season happen at the same time, because this can't be good for any fan's health. But WOW what a way to take a series home.

Finally, in some legitimate personal big news, I'm about to up and move to take a job leading a small church in Dover, NH. I know, who goes to New Hampshire? Me, as it turns out. Also, it turns out that it's a pretty cool area and we're excited to see what God might do there. Just wish that we weren't going to pull in just in time for winter. Oh, the sacrifices. . . .

The Old Man of the Mountain and Bubbles

For centuries the mountains of New Hampshire were overlooked by The Old Man of the Mountain. Local culture to some, a God to others, and simply an interesting natural formation to others, the Old Man's influence meant different things to different people, but was universally recognized and appreciated, at least on some level. Until May 3, 2003, at least, when decades of weather and exposure dropped him clean off the mountain. Some saw the event as nothing more than nature taking it's course while others have drawn correlations between the collapse and the deterioration of New Hampshire culture.

Yesterday the Lion who overlooks my office specifically and the eastern-most portion of Bayport Road generally was washed over in white. With only one win in their last 26 games, it will be hard to pin any further deterioration of the franchise on the icon's disappearance. The old logo was updated in the off-season, making his glory outdated even as he watched, but glorious he remained. Until last night, that is, when he went to join the Old Man in the New Hampshire rubble.

Let him who has ears hear. (Or whatever the internet equivalent of hearing would be.)

Metal Was Great, Redux

At the end of last year, as has been my tradition, I let loose with a completely premature "best of" top 10 list for metal/hardcore albums in 2008. Of course I hadn't heard all that I should have/needed to, and for what it's worth I still haven't (most notably Mirror of Dead Faces and InExordium), but I've heard a lot more. So here goes the "other" tradition -- a more finalized top ten with some more music digested and a few months of perspective.


But first, some honorable mention:

Azmaveth -- Strong as Death: The whole album wasn't as strong as the samples I'd heard, but this still has to be the best Christ-influenced black metal that Puerto Rico has produced, right?

Austrian Death Machine -- Total Brutal: If there's a better joke band (musically or jokingly) around, I haven't heard them.

Once Nothing -- First Came the Law: They've broken up and are again nothing, I suppose, but not before they took us on a riiiiiiiiiiiiide!

Soul Embraced -- Dead Alive: Dead Alive? Is that like True Lies? Don't get me wrong, this isn't on True Lies level, but it's quite good still.

Miseration -- Your Demons - Their Angels: A little overblown as far as the hype went in my opinion, but I guess if something has to be hyped you could do a lot worse.


And now, the winners:

10) The Famine -- The Raven and the Reaping: A great album, but if only it was as heavy as their live show it would be top 5.

9) Once Dead -- Visions of Hell: Yeah, so the production got jacked up and it sounds like it was recorded in 1988. Great songs are still great songs, and this one delivers 'em.

8) Divine Symphony -- The History: Brazil has produced about a thousand Christ-influenced metal bands in the last couple years, but with only Eric Bruntlett-like "success." Divine Symphony represents the one home run for the year (wait -- Bruntlett still hasn't hit one -- well, here's to hoping).

7) With Faith or Flames -- A Conquest Triumphant: What is that like "Paper or plastic?" Ummm. . . faith, please. Don't have to think to hard on that one. Oh, and extra metal!

6) Call to Preserve -- From Isolation: On a certain level this isn't all that special, but I just keep coming back to it. Probably the best tough-guy hardcore band currently active in the scene.

5) Synnove -- The Wh0re and the Bride: I like this title a lot better than my web filter does. I saw this marketed as "epic and aggressive" and I can't find two better words for it myself.

4) War of Ages -- Arise and Conquer: These cats are churning out great albums with a speed and consistency that I don't think I've ever seen matched.

3) Sympathy -- Anagogic Tyranny: In many ways this "should" be at number one. Unmatched in brutality and technicality, but it just needs a little more personality and memorability to take me where I'd like to go. Nonetheless, a remarkably outstanding album.

2) MyChildren MyBride -- Unbreakable: The exact opposite of Sympathy, where on one level there's nothing all that remarkable going on here. Except for -- oh yeah -- brilliantly compelling and memorable songs.

1) Enshrouding -- Volitale Times: Here's one I didn't see coming. A one-man project out of nowhere (or at least he won't say where) that was only replicated into 100 units and "released" (if you can even call it that) with absolutely no fanfare or expectation. But it captures everything that's right and good (ha ha -- that will really chap off the black metal elitists, won't it?) about raw, primitive black metal in such a way that probably only Dark Endless (equally impossible to find in 2009, I'm afraid) really comes close to. Don't bother looking for this one though, it's gone.


Legitimately, the titles at the top here aren't quite up to par for a yearly best-of, and although there were tons of strong and worthwhile releases, the superior few at the very top of the bell curve didn't quite show up. Do note, however, that Becoming the Archetype was removed from the list because (even though it was out in '08) the copyright is '09, and along with them bands like August Burns Red have already assured us of a monumental 2009 for metal. So look forward to those heading up a strong but pre-mature '09 list in a couple of months. Wohoo!

It's Just Funny

Tonight the Phillies inserted 37 year-old Pedro Martinez into their starting rotation. . . and it got 9 years younger.

Cliff Notes

It's been a long time since I've posted, but you have to understand -- I'm lazy. Doesn't it all make sense now?

One of the big happenings in the interim was the baseball trading deadline, and from a Phillies perspective what a soap opera. For a month or so solid all we would hear about is that they "led" in the chase for Roy Halliday and that he would obviously put us over the top and probably make us favorites to win a 2nd straight World Championship. As the deadline approached, however, various "sources" said that the Jays were asking for Drabek (stud pitching prospect), Taylor (stud outfield prospect), and Happ (young guy who's 8-2 with an ERA under 3 in the bigs right now). So my thought was to do the deal -- if they let us replay the bottom of the 9th of Game 6 from '93! Are you kidding? Seriously, no wonder nobody made a deal -- the whole "firstborn son" was a big price to ask for, Rumplestilskin.

So instead we gave up 4 different and somewhat less intriguing prospects (and decent ones at that -- it was no gift to be sure) for Cliff Lee. Happ stays in town and in the rotation, Lee gets added, and guys with value but nowhere to play (Donald, at least) get shuffled off. GREAT deal -- unless someone else picks up Halliday. I was scared to death the Dodgers would step up, but no. He remains a Jay, and all of the sudden the playoffs are basically assured and another parade is a distinct possibility. Wow do I love baseball.

In the meantime, the C's add a legitimate front court All-Star to come off the bench, as well as another big body to throw fouls at Shaq in the Eastern Conference Finals this year, plus a commitment from some back court depth from Indiana, PLUS Baby might still be back. This might be the deepest team we've had, as if we can steer clear of the injuries that took us down last year the playoffs should be absolutely epic.

Not to mention that OU was one of exactly 4 teams that received at least one first-place in the pre-season coaches poll, and deservedly so. Whoever gets out of the Red River Shootout this year (as often, of course), is going to be pretty tough to take down. Here's to a rematch from last January, but in Pasadena this time. (Side note -- the last 4 times that OU has played for a national championship, on a "neutral" site, it's been in the home state of the opposing team. Seriously, Florida State at the Orange Bowl in 2000, LSU at the Sugar Bowl a couple years back, Florida at the Orange Bowl last year, and that's not to mention The Game of which We Do Not Speak, which happened to be against a team from southern California in Pasadena. Not whining, just pointing out.)

Finally, lost in all the excitement of legitimately contending teams -- camp has opened and we have reason to believe that the Lions may win a game this year!

I TOLD You It Was a Crazy Month

And this might have been the craziest and the most fun. Sorry (again) for the delay in this, but the following really happened. These pictures are real, and there's more where they came from. Even the Courier-Journal's "Wedding Crasher" showed up and snapped a few (I'm sure you can still find them if you search for the Powell-Mudd wedding at courier-journal.com). I officiated a pirate/fairy themed wedding.

I'll be honest, when they first told me what they wanted to do I was a touch unsure. Now they were willing to jump through enough hoops for me to be sure that they were serious about the marriage and I've always thought that the wedding ought to be however the bride and groom chose, but when they said they'd be dressed as pirates and fairies, well, that gave me a chance to see how much I really believed that. But fair enough -- it's their wedding, if they'll show me they're serious, I'll roll with it. And so they did, and so I did.

And it was awesome. Don't get me wrong, I think being able to join two individuals in Christian marriage is one of the greatest privileges around (2nd only to baptism, probably), but it's not necessarily something that I get all jacked up about. It's time and stress and being around people's families at, all too often, their worst. But this one? This was just fun. Check out the pics below, they're not the best but they're the best that I have.

And now, Mudd and Rachel, it's up to you two make your marriage as awesome as your wedding. God be with you, it can be done.






Note on colors -- although the free-agent signing of a bona-fide all-star IS worth keeping Flogging green, we're approaching the "other" all-star break, and the Phillies are in first. Here's to another parade this October, fellas!!!

Crusin'

There are a lot of things that most people love that I just never quite "got."

In high school, for instance, one of the "big" events (if there were any "big" events in small-town South Dakota) was cruising. I never much did it, but I guess the concept was . . . driving around. Maybe stopping and hanging out with other cruisers too, I don't know. Like I said, I never quite "got" the whole deal. Maybe it had something to do with that I just wasn't very popular -- nobody wanted to cruise with me, nor talk to me while cruising -- but whatever the reason, it was really never my thing.

Obviously there's no correlation beyond the word, but fast-forward to 2009, and everybody loves vacationing on cruise ships. What's the hype about? I would wonder. What is there to do on a ship that I can't do at home? I don't like to sit by the pool, and frankly we have pools in Louisville. If I wanted to gamble, that can be accommodated with a modest drive. Really, what's the deal? "Oh, the food is incredible, and it's everywhere!" people would say. Cool, I can get with some good food. "The cabin boys come and fold towels into animal shapes!" others would exclaim. Ummmm, ok.

Nonetheless, Laura's always loved the idea of a cruise, and so with our 10 year anniversary coming up, I thought it might be time to give it a shot. I took her to Iowa for our honeymoon, after all, so I figured I could step my game up. Mobile AL to Cozumel and another port near Playa del Carmen Mexico it would be, then.

I still don't get it. The food was fantastic and in abundance. I dug it. The towel animals were surprisingly fun. The ports were nice, we went snorkling which was exceptional even for an anti-water guy such as myself and saw some Mayan ruins, which was interesting.

But seriously, what there was worth a week of my life? We did a lot of napping and reading on the boat. Which is fine, but I can do those as well from here (already have today, thank you!). Of course it was great to spend some time with my lovely bride, but we do a pretty good job of making that happen in our regular lives, too. And most importantly, she had a good time, but after about three days I think we were both ready to be back at home.

Much like this post, then, I just didn't quite get what the point was.

Figure This?

Alright, this hasn't been updated in a long time, but there are reasons. For one, it's been a pretty crazy month. For another, I'm lazy. So I'm behind, but because I am who I am, I'll start at the beginning and work chronologically. That means we start with:

Do you remember when your college buddies, after about eight beers, would say "Do you know what someone should do? *Fill in the blank with ridiculous -- although potentially hilarious if it ever happened in real life, but there's NO WAY that whatever this is ever takes place in real life -- idea* Dude, that would be incredible! They should really do it, too. You KNOW people would pay to see that. I'd pay to see that, wouldn't you? Someone really should do that!" Well, apparently someone across the river in Southern Indiana took their drunk friend seriously and made one of these things happen. That's right, Laura and I enjoyed some school bus figure-8 races about a month ago. The pics are from my phone so excuse their inadequacy, but here we go:






So, yep! School bus figure-8 racing turns out to be pretty much exactly what it sounds like. School buses crashing into each other and causing general unruliness. What more can you say about that?

Anyway, it's been an extremely eventful month even after that, so stay tuned for more updates, hopefully within the month.

Self-Stung

There isn't much that I hate more than wasps. They're ugly, they're scary (I'll admit it), and when I was about 10 I got absolutely rocked by one right on my lower lip and it hurt worse than about anything I'd ever experienced. I really, really hate (and am scared of) wasps.

It just so happens, however, that our backyard is insanely infested with wasps. When I try to mow in the late morning, I can seriously stand and look at the back of our fence and count five or so within my range of vision at any given moment. If I bump a part of the fence with the mower, six or eight will fly up all disturbed and then disturb me in kind. It makes an unpleasant but not-unreasonable task into an absolute gauntlet of terror.

So how excited was I when my lovely bride tells me that she saw a trap at the store for $15? I went on-line to check them out and I was sold. It looked like there could be a hundred of those little devils inside a trap, and that's exactly what I was after, so we went for it.

After about a week, the trap was still wasp-free. I couldn't believe it. On the company's website, they like swarmed to it. So what do I do about the disappointingly impotent wasp trap? I did the only reasonable thing -- I went and bought another one. Now there are two traps with no wasps, and here's why this is discouraging for me:

The three principles of the situation, in order of intelligence:
1) The Wasps. They send me running scared and stay out of the traps.
2) The Trap Company. They sold me a product that didn't work, and then sold me another one.
3) Me. I'm still deathly afraid of the wasps, whose numbers have not been reduced by one despite my best efforts; and I've given the trap company my money twice for a product that hasn't worked once. The obvious conclusion? I'm a scared, broke moron.

Bullish

Be honest, it DID kind of look like the Celtics sleep-walked through the first half of game 1, didn't it? But after an incredibly intense series, I have to take back some of my rage after that loss. I underestimated the B*lls (hint: It's not Bills, Bells, Balls, Bolls, or Bylls) and am quite happy to just get out of the series alive. Thoughts:

1) Incredible. Really, really incredible. Whoever doesn't watch the NBA missed out big. On the whole it's not as compelling as college, it's true, but watch THIS series and then tell me it's boring.

2) The B*lls played great. I hate them, but that's the truth. Gordon, Rose, Salmons. Those cats brought it.

3) No new news, but I love Paul Pierce. Did anybody else hear his interview after he single-handedly lifted his team to victory in Game 5? The reporter asked something about how they find the energy to keep going with all the overtimes and all. Paul smiled (doesn't happen often!) and said something to the effect of "Oh man, this is fun! We'll play seven overtimes if we need to." Pro athletes are asked stupid questions all the time, and they NEVER get it right. Paul got it right. Nice. It's a job for them, I get it, but it's supposed to be fun. Thanks Paul, for restoring just a little bit of faith in pro sports/athletes.

4) So the Magic are next. We'll see, but without KG, it's going to be rough. And if they can pull it off, the Cavs are almost for sure just too tough. Still, better than going out to the B*lls.

It's Playoff Time

Isn't it? I sure hope not -- I sure hope I didn't just watch my team sleepwalk through a home playoff loss to the Ch*c*g* B*lls. It sure looked to me like they were playing some sort of an extended exhibition, because I've seen them in the playoffs, and it didn't look anything at all like that.

I know Garnett's down, and any realistic chance of hanging Banner Number Eighteen went with him. I get that. But that's no reason to drop Game 1 to the freaking B*lls. So I'm doing my part -- Flogging's going green. Now let's see you do your part, and I don't want to see another loss this round.

If You Have Nothing Worthwile to Write. . .

Just a thought I had the other day -- what happened to colors? I mean colors used to be colors, right, like red, blue, yellow, purple, whatever. Not that the cardinal colors or whatever were sufficient, but of course we weren't necessarily limited to those, so it was ok. We could modify any color in any number of ways. No, not shackled simply to "blue" we could have light blue or dark blue. When light and dark aren't enough, we could even modify it with adjectives from outside the traditional realm of color. "Sky blue," "electric blue," "sea blue," "midnight blue," the opportunities are almost endless. Even if they're not endless, however, we could combine colors -- "blue-green" or what have you. And now the opportunities really are virtually endless.

And all of this before we even get into the colors that we don't really make use of anyway, like fuchsia, indigo, magenta, crimson, vermilion, mauve, teal, and taupe, to name a few.

Why is it, then, that things have suddenly become colors?

You guys, salmon isn't a color, it's a fish. Charcoal isn't a color, it's a carbon residue (I'll admit, I had to look that one up). Rasberry isn't a color, it's a berry. Our sofa is considered "mocha" (although it cost less). Mocha isn't a color, it's a freaking flavor!

Now I confess, there's no good reason why this should bother me. It's purely a product of my own mild nueroses, and I understand that. But still, where will this end? Will it stop with fish, berries, and flavors? Who's to say that it won't get worse and worse until someday someone describes something that's a sort of pale, unattractive pink (see how I just took a real color and modified it for a more specific purpose?) as simply "Ross." Besides, it had been too long since I'd written anything on here, and I just had nothing better to say.

The Devil's In the Q&A

So not too long ago Mark Driscoll and anther person debated the existence of Satan with a couple other guys on Nightline. I didn't hear about it until after it was done, but then I was curious, especially since mostly all my pastor said about it was about Driscoll's shirt. I didn't really care about the shirt, I wanted to see the debate. So I youtube'd it. It's up in about 10 segments if you're interested.

Anyway, at the end they had an audience question bit. I always hate those. They just never go well when the average person tries to expose the brilliant person (that goes for both sides of this, as well as most any other, issue). Anyway, one woman directed a comment to Driscoll that his belief that Jesus is the only way to God was arrogant and narrow-minded (or some variation of thereof). My question is simply, "Can we do away with this once and for all?"

At the heart of the idea is, essentially, the belief that, if you think you're right and others are wrong, you should think differently and be more open/tolerant/whatever of different beliefs. Isn't it really the same as saying "You think differently than I do, and you ought to change to think more like me?" Isn't that the exact same thing?

Look, the Christ-followers who are happy that those who aren't connected to Christ are headed to a God-less eternity need to be slapped down, absolutely. And there surely are arrogant Christ-followers just like there are arrogant athiests, agnostics, Muslims, Scientologists, whatever. But is there anything arrogant about believing something? Do you believe that there is? Is that arrogant?

Christ-followers shouldn't be throwing stones at those who believe differently, and a lot of them (us, to be honest) have done way too much of it. But it just makes no more sense for those who think differently than us to throw stones at us for believing differently.

Can we please agree on that?

I'll Be Honest

I was hoping for some good fan karma on that last post. Not that the sentiments weren't genuine, and I know that having shots fall is too much to ask, but why couldn't the universe pay me back with -- oh, I don't know -- some hustle on defense? A sense of urgency when you're down double-digits in the 2nd half of a tournament game? Every member of the opposing team cramping up simultaneously for an hour or so (which just *might* have been long enough to creep back into contention)?

For real, I'm starting to question whether this karma deal has any validity at all. I know it goes against the philosophy of so many, but is it possible that what I type into my keyboard here doesn't effect the game in Memphis? What's next, are we also to believe that the announcers calling somebody a good free throw shoooter doesn't suddenly and drastically lower their chance of hitting? Are we to believe that mentioning that we're having a decent day at work doesn't suddenly cause chaos to ensue? I know, I know. I'm taking this loss awfully hard and talking crazy. There just has to be a more reasonable explanation, right?

Respect and Sympathies, Card Nation

UofL fans, you're the classiest and most reasonable fan base, college or pro, that I've lived with. A few bad apples, of course (not to name names, but the guy on WKRD at 3:00 who yells about everything isn't much of an ambassador), but across the board you're excellent fans and beautiful people. You know that I'm no fan of your team, but you deserved a far better finish than what you got today. I know it' s no consolation, but for your sake, I'm sorry.

Foul This

A few thoughts after a weekend of watching more basketball than I've probably seen all year:

1) Despite the relative lack of upsets, it's still been a great first weekend with some great games. Siena/Ohio State was incredible, and Wisconsin/Florida St. going on simultaneous to it was great also. Oklahoma St./Tennessee was excellent, and even though they all escaped, the top seeds had some real tests in the 2nd round. So don't let anybody look at all the high seeds left and say that it's sucked. Maybe it's a little more exciting when the upsets happen, but there were still plenty of great games.

2) On a different note, I hate that all the chalky's brackets are being rewarded. Don't get me wrong, I didn't take ETSU to the Final Four, and my bracket's even doing all right (except for my runner-up Wake Forest -- they DO put the "demon" in "deacons" don't they? Wasn't the ACC supposed to be all powerful and crap? Ridiculous!), but they guy currently leading my bracket pool chose nobody higher than a 5 seed in the round of 16, and the basketball gods have been smiling upon him. *sigh*

3) Does anybody else think that basketball would be a better game if they just made it a foul everytime somebody swatted or grabbed a ball that was clearly in another player's control? Swats and grabs are difficult to officiate and result in a lot of bad calls, plus it's basketball, not wrestling. If one dude has the ball the other team should try to take it away through stolen passes or playing sound positional defense, not swatting or grabbing. I'm not asking for more fouls, of course, as much as less reaching, poking, grabbing, swatting. I just think it would make for a cleaner more entertaining, more skill-oriented game.

4) What is it about some players that they show their parents about 6 times during every game, but never any "other" parents? Are the other 9 dudes on the court at any given time orphans or what? Seriously, how many times have we seen the parents of Blake and Taylor Griffen (I've been watching OU all year, of course, and it happens about 6 times during EVERY home game), the kid from Siena whose father has ALS, and the 7"1' 290 lb mountain of a man from UNI? Answer: a LOT. How about the parents from every other player in the tournament? None. Can anybody explain this to me? I ask a lot of rhetorical questions on here, but I'm really kind of curious if anybody could explain this one to me.

5) Great. The next OU game is simultaneous to the next UofL game. And the on-line feeds haven't worked for me. So what? Do I try to go out and arm wrestle for a table somewhere? I'm 145 and arm wrestling really isn't my thing. This really isn't supposed to be an issue this late in the tournament, is it? Oh, to be in a place where the local team is out and nobody cares anymore.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

A handful of quick thoughts after day 1 of the greatest sporting event in the history of sporting events:

1) By bracket's doing GREAT! Which can only mean one thing -- it all falls apart today. At least OU's through.

2) It's one day, and I'm already sick to death of about 6 specific commercials. I know, they keep it free, and so it's a good trade-off. But still, can we get a *little* variety? How many more times am I going to have to watch the dude jump his bike or the kid dodge-ball himself? Sonic at least has a couple different ones, but they're also recycled from years gone by ("Don't you BRING that weak tot action!" That line always gets me, I admit.). *Sigh*

3) The cheap shots on B Griffen have to stop. Seriously. It was ridiculous when the thug from USC blasted him in the package. Did anybody have any idea that things would actually get WORSE from there?

4) Can anybody else get the on-line video feed to work? I sure couldn't. Again, *Sigh*.

Why Don't Christians Get It?

We live in a fallen world. Of course we do. A fallen world is full of jacked-up stuff. Of course it is. But the fallen world is filled with beautiful, valuable people whom Jesus loves and died for.

Why is it, then (not really asking), that so many of us Christ-followers chose to shake our fists in anger at the fallen world in which we live then to go love some of the beautiful people who need a connection with Christ?

*sigh*

Giving Up Lent?

So it's that time of the year again when good Catholics and thoughtful Protestants give up something (sort of) dear to them for Lent. It's kind of beautiful, I've always thought. Voluntarily giving up something that we (a little bit, anyway) love in thankfulness and dedication to the one who gave up far more for us.

Here's the thought I had today, though. How does this come off from Jesus' perspective? I'm sure that he appreciates the sentiment and all that. I think he's pretty good about motives and stuff like that. But is he really honored by people self-imposing sacrifices on themselves? Really, didn't he come so that our lives would improve and so we would NOT have to make sacrifices OT style? I know Lent isn't an OT thing, and I'm not even necessarily against it here, but I'm thinking it's a little ironic. If you couldn't pay your electric bill and I hit it for you, would I then be honored if you didn't use any from 8-10 each night to remember how I hooked you up? NO!!! I'd say "Hit the flippin' lights and microwave a burrito -- that's why I payed your bill for you!"

Again, I really do appreciate the sentiment and have always respected those (especially Protestants, who didn't "have to") who participated. I'm just thinking thoughts and asking questions, that's all. I know, I hate it when people think thoughts and ask questions about my life, too. Fair enough.

Thoughts On Surviving

So the current series of Survivor just premiered, and offers appropriate (read: meaningless) blog fodder.

The girl who got voted out tossed around a popular catch-phrase at one point by describing herself as "not afraid to speak my mind." This often goes hand-in-hand with it's sisters, "I have the right to voice my opinion," "I'll say what I want to say," and the ever-popular "I gave him/her/them a piece of my mind!"

Sure, you DO have the right to voice your opinion. And being "not afraid" to say what legitimately needs to be said can surely be necessary at times. But before you do, consider that we also have a right dislike you for it, and there's a very good chance that although you might like to think (and tell us) that it makes you "a strong person who others might be intimidated by" or some such, it's more likely that we don't want to hear it and you're just obnoxious to be around. There's also something to be said for tact and restraint, considering the other point of view, and living at peace with everybody as much as depends on you (as Paul would say).

In other words, remember Carolina.

Wade Into Survivor!

I don't watch a lot of tv. I watch even less "reality" tv. And at that, even LESS Survivor. I watched season 2, only because a guy I (sort of) knew from high school was on. (I don't know if I ever actually spoke to him, but my sister and wife knew him, and I knew his older brother. And he was from our small South Dakota town, and so it was kind of cool) And then I watched the next season before we got sick of it. Haven't seen an episode since.

Here comes another one, though! One of the contestants on the new season starting this Thursday is something of an acquaintance from my past. "Friend" is probably too strong a term -- we didn't hang out on the weekends or grab barbeque between classes -- but we were "friendly" and he was one of the few people who didn't mock my band to my face and even came to our shows.

So I say watch Survivor on Thursdays and cheer for "Coach" Ben Wade!!! The early word is that he's probably going to come across as arrogant and you probably won't like him, but all appearances are that he'll go far in the game and provide good tv. Go coach, go!

I hate to laugh at the misfortune of others . . . BUT

I haven't posted in a bit here, mostly because I haven't had much to post about.

Today I came across maybe the greatest page in the history of the web. GOSH I hope I'm never on there, although somehow this post and Murphy's Law make me a good candidate. I'll take my chances, however, to share it with you, loyal reader(s?).

Failblog.org

Enjoy, but enjoy knowing that you very well could be next.

Stereotypes Are No Fun, Now

but sometimes the comedy just writes itself.

A "fan" came onto the court to apparently yell at officials at a college basketball game this week. Click here for the video if you like, although it's not all that remarkable, really. And also not that remarkable, is that they're now going to beef up security. Again largely unremarkable, but click here for the story if you like. From the story, however, here's what IS remarkable:

"The college said uniformed Providence police officers will now be positioned behind team benches during games at the Dunkin' Donuts Center and that more security guards would also be used."

That's right, more police officers at the Dunkin' Donuts Center. Like I said, sometimes the comedy just writes itself.

Do They Teach Economics At OU?

Apparently not, but that's a great thing!

It's just been announced that EVERY OU player with remaining eligibility -- including Heisman Trophy winner and possible #1 overall pick Sam Bradford -- is coming back for another run at a championship. 4 players considered bolting for the cash, and all four decided to stay. Don't get me wrong -- there are some losses to graduation (most of the line, the more workmanlike of the receivers, a starting safety), but next year the defense should be monstrous and the best quarterback in the nation will either throw to the best tight end in the nation or hand off to either of the returning 1,000 yard rushers. They would have been good with them gone, but they'll be murder with them back. Boomer.

O For 09

So I have to be at work in 6 hours, but after coming out on the short end of a National Championship game, sleep isn't likely right now. So here are some thoughts:

1) Congratulations to Florida. I hate them, of course. But they won the game, they get the trophy, and that's really about the size of it.

2) Congratulations also to Utah. Great year and big win over Alabama. In no way, however, is there any kind of national championship. "Claim" whatever you want. "Recognize" whatever you want. I may claim a championship for my 8th grade boys basketball team, but who cares? You can't "win" a championship if you're not playing in the championship game, you see. And if you argue that it isn't "fair," I guess I don't really care. Here's the deal -- the minute you strap on your Utah gear, you basically forfeit any chance to play for the national championship. Play in a BCS conference, and then you'll have your chance.

(Side note -- I happened to listen to far too much sports talk radio this last week, and it's pretty much unanimous that it was an "incredible" win over Alabama. Doesn't that say it all? Was Florida's win "incredible?" Would Oklahoma's have been? No. Of course not. And it just goes to show that even the media members who say that Utah should (or does!) have the championship are implicitly acknowledging that there's a discrepancy between them and the schools that play for the championship for real.)

3) T** T**** (OH MY GOSH!!! Pee Wee Herman was RIGHT to worry, T** T****'s name actually HAS been worn out!) is probably a legitimate good guy. Ok, good. I hope he is. But the taunting as the game wound down sure forfeited any claim to the "high road" that he or the team would have had. Not calling him a bad guy or claiming that OU players are any better -- every team has their quality people and their obnoxious jerks -- just saying that the high road is gone.

4) In what turns out to be a fortuitous twist for me, I'm not the antichrist. After the Celtics and Phillies both take home the hardware in the same year, there had been some questions asked. I can only imagine that that trickle of speculation would have expanded into a hurricane if I were to be ordering another championship dvd instead of writing this post.

5) I'm already dreading the "Bob can't win BCS game" trash talk. I've always thought those were the most ridiculous slams possible. So he's lost 5 straight BCS games. So he's lost his last 3 National Championship games. How about you? Unless you're doing better (anyone? Bueller, anyone?) how are you going to slam the team that makes a splash every single year? It's like making fun of me because I keep getting dumped by supermodel girlfriends after 6 months when you're hoping to take Kathy Bates out for chili-cheese fries. Win a championship (just to get to even!) and be in a BCS game every year, and then talk. Or better yet, be gracious about it and just enjoy your sucess. But of course, you haven't HAD that kind of success, so that doesn't really apply to you, does it? (the chili-cheese fries are EXTRA good dipped in ranch, huh?)

6) I'm coming home from work tomorrow and watching my Celtics and Phillies championship dvd's. It's going to be great. I'm actually wearing a Phillies Championship sweatshirt right now.

Metal Was Great in 2008!

I think I have one reader who listens to metal. But let's be honest -- this blog isn't really written for readers anyway. So, just because I want to, here's a year-end top 10 from my world of metal (and hardcore).

Of course, I haven't heard every record from 2008, so in fairness to some that I've missed, here are a few who would have been most likely to have made the list but for eluding my grasp:

Azmaveth -- Strong as Death: What I've heard of this has absolutely ripped.

In Exordium -- In Exordium: The new Paramaecium playing death metal? How did I not find a way to get ahold of this? I should be ashamed of myself, and I am.

Mirror of Dead Faces -- Lamentation: Everybody who's heard this raves. But metal raves, not like techno raves.

Synnove -- The Wh0re and the Bride: This band was kind of considered marginal until this effort, which is "supposed" to be fantastic.


One album that I have no idea what to do with:

Frost Like Ashes -- Born to Pieces: On musical merit, this is easily top 10. But they call it an ep, and even though it's 10 tracks, there are only 2 new songs, a couple re-recordings, and a Johnny Cash cover? There's just no category for this.

Finally a couple honorable mention that were good listens but didn't crack the final list:

For Today -- Ekklesia: Why were bands like For Today and Nodes of Ranvier not around when I was growing up in the Midwest? Oh yeah, because the members were probably about 4.

My Silent Wake -- A Garland of Tears: A good album, but not up to snuff with last year's outstanding Anatomy of Melancholy.

Once Nothing -- First Came the Law: More fun "Southern metal." From Pittsburgh?


And finally, the winners:

10. Call to Preserve -- From Isolation: Probably the best tough-guy hardcore band going right now.

9. Austrian Death Machine -- Total Brutal: Easily the best joke band in the history of the world. And while the music is admittedly trite and generic, it's listenable, too.

8. Holy Blood -- The Patriot: It has to be tough to follow up the completely brilliant Waves Are Dancing.

7. Soul Embraced -- Dead Alive: An impressive return. Maybe more bands should take a few years off.

6. The Famine -- The Raven and the Reaping: The embodiment of brutality and chaotic death/metalcore.

5. Once Dead -- Visions of Hell: Depending on your persective, you may have waited 3, 16, or even 18 years for this. Regardless, it proved worthwhile and the best old-school thrash album in what feels like forever.

4. MyChildren MyBride -- Unbreakable: Some people rip on this for not being original. Fair enough, but I'll bet that those people go to Wendy's when MyChildren MyBride are feasting at Fuddruckers.

3. War of Ages -- Arise & Conquer: These cats have it down. A great album that takes the next step forward from Pride of the Wicked.

2. Sympathy -- Anagogic Tyranny: Insanely brutal and professional sounding technical death metal. Blistering blast beats, phenomenal leads, just all around fantasticness.

1. Becoming the Archetype -- Dichotomy: Last year's Physics of Fire was good but still somewhat disappointing for such a leading band. This one, however, is only disappointing if you were hoping that they'd suck. Brutal, catchy, memorable, progressive, technical, atmospheric, and dare I say worshipful? What more could anybody possibly imagine could come from an audio compact disc? Truly a masterpiece, and if you only buy 1 album from 2008, I'd suggest that you reconsider your record buying policy and then pick this one up.


On the whole, at this point '08 doesn't quite have the depth of '07 which had a tremendous number of great releases, but if some of those that I missed come through it could be as good yet. But for the moment I'm more looking ahead to what promises to be an excellent '09, with albums from A Plea for Purging, Living Sacrifice, Deus Invictus, Impending Doom, Monotheist, Dagon, Believer, and Divine Symphony to name a few. Wohoo!