Some of these things are kinda teh ghey, but you can blame my adopted little sister for that.
- Red ales (beer)
- Kenley Jansen
- "Inception"
- "Toy Story" movies
- "Despicable Me"
- Fondue...seriously it's fucking awesome
- Claim Jumpers' Happy Hour
- Everything on and about Birch Street
- text messaging...kinda always done it some, but now i love it
- Jaeger on the rocks...ohh wait that's definitely not a good idea, but more on that later
- "Wuthering Heights"
- "Glee" yes it's teh ghey, but I don't care I love the show, and I'm not afraid or embarrassed to admit it
- Lea Michele
- My gold chain
- MLB All-Star Game Fanfest
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Hair Obsession
I have no idea why but I have been redonkulously obsessed with my hair and its maintenance of late. It's really weird, it's not that I want it to look good, I just want it to feel good. Strange.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Nothing Better than...
cracking a few beers with a bbq and some burgers with the boys. Good day boys, lets end the fucking night in style.
Bitches Time!
- Bouts to leave Mikey P's place to go party with some bitches! Hoping to get laid, wish me luck all! My boy Ahron, Mikey P, and I gonna clean up with teh ladies!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Movie Review: "Inception"
Not really Spoilers, but if you haven't watched it, don't read, just trust me!
Every 10 years or so a film comes along that is not only groundbreaking, original, but is sure to be emulated, copied (miserably), and loved for years to come. The 1970's had the original "Star Wars", the action genre and 1980's had the original "Die Hard", the late 90's had "The Matrix", and now the 10's start off with "Inception".
A project that Christopher Nolan has been working on for some 10 years, the attention to detail in "Inception" is a reflection of the countless hours and hard work that Nolan and the entire crew and cast have put into this once-in-a-generation film. Never before have I left a movie so unbelievably enthralled, spellbound, mindfucked, and deep in thought.
Without giving too much away, it really is best to enter this movie with a completely blank slate: The main premise involves a man Cobb (DiCaprio) and his team being blackmailed into planting an idea into the mind of an heir of a major energy company (Cillian Murphy). In order to do this, they need to enter his dreams, and tap into his subconscious.
While performing this "inception", the team has to battle not only the difficulty of performing the job, but projections of Murphy's subconscious that attack them like "white blood cells", and the ghosts of Cobb's past which project themselves into these shared dreams.
"Inception" features an all-star cast, but the performances by DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Marion Cotillard are particularly outstanding, and all deserving of Oscar nominations imo. The special effects are phenomenal as well, and there are two scenes in particular that will take your breath away, and leave you gasping for more.
But at the end of the day, for all of this film's accomplishments, what this film will be remembered for is it's extremely layered yet still easy to follow plot. "Inception" lets you know what's going on, and explains what is possible/not possible, and the rules of shared dreaming. Unlike some sci-fi/thriller films that become too smart for their own good, only the most dimwitted among us will have troubles understanding the basic premises and actions of the movie.
Even still, when the screen fades out, you will leave the theatre mindfucked, with more questions than you came in with. I could literally feel the entire silent theatre racking their brains the entire film, something that is hard to find these days. This is one of those films that WILL require multiple viewings in order to gain a better grasp of, and try to understand. The beauty of "Inception" is that we are entertained, we are forced to think, and ultimately we get out of, and take from the film what we want. Our viewing and how we interpret this film can go a long way to understanding ourselves, and tapping into our own subconsciousness. A MUST SEE MOVIE, that WILL win many Oscars, sustain a Titanic-esque run at the box office, and be talked about and discussed for years to come.
Grade: A+
Every 10 years or so a film comes along that is not only groundbreaking, original, but is sure to be emulated, copied (miserably), and loved for years to come. The 1970's had the original "Star Wars", the action genre and 1980's had the original "Die Hard", the late 90's had "The Matrix", and now the 10's start off with "Inception".
A project that Christopher Nolan has been working on for some 10 years, the attention to detail in "Inception" is a reflection of the countless hours and hard work that Nolan and the entire crew and cast have put into this once-in-a-generation film. Never before have I left a movie so unbelievably enthralled, spellbound, mindfucked, and deep in thought.
Without giving too much away, it really is best to enter this movie with a completely blank slate: The main premise involves a man Cobb (DiCaprio) and his team being blackmailed into planting an idea into the mind of an heir of a major energy company (Cillian Murphy). In order to do this, they need to enter his dreams, and tap into his subconscious.
While performing this "inception", the team has to battle not only the difficulty of performing the job, but projections of Murphy's subconscious that attack them like "white blood cells", and the ghosts of Cobb's past which project themselves into these shared dreams.
"Inception" features an all-star cast, but the performances by DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Marion Cotillard are particularly outstanding, and all deserving of Oscar nominations imo. The special effects are phenomenal as well, and there are two scenes in particular that will take your breath away, and leave you gasping for more.
But at the end of the day, for all of this film's accomplishments, what this film will be remembered for is it's extremely layered yet still easy to follow plot. "Inception" lets you know what's going on, and explains what is possible/not possible, and the rules of shared dreaming. Unlike some sci-fi/thriller films that become too smart for their own good, only the most dimwitted among us will have troubles understanding the basic premises and actions of the movie.
Even still, when the screen fades out, you will leave the theatre mindfucked, with more questions than you came in with. I could literally feel the entire silent theatre racking their brains the entire film, something that is hard to find these days. This is one of those films that WILL require multiple viewings in order to gain a better grasp of, and try to understand. The beauty of "Inception" is that we are entertained, we are forced to think, and ultimately we get out of, and take from the film what we want. Our viewing and how we interpret this film can go a long way to understanding ourselves, and tapping into our own subconsciousness. A MUST SEE MOVIE, that WILL win many Oscars, sustain a Titanic-esque run at the box office, and be talked about and discussed for years to come.
Grade: A+
Movie Review: "Despicable Me"
A quaint and enchanting little tale of a "supervillain" who is intent of stealing the moon, but finds something else along the way. This film by Universal puts a spin on traditional children's movies by making the protagonist, a villain who isn't really a villain, you'll see as the film progresses why he does what he does.
"Despicable Me" is certainly Pixar-esque, and is better than 95% of the garbage that hits the big screen these days, but still isn't quite up to par with Pixar. While the story is highly engaging, with plenty of humor for adults and kids alike, there is that certain X-factor missing to move it up to the next level. Unlike "Ratatouille" and "Up", this isn't a film that will stay with you for a long time, although I may just be overreacting since I am still fresh off of "Inception". A perfect movie to take the kids to, or if you're just in the mood for some family fun or a heart-warming story.
Grade: B+
"Despicable Me" is certainly Pixar-esque, and is better than 95% of the garbage that hits the big screen these days, but still isn't quite up to par with Pixar. While the story is highly engaging, with plenty of humor for adults and kids alike, there is that certain X-factor missing to move it up to the next level. Unlike "Ratatouille" and "Up", this isn't a film that will stay with you for a long time, although I may just be overreacting since I am still fresh off of "Inception". A perfect movie to take the kids to, or if you're just in the mood for some family fun or a heart-warming story.
Grade: B+
Friday, July 16, 2010
A New Blog
Dedicated specifically to the Dodgers and the Angels. Check it out:
http://vinandnick.blogspot.com/
http://vinandnick.blogspot.com/
Thursday, July 15, 2010
MLB 1st Half Thoughts
It's been an unbelievable 1st half of baseball, and for the moderator, he couldn't be happier about "The Year of the Pitcher"! 4 no-hitters, 2 perfectos, and the perfecto that wasn't in addition to countless no-no's taken into the 8th or 9th innings only to be broken up when I started watching.
Biggest Surprise (team): San Diego Padres. The Braves and Reds have been nice stories, but NOBODY picked the Padres to sniff 1st place, and nearly everybody picked them to finish last in their division. While their offense is still anemic, they have been carried by a very solid rotation anchored by Matt Latos (who got robbed of an All-Star selection) and a redonkulous lockdown bullpen of Gregerson, Adams, and Bell. If you're trailing SD after 6, as Jigsaw would say: "Game Over!"
Biggest Disappointment (team): Seattle Mariners. There are a few teams that come to mind namely the Cubs and D'Backs but neither of them had the expectations that the Mariners had. The additions of Figgins and Lee combined with the Angels expected to have a down year made them the trendy pick to ship the AL West. Although they lead the league in team ERA, they are last in nearly every offensive category. Figgins, Lopez, Bradley, their entire lineup outside of Ichiro has been a total disaster. Love their trade of Lee to get a bonafide middle of the order bat in Justin Smoak and some solid prospects tho.
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera. Leading the league in average and RBI's and 2nd in HR's, Cabrera has redeemed himself from his late-night escapades at the end of 2009 to pace the Tigers to within half a game of 1st place. Detroit's starters have certainly struggled but the Tigers offense paced by Cabrera has more than picked up the slack.
NL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez. It pains me not to pick another pair of grossly underrated players in Carlos Gonzalez and Joey Votto, but it is AGon who has his team in 1st place despite being the only legitimate bat in the Padres' lineup. No matter how good their pitching is, without AGon the Padres would be near .500 and the Padres offense would be approaching 1960's Dodgers levels of ineptness.
AL Cy Young: David Price. Leading the league in ERA and Wins despite pitching in the brutal AL East, Price has anchored the Rays' rotation and has them in 1st place in the Wild Card race.
NL Cy Young: Josh Johnson. This should come as no surprise to anybody who knows me. Yes he's only 9-3, but JJ has outpaced Ubaldo in every other pitching category: walks, Strikeouts, HR's allowed, WHIP, and features an MLB leading 1.70 ERA. If JJ got better run support and didn't have a hands of coal defense behind him, he'd have at least 12-13 wins behind him, and would be the unanimous pick for this award.
More to come later...
Biggest Surprise (team): San Diego Padres. The Braves and Reds have been nice stories, but NOBODY picked the Padres to sniff 1st place, and nearly everybody picked them to finish last in their division. While their offense is still anemic, they have been carried by a very solid rotation anchored by Matt Latos (who got robbed of an All-Star selection) and a redonkulous lockdown bullpen of Gregerson, Adams, and Bell. If you're trailing SD after 6, as Jigsaw would say: "Game Over!"
Biggest Disappointment (team): Seattle Mariners. There are a few teams that come to mind namely the Cubs and D'Backs but neither of them had the expectations that the Mariners had. The additions of Figgins and Lee combined with the Angels expected to have a down year made them the trendy pick to ship the AL West. Although they lead the league in team ERA, they are last in nearly every offensive category. Figgins, Lopez, Bradley, their entire lineup outside of Ichiro has been a total disaster. Love their trade of Lee to get a bonafide middle of the order bat in Justin Smoak and some solid prospects tho.
AL MVP: Miguel Cabrera. Leading the league in average and RBI's and 2nd in HR's, Cabrera has redeemed himself from his late-night escapades at the end of 2009 to pace the Tigers to within half a game of 1st place. Detroit's starters have certainly struggled but the Tigers offense paced by Cabrera has more than picked up the slack.
NL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez. It pains me not to pick another pair of grossly underrated players in Carlos Gonzalez and Joey Votto, but it is AGon who has his team in 1st place despite being the only legitimate bat in the Padres' lineup. No matter how good their pitching is, without AGon the Padres would be near .500 and the Padres offense would be approaching 1960's Dodgers levels of ineptness.
AL Cy Young: David Price. Leading the league in ERA and Wins despite pitching in the brutal AL East, Price has anchored the Rays' rotation and has them in 1st place in the Wild Card race.
NL Cy Young: Josh Johnson. This should come as no surprise to anybody who knows me. Yes he's only 9-3, but JJ has outpaced Ubaldo in every other pitching category: walks, Strikeouts, HR's allowed, WHIP, and features an MLB leading 1.70 ERA. If JJ got better run support and didn't have a hands of coal defense behind him, he'd have at least 12-13 wins behind him, and would be the unanimous pick for this award.
More to come later...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
At Least it's not Hot!
Holy fuck I love the summers for beaches, hawt chicks wearing less clothing, hawt chicks running and sweating while wearing almost no clothing, and beer and baseball, but hot damn this fucking heat is redonk. When you're drenched in sweat at 8:30 in the morning (although I was hacking it up) that's like Vegas hot bro.
Ohh, and whenever it gets this hot, I always remember "The Sandlot" and the line that goes something like:
"This soda pop ain't working Benny, it's hotter then smoking Jesus out here"
Benny then chastises them, blah blah blah and who the fuck cares, because then they go to the pool and see my childhood OMG Please Marry Me crush:
Ohh, and whenever it gets this hot, I always remember "The Sandlot" and the line that goes something like:
"This soda pop ain't working Benny, it's hotter then smoking Jesus out here"
Benny then chastises them, blah blah blah and who the fuck cares, because then they go to the pool and see my childhood OMG Please Marry Me crush:
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
The Streak is OVER!!!!
Brian McCann + the sickest pitching staff ever assembled (Timmay and Carp weren't even needed) leads the NL to their first win since I was in elementary school! Just an amazing feeling to cap a glorious couple of days!
Woman of the Day!
Colbie Caillat
If you watched the All Star Game, she was the super hawt chick who sang "God Bless America". Her and another chick who was even hawter and wearing less clothing were standing behind the plate during the top of the 7th, and surely were a major distraction for Hughes/Bailey/Thornton helping the NL make their comeback.
If you watched the All Star Game, she was the super hawt chick who sang "God Bless America". Her and another chick who was even hawter and wearing less clothing were standing behind the plate during the top of the 7th, and surely were a major distraction for Hughes/Bailey/Thornton helping the NL make their comeback.
MLB All Star Game Fanfest
Yesterday I attended the MLB fanfest at the Anaheim Convention Center. Having attended the inaugural one in 1992 in San Diego, I remembered having a ton of fun, and was not disappointed this time around. While I didn't participate in the little kid activities (sans the radar gun pitching activity...55 MPH fastballs FTW!) there was still a ton of fun things for adults. The first thing that you will notice is just the vast size of it (3 entire halls at the Convention Center all devoted to the game that we all love).
It was labeled as "Disneyland for baseball fans" and that label was quite fitting. I spent 5 hours there, but could have easily spent the entire day there, or the entire weekend for that matter, but alas I did have to leave in order to watch the Derby.
Random Notes
- Got autographs from Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Mark Langston. Loved Shige as a player despite being an Angel, and he told me that he almost signed with the Dodgers for his last season, but retired instead. So sad.
- Tony Gwynn no showed which was very disappointing, and I missed Andre Ethier due to the fucking schedule saying nothing about him. Pretty pissed about both things.
- The replica clubhouse was pretty sick, cool to see the game jerseys/lockers of the players, Ryan Braun FTW!
- There were tons of little exhibits with cards, memorabilia, that made me feel like a little kid again. They had a bunch of pre WWII gloves there, and I tried a couple on. TRUST ME! Catching in the early 1900's was NOT a fun experience.
- Checking out the Hall of Fame exhibit was worth the price of admission. The amount of history in that room had me in awe and well pretty much I have to go to Cooperstown now. Tons of pics posted on facebook.
- The Negro League, and Women's baseball exhibits were also pretty cool, as was the minor league section. The Chattanooga Lookouts hat (Dodgers AA club) is the most redonkulous hat ever.
- Got my pics taken with this year's Commissioner's Trophy as well as the World's Largest Baseball. Pics will be forthcoming soon. In short, it was an amazing day, thanks again Heather for going with me. Glad you got your 5 second glimpse of OMG Joe Mauer! The game inevitably has to come to Dodger Stadium or Petco, and when it does, I will 100% be at the fanfest again. A truly unforgettable experience!
It was labeled as "Disneyland for baseball fans" and that label was quite fitting. I spent 5 hours there, but could have easily spent the entire day there, or the entire weekend for that matter, but alas I did have to leave in order to watch the Derby.
Random Notes
- Got autographs from Shigetoshi Hasegawa and Mark Langston. Loved Shige as a player despite being an Angel, and he told me that he almost signed with the Dodgers for his last season, but retired instead. So sad.
- Tony Gwynn no showed which was very disappointing, and I missed Andre Ethier due to the fucking schedule saying nothing about him. Pretty pissed about both things.
- The replica clubhouse was pretty sick, cool to see the game jerseys/lockers of the players, Ryan Braun FTW!
- There were tons of little exhibits with cards, memorabilia, that made me feel like a little kid again. They had a bunch of pre WWII gloves there, and I tried a couple on. TRUST ME! Catching in the early 1900's was NOT a fun experience.
- Checking out the Hall of Fame exhibit was worth the price of admission. The amount of history in that room had me in awe and well pretty much I have to go to Cooperstown now. Tons of pics posted on facebook.
- The Negro League, and Women's baseball exhibits were also pretty cool, as was the minor league section. The Chattanooga Lookouts hat (Dodgers AA club) is the most redonkulous hat ever.
- Got my pics taken with this year's Commissioner's Trophy as well as the World's Largest Baseball. Pics will be forthcoming soon. In short, it was an amazing day, thanks again Heather for going with me. Glad you got your 5 second glimpse of OMG Joe Mauer! The game inevitably has to come to Dodger Stadium or Petco, and when it does, I will 100% be at the fanfest again. A truly unforgettable experience!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
World Cup Championship Game Preview
The Netherlands vs. Espana
Both teams were dominant in their semifinal games, and have been the entire tournament. Germany was the best team in the tournament and Spain absolutely dismantled them, and have controlled the ball for 61% of the time in the tournament. Their midfield play is a thing of beauty. The Netherlands are 6-0, have beaten tournament favorites Brazil, and their front line has done some serious work in this tournament. Their backline and goalkeeping are of a bit of a concern to me, as they have been flawed and taken advantage of time. Among the storylines will be whether Espana plays Torres or Pedro (my pick) alongside David Villa and who will win the Golden Boot. Sniejder and Villa are currently tied with Forlan and Mueller at 5 a piece, so a goal from either one may not only win them the boot for immortality. Stoked for what should be a great game, but Espana is too deep at all levels. The Netherlands will grind and make it exciting, but Espana's midfielders will control most of the game and ship Espana a much deserved title.
Espana 2 Netherlands 1
Both teams were dominant in their semifinal games, and have been the entire tournament. Germany was the best team in the tournament and Spain absolutely dismantled them, and have controlled the ball for 61% of the time in the tournament. Their midfield play is a thing of beauty. The Netherlands are 6-0, have beaten tournament favorites Brazil, and their front line has done some serious work in this tournament. Their backline and goalkeeping are of a bit of a concern to me, as they have been flawed and taken advantage of time. Among the storylines will be whether Espana plays Torres or Pedro (my pick) alongside David Villa and who will win the Golden Boot. Sniejder and Villa are currently tied with Forlan and Mueller at 5 a piece, so a goal from either one may not only win them the boot for immortality. Stoked for what should be a great game, but Espana is too deep at all levels. The Netherlands will grind and make it exciting, but Espana's midfielders will control most of the game and ship Espana a much deserved title.
Espana 2 Netherlands 1
Saturday, July 10, 2010
World Cup 3rd Place Game Preview
Obviously neither team wanted to be here, but they are. Both really missed one of their top strikers, Suarez and Muller respectively, but were otherwise thoroughly manhandled and the final score was not indiciative of how dominant the other sides were. Lets not forget how well both teams have played outside of the semifinal losses.
Uruguay-Germany: I expect a very open game. There's a $2 million difference in prize money plus national pride to be played for, but both teams have world class strikers and should really let the dogs loose in this one. Suarez is back and I hope to see a nifty goal or two between him and Forlan. Germany aside from the Spain game has been too deep, their keeper has played tremendously, the Spain game could have easily been 4-0, so I expect a solid German victory.
Germany 3 Uruguay 1
Uruguay-Germany: I expect a very open game. There's a $2 million difference in prize money plus national pride to be played for, but both teams have world class strikers and should really let the dogs loose in this one. Suarez is back and I hope to see a nifty goal or two between him and Forlan. Germany aside from the Spain game has been too deep, their keeper has played tremendously, the Spain game could have easily been 4-0, so I expect a solid German victory.
Germany 3 Uruguay 1
Monday, July 5, 2010
World Cup Semifinals
3-1 in the quarters, excited for what should be a pair of very exciting games. All the flukes are gone, these four teams have really been in a class of their own in this tournaments and all certainly deserve to here.
Uruguay-Netherlands: Losing Suarez to the red card (btw I really hate this whole missing the next match rule. It's some bullshit if you ask me) is really going to hurt Uruguay. They don't have the depth of the other 3 teams to afford to missing one of their star players. Diego Forlan is the MVP of this World Cup even over David Villa if you ask me. He does it all, and is the heart and soul of this Uruguayan side. Both sides play very solid defense, but in the absence of Suarez, chances may be tough to come by for Uruguay.
Netherlands 2 Uruguay 0
Germany-Spain: Deutschland has been in a class of its own in this tournament. Aside from a 10man loss they have outscored their opponents 13-2. Their defense is a bit suspect, but their keeper has played well, and their counter attack is absolutely lethal with a slew of elite strikers and wingers. Spain is incredibly deep and strong at every level, and David Villa has more than made up for Torres' struggles with 5 goals. This should actually be a high scoring, open, and entertaining game, with the winner almost surely to be a solid favorite to win the final. Spain is deeper but Germany has played like a team on a mission, and will avenge their Euro Cup final loss from 2 years ago.
Germany 3 Spain 2
Uruguay-Netherlands: Losing Suarez to the red card (btw I really hate this whole missing the next match rule. It's some bullshit if you ask me) is really going to hurt Uruguay. They don't have the depth of the other 3 teams to afford to missing one of their star players. Diego Forlan is the MVP of this World Cup even over David Villa if you ask me. He does it all, and is the heart and soul of this Uruguayan side. Both sides play very solid defense, but in the absence of Suarez, chances may be tough to come by for Uruguay.
Netherlands 2 Uruguay 0
Germany-Spain: Deutschland has been in a class of its own in this tournament. Aside from a 10man loss they have outscored their opponents 13-2. Their defense is a bit suspect, but their keeper has played well, and their counter attack is absolutely lethal with a slew of elite strikers and wingers. Spain is incredibly deep and strong at every level, and David Villa has more than made up for Torres' struggles with 5 goals. This should actually be a high scoring, open, and entertaining game, with the winner almost surely to be a solid favorite to win the final. Spain is deeper but Germany has played like a team on a mission, and will avenge their Euro Cup final loss from 2 years ago.
Germany 3 Spain 2
Sunday, July 4, 2010
World Cup Quarterfinals Review
Just an unreal set of matches and without a doubt the best drama of the tournament. Friday was a non-stop roller coaster ride of emotion.
- Still in shock that Brazil melted down like they did. Melo better file for Dutch citizenship b/c if he returns to Brazil it's GG Him. Credit the Dutch though, they took advantage of Brazil's mistakes, and their keeper made the save of the tournament on Kaka's shot late in the 1st half to keep his team in the game.
- What can be said about the Uruguay-Ghana game that hasn't already been said. Let me start off by saying that Forlan is the best player in this tournament. The guy is all over the field, plays solidly from end to end, has probably the best ball control of anyone that I have watched, and has perfect touch on his passes and shots. A complete player, who has led this unlikely underdog to the semis.
- Now for those of you who might call Suarez's handball unsportsmanlike, STFU! YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME! Suarez saved his team from sure defeat to at least give Ghana a chance to choke the game away and they did. How do you NOT at least put that shot on goal, if the keeper saves it tip your cap to him, but you have to put that shot on net!
- Uruguay was the better team in the first 90 whereas Ghana dominated extra time due to better conditioning/athletes, but in the end Uruguay seized the day and it's hard not to root for them.
- WOW just wow at Germany. Other than a loss when they had 10 men, this has been the best team in the tournament and it's not even close. Argentina was arguably the best team so far, but just got dismantled by fantastic midfield play from Schweizennger (sp?) and their slew of strikers. Messi has to be the biggest disappointment of the tournament, but nobody is beating Deutshland if they play anywhere near the level they did yesterday.
- Spain has really showed me something. They've shredded the label of the goat country, and cracked two of the best defending sides in the tournament back to back. David Villa is playing out of his mind right now, but Spain wins games with their insane midfield play from Iniesta, Xavi, and I forgot the other guy's name. Their ball control is a splendor to watch, their keeper Casilla is as clutch as they come, and although Paraguay showed plenty of grit, Spain was by far the better team and deserved to move on. LOL @ the officiating in this game btw. WOW FIFA just WOW, you guys really need to get your act together.
- Still in shock that Brazil melted down like they did. Melo better file for Dutch citizenship b/c if he returns to Brazil it's GG Him. Credit the Dutch though, they took advantage of Brazil's mistakes, and their keeper made the save of the tournament on Kaka's shot late in the 1st half to keep his team in the game.
- What can be said about the Uruguay-Ghana game that hasn't already been said. Let me start off by saying that Forlan is the best player in this tournament. The guy is all over the field, plays solidly from end to end, has probably the best ball control of anyone that I have watched, and has perfect touch on his passes and shots. A complete player, who has led this unlikely underdog to the semis.
- Now for those of you who might call Suarez's handball unsportsmanlike, STFU! YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME! Suarez saved his team from sure defeat to at least give Ghana a chance to choke the game away and they did. How do you NOT at least put that shot on goal, if the keeper saves it tip your cap to him, but you have to put that shot on net!
- Uruguay was the better team in the first 90 whereas Ghana dominated extra time due to better conditioning/athletes, but in the end Uruguay seized the day and it's hard not to root for them.
- WOW just wow at Germany. Other than a loss when they had 10 men, this has been the best team in the tournament and it's not even close. Argentina was arguably the best team so far, but just got dismantled by fantastic midfield play from Schweizennger (sp?) and their slew of strikers. Messi has to be the biggest disappointment of the tournament, but nobody is beating Deutshland if they play anywhere near the level they did yesterday.
- Spain has really showed me something. They've shredded the label of the goat country, and cracked two of the best defending sides in the tournament back to back. David Villa is playing out of his mind right now, but Spain wins games with their insane midfield play from Iniesta, Xavi, and I forgot the other guy's name. Their ball control is a splendor to watch, their keeper Casilla is as clutch as they come, and although Paraguay showed plenty of grit, Spain was by far the better team and deserved to move on. LOL @ the officiating in this game btw. WOW FIFA just WOW, you guys really need to get your act together.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Blackout Drunkenness
The Good
- you don't remember the really stupid shit that you did
- you obviously had a pretty good time
- piecing together what happened the night prior can actually be kind of fun; like putting together a jigsaw puzzle
- the laughs from all the hilarious drunk texts you sent out
The Bad
- you don't remember the really stupid shit that you did
- the lack of money in your wallet and the addition of many receipts acquired from various places of business inc. bars, Del Taco, etc.
- the apologies and the horror when you see that you drunk texted the chick you like: "your love is my drug"
The Ugly
- rolling around the bed in misery at 5 in the morning
- the unexplained injuries all across your body and the additional damage done to your body via the mass consumption of advil
- what you may be waking up next to
- you don't remember the really stupid shit that you did
- you obviously had a pretty good time
- piecing together what happened the night prior can actually be kind of fun; like putting together a jigsaw puzzle
- the laughs from all the hilarious drunk texts you sent out
The Bad
- you don't remember the really stupid shit that you did
- the lack of money in your wallet and the addition of many receipts acquired from various places of business inc. bars, Del Taco, etc.
- the apologies and the horror when you see that you drunk texted the chick you like: "your love is my drug"
The Ugly
- rolling around the bed in misery at 5 in the morning
- the unexplained injuries all across your body and the additional damage done to your body via the mass consumption of advil
- what you may be waking up next to
Fantasy Football Offseason: Tight Ends
Anybody who has talked football with me, knows how much I believe that having a pass-catching tight end is of VITAL importance to having a strong offense. If you don't believe me, tell me one good offense in the NFL that is without one. As far as fantasy football is concerned, as the game is evolving this position is getting deeper and deeper every year.
Top Gun: Antonio Gates. A perennial top 3 TE, Gates will benefit from the loss of LT who seemed to get forced the rock in the red zone last season, and now the 3 game suspension of star WR Vincent Jackson. Look for a spike in his touchdown value and for him to finish at the top over Dallas Clark and Vernon Davis.
Value Pick: Brent Celek...How can I talk about this position without discussing my man crush. As the Eagles transition from the McNabb to Kolb eras, Kolb will rely on Celek even more than McNabb did as a safety valve and in the red zone. Celek who has a remarkable penchant for getting open will find the seams in defenses as Jackson and Maclin spread the field creating space for him. Celek will finish with numbers similar to Clark and Davis and can be had a couple rounds later than either of them.
Breakout: Jermichael Finley. The combination of great athleticism, great hands, and perhaps the league's best fantasy offense all combine to make him Aaron Rodgers' #2 man which will put him in the tier 1 of fantasy tight ends.
Bounce back: Jason Witten and Owen Daniels. Witten had 94 receptions but a meager 6 red zone looks and 2 touchdowns last season. This 100+ reception end will surely see a better side of touchdown variance this year. Many forget that Daniels was the #1 tight end until he got injured last year mid-season. Someone has to step up to be Schaub's #2 guy after Andre Johnson and Daniels will be it. A FANTASTIC value pick if you miss on the first tier guys.
Bust: Visanthe Shiancoe. ALL of his value came from his touchdown output last year, and with the plethora of weapons at Favre's disposal, and the addition of Gerhart, Shiancoe's red zone looks will go way down, killing his value.
Top Gun: Antonio Gates. A perennial top 3 TE, Gates will benefit from the loss of LT who seemed to get forced the rock in the red zone last season, and now the 3 game suspension of star WR Vincent Jackson. Look for a spike in his touchdown value and for him to finish at the top over Dallas Clark and Vernon Davis.
Value Pick: Brent Celek...How can I talk about this position without discussing my man crush. As the Eagles transition from the McNabb to Kolb eras, Kolb will rely on Celek even more than McNabb did as a safety valve and in the red zone. Celek who has a remarkable penchant for getting open will find the seams in defenses as Jackson and Maclin spread the field creating space for him. Celek will finish with numbers similar to Clark and Davis and can be had a couple rounds later than either of them.
Breakout: Jermichael Finley. The combination of great athleticism, great hands, and perhaps the league's best fantasy offense all combine to make him Aaron Rodgers' #2 man which will put him in the tier 1 of fantasy tight ends.
Bounce back: Jason Witten and Owen Daniels. Witten had 94 receptions but a meager 6 red zone looks and 2 touchdowns last season. This 100+ reception end will surely see a better side of touchdown variance this year. Many forget that Daniels was the #1 tight end until he got injured last year mid-season. Someone has to step up to be Schaub's #2 guy after Andre Johnson and Daniels will be it. A FANTASTIC value pick if you miss on the first tier guys.
Bust: Visanthe Shiancoe. ALL of his value came from his touchdown output last year, and with the plethora of weapons at Favre's disposal, and the addition of Gerhart, Shiancoe's red zone looks will go way down, killing his value.
Dodgers Report
I talk about the Dodgers so much IRL that I often forget to blog about it. Anyways here are my random thoughts about their recent play.
- THANK GOD HALLELUJAH THANK THE LORD ALMIGHTY that Interleague Play is over. I don't want to talk about it, lets just say it must be nice to be the Padres and get the Orioles, Jays, and Mariners as opposed to the murderers row of teams that we had to play. Back to divisional play so hopefully we get back into the swing of things.
- NOTHING sweeter than a sweep of the fucking hated ones! Such a sexy series all around with some clutch hitting and pitching, going the whole series without Broxton and Kuo for 2 games.
- Speaking of Kuo, ship this man along with Adams and Gregerson of San Diego an All-Star game spot. I know middle relievers aren't sexy, but these guys have been dealing all season, and Kuo's 0 for 25 with 12K's against lefties is just such epic sickeness.
- Good to see or at least hear that Kemp blew up in yesterday's game. He and Ethier really need to get the ball rolling if this team is going to win the division. Big Game James and Furcal have been carrying the offense, so hopefully our outfield can play to their potential in the 2nd half. Hits are nice, but home runs change games and our big 3 need to start hitting more of them.
- JAMEY CARROLL!!! What can I say about this man? He's this year's Juan Pierre who came in for Furcal and played admirably, and needs to be playing EVERY DAY! DeWitt, Blake, and occasionally Furcal need to take a day off because this guy just rakes, walks a ton, works counts, doesn't strike out, and plays great defense no matter where we put him.
- Great to see Kershaw finally developing into the ace he was born to be. Bills, Padilla, and Kuroda have done nice, and Johnny Ely while inconsistent is fine for a #5 guy. While Oswalt or Lee would be a dream come true, it's not happening with the McCheaps at the helm. FUCK YOU BOTH BTW!
In closing, I like where this team is. San Diego has to cool off eventually, and Kemp and Ethier will get it going sooner or later. The starting pitching isn't great, but Weaver/Belisario/Kuo/Broxton at the back end is as stellar as it gets. If we play to our potential or near it, I can't see how this team will be locked out in October either as the division winner or the wild card.
- THANK GOD HALLELUJAH THANK THE LORD ALMIGHTY that Interleague Play is over. I don't want to talk about it, lets just say it must be nice to be the Padres and get the Orioles, Jays, and Mariners as opposed to the murderers row of teams that we had to play. Back to divisional play so hopefully we get back into the swing of things.
- NOTHING sweeter than a sweep of the fucking hated ones! Such a sexy series all around with some clutch hitting and pitching, going the whole series without Broxton and Kuo for 2 games.
- Speaking of Kuo, ship this man along with Adams and Gregerson of San Diego an All-Star game spot. I know middle relievers aren't sexy, but these guys have been dealing all season, and Kuo's 0 for 25 with 12K's against lefties is just such epic sickeness.
- Good to see or at least hear that Kemp blew up in yesterday's game. He and Ethier really need to get the ball rolling if this team is going to win the division. Big Game James and Furcal have been carrying the offense, so hopefully our outfield can play to their potential in the 2nd half. Hits are nice, but home runs change games and our big 3 need to start hitting more of them.
- JAMEY CARROLL!!! What can I say about this man? He's this year's Juan Pierre who came in for Furcal and played admirably, and needs to be playing EVERY DAY! DeWitt, Blake, and occasionally Furcal need to take a day off because this guy just rakes, walks a ton, works counts, doesn't strike out, and plays great defense no matter where we put him.
- Great to see Kershaw finally developing into the ace he was born to be. Bills, Padilla, and Kuroda have done nice, and Johnny Ely while inconsistent is fine for a #5 guy. While Oswalt or Lee would be a dream come true, it's not happening with the McCheaps at the helm. FUCK YOU BOTH BTW!
In closing, I like where this team is. San Diego has to cool off eventually, and Kemp and Ethier will get it going sooner or later. The starting pitching isn't great, but Weaver/Belisario/Kuo/Broxton at the back end is as stellar as it gets. If we play to our potential or near it, I can't see how this team will be locked out in October either as the division winner or the wild card.
World Cup Quarterfinals Preview
Went 7-1 in my round of 16 predictions, only missing on the USA game. Still super steamed over that, that's why I NEVER bet on sports. FML! There are 2 epic games in the quarters and 2 so-so games, but I will surely watch all 4 regardless.
Brazil-Netherlands: A game worthy of the Championship Game, these have been arguably the two best teams in the tournament so far. While teams have been able to slow Brazil down in 1st halves, Brazil has dominated 2nd halves with their relentless attack. The Dutch meanwhile have been perfect so far, winning all 4 of their games, the only European power to play to their potential so far. Still, Brazil is too deep, too experienced, and too talented.
Brazil 2 Netherlands 1
Uruguay-Ghana: One thing we learned is that Ghana is fast, fast, fast, and plays very solid futbol making very few mistakes. While they didn't create a ton of chances against the Americans, they took advantage of a couple of defensive lapses to eek out a win. Uruguay will NOT make the same mistakes. They have surrendered only one goal in the tournament so far, and their front line of Suarez and Forlan have carved up opposing teams defenses.
Uruguay 2 Ghana 0
Germany-Argentina: The other big showdown, both teams have been dominant aside from one group game letdown by the Germans against Serbia. Both teams were beneficiaries of poor officiating in an otherwise dominant round of 16 performance. Call it a hunch but in an otherwise even matchup, I just think Argentina is due for a letdown performance and the Germans roll in the semis.
Germany 3 Argentina 1
Spain-Paraguay: Paraguay eeked out a penalty kick win over Japan in one of the most boring matches of the tournament while Spain finally cracked Portugal's back line. David Villa has been arguably the best player in the tournament so far, and Spain will dominate the time of possession, wearing down the Paraguayan defense and then striking for a couple of goals in the 2nd half.
Spain 2 Paraguay 0
Brazil-Netherlands: A game worthy of the Championship Game, these have been arguably the two best teams in the tournament so far. While teams have been able to slow Brazil down in 1st halves, Brazil has dominated 2nd halves with their relentless attack. The Dutch meanwhile have been perfect so far, winning all 4 of their games, the only European power to play to their potential so far. Still, Brazil is too deep, too experienced, and too talented.
Brazil 2 Netherlands 1
Uruguay-Ghana: One thing we learned is that Ghana is fast, fast, fast, and plays very solid futbol making very few mistakes. While they didn't create a ton of chances against the Americans, they took advantage of a couple of defensive lapses to eek out a win. Uruguay will NOT make the same mistakes. They have surrendered only one goal in the tournament so far, and their front line of Suarez and Forlan have carved up opposing teams defenses.
Uruguay 2 Ghana 0
Germany-Argentina: The other big showdown, both teams have been dominant aside from one group game letdown by the Germans against Serbia. Both teams were beneficiaries of poor officiating in an otherwise dominant round of 16 performance. Call it a hunch but in an otherwise even matchup, I just think Argentina is due for a letdown performance and the Germans roll in the semis.
Germany 3 Argentina 1
Spain-Paraguay: Paraguay eeked out a penalty kick win over Japan in one of the most boring matches of the tournament while Spain finally cracked Portugal's back line. David Villa has been arguably the best player in the tournament so far, and Spain will dominate the time of possession, wearing down the Paraguayan defense and then striking for a couple of goals in the 2nd half.
Spain 2 Paraguay 0
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