Good Vibes

Saw Hulk today. I'll review it in a couple days but suffice to say, go check it out if you're in the mood for a good popcorn flick.

In the middle of watching the Entourage Season 3 DVD so you don't get much tonight.

For now? It's all about sending positive energies!

Down 3-1?

Ain't no thang, bitches.

You gotta believe, baby. You gotta believe.





One for each win we need, Laker fans.

Top Five Friday: The "Well, That Sucked" Edition

Well, that sucked.

What else can I say? Maybe I shouldn't have worn the Madsen jersey. But I'm really no that superstitious.

So, uhh... yeah, I don't want to talk about it really. 3-1 is tough but I'll hold out hope. I still believe, dammit. It's hard - but I still believe.

Even though I really don't want to talk about it - well, if I'm gonna plead that I still believe, I have to, right? And here we go...

The Top Five Reasons I Still Believe

5. The Bench
It's been a tough series for the Laker bench. They came into the Finals on top of the world, getting love from all the sportswriters. But they've struggled to get on track during this series - falling off at key times. But I still believe the Lakers' bench is better than the Celtics bench and I believe before this series is over, they're going to come together and prove it.

4. Derek Fisher
Fish was the glue that held the team together all season long. The stabilizing force that kept the kids going in the right direction and kept Kobe from losing his focus to play the offense the way they wanted it played. But Fish has yet to have a standout game in this series as well. I expect that to change before it's over as well.

3. Pau Gasol
I know, I know. Pau has proven himself to be as soft as a fluffy pillow in this series so far. But did the guy really go all those years without getting out of the first round to come so close to winning it all and fall short. I gotta think a big game is still in his body. Something approaching 30/15. It's gotta happen.

2. Phil Jackson
The greatest coach in the history of the game has had two chances to break the record for most championships. You're trying to tell me he'll be denied twice? He's the ultimate motivator - no rah rah speeches like Doc Rivers - but knowing the right buttons to push to make things happen. 0 for 2 in chances to break Red's record? I don't think so.

And the Number One reason...

1. Kobe Bryant
It's easy to say that no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the NBA Finals - but none of those teams had Kobe Bryant. It's just something about the man - I refuse to believe he'll go down without the fight of his life. He's the best player in the game who just got embarrassed in Game 4. I don't think he's going out like that. If the Celtics want the title, they may have to kill Kobe to get it.

The experts say it can't be done. No team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the Finals.

Again, I say...

Ain't no thang, bitches.

The Lakers have had a team come back from a 3-1 on them in the playoffs before. They know what it takes to do it. And the experts will say that was totally different because the Suns had two home games to win three while the Lakers only have one left.

Again, I say...

Ain't no thang, bitches.

Is it gonna be tough to win three in a row, two on the road? Hell yes it will.

But you gotta believe, baby. You gotta believe.

A three-game winning streak at any other time of the season would be treated like nothing. In the Finals, it becomes historic.

One game at a time. One win at a time.

It still only takes three wins.

Three more wins.

You gotta believe.

Not That I'm Superstitious

I'm not that superstitious when it comes to much in life - but sports seems to bring that side out in me... just a little bit. But I'm really not that superstitious.

Okay, so I decided to post on this blog again just after the pre-game show started - just like I did for Game 3. But I'm really not that superstitious.

Sure, I'm drinking Red Stripe while posting - just like I did for Game 3. But I'm really not that superstitious.

Okay, fine... I did wear my Magic Johnson jersey from Game 1 of the postseason until the first loss, then decided the "juice" was gone, and never wore it again during the playoffs after that. But I'm really not the superstitious.

Yes, it's true that I did wear my Kobe #8 jersey once during these playoffs - saw the Lakers lose while I wore it - and then tossed it in the laundry for the rest of the postseason. But I'm really not that superstitious.

Okay, okay... after going to a Dodger game this year with four other people where the Dodgers lost, I did analyze the past games I went to with those people to try and figure out who the weak link in the chain was. But I'm really not that superstitious.

Yes, I did hear the Laker entrance music ("Right Now" by Van Halen) on a Laker playoff day while driving with my iPod on random and stayed in the car until it was over... just in case. But I'm really not that superstitious.

Well, yeah... I am wearing my Laker Mark Madsen jersey today because I was thinking of wearing it tonight anyways and then happened to read a message board thread today that had a link to Madsen's blog saying he's supporting the Lakers. But I'm really not that superstitious.

Aaarrrrgh. Fine! I am the guy who once wore my Laker jersey UNDER my dress shirt and tie to work on a game day. But I'm REALLY not that superstitious!

But what I am? I'm a believer - and not in that fucked up goofy Smashmouth Shrek way.

I'm a believer who turned on the pregame show and heard them say "No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a postseason series. But in the NBA Finals, no team has ever come back from a 3-1 deficit either. So, if the Lakers lose, history is not on their side."

And once again, to that I say...

Ain't no thang, bitches.

You gotta believe, baby. You gotta believe.

Three more wins.

Blue's Reviews: R.E.M. @ The Hollywood Bowl - 5-29-08

Yeeesh.

Okay, so I totally forgot to do my review of this until last weekend in Vegas when someone asked me how the show was. I feel bad because I really did mean to do it in the day or two that followed but my brain pulled a total swing and a miss on that one. Alas, the best laid plans of mice and men.

But better late than never, right?

Right!

I have seen a lot of bands perform in the 14 years that I have been attending concerts and as such, I have seen a lot of brilliant front men. I've seen Springsteen, I've seen Vedder, I've seen Grohl, I've seen Ozzy, and so on and so on.

Michael Stipe has the very rare ability as a front man to reach way down deep into his musical soul and touch every single person in the building. And it's not just a voice thing - although his unique voice is still tremendous after all of these years. But it's his raw emotion on stage when he performs. During every moment of every song, Stipe has the uncanny ability to make you feel like he is putting every ounce of himself into that moment. And that's really the best compliment I can give an artist, I believe.

Most reviews of this show will focus on the technical difficulties. This was my first time at the Hollywood Bowl where I really felt there were severe problems with the sound. I have seen a handful of shows at the Bowl over the years and it generally is one of the best sounding venues you will find. But not on this night. The sound was... quiet. The volume was just simply too low. It was low to the point where you could hear clearly annoying conversations going around on all sides. It's so low that on an mp3 of the show that I located, you can hear conversations going on around the taper. It was bad... pure and simple.

And yet, I still managed to enjoy the show. The National was a tremendous opening act, completely living up to all the hype they have been receiving on the Internet over the past few months. I was into their set despite not knowing a single song. In fact, going into the show, I only knew I was curious to see them because they had the good taste to do a Springsteen cover at one point. Now, I think I will buy the album in the near future.

The other opening act on the other hand was Modest Mouse - a band that provoked the wife and I to discuss amongst ourselves [and with others via text message blast] the worst opening acts we had ever been forced to suffer through. Names like Iggy Pop, like Candlebox, like Courtney Love, like Johnny Gill were tossed about. Modest Mouse would be right at the top of that list any day of the week. It was horrid - just plain horrid. Screeching, growly vocals that were grating to the ears and made me long to Van Gogh myself and not have to suffer any more.

But once R.E.M. took the stage, all seemed right with the musical world. It was our third time seeing Stipe and the gang - and each of the three seem to stand out as unique in my mind. The first time was our "first date" and I can still recall moments of that show very vividly despite it being over ten years ago. The second was a rainy night for an outdoor show - made a little unique by Stipe belting out a little "Have You Ever Seen The Rain?" during a brief cloudburst.

The Bowl show is no different with very standout moments still clear in my mind. Take a look at the setlist here and I'll point out a few winners:


Setlist
1. Pretty Persuasion
2. Living Wells The Best Revenge
3. What's The Frequency, Kenneth? - The first song of the night to bring people out of their seats. It was definitely a "KROQ crowd" that responded mostly to the big hits although there were a lot of diehards in the house as well. I haven't really enjoyed this song for years but they somehow managed to make it fresh again, really rocking the crowd hard.

4. Sitting Still
5. Ignoreland
6. Man Sized Wreath
7. Circus Envy
8. Drive - I actually have grown to hate this song over the years but once again, hearing it live really energized it for me. The crowd didn't seem to care much for it but I was really digging it.

9. Accelerate - One of the songs off the new album that I really like. It has a lot of energy behind it and even people who seemed unfamiliar with it looked like they were enjoying it.

10. Hollow Man
11. Fall On Me - Ah, yes. The wife's favorite R.E.M. song which prompted much squealing, leg pounding, and then of course, singalonging from her. I'm not sure we've ever seen them perform this live so, being as it is her favorite, a very special moment for this one.

12. Houston
13. Electrolite - Dedicated to Southern California [of course]. Another highlight of the show. Stipe told a funny little story about how the entire band wanted this on their album and he hated it and wanted it cut out. Just goes to show that even the best front men don't always get it right.

14. Final Straw - I believe this was the song he "dedicated" to George Bush while promoting his vote for Barack Obama [which obviously earns him "street cred" in my world.] Some people complain about musicians slipping politics into their music - I think that's bullshit. Music is an expression of art as much as writing is - how many writers get told to shove their political views and just write? Fuck that. Michael Stipe - you keep telling people to vote Obama in the fall.

15. I've Been High - My personal highlight of the night. He introduced the song by saying flat out that they were still trying to figure out how to play this one. Honestly, never heard the song before that night and it gave me chills. This is one of those songs that you could feel anywhere in the Bowl. They knocked it out of the park and shouldn't change a thing in the arrangement in the future. Much better than the studio version that I've now heard as well.

16. Let Me In
17. Losing My Religion - We discussed after the fact if they really enjoy playing this song anymore. I mean, don't get me wrong, they absolutely rocked the house with this one and had all the KROQers going nuts [we noticed a bunch of people leaving after this one too] but I'm always curious if bands that get superknown for one song grow to resent that song. When Soul Asylum played our college years ago, we all marveled that Runaway Train wasn't on their setlist - but really, would you want to play it either if you had years of material you liked better?

18. Horse To Water
19. Bad Day
20. Walk Unafraid
21. I'm Gonna DJ - This is actually a really weird song that I didn't like the first couple times I heard it but it's growing on me. How can you hate lyrics about wanting to DJ at the rapture? Gold, baby... gold.

Encore

22. Supernatural Superserious
23. The One I Love - One of my favs. Didn't really do much for me though after still being entranced by I've Been High. Seriously, even this far removed, that song was still sticking with me.

24. Until the Day is Done
25. Happy Birthday - Much like the Kate Nash show I reviewed a few weeks ago, this is just one of those little things that people will remember about a show to make it special to them.

26. Man On The Moon - I think I liked it better when they used to close with "It's The End Of The World..." But it'll do, donkey. It'll do.


Match the fantastic music with an amazing set backdrop and it made for one hell of a killer show. Of course, everyone wishes the sound was better but at some point, you gotta get past it and enjoy the show, ya dig?

Anyways... if you get the chance to catch R.E.M. in your town, even if you're not the biggest R.E.M. fan [and I'm not] you should do so. You will not regret it.

To wrap it up, I found a few YouTubes from the show you might enjoy.

What Goes Up Must Come Down

I just did a Google Share of an article I just read about Thiago Alves and Matt Hughes. Of course, as an anti-Hughesite, I was overjoyed to hear that Hughes got the king-sized KTFO [KNOCKED THE FUCK OUT for you uncultured plebians!] But after reading this article, I was even happier. Go check out the article off to your right before going further.

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OKAY! Welcome back!

Interesting stuff, huh?

Well, Mr. Hughes obviously never read The Artful Dodger, the fantabulous autobio from Tommy Lasorda. In that book, Tommy tells one of his fantastic stories oh-so-masterfully. I could never hope to do it justice but I will give it my very best effort from memory.

When Tommy was a child, he worked a string of pretty shitty jobs. One year, he saved all his money from this job in hopes of going to a baseball game. He dreamed and dreamed of it for months. He finally saved enough money and went to the game. He bought a program so he'd know all the players and stood by the players' entrance in hopes of getting autographs [ahhh, memories.]

One player walked by Tommy, a nervous kid with his program gripped in his hand. He shoved the program out, looking for an autograph - and was snubbed. The player just walked right past him, ignoring him the whole time. Tommy was embarrassed and hurt. He saw the number on the player's uniform, checking his program to discover the identity. Right then and there, he swore vengeance like something out of a comic book.

Years later, when Tommy was in the minor leagues, he was on the mound pitching. Over the PA, he hears the next batter introduced and his brain flashes back many a year. The next hitter? Was that same major leaguer that had ignored Tommy as a small child back in the day. While Tommy was working his way up through the minors to the big leagues, this former major leaguer was on the tail-end of his career and was working his way back down through the minors.

Well, considering Tommy's legendary temper, you can imagine what happened next. He played a little sweet chin music to the hitter, making him eat dirt time and time again. Years later, Tommy would tell that story as a lesson to his young players he was managing in the minor league.

The lesson?

Be careful who you're a dick to when you're at the top of the heap because you never know who you'll see again on the way back down.

I think Matt Hughes now understands that lesson all too well.

It's All About The Swagger

You gotta believe, baby.

The ABC announcer as they come on the air says something like, "If the Lakers want to hang another banner on that wall, they have to do something only two other teams have done in Finals history - come back from a 2-0 deficit."

To that I say...

Ain't no thang, bitches.

You gotta believe, baby. You gotta believe.

It still only takes four more wins.

Please Come Back!

It's actually been a long, long while since I've done a wrestling post from the best of my total recall so I thought I'd toss one out here for your reading enjoyment. During the drive to Vegas last week, I was checking out Wrestling Observer on my BlackBerry and discovered that the WWE had re-signed D-Lo Brown. It was a total out-of-nowhere move for them as the last I had heard, he was working as a backstage agent for TNA. There seems to be some debate regarding whether or not his new WWE position will be on or off camera but as someone who always enjoyed D-Lo in the ring and on the mic, I'm hoping for the former.

Yesterday, I saw a column written on another website suggesting ten former WWE competitors who need to make a comeback. The qualifications were that they had to be former WWE superstars and could not be currently under contract to TNA. Simple enough, right? I wasn't much of a fan for their list so in honor of D-Lo Brown's return to the WWE, I decided I would make my own list AND I'd go one step further by fantasy booking their return angle. Nifty, eh?

So, without further adieu and sans any order of importance...

10. Lita

In an age where most of the divas are all cookie cutter and it's easy to forget who is who, Lita stood out above them all. She always had a unique look and had the fans in the palm of her hand when she was with the Hardys. But she really hit her stride when she made the heel turn with Edge, becoming the bitch that everyone loves to hate.
HOW TO BRING HER BACK: The upcoming Edge/Vickie nuptials is the perfect place to launch a Lita comeback. At the "Let them speak now..." moment, Lita emerges from the entrance way. She tells Edge that she's back and they can be together again. Edge is obviously torn between his hot ex and the woman who is doing wonders for his career. You can draw out Edge's decision for a few weeks but he ultimately chooses his career over... well, you get the idea. Lita is pissed and promises to find someone to take the gold off Edge... maybe Matt Hardy? Hrm. Interesting. Instant feud!

9. Bryan Danielson
Yep, I'm stretching the rules a bit on this to include someone who was formerly a WWE employee - through the development system. Since then, Danielson has become the best in-ring performer in the entire business and deserves to be showcased on the biggest stage. Danielson could be the next Bret Hart or the like and is being wasted in front of a 1000 people at most.
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: You start with a Shawn Michaels enemy - maybe an opportunity for another Marty Jannetty comeback? Let's go with that idea. At some point, HBK needs a tag partner versus some team... let's say Miz and Morrison. Jannetty shows up to be HBK's partner. At the key moment of the match, Jannetty scores the superkick on HBK, allowing Miz and Morrison to win. Jannetty joins up with Miz/Morrison, saying they're the future of the business like the Rockers were once upon a time. HBK challenges Jannetty for a singles match - Jannetty says he's retired but he's got someone that has been waiting years to face HBK. Danielson jumps HBK from behind, breaks him down, uses the elbow strikes to draw blood, etc. Jannetty reveals that Danielson is a former HBK student - a student HBK ignored while Danielson has fought for years to make it to the WWE. And off you go.

8. Jake Roberts
Fresh out of rehab is the time to use Jake - just in case. I hope he stays clean this time but history has not shown that to be likely. All accounts have him as one of the best wrestling minds outside of the ring and we all know just how good he used to be inside the ring. I realize he probably can't pull that off in 2008 but I think it'd be good enough for what I'd want to use him for.
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: Teddy Long brings Jake into ECW as a favor "for an old friend." The announcers sell that he's fresh out of rehab, fresh off battling his demons again, and looking for one more chance in the spotlight. Jake struggles through his first few months but eventually, the DDT out of nowhere carries him to win after win after win. He earns a spot in a four way match for the ECW Title with Kane, Punk, Jake, and someone else... doesn't really matter who. Punk and the someone else batter Kane throughout the match with Jake just getting in spurts of offense before getting dropped. Punk ends up hitting Kane with G2S to lay him out. The someone else knocks Punk from the ring. Jake staggers up, grabs Kane as he gets up, DDT for the three count. Jake wins the ECW Title for a feel good moment - a moment that gets ruined as an irate Punk batters Jake with the Money In the Bank briefcase to a bloody mess. He cashes in the briefcase and gets the win with the Anaconda Vice. The basic justification for the turn is that as the Straight Edge Superstar, Punk couldn't stand to see an addict like Jake with the title. It launches a big Punk heel turn that should put him where he belongs.

7. Paul Heyman

The fact that Heyman is out of the business and off doing an Internet TV show is a sad statement on the business. And yes, I know it's Heyman's choice but the business is in his blood and the right offer would get him back, I know it would. Let's leave the off-camera Heyman out of it [even though he should still be booking ECW] and stick with on-camera Heyman for this.
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: This is an easy one. Heyman "invades" ECW, being allowed to "shoot" on Vince about what he's done to his baby. Ultimately, Heyman brings in a new Dangerous Alliance to try to dominate ECW. Nothing big. Just Heyman being Heyman.

6. "Eugene" Nick Dinsmore
For YEARS, all wrestling fans would hear was how great Nick Dinsmore was inside the ring in Ohio Valley. Everyone was stoked when he got the call up to the big time. But all that excitement quickly faded when he was given the gimmmick of Eric Bischoff's "special" nephew. While Dinsmore did the best he could with what he was given, everyone knew the gimmmick would eventually die off and make him impossible to repackage. Unless...
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: How about as a member of the above-referenced Dangerous Alliance? How better to kick off a "new" ECW than to let one of ECW's old school tactics - the shoot - come back to life? Dinsmore returning as Eugene and then savagely attacking someone is how you start. Once on the mic, he cuts a promo about how he was forced to be someone he wasn't - how his talent was ignored in favor of a cheap laugh, etc. Should be a nice way to reintroduce him. Heyman could use him as an example of everything that is wrong with a Vince run company to turn ECW into the "rogue" promotion again.

5. Teddy Hart
I know, I know. He's fucking loony and you just never know what he'll do. Unfortunately, that's also what makes him one of the most entertaining people in the business. Teddy's got to make it to the WWE at some point - he's GOT to! I demand it! Make his uncle give him a stern talking to - a "one last chance" speech. Put him right on TV and let it fly.
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: Easy! Make sure Natalya and DH Smith end up on the same show after the draft. Put them both on losing streaks. Then on some random show, make a mixed tag with them - they lose - and Teddy arrives to berate them both for embarrassing the Hart Family name. Your new Hart Foundation is born.

4. Monty Brown
Monty Brown was the WWE's best shot in recent times of recapturing some of the Goldberg/Lesnar feel of a big push off the bat for someone the fans would quickly come to support or fear... or both. But instead, he was turned into Marquis Cor Von, watered down, and turned to just another ECW guy in no time flat. There were still signs of the Alpha Male bubbling underneath but just occasionally. They need to bring him back and let him go full Monty Brown style to have a shot with him.
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: Nothing fancy. Pretend he's completely new. Don't even acknowledge Marquis Cor Von. Just let him be Monty Brown, squashing jobbers left and right for the first couple months. You gotta let him use the Pounce though and you gotta put him on the mic. It'll work.

3. Tammy "Sunny" Sytch

I can't believe I even have to write this. After Tammy's appearance at the Raw anniversary show looking very Sunny-ish, I thought it was only a matter of time before she was brought back. As long as she's clean and can stay clean, she deserves a lifetime job as the woman who ushered in the new era of Divas.
HOW TO BRING HER BACK: Again, nothing fancy. Let Sunny be Sunny. The manipulative, manchasing, goldchasing woman who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

2. Muhammad Hassan
There is perhaps no bigger waste of talent in recent memory than this one. Hassan was hugely over as a heel. He was great on the mic. He was passable in the ring. There is no reason that Hassan couldn't have been the next big thing - except for Vince's envelope-pushing booking. It was an angle of bad taste and horrific timing that caused Hassan's fall from grace and it was truly sad to see.
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: I was going to say "Let Hassan be Hassan" but something funny popped into my head. How about the booking of a "Legends Match" on some PPV? Let's say the Iron Sheik vs Duggan or Slaughter... someone who'll get the USA chants. Duggan or Sarge win, the crowd's going nuts - and out comes Hassan to get payback for the Sheik.

And the final former WWE employee who should return...

1. Daniel Puder

This is a bit of a longshot because I've seen no evidence that Puder is worth a damn in a pro wrestling ring - although Heyman apparently thought he could be a big star when he was booking OVW so that lends a lot of confidence to me to make this pick. Plus, Puder's ROH appearances seemed to get a ton of heat as well. I think it's worth the risk.
HOW TO BRING HIM BACK: To do this effectively, you have to do the one thing that Vince does not like to do - you have to mention someone who left on bad terms. Picture it. On a random Raw or Smackdown, we come back from commercial to see video footage of the Tough Enough contest with Angle and Puder. An announcer doing a voiceover, explains the Kimura - maybe even a telestrator or something to point it out. They explain that Daniel Puder just made an Olympic Gold Medalist tap out. The footage runs on a few more shows, adding some commentary from Puder over it - "I tapped out the golden boy", "they got rid of me to keep him happy", "I've been trying to get back here for years to prove it wasn't a fluke." Finally, Puder returns, probably with an agent or manager [Larry Sweeney perhaps?] and goes on to squash jobbers with submission wins to the Kimura for months.

And that's that. I hope you enjoyed cause it took a long time to write all that!

The Joys Of TV On DVD

Now, I'm not one of those psychopaths who declare they're not going to watch a series on television until it's on DVD - I am far too sensitive to spoilers to pull that shit off. I'd be paranoid that someone would spoil Season 4 - Episode 16 at any moment and my heart just can't take that shit.

I'm also not one of those people who have grown so frustrated with becoming loyal to a new show and seeing it jerked out from under them that they've decided to not watch any new show until it survives a season and is out on DVD - but I understand that theory a bit more. I'm still disappointed that shows like Journeyman and Wonderfalls got the shaft by their respective bonehead networks.

However, I must say that the arrival of entire seasons of TV episodes on DVD is one of the great progresses made in recent years. I still fondly recall watching Season One of 24 on DVD after getting it for Christmas - and it was just a matter of weeks before we'd burned through every season of 24 out on DVD. A beautiful thing.

Tonight, we finished Season Two of Entourage. Couple that with the recent completion of Season One of Battlestar Galactica and the end of the TV season has barely registered on our radars so far. Season Two of Galactica is probably next as it ended with such a nutty cliffhanger, we're dying to see what happens next.

It's actually kinda interesting to see two very different approaches to storytelling and season structure. Whereas Galactica goes for the big cliffhanger to end Season One, drawing you back in for a second season - Entourage was happy to just light up the screen with relatable characters, witty-as-shit dialogue, and just enough intrigue in the overal story arc to draw you in from episode to episode. However, when the season finale arose, they didn't go for the cliffhanger, opting instead to tie things up nice and neat as both seasons came to a close.

Not saying one method is better than another - just different. Good shit though. I'm digging both shows so far and am eager to see what happens next on both.

Almost home

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