KUNG! FU! PANDA!

I'm not much in the habit of posting stuff on here because "Oh, it's so cute!" but dammit, pandas fucking rule your universe. And sneezing pandas rule it harder.

UFC Picks

Almost forgot about this. This will probably be the shortest UFC Picks Post ever. My picks in bold with no commentary, no "how they'll win," and no betting. If I get time, I may come back in later today and add more details but for now:

UFC 84: Ill Will
Date: May 24, 2008
Location: Las Vegas
Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena
Broadcast: Pay Per View

MAIN CARD (TELEVISED)

* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk (for lightweight title)
* Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva
* Wilson Gouveia vs. Goran Reljic
* Lyoto Machida vs. Tito Ortiz
* Thiago Silva vs. Antonio Mendes

PRELIMINARY CARD (NOT TELEVISED)

* Rousimar Palhares vs. Ivan Salaverry
* Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
* Rich Clementi vs. Terry Etim
* John Koppenhaver vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
* Dong-Hyun Kim vs. Jason Tan
* Shane Carwin vs. Christian Wellisch

Top Five Friday: Google Reader

Fresh off a BIG win in Game 2 of Lakers/Spurs, I can't think of a single thing that I want to write about - especially in Top Five form.

Let's pay a little tribute to the Google Reader section of the site and present:

The Top Five Headlines In My Google Reader News (off to your right) And My Thoughts On Them!

5. FSN to carry "Affliction: Banned" preliminary card
Pretty nice deal for Affliction, as they try to get some eyeballs on their first show. However, with the amount of talent they've got on the show, they really need to get eyeballs on their PPV. There's absolutely no way they make any money on the first show. The goal is to build strong word-of-mouth so that future shows can be less stacked but still draw viewers because of good buzz. It's an interesting plan - probably not one that will work but interesting nonetheless. Oh, and I think the "Banned" name is clever as Affliction has been banned as a clothing sponsor for all EXC and UFC fighters. That's a tough one for them as Affliction has been sponsoring fighters for ages. I'm curious to see the PPV though and depending on price point, I might shell it out - or since it's taking place about twenty minutes from "the crib," maybe I'll go see it in person.

4. Brock Lesnar's UFC fight with Mark Coleman is off
The UFC has been absolutely snakebit recently when it comes to fight scheduling. The London show is cursed to no end as I've never seen so much card juggling as I have with that event. Lesnar losing the high profile fight in his hometown is a bit of a blow but as usual, it comes down to who the replacement will be. Offhand, I can't think of a heavyweight in the UFC that would draw as much interest as Coleman did. I suppose Dana could drag Tank in for Lesnar to slap around but after running down Kimbo and EXC lately, that'd be a tough one to do. Keep an eye on this one because Brock needs something high profile to keep his name in the spotlight.

3. Christian Bale signs on for an entire Terminator trilogy
Talk about being Mr. Franchise. The entire Batman saga on your shoulders and now the future of the Terminator franchise as well? Whew. I hope Mr. Bale's been working out lately. This, of course, is the Terminator series that will actually take place in the future with the human resistance fighting the machines - the story everyone has wanted to see since the very first flick. It could be very, very cool... or it could be Matrix Reloaded/Revolutions levels of suck. I'm one of the few who dug the direction they went with Terminator 3 so I've got my fingers crossed for this series as well. Besides, Bale wouldn't sign on to an entire trilogy unless it looked golden right? Right?

2. Next Spider-Man movie[s?] coming soon
Is anyone really excited about this after seeing Spider-Man 3? Me neither. Next!

1. KERSHAW IS COMING... maybe
The Dodger blogs/boards were abuzz all day today with the news that projected future Dodger ace Clayton Kershaw was pulled from his start in Jacksonville last night after one inning. The early buzz was that he might pitch on Tuesday or perhaps even tomorrow night. The late buzz is that he will be called up tomorrow to make his first big league start on Sunday afternoon against the Cardinals - a decision that will surely send tickets to that game flying out the window. I'm already debating getting in on that after pretty much deciding to spend the weekend at home to avoid paying over $4 a gallon in gas. We shall see.

Until next time...

Kobe vs Indy - YOU MAKE THE CALL!

Just got back from seeing the Indy flick. I'll do a full review of it in a couple days but I want to let it sink in a little bit before I do. For now, I will say that if you're a fan of the Indy movies, you'll probably dig it - if you have realistic expectations. It's not Raiders, it's probably not even Temple. It's closest in "feel" and quality to Last Crusade [although the Missus says LC is her favorite of the series.] The thing that will bring most people down on either side of the love/hate line will be how you feel about the main plotline. It's... different... than the others. If you're okay with what it is, you'll probably dig the movie. If you're not okay with what it is, you'll probably not like it - or you'll fall into the "Eh... it's okay" category.

Anyways... how 'bout them Lakers?



What a game, huh?

It was odd. The wife and I were both discussing last night after the game that even when the Lakers were down big, there wasn't a freaked out feeling. It was almost like... you could feel that Kobe was going to turn it on at some point and get them close. It was just a matter of how close they could get.

Turns out, they got pretty damn close.

It was an amazing game, an amazing comeback, and an amazing win.

Seven more, people. Keep the countdown going.

The UFC's Hottest Rivalry - Ortiz vs White

I just added this article from the Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer regarding the apparent final chapter to the Dana White/Tito Ortiz saga to my Google Reader news over on the right sidebar so go check it out if you want to read it in full.

Me? I want to dissect the article and give you all my expert opinion!

Let me preface this by saying I love Dana White. He always cracks me up and his balls-to-the-wall promotional style makes him a hero to me. He shares a lot of the same qualities with Vince McMahon - another personal hero... okay, go ahead and mock me now. By the same token, I'm also a Tito Ortiz fan... sorta. I think he's a prick and believes his own hype too much but I think he used to be a top level fighter and no one can deny his ability to put asses in the seats.

That being said... MY EXPERT OPINION!
NOTE: Anything in bold was written by the esteemed Mr. Meltzer

Whether he wins or loses May 24 in Las Vegas against Lyoto Machida, it certainly appears Tito Ortiz will end his 11-year Ultimate Fighting Championship career. But there will be no televised celebration of his accomplishments when the fight is over.
UFC president Dana White will want it to end as quietly as possible, with Ortiz as an afterthought, and the crowning of the undefeated Machida as a new top star.

The huuuuuuuuuge problem with this scenario is that it likely will end quietly - but it'll be the crowd that is silent after three rounds of grappling that end in a decision for Machida. Yeah, I think Machida will pull off the win but he just happens to be one of the most boring fighters I've ever seen. What Dana needed was someone to KO Tito flat on his way out - unfortunately, there's no sure bet on that one. So, what he did was put Tito in there in a no-win situation. Even if Tito wins, it's likely to be a boring fight that'll lower his value in the eyes of the fans. The problem for Dana is that the fight is likely to be so bad, even a Machida win won't be enough to make him a star.

"He's one of the most dishonest human beings I've ever met," White said. "I put up with him when he was a good fighter. He's not anymore. He's done. I'm no longer in the Tito Ortiz business."

Okay, so... you have to take everything Dana says with a large grain of salt. After all, his goal is to sell his product and shit on everyone elses. This is the same guy who after months of courting Fedor turned around and ran him down, saying he couldn't hang with any of the UFC's top heavies. With that in mind, I don't know how much Tito has left in the tank. Enough to make a lot of money somewhere else I'm sure - but so does Ken Shamrock for that purpose. Does Tito want to be the next Shamrock? Or does he want to take his considerable outside-the-cage talents and ability to be controversial to an arena that may provide him more longevity - pro wrestling anyone?

The war of words between the two is nothing new, as they've had issues since 2003, when UFC wanted to put together the first Ortiz vs. Liddell match and Ortiz claimed he didn't want to take the fight because the two were close friends and had an agreement not to fight each other (Liddell claimed there was no such agreement).

As a side comment, I hate these "agreements." Your job is to fight. Get in there and fight no matter who the opponent is. You're not trying to permanently injury your opponent so who gives a shit if it's your friend? I'd punch every single one of my friends right in the damn throat for the kind of pay day Tito and Chuck got... guaranteed!

Ortiz's contract expires with this fight. Things got so bad that Lorenzo Fertitta, the company's co-owner, and not White, was involved in trying to negotiate a new deal. But they couldn't come to terms.

"They told me I wasn't worth as much as I was in the past," Ortiz said.

Well, honestly... that's probably true. You're not beating Rampage. You're not beating Chuck. You're probably not beating Wanderlei. So, unless you wanted to do Dana a solid and drop down to go fight Anderson Silva or GSP, there's not a lot of "big fights" left for ya at the moment, pal.

Technically, there is a 30-day period after the contract expires where he can only negotiate with UFC, and then a period where UFC has the right to match any outside offer.

...

"There's not going to be any bidding war," White said. "Gary Shaw (promoter at Elite XC) should offer him $30 a fight because we're not going to match it."

I need an emoticon showing me laughing my ass off. That's the kind of Dana White throwdown that I like. You know it's bullshit but it's a funny as fuck soundbite. It really will be interesting to see if it's Elite XC, Dream, or the new Affliction group that ends up with Tito's services. It would be huge for EXC or maybe even IFL. Dream will pay a nice chunk of change but I don't know how Tito sells in Japan. Affliction can probably land him but they will only commit to doing three shows before deciding where they stand.

"This guy went on Howard Stern and said he was getting $200,000 a fight," White said. "That was such a lie. Tito made $5.8 million in 2006. He only fought once in 2007. He made $710,000 for that fight (with Rashad Evans) and that was the third match from the top (on the card). He goes around saying we made $231 million last year. He's a moron. This guy talks about what a businessman he is, and he was on ‘The Apprentice' and he doesn't know the difference between revenue and profit."

Ehhhh. I don't want to get into the dollars and cents because none of us know the actual numbers. The only thing I want to actually say on this is that much like pro wrestling, the MMA game seems to be one of those businesses where the talent's piece of the pie is considerably less than the public would imagine. So, I'm going to guess the truth is somewhere in the middle. I doubt Tito was Latrell Spreewell trying to feed his family but... he's probably not A-Rod either.

Ortiz has been unhappy with White's public comments, in which the UFC president called both Ortiz and girlfriend Jenna Jameson, who had done some negotiating with UFC for him, "morons."

What the fuck? He's got Jenna negotiating for him? I... I don't even know how to respond to that. I mean, I suppose it's possible she's a smart business woman but doesn't he gave an agent for this purpose? A manager? Having your semi-retired porn star girlfriend negotiating with a boss you hate seems to be asking for trouble.

From a business standpoint, Ortiz in 2006 was pure gold. But in 2008, it's very much a question. Ortiz hasn't had a win against a true top opponent in years. Even Ortiz's 15-5-1 record is interpreted completely different by both.

"In the last eight years, the only people who have beaten me are Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell, two of the best fighters in the world," Ortiz said.

"Look at his record," White said. "When was the last time he beat a legitimate top contender? Forrest Griffin was right out of ‘The Ultimate Fighter' and a lot of people think Griffin won that fight. You have to go back to Vitor Belfort (in early 2005). He's not ranked in anyone's top 10."

You can count me among those people who think Forrest won the fight with Tito. So, it's much like I said earlier - there's just no big fights left in him for the UFC. There's plenty of "interesting" fights that I'd like to see him in but he needs to realize that he probably does need to drop his price a little bit at this stage until he proves otherwise [for the record, the article states the UFC's final offer was for six fights and Tito admit it's probably more than he'll get elsewhere.]

And even White concedes Ortiz can help them and come across as a top star on the outside.

"He'll probably dominate, because he won't be fighting the same level of competition," he said. "Kimbo Slice? Three months ago he was fighting in your backyard."

Ortiz feels he's got several potential big fights outside of the UFC.

"There's a rematch with Randy Couture, a rematch with Frank Shamrock, and maybe (heavyweights) Kimbo Slice or Fedor Emelianenko," he said. "Yes, they are (except Shamrock) heavyweights, but we can fight at a catch weight. Babalu (Renato Sobral) is another one. I have three or four years left."

First, Dana got the killer Kimbo soundbite - so, so accurate by the way. Let's look at what Tito thinks are big fights for him. Randy? Sure, I'd like to see it. Frank Shamrock? After the loss to Cung Le, I'm not sure how big of a draw Frank Shamrock's going to be. The Frank/Ken match will sell big when/if it happens because people aren't going to get that they're not blood brothers. Babalu? No fucking way. The big two on the list obviously are Kimbo and Fedor. I don't doubt that Tito can beat Kimbo - which is why that fight probably would not happen any time soon. EXC thinks Kimbo's celebrity status is going to be the wagon they tie their horse to so they are going to be very careful about who they match him with. In fact, I have a hard time seeing EXC booking Kimbo with anyone who isn't going to stand and throw. Tito will not stand and throw with Kimbo Slice. Tito will take him down, hold him down, and pound out a stoppage or decision. Fedor? Interesting. Fedor will beat him but... interesting.

It's no secret why UFC booked Machida, 12-0, a highly respected but uncharismatic relative unknown to the casual UFC fans, as Ortiz's last opponent. The expectation is Machida would get a win over a huge name opponent, and hopefully become a star in the process, and become someone who can draw if challenging for the marquee light heavyweight title.

I don't believe that for a second. This fight is designed to bury Tito win or lose, period.

The match has more intrigue within the MMA world than any fight in a long time, because Machida is seen as White's surrogate fighter, and the question becomes, if Ortiz wins, what will he do, and what will he say, in his final interview. Or will White allow him a final interview?

Nope. No chance in hell he gets anywhere near a live mic.

It'll be an interesting fight Saturday night - not because it'll be good by any stretch of the imagination but because of all the chaos surrounding it. As a fan of the MMA business [and not just the fights,] I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

Trip To The DL KNEEded For Jones: Wocka! Wocka! Wocka!

Aha!

Everyone has looked for reasons why the big Dodger Free Agent signing Andruw Jones was not performing up to snuff. People pointed out his weight, his attitude, his swing, his patience at the plate, you name it.

But no one thought it was something physical.

Until now.

News broke late last night that he has a knee problem - a knee problem that may require arthroscopic surgery.

In an odd decision, the Dodgers have decided to play a game of "wait and see" to see if some therapy on the knee makes it feel better so they don't have to DL him.

Are you kidding me?

Seriously?

He's in a horrific slump, probably the worst of his career. Worst case scenario is losing him for 15 days - not a big loss with how he's been hitting. To me, this is a win-win. You put him on the shelf, get the lineup that's been performing on the field every day - if he heals up right away, he's back in 15 days. If he's still hurting, scope the damn knee and get him back on July 1stish hopefully healthy and ready to contribute to the stretch drive.

I just can't see how this is a bad decision to have to make.

Pull the trigger, Ned. You'll feel much better for it.

Hello Darkness, My Old Friend

And no, that's not a Charlie Murphy reference.

You always knew it would end up this way - it just had to. With all the talk about the Jazz giving the Lakers a hard series. With all the mumbo jumbo about homecourt advantage in the playoffs. With all the hype about Chris Paul and the Hornets being the future of the league.

In the end, you knew it would have to come down to the Lakers vs Spurs. It's the equivalent of basketball destiny at its' best. The road to the NBA Finals leads through the defending champ - could it really have happened any other way?

And so, here we go again, Laker fans.

Let's break it down...

Point Guard - Derek Fisher vs Tony Parker
As much as I adore D-Fish, I have to give the edge to Parker. That being said, there definitely are games where Fish will go on a hot streak and give the team a huge lift but in the average game, he's going to have a very tough time defending Parker. And without Bynum in the back as a stopper, I look for a lot of drive and dish in the Lakers' immediate future. However, seeing how rattled got at a picture of his wife, maybe the Lakers can line up every man she's ever nailed in the front row behind the Spurs bench during home games. It's all about the in-game strategy, baby.
EDGE: SPURS

Shooting Guard - Kobe Bryant vs Manu Ginobli
Let's call a spade a spade and admit that Manu is the real starting SG for the Spurs and not Michael Finlay - although Finlay is a tough opponent as well. Manu's the master of the wild driving, weaving, throw something at the glass, crash to the floor and cry about a foul move. Kobe is... well, he's Kobe. He's the best player in the game, period.
EDGE: LAKERS

Small Forward - Vladimir Radmonovic vs Bruce Bowen
This one is a bit of a tossup. Vlad-Rad is a better offensive player than Bowen but he's still prone to the type of mental mistakes that made Phil Jackson label him a "space cadet." He can have a big impact on a game - or he can simply disappear. You just never know which Vlad will show up. Bruce Bowen won't add much on the offensive end for the Spurs but he's one of the few players in the league not afraid to play one-on-one defense against Kobe and be effective at it. That skill alone gives the Spurs the edge here.
EDGE: SPURS

Power Forward - Lamar Odom vs Tim Duncan
A month ago, I would have said this was a slam dunk category for the Spurs but Lamar has played a masterful game in these playoffs. Being slotted into the third option for scoring as helped worlds with his defense, his rebounding, and his hustle. He does a lot of the little things that don't show up on the stat sheet. Tim Duncan is... well, he's Tim Duncan. He's one of the best players in the league. As good as Odom has been, I have to give the edge to Duncan and the Spurs.
EDGE: SPURS

Center - Pau Gasol vs Fabricio Oberto
This is an easy win for the Lakers. Of course, if you're a pessimist, you look at how Bynum's injury affects this entire series. Bynum would still take this category against Oberto, Pau sliding down into the PF spot gives Duncan more trouble defensively and makes that a closer matchup, Lamar sliding into the SF spot against Bowen gives an easy win to the Lakers in that matchup. Instead of a 3-2 edge for the Spurs in the starting lineup, you have a 4-1 Laker lead. Ahhh, but it's not to be... this year at least.
EDGE: LAKERS

Bench
The sign of great Laker teams has always been a really strong bench. Whether it was the Showtime days with Byron and AC or the Shaq/Kobe Lakers with Horry and B-Shaw, when the bench was deep, the team was successful. This year is no different with the bench performing extremely well most of the year and giving the feeling that it's not so bad when Kobe goes to the bench to rest [briefly.] So, while the Lakers' bench is thriving with Walton, Farmar, Sasha, and Ronny among others - the Spurs' bench is pretty much limited to Finley and an aging [but always dangerous] Robert Horry.
EDGE: LAKERS

Coach - Phil Jackson vs Gregg Popovich
Pop is a tough, good coach - but he's no Zenmaster. Phil will have the team coached, prepared, and ready to rock for this series. It's going to be a tough series and in a tough series, I'd rather have Phil Jackson using his brain to get us an edge than Popovich.
EDGE: LAKERS

So, to wrap it up...

Lakers have an edge in Coaching, Bench, Center, and Shooting Guard.
Spure have an edge in Power Forward, Small Forward, and Point Guard.

Lakers with a 5-3 lead... but I expect this series will be even tighter than that.

My prediction?

Lakers in 6, winning on the road to close it out again.

One of my favorite NBA stories of the year

Take a look...

"Just like the real Eva Longoria, the one that showed up in New Orleans for Game 5 of the Hornets-Spurs series didn't have to buy a ticket. She was, after all, a welcome sight at the New Orleans Arena, a venue hungry for celebrity sightings to complement the Hornets' success. But Longoria was not given a free pass just because she was a celebrity. Rather, it was because she was printed on a life size poster, wearing a Hornets top intended to distract her husband Tony Parker.

"Idea was not to be offensive, just to be distractive," says Ivan Echegarrua, who partnered with fellow Hornets season ticket holder Rick Farrel to create the poster. And in case you were not at the game, the poster appeared to do the trick. Standing at the free throw line with about four minutes to go and the cutout of the Hornets-clothed Longoria in plain view, Parker missed both free throws."

So, so awesome

A Look At The Lakers

OHHHHH LAAAAAKER FANS!

Fresh off a triumph on the road in Game 6, the Lakers get to rest up for a few days, heal up some injuries, work on executing a little sharper, etc.

But the one thing that we know for sure is that instead of playing a Game 7, they get to just watch one.

New Orleans vs San Antonio - Game 7 on Monday - Who do I want to win?

Well... lemme think...

Either way, we're going to get lit up by the point guards. Fish did an awesome job on Deron Williams for most of the Utah series but Williams did pretty well against us anyways. Chris Paul? Tony Parker? It's likely to get worse on the PG front before it gets better.

The Hornets' other major threat is from Peja. West is dangerous but hurting.

San Antonio is a lot more well-rounded. We'd have to worry about Duncan, Bowen, Horry, and of course, Ginobli.

I think New Orleans will be an easier series... not an easy series by any stretch... but easier. But man oh man... playing San Antonio would be a lot of fun.

It's a tossup. All I know is that I can't wait for Wednesday night.

8 more wins... 8 more wins.

Top Five Friday: "Crosstown" Rivals

In honor of the first interleague weekend of the season with the Dodgers and Angels squaring off tonight... and in "tribute" to all those Angel fans out there that just love to rub in when the Dodgers lose... I present a very special Top Five Friday... in fact, let's do an EXTENDED EDITION because there's just so many reasons why we all hate the Angels together!

Top Ten Reasons Why It's Better To Be A Dodger Fan Than An Angel Fan

10. The Rally Monkey

Is there a mascot in all of sports more embarrassing to claim than the Rally Monkey? Some stupid f'n monkey that jumps up and down when the team is trying to rally from behind? Seriously? Every time I see that damn monkey, I wish it was the one from that infamous scene in Faces Of Death that gets it skull bashed open with a mallet. Remember all those stories in the 80s about AIDS coming to America from a monkey? I have seen the truth and the Rally Monkey brought AIDS to America. It's true. Reverend Wright told me so. And don't you Angel defenders say a damn word about the Dodgers gnome cause the gnome will kick the Monkey's ass every day of the week and twice on Sunday, daddy!

9. The only successful manager in Angels history is an ex-Dodger

The greatest move the Angels front office made was snatching Mike Scioscia out from under the Dodgers control because he was [rightfully] bitter that he didn't get the Dodgers job. In fact, the whole coaching staff is filled with ex-Dodgers - Alfredo Griffin, Mickey Hatcher, Ron Roenicke, Dino Ebel... you name it, they were all in Dodger Blue! And the "shocking" [to the AL] small ball approach that they take from time to time? Straight out of Branch Rickey's "The Dodger Way To Play Baseball!" But don't worry, Dodger fans, I guarantee the day will come when Soc looks down at the front of his jersey, feels pretty sick, and comes running home. Book it!

8. CHEAP SHOT ALERT: No Dodger relief pitcher ever killed himself
Yes, I admit it's a cheap shot. But come on... your team is so pathetic that the mere idea that you failed to get the out that would put them in the World Series forces you to become so depressed that you kill yourself? I guess we're lucky he didn't go through a sex change operation, become a police officer, and kidnap both the Rally Monkey and Vladimir Guerrero. Laces out, Donnie Moore. Laces out.

7. Our owner is better

That's right. I said it, I meant it, I'm here to represent it. Cue all the McCourt haterz saying how the Dodgers lost out on Vlad because of McCourt, cue the parking lot attendant jokes, cue the lack of money jokes. But we're the ones sitting in what is season-by-season essentially becoming a new stadium on the inside. We're the ones that have never had our stadium named after an energy company [and then embarassingly had that naming right revoked by the company holding it.] McCourt may not be the richest owner in baseball but I've never heard the Dodgers have to back off a player because the dollars didn't work out. The stadium is intact and wasn't razed to build condos. And every time you turn around, you hear a new story about McCourt doing something good for the community or the fans. Arte Moreno? He lowered the price of beer and left a giant pile of rocks in the outfield. Wooo! Go Angels! Oh, there is one other thing that Mr. Moreno's done which brings us to...

6. Our team actually wants to play in the city they're in

What a slap in the face that whole debacle should have been to Angels fans. But instead, they licked it up like a stray cat and kept running through the turnstyles. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim? Even the city of Anaheim sued over it! Moreno wants the fans of Los Angeles so badly, he was willing to spit on their existing fanbase to make it so. By the way, Arte, the fans of Los Angeles don't want you either. Your actions would have Gene Autry rolling over in his grave. Speaking of which...

5. The Angels couldn't even win it for the Cowboy

Poor Gene Autry. He owned the wretched team for 38 years. 38 years! That's almost unheard of today in sports but he suffered through years of horrid teams and "oh-so-close" moments. Hell, even _he_ didn't kill himself after '86! If an owner deserved to win something for years of futility, it was the Cowboy but nooooo... the Angels couldn't be bothered to win until Disney ran the ship. At least they had the good sense to trot out Mrs. Autry during their celebration. By the way, I bet the Cowboy would have dragged the Rally Monkey out in the streets and stomped a mudhole in its' ass and walked it dry.

4. The Dodgers' history
When you compare the histories of the two teams, there's just no question. I mean... seriously... you've got the Dodgers with names like Drysdale, Koufax, Hodges, Campanella, Podres, Wills, Garvey, Cey, Baker... I could go on for days, you know. The Dodgers broke the color barrier with Jackie Robinson. The Dodgers have history and a legacy to die for. The Angels? Umm... well, I guess they had Reggie Jackson for a while. Nolan Ryan. Anything else? That fucker Bobby Grich that spiked Steve Sax during the Freeway Series in '86.

3. The stadium

Seriously? Can we even compare the two? Dodger Stadium is a treasure of baseball, something to be held up next to Wrigley and Fenway... and it looks better than ever thanks to the McCourts. Angel Stadium? Well, it's got a pile of rocks in the outfield. They have some nice food places... well, if they're not overrun by rats and bugs and lord knows what else like the Health Department shared with the class last year. Oh, people like to point out that they allow tailgating. I would let people drink in the parking lot too if I was going to make them watch the Angels play. They do have that hideous eyesore in the parking lot to make sure the idiots coming to the stadium know they're at the right place. And if you need one thing to make sure the Dodgers win this category hands down... The Dodger Dog.

2. Angel Fans? What are those?
One of the best reasons to be a Dodger fan and not an Angel fan is when it comes right down to it, true Angel fans don't really exist. I'll grant that there are a few... a very small few. But they're not the season ticket holders who decided it was a good idea to sell tickets to the playoff series with the Red Sox... TO RED SOX FANS! They're not the people who were in the stadium when I went to an Angel/Sox game last season and heard a "LET'S GO RED SOX!" chant fill the stadium without the Angel fans saying a single thing. Try that at Dodger Stadium and see how it works out for you. I still believe that if given an Angel trivia contest, odds are high I might beat nine out of ten people in that stadium on any given night. Figure out who Brian Downing, Doug DeCinces, Rod Carew, and the like are... then come talk to me.

And the #1 reason to be a Dodger fan over an Angel fan...



Ahhhh. It's nice that when one of your World Championship trophies gets bored, he's got a few friends to talk to. The Angels World Championship trophy... well, let's just say it's feeling awfully lonely down in the Los Angeles of Anaheim.

Game, set, match. Point. Blue. Game over. End of game.

Blue's Reviews: Kate Nash @ Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood (5/14/2008)

God, I feel old.

A lot of stuff happened yesterday and today that I feel the need to post about but I'm still tired from last night. What I expected to be a late night turned out with me going to sleep around 3 AM after watching the DVRd Laker game. But hey, at least I didn't have to go to work this morning, eh? EH?!

Anyways... I'll slowly get to all the topics, I think, but I wanted to start with this one while it's still fresh in my mind.

Blue's Reviews: Kate Nash @ Henry Fonda Theater in Hollywood (5/14/2008)

Too many bands that go out on the road these days have forgotten their early days - those days where they had just gotten a little bit of the spotlight shined on them and they were loving every minute of it. You know the kind of show I'm talking about. The shows where everything seems pre-determined and well-plotted... like a paint by numbers kit come to life. Kate Nash is enjoying that glimmer of spotlight that is just starting to bounce off her colorful personality and it shows.

The lovely Ms. Nash and her backing band hit the stage at Hollywood's Henry Fonda Theater around 10:15 PM and never looked back, blistering through a very full set to the enjoyment of the crowded house out on a school night to watch the final show of her U.S. tour. When the curtain raised at the self-titled "Music Box," the screams filled the air. A simple stage was on display - the only sign of set decoration a velvety curtain hanging behind the band with a neon sign proclaiming "Kate Nash." It seemed fitting for a show that used very little in the way of frills to entertain the crowd. They knew the fans were there to hear Nash and her vocal gymnastics and they did nothing to disappoint.

From Moment One, Nash sat down in the middle of the stage behind a keyboard and proceeded to rock that keyboard so hard that there were times I was certain a key or two was going to get shattered. I don't think I've seen a keyboard rocked that hard in person since seeing Moby a few years ago. Unfortunately, my immediate fears about this show were realized during the opening couple of numbers. In the days leading up to the show, I had seen a few reviews complaining about the vocal mix at points in the show. Personally, I'm of the opinion that the vocal mix was fine but the backing band was way too loud for the type of music they were backing. And I think Nash felt that at times because there were portions of the show that devolved into her screaming to be heard over her own band.

When they ventured away from the keyboards to Kate on the guitar, the show was worlds better as the vocals were clear and crisp. It was at this point of the show that Kate Nash's vocal stylings really shine. Oddly, at times, she reminded me of Bjork - not in song structure or style but rather in the unexpected qualities she brings to the table. Nash does not take the safe path on any songs and seems to be experimenting with the way she likes to sing them best. Her ability to shove about 180 words into one lyric is quite impressive as well.

The audience seemed to made up primarily of young girls, who were quite willing and able to dance and sing along to every song she sang. For a fairly new artist, she has quickly gained a very devoted following who were already waiting for the doors to open two hours before the show. Nash was obviously grateful for these fans as she took a very public route into the venue, stopping to sign autographs and take photos with screaming fans along the way.

It is that type of gesture that really shows Kate Nash is still getting settled into her fame. When you go to a concert, more times than not, it is the little things that you remember - those fleeting moments that will stick in your head years later. For some of the fans in the crowd last night, it'll be her singing Happy Birthday to a young lady in the crowd who shouted out that it was her birthday. Or perhaps it'll be the moment she dedicated her anti-man anthem "Dickhead" to a couple specific dickheads referenced by the girls in the crowd.

For me, it comes towards the end of the night. Her opening act, the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, are a family act with a father, mother, and 14-year old daughter. At one point during her set, Kate invited the daughter, the drummer for her family band, on stage to help out with percussion during a couple songs. However, towards the end of the night, the young girl wandered out from backstage to watch the end of the show from behind the security barricade during Kate's big hit "Foundations." During the song, security decided to make the girl leave which brought the show to a screeching halt as Kate stopped the song, berated the security to leave the girl alone as she's "part of the band" and then re-start the song from the beginning to wild cheers from the crowd.

It's that kind of spontaneity that makes a show memorable. Any band can go through their setlist, ignoring the crowd except for a few well-planned "How y'all doin' tonight?" during instrument changeovers. But very few still have the level of interaction to make their fans feel like they're important to the person on stage.

Oh, and a little secret? I think Kate Nash has a punk rock side dying to crawl out from behind her multi-colored dress into the spotlight. At two points during the night, she seemed to relish in the opportunity to turn her songs up a notch into very close to a full-fledged punk song. In fact, during the encore number "Model Behaviour" in which she encouraged fans to sing along to the chorus ("You don't have to suck dick to succeed") this old-timer who has been to his fair share of punk rock shows could have easily seen an old fashioned stage dive to end the set.

Alas, it was not to be.

All in all, it was a really fun night at the Henry Fonda Theater with just a few sound problems preventing me from giving the show an overwhelming thumbs up. But Kate Nash and the band are definitely an act to keep an eye on - let's just hope they keep their enthusiasm and charm intact as they grow together.

HULK SMASH

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Actual Iron Man suit from movie

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Doubie Posting Wednesday

Just thought I'd drop some more verbage on you before heading out for the Kate Nash show in Hollywood tonight.

In case you haven't noticed, somewhere on the right side of the page, there is now a section where I can leave behind some newsbits that I think you all might enjoy. And I have done so!

To help promote that cool little feature, I thought I'd take a few of those newsbits and give you some thought patterns on them.


NEWS: KCRW Launches Guest DJ Project
THOUGHT PATTERN: That's pretty fucking sick. I don't get to listen to KCRW very much except for their killer Today's Top Tune podcast that you really should be listening to but I do appreciate their efforts to introduce new music to this desolate wasteland of good musical taste that we call the United States. One of the things that I first dug about Indie 103 and that got me listening to them was their efforts to use DJs that were "unusual." Henry Rollins, the Camp Freddy boys, Dicky from the Bosstones, etc. So, the idea of someone like Danny Devito hosting a show on KCRW is pretty boss. Good idea, KCRW! Keep the morning eclectic!

NEWS: Dodgers' Blake DeWitt for ROY?
THOUGHT PATTERN: With his numbers climbing, he's gotta be getting some consideration but the concern remains true - what happens when Nomar comes back? It just seems unbelievable to me that someone doing so well and who is the future of the team will be shoved aside for someone who definitely is the past of the team. I really like Nomar but he needs to be used in a utility/supersub position now. His days as an everyday starter seem to be behind him. Of course, the one monkey in this particular wrench... what about Andy LaRoche? Did LaRoche gets Wally Pipped or does he still stand a shot at grabbing the position that he was the heir apparent to for so very long? Like sands through the hourglass...

NEWS: EliteXC expects sellout for May 31st show
THOUGHT PATTERN: You gotta be shittin' me. They think they're going to fill a 15,000+ seat arena based off Kimbo Slice's name alone? If they manage to pull that off without papering the crowd, I will swallow crow and admit that Kimbo's a hell of a bigger draw than I gave him credit for. For me, the lineup just doesn't look very good. It's another freak show lineup with EXC praying the public will tune in because a] it's free and b] it's got Kimbo and Gina Carano on the show. While that's good enough for me and for the majority of MMA fans, I'm sure, you have to wonder if that's enough for the "general public." And you DEFINITELY have to wonder if it's enough to sell out that building.

NEWS: Charter Communications to share web histories with advertisers
THOUGHT PATTERN: Remember that time you Googled "Miley Cyrus topless photos" looking for those Vanity Fair pics that everyone was talking about? No? LIAR! Well, thanks to the good folks at Charter Communications, soon everyone will know that you performed that search and just what porn sites you ventured to blindly looking for said photos. And as a result? You're probably going to get some very targeted porn ads sent your way. Awesome! Ain't the lethal combination of American business practices and intrusive technology grand?

NEWS: Bryant skips practice again but says he will play
THOUGHT PATTERN: Oh god. Just reading the headline makes me queasy. But there's really no way around it. You don't want him to NOT play because injured or not, I bet the Lakers stand a better chance of winning if he plays than they do if he sits. At the same time, the haunting memories of badly shot jumpers in the 4th quarter from Sunday will not leave my mind until we're out of this round... and probably not even then. A lot of people say that a series really doesn't start until someone wins on the road... that puts the Lakers in a must-win scenario tonight as they haven't proved they can win in Utah this post-season yet. MUST WIN. Phil better write that on the board tonight. Game 6 is going to be a bitch... and having the pressure of being an elimination game is something the Lakers DO NOT need. Game on, Laker fans... game on.

More Point Break 2 Details

Last night's post "broke" the news that a Point Break 2 sequel is in the works.

Here's some more details from the folks at IESB:

"The IESB has uncovered story details from the upcoming sequel to Point Break!

No, its not called Point Break 2: Electric Boogaloo instead it will be called Point Break Indo.

The original 1991 film starred Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze and Gary Busey and brought in a total box office haul of over 80 million dollars.

There has been no casting news even though the production company is believed to have reached out to both Reeves and Swayze, we also know that the movie will take place Indonesia, hence Point Break Indo, clever.

Jan de Bont will be directing and the production company believes that they will be filming the "most extreme action stunts ever caught on camera."

So what will the story be about? Here is your first look at the sequels' synopsis.

When Billy Dalton, military special ops and star surfer, is disqualified from the pro-surfing tour, he takes off for the coast of Bali looking for the perfect wave. While there he’s recruited by a private security force who are trying to find a gang known as The Bush Administration, surfing outlaws and modern day pirates who work like “The Ex-Presidents,” a bank robbing crew from Malibu twenty years ago."

Oh... my... god, Becky

As Texas Jack says in Tombstone...

I ain't got the words.

The Ultimate Ride... 2?

Game Five

Soooo... yeah.

Obviously I wasn't in the mood to discuss the Lakers after yesterday's game. That was without a doubt one of the most frustrating games I've ever seen. Going to OT means they were a point away from winning [obviously.]

So, so, so many missed opportunities. Gasol's blown dunk. Kobe forcing jumpers with an injured back. And of course, "Lazy As Fuck" Luke Walton getting a breakway layup stuffed down his damn throat.

Not to mention all the missed free throws.

Like I said yesterday... ugh.

I still have faith they can find a way to manage to win the series - well, as long as Kobe's not too badly hurt to play the rest of the games effectively. Both games in Utah were just hard to watch. Uneven performances by guys who should have been playing better. Bad decisions. Horrid rebounding.

Again... ugh.

Game Five will be good. I expect the Lakers to take it pretty easily... and again, due to some bad planning on our part, the wife and I will be at the Kate Nash concert in Hollywood so we won't get to see it.

Game Six back in Utah? That's the tough one. I can't wait for Friday.

Game Seven? We shall see if it gets that far.

Ugh

Just one of those days, you know?

Don't want to talk about the Lakers.

Don't want to talk about the Dodgers.

Really, I don't want to talk about anything.

So... I'M PHONIN' IT IN, DAMMIT!

Indiana Jones - I always knew someday you'd come walking back through my door

The good folks over at AICN have started receiving some reviews of the new [last?] Indiana Jones movie as it just started screening for people in sneak preview form.

The reviews are... mixed. Which is scary.

I'm not one of those guys who will run around with Lucas and Spielberg's heads on a pike screaming "YOU RAPED MY CHILDHOOD!" if the movie sucks. If it sucks, it sucks... it's a shame, but it's life, right? People make shitty movies and put them out to torture the masses. It's a test to see the breaking point of man and how far society can be pushed before we all turn upon each other and create an anarchist state of people who slaughter anyone who mentions phrases like "King Arthur" or "Air Bud."

But I digress.

I haven't followed the making of this movie very closely. It's one of those flicks where I would prefer to go in fresh, knowing as little as possible, and let the chips fall where they may. We've all heard the rumors about that Shia fellow being Indy and Marion's love child - don't want to know. We've heard that the Ark is involved - don't want to know. We've even heard that Indy may die - don't want to know.

With so little information going in, oddly, I don't feel the same sort of anticipation for this one as I did the Star Wars prequels... strangely, I don't even know if I feel the same sort of anticipation that I feel for... say... The Dark Knight. I mean, I know I want to see it and I know I probably want to do a midnight screening of it... but I'm not sitting around wondering what it's going to be like.

And the reviews coming in... the few that I skimmed the beginning of, praying for no spoilers... have done little to get me hyped up for it.

But it can't suck, right?

And before anyone points out Episodes I-III... just don't. I won't listen to you. You can stamp your feet and jump up and down and tell me how much you hate Jar Jar or little Jake Lloyd or whatever... I don't care. They weren't Ep IV-VI but they never were going to be - they never could be. But they hold a special place in this Star Wars fan's geeky heart so... just don't.

Indy can't suck. I've made that decision. I put my foot down on the baby toe of the movie gods and deny them the ability to make it suck.

Look, I can read bad reviews... I can hear bad buzz... I can not feel the hype...
But I can tell you one thing...

Before Iron Man, they ran an Indy trailer.

And I got chills. Chills at the beginning. Chills at the middle. Chills at the end.

And for now, that's good enough for me, Dr. Jones.