Act of Treason - A View from the Right

I recently finished reading a book by Vince Flynn, Act of Treason. It is the seventh book in his Mitch Rapp series. Rapp is a CIA operative who essentially seeks out and elimiates terrorist threats the old fashioned way. By assassinating them. I figured this blog would be a good place to discuss this book due to the author's political viewpoints. There is a clip of Flynn on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6K5OQi0UdUg) that I was watching the other day. He was on The O'Reilly Factor and he and Bill were discussing the possibility of Vince's books being made into movies some day. He has apparently had a big time movie executive tell him that the stories will never work because they are "more Bush than Bush."

This is not very surprising considering how liberal Hollywood is. God forbid that someone make a movie that portrays Muslims in a negative light. We can't do that, but we can bash the Catholic Church to no end. Flynn has stated that he believes the hesitation in Hollywood is because people are afraid how the Islamic extremists would retailate. I find it pretty ridiculous that there would be any retaliation for a movie. How self absorbed can these guys really be?

Flynn has some pretty strong views about how we should combat the threat of terrorism that looms over us every day. He has stated on several occasions that he is pro torture and that when extremists are publicly stating that they want us to die, we should take them seriously. I agree with him 100%. It's hard to believe we don't have more support in this country for the war on terror. Many people have lost sight of the fact that Islamic extremists still want us dead, by any means. I don't know about you, but that makes me pretty uneasy. What is really sickening to me is how some almost look at them as a sympathetic figure. Mean old Bush is running roughshod over these guys. Woe is them. Just a couple weeks ago, there were dirty bomb threats at various NFL venues. Thankfully it just turned out to be a hoax, but you never know. These guys are crazy. If they're willing to martyr themselves, there isn't a whole lot we can do to defend against it. I don't feel sorry for them one bit.

Getting back to the book, it's great to have hope that there is a guy like Mitch Rapp working behind the scenes for the good guys. He hangs out in the Middle East for weeks on end seeking out and killing these types of guys. Now, I realize that Flynn's writing is just a work of fiction, but surely we have someone out there who is laying it all on the line to do the dirty work. I just wish the poor guy had more support from his own countrymen.

Desperate Housewives - Airdate 10/29/06

This season of DH has been much more consistent than last season. Most of the stuff I didn't like, they've moved away from or done away with altogether (ie Carlos and Gabrielle's baby). Last night's episode was a little more dark than what we've grown accustomed to, but it was still pretty good. Some random thoughts:

-I think Nicolette Sheridan has had some work done. I noticed this a couple weeks back but forgot to say anything. I think maybe she's getting botox treatments. I can't say this with 100% certainty, but I think I'm on to something here.

-At first I really hated the storyline that revolved around Tom, Lynette and Slater's girlfriend from Saved by the Bell: The College Years. It's kind of growing on me though. Lynette's last scene from last night was pretty good. Hopefully this keeps Slater's girlfriend off my screen. It will be interesting to see what they do with Tom's pizza shop. Altogether though, it's about a million times more entertaining than the storyline from last year with Tom and Lynette trying to co-exist in the corporate environment.

-This whole thing with Orson's ex-wife and this mystery girl whose body was found storyline is a little confusing. Apparently this lady resembles Orson's ex-wife, but it's not his ex-wife.

Slow TV week overall, with the World Series throwing most everyone into re-runs.

MU vs. OU - 10/28/06

I knew that this would be a tough game from the start. OU doesn't have Peterson, but they are still pretty tough and ranked 19th in the nation. MU came in ranked 23rd and has had some up and down performances over the past few weeks. It was in Columbia, so I was expecting a Missouri victory, none the less.

Well, this game fell in line with the rest of this football season - it sucked and I was wrong. OU won 26-10. MU went up 3-0 after the first drive of the game, then gave up 16 unanswered points before halftime. Brutal. Unlike my comrade Brent, I like the spread offense. It widens the field and spreads out the defense to create some natural holes. MU has balanced the run/pass pretty well, unlike Texas Tech. The two reasons why Mizzou lost this game were (1) turnovers and (2) play calling.

Lets start with turnovers - there were 5...yes, 5 turnovers. I don't care who you are playing - home or away, summer or winter - if you turn the ball over 5 times, you're going to have a hard time winning. Then there was the play calling. At one point MU had a 1st and goal from the 1 yard line, down 13 points. We line up in the shotgun all 4 times and try a lob-pass, jump-ball in the corner of the end zone on 4th down. What?? How does a Div-1 offensive coordinator still have a job after this??? Ok, the shotgun didn't work the first 3 times, so why don't we try to line up under center and power it in one time? If you can't get 1 yard at home... Anyway, this play calling is inexcusable.

I still think that Mizzou has a pretty good team, but they won't be able to win the big game due to the reasons mentioned above. I'm nervous for the Nebraska game next week because of this. They caught a break with the Huskers losing inexplicably to OK State yesterday, but they will have to beat them next Saturday to get to the Big 12 Championship. I want to be hopeful about the situation, but past experience won't let me. I see another meaningless bowl game in their future.

Week 8 NFL Picks

Show Recent Messages (F3)

Houston at Tennessee (-3)
Josh: ok. First off is Texans at Titans. Good luck with this one
Brent: Turd bowl 2006. Literally the two worst teams in the NFL
Brent: Titans favored by 3 at home, so essentially it's a push on an neutral field
Josh: no lie, titans by 3 at home. I'll take houston
Brent: I'm with you, Texans take it. Their offense is actually not terrible, which is a step up. And the Titans have nothing.

Jacksonville at Philadelphia (-6.5)
Brent: Next is Jacksonville vs Philly, with Philly favored by 6.5. This is the danger pick of the week.
Josh: how can i possibly get this one right. I gotta take philly at home
Brent: Boy, this is tough. Jacksonville has to play better this week, because they can't possbily be any worse. And TB gave Philly a lot of problems. Jacksonville and their defense rebound this week. The Jags cover.
Josh: Jax can't recover from the embarassment. McNab plays better this week too

Atlanta at Cincinnati (-3.5)
Brent: Falcons at Bengals, Cincy favored by 3.5
Josh: Another one that's essentially a push. I gotta go with the home team again. Sin-cinnati covers. Plus, chad johnson said so
Brent: The Bungles seem to have taken a step back this year. The Falcons are actually decent. Cincy may win, but the Falcons will cover the 3.5 point spread. mark it down.

San Francisco at Chicago (-16)
Brent: 49ers at Chicago, with Bears favored by a whopping 16
Josh: Bears cover. Smith gets flat runned over this week
Brent: The Chiefs are a .500 team, and they destroyed San Fran. The Bears will cover on this one, especially after the scare they had vs. Arizona. The home cookin' is exactly what the doctor ordered.

Arizona at Green Bay (-4)
Brent: Pack at home, favored by 4 over Arizona.
Josh: Pack wins and covers. AZ is a cluster f@&# right now
Brent: Yeah, Pack is showing signs of life. At Lambeau, I think they cover. But I think there's a good chance Leinhart has a great game.
Josh: Pack's gotta beat them if the raiders did. Leinhart has a decent game, but not enough
Brent: By the way, I may need some help. If we end up having a boy, my wife keeps mentioning the name "Everett"...I need some good names, pronto.
Josh: ouch

Seattle at Kansas City (-6)
Brent: Chiefs, 6 point favorites at home vs. Seattle
Brent: I'll go first. Seattle's decimated with injuries, and KC's proved that they're good at home. Chiefs cover and the Arrowhead faithful goes home happy.
Josh: KC by a touchdown, I'll take them to cover

Baltimore at New Orleans (-2)
Brent: This one's interesting, Saints at home favored by 2 against the Baltimore Ravens
Josh: is Mcnair playing
Brent: I think Kyle Boller may be prominently involved, but I have no idea. Even if he does play, there's a good chance he's carrying a clipboard by the 2nd quarter. I'm going to pick New Orleans, too much karma, too much Reggie and Deuce
Josh: agreed.

St. Louis at San Diego (-9.5)
Josh: Rams at Chargers, SD by 9.5. seems kind of steep to me
Brent: Yeah, way steep. Rams cover, unless somebody kneecaps Torry Holt
Josh: chiefs proved they can be scored on. i like the rams

Pittsburgh (-9) at Oakland
Brent: Pittsburgh is favored by 9 at Oakland
Josh: Steelers cover - bet the farm
Josh: You're taking Pitt, I presume?
Brent: I know. Yeah, I'll go Pitt. Oakland sucks

NY Jets at Cleveland (-1.5)
Josh: browns at home over the jets by 1.5. what? how do you pick this one?
Brent: I agree this makes no sense. Jets have to cover that one, right? I don't think the Browns should be favored, ever.
Josh: Frye is out with a concussion. i'll take the jets, too.
Brent: wow, who's their backup? Holcomb?
Josh: it might as well be me. they're terrible

Indianapolis at Denver (-3)
Brent: Broncos are favored by 3 at home vs. Indy. Denver's D is great, no doubt, but Indy is on a roll, Manning in particular. I think they get this one. I'm surprised isn't favored by three to be honest.
Brent: Surprised Indy isn't favored by 3
Josh: I have to agree. I'll take the Colts to cover and win

Dallas at Carolina (-5.5)
Brent: Cowboys are 5.5 point dogs on the road vs. Carolina
Brent: Week 1 of the Romo experiment won't be pretty. He'll put up some meaningless stats once the game gets out of hand. Carolina covers.
Josh: i will never take the cowboys again. well, maybe not "never." anyway, i agree. i'll take carolina
Josh: we're agreeing a lot this week
Brent: Wow, did you see the Detroit pitcher MacDougal the throw to first base on a bunt? Game 4 is all tied up!
Josh: yeah, i'm watching

New England (-2) at Minnesota
Brent: We are, it's sickening. Last game is New England favored by 2 at Minnesota
Brent: you go first
Josh: Pats cover and win easy. the spread should be more. what has minnesota done lately?
Brent: They killed Seattle at Seattle last week
Josh: everybody was hurt in seattle, though - even the trainers
Brent: Ugh, I refuse to agree with you on another pick. NE takes the game by 1, failing to cover.
Brent: It's WS time!

I'm not done yet!

As a follow up to yesterday's post, Let me give you my opinion on what I think should make the news. I know, those that know me or have read this blog are saying, "Matt's gonna give his opinion? But he seems so reserved and mellow." Right.
I read a staggering number. I read that gun owning, law abiding citizens, thwart would be crimes approximatley 2 million times a year. Did you know that? I didn't know that. You know why? Because the media is too busy covering the crap I wrote about yesterday. Or they will cover the lunatics that go in and shoot up schools, or the drive by shootings and things like this. These stories fuel their anti-gun fires! They will twist a story so hard to feed their liberal agendas. They preach that guns are evil and made only to kill other people cold heartedly.
The media's arguements for concealed carry have been paper thin at best. They said that we resort back to the old west times and there would be shoot outs in the streets. Nope, none of that. Even though I think crime would actually go down if everyone had a hog leg strapped to their hip. They also argued that people would shoot the wrong person. Give me a break. If I'm packin', and you pissed me off bad enough, trust me, I wouldn't hit the wrong person.
Here's the way I feel (uh oh! here comes the opinion!). The most important thing in the world to me is my wife and 4 daughters. Nothing will get those 5 ladies without having to come through me and my small arsenal. If you shoot, I will shoot back. I might even shoot first if the situation calls for it. I'm sure many have a problem with that. Those are the ones that will end up victims. Not me and my fam. All I can say is, you better hope you kill me with the first shot. If not, the only reason I'll call 911 is to mop you up.
I can hear the jaws hitting the floor now. Look, I 'm not a bad guy. In fact, I love to laugh and joke and have a good time. I just think it's the responsibility of every American citizen to take arms and defend themselves. Ted Nugent says that Homeland Security begins at home. He says we are much more likely to be attacked or robbed by some streetrat than to be blown up by a terrorist.
Here's what uncle Ted has to say about this subject, "You’re weird if you’ve got a problem with that. Good should live, evil should die. Make a stand America. Neutralize evil or get out of their way."

In Nuge We Trust!

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

So I'm trying to read the news this morning and it hits me.........this is news???
Let me give you a little example of what the media likes us to believe is news. Did you know that transgender men are free to use all New York subway bathrooms now? That means these fruiters that can't decide who they want to be, can use the boys or the girls potty. Freaks.
Here's another one: A woman in China started slashing her wrists and throat in public and had to be stopped. Yep, they saved her life. Great. Good luck getting a job anytime soon sweet heart.
This is a good one. The rapper "Ice-T" has a new album out. The front cover is too raunchy for record stores to put it out on the shelves, so many of them are boycotting it. It's a picture of him laying on the ground naked, covered only by his naked stripper wife, Coco. Imagine that, a rapper doing something disgusting and controversial. What's next?
Model, Naomi Campbell, got arrested for assault, illegedly. Some woman went into the police office with a scratched-up face and told them that Naomi Campbell did it. So they picked her up. Is there really a jail cell that has bars close enough to hold in a model? Good grief! She has the body of a 10 year old boy! But, I digress.
Brad and Angelina adopt foreign kids, Madonna adopts a foreign kid. Who gives a crap? You know what? My oldest daughter is adopted. I don't remember one single member of the media being there to tell me what a great person I was for doing that!
Lance Bass from Backstreet Boys fame, is gay. How does this even get anyone's attention? None of them have a career anymore. It's only a matter of time before ALL of these queer little boy band idiots need publicity. What's the easiest way now a days? Come out of the proverbial closet, that's how! I hate gays, seriously.
Why don't we ever hear about anything good or uplifting? Because people don't wat to hear it anymore. It has to be gross, or negative, or controversial, or GAY to grab the attention of the liberal media.
Here's some news for you. I just went to the bathroom and came out a few pounds lighter. Alert the media.

LOST - Airdate 10/25/06

I think tonight's episode of LOST was a turning point for me in the series. Up until now, I've been pretty content with the pacing of the show and the amount of "answers" being provided from week to week. But tonight it all just sort of hit me at once.

We have three separate story lines going on at once:

1) Jack, Kate, Sawyer and the Others
2) Sayid, Sun and Jin
3) Everybody else

For the most part, each episode has dealt with 1 of the 3 groups, with tonights episode moving around a little bit, but the primary focus was on Group 1. And so far, we've basically learned nothing, other than the fact that the Others are holding Jack, Kate and Sawyer captive. But we knew that at the end of last season. And we still have absolutely no idea why they are holding them hostage. None.

Splitting up everyone is making it pretty tough to keep track of who is doing what on the island. Some characters could coceivably go for an entire month and not get any screen time. The first two seasons had everybody interacting a lot more. If there were fewer moving parts, it might work a little more smoothly. But they're actually adding characters to the cast. I guess the guy playing golf tonight was supposed to have been on the island since day 1, but this is really the first we've seen of him. Is another character even necessary at this point? Probably not. Check that. Definitely not.

At the end of the episode, there was a glimmer of hope. They were leading Sawyer up the ledge to show him something. I got my hopes up, 100% positive that we were coming to a crucial point of this season. Surely it's got to be something important, right?

Well, no.

Sawyer, Kate and Jack are being held on a different island than they were originally stranded. The original island is close by, definitely visible, but too far to swim. So there's no chance to escape. But they're already locked up, under 24 hour surveillance, and they get tasered the second they try to escape. So what good did that really do? Nothing.

Hopefully the action picks up soon. The show is becoming annoyingly slow. Make something happen!

Football, Schmootball

I must say to start off that I am one of the biggest football fans out there. I love the game, but it's just too bad that the game hates me. This year's football season is sucking the life out of me, with an emphasis on SUCKING. Let's start with my 2-5 start in fantasy football. Embarrassing. My team is full of underachievers and no-names, and those are the starters. I hate Ronnie Brown. He has really let me down this year. Maybe he should start smoking tree like Ricky. Next time Brent tells me how much he hates his team (in first place, mind you), I'm going to shove a nail in my ear.

Ok, now lets talk about my weekly NFL picks. Actually, from now on they will be known as my "weakly NFL picks." My record so far is well below .500, which is beyond embarrassing. It's just sad. Believe it or not, I have actually won money in the past with my picks. If you've ever seen Two For The Money, I have officially reached the last -30-minutes-of-the-movie-McConaughey status.

Football is my fickled mistress and she's been pretty good to me in the past. This year she is a dirty, dirty tramp.

It's Coming....

I have been waiting for this day for quite some time. Today is the 24th of October, which means that the trailer for the 6th season of 24 (the best show on television, by far) debuted online today at www.24trailer.com. I've been anticipating this day for weeks, like a little kid at Christmas.

If you're not familiar with the show, the main character is Jack Bauer, who works for the Counter Terrorist Unit based in Los Angeles. Each season takes place in real time, over the course of 1 day (24 episodes) and Jack is always responsible for saving the day. Each season essentially pits CTU in a race against the clock to stop a terrorist attack. For instance, in season 1, it's discovered that a Senator running for president is an assassination target. In season 2, there's a nuclear bomb threat. Season 3's main story is a bioterrorism threat. In season 4, there are several threats, including the kidnapping of the Secretary of Defense, and a nationwide nuclear meltdown. Season 5's focal point is a nerve gas threat.

Essentially, 24 is responsible for the glut of serial dramas we have on TV today...shows where the story continues episode to episode. Most of the new shows try to replicate the suspense you find on 24, but I haven't seen any that have actually been able to pull it off. Each episode literally leaves me on the edge of my seat at the end. It's actually preferable to watch on DVD, that way you can watch one after the other. Trust me, if you give it chance, you'll know what I'm talking about.

Given the right wing lean that this site seems to have, I can't imagine that my fellow posters would not enjoy this show.

and.........ACTION!

The Associated Press reported that Sunday, several celebrities gathered in protest (big surprise) of a natural gas facility that is being proposed 14 miles off the coast of Malibu. Let me ask you something. Do you really give a crap what a bunch of ignorant, uninformed people think? Really, all these people are known for is what they are wearing while strolling down the red carpet.
Australian-based BHP Billiton, one of the world's largest energy companies, is who wants to build this facility. They have stated that the terminal would provide a reliable source of low-poluting energy. I think this is a good thing. With all the talk about my natural gas prices, electricity, and petroleum going up again, we need all the help we can get. This is just the thing that might help keep those cost down a little. Look what happened when we started shutting down all these oil refineries. Oil prices went through the roof (with a little help from GW too). We have lots of crude, just a limited means now of refining it.
But, I digress. Back to my original question. Do you really care what a bunch of spoiled rich people think? About their political views? They seem to think you do. Everytime something like this pops up, you can be sure that Alec Baldwin, Darryl Hannah, Ben Affleck, Sean Penn, and Helle Berry will all be there holding hands in a circle singing "Kumbaya"! These ignorant people don't represent you. Did you read what I wrote earlier? BHP wants to build a facility 14 MILES of the coast of Malibu! 14 miles. Most of these idiots can't see 14 feet until they've had a Bloody Mary when they wake up at the crack of noon. Yet you can be assured that the reason that they are protesting this one is because they don't want their property values to go down in Malibu. They don't care about you or the world. Just their own little world.
Freakin' hippies.

DVD Review: X-Men - The Last Stand

At long last, I was finally able to pick up a copy of X-Men - The Last Stand at Blockbuster. It was the first movie I've rented in quite some time where I would actually classify myself as "giddy" when I picked it off the shelf. I was practically addicted to the Saturday morning cartoon back in the day.

Anyway, the movie did not disappoint. The first 45 minutes was a clinic in quality special effects. There was one scene in particular where Magneto annihilated a convoy of automobiles that was just jaw dropping.

The story was even pretty good. First of all, Jean Grey is back. Apparently she died in the last movie, but she somehow survived and is at the focal point of this movie. She is a level 5 mutant (I honestly had no idea there were levels of strength). Someone has come up with the ability to suppress the mutant gene, and basically you have Professor Xavier's guys on one side vs. Magneto's guys in a huge fight.

If I had any problem with this movie, it's how ridiculously powerful Jean Grey is in relation to everyone else. It's insane. Granted, it makes for some cool special effects, but it's just crazy sometimes. She can do anything that her mind wants to do. Anyway, that doesn't drag down the movie at all. Great rental. Get it if you haven't already.

Rating: 9 out of 10

Movie Review: School for Scoundrels

I was a little worried about actually spending money on this one at the theatre, but decided to chance it. Starring John Heder of Napolean Dynamite and Benchwarmers fame, and Billy Bob Thornton.
Heder plays a guy addicted to the self-help books. His life sucks. Nothing ever goes his way. Long story short, a friend of his hooks him up with this "underground class" that tries to help men like this. Billy Bob is the hard-a#@ instructor.
Heder plays a great wimp who actually ends up being pretty confident at the end. It's a fairly cliche movie. There's a nerd. There's a "tough guy". and of course, there's a girl. But it does take some turns that you've never seen before. It was worth the watch. Heder and Thornton were hilarious together. Billy Bob played a great male pig.
Rating: 8 out of 10

Heisman Watch

I just realized that we've barely mentioned the NCAA football season in this god-forsaken blog, so I felt obligated to chime in. It looks like Ohio State is the runaway favorite to win the national championship because every time a team gets to #2, they pee down their collective leg. As far as the Big 12 goes, it looks like Texas in the south and either Nebraska or Mizzou from the north. I like a Mizzou - Texas match-up (yes, I'm a homer) and I think it would be a good game with Texas edging them out. Next year could be a different story. As for the Heisman candidates, here's what I can come up with:

It sucks. Period. Don't get me wrong, I love the Heisman Trophy and it is a great motivating factor for Div-1A skill players. But the voting is all wrong. Example - Colt Brennan (QB-Hawaii). He currently has over 2,600 passing yards with 28 TDs and 5 INTs. This equates to a rating of 183.1 - let me repeat 183.1! I have not heard a peep about this guy and had to go fishing for stats to find his numbers. No stories on ESPN, no stat updates, nothing. It's unbelievable to me that this type of performance gets overlooked. Brennan is not the only one - there are names out there for all of the skill positions. Like RB Greg Wolfe from N. Illinois. He already has 1,413 yards and 13 rushing TDs (with 171 yards vs. Ohio State in week 1) and he barely gets mentioned as a side note on college football shows.

My point is this - the Heisman is for the best player in the land, not the biggest name player on the most publisized team. I wish they would give great performers more media attention so that they can be considered. My prediction: Troy Smith wins it after they win the national championship. The bummer of the season is Adrian Peterson's injury. That kid is a man-child and would have won it if he didn't get hurt.

Oh, by the way, go ahead and start etching the name on the 2007 trophy: CHASE DANIEL.

DVD Review: Click

We tried to rent this movie last week, but it was out of stock. This week, it was guaranteed in stock or it was free. So we go to the front desk to get a copy, and they're out. The girl writes up our free voucher, then realizes that they have a copy that has just been returned. Sweet! I even talked her into letting us use our voucher literally before the ink had dried.

The movie was pretty solid. Don't get me wrong, this is no Billy Madison or Happy Gilmore, but it's definitely a solid rent. Basically, Adam Sandler is an architect that works too much, misses his son's swim meet, disappoints the wife, and generally doesn't have enough time in the day to do anything other than work. So he stumbles across this special remote that controls real life.

My only complaint with this movie is that his wife, played by Kate Beckinsale, is entirely too skinny to have ever given birth to two kids. She's also entirely way too understanding with her husband. This guy works all the time, screws up with the kids, cancels the family vacation due to work, and she barely bats an eyelash. It's not a movie killer or anything, it was just something I noticed over the course of the movie.

Overall Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Ying and Yang

Before I start......Bill Simmons NLCS game 7 Diary on ESPN.com is hilarious. I highly recommend reading it.
For us lowly Royals fans, it was quite an odd night in baseball. The Ying- Jeff Suppan, who was mediocre at best in KC, is the NLCS MVP. The Yang- Carlos Beltran goes down looking to an 0-2 deuce to completely end the series! Simmons said it best when he said it might possibly have been the most anticlimactic ending in recent history.
Detroit and St. Louie in the show now. Cats vs. Birds. I just want to see Jimmy Leland win another one. He might look closer to dying than any coach since Sparky Anderson.
My hope is that the Tigers can get back into the baseball frame of mind since they've been off for about a month now. Good grief! I agree with Josh, Tigers in 5 if their conditioning is still OK. I love to see those Red Birds lose.

Week 7 NFL Picks

San Diego (-5.5) at Kansas City
Brent: ok...chiefs and chargers up first. Chargers favored by 5.5....thoughts?
Josh: only 5.5? chargers cover easy. i know it's arrowhead, but their D will eat us alive.
Brent: Agreed. This pick is really a no brainer. The Chiefs can't score on anybody. Not even Marty can blow this one.
Jacksonville (-9.5) at Houston
Brent: next up, Jacksonville is a 9.5 point favorite at Houston. I don't think there's any way Jacksonville doesn't cover. It just seems too easy. Houston stinks. But Mario Williams is an impact guy right?
Josh: Riiiiiiight. This one is the "go ahead and bet the farm" pick of the week. Jags cover. Tell Stamper to bet the farm, pumpkins and the cows, baby!
New England (-5) at Buffalo
Brent: Pats favored by 5 at Buffalo. aka the Stamper special
Brent: thoughts?
Josh: Next is the Pats at Bills, Pats +5. I'll take the Pats cause it'll be cold and Brady will wear the gloves
Brent: I'm tempted to take the Bills, and I might if there was three feet of snow on the ground, or if they didn't suck, but I can't go against the Pats. This is actually a big game for them being a division game and all. And they SMOKED Cincy a couple of weeks ago. Don't underestimate them
Pittsburgh (-2.5) at Atlanta
Brent: Steelers by 2.5 over the Falcons is next
Josh: Steelers at Falcons. your turn
Brent: They can't possibly play any better than they did last week vs. the Chiefs. And let's not forget that Atlanta is pretty good still. I like them in this game. This is awful, I've picked a grand total of zero upsets at this point. I hate myself.
Brent: never mind, I just picked an upset. ugh
Josh: Nice move. I was about to be really confused! I'll go with the Steelers by a field goal. I think the Chiefs handed them the confidence builder they needed last week.
Green Bay at Miami (-5)
Josh: OK, the Pack at the Fins. go.
Brent: Dolphins are favored by 5 in this one. What an ugly game. They should bump this one for an extra big 12 game this weekend. Will anyone really want to watch this one? On one hand, you have Miami's inept O going against Green Bay's swiss cheese D. Then you have Brett Favre throwing picks to the Dolphins. I think the Fins win, but not by 5. Lay your money on the Pack!
Josh: I'm with you, the Packers will cover. I just picked up Favre on my fantasy team this week on a trade. Green is supposed to be back healthy too.
Brent: I thought you meant Trent for a second. Ahman is done. Stick a fork in him. Whatever. Eagles by 5 at Tampa Bay
Philadelphia (-5) at Tampa Bay
Brent: go!
Josh: I think the Eagles cover in this one. Gradkowski's gotta come back down to earth soon, right? Eagles D will do the trick
Brent: I think this may actually be the "Bet the Stamper family farm" special of the week. This line is almost too low. Eagles in a romp.
Detroit at NY Jets (-3.5)
Brent: Jets by 3.5 at home against Detroit
Josh: Talk about a stinker! I'll take the Jets with home field (that's the only reason I can think of).
Brent: I just don't trust the Jets. I can't name hardly a single person on their offense other than that Cotchery guy. As much as I hate the Lions, I think Kitna pulls it off.
Josh: he will after I traded him
Brent: And Roy Williams is a stud. I give them a fighting chance.
Carolina at Cincinnati (-3)
Brent: That was quick. Bengals by 3 at home against Carolina. Thoughts?
Josh: This is the game of the week, easily. I think the Bengals were playng out of their shorts early and Carolina's D is ridiculous. I'll take the Panthers
Brent: Will the real Bengals please stand up? They look great and then they go and get killed by New England and lose to freaking Tampa Bay. To me the Panthers are over rated just like they are every other year. And Steve Smith still doesn't seem to be at 100%. The Panthers D is great, yes, but I'll take Cincy with the homefield. Ruuuudiiiiii
Josh: Nope. I bet the Steelers come back and win the division
Denver (-4.5) at Cleveland
Brent: Maybe so, Denver is favored by 4.5 on the road at Cleveland. Yikes.
Brent: This is the Snake special. Denver eeks out a close one and fail to cover. I'll go Cleveland. Denver just can't score on anybody.
Josh: Plummer sucks something terrible, but you just can't score on the Broncos. They cover easily
Washington at Indianapolis (-9)
Josh: Skins at Colts - only 9???
Brent: Chaz Frye will have the game of his life. Mark it down!
Brent: Yeah, what is this, a joke?
Brent: at home even
Brent: Washington lose to the Titans last week.
Josh: Yeah, Colts win with Unitas at QB
Minnesota at Seattle (-6.5)
Brent: Seattle by 6.5 at home vs. the Vikes!
Brent: By the way, the Colts cover with you at QB
Josh: sign me up! Seahawks cover easily at home. Vikings could save a lot of money and embarassment if they just stay home. Brad Johnson, Chester Taylor and no receivers? Not even fair
Josh: By the way - click, clack!!! Is that not the dumbest commercial you've ever seen?
Brent: Something crazy could happen here, especially since the Seahawks can't run the ball. But Hasselbeck looked GREAT against the Rams last week. I think the Seahawks cover, but it won't be a layup. What are you talking about? I don't watch commercials anymore, remember? I need to check the NLCS score.
Arizona (-3) at Oakland
Brent: Now for my personal favorite on the schedule...Cards at Raiders favored by 3
Josh: Ah, the Turd Furgeson Special. I'll take the Cards to cover. I don't think the Raiders will win again, ever. Seriously, who can they possibly beat?
Brent: Endy Chavez had an over the wall, homerun saving catch. Is that the same guy who used to play for the Royals?
Josh: I think. Ridiculous
Brent: They'll beat the Cards! Seriously, mark it down. AZ has a mutiny on their hands after the last two meltdowns. At the very least, they will be looking for a new kicker after this one.
Josh: They won't need a kicker. Boldin goes for 150 and 2 td's and they'll just go for two after touchdowns
NY Giants at Dallas (-3)
Brent: Last on the schedule is Dallas at home, favored by 3 against the Giants. I'll let you close it down since you should be pretty well informed on this one. I say the Giants take it. I can't put any kind of faith into Bledsoe.
Brent: Dallas looked impressive last week, but it doesn't count because it was Houston
Josh: I gotta disagree (damn, does that make me a homer now???). I'll take the Boys to cover at home. I just can't wait to se TO's reaction after every play.
Brent: Unbelievable. NY wins ugly, I'll pick them outright
Josh: by the way, doesn't Jose Valentine need to be starring in some telenovela on Univision
Brent: Yes, La Bella mas falta
Brent: I have no idea what that means.
Brent: and I think we're done!
Josh: Go Chiefs! Just try to make it respectable so I have somthing to cheer for when I come back for the Seattle gaem
Josh: or game
Brent: No kidding. I'm not very optimistic

Where is that little red button......?

Why is it that all evil foreign dictators try to lay low until a member of the American media decides they want to talk to them?
Diane Sawyer got an interview with a North Korean General named Ri Chan Bok (or something like that). He said that "If Bush continues to tell them to kneel, war will be inevitable." Sawyer asked him what was meant when they said there would be merciless blow in response to any sanction. He said he couldn't say specifically, but he wanted to make sure he pointed out that they had long and short range missiles.
OK, obviously no matter what I have to say, I'm a "Nazi" or a "Bible Thumper" or a "conservative a@#hole" so I guess I'll just go ahead and tell you like it is.
It seems nobody in this country has the sand to stand up to anyone anymore. This little Monchichi look alike in N. Korea has got to go. He's got missiles huh? Congrats! We should have ships in the harbor over there already and take out every single lauch platform that they have! End of problem. This is an impoverished nation, they have nothing and this yay hoo wants to go to war? To me this isn't even an issue.
How about that guy in Iran? What's his name......Abadaba doo A ramalamadingdong? Anyway. He's got nukes now too huh? You guys are a little late to the party aren't you? You've got one that MIGHT be able to hit California? Where's the problem there? They use the only nuke they have, and we get rid of half the Fruits and Nuts in this country. Win, win.
But seriously, the biggest problem with the leadership in our country, and yes, I mean Republicans too, is that our government is full of people that are way more worried about their legacy than what they are doing for the people they are supposed to be serving. Harry S. Truman was a leader. He had what it took to push that little red button. Tough decision? Damn right! But he did what NEEDED to be done in order to restore order and balance. Ronald Reagan was the greatest President in modern history. He made this country believe in itself after taking over for the worst President in American history. That was Carter, for all you that needed a little help there. He made us respect ourselves and hold our heads high again and realize that being an American was more than just a place to live, but it's a WAY to live. He demanded it. And not only that, but he demanded that everyone around the world respect us and fear us once again.
Look, I live in the greatest country in the world. I take my wife and children the church of my choice every Sunday. I buy as much food as I want and don't wait in a bread line for my monthly rations. I drive an SUV and play with power tools. I vote for whomever I feel is best qualified to lead my country because I have that right as an American. Why? Because Heroes like my Grandfather served in the Navy during WW2. Thank you Pop. Hundreds of thousands have died on the field of battle defending what many of you mock now a days. There is no way I can ever repay the ones that have risked there lives to die for me other than say Thank You and be the best American I can be. To be a Patriot and to teach my children the same love for country that was instilled in me when I was a child.
George C. Scott said in the movie Patton, "No poor bastard won a war dying for his country. He made the other poor, dumb bastard die for his country." He went on to say that Americans by nature love to fight for what they believe in. I wish we still lived in that day.
I love you America. I love what you stand for.

Playoff Posturing

Ok, ok - enough political reteric. Let's get back to the sports. Our friendly neighborhood Brent brought up a decent point the other day. Why do playoff baseball games happen every night, while other sports offer players much more (sometimes way too much) rest? Thank you for bringing this up, Brent, and yes, I will address it.

My main theory behind this is that the baseball season is just too long to begin with. Is it really necessary to have 162 regular season games? I like baseball a lot - I don't love baseball, but I like it. Would anyone really have a problem with a, say, 120-game season? By the time we get to the playoffs, I think they have to play games every day to beat the cold weather. I guess it is a good idea to finish the season before Thanksgiving.

As far as other sports go, I think the NFL has it right, except for the 2-week break before the Super Bowl. Hockey has it all wrong. Not necessarily with timing between games, but with the number of teams that get to the post-season. Is it really necessary to allow literally half of the teams in? Is it still that special to be a "playoff team" if you have a 50/50 shot at getting in before the season even starts? Makes no sense. The NBA is ok, but has way too much time in between games. Basketball players are arguably in the best shape of any professional athletes, so do they really need 4 days rest between games. Fatigue doesn't play a part in late season an playoff games, period.

Somebody get Stern and Selig on the phone, because there has got to be a happy medium.

The backwards "Left"

Is it just me, or has anyone else noticed how backwards the bleeding heart liberals are in this country???
"We shouldn't drill for oil in Alaska because a penguin might fall down in it." "I don't eat meat because animals and humans should live as equals." "Give peace a chance!" What a load of crap!!!

I'll tell you one of the ones that bothers me the most, not because of what they are trying to accomplish, but because of how they try to justify it. Embryonic stem cell research. I can here the moans from here! "Oh no, he's not going there is he?" I understand the reasoning behind it. I know there are diseases and disabilities the "can possibly" help find ways to improve these conditions. Yeah, it might also find a way for me to grow 6 inches and play for the Steelers this weekend. Nothing is proven, it's all heresay.

Not only do they justify abortions by saying now they can be used for good, but now they want to "harvest babies". The left won't call them babies, but you can be sure that's exactly what they are. What they do is try to coax young women in to PAY THEM to have a surgical procedure done that will take some of their eggs from their ovaries. I guess what they don't advertise is that this procedure is actually quite evasive and can have lon lasting effects, like ovarian cancer and further inability to reproduce, just to name a couple. So they take the eggs and fertalize them in small petrie dishes in a lab. Can anyone tell me what happens then? The same thing that happens inside the womb. Cells divide, parts are formed, then they extract what they want. What do they do when they are done? I'm not even going to think about it.

Their justification is that it's ok because the "INTENT" is not to make a life, but to harvest what they need!!" Guess what?? The second that egg is fertilized, you've made life. I also heard the arguement this morning that there's no way this can open doors for human cloning. It doesn't get much closer than this! Fertilizing eggs in a laboratory. Hmmmm, no that doesn't sound like anything can come from that.

Was it the intent of that high school girl to get pregnant during that late night romp? Nope! But guess what? Still made a life. Their arguements are paper thin and I hate that this world has no love for human life anymore.

Save the whales! Save the DoDo birds! Save a tree! Don't eat meat! Slaughter babies so that the rich and the pompous and the vain can live a couple of years longer!!

Hippies.

Friday Night Lights - Airdate 10/17/06

After watching this show last week, I was just about to leave it for dead. Don't get me wrong, the first episode was highly entertaining. But episode two was just flat-out boring. Needless to say, I wasn't expecting much when I tuned in tonight.

For the first 15 minutes or so, I was positive that this would be my last time watching. After the catheter mess and the Dillon version of Al Bundy being a dickhead at the local burger joint I was just about at the breaking point. But something happened. The show got good. Really good. What a turnaround in the last 45 minutes.

First of all, Coach Taylor really stole the show tonight. He brought the A game in a big, big way. He really became a likeable figure, especially when he didn't just cave to the recruitment of the New Orleans ringer QB (was his nickname really Voodoo?). The part where he rounded up everyone on the bus in the middle of the night to go run hills in the pouring rain was possibly one of the best moments on TV this year. After they were done, and Smash started up the chant, I got goosebumps. Seriously. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. Truly powerful stuff.

Unfortunately, Friday Night Lights probably won't be around much longer. I can't see why any female would ever give it a chance. Nobody considered that at NBC this fall? I think it would be better off as an ESPN series. At least then they could market the hell out of it to the guys who are going to end up watching it anyway.

Just a delightful hour of programming tonight, well, 45 minutes anyway. And next week is rivalry week, where it looked like Riggins takes an ax to a car and there's lots of fire. Can't wait.

Rating tonight: 8.5 out of 10
Season to date: 7 out of 10

MLB Playoffs

Apparently, there was a recent comment wondering why we haven't mentioned anything about the Cards - Mets series. In an effort to please everybody, I will briefly discuss the baseball playoffs. The problem is, growing up in Kansas City and being a sports fan, I tend to turn the baseball off once football starts for the following reasons:

1) The Royals suck and they have sucked for many years.
2) The Chiefs are just good enough to keep our interest, especially at the start of the season.
3) The Royals suck.
4) I like football more than baseball, period.

This being said, I think that the World Series could be intriguing this year. The Tigers are the surprise team from the AL and have mowed through the playoffs thus far. Their young pitching is great (still not good enough to keep my fantasy team out of last place, mind you) and they always seem to get the big hits when they need them.

I said that the WS "could be intriguing" because it only will be if the Mets make it in. As we all know, the Cards will choke it off in the series if they make it. Their recipe of suspect pitching cold bats in the playoffs always comes back to haunt them. Plus, I'm always really bitter come playoff time that the Cards seem to get in and the Royals are mathematically eliminated by June. Actually, I must say that I take some delight in their annual post-season choke, thank you very much.

All this said, my prediction is that the Cards do make the WS and the Tigers will win it in 5. There you have it - are you happy now?

WHOOPTY-FREAKIN'-DOO!!!

TODAY, BIG NEWS IS THAT THE USA JUST REACHED THE 300,000,000 MARK. GREAT!! WE'RE MAKING THIS THE TOP STORY OF THE DAY? AS A DEER HUNTER, TO ME, THIS SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD TIME TO THIN THE HERD A LITTLE IF YOU ASK ME. AND I'VE GOT A GOOD IDEA WHO I THINK WE SHOULD START WITH......

HOW ABOUT THIS LYNNE STEWART WOMAN. REMEMBER? CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER.......CAME TO THE DEFENSE OF THE BLIND SHIEK WHO WAS ARRESTED FOR PLOTTING TO DESTROY 5 NEW YORK LAND MARKS AND ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT OF EGYPT? WHILE HE WAS IN JAIL, SHE PASSED NOTES AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO HIS CRONIES ON THE OUTSIDE!!! SHE ONLY RECEIVIED 28 MONTHS IN THE COOLER!! THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! AND HOW ABOUT THE JUDGE THAT ONLY GAVE HER JUST OVER 2 YEARS WHEN SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO GET 30?!?! YET SHE STILL CLAIMS SHE IS NOT A TRAITOR. YEAH, AND I'M NOT POOR AND FAT.

YIPPEE!!! 300,00,00 PEOPLE LIVING IN AMERICA! HOW ABOUT NANCY PALOSI AND HILLARY CLINTON? LET'S JUST MAKE SURE THEY GET ANY HIGHER IN RANKS THAN THEY ALREADY ARE! CAN YOU IMAGINE THEM AS PRESIDENT AND VICE? THAT WOULD BE LIKE A 4 YEAR OPRAH BOOK CLUB! THE WAY THESE 2 THINK AND THE WAY THEY ARE TRYING TO LEAD THEIR DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS DOWNRIGHT SCARY! WHO WOULD BE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE? ELLEN DEGENERATE?? I BET ROSIE O'DONNELL WOULD BE THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE. SHE WOULDN'T STOP SPEAKING. SHE WOULD PROBABLY BE THE EATER OF THE HOUSE TOO.

THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE THOUSANDS THAT ARE POLLUTING MY GREAT NATION AND DESTROYING THE VALUES AND MORALS THAT WE USED TO HOLD DEAR IN THIS COUNTRY. THE LORD BLESSED RONALD REAGAN IN HIS LAST FEW YEARS OF LIFE. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SEE WHAT HE HELPED TO MAKE GREAT, BE DESTROYED. GOD BLESS HIM.

JUST LIKE THE OVERPOPULATION OF DEER CAUSES ACCIDENTS AND DISEASE.........LOOKS LIKE THE OVERPOPULATION OF RIDICULOUS PEOPLE IN MY COUNTRY ARE CAUSING THE EXACT SAME THING!!

LOOK WHAT WE'VE GOT OURSELVES INTO!

I'M THE NEW GUY! WHAT BLOG WOULD BE COMPLETE WITHOUT THE COMPLETELY ONE-SIDED POLICAL ANALYST?? LIKE THESE 2 CUBICLE DWELLERS, I ENJOY GIVING MY OPINION ON MANY THINGS, BUT FOR SOME ODD REASON, THE TOPIC OF POLITICS HAS ALWAYS INTRIGUED ME.

I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A REGISTERED REPUBLICAN (PROUDLY) UNTIL THE LAST YEAR OR SO. I CAN NO LONGER CONSIDER MYSELF A REPUBLICAN BECAUSE THEY ARE A WEE BIT TOO LIBERAL FOR ME! MY FRIENDS, THERE ARE THREE THINGS I VOTE ON......LET'S JUST CALL THEM "MATT'S 3 G'S". GOD, GUNS, AND GAYS! IF I CAN'T AGREE WITH YOU ON THOSE, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE THIS GUY'S VOTE!

SO FRIENDS, JUST SIT BACK AND ENJOY, BECAUSE THIS IS MY FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR! I HOPE I DON'T OFFEND ANYONE BY BEING ME, BUT IF I DO.........I'M SURE I'LL HEAR ABOUT IT!

The Family Stone

The guy at the local Blockbuster recommended this movie to us last night. He was actually really helpful. It seemed as though he had seen every movie in the place. Anyway, he said this would be a good "cuddle movie" so of course, we had to get it (not my decision).

I should start out by mentioning that this movie stars Sarah Jessica Parker as some sort of uptight corporate biatch with zero people skills (gee, does that sound familiar to anyone?). This is a good time to mention that there needs to be some kind of intervention in Hollywood where everyone gets together and agrees that Sarah Jessica Parker was never hot and should not be a love interest for anyone in a movie ever again. Seriously, first Failure to Launch and now this. Enough already.

The setting is Christmas time, and SJP, who is dating Dermot Mulroney's character, is meeting his family for the first time. And of course, they all hate her without even meeting her first. Sure, that makes sense. So SJP feels uncomfortable and ends up staying at a hotel and asking her sister (played by Claire Danes) to come stay with her. Makes sense, right? Anyway, Dermot's brother, played by Luke Wilson, ends up falling for SJP and Dermot ends up falling for Claire. If that isn't weird enough, it all happens in the span on two days in movie-time.

Overall, it was ok, and if the wife or girlfriend really wants to see it, it's at least watchable.

Rating: 5 out of 10

Grey's Anatomy - Airdate 10/12/06

First of all, I think this guy has more closet guy fans than anyone is willing to admit. If nothing else, there are probably a lot of guys who are forced to watch this show every Thursday with their significant other. I'm not one of these guys. I like the show and I'm not afraid to admit it.

For the show this week, I had a few problems. I've had morphine before, and it never made me as loopy as Meredith was prior to her appendectomy. And speaking of her, how predictable was it that her pregnancy scare portrayed on the advertisements was just a hoax? Anyway, it's too bad that she kicked the vet to the curb in favor of Derrick. I think we all know how this is going to end.

The saddest part of last night's show was George getting dumped. Too many committment issues I guess. Then to make more complicated, Callie hooks up with the other guy in the bar to end the show. Sets up quite a scene for next week. I personally can't wait, and I don't care if anything thinks I have a vagina for saying so.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10

NFL Picks - Week 6

Here's my first crack at NFL picks. If you lose any money using these, well, you're a boob and don't cry to me. Capitalized teams are at home and the spreads are courtesy of Sportsbook.com.

Bengals (-5) over BUCS
Sin-cinnati is tough this year and Gradkowski should get his wake-up call.

Titans (+10.5) over REDSKINS
I know, Tennessee sucks, but they should cover against the struggling 'Skins.

COWBOYS (-13) over Texans
At home vs. the Texans - enough said.

LIONS (+1) over Bills
One point is a pick 'em, so I'll take the home team (and Kitna's starting for my fantasy team this week - I need the mojo).

RAMS (+3) over Seahawks
I like the Rams this year, especially at home. Bolger looks good and Seattle's running game is non-existent.

FALCONS (-3) over Giants
Home field and a rushing game gets it for Altanta.

Eagles (-3) over SAINTS
I know that everyone loves New Orleans and they're in the dome, but I don't get the 3 point spread. Philly is way better than that and should cover easily.

RAVENS (-3) over Panthers
Ravens' D is ridiculous + Panthers the season's biggest disappointment = easy pick.

JETS (-2.5) over Dolphins
NY got spanked last week, so they should come back pretty strong at home no matter who the Fins play at quarterback.

Chargers (-10) at 49ERS
San Diego's D should eat Alex Smith alive and bring him back to reality from his career day last week. I'm pretty sure that my 2-year old daughter could have a career day against Oakland, though.

Chiefs (+7) over STEELERS
I think the Steelers win this game, but they won't cover. Look for a field goal extravaganza here.

Bears (-10.5) over Cardinals
Leinhart got a pretty good first test last week vs. KC, but Chicago's D will really smack him around.

And for the "go ahead and bet the farm" pick:
BRONCOS (-15) over Raiders
Denver at home against Oakland with Art Shell - the spread can't be high enough here.

Week 6 Fantasy Football Power Rankings

1. Balls Mahoney - Obviously I'm a force to be reckoned with this year. Superior drafting, management skills and remarkable good looks make my team the obvious choice for number 1.
2. Dead Rabbits - These guys are the big movers. After being left for dead the first two weeks of the season, they've been on quite a scoring binge. I'm still not a huge fan of the personnel on the team, but hey, things are looking up.
3. Ditka in Your Face - You talk smack consistently, from what I can tell, so that bumps you a couple spots in the rankings. As always, the more trash talking the better. Keep up the good work.
4. Cincinnati Bowtie - Was everyone aware that Stamper's mom has her own pumpkin patch? There was some speculation that the Mr. Frost mentioned in her email today might just be a creepy neighbor rather than just frost that occurs when it gets cold at night. The jury is still out on this one.
5. Knights Who Say Ne - I know nothing about this team, but 16 roster moves? That's insane.
6. The Jarheads - Yes, I've been a little hard on these guys. But they are also the highest scoring team in the league. Yet due to managerial incompetence, they are currently the #8 team in the standings. I guess this is the place where I should say "I told you so."
7. Purple Cobras - Two straight wins for these guys has them back in the playoff race in this league of parity. Unbelievable. Obviously they get a huge power rankings boost for knocking off #1 a couple of weeks ago. Hey, even the best of us have their off weeks.
8. I Pity the Fool - I think this might be the lightning in a bottle team, kind of like what the Bears are doing right now. You know, they don't look like much on paper, but they somehow manage to get it done each week.
9. Gang Green - These guys are the overachievers of the year, without question. Their best player, Steve Smith, has been kind of a bust this season. The emergence of Eli Manning has helped, no doubt. But I can't see three wins all season out of these guys, much less three wins in five weeks.
10. TD Disco King - Jake Plummer is starting this week against Oakland, so I give you a decent chance of having a big day. Tiki Barber is killing you (no TD's all season yet) so there's still plenty of time to rebound.
11. KUSUX - Apparently these guys are the token "looks great on paper, sucks in the standings" team of our league this year. It happened to Scott Cooper last year. But who knows, since 1st place and 11th place are separated by only one game, anything can happen.
12. Get Your Goose On - Disappointing all around. It's gotten to the point where nobody even makes fun of your sister anymore. Or was it Stamper's sister? Either way, you're in dead last.

Lost - Airdate 10/12/06

First of all, great show last night. I'm still anxious to see what is going on with the other survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, but the stuff we've seen on Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Sayid, Jin and Sun has been pretty good so far.

Last night, the writers really did a good job of making me hate The Others, but I can't help but ask myself what the heck is going on with the zoo-type place where Sawyer and Kate are being held, and why they need slave labor on the island. What the heck are they building? I was really hoping Sawyer would shoot a few of them when he managed to steal the gun, but no luck there. Seriously though, they're making The Others come across as a pretty dispicable bunch, so I can't wait for them to get their come-uppance, assuming it ever happens.

The stuff at the end with Jack and Ben (formerly known as the Henry Gale imposter) was absolutely awesome. Apparently Ben has lived on the island his entire life, as presumably so have the other Others. It could be a line of BS, but who knows. And who really knows anything with this show? Ben apparently has the capability to send Jack home, just like he did with Michael and Walt. He asked Jack to be patient and his questions will be answered. They obviously have connection to the outside world, so any theories of the island somehow being connected to purgatory are down the drain.

Some random thoughts/questions running through my head towards the end of the show:
-Who survived the magnetic pulse/explosion at the end of last season? Apparently we will find out next week, as we saw clips of Locke et. al. at the end.
-The Others have a fake village? Why?
-How do they know so much about the survivors of the plane crash? Does it have anything to do with the Dharma project? Were The Others part of the project at some point?
-I thought it was strange that Ben said he sent Michael and Walt home on the boat at the end of last season. When Desmond tried to sail away from the island, he ended up right back where he started. What's going on there?

What a crazy show. Every time you think you have an answer to what is going on with the island, about 10 more questions are posed.

Rating: 10 out of 10.

Friday Night Lights - Round 2

Uh oh, I was afraid of this. It's only the second episode and I'm already getting bored with the show. Last night's episode was a lot about Street and how he is probably going to be paralyzed from the waist down. I can appreciate those parts because we obviously need to be kept up to date on his condition, but the rest of the show was not good.

It just kind of rambled on last night with no real action, excitement or plot twists. I was pretty disappointed and was struggling to stay awake for the entire episode. There is just no surprises here with any of the plot or the characters. Speaking of characters, how is it possible that a 17 year old kid can be drunk all of the time. No exaggeration - I mean ALL OF THE TIME! He's not the loveable party animal like Stiffler either. He's the angry, alcoholic dad type, but he's still in high school. This is indefensible.

I'm willing to give FNL one more chance, so I'll watch it again next week. But if it doesn't pick up pretty quick, I'll call it quits.

Rating: 5 out of 10 (and dropping)

Friends With Money

Well, here was the finale of this weekend's crappy movie trifecta (see previous reviews of Red Eye and Poseidon), and it exceeded my crappy movie expectations. It was delightfully crappy with crappy characters, no plot and an extremely crappy ending. I am not going to give a detailed review because I know that any words I type will not be able to describe the actual crappiness of this crap. I thought I would be able to stomach it because it had Jennifer Aniston, but she was a pot-head cleaning lady with no direction in her life. CRAP!

The DVD case should have come with a warning: "BEWARE: Friends With Money can cause sleepiness, dry mouth and an almost uncontrollable desire to shove a pencil in your eye." That definitely would have been nice to know.

Rating: Ah, forget it.

Chiefs vs. Cardinals

Being a Chiefs fan does not make my football life very easy. That, coupled with the fact that I'm starting some guy named Hank Baskett in my fantasy league this week, should give you a pretty good idea of how great this fall has gone so far. If MU wasn't winning, I would probably be on suicide watch.

Playing at Arizona should have been a test, but not a "kick a fieldgoal with less than 2 minutes left in the game to win 23-20" test. I knew it was going to be a long day when Leinhart's first two passes went for touchdowns (go Anquan Boldin). It was good to see the defense sack up and only allow 2 fieldgoals for the rest of the game. Side note: I'm really happy with how the defense looks so far this year (being ranked 30th in the league for the past couple of years probably has me giddy about any D with a pulse).

Damon Huard has actually been a pleasant surprise, but now we all know how bad we miss Roaf and Wellbourne at the tackles. Our pass protection has more holes in it than TO's "allergic reaction" defense. Granted, there are still 12 games left (with the bye week already gone, mind you), but Hermball is starting to look like Martyball on estrogen. And with Pittsburgh, San Diego and Seattle in the next 3 weeks, we could be out of the playoff picture by November.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10 (with the defense scoring 5.8 of those points)

DVR Catchup

Some quick thoughts after catching up on all the shows I had saved on the DVR.

• Law and Order - It's been on the air for something like 16 years, so no real surprises. The new cast members are growing on me though. I figured I would probably stop watching this show because of the weaker cast, but after watching episodes 2 and 3 of the new season, I think they're just fine. Overall show rating: 7 out of 10
• Jericho - I think the idea of this show is a lot better than the actual execution. Skeet Ulrich (or whatever his name is, he was one of the killers in the movie Scream) is ok, and Gerald McRaney is cooler than I thought he would be. At first I couldn't picture him as anything other than "Major Dad," but I think the initial shock is wearing off. Good show, but not a great show. The writers play up the cop from St. Louis a little much. It's not like the guy is an ex-SEAL or anything. He was a freaking cop, probably writing parking tickets when he wasn't stopping for coffee and a doughnut. It's not like he's an expert on weapons of mass destruction and Morse Code. Ok, I better stop before I ruin the enjoyment of the show. Overall show rating: 7.5 out of 10
• Kidnapped - This officially got the axe from the DVR record list. NBC has already announced that the show is moving to Saturday nights (in favor of more Dateline: Child Molester stories, ugh). They've also announced that the show is done after 13 episodes. If it was the slightest bit interesting, I would probably consider watching it until it wraps up. Since the show sucks, I won't. The only semi-cool character is the Knapp guy, but I don't think they ever really explained what his deal is. I think he's ex-FBI, but I'm not sure. It just seems like they could have done a better job here. Either way, I'm done. Overall show rating: 3 out of 10
• Six Degrees - Six strangers interacting with each other. Sounds interesting enough, right? Wrong. What a boring show. I can't believe I managed to sit through three episodes. TURD. Overall show rating: 2 out of 10
• Grey's Anatomy - This is quickly becoming my favorite show, just another indication that I no longer possess a penis. What can I say? The characters are interesting, and there is just enough medical stuff going on to keep it from being a total soap opera. Overall show rating: 10 out of 10

Desperate Housewives - 10/8/06

Tonight was the third episode of the new season of Desperate Housewives. Before I go any further, I realize that this is not a manly show, but I don't care. I watch it religiously every week. Sue me.

Anyway, I like where this season is headed. All four storylines surrounding the housewives are all pretty interesting. Here's where we stand so far for each of them:

• Lynette - This is probably my least favorite sub-plot, but tonight they seemed to move things in the right direction. The mother of Tom's illegitimate kid is pretty annoying...can you believe they cast Slater's girlfriend from "Saved by the Bell: the College Years" for this part? Neither can I. I'm not sure if she's starting to grow on me or what, but she wasn't nearly as annoying tonight.
• Gabby - I'm pretty disappointed that she's split up with Carlos. I hope they get back together soon, or the writers at least come up with some way to have them interact. They have pretty good chemistry on screen. The return of the gardener kid tonight was pretty predictible, but I think they laid on his landscaping success a little too thick. Come on, some 18 year old douchebag isn't going to have his own TV show on HGTV. I don't care if he's engaged to a hotel heiress or not.
• Bree - She's obviously been the dominant housewife over the course last season and again this season, but she deserves the spotlight. I'm glad Andrew is apparently coming back home. It will be interesting to see where this goes with Orson in the mix around the house. I'm predicting that Andrew somehow saves the day and reveals how much of a slimebag the evil dentist is.
• Susan - Solid stuff with her tonight, and it was a no-brainer that she hooked up with the guy whose wife is in a coma (man this feels like Days of our Lives or something). What I wasn't ready for was Mike waking up from his coma. With Edie Britt in the room no less! Of course her mission in to make Susan's life a living hell, so I'm sure she'll spill the beans about Susan and the new guy.

Critics have been really hard on this show ever since the first season. Of course it's not going to reach that level...best case scenario is that it equals the first season...but I still enjoy it every week. The bottom line: I'm a loser.

Rating for this week: 8 out of 10 (bonus points awarded for the return of Delfino)

Poseidon

I also had a Saturday night sports/movie extravaganza, but mine didn't turn out quite as well as Brent's. Yes, I also thoroughly enjoyed the MU victory, but my movie portion of the evening stunk up the joint.

I'm really not even going to explain the plot, because everyone knows that this is Titanic 2 set in the present day. It was terrible. Unrealistic in so many ways and horrible...HORRIBLE acting from start to finish. The flick had my attention for about 3 minutes when Fergie made an appearance, but it was short lived.

This is 2 straight bad movies for me (see previous Red Eye commentary), which just goes to show you that I cannot allow my wife to go to Blockbuster without me. Look on the bright side, I still have Friends With Money to look forward to. Shoot me.

Rating: -4.5 out of 10

Sports/Movie Saturday

Two part entertainment extravaganza on Saturday night. First up was Missouri at Texas Tech. What a huge game for the Tigers, on the road against a pretty tough team.

Unbelievably, they jumped out to a 24-0 start after two INT's were returned for TD's on back to back plays. I've never seen that happen before. Of course, this is the MO of MU. Two years ago, they constantly got out to fast starts only to crap the game away. So even after the good fortune of a 24-0 head start, I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

It didn't drop, it hit me upside the head.

Tech comes roaring back and by the end of the first drive of the third quarter, it's 24-21 and we have a ballgame. Same old Tigers, right? Apparently not. Chase Daniel (his teammates actually call him "TM" short for "The Man"...I'm all for nicknames, but this one is pretty retarded) leads the team right down the field, finding Chase Coffman all alone in the endzone for some much needed breathing room. They pretty much took the game over from there, coasting to a 38-21 victory. I was eating good at the neighborhood. Literally. I was at Applebee's for the end of the game, but at least we were near a TV.

Then we thought it would be a good idea to get a movie. We picked through all the new releases, and unfortunately the new Xmen movie was out. Bummer. But I see a comedy right next to it that claims to be as funny as the 40 Year Old Virgin right on the box. It has to be great right? It was called Thank You For Smoking. Sounds funny, has a decent case.

So we go home and pop it in the DVD player. I found myself laughing at a couple of jokes that weren't very funny, and about 40 minutes into it I got pretty sleepy. Fortunately for me, there was no reason to wake up. The movie wasn't even really all the funny. The 40 Year Old Virgin claim is fradulent. Even if it were as funny (it's not) they're totally different types of humor.

I got on Yahoo! movies to see if maybe I was just crazy, and it turns out the critics really liked it. I guess that explains why I didn't. Not to get too political, but it seems like if you're a lefty, you'd find it pretty funny, and a righty probably wouldn't. I don't even consider myself a righty, but this was freaking pathetic.

MU/Texas Tech Rating: 10 out of 10
Thank You For Smoking Rating: 2 out of 10

Red Eye

My wife rented this movie and I wasn't overly thrilled, to say the least. It just didn't look like a very intriguing plot, but it is a Wes Craven film, so I tried to keep an open mind. I should have closed my mind, along with my eyes, and fell asleep because it was a joke.

The plot is that Lisa (Rachel McAdams) is a hotel manager from Miami that is taking a late flight back home after attending her grandmother's funeral. The head of Homeland Security will be staying at her hotel, so she is on and off the phone making sure that all is well. Her seatmate is a young man that I've never seen on TV or movies before, and I hope to never see him again. He terrorizes her the entire flight because he is part of an assassination plot against the head of Homeland Security and his family. He threatens to kill her father if she does not comply with his demands. I'll leave it at that in case any of you actually feel like wasting $4 and 85 minutes of your lives.

Fact is, Red Eye was predictable and unrealistic in that McAdams could easily whup the scrawny dude playing the bad guy. He threatens and beats her up the entire flight, and nobody else seems to notice! Ridiculous. "Fear takes flight at 30,000 feet," says the DVD case. Actually, Red Eye stunk like a brown eye.

DVD Review: Lucky Number Slevin

I was at the local Blockbuster with the wife, and much to my surprise, she asked if I wanted to see Lucky Number Slevin. I looked at the DVD case and saw that it was a movie with Morgan Freeman and Bruce Willis, and revolved around gambling and two crime bosses. Awesome! I was immediately sold.

I must say, it has everything a guy movie needs. Plenty of blood, a huge explosion, a good level of intrigue, and even a quick booby shot at the beginning of the movie. The short version of the story is that there are two crime bosses, played by Morgan Freeman (The Boss) and Ben Kingsley (The Rabbi). One of the more enjoyable points of the movie was when someone actually asked "Who's the Boss?" and I had a flashback to 1987, visions of Tony Danza entering my head...but I digress.

The two crime bosses have beef with one another, and there is a guy who owes both of them a serious amount of money. Enter Slevin, played by Josh Hartnett. He's meeting his friend Nick Fisher, who is mysteriously absent from pretty much the entire movie. Slevin's problem is that he was mugged earlier in the day, and since his ID has been stolen, when the crime bosses's goons come calling, he has no way to prove he's not Nick Fisher. So he gets caught up in a huge mess, and that's where I'll leave it.

Overall, it was exteremely enjoyable. Like I said, gambling, shootings, explosions, boobs, the whole nine yards. Any guy is going to enjoy it, and even my wife liked it. It's not going to win any academy awards, but it's definitely a movie I'm glad I rented.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Tuesday Night Lights

I have to admit that I was sceptical about the new Friday Night Lights (airing on Tuesday, first of all - what's that about?). After seeing the first episode, the jury's still out, but I'll be watching again next week. There are a few things worth addressing:

Question 1: How is there a "high school" kid that is constantly drunk? Riggins, the tough fullback is hammered in every scene that he appears. AND NOBODY CARES! Here is an actual exchange at an afternoon practice: Coach - "I smell alcohol, have you been drinking?" Rig - "No." Coach - "Okay, well get back in there!" Are you kidding me??? Let's have some semblance of realism here.

Question 2: This fictional town of Dillon, TX has a long running football dynasty, but no defense. How is this possible. In the first game, they get flat runned over. The worst part is that none of the characters that we meet in the first episode play defense. Now that I think about it, Varsity Blues didn't have any defensive characters either. Provacative. "I don't want your life!"

Question 3: Why can't we get people to play high school characters who are actually high school age? Are they all too busy making crappy pop albums or MTV reality shows? There has to be some decent teenage actors out there. We need a talent scout to get on this, pronto.

All this said, Friday Night Lights was a pretty good show. The camera work was great and the story line kept my attention. I do predict an intervention, a pregnant chick and some Oklahoma-esque alumni scandal. To be continued...

Review of South Park - World of Warcraft

The new season of South Park kicked off this past Wednesday, and I finally got around to watching it this afternoon. I believe it's in its 10th season, and it's still going strong.

This episode revolved around Stan, Kyle, Cartman and Kenny playing an online computer game, World of Warcraft. I remember playing Warcraft back in my dorm days. I'm sure it's a lot sweeter now. Anyway, there's some random guy who has reached a level that the programmers never thought was possible, and he goes around killing all the other players. The South Park boys set out to stop this guy by playing the game non-stop for like 2 months. They all get extremely fat and pimply faced. I'm not even going to cover the part where Cartman had to take a bathroom break. I assume everything turned out ok at the end. My stupid DVR stopped recording before the end credits. But still, I laughed the entire time and it's great to have South Park back.

Rating: 9 out of 10

The Office - Airdate 10/5/06

Hug It Out Bitch!

The Office was great tonight, as usual. From Movie Monday (Varsity Blues? Are you kidding me? Hilarious), to Call of Duty to anything that is Creed, just another classic episode from start to finish. I almost pissed myself when Michael commanded that he and Dwight reconcile by "hugging it out".

Rating: 9 out of 10