Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Olympics. Show all posts

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Best of the Week vol. XXIII


Quote of the Week: Truth is, I was an idiot back then. You saw the goatee. (Ted, How I Met Your Mother)

Song of the Week: Centuries – Stars of Track and Field (Greek)

Big News of the Week: The Olympics are Heading to Rio: It is probably a slow news week when the big news is something that won’t happen for another seven years. But the Olympics will be heading to South America for the first time ever beating out Chicago despite the presence of the Big O’s. I never really understood the Chicago nomination because as a resident of the Great Lakes, I cannot imagine anyone wanting to do any open water swimming in Lake Michigan and when I think summer, The Windy City never has ever crossed my mind. Instead the games will be heading to the sandy beaches of Ro de Janeiro which may be the most visually striking games since Barcelona. And as an added bonus, it is only one hour ahead EST so none of the silly tape delays that plague NBC whenever the Games are held in the other hemisphere.

Coalition Links of the Week:
Vance ranks the new shows he's checked out from best to worst. Where did you think he put Glee and Modern Family? (Tapeworthy)

In the wake of the much ballyhooed Jenny Slate controversy, Kyle examined indecency, SNL, the FCC and drew one conclusion -- who cares? (TiFaux)

As the third season of Mad Men rolls on, BuzzSugar's got the rundown on what other projects the talented ladies of the show have lined up. (BuzzSugar)

This week, we took a first look at Al Pacino in HBO's new original movie, You Don't Know Jack. (Daemon's TV)


Free Download of the Week: Trauma (iTunes): I was lukewarm on the premiere (see First Impressions: Trauma) and I cannot imagine the explosions and helicopter crashes will look better on an iPod, but for those interested you can download the episode for free.

Deal of the Week: Halloween Sale (Shaun of the Dead, Beetlejuice, Freddy vs. Jason, Ghostbusters)

Video of the Week: As a straight man, I am a huge fan of breasts and feel obligated to promote breast health every once in a while and have even participating in a few Relay for Life walks and the like. Being Breast Cancer Awareness Month here is a public service announcement featuring Minka Kelly, Alyson Hannigan, Emily Deschanel, Jamie King, and Katherine McPhee. The clip may be from Funny or Die, but early detection is no laughing matter.



Next Week Pick of the Week: 30 for 30, Tuesday at 8:00 on ESPN: No one does self congratulatory like ESPN, their 25th anniversary seemed to last five years. For thirty years on basic cable, the network is handing the reigns over to thirty directors to do a documentary on a story of the past three decades including Barry Levinson (Colts leaving Baltimore), Steve Nash (Terry Fox), John Singleton (Marion Jones) and Ice Cube (the Raiders in LA). The celebration kicks off Tuesday with Friday Night Lights creator Peter Berg looking into Wayne Gretzky’s trade to Los Angeles.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Beijing Olympics Update #4


- Since I have been asked multiple time, the Nike commercial that repeats the chorus, "I got soul but I'm not a soldier" that uses throughout the Olympics is All These Things That I've Done by the Killers.

- For all the lead up to the first ever BMX race in the Olympics, it was pretty short. And it was won by a Latvian of all people.

- In case you missed it, it should be noted that the USA Woman's Soccer gold medal was America's 1000th medal ever.

- I cannot believe the interviewed the nut job priest who disrupted the marathon in Athens for years ago. Another thing I cannot believe, on a perfect August Saturday night, I stayed indoors to watch a two hour Marathon.

- Possibly my favorite human interest story of the games is of Shannon Rowbury, a Irish Dancing turned 1500 meter runner.

- After two weeks of doing everything short of anointing Michael Phelps new dictator of the Olympics, I was surprised that they still called the decathlon the competition for the title World's Greatest Athlete. Which begs the question, why isn't the aquatic version of the decathlon?

- The best thing about the closing ceremonies is that it seems like the host counties do not care anymore. It all seems so lax and is more about the next host than the current. But leave it to the Chinese to insert some more pomp and circumstance in before the games leave their nation.

- I would say Jimmy Paige playing with Leona Lewis is a low point in Led Zeppelin history, but nothing can touch Paige okaying the Puff Daddy sampling of Kashmir.

- Jackie Chan singing? What?

- For those keeping score, eighteen months until the start of the Winter Olympics, and to those over at NBC, if you need a correspondent, I am sure I can clear my schedule. And I promise not to call any of my female co-workers a word you are not supposed to say on television.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Beijing Olympics Update #3


- The clear winner of the NBC coverage team this year has been Jenna Wolfe who has been part of the Olympics roundup show everyday on MSNBC. This is really because she obviously doesn’t know anything about sports and doesn’t even bother to pretend. And if you have to be good if you are able to your co-host, in this case Tiki Barber, call you a word on television that George Carlin told me you couldn’t say on television. See you in London Jenna.

- Poor Ping Pong player, not only do no one actually come to see them play, even in a country that is supposed to big on the sport yet couldn’t fill out the area, the sport doesn’t even have ball boys and the athletes have to chase down their own balls like they were playing in my basement.

Susanna Kallur- As a former huddler myself who also tasted rubber, my heart goes out to Susanna Kallur of Sweden who tripped over the first hurdle of her preliminary race and American LoLo Jones (who should have Rashida do a bio pick on her) who couldn’t quite make it over the eighth hurdle dashing each hope for a medal. If either needs a shoulder to cry on, shout me a holla.

LoLo Jones- Do they really need to say it was a clean start on every sprint?

- The gymnastics announcing team has been announcing and I couldn’t quite figure out why until I was flipping back between the competition and Monday Night Football to realize why. The football announces spent three quarters with the second and third strings and treated them with respect though many would be cut within a week or two. Yet the gymnastics would crush these sixteen year old girls saying things like they have “absolutely no chance to medal.” If they have no chance why should we bother to watch? They are dashing the hopes of young girls and their families and friends watching at home, acting like judges on some crappy Bravo reality show caring themselves with no class or professionalism and should be fired on the spot. They didn’t even know the rules and we didn’t even learn what a tie breaker was until Bob Costas broke in and told us. Which begs the question, why wasn’t Béla Károlyi commentating?

- And if we are firing NBC personal, add Andrea Kramer to that list, not only did she suck the life out of the swimming competition, she made a fifteen year old diver who failed to make the finals cry and then just stood their and watch her cry. Andrea, there is this thing called a hug, try it sometime.

- There is no cooler camera use in sports than the diving cam that follows divers into the water.

Nastia Liukin in red white and blue
- Back to Gymnastics, it was nice to see Nastia Liukin actually where a red white and blue get up in the individual competition.

- The Beach Volleyball final in the rain is the reason HD was created. Or so I assume, I am too cheap to buy one.

- Who knew guys played Field Hockey?

- Just to show you how far Boxing has fallen, when it was being shown on CNBC, I chose to watch Synchronized Swimming on Oxygen. And where was all the programming on Oxygen, it seemed like almost every time I flipped on the channel it was always showing Tori and Dean. Which begs the question, who is sitting around all day watching Tori and Dean? Who is watching one episode of Tori and Dean?

- Let the Michael Phelps backlash begin, and naturally it was Best Week Ever who led the charge asking, Is Michael Phelps a Douche?

- Speaking of douches, did anyone else notice that Usain Bolt does the same hand spasms complete with finger kisses that Flavor Flav does? Next thing you know dude will be racing with a Vikings cap on.

- Those not on Michael Phelps overload be sure to head over to NBCDVD.com to purchase Michael Phelps: Greatest Olympic Champion...The Inside Story. Also available are 2008 Beijing General Highlight DVD and 2008 Beijing Opening Ceremony 2-Volume DVD.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Beijing Olympics Update #2


- How does the Women’s Team Sabre team grab a Bronze after sweeping the individual medals? But anyways. The most interesting thing that came out of the Bronze Medal match was that actually have redo. Not only was there was a redo, it was for the deciding point and this is even with instant replay. Imagine if that happened in the Super Bowl, fourth quarter, less than ten seconds and they review a touchdown where the receiver may have been out of bound and the referee comes out of his little viewing station and announces, “Yeah, I have no clue, why don’t we just do that play over.”

- The only rule that may be more silly, and by more silly, I mean secretly brilliant is the baseball rule that if the game goes to eleven innings, both teams start off with runners on first and second. Too bad Bud Selig couldn’t have thought of this instead of that stupid Home Field advantage in the world series crap for the All-Star Game.

- If there were an anti-Michael Phelps it would have to Kate Hoff who seemed to rack up the fourth place finishes. Okay, I may have been a little bitter because she was on my fantasy Olympics team.

- In the rare moment when they were at the Water Cube and not crushing on Phelps, all the inner dating that is going on in basically every country but ours. The most salacious being the tale of Laure Manaudou who left France after winning Gold in Athens, making her a national star, to be with her swimmer boyfriend only for him to break up with her, date one of her rivals, and post the types of pictures to the internet that are typically reserved to beauty queens and Paris Hilton.

Heather Mitts doing America proud- I turned on the television the other day to a soccer game between the United Stated and Canada, the problem being it took me way too long to figure out who was who. Ever since the beret debacle of the Opening Ceremonies, there has been some questionable wardrobe choices for what should be the red, white and blue. But there was no hint of blue in the soccer uniforms. Then there is Nastia Liukin who opted for a pink number in the all around competition. Okay, this was all a ruse just to post of pictures of Heather Mitts and Liukin in that pink leotard.

Nastia Liukin in pink- Pardon the Interruption had an interesting discussion on if she would become the next America’s Sweetheart. The easy answer is no as it is hard to be America’s Sweetheart with a name like Nastia. Name aside she certainly has the looks; the biggest problem though is that American hasn’t had a real sweetheart since Reece Witherspoon circa Legally Blonde. Sadly the only way females today can get America’s attention for more than one day is for being infamous as seen in the past five years with the parade of Paris, Britney, Nicole, Amy, Lindsay and the chicks from The Hills. Even the Disney stars these days have problems keeping their cloths on.

- Watching the Women’s Marathon I was struck that near the twentieth mile mark, the commentator said that the top woman were running 5:30 mile. I’m not sure I could run just a single mile at that time.

- Nothing says it is time to go to bed than it is 2:00 AM and they are showing the 20K Walk Race. Isn’t a speed walker an oxymoron?

Saturday, August 16, 2008

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XLII


Quote of the Week: Goodnight LeBatard’s mustache. (Tony Kornheiser, Pardon the Interruption)

Big New of the Week: It’s the End of the World as We Know It: And I feel sick. The most coveted endorsement: Angelina Jolie. I wish I were making this up. Then Barack Obama finally got around to responding to John McCain’s celebrity ad, keep in mind it took him a week longer than it took Paris Hilton to respond, calling McCain “Washington’s biggest celebrity.” The election better get here soon before someone uses the rubber/glue response.

Coalition Links of the Week:
With the news that the Emmys will have actors recite classic TV lines from the past 60 years, Buzz put out a call for your favorite TV quips. (BuzzSugar)

We wind down the week with some Friday Fun, this time featuring battles between some of our favorite sidekicks. Tell us who you think would win. (RTVW Online)

Vance asks all you readers to help pick the Song of the Summer for 2008! (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace took a look at another British import, reviewing the first three episodes of BBC America's new drama Skins, launching this Sunday. (Televisionary)

TiFaux’s coverage of the Olympics included coverage of commercials, hot athletic bodies, the opening ceremonies and, yes, even a few passing mentions of sports! (TiFaux)

This week the TV Addict asked, "Is The Secret Life of the American Teenager the Best Worst Show Ever?" (The TV Addict)

Kate stayed up way too late and decided that Grey's Anatomy is just like Friends. (TV Filter)

I Love Money: We may just be getting closer and closer to the first reality death. Pumpkin better hope that VH1 brought down some metal detectors. You can download episodes of I Love Money on iTunes.


Sit a side an hour because Best Week Ever has compiled the Ten Best To Catch a Predator segments ever. Don’t ask me how the naked dude who gets tackled by a dude only lands at number eight.

With all the Olympics I have been watching over the past week there have been plenty of NBC programming I have seen. First off, who knew Lipstick Jungle wasn’t canceled? As for the news show, it probably says something that I have only seen one ad for Caruso and Knight Rider, but ads for Kath and Kim and My Own Worst Enemy are shown ad nausea. That is not to hint at the quality of either as both look unwatchable. Kath and Kim looks less funny each commercial and Jennifer Garner makes for a more credible looking spy than Christian Slater.


Free Download of the Week: Primeval: My sources tell me the BBC America show is entertaining but I cannot find that channel on my television, but you can download the first episode for free on iTunes.


Promo of the Week: In about a month shows start trickling back to your television sets, some that we haven’t seen for nine months. So to help you remember the story so far for their returning shows (Lost is supposed to be up next week), ABC.com have Starter Kits. Below is the Starter Kit for the best new show from last season, Pushing Daisies:

Pushing Daisies Recap, Starter Kit



Pick for Next Week: More Olympics, All Day, Every Day, NBC Networks: As swimming winds down (thank goodness, the Michael Phelps coverage is leaving me want to hear more Brett Varve new). For those that need a break from Archery, Table Tennis, and Rowing, tonight is the first face to face meeting with John McCain and Barack Obama on MSNBC in a forum on faith starting at 8:00. Well face to face for a few moments.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Beijing Olympics Update #1


What a way to start the Olympics (see It's not the Triumph but the Struggle), to be it turned out to be a sham. First we learned that the Chinese CGI’ed some of the fireworks but by far the worst was the axing a young girl to sing their national anthem for a cuter one who lip synced it. Other thoughts of the first week of the Olympics:

- Andrea Kramer may be the worst sideline reporter ever. Couldn’t NBC just rent out Erin Andrews or at least bring back a former golden girl like Summer Sanders or Janet Evans?

- And you cannot talk swimming without talking Michael Phelps. His Olympics aren’t even over but there is talk of him being not just being the greatest Olympian ever but the best athlete ever. Personally I view swimming these days like the baseball in the nineties. But instead of horse roids, you have these swimsuits that put all these world records with asterisks. Really, there should be a rule that if you cannot put on your suit yourself, it should not be allowed. If Phelps wants to impress me, break all the world records with an old school Speedo and a seventies porn mustache. And NBC is doing everything to turn Phelps into a God even refusing to even mention that whole DUI he got to avoid tarnishing his image. But I will give it to him that he is better athlete than Tiger Woods that has been brought up in the discussion. Golfers and baseball players should never be in any discussion for best athletes. When your peers can be obese and great, your sport by definition is not athletic.

- One of the most mesmerizing sports is badminton. It’s like the Curling of the Summer Olympics for me. One reason is because I have played the sport against natural Asians and got beat down like a red-headed step child. Literally. I came away with welts and bruises from the shuttlecock being imbedded in my chest multiple times. The shuttlecock of course is the fastest instrument in sports.

- What could have been the a symbolic picture of the games, Georgian beach volleyballers embracing their Russian counterpoint is a little less symbolic when you learn the Georgian team are actually Brazilians born duel citizens who spent only a couple more days in Georgia than I have. There are some lax eligibility rules for who you can play for.

- Speaking of eligibility rules, what is with all the weird age requirements? You have to be sixteen or older in gymnastics, a sport that benefits the youth, but there was a fourteen year old diver. But the most odd is soccer where it is something like player must be twenty-five ore younger but you are allowed like three players that are older than that. Oh, and if the female Chinese gymnastics are really sixteen and older, they should really become decoys for Chris Hansen.

- Certainly everyone knows Natalie Coughlin, Jenny Finch and Ana Ivanovic (who sadly had to drop out of the Olympics), or at least the dudes out there, but here is possibly the hottest chick with a gun, and Olympics bronze medalist Corey Cogdell:

Corey Cogdell


Sunday, August 10, 2008

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XLI


Quote of the Week: A song even Michael Bolton can’t ruin. Don’t tell anyone I said that. (Tyler, The Middleman)

Big New of the Week: It’s the End of the World as We Know It: And I am starting to get a little queasy. It was bad enough that John McCain included Paris Hilton in one of his political ads, but then the Paris respond ad just inched us even closer to the impending apocalypse. And when you thought, or at least hoped, that was it, John McCain responded to the Paris Hilton ad saying her energy plan was better than the one of Barack Obama. Let me repeat, the presumptive republican nominee responded to an attack ad from Paris Hilton.

Coalition Links of the Week:
Buzz tested your knowledge of how much money TV stars make. (BuzzSugar)

This week, Sandie took a first look at Katie Holmes' guest appearance on Eli Stone. (Daemon's TV)

As part of a week-long series on TV vs. film with TiFaux, Marcia takes a look at some of the ways TV creates more varied characters than film. (Pop Vultures)

Rae steps into the RTVW Confessional and spills about liking good stunt casting, citing such examples as LiLo on Ugly Betty and Katie Holmes on Eli Stone. (RTVW Online)

Vance giddily recaps the finale of So You Think You Can Dance Season 4. (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace waxed poetic about the latest Peggy-and-Pete-centric installment of Mad Men, easily the one of the most complex, vibrant, and vivid series on television right now. (Televisionary)

In an exciting first for TiFaux, Dan teamed up with Marcia from Pop Vultures to discuss the merits of TV versus film. In his first entry, Dan talked about how couch potatoes are given a bad reputation as anti-social shut-ins. Which, for the record, he only is when Project Runway is on. (TiFaux)

Jack Bauer would me proud as this week, the TV Addict did the impossible and infiltrated the set of 24. (The TV Addict)

Kate was saddened to realize that pretty much any great woman's life can be turned into a Lifetime Original Movie. (TV Filter)


The Middleman: For anyone that didn’t catch all those Ghostbusters references, I do not think we can be friends. You can download episodes of The Middleman on iTunes.


My Boys: Predictable ending, but I have no clue if the wedding will end up going off next season or not. Catch up on recent episodes over at TBS.com. You can also download My Boys on iTunes.


Last week I introduced the cast of Raising the Bar and no one was able to catch the one decree of separation of two of the cast mates, here is a hint:

The cast of Raising the Bar


Free Download of the Week: Man vs. Wild: I was late to hyping the new season, but it just so happens that you can download some bonus material for free on iTunes.

Pick for Next Week: Beijing Olympics, all the time on NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, USA, and Oxygen: Pretty much all I watched this weekend, and all I did, and that looks to continue all week.

Saturday, August 09, 2008

It's Not the Triumph But the Struggle


For the first time ever, the Olympics come to the Asian mainland for better or worse. Like pretty much every Olympics recently, the lead up was mired in questions on how the would come up thanks to construction and pollution questions. Then there was the added tension of political protest following the Olympics torch wherever it went. Politics aside (besides of course the Obama/Paria Hilton ad that ran) this should be the most contested medal count race since the Soviet Union desolved. Here aresome thoughts of the opening cerimonies that featured 15,000 performers and cost 300 million dollars.

- The Olympics just are not the Olympics without Bob Costas. I do not think I can remember on without him.

- I was surprised to hear that George Bush is the first sitting president to go to a non-American hosted Olympics. Considering most are lame-ducks by the time the Summer Olympics roll around that someone would like the vacation. Leave to Bush who took more vacation time in his first year than most had in their whole term to do so.

- Odd that the national anthem of a Communist country is called March of the Volunteers.

- And like many Olympics before it, the Opening Ceremonies is full with stuff that despite looking cool, I have no clue what they are trying to get to get across and that is even after the commentators explained everything. That whole painting scroll thing is just the most bizarre thing I have ever seen.


- And I am corrected already. After those flowing boxes stop and all the people popped out is the most bizarre thing I have ever seen.

- The Parade of Athletes is at the same time the best and worst part of the Olympics. It is excruciatingly long, but thanks to the length Bob Costas starts to go off script and says some inane things. But what was with the bagpipes through the parade?

- Another part of the Parade is the native costumes with African nation always being the best best. The Americans as usual are lane. This year created by Ralph Lauren complete with ascots and Berets.

- The whole footprint thing is pretty cool.

- Wait, there is no more Zaire? When did that happen?

- Okay, the torch lighting was the most bizarre of them all. Consider my mind blown.

- After all that I flipped throughall the NBC networks and no games yet even though it was noon over there.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Let the Games Begin


By the time you read this the Olympics will most likely already started (although we have to wait for the tape delay to witness the start later tonight). Below are a couple of widgets to to keep you up to date with what is going on with the games. And of course, for all things Olympic, head over to NBCOlympics.com.


TV/Online Listing




Results and Schedules




Medal Count



Thursday, August 07, 2008

Cleaning Out My Inbox vol. IV


A plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on My Boys, the Olympics, Monster Ark, Son of Anarchy, and Larry Flynt. Yes, Larry Flynt.

- Tonight is the summer finale of My Boys at a special time of 10:00. Will Bobby get married? Will the best man show up? Will anyone find out about Kenny and Stephanie? Will my prediction that Mimi Rodgers is Bobby’s mom be right? Here is a clip to hold you over:



- In a story I broke this past weekend, The Olympics start this tomorrow and despite all the blatant commercialism I am geeked about it. In fact the living room is stocked with two televisions, one with picture in picture, and a computer that I hope to log at least half of the proposed 3,600 hours NBC is offering. And if I were not geeked enough, then NBC sent me over this video:



- A couple more Olympics items, as previously mentioned NBC.com will be an interregnal part of the coverage this year. There will be exclusive live video of the action from trials and Olympics, access to Olympic Zone, stories, video and slideshows from your hometown and comprehensive TV and Online Olympic Listings. So head over to NBCOlympics.com and enter your zip code for all that.

- A little late on this one, but Man vs. Wild premiered last night yesterday for it its latest season on the Discovery Channel. But this is cable so I bet it will be repeated a few time before the next episode and I think it was Bear recapping his greatest accomplishments on the show, i.e. the nastiest. Catch future episodes of Man vs. Wild at its new day and time next week, Wednesday at 10:00. Here’s a promo:



- This Saturday on the Sci-Fi Channel is the movie premiere of the Sci-Fi Original Monster Ark starring Renee O’Conner and Tommy “Tiny” Lister at 9:00. Here is a synopsis:

In present day Turkey, a satellite photo reveals an ancient ship imbedded in the ice at the top of Mount Ararat. Believed to be Noah’s Ark from the great flood an expedition is formed to find the lost ark. What they discover is that Noah built two arks. His first ark was built to cast out a deadly creature, hoping to drown it at sea and protect mankind… and the creature still lives inside the ancient wreckage.

- Here is another promo for FX’s upcoming Sons of Anarchy this time with some actual footage of the show featuring Peg Bundy and Hellboy.



- When you receive an e-mail entitled “Larry Flynt Does IFC” you have to share. Tonight at 9:00 the channel is airing a new documentary on Flint called The Right to Be Left Alone which includes rare footage like the precedent-setting Supreme Court case against Jerry Falwell, Flynt’s prison sentencing for refusing to name his source in the FBI entrapment tapes of John DeLorean, and Flynt’s gubernatorial and presidential campaigns. Head over to IFC.com for a nine minute trailer.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. XL


Quote of the Week: I see vultures circling ahead, and if this catapult not together Mr. Boston better step up because the first thing they gonna be doing is picking his eyes out. (Chance - I Love Money)

Big New of the Week: It’s the End of the World as We Know It: And surprisingly I feel fine about it. Although when writing this I realized that the end of the world probably deserves it own post. So check back tomorrow for that and hopefully the world doesn’t actually end before the.


Coalition Links of the Week:
From Silvio Horta's mouth to her ear, Buzz got some insight into Ugly Betty's third season. (BuzzSugar)

Marcia listed her television blind spots, those TV shows she simply can't be bothered to watch. (Pop Vultures)

Vance wants Theo Tams to win Canadian Idol. (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace recovered from Comic-Con fatigue and reviewed BBC America's latest British television series offering, Primeval, about a group of scientists exploring time-based anomalies and strange creatures. (Televisionary)

Dan will devour any tasty morsel of new programming you give him, so he was delighted to see the preview for the next season of Dexter! (TiFaux)

The TV Addict covered Comic Con so you didn't have to. (The TV Addict)

Raoul talked to David (but sadly not Elvis) from America's Greatest Dog. (TV Filter)


I Love Money: When you let Megan Hauserman be your brains of the operation, that should be sign number one that you are doomed. And when will people learn you never, under any circumstance tank challenges. If you want to get someone out, wait to you lose. I don’t remember when tanking ever worked except for maybe the NBA. Unfortunately Mr. Boston was the victim of Megan and her retarded dog’s Machiavellian plan, or as Machiavellian as someone on I Love Money can get. But that led to one of the funniest fights ever on television between Mr. Boston and Brandi C at elimination. But just when I though I have seen that last of Mr. Boston ever (or at least until the reunion show), a video of him popped up on the intertubes (one that I would never post here) that is part 3rd Base’s The Cactus, part lame teen sex comedy plotline, part profound advise that managed to be the funniest and most disturbing thing ever at the same time. You can download episodes of I Love Money on iTunes.


My Boys: So if Bobby’s dad is my older brother Shooter McGavin, does that make me his uncle? But anyways. While watching this episode I kept on trying to call my stockbroker to see if I could buy massive amount of stock of “Kenny and Stephanie hooking up” but unfortunately I was unable to get through before it was actually revealed on screen. That had to be the most predictable thing on television. The second: Mimi Rogers being Bobby’s mom. It is like the My Boys writer gave up with coming up with any interesting ideas and just started reading from the cliché handbook. Catch up on recent episodes over at TBS.com. You can also download My Boys on iTunes.


It is month until the debut of TNT’s newest show Raising the Bar (and considering the show is about lawyers, this could be the lamest title ever) and I have to say there is something striking about the promo pictures that were released lately. Can anyone name the one degree of separation of two of the characters seen below (click to enlarge)? The first person to correctly guess what that is will win the great prize of a hearty congratulation.

The Cast of Raising the Bar


Free Download of the Week: Death Will Never Conquer - Coldplay (Coldplay.com): First Coldplay let you download their debut single from their album and now another freebie an outtake from the Viva la Vida session which is actually sung by the drummer doing his best Chris Martin impression.


Promo of the Week: Chuck could be the most uneven show ever. Sure Casey ranks in the top five characters currently on television and boast the hottest Token Hot Chick. But the title character doesn’t even rank in the top five most entertaining character on his own show and Morgan needs to die a horrible dance soon than later. But this promo for season two shown at Comic Con is getting me excited.

Chuck: A Look at Season Two



Pick for Next Week: Summer Olympics, starting Friday at 8:00 on NBC: If there starts to be a lack of posts starting next Friday is because I will be watch 3600 hours of the Olympics (I may do some live blogging to keep the 9th Green active) that will be spread out on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Universal HD, Oxygen (huh?), Telemundo, NBC Olympics Basketball Channel, NBC Olympics Soccer Cannel and NBCOlympics.com. So head over to the website to see when Handball, Sailing, and Trampoline (no, seriously) to see when your favorite are airing.


On a side note, I still have four open spots in my fantasy football league, Dillon Panthers Football, so if you would like to play shoot me an e-mail and I will pass along the sign up information. Our draft will be on Tuesday August 26 at 9:00 EST. All skill levels are welcome and may perfer novices after my pityful 9th place finish last year.

Friday, February 17, 2006

Winter Olympics Week 1 Round-Up


The have almost hit the midway point, not that anyone has noticed. I’m sure most everyone has heard the blame game already with people pointing out the ability to read the results on the internet, the lack of stars heading into the games with the two biggest being Michelle Kwan, who dropped out, and Bode Miller, who so far has been a virtual no show. Not that the games have been able to produce any new stars. And even though America has already racked up a few gold’s, I doubt the average person couldn’t name one aside from the Flying Tomato and even then I doubt anyone knows his real name. Of course the most blame lies in the Winter Olympics themselves because, besides Hockey, there are not any real sports in these games although I find curling tranquil and that new snowboarding event is extremely entertaining. But on Wednesday when I turned on the Olympics all I saw was dude’s figure skating. I can almost understand why people turned to American Karaoke instead. Granted I instead utilized the off button as I don’t care to watch dudes poorly singing crappy songs.

Amanda Beard, yeah, I'd hit thatBut there is another culprit to blame the lack of interest of these games, and magazines of that ilk, for not bombarding us with half named pictures of Sasha Cohen and the other female athletes. Remember two years ago in the run-up of the Greece games there were plenty of pictorials of various women who were going to participate in the games, like Amanda Beard at right. I’m sure every guy has those picture luring somewhere on your hard drive and I bet many of you stopped reading this after seeing the picture and went looking for them. Even got into the action, granted if my memory serves me correct, almost all of those athletes didn’t actually qualify for the game. Oh well, it's not as if anyone who saw the pictures cared anyways.

Tanith Belbin, yeah, I'd hit thatEven though there isn’t as many as the Summer Games, there is still plenty of hotties to choose from like the previously mention Cohen. And supposable there is an ice dancer so hot, Congress put her on the fast track to naturalization, as she is Canadian, and Bush took time out of fighting the war on terror, fixing social security, rebuilding New Orleans, and distancing himself from Jack Abramoff to sign off on it to make sure she made the deadline to be eligible to compete from the USA. Oh, and if you want to see her for yourself, her name is Tanith Belbin if you want to see more pictures than the one to the right. Feel free to use the google search box on my sidebar. And aside from Belbin, is any guy not interesting is seeing the curling sisters out of their warm-up suits? The skin mags really dropped the ball on this. Plus why didn’t Sports Illustrated, with it’s annual Swimsuit Edition coming out during the Winter Olympics, not try to capitalize on it by having a layout of the competitors, not that I’m against the layout they went with instead.

And one more almost Olympics topic, to the dude who came to my site from U.S. House of Representatives looking for pictures of Natalie Coughlin, please stop wasting my tax money by searching for pictures of chicks. Don’t you have better things to do? For those that don’t, here’s another picture of Tanith with her partner, a.k.a. one of the luckiest people alive. Seriously, this is just like the weird drama guy in high school who got to hang out with all the hot drama chicks.

Tanith Belbin with one lucky dude

Saturday, February 11, 2006

Let the Games Begin


Are you think what I'm thinking?  RicolaThe opening ceremonies is just basically four hours of Cir-de-Sole type acts filled with similes that relate to the hosting countries that supposable give unwanted history lessons with the majority of the time devoted to watching all the athlete walk into the stadium painstakingly slow while the commentators have to pull useless facts out of the air like the Gross National Product of Liechtenstein. And ever two years I sit and watch every single second.

The main reason I think I come back year after every other year is Bob Costas. After last night I am now convinced that Bob is take shots of something during commercial breaks because his comments become more and more inane as the night goes on. This year he was joined Brian Williams who was the anti-Bob who would constantly bring up all the bad new like how the Dutch athletes are going to be targeted by assassination because of the recent cartoon scandal that started in the nation. And he seemed overjoyed to mention that Torino has the largest Muslim population in Italy. But then Bob would come back and mock the lone athlete from some African nation. And I swear when Bob translates people speaking in foreign language, he’s just making up the translation. I also like how all lone participants from countries along the equator happen to be professors from America. I need to find a lost ancestor that came from one of these countries so I can participate in the luge in Vancouver. Or maybe start up a Haitian curling team.

Even though the games took place in Italy, there was a strange American feel. Most notable when during the march of the athletes they were piping in American disco and 80’s pop hits even prompting Bob to say “If they play Bette Davis Eyes, my night will be complete.” Then for some reason that Bob couldn’t even comprehend, Susan Sarandon was chosen as one of the people to carry out the Olympic flag. Then out came Yoko Ono, because nothing says Italy like Yoko Ono. Then she introduces another of Italy’s greatest sons, , to sing John Lennon’s Imagine. Umm, okay.

Even though the games are still early, I think I already have my favorite scandal. Two players have already been banned for positive drug tests. The positive drug tests were caused by ingredients found in hair-restoration pills. How much has that got to suck, not only are they losing their hair, to add insult to injury they are kicked out of the Olympics.

Saturday, January 21, 2006

Musings From the Back 9 vol. IX - Sports Edition


- The big sports story of the week was that Antonio Davis went into the stands while his were visiting the Chicago Bulls. I’m really surprised that after the Artest brawl last year that we didn’t see a rash of fans hoping to goad players into a million dollar lawsuit. More surprisingly the fan in the incident, Michael Axelrod, was willing not to file a million dollar lawsuit in exchange for an apology. For some reason Davis has decided not to apologize which means he’ll end up paying Axelrod thousands of dollars for the lawsuit to go away. Hopefully the 22 year old will spend the money on some Rogaine because he is way too young to be sporting the hairdo.

- After a hard fought Ice Skating National Championships to decide who gets to go to the Olympics they still named someone who didn’t even compete just to show why Ice Skating isn’t a sport and should be banned from the Olympics. You didn’t see the Jets, who many thought would make the playoffs in the preseason, petition the NFL to get a free pass into the playoffs because went down? But it’s almost poetic justice that got an exemption considering she was the one bumped to alternate when got knee-capped. But I don’t blame Kwan considering where Kerrigan is these days but I’m sure when the next Winter Olympics come around Kwan will be on Skating with the Stars too with her partner .

- The big news out of the Australian Open, and really the only reason I know it’s going on is the reports that and are hooking up down under. For those keeping track at home, if this is true, Roddick has pulled off one of the greatest feats of our lifetime by somehow being able to upgrade from . But both tennis stars are denying the reports and have even pulled out the Friends Card. I never understood this tactic from a guy’s point of view. Why would anyone deny that he’s hooking up with one of the hottest chicks in the world? Even if it weren’t true, that doesn’t mean you need to lie and say you are, but you don’t have to deny it either, just play coy or evade the question, which would in turn make everyone believe its true and you don’t have to lie.

- finally decided he is going to play for the U.S.A. in the World Baseball Classic. This is most likely the best chose because no one in America will be watching when he chokes because we’ll all be watching March Madness. Had he when with the Dominican Republic he would have disgraced a whole nation, who would be watching every pitch of the tournament, when he strikes out in the bottom of the 9th to eliminate his team.

- Not really sports related but here’s another exclusive picture courtesy of UPN/Warner Bros. (all rights reserved and all that other legal stuff) from the upcoming episode on Wednesday at 9:00 so thanks to them.

Looks like Veronica has some 'plaining to do