Record People Are Shady: Fall Preview Edition

Usually I reserve Tuesday for the biggest new album release for the week except all the “new” releases happen to be old. Headlining the new releases this week are greatest hits packages by Destiny’s Child, *NSync, and Angie Stone and live albums by Aerosmith and the re-release 2 CD set of George Harrison’s Concert for Bangladesh. Also in the old is new philosophy is a Christmas album by Faith Evans. No wonder why the record industry is failing, we are exactly two months away from Christmas and the biggest new album with actual new songs is by Fefe Dobson. That can’t be a good sign of what’s to come.

Next week continues the onslaught of greatest hits with albums by Blink182 and Nivana’s Sliver: Best of the Box slimming last years With the Lights Out into one single disk with a few new unreleased tracks so they can squeeze even more money out of the diehard fans. But next week does have an actual marquee name with the release of Santana’s third all-star outing, All That I Am featuring vocals from Mary J. Blige, Big Boi of Outkast, Will.I.Am, Sean Paul, Joss Stone, Steven Tyler, Anthony Hamilton, Los Lonely Boys, a return appearance of Michelle Branch, and some dude named Bo Bice (didn’t he lose some karaoke contest or something?). There will also generational battle of the guitar virtuosos with Robert Randolph and Kirk Hammett appearing on the same song. But what I’ll be looking forward to next week is a pair a DVD’s that will be released, Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith and R. Kelly’s Trapped in the Closet: Chapters 1-12.

Other notable releases in the next couple weeks include more greatest hits Limp Bizkit, Beastie Boys, Motörhead, John Fogerty, Alanis Morissette and even a re-release of Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run and Mariah Carey’s The Emancipation of Mimi which I did a decent job ignoring the last time around hopefully I’ll do the same this time around. Also expect new albums with actual new songs by Neil Diamond, Madonna, Shakira, 50 Cent, a live album from the newly minted John Mayer Trio, and the debut of Jamie Foxx. And just when you think things can’t get any worse, the dude from Creed is releasing a solo album. God help us all.

My fall suggestions:

The Fix Is In

The NBA for along time has been accused of fixing games keeping lower market teams without any marketing stars like Milwaukee and Sacramento out of the later rounds to make room for storied franchises such as the Lakers and da Bulls. As a former basketball referee I am very familiar of how easy it is for a ref to fix a basketball game because you can basically call a foul at any given time to give a team an advantage without raising an eyebrow because there can be a foul called on any given play due to the amount of contact that goes on. Granted this hasn’t helped the league’s popularity as the NBA because since the alleged game fixing happened, the league has almost been passed in popularity by a bunch of rednecks turning left for hours at a time and a sport that hasn’t been played professionally for over a year. And it’s really doubtful any dress code will help. But it did lead to the entertaining “It’s retarded” blast by Tim Duncan. Keep in mind this is coming from a guy who actually spent four years in college.

With the NBA taking a dive after it’s alleged fixing, it not surprising that Bud Selig has taken the same approach to this year’s baseball playoffs. This guy has done so much to destroy baseball that I’m surprised that the MLB hasn’t been passed by a bunch of rednecks turning lefts for hours on end too. But for a used car salesman, what better story, after a year of steroid allegations, than to have yet another franchise win a World Series after a century of futility. But didn’t Selig see what happened after the cursed Red Sox won last year, the Baseball Gods, in the form of Congress, brought furry down on the game. Somewhat poetic though that the only team ever to fix a World Series would win their next World Series after the umpires fixed the games. Sadly “Say it ain’t so Doug Eddings” doesn’t have the same ring to it as “Say it ain’t so, Joe.”

I didn’t watch any of the American League playoffs asides from the highlights on Sportcenter and blindly gave the benefit of the doubt to the umpires being a former one myself. But all that changed after Jermaine Dye’s phantom hit by a pitch play. And Dye didn’t even pull an A.J. Pierzynski and bolt to first base afterwards to muddy things up. After the call, Dye looked as befuddled as everyone else watching. There is no way the umpire could have possibly not known it hit Dye’s bat. This of course loads the bases for the Sox’s best home run hitter. Now looking back to the called third strike and catcher’s interference plays I’m not so sure that was all coincidence that they both helped the Sox. Not too mention the very next inning after the Paul Konerko grand slam, Lance Berkman got punch out by a called third strike so far inside it left the broadcasters speechless followed by Morgan Ensburg looking at a low ball called for a second strike that led him swinging at a pitch out of the strike three to get him out too. And after the rant on the blown call doesn’t mean I’m on the instant replay bandwagon, I just think they need to get some competent umps that aren’t on the take behind the plate.

And it’s not the umpires helping out the White Sox either as the commissioner has blatantly helped out Chicago too. The biggest violation was having the Angels fly from New York to California to Chicago in three days time after a rainout pushed back the division series. Then take a look at the natural setup of the playoffs, had both League Championship Series went seven games, the AL champ would have still gotten one more day rest then the NL champ even though the AL winner already had the advantage of home field advantage from the lame “This year it counts” All-Star Game. Keep in mind the All-Star game already favors the AL as they have two less teams which means two less automatic spots going to potential less deserving players.

This whole thing smells so crooked they might as well have Don King promote these playoffs. I’m waiting for game seven, Astros down by one in the 9th and Willy Taveras and Chris Burke coming around to score in succession like in the Major League movie only to be met with a steel chair by the ump who then rips off his protective chest pad to reveal a White Sox jersey WWE style and then raising Pierzynski’s arm in victory while Joe Buck scream, “Oh my Gawd, I can’t believe my eyes, oh my Gawd.”

So the fix is in, the umpires are conspiring with Bud Selig to ensure a Chicago win.
But don’t count out the Astros too fast. If they can get ahead by a couple of run, it may be to hard for the umps to throw the game and with the Astros utilizing the Crawford Boxes this postseason with their opponents not getting one home run there and the natural advantage of having pitchers batting could lead to a Houston sweep at Minute Maid Park even with Backe (who has dominated St. Louis two years in a row at home) and hurt Roger Clemens/Wandy Rodriguez. For game five I’m hoping they pump Clemens with whatever performance enhancing drugs they put in Curt Shilling last year. That would then leave Oswalt and Pettitte to win one game back in Chicago.

And seeing Pierzynski playing for the first time I can now understand why everyone in baseball hates this guy. This guy is pumping his fist and celebrating on the field long before the last out has been recorded. I know this is a football phase, but I like to utilize it for all sport – “Act like you’ve been there before.” Instead Pierzynski is out there acting like a participant in the Little League World Series, not the Big League version. Pierzynski will be lucky if Clemens won’t be playing the rest of the Series because Roger is the type of old school guy who would plant a 95-fast ball upside his dome for pulling that kind of crap during a game.

The last baseball item I want to touch on is iTunes is running an offer of all the World Series participants’ favorite song (see the list for yourself). There are your usual agro-rock and gansta rap staples along with some country from the good ol’ boys of Houston. And Britney Spears. Seriously, Britney Spears. Out of all the songs ever made, White Sox reliever Damaso Marte chose Oops, I Did it Again. And baseball wants to fix the World Series so this guy can win. I really have nothing more to say after that.

We Can't Sing a Song with No Melody

Stevie Wonder has always been one of my favorite artist with Superstition hovering in my top five songs for a while. You can always here me listening to his songs from his early upbeat Motown era to his introspective funky seventies period. But like most people, I found most of his post seventies music to be less than memorable aside from his duet with Babyface on How Come, How Long. His new album A Time to Love, is better than most of his eighties record but he still doesn’t capture the greatness of his earlier work.

The closest Stevie gets to the seventies era is the album opener, If Your Love Cannot Be Moved. The song has a grandiose feel to it highlighted by gospel singer Kim Burrell trading lines with Stevie and a rhythm section straight out of Africa and a choir just adds to the song. But after the first song, Stevie reverts back to his eighties sappy love song stage with a string of run of the mill R&B songs such as Sweetest Somebody I Know and Blue Moon. The low point of the whole album is the extremely cheesy Passionate Raindrops.

But after that is the funky Tell Your Heart I Love You which puts the album back on track. There is also Please Don’t Hurt My Baby that also harkens back to his seventies period and also incorporates what sounds like a Roadrunner sample. Stevie ends A Time to Love with a string of songs that also come close to his earlier work starting with What the Fuss. The song features Prince on the guitar and En Vogue handling the backing vocals. In the song Stevie takes on anyone who doesn’t take responsible for themselves from the government to parents to addicts. Can’t Imagine Love without You is the only love song here that isn’t overly sappy.

The album ends much like it began with tribal beats, socially conscience lyrics, and guest vocals, this time by India Arie on the title track. Paul McCartney shows up over twenty years after Ebony and Ivory to add acoustic and electric guitars on the song. With the album coming in at well over an hour, Stevie could have shaved some of the weaker tracks, but as is, this album is still better than anything he has done in twenty-five years.

Song to Download – A Time to Love

A Time to Love gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

The End Is Near

There is nothing like the yearly release by the Parent Television Council that recommends what shows I should be watching. Of course when I say what I should be watching, I referring to the shows they put on their Worst Shows list. Ever since the very first list in 1997, the PTC has condemned such favorites of mine such as The Drew Carrey Show, Norm, Angel, Family Guy, and The Surreal Life including number one spots for Married with Children (1997), WWF Smackdown! (2000), Boston Public (2001), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2002), and Everwood (2004). Looking at the Best Shows list over the years, there have only been three shows I’ve watched regularly that made that list Smallville (twice), Joan of Arcadia, and American Dreams.

But looking at the Worst Shows list, the PTC might have actually gotten it right this year by putting The War at Home number one as it was one of the worst shows I’ve watched in a long time (see my review). Granted Family Guy made a return appearance along with first timers Desperate Housewives and Arrested Development making the list this year.

But the interesting aspect about this year’s Best Shows list is there is actually only nine shows on it this year. How sad is it when we have gotten to the point in our culture that the PTC can’t even find ten shows worth recommending? And looking at the list, number one is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, a show that was a spin-off of a show that advocated plastic surgery, American Idol (#3) a show built around some British dude insulting young people and another judge who allegedly has sex with numerous contestants, and Dancing with the Stars (#8) that featured a Playboy Playmate who had a wardrobe malfunction. Then at number five is Everybody Hates Chris. Who would ever think that the PTC would endorse anything that Chris Rock did? Or they would recommend a show that used multiple racial slurs? I’m may have to start believing the whole “The end is near” that the religious fanatics keep telling me about.

Check out the whole list - Parents Television Council Publications

Toss Up: Lost vs Veronica Mars week 4

This is when I usually do my toss up between toss up between the two best shows of last year that just happen to be at the same timeslot, Lost and Veronica Mars but I’m going to skip that this week on the basis that Lost sucked massively this week and just hand the award to Veronica Mars this week. After a finale that revealed nothing, Lost this season has gotten progressively worse throughout this season. The most recent stinkfest involved both Jin and Sun searching for something, in the past they were both looking for love which, duh, they would eventually do. Back on the island Jin was searching for Michael while Sun couldn’t find her wedding ring that lead to the worst metaphor of the show.

The only entertaining parts of the show was when Hurley asked Sun “Are you from the good Korea or the bad one?” and when Sawyer and Ana Lucia where trading barbs while asking about each other’s availability. But that was about it. The major problem was not with the lame storyline though; instead it was where was the token hot chick? They are only five episodes into the season and Shannon has been completely left out of two of them already and has been reduced to about one scene of the other episodes. Is it really that hard to scan her sunbathing while transitioning to another scene? Luckily my TV Guide (the new TV Guide, for the record, is the worst idea since New Coke. Like a wise man once said, “I fear change.”) said next weeks episode will be Shannon-centric so hopefully that will make up the lack of bikinis in this season so far.

The heart of the reason why Shannon has been lost in the shuffle this season is because the cast has ballooned up to rival that of Hen-Hur leaving a large chunk of the cast without any screen time. But that is going to change because in three weeks someone. Will. Be. Lost… Forever. So once again the preview of Lost was actually more interesting than the show itself. Yet most like the death will suck much like Boone’s demise. Do they not realize that Arnz’s death was much better TV not knowing it would happen as opposed to Boone’s who everyone realized he was going to die the moment he fell off the cliff, yet they devoted a whole hour afterwards anyways? And for anyone who doesn’t realize it yet, the death is in three week, but there will be a new episode next week, and presumable the week after that. Of course that’s if you trust the new (evil) TV Guide.

So here is my prediction, much like I predicted last season, Claire will be the one to die leaving Charlie in charge of her kid.

As for Veronica Mars, the show seemed to slow down for the first time this season. I thought it was odd that after last weeks dramatic ending of Big Dick fleeing in a helicopter that there wasn’t even a mention of it this week. Yet unlike Lost, who leaves multiple questions unanswered, that it will be brought up later. But the big reveal of the week was that the snooping dude from Chicago turned out to be Wallace’s dad. I don’t know how I didn’t see it coming when the dude mentioned to Keith that Alicia had something of his. The small hint of the week could have been revealed by Meg’s little sister saying that there was something on Meg’s secret computer that would make her parents pull the plug. I’m really hoping that Meg comes out of her coma sooner rather than later because that can only up the intensity, but I have a feeling it will happen later.

With Veronica getting her hand on a voice mail from the bus as it went over the edge along with Wallace and his father and possibly the returning Casablancas, Veronica Mars looks like it will be better than Lost next week especially when Lost is already looking ahead three weeks. Granted I won’t be watching either as they will coincide with Game 4 of the World Series, so I will watching both Thursday barring any VCR mishaps like the one that stopped recording Smallville 45 minutes in.

Come Back to Texas

After the Albert Pujols moonshot that essentially ended game 5, many o my friend asked if the loss was hard, but to be honest, that moment barley cracked my to 5 worse sport moments as my childhood was so bad, they named the failures: the fumble, the drive, the shot. To make matters worse, EPSN Classic shows these games every year on their anniversary. I really doubt they will be showing Game 5 this time next year. Although I have to admit I had nightmares of David Eckstien that night.

Unlike many blowhards, one thing that didn’t worry me since the homer was momentum. Momentum is just something created by sportswriters who can’t think of anything better to write about. Yeah after the shot, I really doubt the Astros would get the run back in the bottom of the ninth, but I didn’t think it would affect the team in the next games because of the two guys who didn’t play in game five, Roy Oswalt and Roger Clemens. And it turned out that I was right as Oswalt pitched the type of a game that basically punched his ticket to Cooperstown baring a Jose Lima type collapse in the future.

And no way should I have to debate whether Craig Biggio should be in the hall anymore. His number should have been enough along with his flawless transition from catcher to second base to center field to left field back to second. Now his clutch performance in the playoffs so far should solidify his induction. And because of the performance, Biggio is wiped from being third all-time in games played without a World Series appearance. Granted he shot to number one with a bullet on the list of most games played before their first World Series with Jeff Bagwell moving into third on the list. Ironically they samwitch Big Head Barry whose Monsters all seem to be going to jail on drug charges. Hope he’s stocked up on his flaxseed oil.

With two dominating performances, Roy Oswalt was the easy choice for the MVP but I think Tony LaRussa should get an honorable mention. How else can the best team in baseball lose to a team that should have been disbanded in June? The Cards were basically one rocket lancher away from losing in five games. Where Phil Garner changing the lineup multiple times to keep the hot hands in their, LaRussa keep his struggling stars at the top of the lineup. The most notable mistake was keeping the anemic Jim Edmonds and Larry Walker around Pujols. Through most of the series Pujols would come to bat with no one on because of Edmonds and then was left stranded because of Walker. Then LaRussa stubbornly still goes with the righty-lefty matchups which is the worst philosophy in baseball. Anyone who can only get out a certain type of batter shouldn’t be in the big leagues anyways. And look at some of his matchups. LaRussa continually brought in Julian Tavarez, the ugliest person in baseball, who Houston has owned in the last two playoffs to the point where Tavarez got so frustrated dude punches a telephone. So I’d like to thank LaRussa for being the most overrated manager in baseball. Hope you have fun golfing with Bobby Cox next week.

Looking ahead to the World Series, Garner has a big decision as what to do with the DH which he will have to utilize for as many as four games. In an interview last night Bagwell said he was off to petition of the job. That would make a great story, but having Lance Berkman might be a better choice. He’s been hurt too and then Garner won’t have to worry about benching Chris Burke, Willy Tavarez, or Mike Lamb and with those three in the field rather than Berkman would also be a better defensive lineup too. If Garner does go with Bagwell (this does set up a potential Kirk Gibson scenario), I’d go with Lamb being the odd man out because I don’t really trust Berkman’s knee to roam the outfield until they have the abbreviated left field in Houston.

One think that I’m really getting sick of is people talking about Chicago’s “big four.” Just because they can get a complete game doesn’t put them on par with Andy Pettitte, Oswalt, or Clemens. Plus the original Big Three don’t have to worry about going nine innings; all they need is six with Wheeler, Qualls, and Lidge concluding the final three innings. So the Big Three doesn’t have to worry about a pitch count and can waste a few pitches setting up the batters. The so-called “big four” doesn’t have that luxury because Houston can jump on the Sox relievers much like they did against Atlanta and St. Louis.

Prediction: Houston wins the series in Houston this time.


On another sports story hats off to New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin who is asking for the “Cleveland Plan” where they get rid of the owner but keep the name, colors, records, and the like. But as a Browns fan, may I recommend that you not make Butch Davis the coach of your new Saints if it happens.

Your Momma's Favorite Rapper

You will never be able to discuss rap without bringing up Run-DMC. With help from Rick Rubin, their rap-rock infusion brought hip-hop to the suburbs and could be named the first of almost any rap category. And even though many rappers are unable to find a second hit and sink into obscurity, Run-DMC was pumping out club bangers for over a decade. Sadly the group dissolved after the death of Jam Master J knowing that it wouldn’t be the same without Jay behind the turntables.

Now Run is back with his first solo album Distortion and a new moniker, Rev. And unlike every single rap album released over the past decade, there is no “featuring” after any song as it is just Rev Run, his mike, and a boat load of samples. The best sample is the Joan Jett guitars and scream from I Love Rock and Roll on Mind of the Road. The song and Run’s rapping are so perfectly interchanged that even the best mash-up artist couldn’t have done better. The other samples don’t quite knock the same punch though. Take a Tour takes from a Blondie song, but hearing Run with a girl singing the hook just sounds out of place. Even more out of place is the Lynyrd Skynyrd sample of Home Sweet Alabama. The song is a tribute to Jay but both are from Queens, no where near Alabama. Also throughout the album, there are samples hear and there from different Run-DMC classics.

The main problem with the album is that it is supposed to be a full length album, yet it clocks in at an even twenty-three minutes. So the full length album price tag is way too much and should be discounted as if it were an EP because I have a few EP that are even longer than this.

Song to Download – Mind on the Road

Distortion gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Hey, How Long 'till You Face What's Goin' On

Ashlee Simpson came to prominence solely because she had a show on MTV even though anyone who watched the show could easily tell she was tone deaf and many episodes focused on her poor performances in the studio. This point was amplified by the laughable performances at Saturday Night Live and the Orange Bowl to the point where Ashlee even had to hire a keyboard player who just happens to sing every word along with her. But thanks to Joe Simpson’s pact with the devil, Ashlee gets a second try with I Am Me.

The album starts off with the disturbingly entertaining Boyfriend coming off as the 2005 version of last years “I know I shouldn’t like it” song from last year, Since U Been Gone. The song bounces along on the uber-catchy guitar hook, and unlike Kelly, didn’t have to steal it from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. But what really makes the song is the so cheesy it becomes amusing “ha’s” that pepper the song much like the hand claps in Take the Money and Run.

Unfortunately the album doesn’t have a Behind These Hazel Eyes to accompany Boyfriend. The closest is the girl anthem L.O.V.E. The major problem with the song is what is supposed to be a chant along chorus sounds like she is saying “Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello VD.” Of course that phase could ruin any girl power moment. But then, maybe it was intended to sound like it, she was rumored to be dating the dude from That 70’s Show and he sluttied up every girl he’s came in contact with.

Lyrically the album is absurd most of the time. Occasionally they induce a good chuckle like when she is self defacing like in Boyfriend where she is confronted by a jealous girlfriend and Ashlee explains herself by saying “When I go home, I’m going home alone.” So basically she’s saying that not only could I not steal you boyfriend, I couldn’t pick any guy up. Her inability to land a guy continues on Dancing Alone which is reminiscent of Dancing with Myself (the song even sounds out of the 80’s) but without the underlining double entendre that made the Billy Idol song noteworthy. Then there is the ironic line in Boyfriend, “All the lies that you told, just to ease your own soul.” Oh but Ashlee, you are not bigger than that as you blame your drummer, your stomach, Saddam Hussein having WMD’s, and Doug Eddings.

The worst of the worst is Burning Up where Ashlee tries to moan her lyrics suggestively but it ends up sounding as alluring as Ned Beatty squealing like a pig in his underwear. The album also falters whenever they don’t mask Ashlee’s voice with a wall of sound. With only a piano accompanying her, Ashlee’s voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard. For Ashlee’s next album (God forbid) she may want to take another reality star turned pop star, Kelly Osbourne and go techno because the aggravated beats can cover up even the worst voices. And with her nappy extensions, she isn’t even Beautifully Broken like the song title say, she is just broken now.

Song to Download – Boyfriend

I Am Me gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Hey Hey Hey Goodbye

What better than having the opposing manager get thrown out during a playoff game; having an opposing player get tossed in the same game. And just what exactly did Jim Edmonds say to get tossed on a full count. Any lip readers out there catch what he said? It has been a very long time since I have seen someone get tossed in the middle of an at-bat. Also I sure hope I catch Tony LaRussa’s apology after catching the replay of Lance Berkman’s at-bat that got him tossed to see that each and every pitch was well out of the strike zone. Actually what I want to see more is LaRussa in the next installment of Dancing with the Stars because he did a nice two step with crew chief Tim McClelland during his tirade. But in the end, Phil Cuzzi might make us forget the call from the Sox-Angels game. (What was his name again?) The thing that bugged me was that during neither ejection did the PA announcer played the song (see title), isn’t that required by law to play whenever someone got ejected?

Then you have Phil Garner doing everything right in this series after some questionable moves in the 18-inning marathon (do you really think Garner had Chris Burke pinch run for Berkman in hopes he’d hit a walk off home run ten innings later?). But in this series you can look at the wins and great managing is the result of those wins. Obviously the best move is sticking Burke’s hot bat into the lineup. In three Burke starts in the postseason, three wins. He might have been silent last night, but he was instrumental it getting runs in the previous two wins. Although I thought the better choice would have been put Burke in for Lane who had been silent so far, but Lane’s run was what helped the Astros to the win last night, so Garner was right again.

So now the Houston Astros are one game away from their first World Series appearance ever. And with Pettitte, Oswalt, and Clemens starting the potential next three games and the Cardinals unraveling last night with multiple starters with one foot in the hospital, the odds are very good of that happening sooner than later. But it must be pointed out that the Cards beat the trio in three straight games coming out of the All-Star break so I’m not celebrating just yet.

The one thing that has worried me is Brad Lidge. After owning the Cards over the last two year with batters going 5-100 against him with no run, but the touched him up in game three and in all intents and purposes was saved from disaster by some bad base running by Albert Pujols and a great double play. This could be a Mariano Rivera against the Red Sox situation of the Cards seeing Lidge too much. Hopefully when the Astros are three-six outs away from the World Series, Lidge will shut the door.

Musings From the Back 9 vol. VIII

- Today is the nail in the coffin game for the Cards. If Brandon Backe can pull off some magic like he did last year when he shut down the Cards, then they would need to beat Pettitte, Oswalt, and Clemens in three straight games and with Walker, Sanders, and Nunez with one foot in the hospital, I really don’t see that happening.

- Speaking of Nunez going down, his replacement had the worst thrown I’ve ever seen since Rick Vaughn got glasses. Even Yao Ming wouldn’t have been able to catch that ally-oop with a ladder.

- Keeping with baseball I find it interesting that the elder Bush is not prominently shown during the Astro’s home games this playoff. Last year he and Barbra were right behind the plate and easily seen in every at bat. This year they are a little right of the plate with Barbra rarely getting in the picture. Do they have different seats this year? Did Fox change their camera angle last year for a subliminal advertising for his son down the campaign stretch?

- And I am glad I finally agree with the party of my youth, the Republicans, once again, Harriet Meiers is a horrible choose. Picking someone who ran gambling commission to a seat to the Supreme Court is like electing a cocaine addict as a president. And ripping Meiers in not sexist, every nominee goes through the ringer, not doing it to her would be sexist.

- On Tuesday look out for the review of the most anticipated album of the fall, Ashlee Simpson's I Am Me. Granted that is meant to be a joke, but looking at the list of albums slated for the next couple month's only Santana's latest star-studded peeks my interest. Of course the record indistry will instead blame downloaders on the poor sales that will likely happen instead of realizing that they are putting out a bad product.

- Search item of the week - cartoons making fun of homosexuals (Yahoo)

- Here are some hints for the remaining lyrics quiz (scroll down for the quiz itself)

2. If you dressed up like the song title, you will be dressing much like the artist, braided hair, guns, and some sticky-icky.

11. A couple of people have guessed the band but if you dress like the song title you most likely chaps and a 10-gallon hat. Oscars might make a good accessory too.

12. This real person who if you want to dress like, you would have a feather and a pipe on you.

17. Much like the costume at number 11, you would want a gun and hat. If you wanted to dress like the artist, not showering for a month should do it.

Lyrics Quiz - Halloween Ideas

With Halloween closely approaching, I thought I’d know off two birds with one stone and have a lyrics quiz where all the song titles doubling as suggestions for costumes to wear this Halloween. As always, leave your guesses, artist and title, in the comment section and if you are correct I will un-bold the lyric and give you credit. The person with the most points will be added to the winners list on my sidebar. Keep in mind all answer would make good Halloween costumes.


1. An invisible man sleeping in your bed. (Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr. guessed bu Jodie)
2. I think of all the education that I missed, but then my homework was never quite like this. (Hot for Teacher - Van Halen guessed by Christopher)
3. Everywhere you turn there’s vultures and thieves at your back. (Angel - Sarah McLachlan guessed by Kristen)
4. I was just guessing at numbers and figures pulling the puzzles apart. (The Scientist - Coldplay guessed by Kristen)
5. Now I’m not trying to floss, but murder was the case that they lost. (Doggfather - Snoop Doggy Dogg guessed by Dane Bramage)
6. Albert fallen on the sun, cracked his head wide open. (Einstein on the Beach (For a Eggman) – Counting Crows guessed by Cmmdtp)
7. If you want to call me baby, just go ahead now. (Two Princes - Spin Doctors guessed by Kristen)
8. In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. (Theme to the A-Team guessed by Angie)
9. Annie are you okay, are you okay Annie? (Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson guessed by Gina)
10. Cat Stevens was the greatest singer. (King of New Orleans - Better Than Ezra guessed by Dorna)
11. Hey happy, I’m feeling glad, I got sunshine in a bag, I’m useless but not for long, the future is coming on. (Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz guessed by Kristen)
12. She was spose to buy ya shorty Tyco with ya money. She went to the doctor got lipo with ya money. She walkin around lookin like Michael with ya money. (Gold Digger - Kanye West & Jamie Foxx guessed by Kristen)
13. On a canapé my stamina be enough for Pamela Anderson Lee. (Big Pimpin' - Jay-Z guessed by Kristen)
14. I’m not a martyr, I’m not a prophet, I won’t preach to you, but here’s a caution. (Cochise - Audioslave guessed by Dane Bramage)
15. If I finish all my chores and you finish thyne, then tonight we’re gonna party like it 1699. (Amish Paradise - "Weird Al" Yankovic guessed by Aden)
16. I’m the kinda G the little homies wanna be like on my knees in the night saying prayers in the street lights. (Gansta's Paradise - Coolio guessed by Gina)
17. I ain’t no G, I just a regular failure, I’m not straight outta Compton; I’m straight out the trailer. (Cowboy - Kid Rock guessed by Aden)
18. Bit by bit, torn apart, we never win but the battle wages on. (Toy Soldiers - Martika guessed by Gina)
19. What’s with these homies dissing my girl, why do they gotta front? (Buddy Holly - Weezer guessed by Kristen)
20. I’m only a man in a silly red sheet. (Superman (It's Not Easy) - Five for Fighting guessed by Cmmdtp)
21. 103 is forever when you’re just a little kid so Cyrus Jones lived forever. (Gravedigger - Dave Matthews guessed by Jodie)
22. He was a punk; she did ballet, what more can I say. (Sk8er Boi - Avril Lavigne guessed by Gina)
23. Jesus freaks out in the street, handing tickets out for God. (Tiny Dancer - Elton John guessed by Kristen)
24. He has a funky walk his western shirts and leather, always look so boss. (Macho Man - The Village People guessed by Cmmdtp)
25. Well I dreamt one morning and I woke up to see all the pepperoni pizza was a looking at me. (Lunchlady Land - Adam Sandler guessed by Jodie)

This months winner is Kristen, be sure to check out November 15 for the next lyrics quiz.

The New Killer B(urke) Strikes Again

There is nothing like going 3-4 in the playoffs with your last two at bats resulting in home runs, including a walk off home run to end a series, to get you in the starting lineup. So Chris Burke didn’t quite hit a home run in his first at bat against the Cardinals last night, but a triple would suffice. But thing did really look good with two outs the Cards intentionally walk Ausmus to get to the pitcher Oswalt. So manager, Phil Garner did something that no one expected, he sent the catcher on a steal attempt against one of the best pick-off combination of Mark Mulder and Yadier Molina. And it worked as it caught Molina so off guard that Molina forgot to catch the ball allowing Burke to score on the pass ball. Brilliant. All of the attention has been on Oswalt’s pitching, but if (I mean when) the Astros win the series; this is the play to look back on as the defining play of the series.

And Burke didn’t stop there. With the game still in reach and Berkman on third, the newest Killer B made the very first hit of the series for the Astros with runners in scoring position (they were 0-14) giving the team a cushion and then padded it a little more when he scored on an Adam Everett triple. So for those keeping track at home, Burke’s line in the playoffs so for reads as:

4-R
2-HR
4-RBI
.667-OBP
1.750-SLG
.625-AVG

Who needs Carlos Beltran? Hopefully Phil Garner keeps this kid in the lineup for the rest of the series because he has been money so far this postseason, well aside from his little mistake in what should have been a routine fly ball last night. But that misstep didn’t hurt the team in the end. And with the series tied up, it now becomes a best of five with the Astros with home field advantage. And in those five games you have potentially have Clemens going twice and Pettitte and Oswalt getting a start each. Oh and the other starter just happened to Brandon Backe who blanked the Cards in the postseason last year. And you also have Brad Lidge who can come in as early as the seventh and the Cards are currently 5-101 against Lidge for the last two years and has never given up a run in the playoffs. I really like the ‘Stros to make their first World Series ever.

As for the other series the big new is the umpire’s call in game 2. I fully support the umpire on “the call” and if Angel fan need someone to blame they need to look at the catcher. Every time I watch the game and there is a swinging third strike below the knees, the catcher always tags the batter even if it came nowhere near the ground as it was second nature and when the Angel’s catcher didn’t do this it just shows why he’s the third string catcher on the team.

As for the umpire’s mechanics, as an athlete I was always told to play until you hear a whistle and this is exactly why A.J. Pierzynski’s team won, he didn’t hear out so he kept playing, the catcher assumed the play was over so he stop playing and he team ended up losing. And there I no way the umpire is going to change his mind after the play. As a former umpire myself (granted I did beer league softball games where every ball is in the dirt) we had two rules 1) you are never wrong even when you know you are. Whenever I knew I was wrong after a play, I would never admit it, instead I would get a second opinion from other ump and hope he would reverse the call. 2) Try to make the game end early as possible. As an ump, we tend to get paid by the game no matter how long it goes so I sure that was in the back of the ump’s mind knowing an out call makes it go to extra inning and with an 18 inning marathon in recent memory, I doubt Blue wanted that to happen again.

Now with the controversy, there was been talk of instant replay. This is the worst idea to end all bad ideas. The great thing about sports is the human error. It was drive male conversation the next day, case in point, the latest controversy. Look how much debate that play has brought. Now if there was instant replay in baseball that is much like that in football, the play would have ended up standing due to inconclusive results. Then no one would be talking about the game at all the next day.

Even worse is when these machines screw up. I remember a couple years ago, late in the game, the Browns were driving down the field needing a touchdown to beat the Titans ion a must win foe the Browns to keep their playoff hopes alive. On fourth down, Northcutt made a catch inside the ten afterwards the Browns hurried to the line to spike the ball and stop the clock because there were out of time outs. After the Brown spiked the ball, the refs announced that they were going back and reviewing the previous catch by Northcutt even though in the rules state a play cannot be reviewed after the next play has been ran. But the ref blamed a mistake by the computer and overturned the Northcutt play and since that play was on fourth down the Titans got the ball and the game essentially was over and so were the Browns playoff hopes. And in true Browns fashion, beer bottles were thrown onto the field and the incident is the reason the NFL no longer sell beer bottles at the game. So to all the pro-instant replay fanatics out there, the computers can be wrong too and if something goes wrong, I would much rather blame human error than a computer one.

Toss Up: Lost vs Veronica Mars week 3

Week three of Lost vs. Veronica Mars although I must admit I didn’t watch either as I was watching another match up - Astros vs. Cardinals. Unfortunately the bad guys won and I totally blame the chick who called at the exact same time as Reggie Sanders hit his homerun. Needless to say that turned out to be a bad conversation (note to self: unplug the phone tonight). So I had to spend all day avoiding any kind of discussion of either shows as not to ruin anything. Luckily I made it through the day without anything majored being revealed. So onto this week’s showdown (and for those that missed the first season of Veronica Mars, it came out on DVD this week so make sure you buy it, rent it, borrow it, steal it, whatever, just get your hands on a copy):

Last Week’s Preview (Redux)
Lost: A big let down as it turned out that Jin speaking English was only a dream. And while I’m on the subject, who can Hurley dream in Korean if he can’t speak it?
Veronica Mars: At the end of the show Veronica still thinks she is the reason the bus crashed (I’m still skeptical). Winner: Veronica Mars

The Police
Lost: Claire finds a Message in a Bottle (I guess she’s not alone at being alone).
Veronica Mars: The answer is still no; Veronica won’t go to prom with Sheriff Lamb.
Winner: Lost

Angel Reunion
Lost: Evil lawyer Gavin Park turns out to only speak Korean is joined by evil law firm boss who turned out to be Rose’s very white husband.
Veronica Mars: High Being Cordelia reverts back to her Sunnydale ways and will soon be joined by the gas pumping creator of Angel.
Winner: Lost

Time Filler
Lost – There was an extended montage of Hurley passing out food.
Veronica Mars – Veronica passes by an extended karaoke version of Love Hurts.
Winner: Veronica Mars

Ability to Impress
Lost: Hurley passes out the food to everyone to keep on their good side only to backfire when everyone blames him that the food runs out early (okay, I’m only predicting the last part).
Veronica Mars: Beaver proves to his dad that his trophy wife is cheating on him only for the PI (Veronica) to also uncover he is screwing over his investors too. (I’m predicting that this was Kendall’s master plan to begin with.)
Winner: Veronica Mars

Alpha Male Beatdown
Lost: Sawyer gets a roundhouse right from the chick from Girlfight.
Veronica Mars: Logan gets pummeled for a veiled reference about Duncan’s love making skill.
Winner: Lost

Did You Notice?
Lost: Hurley’s boss at the Chicken place was Locke’s boss at the box company (I did).
Veronica Mars: The dude from the crash site was the same dude who washed up on the beach (I didn’t).
Winner: Lost

Love Quadrangle
Lost: After being hit by Ana Lucia, Sawyer seems to be smitten by her which sets up the love quadrangle I predicted last season between them and Jack and Kate.
Veronica Mars: None although I hope that Meg comes out of her coma to hook up with Logan.
Winner: Lost

Intangibles
Lost: Hurley’s buddy was played by the uber-nerd from Road Trip.
Veronica Mars: Veronica impersonates Mr. Burns and Big Gay Al.
Winner: Veronica Mars

So Lost is the winner this week, nothing like a Hurley-centric episode for the show to get back on track. On for all you lost fans be sure to check out: http://www.thehansofoundation.org/ then check out https://www.thehansofoundation.org/ then please leave a comment in the comment section and tell me what exactly these are and what is with the licenses.

Next Week
Lost: We may get to learn more about the Others.
Veronica Mars: Apparently Veronica will overlook that she may have caused the bus crash to take on a new case.
Early Winner: Lost

I Wish the Real World Would Stop Hassling Me v.2

The latest installment of The Surreal Life has finally ended and I am convinced that between that and E!’s Kill Reality that we a closing in to the very first reality fatality. The only question is if it will be manslaughter or an overdose, granted Ruthie came very close to it a few years back in the Hawaii version of The Real World. And faster than the last cast could slap lawsuits on each other, a new batch of surreal lifers have been named. Can any of the newbies beat a coked out Janice or the top 10 greatest TV moment of Mini Me peeing in a corner naked two season’s ago. Here are the has-beens that will try:

Sherman Helmsley is best known as George Jefferson. I’m a huge fan of Helmsley and am still mad at BET for no longer carrying that and his other television classic Amen. As the lone African-American, one can only hope the word “cracker” is uttered by him at least five times an episode. He will be playing the role of token washed up actor (Emmanuel Lewis, Erik Estrada, Dave Coulier, Christopher Knight, Bronson Pinchot).

Steve Harwell is responsible for forever having songs like All-Star and Walkin' on the Sun forever burned on our brain. He will be playing the role as the token washed up singer (Vince Neil, Jordan Knight)

CC DeVille is the coked up guitarist for Poison and if anyone saw the Behind the Music for the band can tell that CC is clinically insane which is perfect for The Surreal Life. He will be playing the role of the token insane person (Corey Feldman, Ron Jeremy, Brigitte Nielsen, Joanie Laurer, Janice Dickenson).

Tawny Kitaen, for anyone who grew up in the 80’s was best known for being the hot hood ornament in the Whitesnake video. For people who grew up in the 90’s will remember as the ugly chick that beat up Indians pitcher Chuck Findley with her shoe. Dare I say she will be the token mother figure (Gabrielle Carteris, Tammy Faye Bakker, Charo, Jane Wiedlin)

Andrea Lowell is billed as “Playboy TV’s” so she basically is the token hot chick with no resume (Brande Roderick, Traci Bingham, Marcus Schenkenberg, Caprice Bourret)

But the highlight of the season will be the house member that defies any classification, Alexis Arquette. (S)he is the cross-dressing brother/sister to David, Rosanna and Patricia. I’m fully expecting a Mimi-Me moment out of him/her.

There is another guest the VH1 is hyping as a mystery hunk to be chosen from a pool of reality shows to fill up the token reality star and my sources say it will be Mavin of the MTV/WWE reality show, Tough Enough. Apperently he wasn’t as he recently got cut by the wrestling company. Whoever I is will be following in the steps of Jerri Manthey, Trishelle Cannatella, Ryan Starr, Adrianne Curry, and Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth.


And it seems like VH1 likes to make reality shows from former surreal lifer (Strange Love, My Fair Brady) one can only hope they follow Jancie and Omarosa into the court room. For this cast I see Alexis in a Crying Game type show with CC not realizing (s)he’s a dude. I am a little disappointed that the producers didn’t choose any of the has-beens that I suggested last time, so here again are my suggestions for the next cast of the Surreal Life (feel free to leave your fantasy cast in the comments section):

Token washed up actor - The dude not named Paul Reiser on My Two Dads

Token hot chick with no resume - The Playmate of the Year that was arrested for fighting over Jeff Garcia

Token mother figure - Suzanne Somers

Token insane person - The other Corey, Corey Haim

Token reality star - Tonya from Real World, Kill Reality

Token rapper - Mr. I Wish, Skee-Lo

Token washed up musician - Hootie, which would be the next logical step from the Burger King ad

Will You Let Me Romanticize

Last year, Jamie Cullum released a jazzy album, Twentysomething, which was very reminiscent of a male version of Norah Jones but with a little more of an edge. Well that and less album sales and Grammys. And to take the comparison a little further, Jones went on to collaborate with Outkast while Cullum’s latest album, Catching Tales was produced by Pharrell of the Neptunes. Coincidently, Cullum, covered Pharrell’s Frontin' on his last album.

Pharrell’s influence isn’t evident in the beats as Catching Tales is still piano heavy just like Cullum’s previous outing, but the pianist does seem have more of a swagger this time around especially on the album opener, Get Your Way, a breezy song highlighted by a horn section straight out of the bag band era. The closest the album comes to a hip-hop beat is an acoustic riff on the last song, My Yard that closely resembles an Usher song.

The stand out tracks on his last album were the eclectic cover song like the previous mentioned Frontin' along with Radiohead’s High and Dry and Jimi Hendrix’s The Wind Cries Mary all arranged to fit Cullum’s jazzy background. There are a few more covers on this album starting with the old Flamingo’s classic, I Only Have Eyes for You which doesn’t sound quite right without the “Sho-wop, sho-wop’s.” Cullum also take a stab at a sadly overlooked gem, Catch the Sun by the Doves, which Cullum does a little better at, but you still should check the original sometimes.

Even though Cullum usually does a very good job at covering other artist song, he does a good job creating his own songs. Keeping with the cocksure he seemed to inherit from Pharrell, there’s also Nothing I Do. The song is about not being able to impress that one special girl but that doesn’t stop you from trying. The best part of the song is the line, “Yesterday I called you back and you called me a stupid twat.” Excuse me for going into Butthead mode, but, “Ha, ha, he said ‘twat.’” He even has the gall to end the song with a whistle solo yet somehow still making it sound cool.

Song to Download – Get Your Way

Catching Tales gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Hey, How Long Till the Music Drowns You Out?

Ashlee Simpson’s take 2 on Saturday Night Live has come and gone and for some reason, I felt inclined to watch it yet again. Yeah she actually sang, but that’s not necessarily a good thing for her. I also love the new keyboardist who has been added to her band after her tone deaf performance during the Orange Bowl last year singing every single word along with her. After Saturdays poor performance I wouldn’t be surprised it the make the keyboardist a little louder on her next live performance. And even though she didn’t pull out the jig again she still performs like a contestant in a middle school talent show.

The sad thing is that the writers did nothing to poke fun at last year’s debacle at any time during the performance as if it never happened. Seriously the joke wrote itself and most likely would have been funnier than anything else on the show. The Kanye West and Mike Myers bit was the funniest part of the show last week, why not try it again? And herein lies the problem of this season of SNL – no Tina Fey. She has carried the show in recent years as the head writer and the best Weekend Update anchor since Norm McDonald. And with Fey and Maya Rudolf out with babies, why did they not bring in new females to the cast this year. Now we are stuck with a solid Amy Poehler and a not very funny Rachael Dratch to carry the load and sadly, I’m sure we’ll see a lot of Horatio Sanz in a dress this year. Speaking of the guy who break characters so much he makes Jimmy Fallon look professional, how did Sanz get to take Fey’s spot at the Update desk? I am now convinced that he has something over Loren Michaels. And surely it doesn’t help when you bring in hosts that simply are not funny like the dude from Napealon Dynamite. Then later they are bringing in Chatherine Zeta-Jones and Lance Armstrong, and so it won’t get much better.

But with all the trash talk of Ashlee, I do have a confession to make – I actually like the Boyfriend song. And it’s not like LaLa that was entertaining when hearing it sung by an old dude at karaoke kinda way either (you have not lived until you heard my version). When she continually yells “ha” just adds the cheese factor to the point it’s entertaining. And after going threw her ugly black hair period, she actually looked hot in the video too. Granted I have a theory only the most beautiful girls in the world can pull off dark hair yet just anyone can look hot with blonde. The quick editing hide her bad dancing and when she slaps her butt during her many “ha’s” makes me laugh every time. But the best part of the video is how anemic the drummer looks every time the camera is on as if he just came back from a lobotomy. You can almost hear his inner voice saying “This is what my career has come to – drumming for the least credible artist since Milli Vanilli.” Unfortunately, Ashlee when with the killed any buzz she gain by going blonde with the weird hair extensions she was sporting on SNL.

One quick baseball note, I mentioned yesterday that it looked like the Berkman grand slam and Burke walk off home run were hit in the same place and apparently I was right as the same guy caught both balls. Somebody better give that guy season tickets for life for coming up with both balls that should make their way to Cooperstown someday.

The New Killer B(urke)

I was planning on ripping Ashlee Simpson’s latest poor outing on Saturday Night Live, but I was sidetracked today by the six hour, eighteen inning playoff game between the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves. After being down 6-1 in the bottom of the eighth, one of longtime killer B, Lance Berkman hit a grand slam into the Crawford Boxes to get within a run. Then in the bottom of the 9th, down to their last out, Brad Ausmus tied up the game with a home run that was so close to the yellow line, ever time they replayed it at regular speed, I couldn’t see it hit above it. Major props to the umpire that had the great eye to see it. Then after that score, there was essentially a second game play as the game went another nine innings after that. There were some close plays on both sides with Luke Scott coming within inches of a walk off homerun in the 10th and the Braves left them loaded in the 14th. In the end, the box score ended up looking like that of an all-star game with all the switches to the roster with all but one position player not getting into the game. The Astros even had four different players at first base and Eric Bruntlett coming in the eighth as a short shop only to move to center field the back to short only to end the game at center.

The ending finally came after Rodger Clemens coming in to pinch hit in the 15th and follow that up with three scoreless innings. Then in the bottom of the 18th, after Clemens struck out, the newest killer B, Chris Burke hit a ball into the Craford Boxes, almost exactly in the same place Berkman, who Burke pinch ran for way back in the 10th, ten innings earlier for the walk off home run. And just like that, the longest playoff game ever was over.

Now the Astros will travel to St. Louis to start that series on Wednesday. So much for Lost and Veronica Mars (hopefully it will be an early start and won’t go 18 innings). With Pettitte starting game one with Clemens and Oswalt to follow and in a possible seven game series, having those guys on the mound for most likely six of the games, I am very confident that the Astros can make it to the World Series this year. I really hope Carlos Beltran is having fun watching this from his multimillion dollar couch.