A member of our game group received his copy of Hannibal Rome vs. Carthage on Monday of this week. We had a chance to sit down with it last night and go through the rules and play about 2 turns of a learning game.
First let me talk about the components. The counter stock is really thick and all the counters fell right out of the frames, so very little to no "flashing" on the edges. All of the cardboard components are top notch. The game board comes in 10 jigsaw puzzle style pieces that when put together make for a very nice looking map of the Mediterranean area. The board has lots of charts on it that help speed up game play, although the attrition chart has a misprinted die roll modifier on it. All the city spots on the board have names printed on both sides so that both players can see the names. The biggest problem I have with the board is that each province on the map is made up of several cities, and in order to be in "control" of a province you must have a minimum number of the cities within it under your control. The only problem is that number is not printed on the board. So you have to keep looking in the rulebook to see if you have enough or not.
The cards which are the most the used component of the game are made of very high quality linen stock and seem like they will hold up to years of play. Which is good because they will be shuffled quite a bit. The artwork is very well done on them, and the text is very readable.
The rule book is laid out fairly well. The names of all the components are laid out at the beginning of the book and then those terms are used throughout the rulebook. This helps to keep everything consistent. There is also a player aid that I'm assuming is to highlight important details related to the actual game play in order to keep rulebook thumbing to a minimum. Well you might as well just throw that player aid away, it has no turn order chart. It lacks pretty much all the information you need to look up, and yet it is so cluttered with text you can't find the few useful things that it does have on it. One other little problem that bugs me a bit more than most I'm sure. The game comes with two custom six sided dice, one with Roman numerals on the faces for the Roman player. The other with Phoenician numerals for the Carthaginian player. The Roman die has proper numbers on the faces, meaning the sum of any two opposite faces is 7. Well the Carthaginian die has the faces laid completely randomly. That kind of bugs me, you go through all the trouble to make this special die, which forces the printing of chart so that you know which number is which. And you can't be bothered to get the faces right. Grrrr
Now for the game play, for anyone that has played We the People, or Twilight Struggle, or Paths of Glory, or any of the other "card driven war games" you will find the game play very familiar. Each side is given a hand of cards, these cards have an event printed on them that works for either the Roman, the Carthaginian, or both. The cards also have a number value from one to three. You may play a card for the number and use it to move a general with some troops, or place some political control markers on the map, or for some reinforcements. You may also play the card for it's event if it applies to your side. Pretty simple stuff, the goal of the game is to have the more provinces under your control at the end of the game than your opponent. Or if you are Carthage to conquer Rome, and for Rome you need to conquer Carthage, these are instant win conditions if either of those cities fall Rome or Carthage will win.
So as far as the few turns of learning I did last night. Well, I chose to play Carthage, I decided based on the hand of good cards that I had that I would take Hannibal who starts in Spain all the way through France and cross the Alps into northern Italy. And as I was making my way I would try to seize some of the northern Italian provinces and gain a little on the Romans. Well Hannibal had a couple of very strong victories just after crossing the Alps and with Rome in sight I got greedy. I decided to launch a siege on Rome, which as you might think can be quite hard. I managed to get a siege going though, but on the next turn the Italian consular army came and wiped out Hannibal and his men. It was all very downhill from there. But I have gained a bit from these two turns and they served the purpose of seeing the system in work and getting an idea of how all the game mechanics work together, and next time we should be able to play the whole war.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Collection of early folk music source material
I found this book while kicking around Wikipedia today. It seems to contain a lot of ballads that would later become American Folk songs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Ballads
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_Ballads
Saturday, October 20, 2007
The American music tradition
I've been spending a LOT of time with Bob Dylan's music lately. I've always had respect for Bob, although I never real dug that deeply into his catalog. I've been digging about as deep as I can as of late, scouring the internets for bootlegs and rare live outtakes. Listening to Bob really does something to you, he's a living text book of American music. He has the tradition of American music within him, no, he has become American music tradition. You can hear it in the songs, he's not trying to sound like early folk, or early blues, or country, he just does. It really is like the music flows through him, like he's a conduit for it. It's effortless, you can hear it in every note. Nothing is strained, if you listen to Bringing it All Back Home, you will hear almost everything to come in contemporary popular song. And he does this all in a manner that sounds like it was meant to be the this way. Like the album simply had to be made and was waiting for the right person to make it. Like the music chose Bob, and not the other way around. The very man who refused to be defined by the expectations that his audience had for him, has become such a huge icon of American music.
I was listening to Woody Guthrie well before I started my exploration of Dylan's work, I was also very familiar with the early blues and rootsy traditions of Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, and Son House. I've always had a fascination with hearing something a little older and more influential than the last thing I had heard. I loved trying to get to the roots of this American music tree and then winding my way up through the little branches and leaves that spread out from it. You end up at so many wonderful places, garage rock, psych rock, punk rock, indie rock hip-hop, they are all so deeply rooted in the traditions and spirit and exuberance of early American music. As you wander the path you find very few artists that seem to carry a little bit of each progression that music made on it's way to them. Woody had it, Bob has it. I feel like Lou Reed has it, Patty Smith has it. Allen Ginsberg has it. But, to me the one guy who has it over everybody except for Bob, is Jack White. That man really is a walking American songbook. He lives it, and breathes it, and speaks it. And he does know his song well before he starts singing.
It's a little embarrassing the way I learned about the White Stripes. I'm not ashamed to tell the story though, I saw the video for Hotel Yorba on MTV2. There it is I learned of the White Stripes after they were already in MTV. Sad, I know. But sometimes you just miss stuff. But, when I went back and listened to their first album I was blow away. Here was this kid, playing with only drum accompaniment doing Robert Johnson and "Blind" Willie Johnson covers. He had balls, huge ones. Jack has a "Basement Tape" in him somewhere, I want him to sit down and play everything he knows from the American tradition and record it and release it. The music flows through Jack, he doesn't have to force anything, he is American music.
I've gotten myself into such a strange space, I want to spend a year or two in a room with a record player and whatever record I need to listen to at that moment. I don't need to eat or sleep or talk to anyone. I just need to immerse myself in the amazingness of the American sonic tradition. I want to hear it all, country tearjerkers, sonic room filling jazz, slave songs, hopscotch songs, field hollers, gospel calls, protest folk, blues, all of it. Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Gram Parsons, Beck, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, Eddie Cochrane, Buddy Holly, Ike Turner, Phil Spector, The Band, Chuck Berry, Led Zeppelin, Little Richard, Nirvana, The Flaming Lips, Brian Wilson, Sonic Youth, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Black Lips, Miles Davis. I want to hear them all I want to sit and make connections, piece it all together like a quilt. A sonic quilt that can wrap us all up and keep us warm with musical salvation. Rock 'n' Roll has the power to destroy evil, it helped to destroy racial divides. Woody Guthrie would write on all his guitars that "this machine kills fascists" and I believe him. Grab something powerful from your music collection this weekend and put it on, play it really loud, yell along with the lyrics. Let it free you.
I was listening to Woody Guthrie well before I started my exploration of Dylan's work, I was also very familiar with the early blues and rootsy traditions of Robert Johnson, Leadbelly, and Son House. I've always had a fascination with hearing something a little older and more influential than the last thing I had heard. I loved trying to get to the roots of this American music tree and then winding my way up through the little branches and leaves that spread out from it. You end up at so many wonderful places, garage rock, psych rock, punk rock, indie rock hip-hop, they are all so deeply rooted in the traditions and spirit and exuberance of early American music. As you wander the path you find very few artists that seem to carry a little bit of each progression that music made on it's way to them. Woody had it, Bob has it. I feel like Lou Reed has it, Patty Smith has it. Allen Ginsberg has it. But, to me the one guy who has it over everybody except for Bob, is Jack White. That man really is a walking American songbook. He lives it, and breathes it, and speaks it. And he does know his song well before he starts singing.
It's a little embarrassing the way I learned about the White Stripes. I'm not ashamed to tell the story though, I saw the video for Hotel Yorba on MTV2. There it is I learned of the White Stripes after they were already in MTV. Sad, I know. But sometimes you just miss stuff. But, when I went back and listened to their first album I was blow away. Here was this kid, playing with only drum accompaniment doing Robert Johnson and "Blind" Willie Johnson covers. He had balls, huge ones. Jack has a "Basement Tape" in him somewhere, I want him to sit down and play everything he knows from the American tradition and record it and release it. The music flows through Jack, he doesn't have to force anything, he is American music.
I've gotten myself into such a strange space, I want to spend a year or two in a room with a record player and whatever record I need to listen to at that moment. I don't need to eat or sleep or talk to anyone. I just need to immerse myself in the amazingness of the American sonic tradition. I want to hear it all, country tearjerkers, sonic room filling jazz, slave songs, hopscotch songs, field hollers, gospel calls, protest folk, blues, all of it. Buffalo Springfield, The Byrds, Gram Parsons, Beck, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Waylon Jennings, Eddie Cochrane, Buddy Holly, Ike Turner, Phil Spector, The Band, Chuck Berry, Led Zeppelin, Little Richard, Nirvana, The Flaming Lips, Brian Wilson, Sonic Youth, Wilco, My Morning Jacket, Black Lips, Miles Davis. I want to hear them all I want to sit and make connections, piece it all together like a quilt. A sonic quilt that can wrap us all up and keep us warm with musical salvation. Rock 'n' Roll has the power to destroy evil, it helped to destroy racial divides. Woody Guthrie would write on all his guitars that "this machine kills fascists" and I believe him. Grab something powerful from your music collection this weekend and put it on, play it really loud, yell along with the lyrics. Let it free you.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Manny says who cares about ALCS
Manny Ramirez told a bunch of reporters at a news conference after losing game 4 of the ALCS to go down 3-1 in the series, "If we don't do it, we'll come back next year and try again. If it doesn't happen, who cares? There's always next year. It's not the end of the world."
The reaction has been crazy. He also celebrated a solo home run, that merely cut a lead, as though it was a game winning walk off shot. All this has many people in the press up in arms. I had a lot of thoughts on this story. Mostly to do with the fact that the Red Sox have made a bunch of moves for some high dollar players that haven't jack in the post season. And yet Manny has hit .429 with 4 home runs, one of them a series winning walk off, and 11 RBIs. Yet he is going to get heat for saying something after the game.
Dan Wetzel from Yahoo sports said it all a lot better than I could have though. So I will just link to his article. Good stuff.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ail77i7Y65z5hm1seOhTUDcRvLYF?slug=dw-manny101707&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
The reaction has been crazy. He also celebrated a solo home run, that merely cut a lead, as though it was a game winning walk off shot. All this has many people in the press up in arms. I had a lot of thoughts on this story. Mostly to do with the fact that the Red Sox have made a bunch of moves for some high dollar players that haven't jack in the post season. And yet Manny has hit .429 with 4 home runs, one of them a series winning walk off, and 11 RBIs. Yet he is going to get heat for saying something after the game.
Dan Wetzel from Yahoo sports said it all a lot better than I could have though. So I will just link to his article. Good stuff.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ail77i7Y65z5hm1seOhTUDcRvLYF?slug=dw-manny101707&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Friday, October 5, 2007
Now he puts the Lou in Loser.
What the hell happened to "sweet" Lou Piniella? He's one of the greats. He won a World Series in 1990 with the Reds, and has been back to the post season 5 times since. But in game one of his Cub's NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks he made the same mistake he would have been slamming from the announcers booth last year. Instead of playing each game as it's own game he started thinking about a game that might not even get played.
He had his ace on the mound, Carlos Zambrano. He was pitching a strong game, he was locked in a 1-1 tie, he had just retired 9 of the last 11 he had faced. Then without warning, in the sixth inning, after only 85 pitches, sweet Lou pulls him. The next batter at the plate hits the game winning home run.
Lou would later say in the post game press conference that he wanted Zambrano fresh should he need him again in a "potential" game 4. Someone forgot to tell Lou that on the schedule for the series it says "if necessary" next to games 4 and 5. If you win game 1 that forces the other guys to worry about making game 4 happen. You don't need to worry about that game till it happens. Win the game that you're playing, not the one you may or may not have to play.
Of course if the Cubs had won the game, and then needed to play a game 4 everyone, myself included would have been calling Sweet Lou a managerial genius. Such is life when you take risks. He said he had faith in his bullpen, that they have been there for him all year. But, the post season is different, games are won and lost on momentum swings, and pulling a pitcher who has the other team funked, for no reason sends a message. The Cub's players and the Diamondback's players got that message loud and clear. The Cub's were slumped over on the field, they were defeated. They felt like they had the game, they had their best man on the mound, he had his best stuff. Many D'backs players were quoted after the game saying that they thought it was Zambrano's game. They weren't quite sure why Piniella pulled him, but they sure were happy he did.
The Cubs lost game 2 in Arizona as well, and they sure look like the will be ending yet another fruitless run at the title that has eluded them for 99 years. It turns out Lou might have been saving Zambrano's arm for the 2008 opener.
He had his ace on the mound, Carlos Zambrano. He was pitching a strong game, he was locked in a 1-1 tie, he had just retired 9 of the last 11 he had faced. Then without warning, in the sixth inning, after only 85 pitches, sweet Lou pulls him. The next batter at the plate hits the game winning home run.
Lou would later say in the post game press conference that he wanted Zambrano fresh should he need him again in a "potential" game 4. Someone forgot to tell Lou that on the schedule for the series it says "if necessary" next to games 4 and 5. If you win game 1 that forces the other guys to worry about making game 4 happen. You don't need to worry about that game till it happens. Win the game that you're playing, not the one you may or may not have to play.
Of course if the Cubs had won the game, and then needed to play a game 4 everyone, myself included would have been calling Sweet Lou a managerial genius. Such is life when you take risks. He said he had faith in his bullpen, that they have been there for him all year. But, the post season is different, games are won and lost on momentum swings, and pulling a pitcher who has the other team funked, for no reason sends a message. The Cub's players and the Diamondback's players got that message loud and clear. The Cub's were slumped over on the field, they were defeated. They felt like they had the game, they had their best man on the mound, he had his best stuff. Many D'backs players were quoted after the game saying that they thought it was Zambrano's game. They weren't quite sure why Piniella pulled him, but they sure were happy he did.
The Cubs lost game 2 in Arizona as well, and they sure look like the will be ending yet another fruitless run at the title that has eluded them for 99 years. It turns out Lou might have been saving Zambrano's arm for the 2008 opener.
Radiohead's going all Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
With their contract at Capitol expired, and no new label signed to, Radiohead is selling their new album, In Rainbows, out 10/10/07 only through their website. The price, whatever you feel like paying. That's right give them whatever you feel the music yr. downloading is worth. Even zero dollars will get you the download. I think this is a bold move for them, but given the fan base they have I think they will still move lots of "units". They had an album debut at number one on Billboard with no radio singles after all.
So will the success of this album prompt other artists who would rather not be on a label, but possess large devoted fan bases to throw off the constraints of the music machine and sell their art for whatever people are willing to pay. I could see R.E.M. doing something like this in the near future, although they seem to need a producer present to make the most of their music, and those will usually take corporate money to hire.
This also raises the question of sales tracking, will the album be on the Billboard charts? Will these sales be tracked? Could this be the future of digital music? Will bands start making music in their own studios and then distribute it online in form of pay what you want DRM free MP3s? Would such a thing be good for music in general? Image would start to play less of a factor. A band would have to establish a fan base through touring, or the wonder of myspace music.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah did this very thing with their first album, which is quite good by the way. They built a fan base through myspace and other online "salons" and released an album that was self published and sold only through their website. They were able to move 50,000 units simply through live shows, online word of mouth, as well as real life word of mouth. Quite a feat in this day and age of mass produced and prepackaged garbage music.
I am quite excited to see what will happen with this Radiohead launch, I think they will do quite well. The industry will ignore it, and in 3 or 4 years when CD sales have reached even new lows, and the disposable music they are trying to cram down yr. throats no longer excites even the preteens that they are trying so desperately to get hooked on it. They will say how much illegal downloads of music and all sorts of other BS is killing the industry.
So will the success of this album prompt other artists who would rather not be on a label, but possess large devoted fan bases to throw off the constraints of the music machine and sell their art for whatever people are willing to pay. I could see R.E.M. doing something like this in the near future, although they seem to need a producer present to make the most of their music, and those will usually take corporate money to hire.
This also raises the question of sales tracking, will the album be on the Billboard charts? Will these sales be tracked? Could this be the future of digital music? Will bands start making music in their own studios and then distribute it online in form of pay what you want DRM free MP3s? Would such a thing be good for music in general? Image would start to play less of a factor. A band would have to establish a fan base through touring, or the wonder of myspace music.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah did this very thing with their first album, which is quite good by the way. They built a fan base through myspace and other online "salons" and released an album that was self published and sold only through their website. They were able to move 50,000 units simply through live shows, online word of mouth, as well as real life word of mouth. Quite a feat in this day and age of mass produced and prepackaged garbage music.
I am quite excited to see what will happen with this Radiohead launch, I think they will do quite well. The industry will ignore it, and in 3 or 4 years when CD sales have reached even new lows, and the disposable music they are trying to cram down yr. throats no longer excites even the preteens that they are trying so desperately to get hooked on it. They will say how much illegal downloads of music and all sorts of other BS is killing the industry.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Foot Foot Gamers Retreat 2007
So what began as a half baked idea to spend a weekend by the water with no one around but gamers, playing games, drinking, eating, and having a general good time has just ended it's second year.
I never thought in a million years I would be able to pull the first retreat off, and when I did I thought for sure it was a fluke. Something that happened purely by luck. There was no way that a bunch of grown men with jobs and kids and SOs back home could ever get away from it all and blow off some steam for a whole weekend doing something with such a perceived juvenile air as gaming. Who in their right mind would let us all do that? And, now after year 2 I must say that the people I have decided to game with, are some pretty dedicated fellas. We had guys who came all the way from New York and Virginia to come to this thing. And, I cannot thank enough the people in their lives that let them get away for a half a week in August to play games with me. You are all very, very generous and understanding people.
Last year Paul wowed us at one point during the stay with an amazing piece of Salmon that he cooked up on the grill. This year he really took the bar that he set and raised it well above, I think, every one's expectations. Not only did he provide large meals on the scale of pork loin, and prime rib roast, but he also cooked eggs, bacon and fried up some very yummy cheese sticks, jalapeno poppers, and coconut shrimps.
Jake was also a superstar on the food front, he was able to convince his mother-in-law to make us some homemade tortilla chips, salsa, and mosticiolli. All were far and away the best of each that I have tasted before.
Everyone who came provided something special though, whether it was food, or drinks, or just the simple act of playing a game with someone. I just couldn't stop thinking of how lucky I was to be there with all of you doing something that we all enjoy. Many laughs were had, and I hope that everyone is looking forward to the '08 retreat as much as I am.
When we started this thing up we decided that it would be a good idea to award a prize to the player that gave the best overall gaming performance during the whole stay. So I went to a sporting goods store, and had them make up a plaque, quite a fancy one at that. And I made sure that the plaque had space for at least 10 names on it. I wanted this thing to be like the Stanley Cup of the Foot Foot gaming world. I wanted there to be stories that went along with it, to make it almost mythic. Paul set about generating a scoring system, one that would help take into account various anomalous gaming situations. We all agreed to the way he set it up and went about our business, not really giving to much care to the overall score.
The winner the first year was Jake, he had some really good victories with some very long games that had many players, thus the point rewards, according to our system were high. Jake also just seemed to have a mojo going that year almost like he couldn't be beat no matter what we did. This year it was Paul that had some very strong wins in some of the biggest games of the weekend. This combined with a very intimidating Care Bear tshirt was all it took for him to carry home the prize.
I think in the end, I was able to get about 20 games in. Some of my favs got played much to my delight, and I was also able to get in some new games that I had been very excited about. The only down side is that it still seems like the stars will not align in the right way to get A Game of Thrones to the table. I have owned that game for 2 years and it just seems like it will not get played. I know our group would like it. Maybe soon, I hope.
I managed to not come in dead last this year. By 2 points, I really need to win more games next year. I'll work on that, I was on a bit of winning streak leading up to the retreat, I think that all the drinks, and the good times just won't let me focus my attention for long enough to win.
It was a really great weekend though, I feel like everyone enjoyed themselves, and that people were able to do whatever it was they wanted to do. The cabin that we use for the purpose of our modest gathering is on the shore of Lake Huron, and sits on a bluff that over looks the beach. So whenever the whim hits you, you can simply put on yr. swimsuit and dive right in. I think that the water has a very big calming affect on people and that helps the atmosphere of the whole retreat. It makes everyone feel stress free, and allows all a little time to decompress from the stress of the real world for just a few days.
I think this retreat was great success, and I look forward to seeing all the same people, and maybe more, next year. I just want to say a great big thank you to all the people that came this year, I hope you had fun and are very excited to attend next year. And, thank you all for making this little hobby of mine all that much more enjoyable, because it's not really about the games, it's about the wonderful people that we all get to play them with.
I never thought in a million years I would be able to pull the first retreat off, and when I did I thought for sure it was a fluke. Something that happened purely by luck. There was no way that a bunch of grown men with jobs and kids and SOs back home could ever get away from it all and blow off some steam for a whole weekend doing something with such a perceived juvenile air as gaming. Who in their right mind would let us all do that? And, now after year 2 I must say that the people I have decided to game with, are some pretty dedicated fellas. We had guys who came all the way from New York and Virginia to come to this thing. And, I cannot thank enough the people in their lives that let them get away for a half a week in August to play games with me. You are all very, very generous and understanding people.
Last year Paul wowed us at one point during the stay with an amazing piece of Salmon that he cooked up on the grill. This year he really took the bar that he set and raised it well above, I think, every one's expectations. Not only did he provide large meals on the scale of pork loin, and prime rib roast, but he also cooked eggs, bacon and fried up some very yummy cheese sticks, jalapeno poppers, and coconut shrimps.
Jake was also a superstar on the food front, he was able to convince his mother-in-law to make us some homemade tortilla chips, salsa, and mosticiolli. All were far and away the best of each that I have tasted before.
Everyone who came provided something special though, whether it was food, or drinks, or just the simple act of playing a game with someone. I just couldn't stop thinking of how lucky I was to be there with all of you doing something that we all enjoy. Many laughs were had, and I hope that everyone is looking forward to the '08 retreat as much as I am.
When we started this thing up we decided that it would be a good idea to award a prize to the player that gave the best overall gaming performance during the whole stay. So I went to a sporting goods store, and had them make up a plaque, quite a fancy one at that. And I made sure that the plaque had space for at least 10 names on it. I wanted this thing to be like the Stanley Cup of the Foot Foot gaming world. I wanted there to be stories that went along with it, to make it almost mythic. Paul set about generating a scoring system, one that would help take into account various anomalous gaming situations. We all agreed to the way he set it up and went about our business, not really giving to much care to the overall score.
The winner the first year was Jake, he had some really good victories with some very long games that had many players, thus the point rewards, according to our system were high. Jake also just seemed to have a mojo going that year almost like he couldn't be beat no matter what we did. This year it was Paul that had some very strong wins in some of the biggest games of the weekend. This combined with a very intimidating Care Bear tshirt was all it took for him to carry home the prize.
I think in the end, I was able to get about 20 games in. Some of my favs got played much to my delight, and I was also able to get in some new games that I had been very excited about. The only down side is that it still seems like the stars will not align in the right way to get A Game of Thrones to the table. I have owned that game for 2 years and it just seems like it will not get played. I know our group would like it. Maybe soon, I hope.
I managed to not come in dead last this year. By 2 points, I really need to win more games next year. I'll work on that, I was on a bit of winning streak leading up to the retreat, I think that all the drinks, and the good times just won't let me focus my attention for long enough to win.
It was a really great weekend though, I feel like everyone enjoyed themselves, and that people were able to do whatever it was they wanted to do. The cabin that we use for the purpose of our modest gathering is on the shore of Lake Huron, and sits on a bluff that over looks the beach. So whenever the whim hits you, you can simply put on yr. swimsuit and dive right in. I think that the water has a very big calming affect on people and that helps the atmosphere of the whole retreat. It makes everyone feel stress free, and allows all a little time to decompress from the stress of the real world for just a few days.
I think this retreat was great success, and I look forward to seeing all the same people, and maybe more, next year. I just want to say a great big thank you to all the people that came this year, I hope you had fun and are very excited to attend next year. And, thank you all for making this little hobby of mine all that much more enjoyable, because it's not really about the games, it's about the wonderful people that we all get to play them with.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
It was forty years ago next month
June 1st will mark the 40 year anniversary of the UK release of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. And my friend and fellow Beatles geek Wedgehead just laid a copy of the mono LP converted to CD on me. I have to say that unless you have heard the mono Sgt. Pepper's in my opinion you haven't heard it all. Yes there is that much of a difference. You see when Capitol released Sgt. Pepper's in the US they took the Beatles mono tapes, that they helped mix, and, without help from any band members, or George Martin, made their own fake "stereo" version. This, when listening to the mono reveals, seriously changed not just the tempo of almost all the songs but also the pitch. When listening to the mono, the album has a more serious sound to it, songs like, Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite, and Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds have an almost sinister sound to them.
So, in honor of the 4 decade anniversary of one of the most paradigm shifting moments in pop culture, I'm going to have a mono listening party. The party will be Friday June 1st. Cool how that worked out to be on a Friday huh? Almost like they knew that 40 years later we could all have a listen I mean a real listen, and not have to worry about getting up for work the next day.
So, in honor of the 4 decade anniversary of one of the most paradigm shifting moments in pop culture, I'm going to have a mono listening party. The party will be Friday June 1st. Cool how that worked out to be on a Friday huh? Almost like they knew that 40 years later we could all have a listen I mean a real listen, and not have to worry about getting up for work the next day.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Jordan Rules
It would appear that David Stern is giving one of the NBA's favorite sons a big advantage on draft day. When Stern set up the guidelines prior to the 2006 draft about age limits, a player must be 19 or one year away from High School graduation before he can be drafted into the NBA, he also set some rules about underclassmen scouting. According to the guidelines no NBA scout or team representative is allowed to speak to or watch a game involving any player not eligible for the NBA draft. "This keeps our scouts out of high school gyms," Stern said when enacting the rule.
Micheal Jordan has been running his Jordan Brand All-American high school game for a number of years now. He takes some of the best high school kids from around the country and has a sort of East v. West game. There is also many days of practice and meal time and the families of these kids get to come along as well. Well now that MJ has become the owner of the Charollete Bobcats he is continuing to conduct these games. So not only does he get to see these kids play he gets to see them practice. All the other owners and scouts are only allowed to come see the game. Jordan also gets to interact with these kids and see if they have the level of maturity needed to make it as an NBA player, and observe their social skills. Exclusive knowledge of this type gives him a huge advantage on draft day when it comes down to 2 or 3 different picks of nearly equal playing skill.
The league thus far has looked the other way in regards to Jordan's high school game, and related festivities. But, in other cases of violations of these new prospect guidelines the league has been rather harsh. Danny Ainge was recently fined $30,000 for talking to top prospect and future lottery pick Kevin Durant. Jordan also runs Flight Schools on the east and west coast which offer basketball training to pretty much anyone that wants to learn to play better. Jordan hires top prospects from high school and college to work as counselors at these schools giving him even further access to them. All this interaction can only help when it comes to free agency as well, when the only difference between 2 teams isn't money but instead is a comfortable relationship with the ownership. Jordan has gone as far as playing one on one games with these prospects.
This is all giving the Bobcats a very big advantage not only in the immediate draft but also a longer term advantage in future free agency. And, thus far the league has done nothing about it. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Micheal Jordan has been running his Jordan Brand All-American high school game for a number of years now. He takes some of the best high school kids from around the country and has a sort of East v. West game. There is also many days of practice and meal time and the families of these kids get to come along as well. Well now that MJ has become the owner of the Charollete Bobcats he is continuing to conduct these games. So not only does he get to see these kids play he gets to see them practice. All the other owners and scouts are only allowed to come see the game. Jordan also gets to interact with these kids and see if they have the level of maturity needed to make it as an NBA player, and observe their social skills. Exclusive knowledge of this type gives him a huge advantage on draft day when it comes down to 2 or 3 different picks of nearly equal playing skill.
The league thus far has looked the other way in regards to Jordan's high school game, and related festivities. But, in other cases of violations of these new prospect guidelines the league has been rather harsh. Danny Ainge was recently fined $30,000 for talking to top prospect and future lottery pick Kevin Durant. Jordan also runs Flight Schools on the east and west coast which offer basketball training to pretty much anyone that wants to learn to play better. Jordan hires top prospects from high school and college to work as counselors at these schools giving him even further access to them. All this interaction can only help when it comes to free agency as well, when the only difference between 2 teams isn't money but instead is a comfortable relationship with the ownership. Jordan has gone as far as playing one on one games with these prospects.
This is all giving the Bobcats a very big advantage not only in the immediate draft but also a longer term advantage in future free agency. And, thus far the league has done nothing about it. I guess we'll have to wait and see.
RS Iggy SXSW interview
Rolling Stone sat down with head Stooge Iggy Pop at the South By Southwest music conference and the cameras were rolling. Some pretty good stuff.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/03/20/exclusive-video-interview-see-iggy-pop-as-youve-neer-seen-him-before/
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/03/20/exclusive-video-interview-see-iggy-pop-as-youve-neer-seen-him-before/
Wilburys Reissues
It looks like the 2 studio albums that The Traveling Wilburys made will finally be getting the reissue treatment thanks to Rhino. The 2 albums will be released together along with bonus tracks and a DVD in a linen bound boxed set. There will also be a vinyl set. I can't wait to get that vinyl set.
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003560481
http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003560481
The Dark Side of OZ
For those of you that have never done it. Here is a link that shows some of the more creepy sync ups when watching The Wizard of Oz, while listening to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. I have done this many many times, and I think this link misses some of the more eerie sync ups, but it's nice to look at anyway. My personal favorite one is when the cash registers that open Money kick in right when Dorothy opens the door to reveal the technicolor wonderment of Oz. The one that I like very much that was missed is when we first see the Scarecrow is when the song Brain Damage starts, and that's on the second time through the disc. I don't subscribe to the belief that the members of Pink Floyd made their album to go along with this movie, but I do think that the stuff that does sync up is pretty cool. Anyway here is the link.
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/03/20/video-mashup-dark-side-of-oz/
http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2007/03/20/video-mashup-dark-side-of-oz/
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
I never really cared for the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, but now I'm pissed.
I stumbled across an ad today for the rock and roll hall of fame's Definitive 200 collection. So I figured I'd give it a click and see what they felt the "200 albums every music lover should own" are, and in what order these albums were in. I must say I was a little more than shocked when I starting reading this list, I could hardly contain my rage. I cannot find any information on the website to let me know by whom these albums were picked, or why they were put in the order they were put in. By the time I got into the 30's I was ready to drive to Cleveland and piss on the entry door to the hall. I've never had much respect for the hall in general, I feel they inducted derivative acts and seem to forget the pioneers, and they also seem to have a very strong Elvis bias. Not that I hate Elvis, I mean on an entertainment level he was fairly talented, but "godfather" of rock 'n' roll he isn't. One other thing I should point out before I rip this list to shreds is that it seems to be mostly a marketing ploy to sell more albums, there is even a participating retailers link on the website.
So let me give you a run down of just how crappy this list is, starting at the top. The album that they put in the top spot is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, now let me explain something. I love The Beatles, a lot, I would say they are the most important band of all time. I do not however subscribe to the belief that this album is their masterwork. I happen to prefer the more subtly amazing, and sonically more pleasing Revovler. So they started off on the wrong foot with me to begin with. It just gets worse from there.
Then at #2 they have Dark Side of the Moon, again let me explain myself here. I like Pink Floyd, quite a bit really. I just happen to prefer them when Syd Barret was in the band. I think the sound that can be found on Dark Side, is a bit too "arena" for my taste. I'm sure there are people that are just soooooo happy that Dark Side is #2, I just happen to think they have better albums, and maybe those should have been chosen over this.
This is where the list to me goes completely off the rails into pure commercial, we must sell more albums territory. At #3 they have Thriller, by Micheal Jackson. I have to say that Thriller is a really great pop/dance/light R&B album, god I hate the fact that R&B is a term that is used for any album by a black artist that isn't hip-hop or rap. R&B means rhythm and blues, and Thriller is not rhythm and blues, it is pop/dance music. So whether or not you think it is R&B or pop or both, I know one thing it is most assuredly not and that is rock 'n' roll. GRRRRR.
Then at #4 we get Led Zeppelin IV, I think that Led Zeppelin are rock and roll gods, almost like they were sent down from some sort of rock Valhalla. This album, or any other Led Zeppelin album is not, I repeat not top 10 album of all time material, not by a long shot. OMG this selection really curdles my butter. I think even more so than the Thriller pick, at least I can see from a marketing stand point why you would put Thriller up this high, but Led Zepp IV, come on.
At #5 we have U2 Joshua Tree, are you fucking kidding me!?!?!?!?!?!? This band is terrible, so disgusting, and so void of any real passion, art, or anything real at all. I just don't get it, maybe I need to listen to this album again, maybe there is something so great and wonderful. You can tell me till you're blue in the face about the amazing musicianship of The Edge, or the brilliant songwriting, the razor sharp production. But, when I listen to their work I feel nothing, not a damn thing, I'm not moved in any way. I guess I just don't get this band.
#6 brings us The Rolling Stones Exile on Mainstreet, I like the Stones, they make good music. Very blues based, they let you know where they are coming from, a little racist now and then with Mick Jagger not being able to stop talking about what black girls should do. I just don't think they should rate this high. I just don't.
#7 Carole King Tapestry, I know nothing of this album, maybe I'm outing myself as some sort of ignorant loser by saying that, but I know nothing of this work. I can however think of about 10 albums that could go in this spot. in fact there are many in the top 10 of this list that should be ahead of this I'm quite sure.
#8 Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisted, finally they got something right, I would probably put this in the top 5, maybe even top 3, but at least it's here. I do agree that this is his best work, and it should be the highest rated Dylan album. It is great, great stuff. If you don't like it go and listen to it about 10 times, then come tell you don't like it. But believe me after a few listens you won't be back to tell me you don't like it, you'll thank me.
#9 The Beach Boys Pet Sounds, again, at least they got this one right, although it could be rated higher. This is such a good album, you should own this one for sure.
#10 Nirvana Nevermind, I agree with this album in this spot 100%. No beef from me here.
So there is the top 10, after this it starts to fall apart quickly. I won't bore you with the whole list, you could just go look at it for yourself. What I will say is that Pearl Jam's 10 is not the #11 album of all time. It shouldn't even be on this list. There are so many albums in the top 20 that shouldn't be on the list at all. Metallica's self titled album from 1991, no way should that be on the list. They have Shania Twain at #21, I threw up in my mouth a little bit when I read that one.
What made me the angriest though are the artists that were left off the list completely, no Stooges, no Buddy Holly, no Chuck Berry, no Eddie Cochrane, The Sonics aren't on the list! I do know one thing for sure, I won't need to go to Cleveland anytime soon. I had little desire to see the hall of fame before, but this list of rubbish killed what little desire there is.
So let me give you a run down of just how crappy this list is, starting at the top. The album that they put in the top spot is Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, now let me explain something. I love The Beatles, a lot, I would say they are the most important band of all time. I do not however subscribe to the belief that this album is their masterwork. I happen to prefer the more subtly amazing, and sonically more pleasing Revovler. So they started off on the wrong foot with me to begin with. It just gets worse from there.
Then at #2 they have Dark Side of the Moon, again let me explain myself here. I like Pink Floyd, quite a bit really. I just happen to prefer them when Syd Barret was in the band. I think the sound that can be found on Dark Side, is a bit too "arena" for my taste. I'm sure there are people that are just soooooo happy that Dark Side is #2, I just happen to think they have better albums, and maybe those should have been chosen over this.
This is where the list to me goes completely off the rails into pure commercial, we must sell more albums territory. At #3 they have Thriller, by Micheal Jackson. I have to say that Thriller is a really great pop/dance/light R&B album, god I hate the fact that R&B is a term that is used for any album by a black artist that isn't hip-hop or rap. R&B means rhythm and blues, and Thriller is not rhythm and blues, it is pop/dance music. So whether or not you think it is R&B or pop or both, I know one thing it is most assuredly not and that is rock 'n' roll. GRRRRR.
Then at #4 we get Led Zeppelin IV, I think that Led Zeppelin are rock and roll gods, almost like they were sent down from some sort of rock Valhalla. This album, or any other Led Zeppelin album is not, I repeat not top 10 album of all time material, not by a long shot. OMG this selection really curdles my butter. I think even more so than the Thriller pick, at least I can see from a marketing stand point why you would put Thriller up this high, but Led Zepp IV, come on.
At #5 we have U2 Joshua Tree, are you fucking kidding me!?!?!?!?!?!? This band is terrible, so disgusting, and so void of any real passion, art, or anything real at all. I just don't get it, maybe I need to listen to this album again, maybe there is something so great and wonderful. You can tell me till you're blue in the face about the amazing musicianship of The Edge, or the brilliant songwriting, the razor sharp production. But, when I listen to their work I feel nothing, not a damn thing, I'm not moved in any way. I guess I just don't get this band.
#6 brings us The Rolling Stones Exile on Mainstreet, I like the Stones, they make good music. Very blues based, they let you know where they are coming from, a little racist now and then with Mick Jagger not being able to stop talking about what black girls should do. I just don't think they should rate this high. I just don't.
#7 Carole King Tapestry, I know nothing of this album, maybe I'm outing myself as some sort of ignorant loser by saying that, but I know nothing of this work. I can however think of about 10 albums that could go in this spot. in fact there are many in the top 10 of this list that should be ahead of this I'm quite sure.
#8 Bob Dylan Highway 61 Revisted, finally they got something right, I would probably put this in the top 5, maybe even top 3, but at least it's here. I do agree that this is his best work, and it should be the highest rated Dylan album. It is great, great stuff. If you don't like it go and listen to it about 10 times, then come tell you don't like it. But believe me after a few listens you won't be back to tell me you don't like it, you'll thank me.
#9 The Beach Boys Pet Sounds, again, at least they got this one right, although it could be rated higher. This is such a good album, you should own this one for sure.
#10 Nirvana Nevermind, I agree with this album in this spot 100%. No beef from me here.
So there is the top 10, after this it starts to fall apart quickly. I won't bore you with the whole list, you could just go look at it for yourself. What I will say is that Pearl Jam's 10 is not the #11 album of all time. It shouldn't even be on this list. There are so many albums in the top 20 that shouldn't be on the list at all. Metallica's self titled album from 1991, no way should that be on the list. They have Shania Twain at #21, I threw up in my mouth a little bit when I read that one.
What made me the angriest though are the artists that were left off the list completely, no Stooges, no Buddy Holly, no Chuck Berry, no Eddie Cochrane, The Sonics aren't on the list! I do know one thing for sure, I won't need to go to Cleveland anytime soon. I had little desire to see the hall of fame before, but this list of rubbish killed what little desire there is.
Monday, March 12, 2007
My picks for the 2007 NCAA tournament
So I'm still a little pissed about Akron not getting in to the big dance, and to make matters worse they didn't even get into the NIT. Akron lost in the finals of the MAC tournament to Miami of Ohio on a buzzer beating 3 pointer, giving Miami (OH) the auto seed in the NCAA tourney. But I felt that based on the 26-7 overall record and going 13-3 in conference games they deserved to be there. I mean if Arkansas gets to go with the numbers they put up, why can't Akron. Anyway, I'm not gonna get all worked up about, I mean it's not like I've seen a game this season. So anyway, here are my picks with a little bit of analysis thrown in for good measure.
We'll start with the midwest
#1Florida v. #16Jackson St. - Florida,this is a no brainer. Florida is the reigning champ and they have all 5 starters back this year.
#8Arizona v. #9Purdue- Purdue, not based on anything other than I looked at the free throw percentage for both teams and Purdue seems to make theirs more often, plus they're in the Big 10.
#5 Butler v. #12 Old Dominion- Butler, Old Dominion is a good team, but no upset here, Butler is rock solid in this match up.
#6 Notre Dame v. #11 Winthrop- Notre Dame
#3 Oregon v. #14 Miami (OH)- Oregon, the good Oregon team will show up for this first round game, this will probably be the only time you'll see that good Oregon team though.
#7 UNLV v. #10 Georgia Tech- UNLV, the funk that they have been in since Coach Tarkanian left will finally end.
#2 Wisconsin v. #15 Texas A&M C.C.- Wisconsin
So there is the first round of the Midwest, which will create these match ups in the second round.
#1 Florida v. #8 Purdue- Florida
#5 Butler v. #4 Maryland- Butler
#6 Notre Dame v. #3 Oregon- Notre Dame
#7 UNLV v. #2 Wisconsin- Wisconsin
Then we start the 3rd round in the midwest,
#1 Florida v. #5 Butler- Florida
#6 Notre Dame v. #2 Wisconsin- Notre Dame
Then the Midwest final
#1 Florida v. #6 Notre Dame- Florida
So there are my picks for the Midwest bracket. Like I said earlier, I have little to no knowledge of the teams, other than what I have read over the past few days. I looked at stats and schedule, but other than that I have to rely on the history of the schools program in a lot of places.
Now the West,
#1 Kansas v. #16 Niagara- Kansas, again no upset for the #1 seed here. Kansas is rock solid.
#8 Kentucky v. #9 Villanova- Kentucky, these are the hardest games to pick, both of these teams are good, they are evenly matched. I just kinda have a feeling that Kentucky can do it.
#5 Viginia Tech. v. #12 Illinois- Virginia Tech.
#4 Southern Illinois v. Holy Cross- S. Illinois
#6 Duke v. #11 VCU- VCU, this will be a big upset, but this is not the Duke team you may have come to know over the past few years. They took an early exit for their Division Tourney, and the same will happen here.
#3 Pittsburgh v. #14 Wright St.- Pittsburgh
#7 Indiana v. #10 Gonzaga- Gonzaga, another upset, Gonzaga seems to always be rated too low and this is the case again, Indiana is not good enough to beat them.
#2 UCLA v. #15 Weber State- UCLA
And the second round match ups
#1 Kansas v. #8 Kentucky- Kentucky
#5 Virginia Tech v. #4 Southern Illinois- S. Illinois
#11 VCU v. #3 Pittsburgh- Pittsburgh
#10 Gonzaga v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
Third round
#1 Kansas v. #4 S. Illinois- Kansas
#3 Pittsburgh v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
West Final
#1 Kansas v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
Then we move to the East bracket
#1 North Carolina v. #16 Eastern Kentucky- N.C.
#8 Marquette v. #9 Michigan State- Michigan State
#5 USC v. #12 Arkansas- USC
#4 Texas v. #13 New Mexico State- Texas
#6 Vanderbilt v. George Washington- Vanderbilt
#3 Washington State v. # 14 Oral Roberts- Oral Roberts
#7 Boston College v. #10 Texas Tech- Texas Tech
#2 Georgetown v. #15 Belmont- Georgetown
2nd round East
#1 N.C. v. #9 Michigan State- Michigan State
#5 USC v. #4 Texas- Texas
#6 Vanderbilt v. #14 Oral Roberts- Vanderbilt
#10 Texas Tech v. #2 Georgetown- Georgetown
3rd round East
#9 Michigan State v. #4 Texas- Texas
#6 Vanderbilt v. #2 Georgetown- Georgetown
East Final
#4 Texas v. #2 Georgetown- Texas
Then the South bracket
#1 Ohio State v. #16 Central Conn. State- Ohio State
#8 BYU v. #9 Xavier- Xavier
#5 Tennessee v. #12 Long beach State- Tennessee
#4 Virginia v. #13 Albany- Virginia
#6 Louisville v. #11 Stanford- Louisville
#3 Texas A&M v. #14 Pennsylvania- Texas A&M
#7 Nevada v. #10 Creighton- Nevada
#2 Memphis v. #15 North Texas- Memphis
2nd round South bracket
#1 Ohio State v. #9 Xavier- Ohio State
#5 Tennessee v. #4 Virginia- Tennessee
#6 Louisville v. #3 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
#7 Nevada v. #2 Memphis- Memphis
3rd round South
#1 Ohio State v. #5 Tennessee- Ohio State
#3 Texas A&M v. #2 Memphis- Texas A&M
South Final
#1 Ohio State v. #3 Texas A&M- Texas A&M- Texas A&M
Then we get to the national semis
#1 Florida v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
#4 Texas v. #3 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
Then the championship game
#2 UCLA v. #3 Texas A&M- UCLA
So there you have it, OK by the end I was sick of typing and also realized that I may not get this post done before the tourney starts. So I stopped with the analysis.
We'll start with the midwest
#1Florida v. #16Jackson St. - Florida,this is a no brainer. Florida is the reigning champ and they have all 5 starters back this year.
#8Arizona v. #9Purdue- Purdue, not based on anything other than I looked at the free throw percentage for both teams and Purdue seems to make theirs more often, plus they're in the Big 10.
#5 Butler v. #12 Old Dominion- Butler, Old Dominion is a good team, but no upset here, Butler is rock solid in this match up.
#6 Notre Dame v. #11 Winthrop- Notre Dame
#3 Oregon v. #14 Miami (OH)- Oregon, the good Oregon team will show up for this first round game, this will probably be the only time you'll see that good Oregon team though.
#7 UNLV v. #10 Georgia Tech- UNLV, the funk that they have been in since Coach Tarkanian left will finally end.
#2 Wisconsin v. #15 Texas A&M C.C.- Wisconsin
So there is the first round of the Midwest, which will create these match ups in the second round.
#1 Florida v. #8 Purdue- Florida
#5 Butler v. #4 Maryland- Butler
#6 Notre Dame v. #3 Oregon- Notre Dame
#7 UNLV v. #2 Wisconsin- Wisconsin
Then we start the 3rd round in the midwest,
#1 Florida v. #5 Butler- Florida
#6 Notre Dame v. #2 Wisconsin- Notre Dame
Then the Midwest final
#1 Florida v. #6 Notre Dame- Florida
So there are my picks for the Midwest bracket. Like I said earlier, I have little to no knowledge of the teams, other than what I have read over the past few days. I looked at stats and schedule, but other than that I have to rely on the history of the schools program in a lot of places.
Now the West,
#1 Kansas v. #16 Niagara- Kansas, again no upset for the #1 seed here. Kansas is rock solid.
#8 Kentucky v. #9 Villanova- Kentucky, these are the hardest games to pick, both of these teams are good, they are evenly matched. I just kinda have a feeling that Kentucky can do it.
#5 Viginia Tech. v. #12 Illinois- Virginia Tech.
#4 Southern Illinois v. Holy Cross- S. Illinois
#6 Duke v. #11 VCU- VCU, this will be a big upset, but this is not the Duke team you may have come to know over the past few years. They took an early exit for their Division Tourney, and the same will happen here.
#3 Pittsburgh v. #14 Wright St.- Pittsburgh
#7 Indiana v. #10 Gonzaga- Gonzaga, another upset, Gonzaga seems to always be rated too low and this is the case again, Indiana is not good enough to beat them.
#2 UCLA v. #15 Weber State- UCLA
And the second round match ups
#1 Kansas v. #8 Kentucky- Kentucky
#5 Virginia Tech v. #4 Southern Illinois- S. Illinois
#11 VCU v. #3 Pittsburgh- Pittsburgh
#10 Gonzaga v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
Third round
#1 Kansas v. #4 S. Illinois- Kansas
#3 Pittsburgh v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
West Final
#1 Kansas v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
Then we move to the East bracket
#1 North Carolina v. #16 Eastern Kentucky- N.C.
#8 Marquette v. #9 Michigan State- Michigan State
#5 USC v. #12 Arkansas- USC
#4 Texas v. #13 New Mexico State- Texas
#6 Vanderbilt v. George Washington- Vanderbilt
#3 Washington State v. # 14 Oral Roberts- Oral Roberts
#7 Boston College v. #10 Texas Tech- Texas Tech
#2 Georgetown v. #15 Belmont- Georgetown
2nd round East
#1 N.C. v. #9 Michigan State- Michigan State
#5 USC v. #4 Texas- Texas
#6 Vanderbilt v. #14 Oral Roberts- Vanderbilt
#10 Texas Tech v. #2 Georgetown- Georgetown
3rd round East
#9 Michigan State v. #4 Texas- Texas
#6 Vanderbilt v. #2 Georgetown- Georgetown
East Final
#4 Texas v. #2 Georgetown- Texas
Then the South bracket
#1 Ohio State v. #16 Central Conn. State- Ohio State
#8 BYU v. #9 Xavier- Xavier
#5 Tennessee v. #12 Long beach State- Tennessee
#4 Virginia v. #13 Albany- Virginia
#6 Louisville v. #11 Stanford- Louisville
#3 Texas A&M v. #14 Pennsylvania- Texas A&M
#7 Nevada v. #10 Creighton- Nevada
#2 Memphis v. #15 North Texas- Memphis
2nd round South bracket
#1 Ohio State v. #9 Xavier- Ohio State
#5 Tennessee v. #4 Virginia- Tennessee
#6 Louisville v. #3 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
#7 Nevada v. #2 Memphis- Memphis
3rd round South
#1 Ohio State v. #5 Tennessee- Ohio State
#3 Texas A&M v. #2 Memphis- Texas A&M
South Final
#1 Ohio State v. #3 Texas A&M- Texas A&M- Texas A&M
Then we get to the national semis
#1 Florida v. #2 UCLA- UCLA
#4 Texas v. #3 Texas A&M- Texas A&M
Then the championship game
#2 UCLA v. #3 Texas A&M- UCLA
So there you have it, OK by the end I was sick of typing and also realized that I may not get this post done before the tourney starts. So I stopped with the analysis.
Friday, March 9, 2007
March Madness, and my lack of knowledge on the top NCAA teams
There was a point in my life where I could have told you the names of the starting 5 players for all the schools in the NCAA tournament each year. Now that I am the father of 4 children, it seems there is less time to watch and study college basketball. I do wish I followed more closely though. I often think about setting my Tivo to record basketball games instead of Survivor, or Heroes, or endless repeats of Good Eats and South Park. The drama of the college basketball season far outweighs the drama of anything that the major networks puts on prime time TV.
What I love so much about March Madness is that unlike the major pro sports when the brackets are set they are set in stone. In the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA the best team in the playoffs record wise will always play the worst team in the playoffs record wise. But, in the NCAA tournament if you are lucky enough to have a crappy team beat a really good team that seemed to be headed your way, good on ya. It's just drama on the highest level, a single game can make or break a team, even a little team. And that's what's great about the tourney, little schools get lucky, or get the right match up and just crush a team that should have walked all over them.
The brackets are going to be announced this Sunday, so I felt I owed it to myself to learn a little bit about who looks good and who looks bad. So here is my half-hearted, last minute, and more than likely shameful analysis of the NCAA tournament this year.
First, the bubble teams, these are the teams that my or my not get in. The bubble teams with the best chance it seems are, Michigan State University, Southern California, Syracuse, Texas Tech, and Xavier. MSU has no "bad" losses, meaning no home losses against teams rated lower than 50, or road losses to teams rated outside the top 100. They also have 5 "quality" wins, meaning wins at home against teams rated 50 or higher, or road wins against teams rated 100 or higher. They beat Wisconsin at a time when they were rated #1 in the nation. All the other teams on the good side of the bubble have at least one bad loss. Syracuse will probably be the lowest rated of these teams to make it, they are sitting at 50 right now, but a big win in the first round of their division tournament, despite losing in the quarterfinals to Norte Dame. They have also won 6 of their last 8 games, a surge that should help them make the cut.
This next group of teams are little less likely to make it, but they do have a chance. They would be, Air Force, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Stanford, and West Virginia. I think the team in this group with the best chance would be Florida State, they have a few big "quality" wins namely Duke, Clemson, and Providence. But they must beat North Carolina to make it, the only other time they played them this season NC beat up on them pretty badly, 84-58. Well looking at scores while writing this I see that NC did it to the Seminoles again beating them 73-58 today, so it looks like FSU's bubble just burst.
Then we have the teams that don't have much hope left. Arkansas, Drexel, Georgia, Kansas State, and Michigan. There is no way that Michigan is getting in, no way. They had a great chance to make it in the Big 10 tourney, but fell apart down the stretch against #1 Ohio State, I think a win in that game and they may have made it in. But, 21-11 overall record and only going 8-8 in the Big 10 will not get you in unless you get a really big quality win, and they let it slip out of their hands. A team that does look good here though is Arkansas, they beat Vanderbilt in their regular season final, and have them all tied up in the second half in today's SEC tournament match up.
That will have to do for my bubble coverage, as soon as the brackets get announced I'll sit down, do my research and let you all know who to pick your office pool. Just make sure I get some props when I help you make everyone in your bracket pool look foolish. K.
What I love so much about March Madness is that unlike the major pro sports when the brackets are set they are set in stone. In the NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA the best team in the playoffs record wise will always play the worst team in the playoffs record wise. But, in the NCAA tournament if you are lucky enough to have a crappy team beat a really good team that seemed to be headed your way, good on ya. It's just drama on the highest level, a single game can make or break a team, even a little team. And that's what's great about the tourney, little schools get lucky, or get the right match up and just crush a team that should have walked all over them.
The brackets are going to be announced this Sunday, so I felt I owed it to myself to learn a little bit about who looks good and who looks bad. So here is my half-hearted, last minute, and more than likely shameful analysis of the NCAA tournament this year.
First, the bubble teams, these are the teams that my or my not get in. The bubble teams with the best chance it seems are, Michigan State University, Southern California, Syracuse, Texas Tech, and Xavier. MSU has no "bad" losses, meaning no home losses against teams rated lower than 50, or road losses to teams rated outside the top 100. They also have 5 "quality" wins, meaning wins at home against teams rated 50 or higher, or road wins against teams rated 100 or higher. They beat Wisconsin at a time when they were rated #1 in the nation. All the other teams on the good side of the bubble have at least one bad loss. Syracuse will probably be the lowest rated of these teams to make it, they are sitting at 50 right now, but a big win in the first round of their division tournament, despite losing in the quarterfinals to Norte Dame. They have also won 6 of their last 8 games, a surge that should help them make the cut.
This next group of teams are little less likely to make it, but they do have a chance. They would be, Air Force, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Stanford, and West Virginia. I think the team in this group with the best chance would be Florida State, they have a few big "quality" wins namely Duke, Clemson, and Providence. But they must beat North Carolina to make it, the only other time they played them this season NC beat up on them pretty badly, 84-58. Well looking at scores while writing this I see that NC did it to the Seminoles again beating them 73-58 today, so it looks like FSU's bubble just burst.
Then we have the teams that don't have much hope left. Arkansas, Drexel, Georgia, Kansas State, and Michigan. There is no way that Michigan is getting in, no way. They had a great chance to make it in the Big 10 tourney, but fell apart down the stretch against #1 Ohio State, I think a win in that game and they may have made it in. But, 21-11 overall record and only going 8-8 in the Big 10 will not get you in unless you get a really big quality win, and they let it slip out of their hands. A team that does look good here though is Arkansas, they beat Vanderbilt in their regular season final, and have them all tied up in the second half in today's SEC tournament match up.
That will have to do for my bubble coverage, as soon as the brackets get announced I'll sit down, do my research and let you all know who to pick your office pool. Just make sure I get some props when I help you make everyone in your bracket pool look foolish. K.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Game s on my radar
Here is the list of games that I think my gaming group, The Foot Foot Gamers, needs before our big annual 4 day long retreat in August. In no particular order.
Basari This is a game I've wanted for awhile now, it looks like it's full of interaction, and take that, with a little bit of tactics thrown in.
Hermagor This is the heavy euro of the moment, it looks like the newest Caylus killer, should be good.
Leonardo Da Vinci Nothing to do with the code, just a heavy weight euro about, you guessed it renaissance Italy. Which to me is a theme that has been overlooked far too long in euro games.
Traders of Genoa This is another game that has been on my wish list for a long time, pure negotiation, looks fun.
Republic of Rome This is an old Avalon Hill negotiation game that is long out of print, and fetches lots and lots of money on ebay. You never know though, maybe I'll stumble across one in a thrift store one day.
Santy Anno This looks like a blast for the retreat, you are a pirate on shore leave, and you've indulged in far too much rum and can't remember which boat you are part of the crew of. So using a card with a few key notes on it about your boat you need to find it at the table and sit at the chair that has your boat. But, don't be the last one to sit down or you're out. It seems like the fun starts when 2 or 3 people try to sit at the same chair, thinking they all have the right boat.
Lost Valley Highly regarded exploration game, looks like fun.
Descent This is a very over produced dungeon crawl game that many people speak highly of. I just feel like there are a number of people in our game group that would love the hell out of this game. It could end up being quite a hit at the retreat, and beyond. If only it had campaign rules.
Cave Troll Tom Jolly's area influence game, set around a dungeon crawl theme. This game has just been reprinted by Fantasy Flight games with all new plastic bits and a full sized board.
Fairy Tale Japanese card game, with a drafting mechanic similar to Magic the Gathering.
Hey! Thats my Fish! A nice little multiplayer abstract with a simple move mechanic and a modular board, looks like short and deep gameplay, with short and simple rules. Scales up and down the player range well, and could be a nice filler when there are a few people left out of a big game for whatever reason.
Well that is my current wish list, give these games a lookin' over and let me know if you feel they would be good additions to our groups ever expanding game library.
Basari This is a game I've wanted for awhile now, it looks like it's full of interaction, and take that, with a little bit of tactics thrown in.
Hermagor This is the heavy euro of the moment, it looks like the newest Caylus killer, should be good.
Leonardo Da Vinci Nothing to do with the code, just a heavy weight euro about, you guessed it renaissance Italy. Which to me is a theme that has been overlooked far too long in euro games.
Traders of Genoa This is another game that has been on my wish list for a long time, pure negotiation, looks fun.
Republic of Rome This is an old Avalon Hill negotiation game that is long out of print, and fetches lots and lots of money on ebay. You never know though, maybe I'll stumble across one in a thrift store one day.
Santy Anno This looks like a blast for the retreat, you are a pirate on shore leave, and you've indulged in far too much rum and can't remember which boat you are part of the crew of. So using a card with a few key notes on it about your boat you need to find it at the table and sit at the chair that has your boat. But, don't be the last one to sit down or you're out. It seems like the fun starts when 2 or 3 people try to sit at the same chair, thinking they all have the right boat.
Lost Valley Highly regarded exploration game, looks like fun.
Descent This is a very over produced dungeon crawl game that many people speak highly of. I just feel like there are a number of people in our game group that would love the hell out of this game. It could end up being quite a hit at the retreat, and beyond. If only it had campaign rules.
Cave Troll Tom Jolly's area influence game, set around a dungeon crawl theme. This game has just been reprinted by Fantasy Flight games with all new plastic bits and a full sized board.
Fairy Tale Japanese card game, with a drafting mechanic similar to Magic the Gathering.
Hey! Thats my Fish! A nice little multiplayer abstract with a simple move mechanic and a modular board, looks like short and deep gameplay, with short and simple rules. Scales up and down the player range well, and could be a nice filler when there are a few people left out of a big game for whatever reason.
Well that is my current wish list, give these games a lookin' over and let me know if you feel they would be good additions to our groups ever expanding game library.
Unplayed games
Hawksbill asked if I could post a list of the games that are unplayed as of yet. This way everyone can take a look at what each game is about and maybe read up on the rules ahead of the game nights. I'm going to list the games by light, medium, and heavy with links to the BGG entry. I'm also going to list some intro level wargames that Paul, and I are trying to generate some interest in. So here goes.
Light weight multiplayer games
St. Petersburg
Mystery of the Abbey
Settlers of Nuremberg
Wings of War: Watch Your Back
Amazonas
Medium weight multiplayer games
New England
Oasis
Amun Re
Samurai
Vegas Showdown
Rheinlander
Tongiaki
Oriente
And there is also one medium weight 2 player game that I would like to push.
Kahuna
Heavy weight multiplayer games
Friedrich
Age of Steam
Ys
Imperial
Die Macher
A Game of Thrones
Intro wargames
We the People
Twilight Struggle
Hammer of the Scots
Combat Commander
Napoleon
Hannibal Rome Vs. Carthage Paul and I are both getting a copy of the reprint which is due in June.
War of 1812
So there is the list for now. So just let me know on here or by email if you look at any of these and think you want to push for it. That way we can have a little discussion going on about what we like and don't like, and it may help us get the games we want to play in at the retreat. I will be back on here shortly with a list of stuff I'm thinking about getting before the retreat.
Light weight multiplayer games
St. Petersburg
Mystery of the Abbey
Settlers of Nuremberg
Wings of War: Watch Your Back
Amazonas
Medium weight multiplayer games
New England
Oasis
Amun Re
Samurai
Vegas Showdown
Rheinlander
Tongiaki
Oriente
And there is also one medium weight 2 player game that I would like to push.
Kahuna
Heavy weight multiplayer games
Friedrich
Age of Steam
Ys
Imperial
Die Macher
A Game of Thrones
Intro wargames
We the People
Twilight Struggle
Hammer of the Scots
Combat Commander
Napoleon
Hannibal Rome Vs. Carthage Paul and I are both getting a copy of the reprint which is due in June.
War of 1812
So there is the list for now. So just let me know on here or by email if you look at any of these and think you want to push for it. That way we can have a little discussion going on about what we like and don't like, and it may help us get the games we want to play in at the retreat. I will be back on here shortly with a list of stuff I'm thinking about getting before the retreat.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Why you don't want to be drafted by the Lions
If I'm a college football prospect who's looking to make his way to fame and fortune in NFL, I'm hoping the Lions don't draft me. As an organization the Lions have had a terrible time making good choices in the draft for a few years now. If they wanted me, I would really start to think about whether I was doomed or not. The reason I bring this up is because with the Dre' Bly trade to Denver the Lions picked up RB Tatum Bell, and today I read they are talking to RB T.J. Duckett, who would make a fine goal line back to compliment Tatum Bell. The thing about all of this, what does this all mean for the Lions' 2004 first round draft pick Kevin Jones?It can't bode well that's for sure. And, if they do cut or trade Kevin Jones, what does it say about the Lions scouting that so many of their picks fall apart.
Lets look at the Lions' first round draft picks over the last 6 seasons;
2000- Stockar Mcdougal- Not a bad right tackle, he played all 16 games in 2004 for the Lions and helped Kevin Jones get over 1,000 yards rushing, a feet Jones would not come near repeating. But he missed all of his first season and most of his second due to injury.
2001- Jeff Backus- A fine pick, he's a solid tackle and he's from right here in Michigan, Midland to be exact.
2002- Joey Harrington- Here is where the trouble starts, Joey seemed like the real deal, his numbers were fairly sound, and he seemed to improve over a few seasons. It was his ability to somehow not be outraged at losing that I think finally ran him out of town. He just didn't really seem to have any drive to win, and never really seemed to mind losing. Man I hated when he was the Lions' QB.
2003- Charles Rogers- You'll notice that there is nothing linked to his name, well that's because he is no longer in the NFL. He had a series of drug related problems, no real ambition to workout, no desire to improve the skills he had, and was cut by the Lions at the start of last season, and was crappy that no other team cared to pick him up, not even for their practice squad. He was also plagued by injuries. He never played more than 9 games in any one season he was in the league, and that was in 2005 and in those 9 games he only managed to catch 14 passes for 197 yards. A true first round bust.
2004- Roy Williams- A good pick after a 2 really crappy years, a good pick. Roy has been a solid receiver, he's been up toward the high end of yards gained for a couple seasons now. All in all a serviceable WR.
Also first round 2004- Kevin Jones- He was going to be the Lions' answer to the RB problem they've had since the early retirement of Barry Sanders. He never really elevated to the level he was built up to. Now after a another mediocre season that was cut short by an injury it looks like he might be on the way out.
2005- Mike Williams- Had a decent first season, 29 catches for 350 yards and 1 TD. Then he was cut from the team prior to the 2006 season for being overweight, the Lions then resign him half way through the season. And, with the Lions looking to add another WR from free agency to complement Roy Williams and Mike Furrey, most likely Kevin Curtis from Tampa Bay, his future with the team is also in question.
2006- Ernie Sims- Outside Linebacker out of Florida State. He had a good first season tallying 125 tackles in 16 games 82 of those were solo tackles. It's too early in his career to tell whether he will pan out or not though.
So really as I look at this list it seems like where the Lions have trouble in making picks is with skill post ions. They can't seem to pick the right wide receivers, running backs, and quarter backs. 5 of those 8 picks were skill players and of those 5 only one of them is worth anything. If Mike Williams, and Kevin Jones get cut or traded 3 of them won't even be on the team. So let's hope that when the Lions use their 2nd pick overall to trade down in the draft this year to get MSU QB Drew Stanton that the scouting staff has done a little more research than they have done in the past.
Lets look at the Lions' first round draft picks over the last 6 seasons;
2000- Stockar Mcdougal- Not a bad right tackle, he played all 16 games in 2004 for the Lions and helped Kevin Jones get over 1,000 yards rushing, a feet Jones would not come near repeating. But he missed all of his first season and most of his second due to injury.
2001- Jeff Backus- A fine pick, he's a solid tackle and he's from right here in Michigan, Midland to be exact.
2002- Joey Harrington- Here is where the trouble starts, Joey seemed like the real deal, his numbers were fairly sound, and he seemed to improve over a few seasons. It was his ability to somehow not be outraged at losing that I think finally ran him out of town. He just didn't really seem to have any drive to win, and never really seemed to mind losing. Man I hated when he was the Lions' QB.
2003- Charles Rogers- You'll notice that there is nothing linked to his name, well that's because he is no longer in the NFL. He had a series of drug related problems, no real ambition to workout, no desire to improve the skills he had, and was cut by the Lions at the start of last season, and was crappy that no other team cared to pick him up, not even for their practice squad. He was also plagued by injuries. He never played more than 9 games in any one season he was in the league, and that was in 2005 and in those 9 games he only managed to catch 14 passes for 197 yards. A true first round bust.
2004- Roy Williams- A good pick after a 2 really crappy years, a good pick. Roy has been a solid receiver, he's been up toward the high end of yards gained for a couple seasons now. All in all a serviceable WR.
Also first round 2004- Kevin Jones- He was going to be the Lions' answer to the RB problem they've had since the early retirement of Barry Sanders. He never really elevated to the level he was built up to. Now after a another mediocre season that was cut short by an injury it looks like he might be on the way out.
2005- Mike Williams- Had a decent first season, 29 catches for 350 yards and 1 TD. Then he was cut from the team prior to the 2006 season for being overweight, the Lions then resign him half way through the season. And, with the Lions looking to add another WR from free agency to complement Roy Williams and Mike Furrey, most likely Kevin Curtis from Tampa Bay, his future with the team is also in question.
2006- Ernie Sims- Outside Linebacker out of Florida State. He had a good first season tallying 125 tackles in 16 games 82 of those were solo tackles. It's too early in his career to tell whether he will pan out or not though.
So really as I look at this list it seems like where the Lions have trouble in making picks is with skill post ions. They can't seem to pick the right wide receivers, running backs, and quarter backs. 5 of those 8 picks were skill players and of those 5 only one of them is worth anything. If Mike Williams, and Kevin Jones get cut or traded 3 of them won't even be on the team. So let's hope that when the Lions use their 2nd pick overall to trade down in the draft this year to get MSU QB Drew Stanton that the scouting staff has done a little more research than they have done in the past.
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Saturday Gaming at Hawksbill's
The basic core of the Foot Foot Gamers got together last night over at Hawksbill's house. There are so many new games that we need to get to the table. Our friend Paul has about 6 games from an order he placed about 7 months ago, most of them are still in shrink wrap. Then the 2 of us placed another order in February for a bunch more games, and I've also come across 4 or 5 more games that were just discounted too deeply to not buy them. So we had to play something new last night.
I showed everybody Niagara and there was a pretty good amount of interest. The premise of the game is that you have a team of 2 canoes that you are trying to paddle up and down the Niagara river to collect gems. The really cool part about the game is that the game board really moves, after everyone has taken a movement action for the turn the plastic discs that form the game board slide closer to the waterfall with your canoes on them, and possibly sending your canoe over the fall. If this happens you have spend one of your gems to get it back, which are victory points. I rather liked this a game, it was quick to teach and to play, there was some fairly tough little math choices to make but for the most part you didn't stare at the board and agonize over what it was you were going to do. It has a really cool gimmick with the moving board and all. I gave it an 8 out of 10 on BGG. We ended up playing 2 games of it one with Paul, Hawksbill, Jake and, myself. The other with Paul, Hawksbill, Wedgehead and, myself. I won the first game by collecting a full set of all 5 gems, and Hawksbill won the second one by doing the same.
Then we played a game of Rat A Tat Cat, this a fairly chaotic little card game that is marketed mostly as a game for adults to play with children, but it also plays pretty well with all adults too, especially if there is alcohol involved because some of the cards in your hand are secret, and some you get to look at only once. So the more you drink the harder it is to remember what the cards are that you looked at. It was nice little filler type game that kept us occupied till Wedgehead got there at about 8:30. Paul said that this game felt more like a pastime than a game, I kinda agree, you don't have to think much about what you're doing and if you lose you fell like it really wasn't your fault mostly because of the chaotic nature of the game.
Then we played Taj Mahal, this is a game that I've been wanting for quite some time. I had to stop myself several times in the past from spending tons of money on the Alea version. I couldn't wait to play it, that feeling of excitement went away pretty fast though. I spent way too many cards during a battle in the 5th visit that I ended up losing anyway, after that I never really hand enough cards in hand to compete for anything for the rest of the game and ended losing by about 15 points. Paul ended up winning and Hawksbill was 1 point behind him with Jake being 1 point behind Hawksbill and think Wedgehead was only 2 points behind Jake. So pretty much everyone was able the wrap their heads around the game but me. I certainly learned a thing or two about the game though and expect to do better the next time we play.
All in all it was a good night of gaming, we played a nice variety of games and I think everybody had a good time. There was much talk about the August gaming retreat, I think people are already getting pumped up for it. As crazy as it sounds I have a list of games that I feel our group needs before the retreat comes around. I think that's going to be my next post. We need to play all the games that Paul and I have bought before I can buy anymore though. So we need more gaming and a new game needs to hit the table every time we play. I hope to place a nice size order a week or two before the retreat though.
I showed everybody Niagara and there was a pretty good amount of interest. The premise of the game is that you have a team of 2 canoes that you are trying to paddle up and down the Niagara river to collect gems. The really cool part about the game is that the game board really moves, after everyone has taken a movement action for the turn the plastic discs that form the game board slide closer to the waterfall with your canoes on them, and possibly sending your canoe over the fall. If this happens you have spend one of your gems to get it back, which are victory points. I rather liked this a game, it was quick to teach and to play, there was some fairly tough little math choices to make but for the most part you didn't stare at the board and agonize over what it was you were going to do. It has a really cool gimmick with the moving board and all. I gave it an 8 out of 10 on BGG. We ended up playing 2 games of it one with Paul, Hawksbill, Jake and, myself. The other with Paul, Hawksbill, Wedgehead and, myself. I won the first game by collecting a full set of all 5 gems, and Hawksbill won the second one by doing the same.
Then we played a game of Rat A Tat Cat, this a fairly chaotic little card game that is marketed mostly as a game for adults to play with children, but it also plays pretty well with all adults too, especially if there is alcohol involved because some of the cards in your hand are secret, and some you get to look at only once. So the more you drink the harder it is to remember what the cards are that you looked at. It was nice little filler type game that kept us occupied till Wedgehead got there at about 8:30. Paul said that this game felt more like a pastime than a game, I kinda agree, you don't have to think much about what you're doing and if you lose you fell like it really wasn't your fault mostly because of the chaotic nature of the game.
Then we played Taj Mahal, this is a game that I've been wanting for quite some time. I had to stop myself several times in the past from spending tons of money on the Alea version. I couldn't wait to play it, that feeling of excitement went away pretty fast though. I spent way too many cards during a battle in the 5th visit that I ended up losing anyway, after that I never really hand enough cards in hand to compete for anything for the rest of the game and ended losing by about 15 points. Paul ended up winning and Hawksbill was 1 point behind him with Jake being 1 point behind Hawksbill and think Wedgehead was only 2 points behind Jake. So pretty much everyone was able the wrap their heads around the game but me. I certainly learned a thing or two about the game though and expect to do better the next time we play.
All in all it was a good night of gaming, we played a nice variety of games and I think everybody had a good time. There was much talk about the August gaming retreat, I think people are already getting pumped up for it. As crazy as it sounds I have a list of games that I feel our group needs before the retreat comes around. I think that's going to be my next post. We need to play all the games that Paul and I have bought before I can buy anymore though. So we need more gaming and a new game needs to hit the table every time we play. I hope to place a nice size order a week or two before the retreat though.
Friday, March 2, 2007
VietNam
No this post is not about the war, or the current political climate of the country, it's about a band, named VietNam. These guys seem to be popping up everywhere right now, and they are a getting a good amount of positive buzz. So I thought I should give 'em a listen, critics are saying things like, there is no one on the scene that sounds like them right now. I can't really say all that, it's fairly good stuff. They have a bit of a southern rock sound to them, a little rootsy, with Dylanesque stream of consciousness lyrics. Very indie rock, and bet Magnet will think they are the cat's. I would put them in the same camp with a bunch of other bands of this type, Jayhawks, Guided By Voices, Thee Geraldine Fibbers, all these bands are technically great, very good musicianship, very solid song writing. But, none of the bands that I have listed really does anything amazing, or fresh, or unexpected. I feel the same way about Modest Mouse, and Weezer, sure they are good music makers, and they rarely disappoint their loyal fan base, but they just don't do anything that blows your head off.
The Dre' Bly trade
I withheld my intial reaction to the Lions moving Bly to Denver. My first thoughts were mixed, Bly has always been solid for us, but never really great. Tatum Bell ran up some good yardage totals in Denver last year, but didn't seem to be their goal line back of choice. Kevin Jones' rehab isn't going well though. So a good RB that can get you 1,000+ yards is a good choice right now. The lions also shore up their right tackle spot with the move by picking up George Foster, who was a first round pick in 2003(20th overall). The Lions also wrangled a 5th round pick in this year's draft from Denver.
The more I mull this trade over, the more I like it. And, the biggest reason why I like it is not because of who or what the Lions get in exchange for Bly, but more for what it will allow the Lions to do on draft day. Now that they don't need to worry about Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas, who the Lions didn't really want to take with the #2 pick anyway they can deal that pick away and trade down in the draft. Detroit could swap with Arizona who could use a guy like Joe Thomas till bolster their offensive line. It looks like the Lions are trying to make a move for MSU QB Drew Stanton, so they may try to use the #2 overall pick to get back in the draft late in the first round and grab Stanton, and drafting down to 5th overall may help them do that. The chances are good though that Stanton will still be there in the second round where Detroit gets 2nd pick again.
I think all of this looks good, almost like the front office has some sort of a plan on a way to make the team younger. Lets hope they really do this time. Because simply picking the best WR on paper every year in the draft hasn't gotten us anywhere.
The more I mull this trade over, the more I like it. And, the biggest reason why I like it is not because of who or what the Lions get in exchange for Bly, but more for what it will allow the Lions to do on draft day. Now that they don't need to worry about Wisconsin OT Joe Thomas, who the Lions didn't really want to take with the #2 pick anyway they can deal that pick away and trade down in the draft. Detroit could swap with Arizona who could use a guy like Joe Thomas till bolster their offensive line. It looks like the Lions are trying to make a move for MSU QB Drew Stanton, so they may try to use the #2 overall pick to get back in the draft late in the first round and grab Stanton, and drafting down to 5th overall may help them do that. The chances are good though that Stanton will still be there in the second round where Detroit gets 2nd pick again.
I think all of this looks good, almost like the front office has some sort of a plan on a way to make the team younger. Lets hope they really do this time. Because simply picking the best WR on paper every year in the draft hasn't gotten us anywhere.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Spring training
Well the Tigers kicked off Spring Training games today against the Phillies. They won 9-7. Mike Maroth had a strong start, throwing 2 shutout innings. He said that he doesn't even remember the surgery and wants to be the ace of the staff. That's quite a tall order in this staff but i like his drive. Sheffield had a 3rd inning 3 run homer though, so that's a nice start, seeing as he said yesterday was the first day he had picked up a bat since October. It looks like, based on the box score, Leyland got all the starters at least a few at bats. So we have our first look at the possible lineup for your 2007 Detroit Tigers, and it looks like this.
1. I. Rodriguez
2. P. Polanco
3. G. Sheffield
4. C. Guillen
5. M. Ordonez
6. S. Casey
7. C. Monroe
8. C. Granderson
9. O. Infante
Now mind you it looks like Inge didn't bat, so that number 9 spot would be where he would be. Leyland has said he is going to try many different lineups, but just looking at this one it's very easy to tell that pitching staffs are going to have their work cut out for them when they play the Tigers this year. I don't see a hole there. I like how Leyland seems to have moved his swing away hitters to the bottom of the lineup a bit. I think that makes since, keep your solid on base guys at the top, and give the swing away guys a chance to make something happen in the 3rd or 4th inning. I can't wait for baseball this year! Here's to a 100 win season! Go Tigers!!!!
1. I. Rodriguez
2. P. Polanco
3. G. Sheffield
4. C. Guillen
5. M. Ordonez
6. S. Casey
7. C. Monroe
8. C. Granderson
9. O. Infante
Now mind you it looks like Inge didn't bat, so that number 9 spot would be where he would be. Leyland has said he is going to try many different lineups, but just looking at this one it's very easy to tell that pitching staffs are going to have their work cut out for them when they play the Tigers this year. I don't see a hole there. I like how Leyland seems to have moved his swing away hitters to the bottom of the lineup a bit. I think that makes since, keep your solid on base guys at the top, and give the swing away guys a chance to make something happen in the 3rd or 4th inning. I can't wait for baseball this year! Here's to a 100 win season! Go Tigers!!!!
NBA age limits and gettin' while the gettin' is good
Something horrible happened to Shaun Livingston Tuesday night. His knee pretty much ripped in half. He is only 21 years old and has been in the NBA since the 2004-2005 season, and ever since he joined the LA Clippers he has been very injury prone. Now the weird thing is that his knee injury which pretty much tore every ligament that attaches to your knee, happened during a routine layup. He didn't make a fancy move, he didn't have to go through a defender, his knee just kinda blew up on it's own, almost like it would have happened anywhere he was playing.
When he was 18 Shaun was offered a scholarship to Duke, he turned it down to enter the NBA early, signing with the LA Clippers for $10 million, and a very lucrative endorsement deal with Reebok. If he would have taken the scholarship with Duke and blown his knee up in college, he would not have been drafted in the first round, he would not have been given $10 million dollars, he would not have landed an endorsement deal with Reebok. By taking the money when the taking was good, or in this case was possible, he has changed the financial situation for himself and his family. College will always be there, and they don't really care about your lateral speed, or how high you can jump.
So what does this say about the ridiculous NBA age limits that David Stern is trying to set? What does this say about those who are pushing for getting kids out of the NBA? I think it speaks volumes, I think anytime an institution imposes limits on people's choices it's bad. If these kids want to go into the NBA after high school, and they have the talent to do it, let them do it. I went straight from high school to the work force, there wasn't anyone screaming about, he's to young to be working at a car dealership, he can't handle the pressure, he needs to get his education while he can. I say take the millions while you can, you can always go to college. There are many, many people out there everyday that go back to college, and without the benefit of millions in the bank.
I just can't really wrap my head around why David Stern is doing this, forcing a kid to be 20 years old before he enters the draft. I think it might have something to do with the fact that when a kid is playing college ball, he is gaining star power for free. He doesn't get paid anything, he can't sign promo deals, and the NBA owners get a product that has a little less risk attached. But as far as high school kids not being ready for the "big leagues" you just need to look at the last few kids that have come into the league. LeBron James is doing just fine with the Cavs, Amare Stoudemire is an all star, Tracy McGrady is doing quite well for himself in Houston, and we all know how well Kevin Garnett has carried himself in the NBA.
So David Stern will get his way I'm sure, the NBA will get their age limit and finally put an end to all this youth exploitation that the has been running rampant in the NBA all these years, I just feel bad for the Shaun Livingstons of the world, who will take a scholarship with Duke, or Kansas, or MSU when they could have taken the millions in draft day money, and injure themselves in their first season, spend the next season in rehab for said injury, put up weak numbers in their senior year and don't get drafted at all. But at least they'll have received that all important education, and refinement that only college can bring.
When he was 18 Shaun was offered a scholarship to Duke, he turned it down to enter the NBA early, signing with the LA Clippers for $10 million, and a very lucrative endorsement deal with Reebok. If he would have taken the scholarship with Duke and blown his knee up in college, he would not have been drafted in the first round, he would not have been given $10 million dollars, he would not have landed an endorsement deal with Reebok. By taking the money when the taking was good, or in this case was possible, he has changed the financial situation for himself and his family. College will always be there, and they don't really care about your lateral speed, or how high you can jump.
So what does this say about the ridiculous NBA age limits that David Stern is trying to set? What does this say about those who are pushing for getting kids out of the NBA? I think it speaks volumes, I think anytime an institution imposes limits on people's choices it's bad. If these kids want to go into the NBA after high school, and they have the talent to do it, let them do it. I went straight from high school to the work force, there wasn't anyone screaming about, he's to young to be working at a car dealership, he can't handle the pressure, he needs to get his education while he can. I say take the millions while you can, you can always go to college. There are many, many people out there everyday that go back to college, and without the benefit of millions in the bank.
I just can't really wrap my head around why David Stern is doing this, forcing a kid to be 20 years old before he enters the draft. I think it might have something to do with the fact that when a kid is playing college ball, he is gaining star power for free. He doesn't get paid anything, he can't sign promo deals, and the NBA owners get a product that has a little less risk attached. But as far as high school kids not being ready for the "big leagues" you just need to look at the last few kids that have come into the league. LeBron James is doing just fine with the Cavs, Amare Stoudemire is an all star, Tracy McGrady is doing quite well for himself in Houston, and we all know how well Kevin Garnett has carried himself in the NBA.
So David Stern will get his way I'm sure, the NBA will get their age limit and finally put an end to all this youth exploitation that the has been running rampant in the NBA all these years, I just feel bad for the Shaun Livingstons of the world, who will take a scholarship with Duke, or Kansas, or MSU when they could have taken the millions in draft day money, and injure themselves in their first season, spend the next season in rehab for said injury, put up weak numbers in their senior year and don't get drafted at all. But at least they'll have received that all important education, and refinement that only college can bring.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Rock Albums of 2006
OK, I have a list of 10 albums from last year that I would like to recommend but I can't really be bothered to put them in any sort of order. So, the list that I'm about to share with you is just kinda listed at random I do have some comments for each though. There are a few standouts from last year, but for the most part it was kinda crappy. The mainstream rock scene really hit an all time low though. Chris Daughtry's album became the fastest selling "rock" album of all time, and Nickleback took the world by storm. But the local Detroit AOR station has started to play The Stooges so that is at least something good right? Well anywho, here is my list of 10 rock albums from 2006 that at least deserve a listen. So get to your local record store or use whatever software it is that you use to acquire songs and get 'em and put 'em on your hi-fi and blast 'em. Oh, and BTW I think a lot faster than I can type or even write for that matter so I might miss a word here or there I will do my best to proofread, I really can't spell for shit either, so if I screw up a word here or there tough titty.
The first album on the list, but not necessarily the "best" album on the list is
Arctic Monkeys'- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
I like this album quite a bit, it has a bit of a pop 'n' roll feel, with little touches of ska here and there. Alex Turner's lyrics are snotty and brash and the album as a whole just has a nice feel to it. The real standout tracks are I bet you look good on the dance floor and Still take you home. All in all a nice first effort, now let's see if they fall into the Sophomore curse and have a follow up that ends up in the crapper.
Alright next up on the hit parade is
Wolfmother- Wolfmother
I really really really love this album. It is spot on 70's riff rock at about it's best. These guys sound so authentic that it's kinda hard to believe that this album is not from 1971. Every song is an epic, every lyric is D&D inspired. There are a few stand out tracks though, the first being the opening track Colossal, it is just such a huge song, I mean huge. The riffs loom large and the lyrics are so myth inspired that you can't help but become mystified by it all. The other super stand out track is Joker and the Thief, it is just full blow 70's arena rock madness complete with a keyboard solo that Styx would be jealous of, it is f-ing awesome. These guys have a song called White Unicorn and write about looking into the sorcerer's orb, it's just pure teenage fun, and I like this band A LOT!
And next up is,
The Raconteurs- Broken Boy Soldiers
This is a bit of a Detroit "supergroup" you take a couple of the city's best know singer songwriters and mix in the rhythm section of one of our favorite adopted bands from Ohio and you get The Raconteurs. Brendon Benson, teams up with Jack White, and form a bad with the bass player and drummer from the Greenhornes. They have put together quite a little album though, very melodic and I like the title track quite a bit as well Steady as she goes which was the lead single. I think that the song that really stands out though is Blue Veins. It is Jack White at his very best, bluesy with a just enough hookyness to get to listen to the whole thing and wonder "what note is he gonna try to hit next". I think Mr. White has the Midas touch and he's just going to keep making brilliant record after brilliant record, no matter who he's working with.
The next album that i really think you owe it to yourself to listen to is,
Sonic Youth- Rather Ripped
No real surprise here to those that know me, this is my fav. band after all, at least of the modern era. This album doesn't really knock your socks off, but it does continue the sound that they have been using since Washing Machine. I do think that they maxed this sound out with Murray Street though and that was 2 albums ago, it may be time for them to try to change it up again. It's hard to get tired of the beautiful tapestries of sound that they have been making lately though, it's just wonderfull alt. tunings and it all sounds so pretty. I would like to hear them do something that sounds a bit more old school Sonic Youth soon, something a bit more like Confusion is Sex, or Kill yr. Idols. It's just great that one of indie rock's old institutions is still around after all these years.
Next up we have,
Bob Dylan- Modern Times
You know what Bob Dylan ROCKS! This album is very good. How is it that he can keep making such relevant albums that are so good and listenable. He can still tell a good story and he bring a tear to your eye. I really like his cover of Rollin' and Tumblin' on this album. I'm a recent convert to the cult of Dylan, I used to think he was overrated and would stay as far away as possible, but like most of the finer things in life his music is an acquired taste, and once you get the thirst for it it is almost unquenchable. At least for me. I can't really get enough of the guy right now.
So next is,
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Clap your Hands Say Yeah
Yes it's derivative, yes it sounds like all the other bands that come out as fo late that all sound like your mid 70's proto punk heroes. is it Pere Ubu, is it Television, is it Talking Heads? It sure sounds like those bands, but it isn't. These guys really came out of nowhere last year, they self published their album and still managed to sell quite a few units, almost half a million I think. It's filled with catchy hooks and sing songy lyrics and just the right amount of artsy fartsy crap thrown in for good measure. I like it and quite a bit too.
And now...
Kaiser George and the Hi-Risers- Transatlantic Dynamite
This album sounds like John Lennon cut a studio record with The Crickets, that's pretty much all I have to say. If that doesn't make you want to go out and buy it, then I don't know what will.
Then we have,
The Mars Volta- Amputechture
What can I say this is some good shit. I loved At the Drive in I thought it was wonderful music full of anger and noise and great riffs. But The Mars Volta really has taken that sound to a whole new level. I think that guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is prolly the most radical guy out there today, he is young and talented as all hell. He sounds like you took Frank Zappa, and threw him a blender with Tom Morello and released the contents filled with equal amounts of anger and restraint, he is the new rock god, for reals son, for reals.
So that is 8 albums, well the next two I'm kinda half assing because to be honest they are just OK to me. But, they are better than almost everything else I heard last year, so here they are.
The Flaming Lips- At War with the Mystics
This is a good album, it's just that I see it as a bit of continuing downward spiral for the lips. Yoshimi wasn't nearly as good as The Soft Bulletin, which I think up till now has been their peek. Except for maybe Zaireeka which unfortunately I have only been able to properly listen to it twice. It is an album you should hear in your lifetime though, regardless of your feelings about the lips as a band. Anyway Mystics is good it's just not that good.
and the last album
Beck- The information
Since the release of Sea Change, which to me was Beck's best album to date, he seems to have fallen off a bit. Guero seemed lost and so does this effort. Don't get me wrong I like it and have given it many a listen, I just feel like he sounds better when he sounds more like he did on Mutations and Sea Change. So here is hoping we get more of that Beck soon.
Well there you have it, my little list of albums that I think you and yours should listen to. Run out and grab 'em up. And if you think I;m full of it because I forgot to add your fav. scream-o band to the list than write me a comment and tell how not with it I am. I just ask one thing, if you do leave a comment, don't make it mamby pamby, I don't want any of this sorta nicey nice criticism, tell me what you think, K, good.
The first album on the list, but not necessarily the "best" album on the list is
Arctic Monkeys'- Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not
I like this album quite a bit, it has a bit of a pop 'n' roll feel, with little touches of ska here and there. Alex Turner's lyrics are snotty and brash and the album as a whole just has a nice feel to it. The real standout tracks are I bet you look good on the dance floor and Still take you home. All in all a nice first effort, now let's see if they fall into the Sophomore curse and have a follow up that ends up in the crapper.
Alright next up on the hit parade is
Wolfmother- Wolfmother
I really really really love this album. It is spot on 70's riff rock at about it's best. These guys sound so authentic that it's kinda hard to believe that this album is not from 1971. Every song is an epic, every lyric is D&D inspired. There are a few stand out tracks though, the first being the opening track Colossal, it is just such a huge song, I mean huge. The riffs loom large and the lyrics are so myth inspired that you can't help but become mystified by it all. The other super stand out track is Joker and the Thief, it is just full blow 70's arena rock madness complete with a keyboard solo that Styx would be jealous of, it is f-ing awesome. These guys have a song called White Unicorn and write about looking into the sorcerer's orb, it's just pure teenage fun, and I like this band A LOT!
And next up is,
The Raconteurs- Broken Boy Soldiers
This is a bit of a Detroit "supergroup" you take a couple of the city's best know singer songwriters and mix in the rhythm section of one of our favorite adopted bands from Ohio and you get The Raconteurs. Brendon Benson, teams up with Jack White, and form a bad with the bass player and drummer from the Greenhornes. They have put together quite a little album though, very melodic and I like the title track quite a bit as well Steady as she goes which was the lead single. I think that the song that really stands out though is Blue Veins. It is Jack White at his very best, bluesy with a just enough hookyness to get to listen to the whole thing and wonder "what note is he gonna try to hit next". I think Mr. White has the Midas touch and he's just going to keep making brilliant record after brilliant record, no matter who he's working with.
The next album that i really think you owe it to yourself to listen to is,
Sonic Youth- Rather Ripped
No real surprise here to those that know me, this is my fav. band after all, at least of the modern era. This album doesn't really knock your socks off, but it does continue the sound that they have been using since Washing Machine. I do think that they maxed this sound out with Murray Street though and that was 2 albums ago, it may be time for them to try to change it up again. It's hard to get tired of the beautiful tapestries of sound that they have been making lately though, it's just wonderfull alt. tunings and it all sounds so pretty. I would like to hear them do something that sounds a bit more old school Sonic Youth soon, something a bit more like Confusion is Sex, or Kill yr. Idols. It's just great that one of indie rock's old institutions is still around after all these years.
Next up we have,
Bob Dylan- Modern Times
You know what Bob Dylan ROCKS! This album is very good. How is it that he can keep making such relevant albums that are so good and listenable. He can still tell a good story and he bring a tear to your eye. I really like his cover of Rollin' and Tumblin' on this album. I'm a recent convert to the cult of Dylan, I used to think he was overrated and would stay as far away as possible, but like most of the finer things in life his music is an acquired taste, and once you get the thirst for it it is almost unquenchable. At least for me. I can't really get enough of the guy right now.
So next is,
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Clap your Hands Say Yeah
Yes it's derivative, yes it sounds like all the other bands that come out as fo late that all sound like your mid 70's proto punk heroes. is it Pere Ubu, is it Television, is it Talking Heads? It sure sounds like those bands, but it isn't. These guys really came out of nowhere last year, they self published their album and still managed to sell quite a few units, almost half a million I think. It's filled with catchy hooks and sing songy lyrics and just the right amount of artsy fartsy crap thrown in for good measure. I like it and quite a bit too.
And now...
Kaiser George and the Hi-Risers- Transatlantic Dynamite
This album sounds like John Lennon cut a studio record with The Crickets, that's pretty much all I have to say. If that doesn't make you want to go out and buy it, then I don't know what will.
Then we have,
The Mars Volta- Amputechture
What can I say this is some good shit. I loved At the Drive in I thought it was wonderful music full of anger and noise and great riffs. But The Mars Volta really has taken that sound to a whole new level. I think that guitarist Omar Rodriguez-Lopez is prolly the most radical guy out there today, he is young and talented as all hell. He sounds like you took Frank Zappa, and threw him a blender with Tom Morello and released the contents filled with equal amounts of anger and restraint, he is the new rock god, for reals son, for reals.
So that is 8 albums, well the next two I'm kinda half assing because to be honest they are just OK to me. But, they are better than almost everything else I heard last year, so here they are.
The Flaming Lips- At War with the Mystics
This is a good album, it's just that I see it as a bit of continuing downward spiral for the lips. Yoshimi wasn't nearly as good as The Soft Bulletin, which I think up till now has been their peek. Except for maybe Zaireeka which unfortunately I have only been able to properly listen to it twice. It is an album you should hear in your lifetime though, regardless of your feelings about the lips as a band. Anyway Mystics is good it's just not that good.
and the last album
Beck- The information
Since the release of Sea Change, which to me was Beck's best album to date, he seems to have fallen off a bit. Guero seemed lost and so does this effort. Don't get me wrong I like it and have given it many a listen, I just feel like he sounds better when he sounds more like he did on Mutations and Sea Change. So here is hoping we get more of that Beck soon.
Well there you have it, my little list of albums that I think you and yours should listen to. Run out and grab 'em up. And if you think I;m full of it because I forgot to add your fav. scream-o band to the list than write me a comment and tell how not with it I am. I just ask one thing, if you do leave a comment, don't make it mamby pamby, I don't want any of this sorta nicey nice criticism, tell me what you think, K, good.
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