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.

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.

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.

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/

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

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/

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.