The Daily Update

(Editor's/Writer's note: this was supposed to have been posted long long ago. We're saying screw it, and posting it anyway.)

Song of the day:
I swear to you
I will always be there for you
there's nothin' I won't do
I promise you
all my life I will live for you
we will make it through
Forever
we will be
Together
you and me
Oh n' when I hold ya
nothin' can compare
With all of my heart
ya know I'll always be right there


NASA's plan for Moon, Mars

NASA is currently working on a return to the moon. If you remember, we've been there before, but got bored with it, thinking we had learned all we could about it. But now that we have bigger aspirations of going to Mars, all of a sudden we need the Moon yet again. Thankfully, it's not the type of moon to make a scene about it.

The Space shuttles were already being considered old technology for space travel, and NASA was looking for the next way to get to space before the most recent shuttle disaster. It simply hastened the need for replacement technology. So what ended up being the likely replacement? A command module attached that attaches to a lander, exactly the same design as the Apollo flights. It's akin to replacing a fleet of 747's with re-designed prop-propelled planes.

But here's the thing. Save for the Apollo 13 scare, the Apollo program worked. And worked very well. All of our Astronauts came back. In this rendition, it looks like the lander is launched seperately and put into an orbit that the command module meets up with after its own launch. If something goes wrong with the lander launch, there isn't any need to make a command module launch. And not only that, but it is a system we are familiar with. Or at least fairly familiar with. There isn't any need to go with a drastically different approach when we already know what works.

What is an interesting idea is how they will go forward with building a semi-permament station on the moon. I would think they could send some of the equipment ahead of time, and then presumably get the lander to touch down close to the construction site, so that the astronaut engineers/laborers can just saunter over, slap a blanket over a wire, and call it home!

Once the station is supposedly built, will they be asked to dig? I am picturing a teflon building full of oxygen protecting a prison gang digging ditches. On the moon. It'd be enough to get me to steal a car or two. "Sentance? A month of hard labor on the lunar plantation 4G."

So you're already asking why they would be digging. I don't know. Maybe it was generous contributions from the Corleone family in exchange for some waste disposal. Maybe the station needs a cozy bar/den/gameroom. 1/3 gravity would have some interesting affects on a pool or air hockey table.

But it will be interesting to see how it comes together. If it ever does, that is. I am still skeptical that it will get the funding it needs to make it work. The goal is to get there by 2020, but 14 years is a long time to maintain support within a Senate/House of Representatives that is always in flux, to say nothing of whether or not the Presidential administrations of the future will stand behind it. I'm hopeful, and yet the International Space Station was supposed to have 7 people in it full time. It currently has 2 or 3, because of budget cuts. The track record doesn't bode well for what is in store or what is needed for this venture.

This day in history:

On July 26, 1856, 150 years ago, playwright George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin, Ireland. But he's doing good work for CNN now.


In 1775, Benjamin Franklin became Postmaster-General. Were he around in 1995, he coulda been Benjamin Franklin, Grandmaster G!



In 1788, New York became the 11th state to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

Nothing of note happened for the next 167 years on this day.

In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain's prime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party. (Clement Attlee became the new prime minister.)

In 1952, Argentina's first lady, Eva Peron, died in Buenos Aires at age 33. The same day, King Farouk I of Egypt abdicated in the wake of a coup led by Gamal Abdel Nasser. Four years later to the day (1956), Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal. And on THAT same day, the Italian liner Andrea Doria sank off New England, some 11 hours after colliding with the Swedish liner Stockholm; at least 51 people died.

In 1971, Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy, Fla.


Today's Birthdays:

Rock star Mick Jagger is 63.



Actress Helen Mirren is 61.



Rock musician Roger Taylor (Queen) is 57.



Actress Susan George is 56.


Actor Kevin Spacey is 47.



Rock singer Gary Cherone is 45.



Actress Sandra Bullock is 42.



Actor Jeremy Piven is 41.



Actress Kate Beckinsale is 33.




Superman Returns Review *with spoilers!*
If you don't want to know, just page down quickly until the next bold type.

To understand this movie, you must first understand the directors intent is to build off of the success of the first two Superman movies with Christopher Reeve, and (correctly, mind you) completely ignore the third and forth that were made only for the purpose of contractual obligation. And don't bother to tell me anything different, because I cant bring myself to believe anything beyond that, or to the thought that there was malicious intent to actually commit those to film. Beyond the one scene in the junk yard where Clark Kent and Superman seperate to fight each other, there wasn't anything redeemable about either one. Some of you will point to my own lingering childhood fear of the robot scene from that same movie as my main reason to discount it. Well, who the hell told you about that?

I remember seeing Superman III with my mom back when I was a wee little lad. I spend near the entire robot scene cowering in the corner of my chair, with the small snippets of the film still caught and seared into my long term memory when I was brave enough to peek. I hated and still hate that part of the film.

The film re-connects with its roots of the first film in wonderful fashion. It refers and reminds you every now and then that it isn't starting over. Rather, it is continuing on the legacy that Christopher Reeve created with the first set. The world has been without a Superman for 5 years. Scientists had thought they had found his homeworld, and he felt the need to see for himself if there was anyone left to save, or any sign of survivors. He returns to find that he truly is the last Son of Krypton.

Much of the world is understandably jubilant at his return, though those he cared for most Lois Lane specifically, are more upset at his leaving so abruptly in the first place. While gone, she found a new man, and had a child with him. To make things even more awkward, she wrote a Pulitzer prize article talking about how the world didn't need Superman. ( I am sure there is a comment here about high strung women thinking that their thoungts, needs, and wants are what the world needs and wants. )

Oh, and Lex Luthor is back! Kevin Spacey brings some real zest to the role. You can tell he really relishes the portrayal of this character. Lex gets out of prison on a bit of a technicality, finds his way into some money, and into Superman's side. As in "pain in the".

Song of the day:

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go
I'm standin' here outside your door
I hate to wake you up to say goodbye

But the dawn is breakin', it's early morn
The taxi's waitin', he's blowin' his horn
Already I'm so lonesome I could die

So kiss me and smile for me
Tell me that you'll wait for me
Hold me like you'll never let me go

'Cause I'm leaving on a jet plane
I don't know when I'll be back again
Oh, babe, I hate to go

The first job I ever had was as an usher at a movie theater. (That sentence first read as "The fist job I ever had was", which is an entirely different story altogether. Even I can learn to use spellcheck.) It was minimum wage, but it was a fun job, and I got all of the free popcorn I could eat. (That gets old faster than you think. Yup. Even faster than that.) You also got to catch parts of the new releases, see free movies that aren't the new releases, and flirt with the counter girls. (Every sentence should have some separate segue to it, apparently.) Or you do at least, if you have the courage and gumption to do so.

That wasn't really my style.

There WERE times however, where some of my spontaneity and verve showed itself. No, not that. It wasn't that kind of theater unless there was a Madonna movie showing. See, we often would have soundtracks of recent or currently playing movies playing over the speakers. Even in between shows. Having nothing better to do than stand there and guide people to the bathroom or keep teenage kids from jumping theater to theater, you start feeling the groove and singing along, and maybe tapping your foot. Well, one particular night, I was really feeling the lyrics of The Bodyguard, lip-synching along with Whitney Houston, when one of the counter girls very bluntly threw off my groove, and asked point-blank, "Matt, are you a prostitute?"

"Uh, no". (That was the truth at that time. )

"Then stop singing that you are the 'Queen of the night'."

It was then that I learned a lesson I have kept upon my lips many times hence. There are simply some songs that you cannot sing as a man and keep your manhood. It is unacceptable to hear the vocal strains of "Girls just wanna have fun" from anyone who owns a penis. "Natural Woman" castrates those who are not. "Sisters are doing it for themselves" will do so without male accompaniment, for fear of having to hang their head in shame. The small tinkling chime you hear would be his testicles rolling about like small bells.

There was even an ad campaign surrounding a mid-size pickup that centered around this phenomenon. It may have been Nissan, but the idea was that they were trying to show how much space their second row provided. Some poor cowboys were put through the torture of having a fellow cowhand sitting in the middle of the second row. Oblivious to what flowed from his vocal cords, he sang with emotional gusto the anthem of "Damn, I feel like a woman." Those to his sides grimaced in awkward pain at the death of his masculinity.

A new song has entered within this realm, and I must concede I have felt a temptation I have not felt in some time to open my lips at the sound of its approach. It should come as no surprise that it is Pinks "Stupid girls" song. The song is catchy, and the message behind it one worth listening to. It's also a message that SHOULD come from the mouths of more men. This said, men are best to find their own way of saying the same thing. The lyrics take on new meaning for a man to try to put voice to them, and simultaneously renders him bereft of his fortitude. And if one is not careful, a man could find himself defending himself against charges of meaning what he sings, accusing women of less than stellar IQ's.
Nay, good friend, it is much better to leave such songs to the fairer sex, and instead take up another tune. If none comes to mind, I might suggest "California Girls" by the Beach Boys.


This day in history:

On April 7, 1862, Union forces led by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant defeated the Confederates at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee.

In 1927, an audience in New York saw an image of Commerce Secretary Herbert Hoover in the first successful long-distance demonstration of television.

In 1939, Italy invaded Albania. (Less than a week later, Italy annexed Albania.) Later, Italy would ask Albania "who's your poppa?" and fall asleep.

In 1945, during World War II, American planes intercepted a Japanese fleet that was headed for Okinawa on a suicide mission.

In 1947, auto pioneer Henry Ford died in Dearborn, Mich., at age 83.

In 1948, the World Health Organization was founded.

In 1949, the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "South Pacific" opened on Broadway. Gay men everywhere were thrilled.

In 1966, the United States recovered a hydrogen bomb it had lost off the coast of Spain. Oh, hey! That's where I left it! I would forget my head if it wasn't screwed on.

In 1969, the Supreme Court unanimously struck down laws prohibiting private possession of obscene material. LIke, olive loaf.

In 1994, civil war erupted in Rwanda, a day after a mysterious plane crash claimed the lives of the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi. In the months that followed, hundreds of thousands of minority Tutsi and Hutu intellectuals were slaughtered. The itsies and bitsies were completely wiped out, but the teenies and the weanies were able to forge a bond of truce.

today's birthdays:
Actor James Garner is 78. Movie director Francis Ford Coppola is 67. Singer John Oates is 57. Actor Jackie Chan is 52. Football Hall-of-Famer Tony Dorsett is 52. Actor Russell Crowe is 42. Actor Bill Bellamy is 41. Actress Heather Burns is 31.


The Office

NBC has found a show worth watching by picking things off of the British scrap heap. The office was of mild success in England, but has found a very special place in the hearts of those who simply can't get enough abuse at work.

The Office collects those moments you might have at work that are only funny so long as they aren't happening to you. We all have had those bosses that have made us wonder if they were intentionally malicious, or completely unaware as to how insensitive they were to say or act in the manner they did. Or the co-worker who is just as clueless as to what is going on. This show places them all together with a mean streak running deep within it's writing. There isn't much doubt that it is a funny show, though there are moments that are funny only because of how terribly uncomfortable some moments are, and you slowly remember that it's only a television show. The best description I have is one that I have routinely used...Sometimes the show is funny in it's own way, and other times it rears up and hits you in the forehead with a 2x4 with its insensitivity, leaving you stunned. You'll feel sheepish later when you turn to whomever might be watching it with you and wonder if he/she really said that.

Steve Carrell stars as the boss who is completely clueless and classless. There is also a nice subplot between Jim and Pam, Jim being single, and Pam being engaged to be married. You'd like to envision a happy ending for them (not THAT kind), but given the brutality of the show from time to time, it is hard to see things working out for them.

Even still, I can see a time where I am posting quotes from this show. And show reviews. Just a thought. I haven't done a show review since that Joe Millionaire show, and I think we all enjoyed that.

If you're game, lemme know what you think.



But other than that, it's fine...

My manager recently sent out a notification that if there were some imperfection in our chairs, that we should speak now, since they are considering getting some new ones. Not knowing where to start, I went ahead and compiled a list.

My chair is possessed by the soul of one David Hasselhoff. My chair likes to give me "the shocker". My chair likes new age jazz. My chair does cover songs that Michael Bolton wouldn't do. My chair had an affair with Marilyn Monroe in the White House. But not that Clinton girl, because it has standards. My chair is responsible for the clubbing of baby seals. My chair wants to open a night club called Baby Seals. My chair also wants to attack the babies of music star Seal. My chair is behind the rapid decline of reality shows. My chair has career goals to become a Texas State Prison Electric Chair. My chair sees nothing wrong with Canada, and calls it "Back Bacon". Stupid chair.

My chair attends Klan meetings, and justifies it by saying "some of my best friends are black." My chair has spent more than a 2 week span in Wisconsin. My chair puts creamed corn on everything it eats. My chair passes gas, and then blames it on me. My chair sings the name song over and over and over. My chair scoffs at your level 3 cleric. My chair wants to fill your peanut-butter cups with potassium bromide instead. My chair doesn't appreciate my well-sculpted glutes like the rest of you do. My chair wants Louie Anderson to return to Family Feud. My chair watches women's tennis for the competition; not to see hot girls in skirts. But my chair still snickers like everyone else when they pull the tennis ball out of their shorts.

My chair will lick my undercarriage, but won't kiss, because "it's too personal". My chair is for the dismantling of Israel. My chair stands in the grocery lane to read the magazines but doesn't buy anything at all. My chair refuses to acknowledge the term of Finland Chief of State/President Tarja Halonen. My chair thinks that Roadhouse is an actual movie, instead of female-porn. My chair repeatedly tells me it's "got your back", but it never does. In a similar vein, it also plays the "got your nose" game, even though he really doesn't. My chair cheers for any team that plays against yours, because it can't stand to see you happy. My chair pollutes, and doesn't give a hoot. My chair pops the bubbles that you blow from your bubble wand.
My chair can't be trusted with your puppy's tail. My chair will tell you it will find a job, but when was the last time you saw it filling out an application?

My chair is in cahoots with the potted plants, Little Shop of Horrors-style. My chair pees outside. My chair doesn't use spellcheck. My chair thinks "alot" should be 2 words. My chair loves me only for my money. My chair places things on itself, like thistles and whoopee cushions. My chair once dated Tommy Lee, and now has hepatitis C. And a few others that have yet to be found on the Gyno charts.

My chair once starred in a film that featured chair-on-chair-action. And worse, it was the bottom chair. My chair shot President McKinley, but didn't shoot President George W Bush. My chair watches "Dog: the Bounty Hunter" for grooming tips. My chair thinks Boba Fett is a pansy. My chair waits in the bushes. My chair made Stevie Wonder blind. My chair wants to see Gary Coleman and Emmanuel Lewis fight to the death while trashy women prod them with large lit cigars. My chair is familiar with the art of Ben Wa. You need not ask how I know this. My chair blames Charles Shultz for ruining slave trade. Yes, that Charles Shultz. It also blames Gloria Estefan for giving good-looking Latin women hope that they could be anything but housemaids who could be propositioned when the kids were at school. My chair thinks that unborn fetuses have the right to marry, but noone else. My chair tells graphic stories about when it was in the Franco-Prussian war. My chair thinks the ultimate cuisine experience is Franco-American Spaghetti-o's with sliced Frankie Muniz. My chair goes to movies and claims both armrests for itself. My chair wants to see the return of the 4 man rotation, and it's not talking baseball. My chair wants to build a car lot on Gettysburg. Safe to say, my chair is a jerk.

Book review: Game of Shadows

Book of Shadows documents not only the beginning of the case being made against Barry Bonds and his (alleged) steroid use, but that of anyone who ever ran or jumped, or swam or threw something at the Olympics of the past decade. OR at least, it seems that way. Dare not read, those of you who have any sort of National pride in your athletes. Track stars of all sorts are exposed for their steroid use throughout, and their approach to it all lets the color of your patriotism for sports run pale.

"Runner x is using it, and I'm not going to let him get away with it, so I'll use it to beat him too." Caught within their own rivalries, they risk their own health to beat their competitor.

If the book is accurate, there is too much evidence against Bonds. His relationships with his suppliers is damnable in and of itself, to say nothing of his extra-marital affairs. Having no met him myself, I am forced to rely upon the stories of those who have, and I have yet to find one that didn't refer to him as unbearable. He is not in baseball to be polite or cordial of course...These aren't qualities that hit home runs or steal bases or what have you. And yet, these qualities can buy you mercy in the eyes of those who watch baseball, should you falter. He has no such slack for himself.

Barry Bonds has cheated. It cannot be ignored. So has Sosa and Palmerio, and Canseco and Giambi, and McGwire too, though I hate to admit it to myself. Mcgwire had always been of a large build, capable of hitting great home runs. So it was easy to fool yourself that he was clean. By using these growth hormones and steroids and supplements, they cheated the fans who hoped that they were clean, who hoped that there was a chance that they were seeing the best of the best competing against each other without some hidden benefit. You bring your best and I'll bring mine. Instead, these men used what could be compared to a hidden nitrous boost in a drag race.

This book is not for those that wish to keep thoughts of such pure competitions alive. I don't think I'll look upon the Olympics the same again. As much as we derided the East Germans or the Russians in the past...We are as dirty as they are. As for baseball, it is run by Bud Selig. Selig takes no action or initiative of his own, and only moves when scolded by Congress. He is a sleeping dog who only moves when pushed. Baseball will never be clean under his watch, and he won't do anything more than what he is told to do, hoping it's enough. And it won't be.

Despite my ranting, it's a book worth reading, though it may not appeal to all of my audiences reading tastes.

Song of the Day:

Well, beat the drum and hold the phone - the sun came out today
We're born again, there's new grass on the field
Roundin' third, and headed for home, it's a brown-eyed handsome man
Anyone can understand the way I feel


Oh, put me in, coach - I'm ready to play today
Put me in, coach - I'm ready to play today
Look at me, I can be center field

Random image of Reese Withersoon:
T

This day in history:

In 1810, Emperor Napoleon of France was married by proxy to Archduchess Marie Louise of Austria.

In 1861, the Confederate convention in Montgomery, Ala., adopted a constitution.

In 1888, the famous "Blizzard of '88" struck the northeastern United States, resulting in some 400 deaths.

In 1930, former President and Chief Justice Taft was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

In 1941, President Roosevelt signed into law the Lend-Lease Bill, providing war supplies to countries fighting the Axis.

In 1965, the Rev. James J. Reeb, a white minister from Boston, died after being beaten by whites during civil rights disturbances in Selma, Ala.

In 1977, more than 130 hostages held in Washington by Hanafi Muslims were freed after ambassadors from three Islamic nations joined the negotiations.

In 1985, Mikhail S. Gorbachev was chosen to succeed the late Soviet President Konstantin U. Chernenko.

In 1986, the state of Georgia pardoned Leo Frank, a Jewish businessman who had been lynched in 1915 for the murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan.

In 2004, 10 bombs exploded in quick succession across the commuter rail network in Madrid, Spain, killing 191 people in an attack linked to al-Qaida.

Today's Birthdays:

Singer Bobby McFerrin is 56.

Movie director Jerry Zucker is 56.


Singer Lisa Loeb is 38.


Making sex with geeks OK again...even if their the clingy type, or just using you to climb the social ladder.

Sadly, the ladder got more action than I did in high school.

Actor Terrence Howard is 37.


Some brothers have all the luck...


Rock musician Rami Jaffee (Wallflowers) is 37.


That's him in the glasses. Kinda like "Guy" from "That Thing You Do!"

Actor David Anders is 25.


Actress Thora Birch is 24.


Shakespeare Quote of the Day:
"All the world 's a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts"

-As You Like It. (Act II, Scene VII).

Word of the Day:
deus ex machina \DAY-uhs-eks-MAH-kuh-nuh; -nah; -MAK-uh-nuh\, noun:
1. In ancient Greek and Roman drama, a god introduced by means of a crane to unravel and resolve the plot.
2. Any active agent who appears unexpectedly to solve an apparently insoluble difficulty.

The Death of Kirby Puckett

I,like many many other kids of the midwest, was a fan of baseball because of the youthful exuberance of Kirby Puckett. Here was a man who wan't just living life; he was enjoying it. It didn't hurt of course, that he was a tireless worker, or a batting champion, or a superb fielder who knew how to measure up the plexiglass outfield fence more than anyone else. But while all of these things were helpful to his popularity, he would not have been near as popular or famous if he hadn't made it obvious that he enjoyed what he was doing.

With Puckett, you never doubted that he was giving you everything he had inside. He loved what he did and he showed it all the time. He appreciated his chance to PLAY baseball. He did what all of us thought we would do with that sort of oppurtunity...he PLAYED. It wasn't work for him at all. So many players become jaded that they seem to forget or take for granted what oppurtunity they have placed in front of them sometimes. I suppose after a few years, the rest of us might do the same. And because of that, we saw so many great things about him in his play, in his gregarious nature, that we came to think that is how he must always be. That there wasn't any dark side to him. He excuded so much of what we want to find not only in our athletes, but in human beings in general.

And so when he retired, and other portions of his life came to light, we found that he wasn't always the Kirby Puckett we knew. It was disturbing that he was a womanizer. That he had some major marital strife that ultimately led to their divorce.

As a fan, I was disheartened to learn that he wasn't who I pictured him to be away from the field. I felt like I had to defend the indefensible. As time has passed, I hae started to wonder... did these bab moments in his life cancel out all the good that he has done for others? Is he completely un-redemable? If those who were harmed by him and his actions can find it to forgive him, then hopefully the rest of us can forgive the rest of us can learn to move on as well. Kirby Puckett wasn't perfect. He did some bad things, yes. the media and others have proved to have a long memory. But that doesn't undo all of the good. No more than all of the good does all the bad. Together, they make the whole picture of Kirby Puckett.

Part of being a fan is having hope. In fact, it's pretty much all there is to being a fan. that one day all of your hope will apy off for something special...a moment to celebrate. Being a fan of the Twins and being a fan of Kirby made all of those hopes realized when they won the World Series in 1987, and 1991. Because of those moments, alot of us got to experience the feeling that anything was possible. THat if we believed enough, we would see our dreams realized.

Thanks for making our dreams come true, Puck.


David Letterman's "Top Ten Ways to Mispronounce Kirby Puckett"

10. Kooby Pickett.
9. Creepy Pockets.
8. Bernie Crumpet.
7. Turkey Bucket.
6. Buddy Hackett.
5. The Puckett Formerly Known as Kirby.
4. Punky Brewster.
3. Kent Hrbek.
2. There once was a man from Nantucket who Kirbied his very own Puckett.
1. Englepuck Kirbydink.

Book Review:

Jurassic Park and the Lost World were packged under one book together, and placed upon a shelf at the local library for me to find recently. Having enjoyed the movies when they were out, I thought it was worth looking into to see if the books truly were better than the visual option.

It was and it wasn't. Being more familiar with it from the movie, I found myself jumping from the more tedious setup right to the action, as any person with a need for immediate gratification like myself has. (That's not quite the best reflection of myself, now is it?) Montana ranch, blah, blah, dinosaurs are birds, sure...eggs...whatever. Where's the damned T-rex and the velociraptors?! Ah! Page 78! Much better! Rip that lawyer in two!

In all it was an intruiging read, because it was a different story than those portrayed on screen. A different set of people died, and their trail was much different. While the baser pieces were the same --people under the threat of attack of carnivorous beasts of the past--, the details were much changed. And it was the baser pieces that drew me in.

Once in, I found an interesting contrast...the book was trying to present some rather deep thoughts about evolution and the destruction of the world. A faux-deep conversation about where we came from, how dinosaurs interacted and such was often presented, as though it was a top 50 brief summary of the theories of the time, interlaced together with a story to be placed with a comic book. In doing so, the writer seemed as though he was trying to pull together a conversation of intellectuals and laymen to discuss different topics, with varying degrees of success. There were a few instances it actually stalled the action rather than furthering the story. Still worth reading, though if you have the inkling. I suppose that the best way to put it is that I wouldn't go out lookng for it, but if you happen across it, it's a good time filler for lunch breaks and other times that you might take to yourself.

Next up on the "Review of books that have been out for some time that everyone else has read: But not the Hippopotomous, by Sandra Boynton. It's a sad study of being a social outcast in a group setting. For more on dinosaurs, be sure to check out her breakthrough work found here.

Link of the day:

The evolving organism game! No...organ-ISM. Not what you thought. Those sort of things must be earned, and I wouldn't want my name associated with giving those out.

Wait...maybe I do. Lookit that. 2 links of the day. Aren't you people so special? Warning: this isn't the work-safe kind of link. And special note to E: If the cowboy with the boots remind you of anyone in particular, I'll be happy.

DAMMIT!

DAMMIT DAMMIT DAMMIT!

This is so damn old and I am so damn tired of it sittng there unfinished. I'm posting this damned thing, and then I'm done with this post. I'm working on newer things.

Song of the day:

City's breaking down on a camel's back.
They just have to go 'cause they don't know when
So all you fill the streets it's appealing to see
You wont get out the county, 'cos you're bad and free
You've got a new horizon It's ephemeral style.
A melancholy town where we never smile.
And all I wanna hear is the message beep.
My dreams, they've got to kiss, because I dont get sleep, no..

Windmill, Windmill for the land.
Turn forever hand in hand
Take it all in on your stride
It is sinking, falling down
Love forever love is free
Let's turn forever you and me
Windmill, windmill for the land
Is everybody in?

-Feel good Inc., Gorillaz

This day in history:

In 1773, the ninth president of the United States, William Henry Harrison, was born in Charles City County, Va. It should be noted that he didn't begin his term right at birth.

In 1825, the House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams president after no candidate received a majority of electoral votes. So...the son of a previous president gets the position, in a battle between he and another underwhelming candidate?

Which is the more appropriate commentary here? "The more things change the more they stay the same"? Or "Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it"?

In 1861, the Provisional Congress of the Confederate States of America elected Jefferson Davis president and Alexander H. Stephens vice president. Also known as traitors, if you're the type to hold a grudge.

In 1870, the U.S. Weather Bureau was established. Thanks to the Weather Bureau, we can all enjoy a beautiful Summer!


A beautiful Summer. (Altice)

In 1942, daylight-saving "War Time" went into effect in the United States, with clocks turned one hour forward.

In 1950, in a speech in Wheeling, W.Va., Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., charged the State Department was riddled with Communists. Witch-hunt is more like it. On another note, the Green Bay Packers new head coach is a guy named Mike McCarthy. Just saying.

Saying what?

The Packers are evil. I can't put it simpler.

In 1964, The Beatles made their first live American television appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" on CBS.

Close your eyes and I'll kiss you
Tomorrow I'll miss you
Remember I'll always be true
And then while I'm away
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you

I'll pretend that I'm kissing
The lips I am missing
And hope that my dreams will come true
And then while I'm away
I'll write home every day
And I'll send all my loving to you

All my loving, I will send to you

In 1971, the Apollo 14 spacecraft returned to Earth after man's third landing on the moon.


Apollo Adama, from Battlestar Galactica, played by Jamie Bamber. This photo really doens't have any point beyond throwing you off my track of rampant heterosexuality.

In 1984, Soviet leader Yuri V. Andropov died at age 69, less than 15 months after succeeding Leonid Brezhnev; he was succeeded by Konstantin U. Chernenko.

In 2002, Britain's Princess Margaret died in London at age 71.

Today's Birthdays:

Actress Kathryn Grayson is 84.


Television journalist Roger Mudd is 78.

If you're thinking of this guy, you're wrong. And you watch too much Star Trek.

Singer-songwriter Carole King is 64.

Tonight with words unspoken
You'll say that I'm the only one
But will my heart be broken
When the night meets the morning sun?

I'd like to know that your love
Is love I can be sure of
So tell me now and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Actor Joe Pesci is 63.

He's such a great actor. He makes me laugh! Like a clown, you might say.

Actress Mia Farrow is 61.


Actress Ziyi Zhang ("Memoirs of a Geisha") is 27.



Shakespeare Quote of the day:
Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood
Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will
rather
The multitudinous seas incarnardine,
Making the green one red.
-Macbeth Act II Sc. II

Word of the day:
pliant \PLY-uhnt\, adjective:
1. Easily bent or flexed; supple; pliable; adaptable.
2. Easily influenced; yielding readily to others.

Super Bowl Thoughts:

So I had thought that I would take the day after the Super Bowl off to write, and write quite a bit! But those in control at work deemed that there wasn't a chance for that to happen on Monday. So here we are, on a Thursday, writing about what happened on Sunday. And most of my thunder is completely stolen. And while my idea isn't exactly original, it's been done. So why do it? Well, this way you get a Super Bowl Diary without having to hear a bunch of Patriots blather.

PRE-GAME

Both teams are introduced, they are introduced as a team, rather than as individuals. When that change first happened, it was the Patriots against the Rams. The Rams signified the oppulent individualism and me-first attitude. It worked well for them, because the components worked so well together, and there was plenty of success to feed everyone's egos.

The Patriots, instead, were introduced as an entire team. The epitome of selflessness and team camraderie was what tehy meant to project, and it came across. Now, teamwork is the new pink. Everyone is introduced as a team, rather than as seperate individuals getting their own moment in the sun. Which isn't a bad thing really; it's actually very refreshing to see them parallel the ideals of sports in general.

What is really interesting is that the Seahawks came out to the strains of a Rolling Stones song that was later sampled to create a song called "Bittersweet Symphony". This is the first of many signs that the Seahawks are doomed today.

Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin performed the national anthem. I'd say it was performed together, but that wouldn't be right. It's the SuperBowl, but I'm not sure I've ever seen either look as badly as they do. Wether it was just the affects of the years, or the distortion of their images of TV, it was one thing. But it shouldn't have affected their singing. They hadn't sounded so badly in my memory. Worse, others thought it was one of the best performances ever.

Peter King wrote in his diary about it himself. "Aretha Franklin, Dr. John, Aaron Neville. Second-best anthem of the 22 Super Bowls I've covered, next to Whitney Houston's. Moving, terrific. Did you see Cowher's reaction? I've never seen a coach clap so enthusiastically for an anthem. Not sure if I've ever seen a coach respond to one, period.">

A commercial break brang us pleas from the Pizza Hut corporation to partake of their wares.

OK, it was a smut-based commercial, where a mid-teenage boy awaits a pizza, when he apparently slips into semi-conciousness. Maybe he got hit in the head with the back end of a pizza pan, I don't know. Apparently it brings him to a state of teenage awkwardness that all guys go through. He finds himself in some sort of dreamlike state which, when he awakens, is going to be a bitch to explain to the rest of his family as to why his pants don't fit correctly.

The reason for his pants pre"dic"ament? Jessica Simpson walking towards him, offering a slice of her hot dish. (Careful, it's got hot cheese too.)

Were I a 14-15 year old kid again, it'd be a commercial taking advantage of all of the dreams I supposedly had but wouldn't have ever given breath of life to. Ripped from my mind, and played out on the screen, all for the sake of selling more pizzas.

It is with age that I am slowly discovering that there is a time and place for everything. And while as a man of near 30 years old I can appreciate the nuances of seeing a woman in a skimpy outfit carrying a hot pizza with a come-hither stare (meeting all of my baser instincts of food and procreation), it has also occured to me that the mind of a boy on the brink of puberty may not be the greatest place to mine marketing campaigns.

Ok, that's not completely true. If you're a marketing exec with a projected demographic of 15-?? males, it's the perfect place to start. Is it an ethics issue though? Or is it my own intenal perception of Jessica Simpson, and the loss of her innocent appeal (now that she's divorced) from commercials past that prevents me from fully embracing this commercial as harmless fun?



No, I think what it's really about is the apparent age discrepancy between Ms. Simpson and the teen boy she seduces by popping cheese filled nuggets into his mouth. Were it a male sedcing a female of the same differnece in ages, it would be rather disgsting, instead of just the rather awkward nervous giggles that occur in my mind, as I realize...."that coulda been me."

Which will prompt all of you to say..."No, it couldn't."

1st half:

The first half started with both teams looking to get their offense going, and going quickly. This means a passing offense. Seattle got the ball first, and (just as SOMEONE had predicted) they came out throwing, rather than using their offensive line and running back as they had all season long. 3 of their first 4 plays were passes on an out route.

Pittsburgh also wanted to get off to an early aggressive start on offense, but all it led to was 3 and out situations, where they had to punt right away. In fact, Seattle was doing so well by comparison, there was trepidation early taht Seattle just might make it a blow out victory. The only problem was that they seemed to constantly shoot themselves in the foot. Penalties, turnovers, or simple out and out poor execution kept them from advancing the ball. They were moving the ball, but seemed only slightly out of synch. In just needed some tweaking before they would eb able to move at will. Especially since Pittsburgh was doing next to nothing offensively.

The Seahawks went up early by a single field goal, missing some good oppurtunities to score. The Steelers,by comparison, were happy to be able to get a first down. Not because of any sort of special effort on teh Seattle defense, but more because of a lack of execution on Pittsburgh's part. Bottled up for much of the first half, they finally made some progress in the last 5 minutes. Once they got to mid-field, they faced a crucial 3rd and 5. they were showing signs of life, and needed to make a first down if they had any hope of losing faith. On the play, the protection broke down, and Big Ben had to scramble and do an underhanded pitch a la Brett Favre to pick up the first down. The progress was short-lived, because they quickly found themselves in a 3rd and 28 situation. It was then that PItt QB Ben Roethlesburger squiggled out of harms way again, and toe-d the line of scrimmage again, and un-corked a pass to Hines Ward down on the goal line. From there, he ran a QB sneak that may or may not ahve crossed the line.

Seattle then got the ball back, with a few minutes to spare to try to drive for a TD, or some other score that might give them a chance to win. Instead, they butchered the clock like the guy behind the cases at the deli. You want a 1/2 pound of game clock? How 'bout some jerky to go with that?

They can put it on the officials all they want, but the fact is, they showed no cohesion in effort. Things got so confusing, the Steelers defenders got wary of some sort of trick. Not knowing what might be up Seattle's sleeve, they took a time out for no reason whatsoever, other than to prevent something really wrong from happening on the defensive side. They needen't have worried though; I don't think Seattle had anything nefarious cooking. IN fact, I don't think Seattle had any idea what they were doing either. Despite the gift timeout from the Steelers, the Seahawks still couldn't put hte ball in good enough position,a nd ended up missing a field goal to end the first half.

Song of the day:
I know a girl

She puts the color inside of my world

But she's just like a maze

Where all of the walls all continually change

And I've done all I can

To stand on the steps with my heart in my hand

And I started to see

Maybe it's got nothing to do with me


Fathers be good to your daughters

Daughters will love like you do

Girls become lovers who turn into mothers

So mothers be good to your daughters, too


-John Mayer "Daughters"




-Picture by Lydia VanRoy-Amundson


History on Jan 20th when I first started this update:

In 1801, John Marshall was appointed chief justice of the United States.

In 1841, the island of Hong Kong was ceded to Great Britain. (It returned to Chinese control in July 1997.) (Whereupon it was promptly destroyed by Godzilla.

In 1887, the U.S. Senate approved an agreement to lease Pearl Harbor in Hawaii as a naval base.

In 1896, comedian George Burns was born Nathan Birnbaum in New York City.

In 1936, Britain's King George V died; he was succeeded by Edward VIII.

In 1942, Nazi officials held the notorious Wannsee conference, during which they arrived at their "final solution" that called for exterminating Jews.

In 1945, President Roosevelt was sworn into office for an unprecedented fourth term.

In 1954, "The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial," a play by Herman Wouk based on part of his novel "The Caine Mutiny," opened on Broadway.

In 1986, the United States observed the first federal holiday in honor of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.

In 1986, Britain and France announced plans to build the Channel Tunnel.

Jan 20th's Birthdays:

Country singer Slim Whitman is 82.

It's also possible he's Zorro.

Actress Patricia Neal is 80.


Comedian Arte Johnson is 77.

Verrry interesting, but stupid.

Former astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is 76.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!

Rock musician Paul Stanley (KISS) is 54.

Murderers and the like are re-incarnated when they die as the hair traps in his shower.

Political blowhard, pissant, and general annoyance Bill Maher (MAR) is 50.


Actor Lorenzo Lamas is 48.
There wasn't a picture of him on the internet. I swear.

Actress Stacey Dash is 39.

I know, I was thinking the same thing... she's Ms. Dash, only spicier!


Actor Skeet Ulrich is 36.

For those that don't know, he's like Johnny Depp, only without the career.

Word of the day:
panacea \pan-uh-SEE-uh\, noun:
A remedy for all diseases, problems, or evils; a universal medicine; a cure-all.

Ok, REALLY...TODAY in history:

In 1783, Spain recognized U.S. independence. It looked like...

Touriya.


In 1809, the territory of Illinois was created. Well, not really created. It was already there. More like a group of people decided how a plot of land should be divided.

In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, providing for a federal income tax, was ratified. Stupid 16th amendment, anyway.

In 1916, Canada's original Parliament Buildings, in Ottawa, burned down. Let the mutha burn! Burn, baby burn!

In 1917, the United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany, which had announced a policy of unrestricted submarine warfare. Psssh. What's the worst that could happen?

In 1924, the 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, died in Washington at age 67.

In 1930, the chief justice of the United States, William Howard Taft, resigned for health reasons.

In 1943, during World War II, the U.S. transport ship Dorchester, which was carrying troops to Greenland, sank after being hit by a torpedo. (Four Army chaplains gave their life belts to four other men, and went down with the ship.)

In 1994, the space shuttle Discovery lifted off, carrying Sergei Krikalev, the first Russian cosmonaut to fly aboard a U.S. spacecraft.

In 1995, the space shuttle Discovery blasted off with a woman, Air Force Lt. Colonel Eileen Collins, in the pilot's seat for the first time in NASA history.

Review of A & E's "Flight 93":

I really had every intention to go to sleep last night. Or to clean the bathroom. But Flight 93 was on A and E last night…

It was good TV, but beyond that there seemed to be a moral obligation to watch the thing once you started. If you missed it, it was ok. But if you caught any part of it, you were obligated to follow it to its inevitable end, to bear witness to what they had to go through.

The show itself, because of the nature of the content, comes perilously close to being above criticism. You cannot criticize it, because this is a re-enactment of a real and horrifying event, and the rules of decorum in reviewing a show such as this are not he same for something that is fictionally based, or some of the other so-called reality shows like American Idol. While not everything in a re-enactment can be accepted as scripture, there is something sacred about watching the final moments of some very brave people. It’s just very un-cool to assail the words and actions of those being portrayed. The portrayers, however, are another story.

More on that in a moment, though. First, the question of why I was watching it in the first place. It wouldn’t be an accurate description to say that it was “fun to watch”. It wasn’t. It also wasn’t the “can’t watch the car wreck, but can’t look away” cliché either. It was gripping, however, in much the same way Schindler’s List is. It’s a representation of the account of a group of people who faced their eminent death, and all of the aspects that come with it. As a viewer, you’re transfixed by what you see. If you are anything like me, there is an ever-present concern that your interest in such shows will be misinterpreted as some masochistic glee at seeing others suffer. I watch these shows because it makes those moments in history all the more real for me, and makes them easier to connect to. It adds the human element to it, instead of having a statistical breakdown of the number of deaths, or pounds of fuel, or whatever it may be. Seeing the implications and connections to others, like a mother and daughter talking on the phone for the very last time, or watching a child ripped from the arms of a father as the Nazis carry out the liquidation of the ghetto. These aren’t scenes I like to see, but it allows me to feel them for myself, so that I better understand what they went through. However, from an outside view, those feelings may not be shared by others, and so I keep them to myself. In a sense, you become almost embarrassed for liking these tales of grief and despair. Which is not, repeat, NOT saying that watching Jewish families from Poland suffer is my guilty pleasure. Or from any other nation, for that matter.

Flight 93 does an exceptional job of capturing those true emotions laid bare for the viewer to see. I happened across only the last half of the show as I prepared for bed, and quite honestly, should have been in the process of cleaning the bathroom. Once I came across it however, I was transfixed. It was 11pm, but there wasn’t a chance I was going to sleep until the show ended. It was one of those events in history that you look back at, and wonder what you would have done if put in the same situation. I’m not sure that I could have been as brave as they had been. The people on that plane are praised for being heroes, which they are, there is no doubt of that. But I think that some people get the idea that they sacrificed themselves in fighting back to save those in the buildings they might have hit. That’s wrong. They fought to get home to their own lives. To get back to those on the other end of the phones, who could only sit and strain to listen to every crackled word on the cell phones they heard. They fought to live on. They weren’t able to accomplish that. But the fact that they tried –that they fought back the fear and panic and horror they had to feel to repel and ruin the plans of some horrible monsters to humanity- prevents anyone from saying they failed. To think of what it would have meant, to be able to take back the plane, and do away with their tormentors…to simply get to the point where the passengers would have had control of the cockpit, and to have a chance (just even a chance) to land it on their own! You can’t help after watching it to think about what it would have been like for them to be able to re-unite after everything that had happened.

The show had only a few points that fell out of harmony with the rest of the show. And it should be reminded again, that this nitpicks are leveled at the production of the re-enactment, and not at the moments themselves. There was a moment where Todd Beamer is talking to an operator, and reciting The Lord’s Prayer. The moment actually happened, and fit with the context of the show, but the portrayal of the actress playing the operator seemed forced and wooden. The other small complaint revolved around the director, and his insistence that nearly every character that wasn’t on the plane should be holding a baby, or looking out onto a lawn full of children. It’s not lost upon me that there were a multitude of children that were affected by this. As a father myself, I blubbered when Thomas Burnett eschewed talking to his 3 daughters one last time, not wanting to upset them further, or possibly risk losing his resolve to do what needed to be done. It became an issue, however, when every person involved on the ground was holding a child or infant, as if it were a mandatory prop. There again, it felt forced and unnatural. It was a minor twinge that for a brief moment made it feel more like propaganda instead of the memorial it is. And had it not been noticed by me, I am sure that you’d agree that it’s a fitting memorial at that.



Random Picture of Grace Park:


“Gun” review:

You need a horse.

No, correction.

You NEED a horse. All this running around on your feet crap is for the poor bastards who don’t have a Winchester. Oh sure, popular opinion of you in town might drop…but the hick in front of you has the only horse in sight, and you’ll be damned if you’re gonna spend the next few minutes dodging bullets when you could be galloping away. Or running them down on the beast yourself. So you do what you have to. You skin your bullet-wagon and make it a mercy killing, sending a metal angel through the owners brain bucket, just behind the ear. It’s a bit of a surprise to see his head explode like a piñata with a stick of dynamite inside, but you recover quickly enough when a bullet cracks the dusk and rock at your feet. You quickly mount the horse (NO, NOT THAT!), and get a quick feel for your bearings. There’s 5 hoodlums coming at different directions. You could beat the trail to Empire City and hole up for a spell, and come back later to wreak havoc on Dodge. Or you could stand and deliver the lungers to the sweet here-after.

It’d be smarter to make a break for it. But you’ve never been the type to run away. So you quickdraw your pistols and time suddenly slows down. Their movement compared to yours is so slow, it’s almost comical. They never stood a chance. Your concentration narrows as you plug the first man 2 times in the gut, and move to the next target. He’s blazing away at you, but his shot is wide. Yours are dead on, and you run a bullet through his throat. Any other time, you’d call it a lucky shot, but there are more targets yet. The third guy is caught re-loading and a shot in the chest and leg puts him down. The 4th man grazes your shoulder, but it doesn’t keep you from getting off 3 shots to end his misery. The 5th guy feints to gallop away on his own ride, but a well placed shot in his back has him slumped over. Out of nowhere, a hail of bullets rains down on your steed from above. A quick glance reveals a whore with a rifle of her own, atop the balcony of the Amstead Saloon. Your horse falls over, leaving you on your feet again, but you’re able to take your time, because she’s got terrible aim (which is surprising considering her reputation for working with her hands). You take your time, line up your shot, and take pleasure in giving her something she’s never had before…

But dammit! Now you’re without a horse again. No, wait! The dead guy who tried to ride away. You amble over to the now rider-less painted pony, and climb aboard. Now, with a fresh horse, and no one in town to get in your way. Still, there isn’t anything in town for you anymore. May as well head over to Empire City, and see if there’s any bounty work. Maybe stop by the Rancher, and see if he needs a hand along the way.

Gun allows you to get in touch with your inner-Clint Eastwood. Only just last night, I got “A Fistful of Dollars” from Netflix, and no sooner had the first shootout occurred (“My mule don’t like it you laughing. He gets the crazy idea you’re laughing at him.”), then I felt a compelling urge to set the movie next to my video game console and watch the movie while going through my own shoot-outs.

There is a larger mission to accomplish, but in the meantime, you have plenty of lee-way to go where you want when you want. Wanna take a side job for the Pony Express? Why not! Feel like talking things over with an Indian trader? Just head on up to the lake shore, and get some medicinal herbs. Go mining for gold? Friend, there a bunch of offbeat places to do it. Got a craving that your horse can’t scratch? Sorry. There are “Billiard rooms”, but no one is ever in them, and you can’t spend your hard earned bounty cash on the ladies of the upstairs. And as with all a-moral games in which you play a character who is a bit of an anti-hero, there is a testing out phase of what you can shoot and what you can’t. Or who, for that matter.

It took some time to get to Dodge, but immediately upon my arrival, I used some of the common citizens for practice. At first, it was innocent warning shots, just to get the hang of the capabilities of my character. But as my own ability grew, so did the darker side of my desires. I found that I could sneak up behind people, and grab them, holding a knife to their throat. I wouldn’t execute them however…I just pretended to be a badass, and a bully. I suspect it’s because I wasn’t held enough as a child. (Which would also explain why I hold myself so often.)

(It’s a special type of hug, just for me.)

It was inevitable, though. After a time, I simply couldn’t resist the temptation to squeeze off a round into an innocent bystander. Channeling my inner Johnny Cash, I shot a man in Reno (Actually Empire).

Just to watch him die.

Now at this point, I’m sure many of you are wondering to yourselves the following:

“Clint Eastwood?! Johnny Cash?! Just how many men do you have inside you?”

You’ll simply have to wait until it reaches the video shelves to find out. (Look for “BuckBack Mounting 2: The Turning Out of Young Eddie Colbort” at your favorite adult novelty stores next week!)

It’s a small part, but it’s a start.

…

Maybe the phrase “It’s a small part” wasn’t the best choice of words there.

Gun is one of the better non-Star Wars, non-Madden games I’ve played in a long time. If I ever find a way to play the cool whistling theme from “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” while playing, I’ll never leave my room.

Postscript note…When watching a spaghetti western, which is the better food to accompany it…burritos/tacos or spaghetti?

Super Bowl XL preview/prediction:

My Michigan readers, I am sure, are tired of hearing about the Super Bowl. Some might even prefer we skip straight to spring training, and the upcoming Red Sox season. Because Lord knows no one looks forward to watching the Tigers play.

There really isn’t anything further that I can add that hasn’t already been written about this game. But rather than cut and paste what others have said, I’ll post my thoughts anyway.

All year, Seattle has run the football behind a great run blocking offensive line, and Shawn Alexander followed behind. There isn’t much reason for them to do much different in this game. They’ll do what they can against a very tough defense. I think Pittsburgh has the players to stop the run, but it will be a heavy toll on their bodies, and possibly wear them out towards the end of the game. It will be important to stop the run and force the Seahawks to pass. Pitt isn’t as good on defense in coverage, but they make up for it by getting to the quarterback better than most. But to get to the QB, they’ll have to go through that same tough offensive line. For Pittsburgh to win, they’re gonna need their offense to have long sustained drives to give the defense a chance to rest on the sideline. Pittsburgh will bring 8 guys into the box, and try to stop the run. Seattle, I think, may come out throwing, trying to take advantage of the 1 on 1 match-ups on the outside. The Steelers Troy Polamalu has the agility to play the role of the 8th defender in the box and still get back for deep coverage, so the Steelers won’t lose much if Seattle goes to pass. And I haven’t seen many successful screens against this team while he was on the field. The Seahawks WR’s aren’t great; merely solid. If they’re able to take Alexander out of the game, and force Seattle to pass, they’ll have taken a huge step to winning the game.

On offense, Pittsburgh is much better at passing the ball than people give them credit for. Quite honestly, they could easily shed any notions that the Steelers are a run-first team without any problem at all. But because the running game fits their aura so well, and because they are so good at what they do, Pittsburgh will try to strike at the Seahawks with the more agile Willie Parker as much as they can, and then sprinkle in carries for Jerome Bettis as they can. The offensive line for the Steelers isn’t as good as Seattle, but they’re in the top 5 of the league, especially the center and guard combinations. When it comes time to pass, they won’t have any hesitation to hit the secondary receivers, like the TE, or 3rd or 4th WR. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that if they get in a goal-line situation, they’ll play action to Bettis, and hit a rolling out TE, like Heath Miller. The defense will be thinking about the Steelers trying to get Bettis a TD, so they’ll be aggressive to stop him from getting in. A fake to Bettis could leave the TE open in the back corner of the end zone. Antwaan Randle-El could also have a significant role in this game. With he and Hines Ward both having QB experience, I hope we’re lucky enough to see some gadget plays executed.

Of course, that is only if and when the Steelers get into a goal-line situation. Seattle has a defense that had the most sacks of any team in the league, so they’re no slouch, despite not having any all-star like players of notoriety. Just good solid players without much weakness across the board.

I think, given the strength of the Seattle running game, that they actually may have an edge in this match-up. Despite that, I am going to join in with the Steeler following. This is for many reasons. One of which is that I don’t want to be on a coast surrounded with a bunch of Seahawk fans who believe that their team is the best, carrying on like fools. Other reasons range from the former allegiances of my step-father to a simple hope to see Bill Cowher win a Super Bowl, rewarding the faith that the owners of that football team with the loyalty they showed their coach. The Steelers have had only 2 coaches since 1969,and in an era where most teams swap coaches every 3-5 years…it says a lot about staying the course and having faith and common sense.

There are a couple of other reasons as well. One poignant, and the other not as much.

The last time the Steelers were in a Super Bowl was Super Bowl XXX. Cowboys-Steelers. Big game. (Well, of course it was. It was the Super Bowl. ) I don’t have many memories of the game, beyond the fact that the Steelers had a chance to win it a few different times, if only Neil O’Donnell hadn’t thrown some horribly bad passes that were picked off. Most of my memories were of the day, and of going to a local bakery to get a cake decorated, and presenting the cake to my fiancée, embedded within the frosting on the top, an engagement ring she and I had both picked out. I can’t remember why I had chosen to do it on Super Bowl Sunday, but I can think of what my feelings were at the time. I was much more wrapped up in football then, and it was a way of getting her involved in that passion of mine. Combining my love for her and for the Super Bowl seems embarrassingly silly now; she deserved a whole separate occasion to herself. But at the time, no idea seemed more right. The only thing that didn’t go right that day was that the wrong team won. Ten years later, it’d be nice to see that corrected.

And if you need further reason (and this is for those MI readers again) the Steelers have more Michigan and Michigan State players on their roster, and NO Ohio State players. Seattle? They’ve got a few Michigan players as well, but they’re harboring a buckeye. You know what that means.

Steelers win.

Beyond that, I’m just hoping for a good close game that’s entertaining, with few punts, and great commercials that make you laugh the laugh of 30 tickled babies. But not 31, because that would be excessive. There have been good commercial years (Bud Bowl, when they actually animated the bottles; Terry Tate Office Linebacker; etc) and really bad years (Pepsi clear, with Van Halen’s Right Now. I still hate that damned song from over-exposure). Let this be a good year. We need the laughs.