...randomness surrounding Guided by Voices, Robert Pollard, and other great indie rock bands; a quasi objective look at "my" sporting teams; the random horror film; plus other crap as we see fit...all with a Pittsburgh based feel.
I know many of you probably aren't enjoying this nearly as much as I am, but I'm throw around the minimal weight that my posting privilidges allow. Bitches.
ESPN did release a response to Deadspin's secret sharing.
A lot of bitterness being spewed by the ESPN brass. However, noticeably lacking in the response, anything remotely close to a denial.
Berson, whom Business Week ranks as the 73rd most powerful man in sports, finalized his divorce from his ex-wife Jane in March, a source said. Lacey and Berson first found romance together two years ago, the source said. A separate ESPN source confirmed Berson and Lacey had been dating for a long time.
The best way to start this post is to plug a different blog, Deadspin. Currently, the ubersportsblog is cleaning out the inbox of tips they've received about ESPN employee sexcapades. This is in response to the Steve Phillips' boning of a 22-year-old production assistant.
Basically, Deadspin got word of the Phillips story a day in advance and called the four letter network to confirm the forthcoming Phillips absence. Rather than going "no comment" the network said that the story was completely false, except it wasn't. Not being the first time Bristol has snubbed, blacklisted, or lied to the blog, Deadspin has responded by throwing some (maybe all?) of it's ESPN employee liaison stories out to the public. Followed by an invitation to ESPN to comment as they'd like. They're all good reads, and worth a bit of your time.
However, my favorite story of the day comes out of the University of Central Florida, where Marcus Jordan, better known to all of us as the son of Michael Jordan, is refusing to play basketball unless he can wear his father's sneakers. While it's not uncommon for the offspring of famous people to follow the career path of their parent(s), most attempt to set themselves apart from their famous namesake, and forge their own identity. Not Son of Michael Jordan, he's fighting with every bit to stay as firming connecting to that vast, bald shadow that he can. I think we know which side of the family Son of Michael Jordan got his ego from.
As endorsement savvy as Michael Jordan is, you would think he would have instilled in his son, Son of Michael Jordan, that you need to check into potential endorsement conflicts of interest before signing up. I hope that UCF tells Son of Michael Jordan that he can ride the bench, if that, until he understands that he has no special rights, and gets treated the same as his teammates.
Does the man in this picture not scream, "hit me, I'm a douche bag."? He voluntarily posed like that, knowing his picture was being taken. WTF!
I support the special team players as much as or more than anyone else you know. However, I'm jumping off the Jeff Reed bandwagon. This little drunken cop fighting incident aside, he's been one of the more obnoxious parts of this club for the past couple of years. I mean, look at that picture, it's beyond agitating.
NFL kickers (and punters, not that Daniel will ever be an issue) are like head coaches, only 32 people in the world get be one of them, and there are plenty more capable people to fill those positions, should you fall out of favor. Step your game up, party at places a little better than McFadden's, tell your teammates to step back inside the bar to take a leak, try not fighting the cops, allegedly, and maybe you'll get to stick around a bit longer.
Another great weekend with the kids from Canadia. Saturday night can't get here any faster.
However, the other part of this game was the 250X40 ft. banner being made for Danny Dichio. This was a combined effort of the Red Patch Boys and the U-Sector supporter groups.
It was amazing in person...
Now, onto this weekend's regular season ending schedule of games. Thanks to my amazing copy and paste abilities, below is the cheat sheet to knowing what it takes to get TFC into the post-season for the first time in club history.
TFC WIN vs NY, hope for:
Colorado vs RSL - draw or RSL win Dallas vs Seattle - draw or Seattle win
... just one of those results needs to happen for TFC to get in with a win
TFC DRAW vs NY, hope for:
Colorado vs RSL - draw or Colorado win AND Dallas vs Seattle - Seattle win AND NE vs Columbus - draw or Columbus win AND DC vs KC - draw or KC win
Lou Albano will always be remembered in these parts for managing my favorite wrestler as a kid, The Magnificent Muraco. I recall being younger, and trying to imitate Captain Lou by stapling rubber bands to my face. And then wanting to beat the crap outta any of my friends who chanted "Beach Bum" at my boy Muraco. Oh, the memories...
Can't think of what's more hilarious: The fact that Dre' Bly says he doesn't regret his bonehead move, or that he refers to himself in the third person.
Found this over at Pensblog. If you haven't seen it yet, a pretty kick ass intro for this past Saturday's Pens / Leafs game. Meanwhile, FSN is busy sucking...
Every time Sir Sid stepped into the face-off circle last Thursday, the Cro-Magnons at the Wach started their cute little chant. Meanwhile, 87 walked away with an 87.5% win rate, snagging 21 of the 24 face-offs he took. I guess he was affected.
I know...this sounds like a broken record around these parts. Every time the Pens play the scum bag Flyers, we get a chance to pull out the hate card and enjoy a laugh at their expense. It's almost too easy.
The Flyer philosophy has worked so well the last 35 years, why stray? Bring in more dirt bags: Chris Pronger, Ian Laperriere, and Ray Emery. These guys should fit in nicely with dildos like Debbie Carcillo, Riley Cote, and Scott Hartnell.
Pronger is slow, and well past his prime. But hey!! He's one of the league's dirtiest players, so he should fit in fine in Philly. Pronger was a non-factor all night, unless you consider his inability to avoid hits from Craig Adams and Matt Cooke a good thing.
Ian Laperriere is pretty much useless, in the same mold as Carcillo. Maybe he'll make the Flyer pre-game fight video , but he won't be helping these dopes get any further than they did last year.
And Ray Emery has drawings of famous boxers on his cage, which is obviously the reason the Flyers sought him in the off season. Emery was a sieve all night, and basically looked like a deer in headlights. Just as I used to remember him. The Rocky Balboa drawing on the back of Emery's cage saw as much rubber in the back of the net as Emery saw all night in front of him.
But the leader of the pumpkin-sweatered douche bags is obviously Hartnell. Bozo reached new depths of the scum pit when he actually bit Kris Letang in the scrum at the end of the game. Nothing surprises us anymore with these ass clowns.
And I know there's a bunch of Mike Richards fans out there, but it's official. The temperament of the world's most moronic sports franchise has taken over Richards, who will probably never reach his full potential until he is outta Philly. Richards took a run at MAF to end the game, taking a cheap shot to Fleury's head in the process. Oddly, Richards was nowhere to be found in that same scrum as he sheepishly laid on the ice acting like he was hurt so no one would kick his ass. He was last seen skating away from the fray while the rest of his teammates gooned it up. Richards = Douche.
If you don't already have this, you are not cool. Be cool, and go now to your local Factory of Raw Essentials. As with all new releases, the vinyl comes with a free CD-R. More great stuff from Bob, including the tune below "How Wrong You Are." Magnet calls it "possibly the best song Robert Pollard has recorded since the demise of Guided By Voices."
He's got the Pens back atop the Eastern Conference and apparently is an indie / alt rawk fan. Only wish he would've picked a better act than Ben Folds to represent the Penguinos.
Here it is, kids. The moment all 5 of you have been waiting for. The jaw dropping, show stopping conclusion to this stupid little list we started back on Monday. I'm tired of recapping, so if you'd like to see #20 - #6, see below or click HERE for the EC home page.
#5 - The Stone Roses: "I Wanna Be Adored"
From their much acclaimed debut and self-titled album, The Stone Roses. Another in the long line of great bands who hailed from Manchester during this time period.
I AM A PATIENT BOY!!!!! Hell. Yes. If you watch one video of these 20 tunes, make it this one...
#3 - The Jesus & Mary Chain: "Head On"
The Pixies would later cover this on their 1991 Trompe le Monde record, but we prefer these Scottish shoegazers' version better.
"And the way I feel tonight...I could die and I wouldn't mind"
#2 - The Pixies: "Debaser"
Third greatest band of all-time, imho. Real tough to choose one track off the Doolittle album, as it was by far my favorite record of the year. "Here Comes Your Man" and "Monkey Gone to Heaven" were probably the more popular tunes. Also under consideration were "La La Love You", "Wave of Mutilation", "Hey", and "Gouge Away". If it wasn't for the self-imposed "one song per group" thingy, more from this album would've made the Essential 20. So we choose the opening track.
The lyrics from "Debaser" are supposedly referring to a 1920's French film called Un chien andalou. Go HERE for the trailer. "Slicing up eyeballs" is apparently a shot in the short 15 minute film. Cool.
"Girly so groovy!!!"
#1 - Guided By Voices: "Navigating Flood Regions"
No brainer. From the greatest band ever. From Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia. Only 500 were originally pressed, so if you have one of these originals in your collection, you are a lucky person. Also under consideration from this record was "Liar's Tale", but this track is probably one of my all-time favorite GBV tunes. OK, I'll say it...Top 10, easy.
Guilty admission: For the longest time, I always thought the lyric was "The shit floats but it won't float away." But anyone who knows me, knows I have a habit of botching lyrics. Straight from gbvdb.com, here's the actual lyrics for you to sing along, from the greatest songwriter to ever grace the planet....
Spy ??shouting?? the crew let's string him up Wise up to the captain where's my coffee cup And it's been an adventurous day The ship floats but it won't float away Let's us stay Don your favorite costume here we go Belt a song if you're not real long and slow And you doing a wonderful job Shaping up with a competent mob It's your job It's as long as wide and just beginning Been around for aeons just like me Grab your money and let's go for all the winnings Cast your soul into the jagged sea It's the number on your head Now you're dead Stuff you down the barrel of a cannon Let you see the world as something to see Take you to the corners of the playground Let you watch the traffic through the trees It's the number on your head Now you're dead And we run as the war trumpet blows And the judge with the list of no-shows
- Robert Pollard, Needmore Songs
Turn up your speakers. Guide your mouse over the image below. Play. Rawk. Enjoy.
Thought I could find some video footage from their 2004 Electrifying Conclusion doing "Navigating Flood Regions", but I failed. Since I love yinz so much, here's a bonus track, also from Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia..."Chief Barrel Belly":
