This says how much I care...
That is all.
If you read only one blog full of ranting and raving about sports (local and otherwise), movies, TV shows, miscellaneous pop culture, life and other assorted flotsam and jetsam, make it this one!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Thursday, April 28, 2011
2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinals
I didn't do too badly with my first-round predictions. Canucks in 7, Bruins in 7, Sharks in 6, Capitals in 5 -- perfect. Red Wings won in 4 instead of 5. Close enough. And although the Lightning did win in 7 over Pittsburgh, I did say that I was concerned about the Penguins if Sidney Crosby didn't play. He didn't. Pittsburgh had a 3-1 series lead, though, and then fell apart. I had Anaheim over Nashville in 6, but the Predators won. (I still don't think they're going to the finals, though.) And then there was the Flyers-Sabres series, in which Ryan Miller stole one game from the Flyers and Brian Boucher basically gave away another one. Of the other five games, the Flyers won four of them even with some of the weirdest goaltending twists and turns I've ever seen.
So, 5-3 in the first round. As for the next round (which begins tonight for one series and Saturday for the Flyers)...
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (5) Nashville Predators - The top regular-season team nearly had a meltdown for the ages in the first round before finally finishing off the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks in the 7th game. They should be able to handle Nashville with a little less difficulty. Canucks in 6.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (3) Detroit Red Wings - Does it seem these teams meet every year in the playoffs? They were matched up in this round last year and the Sharks won in 5. But last year the Wings' first round was a tough 7-game series over Detroit. This year they mopped the floor with the former (and future?) Winnipeg Jets, so they'll put up a better fight against San Jose, but... Sharks in 7.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (5) Tampa Bay Lightning - I think the Capitals may finally be ready to make a serious Cup run. There were moments in the first round where it seemed that they would fall apart and make an early exit again, but here they are. Capitals in 6.
(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (3) Boston Bruins - Another series that's a rematch from last year, and we all remember how that turned out... I underestimated the Flyers after their lazy finish to the regular season. They were solid against Buffalo throughout that series, and were an absolute machine in the clinching Game 7. And Chris Pronger's presence gave a jump to their power play. Despite the goalie issues (again)... Flyers in 6.
So, 5-3 in the first round. As for the next round (which begins tonight for one series and Saturday for the Flyers)...
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (5) Nashville Predators - The top regular-season team nearly had a meltdown for the ages in the first round before finally finishing off the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks in the 7th game. They should be able to handle Nashville with a little less difficulty. Canucks in 6.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (3) Detroit Red Wings - Does it seem these teams meet every year in the playoffs? They were matched up in this round last year and the Sharks won in 5. But last year the Wings' first round was a tough 7-game series over Detroit. This year they mopped the floor with the former (and future?) Winnipeg Jets, so they'll put up a better fight against San Jose, but... Sharks in 7.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (5) Tampa Bay Lightning - I think the Capitals may finally be ready to make a serious Cup run. There were moments in the first round where it seemed that they would fall apart and make an early exit again, but here they are. Capitals in 6.
(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (3) Boston Bruins - Another series that's a rematch from last year, and we all remember how that turned out... I underestimated the Flyers after their lazy finish to the regular season. They were solid against Buffalo throughout that series, and were an absolute machine in the clinching Game 7. And Chris Pronger's presence gave a jump to their power play. Despite the goalie issues (again)... Flyers in 6.
Labels:
Boston Bruins,
Brian Boucher,
Chris Pronger,
hockey,
NHL,
Philadelphia Flyers,
Ryan Miller,
sports
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Flyers: Stanley Cup...Drag Race?
It could happen. Well, maybe (definitely) not, but in my odd little mind I like to imagine that, after the seventh and final game of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series between the Flyers and Sabres went seven overtime periods with neither team able to score, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman decreed that the time had come...for the two teams to lip-sync for their lives before RuPaul! And then...
"I've made my decision...Philadelphia Flyers...chanté, you stay!"
"Buffalo Sabres...you made a strong run to get into this competition and acquitted yourself well. You may go on to greater things if you believe in yourself and continue to work hard. However, your gas-fracking owner supports evil Republican governors. And that, my dears, is something none of us should abide.
"Now...sashay...away."
(Keep in mind that you get what you pay for here, especially at 2:55 am.)
"I've made my decision...Philadelphia Flyers...chanté, you stay!"
"Buffalo Sabres...you made a strong run to get into this competition and acquitted yourself well. You may go on to greater things if you believe in yourself and continue to work hard. However, your gas-fracking owner supports evil Republican governors. And that, my dears, is something none of us should abide.
"Now...sashay...away."
(Keep in mind that you get what you pay for here, especially at 2:55 am.)
Labels:
Buffalo Sabres,
Gary Bettman,
humor,
NHL,
Philadelphia Flyers,
politics,
RuPaul,
RuPaul's Drag Race,
sports,
Stanley Cup
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
My Week In Comics 4-20-11
A part of my birthday -- an early part, before the live-blogging-the-Flyers portion -- was spent picking up these books...if this is brief, it's because I'm trying to finish this before tonight's Flyers game.
Supergirl 63: The truth about Alex, the creator of the "Flyover" app that began the trouble Supergirl and other young heroes are currently in, is revealed. And I must say I wasn't expecting it, despite the clues (in part via Lois Lane's investigation in these same books).
Gotham City Sirens 22, Batman 708: I mentioned in my last post a crossover that started, or so I thought, with the latest issue of Red Robin. These two books concluded the story. Of the two, I enjoyed Gotham City Sirens more, although -- as has happened a bit too often in this series -- of the three main characters, only one (Catwoman, in this case) is actually in this issue.
Simpsons Comics 177: It seems that once a year, the employees of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant get free pizza courtesy of Mr. Burns. Alas, when the day rolls around, Homer gets the flu...yes, you know this is coming...D'oh!
...annnnnnd finished. LET'S GO FLYERS!
Supergirl 63: The truth about Alex, the creator of the "Flyover" app that began the trouble Supergirl and other young heroes are currently in, is revealed. And I must say I wasn't expecting it, despite the clues (in part via Lois Lane's investigation in these same books).
Gotham City Sirens 22, Batman 708: I mentioned in my last post a crossover that started, or so I thought, with the latest issue of Red Robin. These two books concluded the story. Of the two, I enjoyed Gotham City Sirens more, although -- as has happened a bit too often in this series -- of the three main characters, only one (Catwoman, in this case) is actually in this issue.
Simpsons Comics 177: It seems that once a year, the employees of the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant get free pizza courtesy of Mr. Burns. Alas, when the day rolls around, Homer gets the flu...yes, you know this is coming...D'oh!
...annnnnnd finished. LET'S GO FLYERS!
Labels:
Batman,
Catwoman,
comic books,
Philadelphia Flyers,
Supergirl,
The Simpsons
My Week In Comics 4-13-11
I'm a little behind again. D'oh. But this will put me just one week behind, and I'll try to get to that tomorrow.
Superboy 6: This is another tie-in to the "Reign of Doomsday." You knew this was coming because Doomsday (or whatever he really is, considering his constantly changing powers) has already collected the other replacements for the then-dead Superman, and Superboy is the only one left. Before that, there's another nice little conversation with his good friend Red Robin, in which Tim teases Conner about the early days of Superboy (in Hawaii, and also in the previous Superboy series). The Doomsday story picks up in the big Action Comics #900, out this week.
Red Robin 22: Speaking of Red Robin, I picked up this book because the DC info said this was part 1 of a three-part crossover with Gotham City Sirens (which I'm still buying every month) as well as Batman (which I don't). So I figured that it would be best to get this in order to not feel like I'm missing part of the story when I got Gotham City Sirens. Turns out this book was Part 2 of the story, not Part 1.
Superman 710: Meanwhile, Superman continues to walk across the country. He's gotten to Ogden, Utah when his super-vision spots an "S" logo in a cloud. It's a signal. You know, like the Bat-signal. Naturally, the signal's from Batman -- the original Bruce Wayne Batman who's all over the place putting Batman, Inc. in place, not the Dick Grayson Batman who sticks to Gotham City and the Justice League -- and the two reminisce about an adventure they had before they began their superhero careers. And then Batman joins the list of people counseling Superman about the funk he's in. The last couple of issues of this book have been better, but I still want this walk to be over.
Superboy 6: This is another tie-in to the "Reign of Doomsday." You knew this was coming because Doomsday (or whatever he really is, considering his constantly changing powers) has already collected the other replacements for the then-dead Superman, and Superboy is the only one left. Before that, there's another nice little conversation with his good friend Red Robin, in which Tim teases Conner about the early days of Superboy (in Hawaii, and also in the previous Superboy series). The Doomsday story picks up in the big Action Comics #900, out this week.
Red Robin 22: Speaking of Red Robin, I picked up this book because the DC info said this was part 1 of a three-part crossover with Gotham City Sirens (which I'm still buying every month) as well as Batman (which I don't). So I figured that it would be best to get this in order to not feel like I'm missing part of the story when I got Gotham City Sirens. Turns out this book was Part 2 of the story, not Part 1.
Superman 710: Meanwhile, Superman continues to walk across the country. He's gotten to Ogden, Utah when his super-vision spots an "S" logo in a cloud. It's a signal. You know, like the Bat-signal. Naturally, the signal's from Batman -- the original Bruce Wayne Batman who's all over the place putting Batman, Inc. in place, not the Dick Grayson Batman who sticks to Gotham City and the Justice League -- and the two reminisce about an adventure they had before they began their superhero careers. And then Batman joins the list of people counseling Superman about the funk he's in. The last couple of issues of this book have been better, but I still want this walk to be over.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Quick Review: Hanna
You haven't seen many movie posts from me recently. That's because various circumstances have resulted in my seeing just one movie in the last 2 1/2 weeks. There are a few I definitely want to see, a few I might see, and others that there's no chance in hell of my seeing. I hope I'll get to see some of them in the coming days. In the meantime, that one movie I did get to see was "Hanna," the story of a 16-year-old girl (Saoirse Ronan) who's a killing machine, trained by her father, Erik (Eric Bana). They live in hiding in a cabin in the wilderness in Finland, she's had no contact with the outside world, and one day she tells her father she's "ready." She flips a switch on a transmitter which sends a signal to a CIA agent, Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett), who sends a team to the cabin. They find Hanna, left alone by Erik. Hanna has been trained to kill Wiegler to avenge her mother's murder. Things get interesting from there as Hanna escapes, determined to make it to Berlin, where her father is supposed to meet her. The movie explores Erik's actions in this affair as well as Hanna's reactions to being out in the world, meeting other people and encountering things she's never seen, such as television. It's an unconventional-looking and -sounding film that picks up the pace quickly once Hanna is taken into custody. Ronan is very effective, but Blanchett was hamming it up too much. She was acting like it was just another schlocky run-of-the-mill action movie, but "Hanna" isn't that film. My grade: B.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Dumb In Dallas
I'm not quite sure which comment (stereotype?) applies more, "men are stupid" or "Dallas sucks." (Okay, "Dallas sucks" is not a stereotype, at least when it comes to the Cowboys.) A blogger for a weekly paper called the Dallas Observer took Texas Rangers pitcher Colby Lewis to task for leaving the team to be with his wife, who gave birth to the couple's second child. Lewis missed a start. The Observer writer, Richie Whitt, wrote:
The blog Hay Ladies! did an excellent job in responding to Whitt's ridiculous commentary. There's only one thing I feel the need to add: many, many baseball players have missed games when their wives had a baby. It's been going on for a long time, especially since a flight can get a player home in hours. It's not like the old days when teams traveled by train. The only new angle to this particular story is that Major League Baseball now has a paternity leave rule that allows teams to add a player to the roster for a 24-72 hour period. The Rangers wanted an extra pitcher, so they used the rule to call up an pitcher from the minors. Lewis became the first player to be placed on the new paternity leave list. (There's been a bereavement list for a few years now, for serious illnesses or deaths of immediate family members.)
This shouldn't have been a big deal. Actually, it isn't a big deal, except to this Dallas neanderthal and those who "think" like him.
Hat tip to one of my Twitter followers, @jboschan, who posted the link to the Hay Ladies! blog.
Don’t have kids of my own but I raised a step-son for eight years. I know all about sacrifice and love and how great children are.
But a pitcher missing one of maybe 30 starts? And it’s all kosher because of Major League Baseball’s new paternity leave rule?
Follow me this way to some confusion.
Imagine if Jason Witten missed a game to attend the birth of a child. It’s just, I dunno, weird. Wrong even.
The blog Hay Ladies! did an excellent job in responding to Whitt's ridiculous commentary. There's only one thing I feel the need to add: many, many baseball players have missed games when their wives had a baby. It's been going on for a long time, especially since a flight can get a player home in hours. It's not like the old days when teams traveled by train. The only new angle to this particular story is that Major League Baseball now has a paternity leave rule that allows teams to add a player to the roster for a 24-72 hour period. The Rangers wanted an extra pitcher, so they used the rule to call up an pitcher from the minors. Lewis became the first player to be placed on the new paternity leave list. (There's been a bereavement list for a few years now, for serious illnesses or deaths of immediate family members.)
This shouldn't have been a big deal. Actually, it isn't a big deal, except to this Dallas neanderthal and those who "think" like him.
Hat tip to one of my Twitter followers, @jboschan, who posted the link to the Hay Ladies! blog.
Labels:
Colby Lewis,
Dallas Cowboys,
Dallas Observer,
Dallas sucks,
humor,
sexism,
stupidity,
Texas Rangers
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Birthday/Flyers-Sabres Live Blog
It won't be quite as interesting without the Phillies and Sixers, but I'm going to live-blog the Flyers-Sabres Eastern Conference Game 4 starting at 7:30 pm (that's EDT if anyone in other time zones actually reads this). I'll probably throw in random comments on other stuff as well, including whatever games I find on my TV between periods of the Flyers game.
The benefit of this is that your Twitter and Facebook timelines won't be bombarded by my posts, as everything I say will be right here. Updates will commence around 7:30, just as the telecast begins. Just keep refreshing this page.
Oh, and did I mention that I'll be enhancing my brainpower with rum and diet Pepsi? ;-)
7:33 pm: First drink poured. LET'S GO FLYERS! Here it's on Comcast Sportsnet while Versus is showing Capitals-Rangers Game 4. Not sure what the rest of the nation is seeing on Versus.
7:37: First drink sipped. A bit strong. I can't get too drunk or I'll forget to put the trash out for tomorrow. Come on, game, begin!
7:40: And yes, this is a weird way to spend a birthday. Ooooh -- it's begun!
7:44: Game is on Versus in Washington and New York (so the rest of the nation is seeing Caps-Rangers). Sabres have come out aggressive, as you'd expect since they're behind 2-1 in the series.
The benefit of this is that your Twitter and Facebook timelines won't be bombarded by my posts, as everything I say will be right here. Updates will commence around 7:30, just as the telecast begins. Just keep refreshing this page.
Oh, and did I mention that I'll be enhancing my brainpower with rum and diet Pepsi? ;-)
7:33 pm: First drink poured. LET'S GO FLYERS! Here it's on Comcast Sportsnet while Versus is showing Capitals-Rangers Game 4. Not sure what the rest of the nation is seeing on Versus.
7:37: First drink sipped. A bit strong. I can't get too drunk or I'll forget to put the trash out for tomorrow. Come on, game, begin!
7:40: And yes, this is a weird way to spend a birthday. Ooooh -- it's begun!
7:44: Game is on Versus in Washington and New York (so the rest of the nation is seeing Caps-Rangers). Sabres have come out aggressive, as you'd expect since they're behind 2-1 in the series.
Labels:
Buffalo Sabres,
drinking,
live-blogging,
NHL,
Philadelphia Flyers,
sports
Twitter's Confused Again
Twitter is suggesting I follow someone! How helpful. Let's take a look...
Seriously, Twitter? Come on! Why would I follow such a goofball?
You, on the other hand, should feel free to follow him. I get the feeling you and he would get along famously.
Seriously, Twitter? Come on! Why would I follow such a goofball?
You, on the other hand, should feel free to follow him. I get the feeling you and he would get along famously.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Saturday, April 16, 2011
The S Words
Since the topics in this post all begin with "S" the title I've given this seems appropriate. And in one case, as you'll see, very appropriate.
Sarah: First, more information on the wife of Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson and her comment on fans. I'm glad I didn't really attack her on her comment, as I imagine others have. There are questions about the background of the woman who wrote the original blog post, as well as whether she identified herself as a reporter to Sarah Madson or not. The Phillies have issued a statement that says, in part: "(The writer) began to ask many personal questions about the life of a wife of a professional baseball player. The comments reported by Ms. Goldman were taken completely out of context, and as a result, Sarah is extremely upset and feels violated by the situation. Sarah says, 'For every one fan that may upset us, there are 99 Phillies fans that we love. We have lived here for years, have many friends, neighbors and acquaintances -- who also happen to be Phillies fans -- for whom we have the utmost respect.'" This post on PhillyChitChat.com states that the woman offered him the story first, and had offered it to the Metro newspaper as well. Both rejected her. There's another "S" word that seems to apply to this woman's handling of this "story" -- sleazy. I'm definitely on the side of Sarah Madson now.
Softball: Weather permitting (or, to be accurate, if the field is dry enough Sunday after Saturday's rain), the City of Brotherly Love Softball League season opens at 9:50 am on Sunday morning. I don't expect anyone to come out and cheer me on (heck, I wouldn't be there that early if I didn't have to) but if you might be so inclined, come to Fairmount Park's Edgely Fields -- my team, now sponsored by Valanni, is on field 8. The opening day block party (200-300 blocks of S. Camac St.) takes place later that afternoon and evening.
Sarah: First, more information on the wife of Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson and her comment on fans. I'm glad I didn't really attack her on her comment, as I imagine others have. There are questions about the background of the woman who wrote the original blog post, as well as whether she identified herself as a reporter to Sarah Madson or not. The Phillies have issued a statement that says, in part: "(The writer) began to ask many personal questions about the life of a wife of a professional baseball player. The comments reported by Ms. Goldman were taken completely out of context, and as a result, Sarah is extremely upset and feels violated by the situation. Sarah says, 'For every one fan that may upset us, there are 99 Phillies fans that we love. We have lived here for years, have many friends, neighbors and acquaintances -- who also happen to be Phillies fans -- for whom we have the utmost respect.'" This post on PhillyChitChat.com states that the woman offered him the story first, and had offered it to the Metro newspaper as well. Both rejected her. There's another "S" word that seems to apply to this woman's handling of this "story" -- sleazy. I'm definitely on the side of Sarah Madson now.
Softball: Weather permitting (or, to be accurate, if the field is dry enough Sunday after Saturday's rain), the City of Brotherly Love Softball League season opens at 9:50 am on Sunday morning. I don't expect anyone to come out and cheer me on (heck, I wouldn't be there that early if I didn't have to) but if you might be so inclined, come to Fairmount Park's Edgely Fields -- my team, now sponsored by Valanni, is on field 8. The opening day block party (200-300 blocks of S. Camac St.) takes place later that afternoon and evening.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Three Annoying People
Some comments on three people who are in the news today, at least locally, and for wildly different reasons. This is like that Keith Olbermann "Worst Person in the World" segment, back in the days when he was on television.
Annoying: Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson's wife Sarah doesn't like fans...
I really don't want to unload on her much, especially since the comments came during an event she and her husband cohosted to raise funds for MANNA. And I don't like the idea of fans interrupting famous people at dinner. Wait until before or after, but not while they're eating. But it's her husband's success that helped the Phils ascend to the top, which raised fan interest even more, which led to all of those sold-out games at Citizens Bank Park, which gave the Phillies the revenue to pay Ryan Madson $12 million in a three-year deal that ends this season. (And whether players live here in the offseason means nothing, by the way.)
Annoying-er: Kobe Bryant called a referee a "fucking faggot" during the game last night.
Annoying: Phillies pitcher Ryan Madson's wife Sarah doesn't like fans...
“I hate the fans. It is bad enough that they bother us during the season, but they will not leave us alone in December when we go out to eat. We stayed here during the off season last year, but we will be going to California this year. There must be something particularly bad about Phillies fans because all the players leave in the off season.”
I really don't want to unload on her much, especially since the comments came during an event she and her husband cohosted to raise funds for MANNA. And I don't like the idea of fans interrupting famous people at dinner. Wait until before or after, but not while they're eating. But it's her husband's success that helped the Phils ascend to the top, which raised fan interest even more, which led to all of those sold-out games at Citizens Bank Park, which gave the Phillies the revenue to pay Ryan Madson $12 million in a three-year deal that ends this season. (And whether players live here in the offseason means nothing, by the way.)
Annoying-er: Kobe Bryant called a referee a "fucking faggot" during the game last night.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs - Conference Quarterfinals
Once again, I'll offer predictions for the Stanley Cup playoffs, the finest professional sports postseason there is. The usual caveat -- other than the Flyers, my fountain of knowledge of teams is limited at best, so if you're looking for "expert" analysis you won't find much here. And as I'm writing this two or three of the series-opening games have already started, but I only know one partial score and it's not affecting my pick for that series. I've been watching the Phillies anyway, since the Flyers don't begin until tomorrow night.
By the way, did you know that there are three teams based in California in the playoffs, but only two from our hockey-crazed neighbors to the north? Woe, Canada...
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) New York Rangers - The Rangers made a late run, then kind of backed into the playoffs at the end. Capitals in 5.
(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (7) Buffalo Sabres - see below. Yes, I'm being a tease again.
(3) Boston Bruins vs. (6) Montreal Canadiens - This should be a war. Bruins in 7.
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Tampa Bay Lightning - Penguins in 6, although it worries me that they're still playing without Sidney Crosby.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Chicago Blackhawks - This should be great even though the defending Cup champs backed in (even moreso than did the Rangers) on the last day of the season. Canucks in 7.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings - Thanks to some of their employees (on- and off-ice) who used to work here, the Kings are kind of like Flyers West, so I wouldn't be sad to see them make a run, but they have some injury issues (just like Flyers East often has!) and the Sharks are better anyway. Sharks in 6.
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes - Please, dear (insert your preferred deity/deities here), get that team out of Phoenix once and for all, please? Red Wings in 5.
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Nashville Predators - I can honestly say I know very little about either of these teams. However, I read that Flyers color analyst/Versus studio cohost Keith Jones says the Predators are going to be in the Stanley Cup finals, and that just seems ludicrous, so...Ducks in 6.
And now, the moment you've been waiting for...my Flyers-Sabres pick!
By the way, did you know that there are three teams based in California in the playoffs, but only two from our hockey-crazed neighbors to the north? Woe, Canada...
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Washington Capitals vs. (8) New York Rangers - The Rangers made a late run, then kind of backed into the playoffs at the end. Capitals in 5.
(2) Philadelphia Flyers vs. (7) Buffalo Sabres - see below. Yes, I'm being a tease again.
(3) Boston Bruins vs. (6) Montreal Canadiens - This should be a war. Bruins in 7.
(4) Pittsburgh Penguins vs. (5) Tampa Bay Lightning - Penguins in 6, although it worries me that they're still playing without Sidney Crosby.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) Vancouver Canucks vs. (8) Chicago Blackhawks - This should be great even though the defending Cup champs backed in (even moreso than did the Rangers) on the last day of the season. Canucks in 7.
(2) San Jose Sharks vs. (7) Los Angeles Kings - Thanks to some of their employees (on- and off-ice) who used to work here, the Kings are kind of like Flyers West, so I wouldn't be sad to see them make a run, but they have some injury issues (just like Flyers East often has!) and the Sharks are better anyway. Sharks in 6.
(3) Detroit Red Wings vs. (6) Phoenix Coyotes - Please, dear (insert your preferred deity/deities here), get that team out of Phoenix once and for all, please? Red Wings in 5.
(4) Anaheim Ducks vs. (5) Nashville Predators - I can honestly say I know very little about either of these teams. However, I read that Flyers color analyst/Versus studio cohost Keith Jones says the Predators are going to be in the Stanley Cup finals, and that just seems ludicrous, so...Ducks in 6.
And now, the moment you've been waiting for...my Flyers-Sabres pick!
Labels:
Buffalo Sabres,
Chris Pronger,
hockey,
NHL,
Philadelphia Flyers,
Sidney Crosby,
sports,
Stanley Cup
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Remember When...
This is going around on Facebook, and it's too good not to share...
Remember when teachers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, and PBS crashed the stock market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, spilled oil in the Gulf of Mexico, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes?
Yeah, me neither.
Remember when teachers, public employees, Planned Parenthood, and PBS crashed the stock market, wiped out half of our 401Ks, took trillions in TARP money, spilled oil in the Gulf of Mexico, gave themselves billions in bonuses, and paid no taxes?
Yeah, me neither.
My Week(s) In Comics 3-30-11, 4-6-11
Again, combining two weeks into one post for catch-up purposes. First, March 30th...
Gotham City Sirens 21: Harley Quinn is soooooo close to her goal: killing the Joker. How she manages to get past the last man standing between her and the Joker's cell at Arkham is as chilling as the ways she managed to get that far in the first place. It ends not unexpectedly, however. Meanwhile, after an issue off, we catch up with Catwoman and Poison Ivy, on the outskirts of Arkham, having a major disagreement over the situation.
Sherlock Holmes: Year One 3 (of 6): Holmes has figured out that a series of murders is marked by an interesting pattern: the reenactment of the deaths of the Caesars, the Roman emperors. Problem: there were twelve Caesars, so there are a few murders still to occur. Watson is still trying to figure out what makes Holmes tick. This, more than the Sherlock-Holmes-vs.-(insert name of monsters) books, feels like it could have been written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Action Comics 899: Lex Luthor has finally located the final group of black energy spheres, only to be confronted by Brainiac. Besides that, which leads to an even greater threat at the end (leading up to the big 900th issue at the end of April), at one point Luthor mentions keeping Superman busy "rescuing his disciples" and that "he should by now be caught in the same spacetime trap." I think this refers to the book discussed below...
As for April 6th, just one:
Superman/Batman Annual 5: "Reign of Doomsday" continues here, picking up where things left off in the Justice League satellite headquarters, as Doomsday faces off with Cyborg Superman, while Supergirl and Batman (the Dick Grayson one who's in the JLA) have additional problems. Based on Doomsday suddenly having so many different powers, my guess is this is the "spacetime trap" Luthor is referring to.
Gotham City Sirens 21: Harley Quinn is soooooo close to her goal: killing the Joker. How she manages to get past the last man standing between her and the Joker's cell at Arkham is as chilling as the ways she managed to get that far in the first place. It ends not unexpectedly, however. Meanwhile, after an issue off, we catch up with Catwoman and Poison Ivy, on the outskirts of Arkham, having a major disagreement over the situation.
Sherlock Holmes: Year One 3 (of 6): Holmes has figured out that a series of murders is marked by an interesting pattern: the reenactment of the deaths of the Caesars, the Roman emperors. Problem: there were twelve Caesars, so there are a few murders still to occur. Watson is still trying to figure out what makes Holmes tick. This, more than the Sherlock-Holmes-vs.-(insert name of monsters) books, feels like it could have been written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Action Comics 899: Lex Luthor has finally located the final group of black energy spheres, only to be confronted by Brainiac. Besides that, which leads to an even greater threat at the end (leading up to the big 900th issue at the end of April), at one point Luthor mentions keeping Superman busy "rescuing his disciples" and that "he should by now be caught in the same spacetime trap." I think this refers to the book discussed below...
As for April 6th, just one:
Superman/Batman Annual 5: "Reign of Doomsday" continues here, picking up where things left off in the Justice League satellite headquarters, as Doomsday faces off with Cyborg Superman, while Supergirl and Batman (the Dick Grayson one who's in the JLA) have additional problems. Based on Doomsday suddenly having so many different powers, my guess is this is the "spacetime trap" Luthor is referring to.
Labels:
Batman,
Brainiac,
comic books,
Doomsday,
Lex Luthor,
Sherlock Holmes,
Supergirl,
Superman
Monday, April 11, 2011
AAAAAAH!!! SIDESHOW BOB!!!
Flyers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has a new helmet, and since everyone just calls him "Bob" anyway...
The other side just has a "Rocky" theme. Boring!
The other side just has a "Rocky" theme. Boring!
Quick Reviews: The Lincoln Lawyer, Source Code
Because of laziness, procrastination, and other things, I've been slacking off here. So here are two movie reports in one post.
"The Lincoln Lawyer" is fun. Matthew McConaughey plays the title character, a criminal defense lawyer who does a lot of his work out of the back seat of his Lincoln while being driven all over Los Angeles. He gets a big case in which a spoiled rich overgrown kid (Ryan Phillippe) is charged with beating the crap out of a prostitute. While working on the defense, the lawyer and his investigator find similarities to another case they worked on, and things take a more sinister turn. It's predictable at times but the actors do a nice job. It's nice to see McConaughey doing something that isn't a romantic comedy -- or worse, "Surfer, Dude." My grade: B.
"Source Code" starts out with Army helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) waking up on a commuter train heading to Chicago, having no idea how he got there (last thing he remembered, he was flying a mission in Afghanistan), and seeing another man's face in a mirror instead of his own. Then a bomb explodes, and he wakes up alone in a small room where he's informed via video monitor by an officer (Vera Farmiga) that he's part of the "Source Code," a program that can send one's consciousness into someone else's body for the final eight minutes before the other person's death. Stevens' mission is to find out who planted the explosive on the train so the military can prevent an even worse attack that would kill millions. So, why only eight minutes? What happens to the other person's consciousness when your brain takes over his body? And why is Stevens spending time falling in love with, and trying to save, a passenger (Michelle Monaghan) instead of doing more to find the bomber? He's on the train. He's back in the room. He's on the train. He's back in the room. And so on. Not that bad, but I expect better from my boy Jake. My grade: C-plus.
"The Lincoln Lawyer" is fun. Matthew McConaughey plays the title character, a criminal defense lawyer who does a lot of his work out of the back seat of his Lincoln while being driven all over Los Angeles. He gets a big case in which a spoiled rich overgrown kid (Ryan Phillippe) is charged with beating the crap out of a prostitute. While working on the defense, the lawyer and his investigator find similarities to another case they worked on, and things take a more sinister turn. It's predictable at times but the actors do a nice job. It's nice to see McConaughey doing something that isn't a romantic comedy -- or worse, "Surfer, Dude." My grade: B.
"Source Code" starts out with Army helicopter pilot Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) waking up on a commuter train heading to Chicago, having no idea how he got there (last thing he remembered, he was flying a mission in Afghanistan), and seeing another man's face in a mirror instead of his own. Then a bomb explodes, and he wakes up alone in a small room where he's informed via video monitor by an officer (Vera Farmiga) that he's part of the "Source Code," a program that can send one's consciousness into someone else's body for the final eight minutes before the other person's death. Stevens' mission is to find out who planted the explosive on the train so the military can prevent an even worse attack that would kill millions. So, why only eight minutes? What happens to the other person's consciousness when your brain takes over his body? And why is Stevens spending time falling in love with, and trying to save, a passenger (Michelle Monaghan) instead of doing more to find the bomber? He's on the train. He's back in the room. He's on the train. He's back in the room. And so on. Not that bad, but I expect better from my boy Jake. My grade: C-plus.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Go To Hell, New Era
Is the New Era cap company owned by NBC (which is now owned by Philadelphia-based Comcast)? I saw this ad a little earlier while watching the Yankees and Red Sox on MLB Network. It features two NBC sitcom stars, Alec Baldwin of "30 Rock" and John Krasinski of "The Office." trash-talking via phone about their teams. Baldwin is a Yankees fan, while Krasinski is a Red Sox fan. I don't know if these two are actually fans of those teams or are merely spouting lines because they were paid, but they're talking trash in the ad. But Baldwin's reply to Krasinski's opening jab (about Cliff Lee) is a shot at Philadelphia...
Time for another Public Service Announcement. Here's something to remember when you're buying baseball caps: if it says "New Era" it's most likely a cheaply-made, poorly-fitting piece of crap.
Time for another Public Service Announcement. Here's something to remember when you're buying baseball caps: if it says "New Era" it's most likely a cheaply-made, poorly-fitting piece of crap.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
My Miserable Night At The Phillies
Tonight the Phillies rolled to a 7-0 lead over the New York Mets after 3 innings, only to see that lead disappear in the next two Mets at-bats against Joe Blanton. Then the Phils regained the lead and went on to a 10-7 win. If only there had been that kind of excitement last night, when I was at the game. Or any excitement at all, really. More on that in a moment. First, this public service announcement:
Dear Snapple: please don't give away free samples of your product outside a subway station near a stadium which doesn't allow glass bottles inside. As for you, people of America, you don't have to take every free sample someone offers you. I didn't take a Snapple before the game because I knew I couldn't take the bottle inside. I didn't take a free Powerade (outside the ballpark) after the game because I was frozen. I didn't take a Sun Drop (again, at the subway) after the game because, besides the cold, I had no idea what the hell it was.
So the game was pretty dreadful -- Cole Hamels gave up 6 runs in the third inning and was removed to a chorus of boos as the Mets went on to a 7-1 win. The volume of the booing was a real surprise, considering it was his first start of the year. And it wasn't like he was really crushed -- the Mets basically had a bunch of singles, with a couple of walks mixed in, and a number of them were softly hit and found a hole. One was a bunt single. Unfortunately, the first and last hits of the inning were by the Mets' pitcher, Chris Young. That's a big no-no.
But what was worse was the cold.
Dear Snapple: please don't give away free samples of your product outside a subway station near a stadium which doesn't allow glass bottles inside. As for you, people of America, you don't have to take every free sample someone offers you. I didn't take a Snapple before the game because I knew I couldn't take the bottle inside. I didn't take a free Powerade (outside the ballpark) after the game because I was frozen. I didn't take a Sun Drop (again, at the subway) after the game because, besides the cold, I had no idea what the hell it was.
So the game was pretty dreadful -- Cole Hamels gave up 6 runs in the third inning and was removed to a chorus of boos as the Mets went on to a 7-1 win. The volume of the booing was a real surprise, considering it was his first start of the year. And it wasn't like he was really crushed -- the Mets basically had a bunch of singles, with a couple of walks mixed in, and a number of them were softly hit and found a hole. One was a bunt single. Unfortunately, the first and last hits of the inning were by the Mets' pitcher, Chris Young. That's a big no-no.
But what was worse was the cold.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Flyers: Impending Disaster?
I'm not quite as angry as this famous fan, but I'm very concerned about the Flyers...
It's definitely a slide. Tonight, while I was freezing my butt off at the Phillies game (more about that in another post at some point), the Flyers lost 5-2 in Ottawa and fell two points behind Washington in the Eastern Conference race. In addition, they're just one point ahead of Pittsburgh in the Atlantic Division. There are two games left for the Flyers, Caps and Pens. It's very possible that the Flyers could fall into fourth place in the East by the end of the week.
They are just 6-8-5 since the end of February. They've lost six in a row at home (four went to the inane shootout). Many of these games, including tonight's, were against non-playoff teams. Most of the games, win or lose, have been marked by sloppy, inconsistent play. They desperately miss Chris Pronger, who is said to be likely to return for the start of the playoffs. With all their touted depth, they shouldn't miss him that much, but they do. Beyond that, though, this lack of intensity and this careless play, with the postseason starting in a little over a week, is alarming.
And their possible first-round opponents have either (a) handled the Flyers well this year or (b) have strong goaltending -- if not both. One year after barely making the playoffs on the final day of the season (having to win in the shootout to do so) and making a stunning run to the Stanley Cup finals while great regular-season teams like the Caps and Pens were bounced out in the early rounds, the Flyers look more and more like they'll be the team getting bounced out early.
Hmmm...I'm beginning to think David Boreanaz is right.
They are just 6-8-5 since the end of February. They've lost six in a row at home (four went to the inane shootout). Many of these games, including tonight's, were against non-playoff teams. Most of the games, win or lose, have been marked by sloppy, inconsistent play. They desperately miss Chris Pronger, who is said to be likely to return for the start of the playoffs. With all their touted depth, they shouldn't miss him that much, but they do. Beyond that, though, this lack of intensity and this careless play, with the postseason starting in a little over a week, is alarming.
And their possible first-round opponents have either (a) handled the Flyers well this year or (b) have strong goaltending -- if not both. One year after barely making the playoffs on the final day of the season (having to win in the shootout to do so) and making a stunning run to the Stanley Cup finals while great regular-season teams like the Caps and Pens were bounced out in the early rounds, the Flyers look more and more like they'll be the team getting bounced out early.
Hmmm...I'm beginning to think David Boreanaz is right.
Labels:
Bones,
Chris Pronger,
David Boreanaz,
NHL,
Philadelphia Flyers,
sports
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Meh
My mental state right now is a little...how to describe it...lazy? Hazy? Uninspired? Meh? Meh is as good a word as any. Here's the first time I ever recall hearing it, and I've loved it ever since...
Anyway, the last couple of days when I've sat down at the computer I haven't been able to discipline myself to write something here. I look at websites, run through my Twitter and Facebook stuff, play a chess game that came with my computer, and so on. I'm in a bit of a rut. I feel like, as I tweeted last night, I need a new life, or at least some lucky breaks in this one. I'm not confident of any of this happening, though.
So, meh. But here are a few brief comments on things that, if I break out of this malaise, I might write about in more detail: I'm happy with the Phillies so far (I'm going to the game later tonight against the Mets), not so happy about the Flyers, and made the correct guess about which previously-eliminated queen was returning to "RuPaul's Drag Race."
And hey, since Bradley Cooper did such a good job in "Limitless," and pretty pictures are always nice...
If you have comments or questions or ideas or anything that might inspire me, feel free.
Anyway, the last couple of days when I've sat down at the computer I haven't been able to discipline myself to write something here. I look at websites, run through my Twitter and Facebook stuff, play a chess game that came with my computer, and so on. I'm in a bit of a rut. I feel like, as I tweeted last night, I need a new life, or at least some lucky breaks in this one. I'm not confident of any of this happening, though.
So, meh. But here are a few brief comments on things that, if I break out of this malaise, I might write about in more detail: I'm happy with the Phillies so far (I'm going to the game later tonight against the Mets), not so happy about the Flyers, and made the correct guess about which previously-eliminated queen was returning to "RuPaul's Drag Race."
And hey, since Bradley Cooper did such a good job in "Limitless," and pretty pictures are always nice...
If you have comments or questions or ideas or anything that might inspire me, feel free.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Raising Hell On Facebook
Maybe it's me, but there are times when I think that most people are idiots. This is one of those times.
The first time I logged into Facebook today was from my cell phone while I was out. The screen said I had a message from someone whose name did not ring a bell. When I clicked to read it, I saw a list of message recipients that seemed endless. It's bad enough on a regular monitor (see screen captures after the jump), let alone this list, one name at a time, on my cell phone's small rectangular screen.
When I finally got down to the bottom, there were a series of replies -- on Facebook, you see all the replies to a message because you can't just reply to one person on the list. You have to reply to them all. The message originated, as it turned out, from the Phoenix Hellraisers flag football team, promoting...something. I've forgotten what. Whoever runs the team's Facebook sent it to every one of their FB friends, including me. (I know people who either are or were part of the team.) Right now they have 2,208 friends. A few minutes ago it was 2,210. I also unfriended them earlier in the evening.
Unfortunately, the replies keep coming. The "conversation" has gone basically like this from almost the beginning, and similar replies (including some duplicates) just keep coming...
And on and on and on...
You can delete it from your list of messages, but it just keeps coming back whenever another person replies. I'm not sure if the original sender can delete it (which would stop any further replies) or not. You can report it as spam, for what good that would do.
It amazes me that someone would be stupid enough to rile up all of their friends this way. I rarely send messages through Facebook. If I do, it's only because it's to one friend, or a few, and it doesn't need to be broadcast on my Wall. Then again, I'm not an idiot. (Well, not usually.)
The first time I logged into Facebook today was from my cell phone while I was out. The screen said I had a message from someone whose name did not ring a bell. When I clicked to read it, I saw a list of message recipients that seemed endless. It's bad enough on a regular monitor (see screen captures after the jump), let alone this list, one name at a time, on my cell phone's small rectangular screen.
When I finally got down to the bottom, there were a series of replies -- on Facebook, you see all the replies to a message because you can't just reply to one person on the list. You have to reply to them all. The message originated, as it turned out, from the Phoenix Hellraisers flag football team, promoting...something. I've forgotten what. Whoever runs the team's Facebook sent it to every one of their FB friends, including me. (I know people who either are or were part of the team.) Right now they have 2,208 friends. A few minutes ago it was 2,210. I also unfriended them earlier in the evening.
Unfortunately, the replies keep coming. The "conversation" has gone basically like this from almost the beginning, and similar replies (including some duplicates) just keep coming...
Remove me too!
Remove me from this, please! Thank you...
Remove me as well
Omg. I have kept quiet all day, but enough is enough. Faggots!!!! Shut the f--- up!!!!!
Lol
The only way to make it is to stop replying... so STOP REPLYING!
So stop!!! Dyke!!
Stop
STOP!
STOP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What is this
And on and on and on...
You can delete it from your list of messages, but it just keeps coming back whenever another person replies. I'm not sure if the original sender can delete it (which would stop any further replies) or not. You can report it as spam, for what good that would do.
It amazes me that someone would be stupid enough to rile up all of their friends this way. I rarely send messages through Facebook. If I do, it's only because it's to one friend, or a few, and it doesn't need to be broadcast on my Wall. Then again, I'm not an idiot. (Well, not usually.)
Shum? Yum.
He's no Jake Gyllenhaal (then again, who is?), but "Glee" cast member Harry Shum, Jr. looks mighty fine in his own right in this video of his Yellow Magazine cover shoot...
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