-- It's funny what does and doesn't get edited out of The Sopranos on A&E. And some of the complete redubbing of scenes is downright hilarious -- close to being like the old kung fu films.
-- I actually got to see Bill Simmons' appearance on Mike and the Mad Dog and I was actually looking forward to his writeup of it. The one thing interesting about Simmons is that he was just wandering around trying to get radio gigs during Super Bowl week, whereas almost all the football people (save Gil Brandt, apparently) had everything set up by publicists to shill some product, service or event. Usually while watching/listening to Mike and the Mad Dog, those guys get decent guests because they can, so it was weird having to hear some famous player pitching a Web site or odd product at the end of the interview.
-- So apparently I was one of about five people who actually watched the NHL All-Star Game as opposed to Andy Griffith, Ace of Cakes or Mythbusters. (I still flipped back and forth to Idol.) And the only reason I got to see it is because the INHD channel picked it up since I don't get Versus. Great job, guys. Not a bad game, and the ongoing discussion between the booth and Marty Turco (who was playing goal) in the third period was a stroke of genius.
-- Speaking of things happening on channels I don't get on my cable, it took me an extra day or two to realize they'd just crowned a new Miss America. There was little buzz about it to begin with, and now she's doing the talk show rounds. Who knew?
-- If you want to see the generation gap when it comes to the sports world, just check out the Barbaro saga. Horse racing doesn't have the same relevance to today's sports fan, so the reverence by some for a horse, even a Kentucky Derby winner, seemed a bit much. We felt that way at the office, and obviously so did many others since I think we might've pushed the limits of our snarkiness with this whole drawn-out affair.
-- Finally, here's my contribution to the overly exhaustive Super Bowl coverage at work. And it has nothing to do with fantasy football. How about that?
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Adventures in cardboard
I dug up a poster checklist of the 1990 Bowman set the other day, and while I saw a ton of spring training head shots, the notable part of the set were special portraits of the stars of the day (a sort of takeoff of the Donruss Diamond Kings). And I stress, of the day. Take a look at the 11 special card subjects (highlighted nicely on the Topps Magazine checklist) and what happened to their careers:
-- Bo Jackson: The hip injury would come a couple of years later, or else he might've been a legendary superstar. Of course, you could've believed that about everyone else with the portrait card, but well, you'll see.
-- Mark Davis: He was coming off his 44-save, Cy Young Award campaign with the Padres the season before when he got the portrait treatment. He also got a then-shocking, four-year, $14 million deal with the Royals and then his career went south. He did get one Hall of Fame vote in 2003.
-- Doc Gooden: He was limited to just 19 games in 1989, after winning at least 15 in his first five seasons. But in 1990, he did go 19-7 in what would be his final great season (although he did throw a no-hitter for the Yankees in 1996). After such an amazing start to his career, he would end up getting just 17 Hall of Fame votes in 2006 and dropped from the ballot.
-- Bret Saberhagen: The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner got his own portrait after going 23-6 for his second award in his career. He got hurt in 1990 (and finished just 5-9), continuing his run of greatness in odd-numbered years and struggles in even-numbered ones. Then he battled injuries throughout the '90s but had a few good seasons here and there with the Mets and Red Sox. He got seven Hall of Fame votes this year -- a surprisingly high number in current hindsight but a shocker when this card came out.
-- Don Mattingly: You could almost say being on this portrait card in 1990 was the downfall of his career. Still at his peak in 1989 (.303-23-113), he played just 102 games in 1990. And he never had more than 86 RBIs after that. He may be like Steve Garvey and Tommy John in that he'll stay on the ballot for the 15 years but never getting in.
-- Jerome Walton: A pretty lackluster selection as 1989 NL Rookie of the Year, Walton barely hung around as a spare outfielder throughout the '90s.
-- Nolan Ryan: Finally, our first Hall of Famer in the bunch. He sealed his Cooperstown credentials in his final years with the Rangers. In 1989, he earned his 5,000th strikeout. In 1990, he won 300th game and earned his sixth no-hitter. The seventh no-hitter came a year later.
-- Will Clark: He was the NL MVP runner-up in 1989 and won NLCS MVP honors as well. He had a bunch of solid seasons after that, but in the end he finished with 23 Hall of Fame votes in 2006, just barely missing the cut to return for another year.
-- Gregg Olson: The AL Rookie of the Year in 1989 after saving 27 games, he had three straight 30-save seasons for the Orioles after that. He finished his career with 217 saves but was not part of this year's All-Star ballot despite playing parts of 14 seasons.
-- Kevin Mitchell: He ran away with the 1989 NL MVP award after hitting 47 homers and 125 RBIs. He did have 35 homers and 93 RBIs in 1990, but never played more than 113 games in a season after that because of an array of injuries, weight problems, etc. He did get two Hall of Fame votes in 2004.
-- Robin Yount: Our second Hall of Famer in the mix and second member of the Class of 1999, along with Ryan. He was coming off his second AL MVP award when he got the portrait treatment. He eventually got to 3,000 hits, making his election a no-brainer.
So in the end, we got two future Hall of Famers in the set, one perennial HOF also-ran, five one-and-done HOF candidates, both 1989 Rookies of the Year who eventually fizzled out and the curious case of Bo Jackson. Not necessarily the greatest of percentages for the arty inserts.
-- Bo Jackson: The hip injury would come a couple of years later, or else he might've been a legendary superstar. Of course, you could've believed that about everyone else with the portrait card, but well, you'll see.
-- Mark Davis: He was coming off his 44-save, Cy Young Award campaign with the Padres the season before when he got the portrait treatment. He also got a then-shocking, four-year, $14 million deal with the Royals and then his career went south. He did get one Hall of Fame vote in 2003.
-- Doc Gooden: He was limited to just 19 games in 1989, after winning at least 15 in his first five seasons. But in 1990, he did go 19-7 in what would be his final great season (although he did throw a no-hitter for the Yankees in 1996). After such an amazing start to his career, he would end up getting just 17 Hall of Fame votes in 2006 and dropped from the ballot.
-- Bret Saberhagen: The reigning AL Cy Young Award winner got his own portrait after going 23-6 for his second award in his career. He got hurt in 1990 (and finished just 5-9), continuing his run of greatness in odd-numbered years and struggles in even-numbered ones. Then he battled injuries throughout the '90s but had a few good seasons here and there with the Mets and Red Sox. He got seven Hall of Fame votes this year -- a surprisingly high number in current hindsight but a shocker when this card came out.
-- Don Mattingly: You could almost say being on this portrait card in 1990 was the downfall of his career. Still at his peak in 1989 (.303-23-113), he played just 102 games in 1990. And he never had more than 86 RBIs after that. He may be like Steve Garvey and Tommy John in that he'll stay on the ballot for the 15 years but never getting in.
-- Jerome Walton: A pretty lackluster selection as 1989 NL Rookie of the Year, Walton barely hung around as a spare outfielder throughout the '90s.
-- Nolan Ryan: Finally, our first Hall of Famer in the bunch. He sealed his Cooperstown credentials in his final years with the Rangers. In 1989, he earned his 5,000th strikeout. In 1990, he won 300th game and earned his sixth no-hitter. The seventh no-hitter came a year later.
-- Will Clark: He was the NL MVP runner-up in 1989 and won NLCS MVP honors as well. He had a bunch of solid seasons after that, but in the end he finished with 23 Hall of Fame votes in 2006, just barely missing the cut to return for another year.
-- Gregg Olson: The AL Rookie of the Year in 1989 after saving 27 games, he had three straight 30-save seasons for the Orioles after that. He finished his career with 217 saves but was not part of this year's All-Star ballot despite playing parts of 14 seasons.
-- Kevin Mitchell: He ran away with the 1989 NL MVP award after hitting 47 homers and 125 RBIs. He did have 35 homers and 93 RBIs in 1990, but never played more than 113 games in a season after that because of an array of injuries, weight problems, etc. He did get two Hall of Fame votes in 2004.
-- Robin Yount: Our second Hall of Famer in the mix and second member of the Class of 1999, along with Ryan. He was coming off his second AL MVP award when he got the portrait treatment. He eventually got to 3,000 hits, making his election a no-brainer.
So in the end, we got two future Hall of Famers in the set, one perennial HOF also-ran, five one-and-done HOF candidates, both 1989 Rookies of the Year who eventually fizzled out and the curious case of Bo Jackson. Not necessarily the greatest of percentages for the arty inserts.
Sunday, January 21, 2007
The championship feeling
It should be a fun Super Bowl, if today's championship games are any indication. As much as I wanted to see the Saints in there, at least we have a different socially conscious storyline that will overdone by Thursday -- the first big game with an African-American head coach, and there's one on each sideline. (That New Orleans one would've been pulverized by Tuesday afternoon.)
Which gets me to a couple of interesting observations I picked up on a couple of the sports talk shows over the weekend. One host wondered if the Falcons violated the Rooney Rule before hiring Bobby Petrino, or at least thought their "minority" candidate interview of the Bears' Ron Rivera seemed fishy. I guess being of Hispanic descent doesn't count as minority in his mind. "Minority" doesn't automatically mean African-American -- no matter how some groups want to paint that term. I mean Norm Chow would definitely fit the "minority" candidate bill, and he did get a few interviews this offseason. (BTW, looks like the Steelers will be fulfilling their end of that rule if the hire of Mike Tomlin actually comes through.)
And on a similar note, another host put the Giants' hiring of Jerry Reese as GM in an interesting light. If you knew nothing about his race, he's a decent hire -- a guy who worked his way through the team's system and became a logical successor. But it's a groundbreaking hire because he's African-American.
Back to some fun stuff. I guess we'll get a whole new slew of Super Bowl ads, which is good in a way since I've already tired of the ones constantly playing this postseason (and that includes missing good chunks of the divisional playoff games last week).
For instance:
-- What's with the guys eating Wendy's and mini-Wendy's in the library, $2.99 deal or not?
-- Nice to see McDonald's rescuing Growing Pains' Jeremy Miller away from another VH-1 or TV Land talking head show. DiCaprio gets in Oscar-nominated films. Miller advertises the Dollar Menu. OK fine.
-- The disclaimer on the Ford Edge ad: "Yes this is a fantasy. Vehicles can't drive on buildings." Rrreallly??
-- How many ads are we going to see of the new sitcom with Puddy, David Spade and Kate Hudson's brother during the Super Bowl?
-- And how many ads will feature Peyton Manning? D-Caf? Senor Manning for the cell phone?
Which gets me to a couple of interesting observations I picked up on a couple of the sports talk shows over the weekend. One host wondered if the Falcons violated the Rooney Rule before hiring Bobby Petrino, or at least thought their "minority" candidate interview of the Bears' Ron Rivera seemed fishy. I guess being of Hispanic descent doesn't count as minority in his mind. "Minority" doesn't automatically mean African-American -- no matter how some groups want to paint that term. I mean Norm Chow would definitely fit the "minority" candidate bill, and he did get a few interviews this offseason. (BTW, looks like the Steelers will be fulfilling their end of that rule if the hire of Mike Tomlin actually comes through.)
And on a similar note, another host put the Giants' hiring of Jerry Reese as GM in an interesting light. If you knew nothing about his race, he's a decent hire -- a guy who worked his way through the team's system and became a logical successor. But it's a groundbreaking hire because he's African-American.
Back to some fun stuff. I guess we'll get a whole new slew of Super Bowl ads, which is good in a way since I've already tired of the ones constantly playing this postseason (and that includes missing good chunks of the divisional playoff games last week).
For instance:
-- What's with the guys eating Wendy's and mini-Wendy's in the library, $2.99 deal or not?
-- Nice to see McDonald's rescuing Growing Pains' Jeremy Miller away from another VH-1 or TV Land talking head show. DiCaprio gets in Oscar-nominated films. Miller advertises the Dollar Menu. OK fine.
-- The disclaimer on the Ford Edge ad: "Yes this is a fantasy. Vehicles can't drive on buildings." Rrreallly??
-- How many ads are we going to see of the new sitcom with Puddy, David Spade and Kate Hudson's brother during the Super Bowl?
-- And how many ads will feature Peyton Manning? D-Caf? Senor Manning for the cell phone?
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
No one's worthy
I used to enjoy picking apart the Baseball Hall of Fame ballots -- how will guys on the cusp like Goose Gossage, Jim Rice and Bert Blyleven fare; and how many votes marginal players on the ballot such as Bobby Witt, Scott Brosius and Tony Fernandez will get.
But the fallout from this year's election had me grateful that I'm on vacation this week and thus more interested in watching the numerous commentaries from my Freaks and Geeks DVD box set than listening to the usual sports radio blather.
The Mark McGwire situation is obviously a touchy one, and while I think he deserves election, I can understand the moral outrage that's behind many people's votes. At least he got enough to remain on the ballot for another year -- as opposed to Surreal Lifer Jose Canseco (remember when there was a fear that he might be elected despite being a vagabond DH the last few years of his career?).
But the bit that gets me is arguing that the stats don't support McGwire's candidacy. If you want to be suspicious of the "before" and "after" stats, go ahead. But at the time of his retirement, weren't we ready to believe he might be a unanimous choice (which will never happen -- see Cooch's column for more on that), given his home run numbers? So he's a one-dimensional home run hitter, are we also going to eliminate Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers and eventually Mariano Rivera for being one-dimensional as well?
At the same time all the hand wringing over McGwire's much debated credentials, it was even odder to hear on Mike and the Mad Dog, "If it weren't for the Streak, Cal Ripken isn't in the Hall of Fame." It is a debatable point, but it's a big part of his resume. In fact that statement starts to sound like Lewis Black's "If it weren't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college."
Which got me thinking that baseball, more than I think any other sport, tries to make excuses for why someone isn't good. I'm as guilty of it as anyone else, but whether it's fantasy prospects or Hall of Fame choices, we have to come up with as long a list of cons as we do pros. At some point, analysis has given way to being a devil's advocate.
And yet that might be the way we have to approach things to motivate today's athletes, if those postgame comments from Florida after the Corn Chip Championship Contest. "We get no respect." "No one gave us a chance." Blah blah blah. Maybe we should just predict everybody to lose every game. It jives well with the "X sportswriter has a bias against your favorite team" as well the perfectly generic "your team sucks."
But the fallout from this year's election had me grateful that I'm on vacation this week and thus more interested in watching the numerous commentaries from my Freaks and Geeks DVD box set than listening to the usual sports radio blather.
The Mark McGwire situation is obviously a touchy one, and while I think he deserves election, I can understand the moral outrage that's behind many people's votes. At least he got enough to remain on the ballot for another year -- as opposed to Surreal Lifer Jose Canseco (remember when there was a fear that he might be elected despite being a vagabond DH the last few years of his career?).
But the bit that gets me is arguing that the stats don't support McGwire's candidacy. If you want to be suspicious of the "before" and "after" stats, go ahead. But at the time of his retirement, weren't we ready to believe he might be a unanimous choice (which will never happen -- see Cooch's column for more on that), given his home run numbers? So he's a one-dimensional home run hitter, are we also going to eliminate Bruce Sutter, Rollie Fingers and eventually Mariano Rivera for being one-dimensional as well?
At the same time all the hand wringing over McGwire's much debated credentials, it was even odder to hear on Mike and the Mad Dog, "If it weren't for the Streak, Cal Ripken isn't in the Hall of Fame." It is a debatable point, but it's a big part of his resume. In fact that statement starts to sound like Lewis Black's "If it weren't for my horse, I wouldn't have spent that year in college."
Which got me thinking that baseball, more than I think any other sport, tries to make excuses for why someone isn't good. I'm as guilty of it as anyone else, but whether it's fantasy prospects or Hall of Fame choices, we have to come up with as long a list of cons as we do pros. At some point, analysis has given way to being a devil's advocate.
And yet that might be the way we have to approach things to motivate today's athletes, if those postgame comments from Florida after the Corn Chip Championship Contest. "We get no respect." "No one gave us a chance." Blah blah blah. Maybe we should just predict everybody to lose every game. It jives well with the "X sportswriter has a bias against your favorite team" as well the perfectly generic "your team sucks."
Happy trails
After nearly five years at this spot, and more than 10 years at this mindspring address, I'm moving this blog over to BlogSpot to take advantage of the new Blogger features. So update your bookmarks shortly to howawkward.blogspot.com.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Ho, ho, ho, hiatus
Yeah, so it's been a while since I've posted something. A combination of work, travel and lots of apathy in play here. Anyways, lots of this and that going on since the last post.
First off, I returned to Atlanta at the end of last month/beginning of this month for Trashmasters once again in Chattanooga. Nice to be a tourist in my former home city for a few days, not to mention seeing some old friends again (although not as many as I would've liked), and somehow waiting until the trip to see my first hockey game of the season.
As for the tournament, finally got to team up with Craig for the first time ever and we ended up losing in the finals to the team that will eventually be my TRASHionals teammates, so that's interesting. Plus, I got to defend my K-Tel Hell title, so the belt now sits in my cubicle itching for some more adornments.
I probably should've picked up adornments in the Tower Records bankruptcy sales. For the first time, things at Tower were actually at reasonable prices, but that's because everything was 60-70% off during my first trips and then 90% yesterday, the day before the stores closed for good.
I did get a ton of stuff I wouldn't have even sniffed at picking up for full price, but for $1, $2 or $4, I'm on top of it. Obviously by the time I got there, lots of the decent stuff was gone, so you had to stretch your mind thinking you landed a find (cool, there's that Bronson Arroyo cover album or what's the deal with all the Foghat). Thankfully I wasn't actively seeking out ironic prizes for trash tournaments, so I didn't load up my bags with even more crap than I already bought because I was interested in it. So while I spent decently on "real" gifts for family and friends, I was able to load up without feeling too guilty about shopping for myself. I think I could've bought three CDs at Tower for the price of the 25-30 things I did get.
As for other things going on, we were amused in the office when Mike and the Mad Dog got really worked up over the SI Sportsman of the Year choice of Dwyane Wade (including a heated argument with my overall boss). We were indifferent, although I think I had a decent choice.
Meanwhile, a few floors down, there's been some interesting feedback over Time's Person of the Year. One person wondered if you could put down on your resume that you were Time's Person of the Year. I wonder how wise it is picking "you" since "you" in general come off as a moron. For every one great blog, YouTube video or substantive online discussion is about 500 others much more idiotic (like this blog, to be honest).
But on the other hand, if you want to know how strange the MySpace generation can be, check out this story from one of my Medill classmates now at the New York Post. My own intriguing MySpace story has me finding one of my fellow Jeopardy! contestants and getting in touch with her for an interesting project.
And in the same online realm, the Vote For Rory Fitzpatrick project is working like gangbusters. However, having just filled out my NHL All-Star ballot, it seems a lot easier to pull off the "write-in" vote here than in other sports -- especially online. First off, there's only 12 actual choices for defenseman in the West and secondly, there's actually "write-in" candidates listed in the dropdown, so it's very easy to choose him as opposed to actually having to type in a name. Still, it's a spirited campaign and one that's actually working as opposed to some of my obscure baseball All-Star Game campaigns.
First off, I returned to Atlanta at the end of last month/beginning of this month for Trashmasters once again in Chattanooga. Nice to be a tourist in my former home city for a few days, not to mention seeing some old friends again (although not as many as I would've liked), and somehow waiting until the trip to see my first hockey game of the season.
As for the tournament, finally got to team up with Craig for the first time ever and we ended up losing in the finals to the team that will eventually be my TRASHionals teammates, so that's interesting. Plus, I got to defend my K-Tel Hell title, so the belt now sits in my cubicle itching for some more adornments.
I probably should've picked up adornments in the Tower Records bankruptcy sales. For the first time, things at Tower were actually at reasonable prices, but that's because everything was 60-70% off during my first trips and then 90% yesterday, the day before the stores closed for good.
I did get a ton of stuff I wouldn't have even sniffed at picking up for full price, but for $1, $2 or $4, I'm on top of it. Obviously by the time I got there, lots of the decent stuff was gone, so you had to stretch your mind thinking you landed a find (cool, there's that Bronson Arroyo cover album or what's the deal with all the Foghat). Thankfully I wasn't actively seeking out ironic prizes for trash tournaments, so I didn't load up my bags with even more crap than I already bought because I was interested in it. So while I spent decently on "real" gifts for family and friends, I was able to load up without feeling too guilty about shopping for myself. I think I could've bought three CDs at Tower for the price of the 25-30 things I did get.
As for other things going on, we were amused in the office when Mike and the Mad Dog got really worked up over the SI Sportsman of the Year choice of Dwyane Wade (including a heated argument with my overall boss). We were indifferent, although I think I had a decent choice.
Meanwhile, a few floors down, there's been some interesting feedback over Time's Person of the Year. One person wondered if you could put down on your resume that you were Time's Person of the Year. I wonder how wise it is picking "you" since "you" in general come off as a moron. For every one great blog, YouTube video or substantive online discussion is about 500 others much more idiotic (like this blog, to be honest).
But on the other hand, if you want to know how strange the MySpace generation can be, check out this story from one of my Medill classmates now at the New York Post. My own intriguing MySpace story has me finding one of my fellow Jeopardy! contestants and getting in touch with her for an interesting project.
And in the same online realm, the Vote For Rory Fitzpatrick project is working like gangbusters. However, having just filled out my NHL All-Star ballot, it seems a lot easier to pull off the "write-in" vote here than in other sports -- especially online. First off, there's only 12 actual choices for defenseman in the West and secondly, there's actually "write-in" candidates listed in the dropdown, so it's very easy to choose him as opposed to actually having to type in a name. Still, it's a spirited campaign and one that's actually working as opposed to some of my obscure baseball All-Star Game campaigns.
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Spy Vs. Spy
Here's the one thing that has intrigued me about the state of elections these days -- how did the current red and blue state designations come to be? When I was at the Reagan Library last year, a map of his 1980 victory had the states he carried in blue while Carter's was in red.
Secondly, to use some, I guess, outdated stereotypes, wasn't the left formerly accused of being red (the old Communist line), while many conservatives were painted as elitist blue bloods?
By the way, it was interesting being back up here in the New York area for election day -- we got three states worth of attack ads, including one for my new old district.
In other news, when I saw Borat, I couldn't help but think a lot about this guy. And apparently, so did he, as he's now asking for an apology.
Secondly, to use some, I guess, outdated stereotypes, wasn't the left formerly accused of being red (the old Communist line), while many conservatives were painted as elitist blue bloods?
By the way, it was interesting being back up here in the New York area for election day -- we got three states worth of attack ads, including one for my new old district.
In other news, when I saw Borat, I couldn't help but think a lot about this guy. And apparently, so did he, as he's now asking for an apology.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Nostalgia redux
The latest dosage of VH-1 list crack just came through this past week with the 100 Greatest Songs of the '80s. I had somewhere around 70 or so of the songs already on my iPod and trying to add more for completeness sake, even though there were a few interesting omissions -- Simple Minds, Tears for Fears and Survivor come to mind. But it's always a good font for trash questions and hey, Deborah Gibson and Susanna Hoffs still look good years later.
And speaking of the '80s, I guess the NPH really deserves an Emmy for playing Barney on HIMYM because he dispelled rumors he's straight.
And speaking of the '80s, I guess the NPH really deserves an Emmy for playing Barney on HIMYM because he dispelled rumors he's straight.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Name that tune
I finally got confirmation about the song that plays in the GEICO ad with the caveman in the airport. It's called "Remind Me" by Royksöpp. Oddly enough, I got the information straight from the Gecko's blog on GEICO's site.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
What is missing the point?
While my double review of Brainiac and Trebekistan was a little bit rambling and such, it still isn't this New York Times twin review, which seems to want a lot more from the books than what could ever be offered from former contestants, even those who have been on plenty of times, like Ken and Bob.
Monday, October 23, 2006
27 and counting
27 and counting
Just as I thought I was outgrowing Weird Al Yankovic, all of a sudden, he has his first top 10 album and top 10 single.
The first single is a YouTube sensation, which is a big reason for the chart sucess. YouTube somehow reached the people wanting to buy the album and single, even moreso than a "Top 40" station, wherever those actually exist these days.
Slate has an interesting piece going into how Al's career has lasted all this time, although I'm still trying to figure exactly what he did this time around to get major chart action when he hasn't really changed the formula (nor does he have to).
Just as I thought I was outgrowing Weird Al Yankovic, all of a sudden, he has his first top 10 album and top 10 single.
The first single is a YouTube sensation, which is a big reason for the chart sucess. YouTube somehow reached the people wanting to buy the album and single, even moreso than a "Top 40" station, wherever those actually exist these days.
Slate has an interesting piece going into how Al's career has lasted all this time, although I'm still trying to figure exactly what he did this time around to get major chart action when he hasn't really changed the formula (nor does he have to).
Saturday, October 21, 2006
This day in infamy
Note to self: Do not order a sandwich called the meltdown while watching your alma mater set a dubious NCAA football record. And oh yeah, I was on hand for this account of said meltdown.
More updates on the past few weeks in due time.
More updates on the past few weeks in due time.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Publishing industry for $2000
Publishing industry for $2000
So I've now finished off both Brainiac and Prisoner of Trebekistan, fulfilling the need for books about Jeopardy! for about 10 years -- although there will be plenty of first-person accounts in various media outlets until the show finally runs it course.
These books are definitely must-reads for Jeopardy! fans, or more to the point obsessed game show geeks like myself. The actual target fan (i.e. those who actually have a use for HeadOn or the life insurance policies plugged on the show) definitely will not get a lot of the snappy writing in both books.
Of course, both books answer some of the basic questions people have about the show that I, too, have had to answer recently (What's Alex like? How does the taping session work? Do they give you a list of things to study beforehand? No, really, do they give you a list of things to study?), so a lot of that is very familiar -- especially since I've prattled on about it myself. Having plenty of friends precede me on the show also made a lot of the book very familiar.
After going over some of the basic mechanics of the show, the books take somewhat different paths to further complement the Jeopardy! experience.
In Brainiac, Ken Jennings used the Jeopardy! experience to highlight America's trivia subculture with some fun stories about trivia writers, the crazy radio trivia marathon in Wisconsin, Thomas Edison's test and even how the word trivia is misused. And of course is a trip to the quizbowl world that is definitely familiar, given I was at the NAQT high school tournament in Chicago that Ken discusses. He paints an interesting picture of how people are drawn to knowing stuff -- and Jeopardy! is probably the best jumping off point anyways given its status in the current cultural landscape. (What is funny is that Ken regularly talks about "general knowledge" -- a term seemingly derided in some corners of the quizbowl world.)
Given the number of games he won, it's both surprising and a bit refreshing that Ken doesn't recreate every single episode in his run -- although something about the Ultimate Tournament of Champions might have been nice. However, there were plenty of anecdotes during his run to spice things up (the constant trips from Salt Lake City to L.A., running into people he knows at the taping). He can't really downplay 75 episodes, but at least he made it not just a simple narrative of his time on the show.
What made Brainiac a very good read was Ken's writing style. I suppose I got used to it recently reading his blog before getting the book, but it seemed very comfortable and in many ways sounded like the way I sometimes write, or at the very least, some of my friends whose blogs are linked over at the left. Sure, I know Ken somewhat, but it really felt familiar reading it.
As for Prisoner of Trebekistan, it's a bit more self-indulgent and a lot more interesting for the truly rabid Jeopardy! fans wanting to recreate games. However, Bob Harris is also a funny writer and he makes what really is just his life story somewhat relevant to people (at least Jeopardy! fans). Finding a way to connect his life experiences to what categories appeared on the show was clever -- although I suppose if you're on the show as many times as he had, it probably shouldn't have been a surprise. On the other hand, Bob did show that his studies for the show did open up his mind to new experiences (which he got to act on after winning enough to allow him to travel to such places)
Bob also had a great insight on how some Jeopardy! contestants can remain close even after trying to outwit each other on national TV. The tournaments may be better at fostering that friendship, and sometimes I wish I could've stayed closer in touch with some of the contestants from my taping (I've found one on MySpace and that's about it).
As a more "general interest" book, Ken's is obviously the way to go. Crafting Brainiac the way he did opened himself up to a lot more interesting writing and avoided excess first-person stuff that Bob slipped into (although he could spread out the ultimate inside experience over a lot more time). Of course with the right writer and editor, anybody's life story can be interesting as long as you've got a good hook.
What is interesting is that just about a year after my taping in L.A., Jeopardy! has been all over the place in life -- with the books and a trip to see a Celebrity Jeopardy! taping on Thursday. It really does make me wish I could do the whole experience again.
So I've now finished off both Brainiac and Prisoner of Trebekistan, fulfilling the need for books about Jeopardy! for about 10 years -- although there will be plenty of first-person accounts in various media outlets until the show finally runs it course.
These books are definitely must-reads for Jeopardy! fans, or more to the point obsessed game show geeks like myself. The actual target fan (i.e. those who actually have a use for HeadOn or the life insurance policies plugged on the show) definitely will not get a lot of the snappy writing in both books.
Of course, both books answer some of the basic questions people have about the show that I, too, have had to answer recently (What's Alex like? How does the taping session work? Do they give you a list of things to study beforehand? No, really, do they give you a list of things to study?), so a lot of that is very familiar -- especially since I've prattled on about it myself. Having plenty of friends precede me on the show also made a lot of the book very familiar.
After going over some of the basic mechanics of the show, the books take somewhat different paths to further complement the Jeopardy! experience.
In Brainiac, Ken Jennings used the Jeopardy! experience to highlight America's trivia subculture with some fun stories about trivia writers, the crazy radio trivia marathon in Wisconsin, Thomas Edison's test and even how the word trivia is misused. And of course is a trip to the quizbowl world that is definitely familiar, given I was at the NAQT high school tournament in Chicago that Ken discusses. He paints an interesting picture of how people are drawn to knowing stuff -- and Jeopardy! is probably the best jumping off point anyways given its status in the current cultural landscape. (What is funny is that Ken regularly talks about "general knowledge" -- a term seemingly derided in some corners of the quizbowl world.)
Given the number of games he won, it's both surprising and a bit refreshing that Ken doesn't recreate every single episode in his run -- although something about the Ultimate Tournament of Champions might have been nice. However, there were plenty of anecdotes during his run to spice things up (the constant trips from Salt Lake City to L.A., running into people he knows at the taping). He can't really downplay 75 episodes, but at least he made it not just a simple narrative of his time on the show.
What made Brainiac a very good read was Ken's writing style. I suppose I got used to it recently reading his blog before getting the book, but it seemed very comfortable and in many ways sounded like the way I sometimes write, or at the very least, some of my friends whose blogs are linked over at the left. Sure, I know Ken somewhat, but it really felt familiar reading it.
As for Prisoner of Trebekistan, it's a bit more self-indulgent and a lot more interesting for the truly rabid Jeopardy! fans wanting to recreate games. However, Bob Harris is also a funny writer and he makes what really is just his life story somewhat relevant to people (at least Jeopardy! fans). Finding a way to connect his life experiences to what categories appeared on the show was clever -- although I suppose if you're on the show as many times as he had, it probably shouldn't have been a surprise. On the other hand, Bob did show that his studies for the show did open up his mind to new experiences (which he got to act on after winning enough to allow him to travel to such places)
Bob also had a great insight on how some Jeopardy! contestants can remain close even after trying to outwit each other on national TV. The tournaments may be better at fostering that friendship, and sometimes I wish I could've stayed closer in touch with some of the contestants from my taping (I've found one on MySpace and that's about it).
As a more "general interest" book, Ken's is obviously the way to go. Crafting Brainiac the way he did opened himself up to a lot more interesting writing and avoided excess first-person stuff that Bob slipped into (although he could spread out the ultimate inside experience over a lot more time). Of course with the right writer and editor, anybody's life story can be interesting as long as you've got a good hook.
What is interesting is that just about a year after my taping in L.A., Jeopardy! has been all over the place in life -- with the books and a trip to see a Celebrity Jeopardy! taping on Thursday. It really does make me wish I could do the whole experience again.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
The written word
I'll have reviews of the Jeopardy! books in due time, although I will say it is weird to read the two books with the new Chuck Klosterman collection in between.
Anyways, I figured I'd point out that somehow I'm mentioned in the same sentence as one of the more well-known writers at SI. There's a lot more I probably could say about it, but I'll keep that to myself for now.
Anyways, I figured I'd point out that somehow I'm mentioned in the same sentence as one of the more well-known writers at SI. There's a lot more I probably could say about it, but I'll keep that to myself for now.
Monday, September 18, 2006
TV time
TV time
Caught a couple of series premieres tonight in between the offensively-challenged Monday night game. Nope, neither are on my LaPlaca squad.
The Class: I'm a big fan of the concept, although it seems like it could've been a better movie than sitcom. (I'm a sucker for the nostalgia they're highlighting). However, the weird twist at the start of the show sort of tries to force the action into a passable sitcom about more people in their late-20s (in other words, people just slightly younger than me). Seems like a harmless enough show and it's the right type of lead-in for How I Met Your Mother (in fact, the characters on both shows are approximately the same age).
Studio 60: I enjoyed Sports Night, but didn't watch much West Wing, although this series seems to be a good amalgam of the two shows (including a cameo from Felicity Huffman) plus a heavy dose of Hollywood insiderish stuff. It's a solid pilot and I've got high hopes for the season -- just have to make sure to either DVR it when the Monday night game is actually good.
Oh yeah, still going through Braniac, but it is interesting to see a bunch of people I know (including some whose blogs are linked on the side) mentioned prominently in the book, not to mention an entire subculture with which I'm very closely involved. Unlike Wordplay, where it just seemed like I knew the people (although eventually meeting a few), I actually know a lot of what Ken is talking about, and even written about myself.
Caught a couple of series premieres tonight in between the offensively-challenged Monday night game. Nope, neither are on my LaPlaca squad.
The Class: I'm a big fan of the concept, although it seems like it could've been a better movie than sitcom. (I'm a sucker for the nostalgia they're highlighting). However, the weird twist at the start of the show sort of tries to force the action into a passable sitcom about more people in their late-20s (in other words, people just slightly younger than me). Seems like a harmless enough show and it's the right type of lead-in for How I Met Your Mother (in fact, the characters on both shows are approximately the same age).
Studio 60: I enjoyed Sports Night, but didn't watch much West Wing, although this series seems to be a good amalgam of the two shows (including a cameo from Felicity Huffman) plus a heavy dose of Hollywood insiderish stuff. It's a solid pilot and I've got high hopes for the season -- just have to make sure to either DVR it when the Monday night game is actually good.
Oh yeah, still going through Braniac, but it is interesting to see a bunch of people I know (including some whose blogs are linked on the side) mentioned prominently in the book, not to mention an entire subculture with which I'm very closely involved. Unlike Wordplay, where it just seemed like I knew the people (although eventually meeting a few), I actually know a lot of what Ken is talking about, and even written about myself.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
I am nerd, hear me roar
I am nerd, hear me roar
If I needed any verification of my utter nerdiness or geekiness, I went to the first signing stop in the Ken Jennings book tour (although he's been just all over TV plugging the book -- including a fun appearance on The Colbert Report on Wednesday).
An aside, what a strange 1-2 punch on Colbert: Ken on Wednesday, Bill Simmons on Thursday.
In many ways it was your basic book signing -- a couple of excerpts from the book were read aloud, some of the same stories he's told numerous times about his experiences on the show, a few of the usual questions about game shows and other assorted stuff from the crowd. (However, it's rather ironic that the signing took place at 7 p.m. -- when Jeopardy! airs in New York.)
But the crowd is where I knew that I was definitely in my element, which was comforting and scary at the same time. I ended up sitting in a row two of the players featured in Wordplay . So you've got the crossword puzzle people on one hand. During the Q&A, I heard from a former DC-area quizbowl player and game show fanatic.
And to round out the intersection of all these knowledge-based cabals, I ended up hanging out with a handful of people from the Jeopardy! message boards, even though I only knew the real names of a couple of the people. So yes, it was very odd to match faces to screennames -- if that doesn't just scream of geekiness, I don't what does. And hey, I'm in the middle of the whole thing, so what does that make me?
In the end, it was a fun little outing. That Barnes and Noble in Union Square is pretty cool (not used to a four-level B&N). I got the book and will probably be part of my commute reading very soon, and KJ even recognized me (he seemed to see a bunch of familiar faces in the crowd). I'll eventually have a review of the book up here. Not only do I have that book to read -- I need to grab the "other" Jeopardy! book not to mention the latest Klosterman book.
If I needed any verification of my utter nerdiness or geekiness, I went to the first signing stop in the Ken Jennings book tour (although he's been just all over TV plugging the book -- including a fun appearance on The Colbert Report on Wednesday).
An aside, what a strange 1-2 punch on Colbert: Ken on Wednesday, Bill Simmons on Thursday.
In many ways it was your basic book signing -- a couple of excerpts from the book were read aloud, some of the same stories he's told numerous times about his experiences on the show, a few of the usual questions about game shows and other assorted stuff from the crowd. (However, it's rather ironic that the signing took place at 7 p.m. -- when Jeopardy! airs in New York.)
But the crowd is where I knew that I was definitely in my element, which was comforting and scary at the same time. I ended up sitting in a row two of the players featured in Wordplay . So you've got the crossword puzzle people on one hand. During the Q&A, I heard from a former DC-area quizbowl player and game show fanatic.
And to round out the intersection of all these knowledge-based cabals, I ended up hanging out with a handful of people from the Jeopardy! message boards, even though I only knew the real names of a couple of the people. So yes, it was very odd to match faces to screennames -- if that doesn't just scream of geekiness, I don't what does. And hey, I'm in the middle of the whole thing, so what does that make me?
In the end, it was a fun little outing. That Barnes and Noble in Union Square is pretty cool (not used to a four-level B&N). I got the book and will probably be part of my commute reading very soon, and KJ even recognized me (he seemed to see a bunch of familiar faces in the crowd). I'll eventually have a review of the book up here. Not only do I have that book to read -- I need to grab the "other" Jeopardy! book not to mention the latest Klosterman book.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Yes I'm still here
Sure it's been a while since I've posted anything here -- the day job (and especially the day blog) is taking precendence.
However, I was able to make my annual trip to Vegas, and that's always fun -- even if my sort of fun often involves wandering up and down the Strip in 100-degree heat. This time around, I was at the Stardust for very much its last hurrah. While I thought Excalibur was a bit too Disney-fied for my tastes, Stardust really did show its age in both the facilities and the clientele. (The 1958-2006 notation on the chips was both celebratory and sad at the same time.) But hey, at least it did have wi-fi access, even if I couldn't pick it up in my room and only got a signal in the lobby.
I still haven't been to downtown, but I finally got to see the Palms and Rio up close. The Palms is an interesting vibe since the gaming area didn't seem all that huge but all the other stuff (clubs, movie theaters, etc.) made up for it.
Oh yeah, I also saw the new Hooters Casino. I was slightly disappointed to see "regular" people serving as dealers when I got in. Then I got to the area where their famous girls served as dealers. So of course I played some blackjack in that area. Otherwise, it's a pretty blah casino.
Another interesting thing is that for as popular as poker is these days, I think not every casino really needs to have a poker room. Some of the more popular places were full (I was trying to find the "stars" at Bellagio, for instance), but others were practically begging for action. Before some of us ended up starting a game at Stardust, one of the dealers and a few hangers-on eyed us like prey, hoping we'd play.
Similar thing happened at Tropicana as I walked by after they announced an opening at a table there. As I got there, I was practically whisked into a seat before I could even think about it. And even quicker did my money disappear. While seeing a long waiting list is disheartening, is it any better to be begged and hustled to play?
Oh yeah, I keep on getting haunted by Barry Manilow, as he had his own show, a gift shop and a giant picture of him along with the Star Trek sign at the Las Vegas Hilton. At least Stephen Colbert knows how I feel about Mr. I Write the Songs.
However, I was able to make my annual trip to Vegas, and that's always fun -- even if my sort of fun often involves wandering up and down the Strip in 100-degree heat. This time around, I was at the Stardust for very much its last hurrah. While I thought Excalibur was a bit too Disney-fied for my tastes, Stardust really did show its age in both the facilities and the clientele. (The 1958-2006 notation on the chips was both celebratory and sad at the same time.) But hey, at least it did have wi-fi access, even if I couldn't pick it up in my room and only got a signal in the lobby.
I still haven't been to downtown, but I finally got to see the Palms and Rio up close. The Palms is an interesting vibe since the gaming area didn't seem all that huge but all the other stuff (clubs, movie theaters, etc.) made up for it.
Oh yeah, I also saw the new Hooters Casino. I was slightly disappointed to see "regular" people serving as dealers when I got in. Then I got to the area where their famous girls served as dealers. So of course I played some blackjack in that area. Otherwise, it's a pretty blah casino.
Another interesting thing is that for as popular as poker is these days, I think not every casino really needs to have a poker room. Some of the more popular places were full (I was trying to find the "stars" at Bellagio, for instance), but others were practically begging for action. Before some of us ended up starting a game at Stardust, one of the dealers and a few hangers-on eyed us like prey, hoping we'd play.
Similar thing happened at Tropicana as I walked by after they announced an opening at a table there. As I got there, I was practically whisked into a seat before I could even think about it. And even quicker did my money disappear. While seeing a long waiting list is disheartening, is it any better to be begged and hustled to play?
Oh yeah, I keep on getting haunted by Barry Manilow, as he had his own show, a gift shop and a giant picture of him along with the Star Trek sign at the Las Vegas Hilton. At least Stephen Colbert knows how I feel about Mr. I Write the Songs.
Sunday, August 20, 2006
Disembodied head
Disembodied head
Eventually I'll have to scan in my floating head that appeared in the new fantasy insert of the magazine this past week. Hey, I actually beat a couple of my NU colleagues in the office in getting my face in the mag. That, and some nice promos for the other blog.
Unfortunately, my fellow alum Luke Donald couldn't overcome the Tiger juggernaut, but I'm trying to figure out what's weirder -- one Slam wonder Shaun "not HBK" Micheel finishing second or that John Kruk had to do some PGA highlights during the Yankees-Red Sox rain delay.
I didn't watch the final round, in between scouting out places to live, I also caught World Trade Center, a solidly produced film. Not as powerful as United 93, but a strong film nonetheless.
So now I've seen NFL preseason games at three different stadiums, adding Giants Stadium to the mix for this ho-hum nationally televised contest. It was probably only about half full, and about 10% was left by the fourth quarter. But after all these years, I've finally seen my first NFL game at the Meadowlands. On the other hand, you can tell it was the preseason when the pee-wee game at halftime was more entertaining.
Eventually I'll have to scan in my floating head that appeared in the new fantasy insert of the magazine this past week. Hey, I actually beat a couple of my NU colleagues in the office in getting my face in the mag. That, and some nice promos for the other blog.
Unfortunately, my fellow alum Luke Donald couldn't overcome the Tiger juggernaut, but I'm trying to figure out what's weirder -- one Slam wonder Shaun "not HBK" Micheel finishing second or that John Kruk had to do some PGA highlights during the Yankees-Red Sox rain delay.
I didn't watch the final round, in between scouting out places to live, I also caught World Trade Center, a solidly produced film. Not as powerful as United 93, but a strong film nonetheless.
So now I've seen NFL preseason games at three different stadiums, adding Giants Stadium to the mix for this ho-hum nationally televised contest. It was probably only about half full, and about 10% was left by the fourth quarter. But after all these years, I've finally seen my first NFL game at the Meadowlands. On the other hand, you can tell it was the preseason when the pee-wee game at halftime was more entertaining.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
All in
I didn't post much off the recently completed World Series of Poker main event, although it's good to see ESPN turning it around into shows starting next week. It was interesting following along on-line, mainly because other outlets started making money off it.
Anyways, the one thing I found sorta intriguing about the final table is that there was plenty of support for the one true "pro," although the eventual winner did have a decent backstory to him. It's a major opposite from a major golf tournament like the U.S. or British Open, where an amateur doing well against the pros gets extra support (Matt Kuchar while he was at Georgia Tech, for example), while here, the pro is the sentimental favorite against a bunch of amateurs.
I suppose that says something about poker today that if a big-named pro survives to the final table at the main event, it's almost an upset, whereas an amateur winning it all is now commonplace.
As for something completely different, the silly gimmick of putting stars of an upcoming TV shows in the crowd of major sporting events has shaken down to regular-season Yankees game hyping the new MyNetwork TV. Instead of Sammo Hung at the Final Four or the cast of That '70s Show at the World Series, we get guys (not even the hot women) from this new show and this other new show "found" in the crowd. Kinda silly really, and I definitely feel for Michael Kay having to do those promos this evening.
Anyways, the one thing I found sorta intriguing about the final table is that there was plenty of support for the one true "pro," although the eventual winner did have a decent backstory to him. It's a major opposite from a major golf tournament like the U.S. or British Open, where an amateur doing well against the pros gets extra support (Matt Kuchar while he was at Georgia Tech, for example), while here, the pro is the sentimental favorite against a bunch of amateurs.
I suppose that says something about poker today that if a big-named pro survives to the final table at the main event, it's almost an upset, whereas an amateur winning it all is now commonplace.
As for something completely different, the silly gimmick of putting stars of an upcoming TV shows in the crowd of major sporting events has shaken down to regular-season Yankees game hyping the new MyNetwork TV. Instead of Sammo Hung at the Final Four or the cast of That '70s Show at the World Series, we get guys (not even the hot women) from this new show and this other new show "found" in the crowd. Kinda silly really, and I definitely feel for Michael Kay having to do those promos this evening.
Wednesday, August 09, 2006
Silly cinema
Silly cinema
Sorry for the lack of posts. A rapidly declining laptop at home, combined with regular updates at the work blog has kept me from randomly spouting off on stuff here.
Two movie-related things that needed to be posted here:
1. I went to the Netflix Roadshow screening of Clerks in Red Bank, down the street from the original Quick Stop where the movie was filmed. Kevin Smith has his own brief report of the night on his site -- I got there just before the movie actually screened so I missed the Q&A and only got a quick glimpse of Silent Bob, his wife as well as Lisa Loeb (who did some hosting, I think).
They did bring back some of the cast as well. Dante made a brief appearance that I missed, but Veronica did stick around after the film. Even funnier were the appearances by the roofer in the Death Star/contractor discussion and the little girl who bought a pack of cigarettes. Thankfully I didn't geek out completely and get autographs (they were just signing Netflix cards anyways
The Roadshow idea is pretty cool, especially since three of my favorite films are part of this year's tour. While all the Clerks stuff was gone before I could get to it, I did snag this poster, this poster and an Unpainted Arizona t-shirt.
2. I did rush out to see Talladega Nights and thought it was pretty funny, although not on the level of Anchorman -- at least not yet (when a ton of lines spring to the surface after multiple viewings). I will say that the oddest cameos in the film can be summed up in the line: "Is that Elvis Costello and Mos Def?"
Oh yeah, and was I the only one to think this actress was in the film when it reality it was this Oscar nominee? The previous has connections to two of the main stars, but hey, when you can increase the Oscar nominees in the cast to three, why not?
Sorry for the lack of posts. A rapidly declining laptop at home, combined with regular updates at the work blog has kept me from randomly spouting off on stuff here.
Two movie-related things that needed to be posted here:
1. I went to the Netflix Roadshow screening of Clerks in Red Bank, down the street from the original Quick Stop where the movie was filmed. Kevin Smith has his own brief report of the night on his site -- I got there just before the movie actually screened so I missed the Q&A and only got a quick glimpse of Silent Bob, his wife as well as Lisa Loeb (who did some hosting, I think).
They did bring back some of the cast as well. Dante made a brief appearance that I missed, but Veronica did stick around after the film. Even funnier were the appearances by the roofer in the Death Star/contractor discussion and the little girl who bought a pack of cigarettes. Thankfully I didn't geek out completely and get autographs (they were just signing Netflix cards anyways
The Roadshow idea is pretty cool, especially since three of my favorite films are part of this year's tour. While all the Clerks stuff was gone before I could get to it, I did snag this poster, this poster and an Unpainted Arizona t-shirt.
2. I did rush out to see Talladega Nights and thought it was pretty funny, although not on the level of Anchorman -- at least not yet (when a ton of lines spring to the surface after multiple viewings). I will say that the oddest cameos in the film can be summed up in the line: "Is that Elvis Costello and Mos Def?"
Oh yeah, and was I the only one to think this actress was in the film when it reality it was this Oscar nominee? The previous has connections to two of the main stars, but hey, when you can increase the Oscar nominees in the cast to three, why not?
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