I'm still open for more suggestions. Lay 'em on me.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Challenge Accepted
Last week I issued a call to challenge me to make anything you wanted out of construction paper. Michael challenged me to create a kangaroo boxing a cactus. A kangaroo boxing a cactus? No sweat. It was suggested that they also be fighting on a bed of fire, and so it came to pass.
I'm still open for more suggestions. Lay 'em on me.
I'm still open for more suggestions. Lay 'em on me.
Exam Time
So I have an exam coming up, which means this will be a short post. Here are a few things I've collected over the last week or so:
More pictures available here if you're interested. Also, we'll have a new episode up later this week, so cool your horsejets or whatever.
Now I must be off.
- Conan O'Brien encounters some Korean girls.
- Ghost cities in China: elaborate planned cities that are either completely empty, or very close to it. It's kind of creepy, actually. Strange remnants of economic boom, perhaps? I don't know and I honestly couldn't even venture a guess beyond that.
- Here's a fantastic artist by the name of Darren Brown. These caricatures are quite hilarious to me, and I think our readers might find them funny as well. I particularly like Cameron Diaz, Edward Norton, and George Bush.
- Lastly, here's a video I've been digging recently:
More pictures available here if you're interested. Also, we'll have a new episode up later this week, so cool your horsejets or whatever.
Now I must be off.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Prohibition II: Electric Boogaloo
The Sunday sales bill looks to be, for all intents and purposes, dead.
For those of you non-Georgia residents, let me fill you in: Our fine state is one of three in the country (the others being Connecticut and Indiana) that does not allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays.
Nope, if it’s a Sunday, you can’t get alcohol anywhere in the state—except at a bar or restaurant, but you know, laws aren't supposed to make sense.
In any case, for the past few years Gov. Sonny Perdue swore up and down that he’d veto any Sunday sales bill to cross his desk. Our new Gov. Nathan Deal, though conservative, has gone on record saying that he would not veto such a bill, now famously stating, "I don't drink. I just believe in democracy."
Cue rejoicing on the part of those who value, you know, the right to vote on issues, and the separation of church and state, and all that noise.
As I understand it, the bill currently being discussed allows counties to vote on whether to permit Sunday sales,
and would only allow beer and wine, none of that heathen hard liquor. The state House of Representatives passed it real quick, and according to every source ever, the state Senate was gearing up to do so as well.
But then last week it just died. They’re claiming there’s not nearly enough Senate support for it to pass (even though there allegedly was two weeks ago?). Some blame the Georgia Christian Coalition and others blame unnamed eager beaver state Senators who hope to gain higher office someday and don’t want to alienate anyone along the way. Regardless, in spite of a rally at the state capitol a couple days ago and the attitudes of most citizens ranging from “Give me Sunday beer or give me death!” to “What do I care if people can drink on Sundays? Get off my lawn,” it seems like it’s not happening this year.
Okay, so buying and selling alcohol in liquor and grocery stores on a Sunday is illegal. Fine. One could argue that we all choose to live in the fascist theocracy of an ex-penal colony that is Georgia, so that’s the law we’re stuck with.
But why draw the line there? If certain lobbyists and lawmakers get to dictate what’s legal and illegal just because they feel like it, why don’t the rest of us get to enact the laws of our choosing?
I think it should be illegal for Georgia residents to say the word “foodie.” Surely you don’t hear it much down in south Georgia or up in the mountains, but I live in Atlanta and read a lot of food blogs and restaurant reviews, and it kind of annoys me.
To be fair, it would suit me to ban “foodie” forever, everywhere, but you can’t make stupid laws everywhere, so Georgia it is. “Foodie” is hereby outlawed.
You know what else should be illegal? Jean shorts on guys. Definitely putting the banhammer down on those. Ooh, and while we’re legislating drink-related issues, I’m going to outlaw restaurants from only serving Pepsi products, because Pepsi is gross. I don’t want to drink it, so nobody should be able to drink it, amiright?
It’s ridiculous that this is even an issue, but it is. There’s still a sliver of hope that the Senate will get their act together and vote on it this legislative season (you know-- vote to let us vote on it), but for now we’ll just have to keep getting our Sunday beers the old fashioned ways—out of our refrigerator, at any bar or restaurant, or at Buddy’s as soon as the clock strikes midnight.
For those of you non-Georgia residents, let me fill you in: Our fine state is one of three in the country (the others being Connecticut and Indiana) that does not allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays.
Nope, if it’s a Sunday, you can’t get alcohol anywhere in the state—except at a bar or restaurant, but you know, laws aren't supposed to make sense.In any case, for the past few years Gov. Sonny Perdue swore up and down that he’d veto any Sunday sales bill to cross his desk. Our new Gov. Nathan Deal, though conservative, has gone on record saying that he would not veto such a bill, now famously stating, "I don't drink. I just believe in democracy."
Cue rejoicing on the part of those who value, you know, the right to vote on issues, and the separation of church and state, and all that noise.
As I understand it, the bill currently being discussed allows counties to vote on whether to permit Sunday sales,
and would only allow beer and wine, none of that heathen hard liquor. The state House of Representatives passed it real quick, and according to every source ever, the state Senate was gearing up to do so as well. But then last week it just died. They’re claiming there’s not nearly enough Senate support for it to pass (even though there allegedly was two weeks ago?). Some blame the Georgia Christian Coalition and others blame unnamed eager beaver state Senators who hope to gain higher office someday and don’t want to alienate anyone along the way. Regardless, in spite of a rally at the state capitol a couple days ago and the attitudes of most citizens ranging from “Give me Sunday beer or give me death!” to “What do I care if people can drink on Sundays? Get off my lawn,” it seems like it’s not happening this year.
Okay, so buying and selling alcohol in liquor and grocery stores on a Sunday is illegal. Fine. One could argue that we all choose to live in the fascist theocracy of an ex-penal colony that is Georgia, so that’s the law we’re stuck with.
But why draw the line there? If certain lobbyists and lawmakers get to dictate what’s legal and illegal just because they feel like it, why don’t the rest of us get to enact the laws of our choosing?
I think it should be illegal for Georgia residents to say the word “foodie.” Surely you don’t hear it much down in south Georgia or up in the mountains, but I live in Atlanta and read a lot of food blogs and restaurant reviews, and it kind of annoys me.
To be fair, it would suit me to ban “foodie” forever, everywhere, but you can’t make stupid laws everywhere, so Georgia it is. “Foodie” is hereby outlawed.You know what else should be illegal? Jean shorts on guys. Definitely putting the banhammer down on those. Ooh, and while we’re legislating drink-related issues, I’m going to outlaw restaurants from only serving Pepsi products, because Pepsi is gross. I don’t want to drink it, so nobody should be able to drink it, amiright?
It’s ridiculous that this is even an issue, but it is. There’s still a sliver of hope that the Senate will get their act together and vote on it this legislative season (you know-- vote to let us vote on it), but for now we’ll just have to keep getting our Sunday beers the old fashioned ways—out of our refrigerator, at any bar or restaurant, or at Buddy’s as soon as the clock strikes midnight.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Under Construction
I can't sing very well. My dancing is best left to drunken nights set to '80s pop songs. And while I once knew how to play an instrument or three, I can't do much more than play one chord on the guitar these days (a G chord, FYI. My favorite).
No, none of my talents have ever been particularly suited for the stage. You can't write blogs in a talent show, nor can you answer trivia questions, nor play Six Degree of Kevin Bacon, and those have always been the primary arrows in my skills quiver.
I could never draw, either. Or so I always thought, until an epiphany I had a year or so ago. The epiphany is this: I can totally draw. It just has to be with Sharpie, on construction paper.
That's right; my most prolific talent these days is making things out of construction paper. Whether its an album cover for a mix CD or a dinosaur reading a book for my teacher-friend's classroom,
I like to think I can make anything and everything and have it look a least halfway decent.
I tried my hand at creating people for the first time recently, as you've seen if you've checked out our About Us page. Yep, that's supposed to be the four of us involved in TT.TKO. Hey, faces are harder to draw than they seem. Cut me some slack. At the very least, I nailed Michael's hat, and I think Mattie's beard's not too shabby.
Thing is, I'm always looking for new projects and new inspiration. Matt challenged me to draw him a dragon fighting a unicorn recently, surely not realizing what an epic battle scene he'd get in return. I'm pretty solid with the follow-through.
You want a mini version of you? Done. Can I make an elephant being abducted by aliens? In my sleep. An ice-skating velociraptor? Just try and stop me.
I'm not quite sure I'll be winning any talent shows with this skill, but hey, you never know.
No, none of my talents have ever been particularly suited for the stage. You can't write blogs in a talent show, nor can you answer trivia questions, nor play Six Degree of Kevin Bacon, and those have always been the primary arrows in my skills quiver.I could never draw, either. Or so I always thought, until an epiphany I had a year or so ago. The epiphany is this: I can totally draw. It just has to be with Sharpie, on construction paper.
That's right; my most prolific talent these days is making things out of construction paper. Whether its an album cover for a mix CD or a dinosaur reading a book for my teacher-friend's classroom,
I like to think I can make anything and everything and have it look a least halfway decent. I tried my hand at creating people for the first time recently, as you've seen if you've checked out our About Us page. Yep, that's supposed to be the four of us involved in TT.TKO. Hey, faces are harder to draw than they seem. Cut me some slack. At the very least, I nailed Michael's hat, and I think Mattie's beard's not too shabby.
Thing is, I'm always looking for new projects and new inspiration. Matt challenged me to draw him a dragon fighting a unicorn recently, surely not realizing what an epic battle scene he'd get in return. I'm pretty solid with the follow-through.
You want a mini version of you? Done. Can I make an elephant being abducted by aliens? In my sleep. An ice-skating velociraptor? Just try and stop me.
I'm not quite sure I'll be winning any talent shows with this skill, but hey, you never know.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Be Loud, Let Your Colors Show
This weekend, three-fourths of TT.TKO was in Washington, DC to see The Avett Brothers. For Christmas, Virginia got me tickets to see them, one of my favorite bands of the past few years. Mikey and one of our best friends, Megan, came up to see them with us.
The whole weekend was awesome, even as I got sick, and the concert in particular was amazing. This was only my second time seeing them; the first time was at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, so it was a little weird seeing them play in such a big venue-- the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall. Virginia had seen them a handful of times before they really hit it big, so it was pretty disconcerting for her, much more so than for me. Mikey and Megan had never seen them live, and I can report to you that the Avetts did not disappoint.
Their shows are still just as high-energy now as they ever have been. They are very good showmen. A significant number of favorite songs were played:
Murder in the City
Salina
Distraction #74
Head Full of Doubt
Paranoia in Bb Major
Will You Return?
Colorshow
Bella Donna
Talk on Indolence
There's a line in Head Full of Doubt that goes, "And your life doesn't change by the man that's elected." Of course, we're in DC, so the whole crowd just erupted, and something about that moment was really amazing to me. But there were a lot of moments like that. I hate going to concerts where the crowd doesn't really seem interested in the band they paid to see; that was not the case at all here. The crowd was really, really into it the whole time, and that made the whole experience more intense somehow. Something Virginia pointed out afterward is that... they weren't really performing. It was more like they were just having fun playing songs they like, and we all just happened to be there with them. It really felt that way.
We left Amy in her cage, so she wasn't able to attend.
Here are a couple of videos. Try not to get lost in Scott Avett's eyes, ladies.
This one is longer, but worth it:
Apropos of nothing, here's this:
The whole weekend was awesome, even as I got sick, and the concert in particular was amazing. This was only my second time seeing them; the first time was at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, so it was a little weird seeing them play in such a big venue-- the Daughters of the American Revolution Constitution Hall. Virginia had seen them a handful of times before they really hit it big, so it was pretty disconcerting for her, much more so than for me. Mikey and Megan had never seen them live, and I can report to you that the Avetts did not disappoint.
Their shows are still just as high-energy now as they ever have been. They are very good showmen. A significant number of favorite songs were played:
Murder in the City
Salina
Distraction #74
Head Full of Doubt
Paranoia in Bb Major
Will You Return?
Colorshow
Bella Donna
Talk on Indolence
There's a line in Head Full of Doubt that goes, "And your life doesn't change by the man that's elected." Of course, we're in DC, so the whole crowd just erupted, and something about that moment was really amazing to me. But there were a lot of moments like that. I hate going to concerts where the crowd doesn't really seem interested in the band they paid to see; that was not the case at all here. The crowd was really, really into it the whole time, and that made the whole experience more intense somehow. Something Virginia pointed out afterward is that... they weren't really performing. It was more like they were just having fun playing songs they like, and we all just happened to be there with them. It really felt that way.
We left Amy in her cage, so she wasn't able to attend.
Here are a couple of videos. Try not to get lost in Scott Avett's eyes, ladies.
This one is longer, but worth it:
Apropos of nothing, here's this:
Friday, February 18, 2011
A Star Is Born
Shameless cross-promotion? You betcha.
Some friends of mine made a short film for Creative Loafing's ShortCuts ATL short film contest. The premise of the contest is this: include some part of Atlanta. Keep it around 5 minutes. And shoot the entire thing on either a phone, a point-and-shoot camera or a flip camera. We chose to shoot the entire thing on iPhones-- limiting, but hopefully in a charming kind of way?
I'm in it, but if that doesn't sway you, so is a gnome. Sort of.
In any case, as far as I know there are judges picking their favorites, but there's some awards or accolades up for grabs that depend on views, likes and YouTube comments, so if you're so inclined, fire up the old YouTube account and write some poorly-written but flattering things about the film.
Just think, if I get famous, you know I won't forget you.
Film below, or for maximum impact, on YouTube.
Some friends of mine made a short film for Creative Loafing's ShortCuts ATL short film contest. The premise of the contest is this: include some part of Atlanta. Keep it around 5 minutes. And shoot the entire thing on either a phone, a point-and-shoot camera or a flip camera. We chose to shoot the entire thing on iPhones-- limiting, but hopefully in a charming kind of way?
I'm in it, but if that doesn't sway you, so is a gnome. Sort of.
In any case, as far as I know there are judges picking their favorites, but there's some awards or accolades up for grabs that depend on views, likes and YouTube comments, so if you're so inclined, fire up the old YouTube account and write some poorly-written but flattering things about the film.
Just think, if I get famous, you know I won't forget you.
Film below, or for maximum impact, on YouTube.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
They Know My Name 'Cause I Told It To Them
For anyone who missed it, Arcade Fire won the Grammy for Album of the Year Sunday night with their 2010 album, The Suburbs. And apparently a few people were a little bit miffed.
The thing is, this band is everywhere. They are headlining (that’s right—headlining) Bonnaroo this summer, as was announced today. Their song Wake Up was prominently featured in every Where The Wild Things Are trailer leading up to its release in October of 2009. It was even the theme song for the 2010 Superbowl! 
The band themselves turned up in my favorite SNL sketch of all time, which aired in 2007. In every city in every state, somewhere there’s a hipster sipping Schlitz (PBR is so over) and not talking about Arcade Fire, because even talking about how Arcade Fire used to be cool is passé. I mean, clearly Bieber was robbed, but where I’m the most alarmed is that there are this many people left who still put stock in the Grammys.
The Grammys rank just below the People’s Choice Awards in terms of award shows I give credit to, and the People’s Choice Awards are a few rungs below even the Kids’ Choice Awards. There’s very little correlation, I think, between who wins Grammys and who is putting out good music these days, and even that small amount of correlation is incidental. The fact that this year, a good album by a good band won Album of the Year was probably the result of an errant dart throw.But I mean, Arcade Fire? Who or what is that? How many top 10 singles do they have? I think that band The Suburbs shoulda won.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Day
I actually have nothing meaningful to say about Valentine's Day, but today is February 14, and I thought the title should reflect that fact.
Instead, I have this:
You may remember that these are the shirts we had with us at RT:Philly last year. Well, this is the last one. It's been just sitting around for a while, taking up space, so I figure it's time to give it a proper home.
It's an adult medium, so if you're interested, let me know.
Instead, I have this:
You may remember that these are the shirts we had with us at RT:Philly last year. Well, this is the last one. It's been just sitting around for a while, taking up space, so I figure it's time to give it a proper home.
It's an adult medium, so if you're interested, let me know.
Friday, February 11, 2011
TT.TKO: The Amy Special
Thursday, February 10, 2011
On The Big Screen
You've heard the rumors. Mere seconds after a television show's cancellation, the loyal fanbase stops sending millions of little bottles of Tabasco sauce and starts spreading the word that there's gonna be a movie.
Did the showrunner say in an interview that he or she planned to make a movie follow up? Doesn't matter. It's gonna happen. And the more rabid the fanbase, the louder the rumor.
Are any of these rumors legit? Who knows. But they certainly are loud.
Arrested Development
Why it will be awesome if it does: This show was violently ripped from the airwaves before many people, myself included, even got around to watching it. Network interference crippled the final season, and while the big-screen treatment might change the dynamic of the show, at least they’d have the freedom to do whatever the hell they wanted. Plus, The People Of The Internet would finally shut up about it. I'd chalk that up as a win.
Did the showrunner say in an interview that he or she planned to make a movie follow up? Doesn't matter. It's gonna happen. And the more rabid the fanbase, the louder the rumor.
Are any of these rumors legit? Who knows. But they certainly are loud.
Arrested Development
Why it will be awesome if it does: This show was violently ripped from the airwaves before many people, myself included, even got around to watching it. Network interference crippled the final season, and while the big-screen treatment might change the dynamic of the show, at least they’d have the freedom to do whatever the hell they wanted. Plus, The People Of The Internet would finally shut up about it. I'd chalk that up as a win.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Pop Culture Time Machine
There’s no hot tub in this time machine.
Well, my time machine is a little different. I’d be down for getting rich, and it wouldn’t be so terrible to see history in the making, but I want to bear witness to another kind of history being made—pop cultural history.
Like, what kind of music fan would I be if I failed to use my time machine to go see the Beatles play in their prime.
Seeing them on Ed Sullivan would be cool--and little Sally Draper certainly seemed excited when dad Don got her tickets to their Shea Stadium show--but cooler still would be seeing them play in a tiny club in Liverpool, or some other English city that I’d have to look up on a map, before they hit it big. It helps that I love early Beatles as much as the late, more experimental Beatles—I wouldn’t have to fight the crowds.
I’ve long said that if I had a time machine,
I would go back in time and steal Courteney Cox’s famous early role in Bruce Springsteen’s video for Dancing In The Dark. I mean, how cool would that be? I can dance like it’s 1984, even if I wasn’t quite born yet. And seeing the Boss play one of my favorites long before he started sounding and acting like a Baptist preacher onstage? Priceless.
What else shall I do with this newfound ability to bend time to my will? I’ve written before about the painful reality of TV shows cancelled before their time.
Maybe I could go back and spread the word—“Watch Firefly!” I’d shout from the streets. “Check out Freaks & Geeks,” I’d cry. “Veronica Mars rules!” People would listen to me, you see, because I’m from The Future. After fixing these egregious crimes against culture, I’d turn my attention to other television snafus—the repeated renewal of shows that really should have already died. Scrubs and Gilmore Girls both would have been slashed from the air before their abysmal final seasons. Seventh Heaven need never have existed.
After ensuring the future of TV was a bright one, I’d move on to movies. What would it be like to be in the audience of one of the very first films ever?
Even if it did mean you had to leap from your seat to the floor so the train didn’t hit you. I could see each and every classic movie when it was released, on the big screen, among others unspoiled by the internet and cynicism. I could discover along with the rest of the audience just who Luke’s father actually was or what Rosebud did, in fact, represent.
There are so many choices, so I hope my time machine is reusable. If not, I may have to go to the Apple stock route. After all, for the money that would net me today, I could buy myself a role in a Springsteen video. And still have money leftover to order a pizza. Sounds like a steal to me.
Well, my time machine is a little different. I’d be down for getting rich, and it wouldn’t be so terrible to see history in the making, but I want to bear witness to another kind of history being made—pop cultural history.
Like, what kind of music fan would I be if I failed to use my time machine to go see the Beatles play in their prime.
Seeing them on Ed Sullivan would be cool--and little Sally Draper certainly seemed excited when dad Don got her tickets to their Shea Stadium show--but cooler still would be seeing them play in a tiny club in Liverpool, or some other English city that I’d have to look up on a map, before they hit it big. It helps that I love early Beatles as much as the late, more experimental Beatles—I wouldn’t have to fight the crowds. I’ve long said that if I had a time machine,
I would go back in time and steal Courteney Cox’s famous early role in Bruce Springsteen’s video for Dancing In The Dark. I mean, how cool would that be? I can dance like it’s 1984, even if I wasn’t quite born yet. And seeing the Boss play one of my favorites long before he started sounding and acting like a Baptist preacher onstage? Priceless.What else shall I do with this newfound ability to bend time to my will? I’ve written before about the painful reality of TV shows cancelled before their time.
Maybe I could go back and spread the word—“Watch Firefly!” I’d shout from the streets. “Check out Freaks & Geeks,” I’d cry. “Veronica Mars rules!” People would listen to me, you see, because I’m from The Future. After fixing these egregious crimes against culture, I’d turn my attention to other television snafus—the repeated renewal of shows that really should have already died. Scrubs and Gilmore Girls both would have been slashed from the air before their abysmal final seasons. Seventh Heaven need never have existed. After ensuring the future of TV was a bright one, I’d move on to movies. What would it be like to be in the audience of one of the very first films ever?
Even if it did mean you had to leap from your seat to the floor so the train didn’t hit you. I could see each and every classic movie when it was released, on the big screen, among others unspoiled by the internet and cynicism. I could discover along with the rest of the audience just who Luke’s father actually was or what Rosebud did, in fact, represent.There are so many choices, so I hope my time machine is reusable. If not, I may have to go to the Apple stock route. After all, for the money that would net me today, I could buy myself a role in a Springsteen video. And still have money leftover to order a pizza. Sounds like a steal to me.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Same Thing We Do Every Night, Pinky.
Apparently there was some sort of football game last night. I am not here to talk about the Super Bawwwww but I am going to talk football. Bear with me, though, it is not what you think. Some of you may not know that the NFL over the last couple of years has been experimenting with regular season games in London. Apparently the steady growth in America is not enough for the No Fun League. Most of the core fans are Americans living in Europe, but the big bad commissioner has been optimistic about the results of the handful of games that have been held in London. The talks now are about expanding these games across Europe. 
I am here to make a prediction. The NFL will be as popular in Europe as the English Premier League (Big Time English “Soccer” League) is in America, if they are really lucky. Both leagues suffer from the lack of fan allegiance to teams. If you are looking to get into the NFL, the first step you take is to pick a team. Where do you start? Now, I know some of the ladies out there will just pick the cutest/hottest/McDreamiest quarterback and go from there, but the rest of us tend to pick the nearest major city with a team and, boom--instant fan. Clearly, the average Londoner won’t have that same luxury.
Basketball and baseball have started achieving solid international success, and we all know soccer is the world’s game. Why can’t football be the same? I blame it on the kids. For a kid to get the core idea of basketball or soccer, you just need to put them on a field/court and give them a ball. I believe baseball is a bit more complicated than the other two, but Little League has done a great job of getting to the kids!
American football is not a simple game for people to understand just by watching a game or two. With the introduction to the replay system, it has shown how even the experts don’t know everything that goes on. Here's the deal, Commish: if you want to continue with this plan of world domination, you need to take my advice and infiltrate the minds of kids and find a way to get these fans to have a real team to cheer for.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Cute Overload
My picks for today's bowl game?
I'm guessing Fluffy and Buddy, maybe Socks for MVP. Welcome to the cutest day of the football season. Also:
KITTENS!
I'm guessing Fluffy and Buddy, maybe Socks for MVP. Welcome to the cutest day of the football season. Also:
KITTENS!
Friday, February 4, 2011
SUPABOWWW Preview
As I'm sure you're all aware, one of the greatest days of the sports year is quite nearly upon us: THE SUPABOWWWW. Is it Rodgers' time to shine, or will Big Ben continue to carve his legacy?
Some of you may recall that I have picked the Packers to win, but let's take a closer look. This is Pittsburgh's third Superbowl appearance in seven years; they're 2-0 in the big game in those years, and 10-2 in the post-season overall. They definitely have the experience as a team, but also have Roethlisberger himself. Experienced leadership can definitely make a difference.
It's also worth noting that in those seven seasons, Roethlisberger has 25 game-winning drives and 19 fourth-quarter comebacks; Rodgers only has 5 game-winning drives and 3 fourth-quarter comebacks across three seasons. Obviously Roethlisberger has more seasons behind him, but it's clear that the season averages there don't match up.
That said, Rodgers has been playing out of his mind. In the three post-season games for the Packers this year, here are his stats: 70.9% completion rate, 790 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs, average QB rating of 109.2.
Roethlisberger has only played two post-season games this year, but there is a clear statistical difference: 56.8% completion rate, 359 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, average QB rating of just 75.5. It's also clear that the Pack have momentum on their side, having won five consecutive elimination games-- they had to win their last two games in the regular season to make the play-offs. Not only that, but they have beaten three very hot teams on the road to get here: the Eagles, the Falcons, and the Bears (who I would contend are the weakest of the three, but they still played well). The Steelers, on the other hand, beat two weak teams to finish the regular season (Carolina and Cleveland) to then face, at home, a good Baltimore team and an inconsistent and overrated (in my opinion) Jets team. The Packers had the harder road to travel, and have shown their grit.
A few last offensive considerations: the Packers have a more explosive offense when they can run the ball, and I think they have a stronger offensive line. But the Steelers have a much more consistent running game, and this opens a lot of options for them. Rodgers loves playing indoors, and I think he has the advantage here. Packers have two deep-ball threats: Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Steelers only have one: Hines Ward. They both have good tight ends in Heath Miller and Andrew Quarless, but I'm not sure how effective either will be going against great linebackers on both teams.
So... speaking of defense. The Steelers are well-known for their staunch defense, particularly against the run, what with Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. The problem is that these two defenses look fairly similar, as well they ought: Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau, the Green Bay and Pittsburgh defensive coordinators, worked together in Pittsburgh in the early '90s when Bill Cowher became head coach. They both run 3-4 defenses with complicated blitz packages, and both teams have the personnel to pull it off. That said, the Pack favors zone and struggle with man-to-man. In terms of defending the big play, I think the Pack wins out with cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Williams already has three interceptions this post-season, one returned for a TD. Overall, the Packers' turnover differential is +3, whereas the Steelers are even at 0.
So what needs to happen:
...for Green Bay to win?
Two things: They must force turnovers and get to Roethlisberger early and often. Keep Big Ben off the field, and keep Rodgers in command on the field; you don't want to face Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter. Get on top early and be relentless in the pass rush, but keep an eye out for the run.
...for Pittsburgh to win?
Remember when I said that Green Bay favors zone? Find the seams and exploit them. Force them to play man-to-man, find the match-up you want, then go over their heads. Beware the blitz though: get rid of the ball quickly early on, make them play back a little, and don't give up on the run (which is not a likely scenario, anyway). Score early and keep Rodgers off the field. He's less dominant in the fourth quarter, but the Jets nearly came back in the championship game, and the Packers are certainly more capable than the Jets.
Summary:
With Polamalu at less-than-full health, James Starks will make sure the ground attack is respected, opening the playbook for Green Bay. In the post-season, Green Bay has more plays of 20+ yards than any team, and this trend will continue. The defense will help by securing turnovers. Rodgers will lead the Pack to a 23-20 victory by being fast and effective on offense, scoring early against a tough defense.
Some of you may recall that I have picked the Packers to win, but let's take a closer look. This is Pittsburgh's third Superbowl appearance in seven years; they're 2-0 in the big game in those years, and 10-2 in the post-season overall. They definitely have the experience as a team, but also have Roethlisberger himself. Experienced leadership can definitely make a difference.
It's also worth noting that in those seven seasons, Roethlisberger has 25 game-winning drives and 19 fourth-quarter comebacks; Rodgers only has 5 game-winning drives and 3 fourth-quarter comebacks across three seasons. Obviously Roethlisberger has more seasons behind him, but it's clear that the season averages there don't match up.
That said, Rodgers has been playing out of his mind. In the three post-season games for the Packers this year, here are his stats: 70.9% completion rate, 790 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs, average QB rating of 109.2.
Roethlisberger has only played two post-season games this year, but there is a clear statistical difference: 56.8% completion rate, 359 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs, average QB rating of just 75.5. It's also clear that the Pack have momentum on their side, having won five consecutive elimination games-- they had to win their last two games in the regular season to make the play-offs. Not only that, but they have beaten three very hot teams on the road to get here: the Eagles, the Falcons, and the Bears (who I would contend are the weakest of the three, but they still played well). The Steelers, on the other hand, beat two weak teams to finish the regular season (Carolina and Cleveland) to then face, at home, a good Baltimore team and an inconsistent and overrated (in my opinion) Jets team. The Packers had the harder road to travel, and have shown their grit.
A few last offensive considerations: the Packers have a more explosive offense when they can run the ball, and I think they have a stronger offensive line. But the Steelers have a much more consistent running game, and this opens a lot of options for them. Rodgers loves playing indoors, and I think he has the advantage here. Packers have two deep-ball threats: Greg Jennings and Donald Driver. Steelers only have one: Hines Ward. They both have good tight ends in Heath Miller and Andrew Quarless, but I'm not sure how effective either will be going against great linebackers on both teams. So... speaking of defense. The Steelers are well-known for their staunch defense, particularly against the run, what with Troy Polamalu and James Harrison. The problem is that these two defenses look fairly similar, as well they ought: Dom Capers and Dick LeBeau, the Green Bay and Pittsburgh defensive coordinators, worked together in Pittsburgh in the early '90s when Bill Cowher became head coach. They both run 3-4 defenses with complicated blitz packages, and both teams have the personnel to pull it off. That said, the Pack favors zone and struggle with man-to-man. In terms of defending the big play, I think the Pack wins out with cornerbacks Charles Woodson and Tramon Williams. Williams already has three interceptions this post-season, one returned for a TD. Overall, the Packers' turnover differential is +3, whereas the Steelers are even at 0.
So what needs to happen:
...for Green Bay to win?
Two things: They must force turnovers and get to Roethlisberger early and often. Keep Big Ben off the field, and keep Rodgers in command on the field; you don't want to face Roethlisberger in the fourth quarter. Get on top early and be relentless in the pass rush, but keep an eye out for the run.
...for Pittsburgh to win?
Remember when I said that Green Bay favors zone? Find the seams and exploit them. Force them to play man-to-man, find the match-up you want, then go over their heads. Beware the blitz though: get rid of the ball quickly early on, make them play back a little, and don't give up on the run (which is not a likely scenario, anyway). Score early and keep Rodgers off the field. He's less dominant in the fourth quarter, but the Jets nearly came back in the championship game, and the Packers are certainly more capable than the Jets.
Summary:
With Polamalu at less-than-full health, James Starks will make sure the ground attack is respected, opening the playbook for Green Bay. In the post-season, Green Bay has more plays of 20+ yards than any team, and this trend will continue. The defense will help by securing turnovers. Rodgers will lead the Pack to a 23-20 victory by being fast and effective on offense, scoring early against a tough defense.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
TT.TKO: End of the World
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Got A Number Of Irrational Fears That I'd Like To Share With You
But ever since I was a kid, I’ve had some pretty ridiculous irrational fears.
Like how I used to be afraid of stormtroopers. I’m not talking about the kind of fear where you think to yourself, “Hey, those dudes are kinda creepy.” I mean heart-pounding apprehension. I think it all began at the Star Tours ride at Disney World that featured lifesize models of stormtroopers and Vader, looming over my pint-sized self, threatening to harm me with their steely, expressionless masks.I’m not afraid of stormtroopers anymore. I mean it; I watched all three Star Wars movies in a row with my family on Christmas Day. Any rise in my heart rate was completely unrelated to those armored white beasts.
But that fear was replaced by one that makes even less sense: feral children. I know, right—what? But somewhere along the way,
I developed an actual fear of feral children, the raised-by-wolves, language-less, walk-on-all-fours kind. In my daily life I have little to no interaction with feral children--thank god. I’m not entirely sure from whence this irrational fear came, but if I had to venture a guess, it would bring me to my next unholy terror.Anybody remember Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark? From around 3rd grade probably up through early middle school, these iconic black-and-white-and-red volumes were a staple of classroom bookshelves everywhere,
and if they didn’t inspire sheer terror in the hearts of children, I’m not sure what would. It was Stephen Gammell's illustrations that did the trick, though. The stories were your typical urban legends--men with hooks for hands; dead people rising from freshly-dug graves; a girl raised by wolves (see?). But those detailed, gruesome images will haunt me forever. Incidentally, it seems the current editions of these tomes are illustrated by a different, tamer artist. Probably for the best. Nightmares about spiders hatching from a young girl’s cheek aren’t the most pleasant of dreams for a 9-year-old to have.If the Scary Stories books weren’t your style, you might have gotten your spooky jollies with a little show called Are You Afraid of the Dark? on Nickelodeon. Once I was old enough to stay up late and catch this one, I loved the thrill of the fear.
But oh, there was fear. A secret door that led to nothing; an old man with a shovel; a boyfriend who’s unknowingly dead--these stories don’t still fill my head with the terrifying imagery that the books did, but I remember burrowing under the covers once my 9:30 p.m. bedtime hit, hoping that the creepy clown from the magic shop stayed far, far away from my bedroom. For a kids’ show, they sure weren't kidding around.None of these fears affect my daily life. I can watch Star Wars marathons with ease, read about the origins of the Roman empire without Remus and Romulus making me a little nervous. Occasionally a picture from the Scary Stories books will pop into my head and I’m not saying I like it, but I can keep calm. Are You Afraid of the Dark?, lacking a presence in my DVD collection, is but a distant memory. But you know that feeling you get when you stand atop something very high, that feeling in the pit of your stomach like you’re sure to fall in spite of the two thick layers of gates and glass protecting you from just that? These things can still inspire that jolt of adrenaline, that prickling of the spine, that dizzy certainty that doom is imminent.
I said I was sensible. I never claimed to be rational.
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