More great songs

Hello,

I was busy at work today, as I was working I listened to Nickelback. I listened to them for four straight hours. Their music grows monotonous very fast. Other than a few songs, I absolutely despise Nickelback. They represent nearly everything wrong with corporate America rock music. Their music is just blah, they only have three subjects they write about and their viewpoint on those subjects is very high schoolish. They sing about sex, partying and livin the rock star life. The only reason they are even in my music orbit now is because I may have to go see them again this summer. Here's an example of how crappy their music is:

The above song is the first single from their new CD "Here and Now". "Bottoms Up" would fit perfectly on any of their CDs, which is the problem. Not only do many of their songs sound alike, but they all are written with lowest common denominator lyrics. Those same lyrics are as subtle as a sledgehammer. I get they aren't trying subtely, but listening to their lyrics will lower your IQ by at least 10 points. So that no one will accuse me of being a 100% Nickelback basher, they do have some good songs. Also Chad Kroeger seems to be as big of a tool as what he looks like.

Unfortunately they didn't play two or three of their best songs the first time I saw them. I was going to put some of their better songs here, but I can't get them to play on youtube.com. Although I can get everybody else's songs to play. Two of their better songs are "Some Day" and "How You Remind Me".

Now here are some good songs to wipe "Bottoms Up" out of your mind. This is Paula Cole:

This is the song that's kicking my butt the most right now. Comparing this to Nickelback is unfair.... to Nickelback. This music not only rocks, but it's so much more melodic and entertaining. This is My Chemical Romance "Bulletproof Heart":

Nickelback wouldn't even have made a dent in the 80's. Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home":

themusicaddict

The Jimmer returns to Utah, Does Jerry Jones really want a winner?

Hello,

Just some random thoughts today.

Jimmer Fredette returned to Utah last night for the first time as a NBA player and showed why I'm glad the Jazz didn't draft him. Someday he'll find a team that will be a good fit for him and he'll be a decent player. However I certainly don't think he's worthy of being a first round pick. But that's one of the things that makes the Kings the Kings.

Potentially Payton Manning may be on the move from the Colts. If that's true and he's healthy enough I'd like the Cowboys to make a run at him. How many times does Tony Romo have to show that he's not the player to take the Cowboys to the next level before Dallas tries something new? (And please don't make the weak argument that Romo doesn't play defense. New England's defense isn't always the best but Tom Brady always seems to have the Patriots in contention every year.)

If Jerry Jones makes a big move like this it will show that he's serious about having a winner in Dallas. Most of his moves so far haven't shown that. I can't guarantee that signing Manning would work out for the Cowboys, but it would show a little more guts. Most of Jones moves look like they are about maximizing profit. That's fine because that's why people go into business. But then don't tell me you really want a winner when it's been 15 years of mediocrity. I don't really believe any more that Jones cares about having a winner in Dallas. A real winner doesn't pay a lot of money to Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett to be head coach.

The Super Bowl is a week from today and I could care less. Giants-Patriots might be the most boring match up I could think of. The only thing about the Super Bowl I'm looking forward to is Madonna at halftime and the commercials.

Also from checking out Seether on Spotify yesterday I'm not liking them quite a bit. I really like their CD "One Cold Night".

The following video goes without saying:

themusicaddict

Nickelback again?

Hello,

Sorry for the long absence, it's been just crazy lately. I had all sorts of computer issues at work which took up a lot more time than it should have. I'm thinking the problem has been solved now, I'm hoping things will return to normal.

My son is rapidly approaching his 16th birthday and for his birthday he wants to go see Nickelback. They are coming to Salt Lake City on June 12th. I'm hoping he can go with his friend, but if not I told him I would go with him. I love live rock music, but I think this night I think would be less than fun. First of all 4 bands are playing that night. And the night will end with Nickelback, perhaps one of the worst bands ever.

What does it say about the current rock scene if Nickelback is a headliner? What does it say about Nickelback if Seether has more quality songs than they do? I'm hoping that the sound is a lot better than the last time I saw them in concert. I hope they have also learned how to do a concert. In other words limiting the singing a song, taking a break to engage in some stupidity, singing a song cycle. I love my live music loud, but they were too loud. It seemed like they hadn't ever performed a concert ever. I just have no idea how they turned into the biggest rock band in the world.

The other bands that are playing that night are Bush, Seether and My Darkest Days. Did you know that Bush was still around? I think they broke up and have reunited. "Sixteen Stone" came out 17 year olds, yes before my son was ever born. Now don't get me wrong, Bush is good enough. But if they didn't become superstars before, what's the likelihood that they will now? Here are a couple of my favorite songs of theirs:

"Machinehead"

"Come Down""

"Glycerine":

I've been checking out Seether today on Spotify, they are a lot better than I expected they would be. I really like this song of theirs:

Then My Darkest Days are getting some attention for this song:

Other music notes, I've been really enjoying the music of My Chemical Romance lately. When I make my next Top 50 musicians list, they have a solid chance of making it. Nickelback has no chance at all, either do any of the other bands they are touring with. In honor of MCR, my favorite song of there's right now:

Other great songs: Big Audio Dynamite's "Rush":

Alien Ant Farm's "Smooth Criminal":

Robin Thicke's "Angel On Each Arm":

A couple from Taylor Dayne, first "Don't Rush Me":

My favorite Taylor Dayne song, "I'll Be Your Shelter":

One of the greatest 80's songs:

We The Kings "Check Yes Juliet":

"New York, New York"- Ryan Adams

themusicaddict

More Great Songs!, Boring Super Bowl Match Up

Hello,

With my school starting a new quarter and extremely slow work computers that has taken me away from blogging. Today I just want to write about the disappointing NFC Championship and show some videos of great songs that I've discovered or rediscovered.

I was so very disappointed by the Giants beating the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. I'm not going to blame the loss on one player. However on a kickoff or punt if you are not going to try to catch the ball, stay far away. The football is shaped weirdly and it bounces unpredictably. That game was so frustrating. I was so looking forward to a 49ers-Patriots Super Bowl. I would have enjoyed the two weeks of hype. But now I don't even know if I'm going to watch the game. The Super Bowl is just a lot less fun when I could care less about either team. This game interests me as little as the college football championship game.

Anyway here are some great songs, thanks to a very lovely lady for bringing this song to my attention.

For those who check out what I listen to on Spotify you know I've been rocking to the Damn Yankees lately.

"High Enough":

"Where You Goin' Now":

Here's an Iron Maiden song that caught my ear on iTunes this morning:

I'm still really enjoying the CD by Redlight King and another band that I've been a big fan of is Black Stone Cherry. I listened to their most recent CD the last couple of days and this song stood out. This is "Stay":

Go 49ers! Super Bowl Here We Come!

Hello,

I've been so busy lately with a new quarter starting at the school that I work at. That's why my blogs have been so few lately. Things should settle down this week and I hope to return to a regular blogging schedule.

A couple of quick movie notes. The new Sherlock Holmes movie is absolutely dreadful. I had no expectations going in that it would be good. And that's what happened. It was so bad I fell asleep in it. The whole Professor Moriarity story line was dreadful. Let's hope this is the last of this dreadful series.

I also watched "Courageous" with my kids last night. It's a Christian drama about becoming a better man and father. It's a good movie but very heavy handed in it's Christian dogma. I would have loved for that to have been toned down a bit. I say that and I'm a believer in what the movie is advocating. The Snake King scene is one of the funniest scenes I've seen in any movie ever. Watch just for that scene. My kids laughed their way through that whole scene.

Anyway on to the football being played today. In the AFC Championship game it will be New England playing against Baltimore. I have virtually no interest in this game and predict that it will be a boring game. In spite of Baltimore's ferocious defense, I predict that New England will win by at least two touchdowns.

For the record my favorite football team is the Dallas Cowboys and they always will be. However I've become tired of their inept owner and his meddling ways. And both the quarterback and head coach positions are far from being fully solved. So over the years I've adopted both Tampa Bay and the 49ers.

Now on to what I think will be the best game of the day by far. San Francisco vs. New York. I hate the Giants and everything about them. From their lame head coach to their weak chinned quarterback. I love all the people jumping on the Eli Manning bandwagon. With some suggesting he may be the best of the Manning brother quarterbacks. Please!

On the other side we have the refined Jim Harbaugh and Alex Smith. No one is under the illusion that Alex Smith is an All-Pro quarterback. However I think he really turned the corner last week with those two late 4th quarter drives. I loved the 28 yard run especially. The right play call at the right time and execute perfectly.

I predict San Francisco will win in a closely contested battle. Although I would love to see a 49ers romp as well. We will find out today if the 49ers are a team of density.

themusicaddict

Redlight King, Give Lana Del Ray a break, Go away "American Idol"

Hello,

I've really been enjoying the CD by Redlight King, "Something For the Pain". Here are some of the songs off that CD, check it out. This is my favorite song on the CD, I especially like the "a little roughed up" chorus:

Here are three more great songs from the Redlight King"Comeback":

"Something For The Pain":

"Built To Last":

Also Lana Del Ray has been getting a lot of negativity for her performance on "Saturday Night Live" this past weekend. I'm not sure why she's received so much hatred. She's not the most dynamic singer, but for her kind of music that's what is to be expected. She sings very subdued, off the beaten path music. However she has a great voice, a great look and also sings some very unique songs. It's actual music not the over processed Britney Spears pop that we usually have to suffer through. I actually quite like Lana Del Ray and look forward eagerly to her CD coming out on January 31st.

I love this song, "Video Games":

This is the weaker of her two performances, but I still like her intriguing sound:

This is another very cool song by Miss Del Ray. amazon.com doesn't have the track listing for her new CD, but I'm guessing all these songs will be on that CD. This song is called "Born To Die":

Speaking of things that people perceive as over rated, Season 11 of "American Idol" debuted last night. I was a big fan just a few years ago. I loved Simon, but could have lived without him on the show. But who did they replace him with? Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez debuted as judges and neither are very good. But that still wasn't the nail in the coffin for me. The nail in the coffin actually isn't just one thing, it's several things. There have been some boring winners of late and Scotty McCreery is one of them. The last great person that won was David Cook. In fact it's usually a non winner that goes on to have the best career. The most interesting person for me last year was Pia Toscano.

Nails in the coffin include Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson as judges. Tyler's lame critiques revolve around the word beautiful in some way. Like Jackson he only has two or three basic critiques. Then other than being beautiful I'm not sure what anyone gets from J Lo's advice. How the hell is Randy Jackson and his dorky laugh still around? He has to be the dumbest man in the music industry. When was the last time he put a coherent sentence together?

I also hate all the producer driven manipulated shenanigans to favor one singer over another. Of course since it's a Fox show, the hype is overwhelming. Also the sameness of the show is now grating. This show should have ended after David Cook won, it would have ended on a high note. Now Fox is milking this show for all that they can. Although this show should have ended previously Fox will keep it going until they've sucked possibly every penny out of it. Hopefully the viewership will drop enough this season for the show to be cancelled once and for all.

themusicaddict

Go 49ers! "Alcatraz", "The Firm"

Hello,

I was sort of happy about New York beating Green Bay last night in the NFL playoffs. That means the 49ers have home field advantage in the NFC Championship game. However it's longer that we have to see the goofiest looking head coach/quarterback combination in the NFL. Tom Coughlin, eww!, and Eli Manning. I don't know anything about Manning, he may be the coolest guy in the world. However he looks like a complete putz. If Waldo, from Where's Waldo, invaded reality he'd be indistinguishable from Eli. He seems like the annoying little brother that follows his big brother around everywhere. It also makes me laugh that people debate which Manning would they rather have. I only have to spend .002 seconds to come up with my answer, it's easily Peyton.

Out of the two match ups I expect the 49ers-Giants game to be the best. I really liked the great play calls of the 49ers. Even better I liked how the 49ers executed those, especially in the clutch. I'm still not completely sold on Alex Smith. However he does make the occasional great throw and he throws the ball away when he's in trouble. He has made considerable progress under Harbaugh this season. Also how can you not love their rushing game and their ball hawking, turnover causing defense? Go 49ers. I'll be glued in front of my TV watching this game.

I'm not really interested in the AFC Championship game. I'm just glad the Denver Tebows have been kicked out of the playoffs. Thanks again New England. I'm hoping that there isn't a San Francisco vs. Baltimore or a New York vs. New England Super Bowl. I don't want to hear for two weeks about Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh or a rematch of the Giants-Patriots 2008 Super Bowl. Otherwise known as the how in the hell did Eli Manning win a Super Bowl? I've heard more than enough about those two stories so far.

Thanks to Comcast On Demand I watched the first episode of the the new TV series "The Firm". This is based on John Grisham's book of the same name. However the series is set 10 years after the events of the book and movie. I watched Episode 1 last night and it starts out slowly, but picks up speed. It had a good ending and I had to stop myself from watching Part 2 last night. I already had watched too much TV yesterday.

Josh Lucas is perfect and very believable as Mitch McDeere. I love seeing old friends from past classic TV shows. There are two actors from "Battlestar Galactica". The first is the barely recognizable and extremely hot Tricia Heifer as Alex Clark. She played Gaius Baltar's favorite Cylon, number 6. Although she looks a lot better as blonde. And another old friend from "Battlestar Galactica", the Cylon Leoben Conoy. I like Juliette Lewis as Mitch McDeere's secretary. Molly Parker does a great job as McDeere's beleaguered wife Abby. So overall a great cast. The McDeer daughter feels extraneous to me though.

The lovely Tricia Heifer:

I really like how "The Firm" TV series is set 10 years in the future. That still gives it a solid foundation to build on. However there's enough distance not to have to rely on the book or movie. I also like some of the story lines. That includes McDeere realizing the anger of the father whose son had been killed by McDeere's client. McDeere recognized the humanity of the victims father and did what he could to minimize the damage of a potential assassination.

Two story lines that I was disappointed in are Alex Clark's firm buying McDeere's practice. That's okay, but buying his firm to keep him silent is kind of lame. It seems like the TV producers are recycling the story line of the book about a crooked firm. I also dislike the mob ties story line.

I also watched two more episodes of "Lost" from Season 4. One of those episodes was "Meet Kevin Johnson". That's the return of Michael to the show. Why did they bring him back? Michael is one of the most boring characters in "Lost" history. The whole Michael/Walt storyline sucked. I was so glad when they left at the end of Season Two. Them exiting the show was a good idea and not having Michael back on the show would have even been a better idea.

I also watched another good episode of "A Gifted Man". The show is emotionally manipulative and a bit predictable. (I knew that the grandmother, Cristina Gonzalez I believe, would be coming in and picking up her grandson to raise him. And that she and Maribella would partially reconcile. Although I knew that was going to happen, I was okay with it.) In spite of those things I like "Gifted". I love the characters and the Dr. Holt/ Anna dynamic. I also love Zeke and Dr. Sykoro, played by the absolutely gorgeous Rachelle Lefevre.

Then tonight I'm excited about the two hour premiere of "Alcatraz", it seems to have the potential to be a good show. At least the concept is intriguing, but I'm disheartened that it's on Fox. Fox is notorious for ruining a great idea with their corporate America thinking. Of course, "American Idol" being the prime example. Also I thought "Terra Nova" had the potential to be a great show. It seems like Fox is one of those companies that doesn't trust their creative people and interferes with everything. Fox probably has an accountant to cut off the creative people at the knees on any idea that's too expensive. They also probably have a focus group on every decision they make. (The anti-corporate thinking was exemplified by Steve Jobs and Apple. Sarcasm alert: And look where it got them, they are nowhere as great a company as Fox.)

I'll be watching all two hours tonight and I hope Fox hasn't interfered enough to what could be a great show. I'm excited by "Alcatraz". Again I like the premise of the plot. I'm also heartened that most of the creative force of "Lost" is behind this series. Although as I work through Season 4 of "Lost' it certainly the series is following the law of diminishing returns. But still that creative force created some of the most amazing ideas and characters in TV history. Anytime I see the Bad Robot logo I feel like I'm in the hands of a gigantic creative force. Not every thing J.J. Abrams and fellow creators do is gold, but a lot of it is.

themusicaddict

Just Say "No" To Tim Tebow

Hello,

Dearest ESPN, can you now please focus on the 49ers. They are in the NFC Championship game and deserve your coverage. Tim Tebow isn't the only sports story going on, in fact let there be no more Tebow stories until at least the off season. The last Sportscenter I watched on Thursday seemed like at least 1/3rd of the coverage was devoted to Tebow. San Francisco, in spite of being a better team, only received the briefest of mentions.

Tim Tebow again was exposed as the below average NFL quarterback he is last night. He was terrible and the Broncos defense was porous. Tim Tebow finished the game completing 9 of 26 passes, a 34% completion percentage. His quarterback rating was 52.7, well below mediocre. He only threw for 136 yards, no touchdowns or interceptions. He also rushed the ball 5 times for 13 yards. Thank goodness New England completely dominated the Broncos, now can we please talk about something besides the overrated Tebow? Please.

I hear people wondering why he's so hated. It's not because he's religious. It's because he's very over rated and a creature of hype. His complete failure against the Chiefs and the Patriots are much more indicative of his abilities than his miraculous performance against the Steelers.

Now compare his pathetic stat line to a real quarterback, The Patriots Tom Brady. Brady completed 26 of 34 passes, a 76% completion rate. He had a quarterback rating of 137.6, which is extremely high. He threw for 363 yards, 6 TDs and only one interception. To put this in perspective, Brady almost had as many touchdown passes as Tebow had completions. This game highlights how important having a great quarterback is. It truly is a quarterback league, which is why Dallas won't be relevant as long as they have Tony Romo as their quarterback. Speaking of which I still can't believe Dallas found a way to beat the 49ers in San Francisco early in the season.

Tebow will never be in the same league as Brady and I expect him to wash out of the NFL in a couple of seasons. But as someone who had the Broncos shoved down my throat every week growing up, I'm kind of glad that Tebow has been so successful. Why? Now instead of the Broncos going and getting a real quarterback, they will stick with Tebow. That means more mediocre seasons for the Broncos with him at quarterback.

In the other game yesterday, San Francisco had two stirring late game drives. Alex Smith was a great college quarterback and I'm not sure why he hasn't developed into a great NFL quarterback. Although he had a damn good game yesterday. He was 24 of 42 for 299 yards. He threw for 3 touchdowns and no interceptions with a 103.2 quarterback rating. He had a slightly better rating than Drew Brees, who many people consider a much better NFL quarterback.

I watched all of the game, except for the last couple of minutes. I had a social function to attend. I was able to see the play call where Alex Smith ended up running for a 28 yard touchdown. Then it was a Smith to Vernon Davis touchdown pass with 9 seconds that clinched the victory for the 49ers. Another clutch play by Smith and great call by Harbaugh.

I've been very disappointed with Alex Smith since he's been in the NFL. I admit I thought the 49ers were crazy when they resigned him before this season. But that has been one of the many great moves the 49ers have made since Jim Harbaugh signed on as head coach. Again this shows how much of a difference a great head coach can make. Alex Smith was/is the weak link for the 49ers Super Bowl hopes. But if he continues to play like he did yesterday, the 49ers have a real chance to win the Super Bowl. That would be awesome. I'd love to have a Super Bowl that I care about who wins the game.

There are two more games today, both of which I care much less about than the games of yesterday. The only one I will follow with any interest is Green Bay-New York. Although I dislike the Giants with a great intensity, I'm hoping they win today. In the NFC Championship game, I'd much rather have the 49ers play at home against the Giants than them play on the road in frigid Green Bay. Go Giants. Now do I think they will win. Heck no!

themusicaddict

Where Is The Good Rock Music in 2012? Part 2

Hello,

I spent some thought on where is good rock music now. I even posted on my Facebook page trying to get some suggestions. I did receive some suggestions including Stone Sour, Halestorm, Alter Bridge, Skillet and Shinedown. I actually checked out Skillet and Alter Bridge before and neither one knocked my socks off. I actually saw Shinedown in concert a few years ago and I liked them. They covered the Lynyrd Skynyrd song "Simple Man". That song fit well into their set, I also noticed that most of their songs have a 70's feel. And in this age of overproduced songs, that's truly a compliment. I will have to check out the other bands mentioned. Another person suggested Coldplay. No offense but I like rock music that has some crunch.

Here's a good recent rock song:

As I was thinking about the current music scene, I realized I left out a few good current rock bands. One of my favorite CDs of 2011 was Black Stone Cherry's "Between The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea". I also am a big fan of My Chemical Romance and enjoyed many songs off of Cab's "Symphony Soldier". I especially like this song:

Also exercising this morning my iPod played this song, I love me some Paramore.

Where Is The Good Rock Music in 2012?

Hello,

I'd like to know where the great rock music of today is. When I grew up we had several classic rock bands in their prime. Late 70's there was Led Zeppelin, Boston, Cheap Trick, Heart, AC/DC... During the 80's there was Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Van Halen, Journey, Foreigner, AC/DC again, REO Speedwagon and at least 20 other great bands. That's why when I buy music now, it's mostly older music. I'm not be the only one either as Def Leppard and other classic 80's bands are still selling out arenas while most current artists play to half empty arenas.

This list will be updated at least a couple more times, here are 20 other great bands. Now all of these may not be "great" rock bands, but they all knew how to rock.

1) Poison

2) Whitesnake

3) Warrant

4) Hell I'll even include Tesla

5) U2

6) R.E.M.

7) Elton John

Then in the late 80's/ early 90's the hair metal scene exploded. Also Guns N' Roses exploded at the end of the 80's. Then Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots came in and swept out the hair metal bands. Grunge had a nice few years before fading quickly. All was good because all of it was great rock music. During the mid 90's hip hop started taking over to the detriment of music, then there was the rock/ hip hop hybrids like Limp Bizkit. But there were a few rock bands that still got through. There was still Nine Inch Nails and Living Color kicking butt. Also Sublime and Incubus had a few good moments.

Then came the early 2000's and that was the beginning of Creed and Nickelback. I know that many people don't like Creed but they had a few good songs. So did Nickelback for that matter. However with the dearth of great rock music they rose to be one of the biggest rock bands in the world. Are they so mediocre because they have almost no competition and aren't forced to raise their game? In the 80's Nickelback would have been the opening band on a 3 band concert. They would have been the band you purposely miss.

In the mid 2000's we had Hinder, Buckcherry, Three Days Grace and many other at least good rock bands. But over the last few years hip hop has remained a dominant force. Also listening to the radio lately there's a lot of over produced pop songs that's dominating the scene now. Honestly a lot of that is crap and was done a lot better in the 80's. I like Lady Gaga and her originality, but Ke$ha and her ilk are just Lady Gaga lite.

Now in 2012 what do we have? Who are the two biggest rock bands right now? Probably Nickelback and Foo Fighters. Dave Grohl is now saying that rock will never die and that this time reminds him of the early 90's. You know right before his other band exploded. Thanks Dave, now can you and the rest of the Fighters slink away into the corner.

This is Billboard's latest Top 10 rock albums. Warning there will be a lot of sarcasm in the following.

1) Florence + The Machine: There is nothing wrong with them, but they aren't a rock band.

2) The Black Keys. With them being the rock band currently going they are filling up the vacuum that used to be rock music. Almost literally at this point they have no competition.

3) Coldplay, Please! If this is rock music, that would explain why it's dying.

4) Nickelback, oh hell kill me now.

5) Foster The People, not a rock band and they definitely don't have a rock band name.

6) Mumford & Sons, I saw them down the street moving my neighbors.

7) Daughtry, OK Black Keys you aren't the only relevant rock band right now.

8) "Twilight" soundtrack are you kidding.

9) Evanescence. Yes, they are a rock band. But after their electric debut, they haven't seem to have anything amazing. It's also hard to build a following when you only release a mediocre CD every five years.

10) Korn: Again this band even being on this list shows the dearth of good rock bands right now.

Red Hot Chili Peppers are trying to remain relevant, as my brother said they should have retired after "Blood Sugar Sex Magik".

Right now I would say that the best rock band is The Black Keys. I also like Daughtry and am glad that Paramore is about to release a new CD. These are three bands that show even amidst all the crap, real rock music can still climb out of the gutter. Thankfully there are a few bands out there that still rock. But when I was growing up there were 30 bands at any one time. Some may question how good all the bands were, but many of them were better than the mediocre baseline established by Nickelback now.

I've been checking out current rock music on Spotify today. Sixx A.M., since Nikki Sixx was Motley Crue's main songwriter, I had hope they would be good. Sad to say, very average. Egypt Central, a band I'd never heard of, isn't very good. Five Finger Death Punch, more blunt more trauma than rock music. Although I only listened to a couple of songs of each I did like most of what I heard from Maine and Redlight King.

"War Horse", Why are people talking about the New York Giants as possibly winning the Super Bowl?

Hello,

I went and saw "War Horse" with two of my kids last night. This movie has a lot going for it, but is far away from being a perfect movie. From the opening scenes this felt like a Steven Spielberg movie. Very few directors can feature the majesty of the movies as Spielberg can. Also my respect was horses was renewed. There's just something so cool and powerful as a horse. While the acting in this movie is great, the feeling coming from the horses was awe inspiring. That's especially the war horse. I also liked his black horse friend. This movie also features Spielberg's trademark humor, even in the most dire situations.

I have to admit I shed a few tears at the end of this powerful movie.

This movie only has a couple of downsides. The first one is it's way too long, the whole storyline of the French grandfather and granddaughter could have been excised. We don't need those scenes to highlight how incredible the horse or his story is. And I know the French grandfather plays a part in the finale of the movie, but the ending would still have been inspiring without that.

I didn't get a chance to see either one of the NFL playoff games yesterday and it sounds like I didn't miss much. The two most intriguing games of this week for me are today though. Again I'll be cheering for the Broncos to lose. Denver only scored three points last week and that was from Kansas City fumbling the ball on special teams. I'm going to love watching them get their offense stifled all day and hopefully Tim Tebow as a NFL quarterback completely disproven.

Also I love how people are talking about the Giants being a Super Bowl favorite. Crazier things have happened, but how did this team that barely crawled into the playoffs get considered a Super Bowl favorite? Remember the Giants are a team that played at home against the team that chokes so much, the Chokeboys. They beat the poorly managed and coached Cowboys. This is the same team with the underwhelming Eli Manning as quarterback and geezer Tom Coughlin as head coach. Two people who seem to be lucky to still be in the NFL. Of the Mannings I'd take Peyton every time, even not knowing how his neck injury will affect his career going forward.

themusicaddict

Right on Black Keys, Nickelback Does SUCK!, Great Songs

Hello,

One thing that's great about a divorce is that you no longer have to explain yourself or justify the things what you do. There's a very freeing five word statement you can use when people demand an explanation. Use it freely and often: "It Is What It Is".

The new cover for Rolling Stone magazine is the Black Keys (see above), they are a very cool and funky rock band. I really like their sludgy rock sound and a band that deserves the cover of Rolling Stone. Although I'm surprised that they got a cover. Anyway one of the band, Patrick Carney, had some very spot on things to say about Nickelback:

"Rock & roll is dying because people became OK with Nickelback being the biggest band in the world," he says. "So they became OK with the idea that the biggest rock band in the world is always going to be shit – therefore you should never try to be the biggest rock band in the world. F that! Rock & roll is the music I feel the most passionately about, and I don't like to see it fing ruined and spoon-fed down our throats in this watered-down, post-grunge crap, horrendous shit." (I've edited this a bit.)

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/cover-story-excerpt-the-black-keys-20120104#ixzz1icttlygD

I couldn't agree with him more, Nickelback sucks. I had the misfortune of seeing them in concert. They were too loud, too stupid and have no idea how to perform in concert. They would play a crappy song, stop and do some inane thing, play a crappy song, stop do some inane thing all through their set. They had no idea about building momentum. There's no way they should be headliner. I'm still laughing that some Detroit Lions fans took up a petition to veto Nickelback playing halftime at their nationally televised game on Thanksgiving. They ended up playing. While I don't know if I agree that Nickelback is the biggest band in the world, that they would be even be considered shows how lame the music scene is now.

As I go through watching all 6 seasons of "Lost", for the most part I'm really enjoying it. I just barely finished watching the end of season 3 a few days ago. For those of you don't remember that was the last of Charlie Pace being on the show. I was neutral about the character of Pace during his 3 seasons on the show. I always thought he was a bit of a selfish wanker, but he proved himself to a man when he died for his fellow Oceanic 815 survivors. I liked how much he cared for Claire and helped take care of Aaron. He achieved redemption as a character by his heroic final act. (Of course this is "Lost" so characters never completely leave.)

I love music, but got sick of hearing about his one hit wonder band Drive Shaft.

Here's Drive Shaft's "hit", this isn't one of the great songs.

Here's Charlie Pace singing a snippet of "Wonderwall":

I like the scenes when he was singing on the streets. He absolutely picked one of the greatest songs ever to sing, that's Oasis' "Wonderwall". While Oasis is easily one of the most overrated bands of all-time, they did have this sublime moment of glory. I like how this video starts out with the singer singing into a mirror. That's perfect for the narcissistic d bags. And now that I think about it Oasis and Drive Shaft have a lot in common. This video has 39 million youtube hits, that seems appropriate. Anyway here's one of the best songs ever:

I just have one question as I started watching Season 4 of "Lost" last night, why is Rose and Bernard still on? What purpose do they serve? I can see why this show was dwindling in quality. Too many scattershot characters and story lines. At the start of season 4 there are two groups of Oceanic 815 survivors, plus the Others, plus the freight crew and finally all the flash forwards going on.

This show was in desperate need of editing. And I'm so tired of Ben. His story lines involve him lying about something over and over again. There are still great things that suck me in. For instance when Ben shot Locke and the bullet went through his body. Locke says he probably would have died if he still had that kidney. I love that. I also love the quirky charm of Hurley, although it took him awhile to grown on me. With moments and characters like that I still enjoy this show very much and I expect to be sad once I'm done watching it.

Also here's the hilarious 8:15 review of the first 3 seasons of "Lost". My favorite part "Mr. Friendly throws like a girl".

More great songs, check out needtobreathe.

Instead of picking up the latest CD from Nickelback, go to amazon.com and buy the "Alligator Records 40th Anniversary Collection" MP3 CD for only $4.99. It contains 38 great blues songs. A selection of those songs. I love the blues guitar sound in Janiva Magniss "Slipped, Tripped and Fell In Love":

Son Seals "Going Home". This is actually a different song than on the CD, but this is also a great song. I love that blues feeling, highlighted by the great guitar playing.

Finally Rick Estrin's "U B U":

Spin Doctors "Two Princes":

Backstreet Boys "Larger Than Life":

Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good":

I've officially decided that I like Taylor Swift quite a bit. I'm excited that she'll be in the musical adaptation of "Les Miserables":

I know I had a few Smiths songs on one of my recent blogs. However when I think of great songs, these are two songs that usually rush to my mind.

"There Is A Light That Never Goes Out":

themusicaddict

The Cab and Vendetta Red, Be Careful When Divorcing

Hello,

Today's blog is about two bands that started a few years ago, but haven't even come close to taking off. Both of them have good songs, here are a few. First of all the band called Cab. All the songs below are off their most recent CD, "Symphony Soldier":

This is "Animal":

"Angel With A Shotgun":

"Temporary Bliss":

This is Vendetta Red's "hit", but not their only good song:

For those of you who like My Chemical Romance's "The Black Parade", the Vendetta Red CD "Sisters of the Red Death" is thematically similar. Thanks to my good friends at Graywhale, I was able to purchase the CD for only a buck and I'm glad I did. I would give it two thumbs up and urge you to check it out. Here are some songs from that excellent CD:

Only 253 views for this video of "Run":

"A Joyless Euphoia": (Warning this is explicit and the sound isn't as good as I would like.)

This song is called "Coital Improv", yeah you heard me. I really like this song, again the sound isn't optimal on this video.

Sorry to get so heavy, I just want to warn you that if you're going through a divorce to be very careful. The decisions you make now and the things you agree to now will affect you forever. Before you finalize the divorce, give yourself some time to think through things. I went to see an attorney and he told me not to agree to anything until I "pulled my head out of my ass". Unfortunately I didn't listen and now I'm regretting it. I get my kids less than I want and only have one of 4 of my kids for taxes. I was s0 emotionally and mentally screwed up I just agreed to anything.

I was also delusional in hoping that I could save the marriage and was also agreeable because of that. I would never suggest to be rude or anything similar to that. However you have to be very pragmatic and you need to fight for what is right. But fight fair, especially if you have kids. Don't let the feelings for your ex influence the decisions you make regarding your kids. Make sure you let your kids know that both parents still love them very much. Also remind them that the divorce in no way is their fault. So while you will want to look out for yourself, look out for your kids even more. I'm very happy to pay child support, not so much alimony.

The more pressure you feel from the soon to be ex, the more you dig your feet in. Don't necessarily drag your feet and draw out the process, but be very careful. Wait until you are clear eyed enough to make good decisions. Talk to people who have been divorced and listen to their advice. Also have someone that you trust read over the divorce decree before agreeing to anything. I'm glad I had someone do that for me or I would have even got screwed worse.

I'd suggest you wait at least 6 months from when you find out you are getting divorced to when you have it finalized. Divorce is a weird creature. The last thing you want to do is slow it down, but that's what you need to do. It will be one of the hardest things you do, but you will be so grateful you did it years later. Enough regrets come with divorce, don't have any more from the divorce decree.

You shouldn't fight paying child support, obviously you still want to support your kids. I would suggest to men fight to pay state mandated child support minimums and don't pay alimony at all. Most people don't pay that, it's sort of going away. Of course, if you have extra you can give it to the ex or spend it on the kids yourself. Kids usually always need new clothes and other basics.

Make sure you get a good attorney as well. If you have any fears about their competency, it's time to get a new attorney. Unfortunately the law isn't represented by the most wholesome people in the world. The law is also not about what's right or wrong, it's about getting the most for yourself. Although that's a tough situation, deal with it as much as you can. As a man the bias is against you from the beginning, which is another reason to take your time in the whole divorce process.

Even after a divorce is finalized the decree can be changed, but again you would need to get a lawyer. Unless you have a lot of money, that's not a very feasible option. Get it right the first time.

Divorce is brutal and scars you for life, even a "good" divorce will. I worked with a very good counselor and she helped me through a lot. Without her help, I'd be much worse off now. But still therapy doesn't cure everything. My divorce was so bad- and relatively it wasn't that bad- that I don't know if I ever want to get married again. That's not me hating marriage, that's me haunted by the specter of a potential second divorce.

Once you get divorced you need to do a lot of thinking. I also suggest that every person goes through some counseling, I'm so much better off because I did. I can't emphasize that enough. It will be a bit weird not being married anymore and you'll be dragging bottom. But remember this is just temporary, don't make any rash decisions. It will take you at least a year to mentally work through everything.

Everyone heals at different rates, but one thing that most people agree on is to wait at least a year before you start dating. Unfortunately past relationships will continue to haunt you. There have been times where I feel healthy enough to date and an issue from the past comes up. That always slows me back down on dating again. Unless you are really lucky, you are literally haunted by your divorce for the rest of your life.

Also from experience, put off one on one dating for awhile. Go out in group things. Not only is there a lot less pressure, it's also much more economical. You can find out about a lot of people quickly in a safe environment.

I heard this song this morning that explains some of the above. This is Guns N' Roses "There Was A Time". This song does a good job describing the loss of affection when a relationship ends.

When the following song started playing this morning I wondered how did this song get on my iPod? I then remembered what song it was:

themusicaddict

Jerry Jones Playlist 2, Bowl Conference Records

Hello,

I've been mocking the Pac-12, allegedly one of the so-called Big 6 conferences, for their abysmal bowl record. They finished with a 2-5 bowl record by the way. Thanks to the Utes and Oregon for giving this conference some bowl victories. Good job Utes! Don't worry Pac 12 fans, USC will be bowl eligible next year and they know how to win bowl games. To be fair I decided to check on all the major conferences to see who lives up to their reputation as a truly quality conference. My criteria is based on actual performance not who your friends are.

The SEC has an amazing reputation, deservedly so, for being an awesome college football league. Thus I expected them to have the best bowl record. However the conference with the best bowl record is the Big 12. The Big 12 is 6-1, only Kansas is left to play their bowl. Kansas has a chance to win that game as Jake Heaps isn't trying to play quarterback for them yet.

The SEC has been decent, but haven't quite lived up to their reputation. They are 4-2 so far. Arkansas, LSU and Alabama still are to play. Obviously in a few days Alabama-LSU are playing each other in the so-called national championship game. (With Oklahoma St. winning last night I really wish there was at least a plus one.) The SEC will either finish with a 6-3 or a 5-4 bowl record.

I've mocked the Big East a lot, but so far they are a respectable 2-1 in bowl play. They still have West Virginia to play in a BCS Bowl and somehow mediocre Pittsburgh got a bowl invite. Again it seems there are at least 3 too many bowls. The qualifications to make a bowl should be much higher than just 6 wins. I would suggest you should have to win at least 75% of your games.

The Big-10 is having their annual meltdown in bowl games. They are 3-6 with Michigan still left to play. Michigan will play Va. Tech tonight in the Corporate Sponsored Sugar Bowl. Note to Wisconsin, you may want to skip the Rose Bowl next year if invited. The Badgers have lost the last two Rose Bowls.

The ACC, well they are a hell of a basketball conference Go Heels!, is 2-4 in bowl play. Va. Tech and Clemson are still left to play. They'll probably finish with about a 3-5 record. That's only noteworthy in how poorly they performed.

Finally, we know the only real football is being played in the Big 6 conferences right? Not! Conference USA is now 3-1 in bowl play with SMU still to play. Also the disrespected Boise State Broncos easily defeated one of those supposed superior BCS teams when they whipped Arizona State 56-24. Baylor not only beat a BCS school, but scored 67 points on them.

There have been a bunch of changes in NFL teams so far. Raheem Morris was fired after 3 seasons at Tampa Bay. If you lose 10 games in a row, how do you not fire your coach? Ten straight losses sounds like you've lost your team's attention. The most surprising development has been Norv Turner is going to keep his job for at least another year in San Diego. Really? Turner is 49-31 as San Diego's coach, but only 3-3 in the playoffs. I'm also surprised that the "Dream Team" kept Andy Reid for another year. Why wouldn't you keep a coach you just finished a 8-8 season? Dallas is. Reid is 136-90-1 in his career.

The NFL news that surprised me the least is that Jerry Jones plans on staying as the GM of the Dallas Cowboys. I was already working on Jerry Jones playlist 2 when that news came. See below for more songs for my Jerry Jones 2 playlist. As with any story at espn.com, fans can leave comments. As one would expect, the comments are less than favorable to Jerry Jones. Usually when a story is published, there seem to be comments for and against. However of the several comments made, not one of them was a plea for Jerry to stay as the Cowboys GM. It seems the only one that wants Jerry as GM is Jerry. Meanwhile the Cowboys will continue to be mediocre and flounder. There's a reason the Cowboys have only been in one playoff in the last 4 years. With how things are looking, the playoffs look like a long shot for the Cowboys next season as well.

It's clear the king has no clothes, where's the small child to point this out to him. I didn't realize there was a song written for Jerry Jones, and other egomaniacs, until I read the lyrics of this song:

The following song contains the truthful line: "Just because I'm wrong don't make you right." This is needtobreathe's "The Outsiders":

This is one thing I'm sick of having after 15 years of spectacular failures:

Jerry, not only would I like you to be gone, but please also kiss off.

"Blister In The Sun":

And this song has nothing to do with Jerry Jones, I just love this song. "American Music":

I don't know anything about Jerry Jones, other than he has some narcissistic tendencies. However I have three words to describe what kind of GM he is:

I'll close out with some Smiths songs, they seem appropriate for Jerry Jones.

"Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" This song contains one of my all-time favorite lines "I was looking for a job and then I found a job. And heaven knows that I'm miserable now."

No Jerry this song isn't specifically about you, but if the shoe fits......

"Panic".... On The Streets of Dallas. Later is the line "Hang the JJ" or am I just imagining things?

themusicaddict

Jerry Jones' Playlist, Thanks Onion for the laugh!

Hello,

I just stumbled across this from the Onion. This is from September 24th, 2009. It's even more fitting today as it points out how stupid Jerry Jones running the Cowboys into the ground has been. Thanks Onion for bringing a much needed laugh to my day.

"IRVING, TEXAS—In an attempt to cut the franchise's losses and "move forward in a positive direction," the Dallas Cowboys severed ties with controversial owner Jerry Jones Monday, ending their tumultuous 20-year relationship with the divisive figure.

According to sources within the Cowboys organization, the decision to release Jones was influenced by the lack of any playoff victories in more than 12 years, the owner's distracting sideline antics, and his selfish, "me first" attitude, which many said was having a cancerous effect on the clubhouse.

"We value Jerry's contributions to the Cowboys over the past two decades, but it has become painfully clear that we just don't share the same priorities," Cowboys public relations director Richard Dalrymple said. "This wasn't an easy choice to make, but we're confident it is a decision that can only make our team better."

"Losing to our NFC East rivals the Giants in our brand-new stadium was really the last straw," added Dalrymple, who said Jones "insisted" that the $1.2 billion facility would solve all of the team's problems. "The Cowboys need to focus on winning, and we can't do that with Jerry's incessant ego-boosting publicity stunts, or this opulent sports venue that's devoted more to himself than achieving postseason success."

Cowboys officials called Jones Sunday night to inform him he was being cut from the team, ordering the 66-year-old owner to clean out his luxury box and remove his personal belongings from the premises immediately. Jones, who was reportedly stunned to be removed from his ownership duties, issued a statement on his website thanking himself for all his hard work and years of service.

"Well, damn, looks like the 'Boys couldn't handle Double J anymore," the blog post read in part. "I'll never forget my time in the Big D, and how I single-handedly won three Super Bowls. Don't worry, Jerry Jones will land on his feet somewhere, and when he does, Dallas better watch out."

Jones' questionable conduct on and off the field almost certainly played a role in sealing the troubled owner's fate. Although some members of the Cowboys' management have reportedly contemplated Jones' termination for the past several years, sources said his recent association with known criminals as well as a perceived lack of character and poor leadership qualities provided ample reasons for his release.

Ultimately, team officials said that Jones had become an embarrassment to the storied franchise.

"Between the opportunistic condemnations of game plans, the uninformed evaluations of draftees, and the paranoid delusions that players and coordinators were scheming against him, it's no wonder the Cowboys have had enough," NFL Today commentator Boomer Esiason said. "Maybe his absence will finally give the team a chance to start living up to its full potential."

"Just watching the Cowboys practice without Jones leering at them, you can tell that morale has already greatly improved," Esiason continued. "They seem so loose and relaxed and their faces are just lighting up with smiles. This is the first time Tony Romo has had fun since he put on the Cowboys uniform."

Former Cowboys head coach and Fox Sports analyst Jimmy Johnson speculated that the team's real motivation for cutting Jones was that the aging owner, who turns 67 in October, is well past his prime and would have continued to cost the ball club too much money.

"His skills have really diminished the past few years, and he just can't make the moves that he used to," said Johnson, adding that the rest of the NFL was passing Jones by every day. "When you get older you start to slow down, and as you try to compensate, you wind up making poor decisions."

"He had to eat more than $9 million dollars of salary cap just to get rid of Terrell Owens," Johnson added. "In this economy? What was he thinking?"

Though his publicist would not say whether the former Cowboys owner was entertaining offers from any other teams, an anonymous NFL source told reporters that, immediately after Jones cleared waivers Tuesday, Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis offered him a record-setting three-year $120 million deal."

I have been dealing with a person from my past that pisses me off. It's a person I have to deal with not by choice. That and I'm thinking about the stupidity of Jerry Jones and how he's ruined the Cowboys. I have a lot of anger and while exercising today, a lot of songs played that applied to both situations. This blog also is marking a transition from so many of my sports related blogs and more to music. I'll still be writing about the 49ers as they make their playoff run. I'll also mock Tim Tebow as he puts up another terrible performance against the Steelers.

Here are some songs that remind me of Jones and the idiots in my life. This is Albert Einstein's famous insanity quote: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." After 15 years of futility, that comment applies to Jones' running down the Cowboys. Jerry you need to get a new conductor or I'm getting off your crazy train. Keeping with that theme, this classic song from Ozzy:

A song from Missing Persons, "Words":

I think this song was written about Jerry Jones. I especially like the line which must be about Jerry Jones being a GM "I know that you are wrong and this is not where you belong":

"Orange Crush":

Yes, I have a lot of vile in my system today. Dear Jerrah:

Linkin Park knows about anger. Someone needs to take Jerrah aside and say:

"Shut up when I'm talking to you
Shut up, shut up, shut up
Shut up when I'm talking to you
Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up
I'm about to break"

Somewhere Jerry belongs is outside of any kind of control of the Cowboys. I'm tired of my team being run into the ground. "Somewhere I Belong":

themusicaddict

Dallas Cowboys: 2011 Post Mortem

Hello,

Earlier in the season when the Cowboys won and moved to 7-4, I wrote a blog asking if their record was mostly smoke and mirrors? After yet another collapse, it seems the answer was yes. The Cowboys went 1-4 after that victory.

I'm just incensed the Cowboys do this every season lately. Jerry says he's "extremely disappointed" by the result of yesterday's game. He also said he "unequivocally" is behind Jason Garrett. (Someone got Jerry a dictionary for Christmas.) These are the kind of things he was saying about Wade Phillips as he kept on finding excuses not to fire him. But truly the Cowboys biggest problem remains Jerry Jones.

The Dallas Cowboys top 5 needs in the offseason:

1) Jerry Jones need to disappear. No more press conferences, no more going down on the field during the games and no more self promotion. Over the last couple of years I've realized the more well known an NFL's team owner is, the worse the team is. And the more obscure the owner is, the better the team is. For instance, I know who basically who the owners of the Patriots and Steelers are, but we rarely hear from them. Maybe they are working to make their teams better rather than being in front of the cameras all the time?

2) The Dallas Cowboys desperately need to get a real General Manager. Jones once again proves he has no idea what he's doing as a GM. I've learned in life the last person we should ever lie to is ourselves. However Jones keeps on lying to himself that he knows what he's doing as a GM.

3) Dallas, sooner rather than later, needs to find their next great quarterback. Tony Romo isn't that person, although you can't blame last night's choke on him. Although how does such a supposedly mobile quarterback get sacked 6 times? I didn't want to waste my time by watching the losers choke again so thankfully I didn't watch the game.

4) Get some players! The Cowboys have a reputation about how much talent they have on this team. Really, then why does this team suck so much? The Cowboys should be cutting Terrance Newman right now. Use the 14th pick in the draft to get a cornerback and then get a couple of more cornerbacks in free agency. Terrance "Burnt Toast" Newman is scheduled to receive about $8 million next year. Cutting him will open up a lot of money to resolve Dallas' biggest need.

5) Do whatever they can to help make Garrett and Ryan more successful. If the Cowboys aren't better after next season, both need to go. But with Jerry Jones as GM I'll be writing these type of blogs about this time every year.

It does crack me up that with all the hype that comes with Rob and Rex Ryan neither one of them will be in the playoffs.

Although the Cowboys collapsed as I predicted yesterday, some good things happened yesterday. San Francisco won to finish 14-2 and clinch the #2 seed in the NFC. I look forward to their first playoff game in two weeks.

The Colts lost and clinched the #1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. If they draft anyone else besides Andrew Luck they are crazy. For those idiots that say that Peyton Manning and Luck on the same team will never work, I say well make it work! If Manning can come back near 100% then it could be a two to three year transition to Luck. But if Manning can't ever reach his peak ever again, then you have a great teacher for Luck.

But my favorite thing that happened yesterday was the complete collapse and choke of the Denver Broncos. The Tim Tebow Train completely derailed as the Broncos lost 7-3. How bad is the AFC West when the Broncos lost their last 3 games of the season and still won that division? I enjoyed watching the first half of the Broncos complete and spectacular failure.

Just remember that Tim Tebow is a professional quarterback. His numbers were so bad yesterday that they are laughable. The Timster completed 6 of 22 passes, barely 25%. Even more laughable those 6 passes are 3 times more passes than he completed against the Chiefs earlier in the season. Tebow also threw for only 60 yards. 60 yards? By a NFL quarterback? Maybe he shouldn't be a NFL quarterback? Tebow also had that fumble near the end of the first half and later threw a pick. His quarterback rating was 20.6, by comparison an average rating is about 80. People will say but his strength is being able to mix it up by running. He also rushed the ball for 6 times for 16 yards. Yes I do realize that when he was sacked those yards count in his running stats.

Next weekend the 8-8 Broncos host the 12-4 Steelers, who have even a better defense than Kansas City. That could be one of the ugliest playoff games ever. Pittsburgh will win easily ending the Broncos season with 4 straight losses and 4 straight ugly performances by Tebow. Denver then can you please not play Tebow ever again? It's bad enough hearing way too much about a player when he's good, but when he sucks as much as Tim Tebow.......

thedisgustedmusicaddict

Utes, Cougars, Cowboys football etc., Season 3 "Lost" finale thoughts

Hello,

The Dallas Cowboys are one of the most creative teams in the NFL. I don't remember a team who can find so many creative ways of losing. I can't guarantee that the Cowboys will lose for sure today, they are playing the very inept Giants. As a Cowboys fan I'd be extremely surprised if Dallas won today. I've been following them for so long and have had my heart broken so many times. The Cowboys have failed to deliver the big win so many times, now I've come to expect a loss in every big game they play in. Honestly I'd prefer the Cowboys to lose today which would give them a better draft pick and an easier schedule next season. Also that would save them the embarrassment of losing at home next week in the first round of the playoffs. As usual I'll be finding something else to do tonight rather than watch the Cowboys choke yet again.

How will the Boys lose today? Will it be Tony Romo with a big interception or fumble? Though to be fair he's been pretty solid the last half of this season. Will it be Terrance Newman giving up another big pass? Please Dallas cut him after this game and save all that money you are scheduled to pay him next season. But this season's weak point has been their defense. Thus my prediction is that the Cowboys D will give up the big plays. They just don't have enough athletes, especially in the secondary. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the Cowboys get blown out today. I'm giving Rob Ryan a pass this first season. If you don't have enough good players it doesn't matter what kind of defense a team runs.

Sarcasm alert: Hey Jerry no matter what happens today, stay the teams GM. You've done a hell of a job the last 15 seasons.

After the Broncos were blown out the last couple of games, a lot of the hype about Tim Tebow has gone away. Thank goodness! Although I was disappointed when the Jazz Bear was wearing a Tim Tebow jersey at a Jazz game recently. I'll be cheering for the Chiefs to get a big victory today and eliminate the Broncos from playoff contention. I hope Kyle Orton throws for 300 yards and 4 touchdowns. I also hope Tebow doesn't break 100 yards passing and he's exposed for the the fraud NFL quarterback he is.

My alma mater came up big yesterday in their bowl game. The University of Utah, the real U, beat Georgia Tech 30-27 in the Sun Bowl. In their inaugural Pac 12 season, the Utes finished 8-5. The Pac 12 should be damn glad they invited the Utes to their conference. The Pac 12 has been exposed as being highly overrated as a football conference this bowl season. Thankfully for the Pac 12 the Utes won their bowl game. The Pac 12 is now 1-4 in this season's bowl games. I expect the Utes to do much better in the Pac 12 next season. John "The Wolfman" White will be coming back for his senior season. He ran for 1,519 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. At the least he should receive some Heisman publicity next year.

Coach Kyle Whittingham also returns, the Utes would be wise to keep him around as long as possible. Coach Whit is a fantastic head coach as highlighted by his 7-1 record in bowl games. The man knows what he's doing. Now I hope he can go out and find a real quarterback for the Utes for next season. I acknowledge how hard that would be. Jon Hays gave the Utes all he could and had several big plays for the Utes yesterday. However I don't think he's going to get a lot better. After being knocked out of the last two seasons early due to injury, the flimsy Jordan Wynn will be returning to the Utes next year. Not only is he injury prone, he's just not that good of quarterback. He'll only break hearts if the Utes put too much faith into him. BYU and Utah's quarterback situations have a lot in common.

Meanwhile the Ute Men's Basketball team continues it's wretched season. Most people realized that the Utes would have a tough season this year. In fact, it may be a few years before they are as good as they were in the Rick Majerus era. Just one stat to show you how bad their basketball team is this season. Yesterday their basketball team only scored 3 more points than their football team.

I predict that the BYU's Mens basketball team will have a good year this year. They should qualify for a NCAA Tourney bid and compete for the West Coast Conference title. But I don't expect much more than that. I'm not sure what it is about this team, but they seem to be missing something. And no it's not Jimmer Fredette. I'm not sure what that missing ingredient is either. The Cougars were exposed in their 98-82 beatdown to St. Mary's. And that unknown missing ingredient will haunt them all season.

One thing that I love about the West Coast Conference is their souped up high school gyms. It was hilarious seeing their seat layout at St. Marys. What are they going to think when they get to the 20,000 seat Marriott Center?

Over the last couple of days I watched the last 8 hours of "Lost" Season 3. After "Lost's" sterling first 2 seasons, Season 3 was very uneven. I just find that the Others don't interest me that much. I'm glad 10 of them were killed in the episodes I watched yesterday. Although just because your dead on "Lost", that doesn't mean that we won't see you again. Also Charlie Pace was written out at the end of season 3. The morally ambiguous Charlie went out heroically, dying so that Claire and Aaron could be rescued by helicopters. I wasn't a big fan of Charlie Pace until these last few episodes. I loved the list of the Top 5 moments of his life, with meeting Claire at #1. Although from Desmond's flashes we knew that Pace wasn't going to be on the show much longer, I hoped there would be some way to keep his character on the show.

But are these people coming to rescue the Oceanic Flight 815 survivors really good people or not? Not that I believe anything that Ben says but I could see the rescuers being written as bad people.

Although I wasn't sure I was going to watch any more of "Lost", Season 3's last few episodes sucked me back in. I loved the flash forward with Kate and Jack in LA. (One thing that I don't like about "Lost" is how much the producers have relied on the flashbacks.) Why they made Kate wear so much makeup though, she looked so much better back on the island. Kate tells Jack that someone is waiting for her. The obvious person would be Sawyer. But this show has so many misdirections, who knows who's really waiting for her. It could be Ben for all we know. Also who's viewing did Jack go to, but that no one else went to? For some reason I'm guessing it's John Locke, although would he ever really leave the island?

So it looks like I'll be watching Season 4 soon.

themusicaddict