The research for HORNS!, a mix two months in the making, is complete. From over 100 songs, I whittled the tracklist down to 22. I think I'm happy with the sequencing, which means all that's left is to design a cover. I often feel this way after completing a mix, but this particular one rings truer than others: This is probably the best mix I've ever made. The research was far more challenging than on Songs About Girls; with that one, I had only to select songs with a girl's name in the title. With this mix, I had to listen to a LOT of songs to ensure that the horn parts were memorable and the song was to my liking. Basically, I listened to a healthy portion of my record collection.
Now it's on to new territory. ORGANS!, anyone?
9.23.2007
9.11.2007
10 random reasons my back hurts (or not)
1) I never thought my back would actually be fucked up at the age of 31. But it is. Mostly, it's my lower back and it's all my fault, the result of 8+ years of bad posture at the desk job. So ...
2) M and I joined a gym. My past gym exploits have been laughable and ugly. (Seriously, old naked men are both.) The new gym features none of that, and possibly I'll stick with it this time. My back reminds me on a nearly daily basis to get to the gym by screaming at me in the morning and at night. Since I'm in no shape to throw down 3 grand on a new mattress set, I'll have to settle for weights and stretching.
3) Tennis: I suck. I've finally found a sport that I really like and have little natural ability to excel at. That's not saying much, really. There are plenty of sports that I know I suck at — say, football — and hence I've never given those sports much of a chance. Then there is basketball. I could go an entire calendar year without touching a basketball, then hit the court and at least do a good Dickey Simpkins impersonation. A few times out, and I'm a regular Horace Grant. But tennis is another story. There's no Roger Federer hiding inside me, but the sport is a lot of fun regardless and gets my competitive streak fired up. If only I could learn some fundamentals, like a forehand or a backhand for example. My serve is actually my best ally. I've been playing once or twice a week, and so far I'm basically oh-for-the-world. I have a lovely tendency to get up 3-1 or 3-0 and then lose 6-4. I chalk my inconsistency up to said lack of fundamentals, and hope for the best next time out. At some point, I just have to get better, don't I?
4) Beans. They don't really cause back aches, per say. But I suddenly enjoy them in varieties previously foreign to me. M's white bean salad is delicious! There, I said it.
5) Superbad was funny. Who knew the best character plot line of the year would come in the form of a kid overcoming his sketchy past as a dick-drawing maniac?
6) Big Ten Network. Fuck you. Comcast. Fuck you, too.
7) Research on the HORNS! mix is nearly at end. Lo and behold there's hardly as much new(er) music in my collection featuring horns. I'm troubled by trying to mix the old with the new, while still maintaining a congruency. Then there's the whole issue of Chicago apologists.
8) I just finished Ladies and Gentleman, the Bronx Is Burning. Good book. I wonder if the ESPN miniseries will hold up. The book wanders for large segments of time away from baseball to deal with rioting, bankruptcy, politics, and the Son of Sam. I'm guessing ESPN knows their audience and stuck with the Yankees for the most part.
9) We just went through massive layoffs at work, which is saying something when you work in an office with 20-some peeps. My department has been reduced to just me (the editor) and a designer. Good thing the title list is shrinking too, even if it's not significant enough. My guess: We'll be out of business in five months. I hope I'm wrong, but having gone through this process in my previous job at the newspaper, I have a pretty good feel for this sort of thing.
10) Guitar Hero II was an unexpected hit at a recent party. M even digs it! I had never played the game prior to receiving it as my surprise b-day gift from M. It's incredibly addictive — and fucking hard. I can't play a lick on the hard level, despite being pretty good at medium. My pinkie is just not used to such workouts. (Insert joke here.)
2) M and I joined a gym. My past gym exploits have been laughable and ugly. (Seriously, old naked men are both.) The new gym features none of that, and possibly I'll stick with it this time. My back reminds me on a nearly daily basis to get to the gym by screaming at me in the morning and at night. Since I'm in no shape to throw down 3 grand on a new mattress set, I'll have to settle for weights and stretching.
3) Tennis: I suck. I've finally found a sport that I really like and have little natural ability to excel at. That's not saying much, really. There are plenty of sports that I know I suck at — say, football — and hence I've never given those sports much of a chance. Then there is basketball. I could go an entire calendar year without touching a basketball, then hit the court and at least do a good Dickey Simpkins impersonation. A few times out, and I'm a regular Horace Grant. But tennis is another story. There's no Roger Federer hiding inside me, but the sport is a lot of fun regardless and gets my competitive streak fired up. If only I could learn some fundamentals, like a forehand or a backhand for example. My serve is actually my best ally. I've been playing once or twice a week, and so far I'm basically oh-for-the-world. I have a lovely tendency to get up 3-1 or 3-0 and then lose 6-4. I chalk my inconsistency up to said lack of fundamentals, and hope for the best next time out. At some point, I just have to get better, don't I?
4) Beans. They don't really cause back aches, per say. But I suddenly enjoy them in varieties previously foreign to me. M's white bean salad is delicious! There, I said it.
5) Superbad was funny. Who knew the best character plot line of the year would come in the form of a kid overcoming his sketchy past as a dick-drawing maniac?
6) Big Ten Network. Fuck you. Comcast. Fuck you, too.
7) Research on the HORNS! mix is nearly at end. Lo and behold there's hardly as much new(er) music in my collection featuring horns. I'm troubled by trying to mix the old with the new, while still maintaining a congruency. Then there's the whole issue of Chicago apologists.
8) I just finished Ladies and Gentleman, the Bronx Is Burning. Good book. I wonder if the ESPN miniseries will hold up. The book wanders for large segments of time away from baseball to deal with rioting, bankruptcy, politics, and the Son of Sam. I'm guessing ESPN knows their audience and stuck with the Yankees for the most part.
9) We just went through massive layoffs at work, which is saying something when you work in an office with 20-some peeps. My department has been reduced to just me (the editor) and a designer. Good thing the title list is shrinking too, even if it's not significant enough. My guess: We'll be out of business in five months. I hope I'm wrong, but having gone through this process in my previous job at the newspaper, I have a pretty good feel for this sort of thing.
10) Guitar Hero II was an unexpected hit at a recent party. M even digs it! I had never played the game prior to receiving it as my surprise b-day gift from M. It's incredibly addictive — and fucking hard. I can't play a lick on the hard level, despite being pretty good at medium. My pinkie is just not used to such workouts. (Insert joke here.)
9.07.2007
Being a fan these days isn't easy
This morning's Post-Dispatch web site displays the obvious complexity. Is it possible for a newborn star to be reborn in less than a month? If you've read the Daily News story then you know what all the hub-bub is about. Baseball can't catch a break. Its fans can't catch a feel-good story. And now I can't even enjoy the small sample of this season that's been enjoyable for me, the Cardinals fan. Or can I? Can I just block out the suspicion? Can I justify that prescription (regardless of its legality) as part of Ankiel overcoming a bunch of significant injuries and attempting to battle back to the majors as a hitter? Do I believe that he is now clean, accepting that we may never know because baseball doesn't test for HGH? What a fucking dilemma. And all it does is distract from a great pennant race between three mediocre teams.
Up until today Rick Ankiel has been the opposite of the typical jock storyline of 2007, which is to say he hasn't been in trouble with the police, in and out of court, beating his wife, being a reckless, gun-toting idiot. He has figures in his life — like his dad — who fit that mold. Yet he rebelled from that stereotype, seeming unbeatable, invincible, able to do the impossible and walk that thin line.
I'll need some time to process this. Being a Cardinals fan hasn't been easy after the McGwire hoopla. I didn't know if I would ever be able root as hard for a team or a player again after that. And then came Rick Ankiel. And then came his scandal.
I hope someone gives him the best advice of his life: Be honest. Do it for yourself. Do it for the game you love. Do it for your fans. Do it to be a real hero, to set an example for all the other players around you who are too chickenshit to own up. Tell us why. Maybe your reasons are legit. Maybe you did stop using when HGH was banned. Or maybe you didn't. Either way, just tell us the truth. It can even be your interpretation of the truth. Just speak. Now. Please.
8.28.2007
Repeat after me...
Five hundred. As in POINT 500:
.500
The Cardinals will try to reach that magical, mythical level tonight against the Stros. For those keeping score at home, STL hasn't been at (or above) .500 since April 16. It's hard to believe that we're still in this crawl to the finish in the N.L. Central, that we've still got meaningful work to do as we near September. Much like last year, the credit goes to the young'uns for keeping us going when it matters most. Here's to you, Ryan Ludwick (above), Yadi Molina, Brendan Ryan, Rick Ankiel, and ye who possesses a truly nasty knee buckler, Adam Wainwright.
.500
The Cardinals will try to reach that magical, mythical level tonight against the Stros. For those keeping score at home, STL hasn't been at (or above) .500 since April 16. It's hard to believe that we're still in this crawl to the finish in the N.L. Central, that we've still got meaningful work to do as we near September. Much like last year, the credit goes to the young'uns for keeping us going when it matters most. Here's to you, Ryan Ludwick (above), Yadi Molina, Brendan Ryan, Rick Ankiel, and ye who possesses a truly nasty knee buckler, Adam Wainwright.
8.17.2007
10 random thoughts on a boring Friday afternoon
1) It's really difficult to stay awake post-lunch when you're working on a spreadsheet. Try it sometime.
2) Research is well underway on my new mix, HORNS!, which I hope to have completed before the end of September. You will want to own this mix. It will be guaranteed to fill the dance floor every time you put it on.
3) For the longest time I've been looking for something representative of Sweden's psych scene circa the early 1970s. I've heard International Harvester/Parsson Sound, but they are too proggy. I've been searching for something more song-oriented, and I've found it in Pugh Rogefeldt. I've got his first two records now, and they're fucking tops. It's easy to see how Dungen was influenced by this dude. Unfortunately, he will not be featured on HORNS!.
4) I still like tennis, but my twisted ankle has prohibited me from playing for a couple weeks. I think that's going to change this weekend.
5) HBO has canceled John From Cincinnati. After sticking with it for the entire first season -- I'm one of the few to have done so -- I have to say I won't miss it one bit.
6) Flight of the Concords, however, is another story. HBO better keep it on for a second season. There's not much reason to watch HBO other than it, and Big Love, which has avoided the dreaded sophomore slump. Nothing tops AMC's Mad Men, though. It's spectacular.
7) The Cards could actually be in first place after this weekend if everything breaks their way. How fucking weird would that be, considering that this team has been littered with walking dead for weeks now.
8) The Illini are supposedly making a decision on Jamar Smith by the start of the semester. Reporters are saying he will either be suspended for a handful of games and then allowed to play this year, or he will be asked to redshirt this season (which sucks, I suppose, but allows him to maintain an additional year's worth of eligibility). Being booted from school/the team is apparently not an option. I'm still a bit baffled by the school's handling of this entire situation, but I'll reserve further comment until the verdict is made public.
9) I briefly got my hopes up for a Jens Lekman show at The Highdive, which I had heard was "in the works." Ain't gonna happen. It's sad when the last show I was excited about in this town was Jose Gonzalez (that's not the bad part) at the Courtyard Cafe (that is) almost three months ago. Whatever happened to the mildly intriguing stream of concerts we used to get in Champaign-Urbana? Why have the priorities of our local promoters shifted to bringing in run-of-the-mill indie crap and repeat performances from shit bands? No one gives a fuck about raising the standard if it doesn't have an immediate impact on the bottom line. I seriously wonder how much the lack of good concerts in this town has contributed to my lazy music-mindedness over the past year or so.
10) M and I are planning a trip to NYC in October. If it goes through, it will be my first time spending significant time in the Big Apple ... ever. How the hell did I make it to 30 years old (fuck, almost 31) and never really visit NYC?
2) Research is well underway on my new mix, HORNS!, which I hope to have completed before the end of September. You will want to own this mix. It will be guaranteed to fill the dance floor every time you put it on.
3) For the longest time I've been looking for something representative of Sweden's psych scene circa the early 1970s. I've heard International Harvester/Parsson Sound, but they are too proggy. I've been searching for something more song-oriented, and I've found it in Pugh Rogefeldt. I've got his first two records now, and they're fucking tops. It's easy to see how Dungen was influenced by this dude. Unfortunately, he will not be featured on HORNS!.
4) I still like tennis, but my twisted ankle has prohibited me from playing for a couple weeks. I think that's going to change this weekend.
5) HBO has canceled John From Cincinnati. After sticking with it for the entire first season -- I'm one of the few to have done so -- I have to say I won't miss it one bit.
6) Flight of the Concords, however, is another story. HBO better keep it on for a second season. There's not much reason to watch HBO other than it, and Big Love, which has avoided the dreaded sophomore slump. Nothing tops AMC's Mad Men, though. It's spectacular.
7) The Cards could actually be in first place after this weekend if everything breaks their way. How fucking weird would that be, considering that this team has been littered with walking dead for weeks now.
8) The Illini are supposedly making a decision on Jamar Smith by the start of the semester. Reporters are saying he will either be suspended for a handful of games and then allowed to play this year, or he will be asked to redshirt this season (which sucks, I suppose, but allows him to maintain an additional year's worth of eligibility). Being booted from school/the team is apparently not an option. I'm still a bit baffled by the school's handling of this entire situation, but I'll reserve further comment until the verdict is made public.
9) I briefly got my hopes up for a Jens Lekman show at The Highdive, which I had heard was "in the works." Ain't gonna happen. It's sad when the last show I was excited about in this town was Jose Gonzalez (that's not the bad part) at the Courtyard Cafe (that is) almost three months ago. Whatever happened to the mildly intriguing stream of concerts we used to get in Champaign-Urbana? Why have the priorities of our local promoters shifted to bringing in run-of-the-mill indie crap and repeat performances from shit bands? No one gives a fuck about raising the standard if it doesn't have an immediate impact on the bottom line. I seriously wonder how much the lack of good concerts in this town has contributed to my lazy music-mindedness over the past year or so.
10) M and I are planning a trip to NYC in October. If it goes through, it will be my first time spending significant time in the Big Apple ... ever. How the hell did I make it to 30 years old (fuck, almost 31) and never really visit NYC?
8.09.2007
8.06.2007
His boots were made for walking...
Lee Hazlewood
1929-2007
He is known to some -- if at all -- as the man who penned Nancy Sinatra's smash hit "These Boots Are Made for Walking". But Hazlewood is so much more than that minor entry in pop country's history. First of all, he also penned and sang "Some Velvet Morning" with Sinatra. Second, his pegging as a country artist is at times unfair. His roots are there, but he was always more a fringe artist, one of the first alt-country acts, if you will. He first broke Duane Eddy and his twangy guitar, then launched a lengthy career in the '60s as an iconic producer/songwriter. It's his own catalogue of albums, however, that garnered my interest a few years ago when Smells Like Records reissued several of his 1960s and '70s releases. Hazlewood's lyrical Americana pastiche and dry baritone voice make for quite a pairing. Plus, the man simply knows how to write a memorable hook, whether he's dabbling in roots country, AM pop-rock, or swinging horns-drenched pseudo-lounge. Your record collection will be better off with at least a couple of his albums included. Unfortunately, there is no career-spanning "best of" album for Hazlewood, something that hopefully will happen in death. So many of his best albums were long out of print, and sadly are close to returning to that state. Hopefully, Smells Like will re-release A Cowboy in Sweeden, as that's the one record I didn't get (and can not afford to drop $75 on).For more on Lee, read this.
I'll close with a suitable tribute in song.
Lee Hazlewood – "I'll Live Yesterdays"
7.25.2007
I'm numb to it all
I should probably be a little more affected by the fact that a good percentage of my close friends are moving away. First it was Jason last month. No big deal, he's just one of many. Then Renee headed out of town last weekend. Donovan and Amy W. are leaving next week. Amy L. is leaving next week, too. Erin, my favorite co-worker, is also gone as of this week.
That's the risk of befriending grad students and people married to grad students, I guess. Eventually, they're all going to pack their bags. And so am I, most likely in a year.
The sheer number of friends I'm losing to other locales hasn't really hit home yet, I suppose due to the fact that everyone is leaving at the same time. I haven't had time to really get stuck on any particular person's departure, because there's always someone else right around the corner who's saying goodbye. I'm sure in mid-August there will be a night when those remaining will meet up for drinks at Mike & Molly's and then it will hit us all: Oh, it's just us left. Hmmm.
I dread that day.
That's the risk of befriending grad students and people married to grad students, I guess. Eventually, they're all going to pack their bags. And so am I, most likely in a year.
The sheer number of friends I'm losing to other locales hasn't really hit home yet, I suppose due to the fact that everyone is leaving at the same time. I haven't had time to really get stuck on any particular person's departure, because there's always someone else right around the corner who's saying goodbye. I'm sure in mid-August there will be a night when those remaining will meet up for drinks at Mike & Molly's and then it will hit us all: Oh, it's just us left. Hmmm.
I dread that day.
7.14.2007
Summer mixin'
I finished the sequel to last summer's mix, which is still available for download. This summer's mix is a bit longer and hence not suitable for download. But let me know if you'd like a copy, and I'll mail you one. Like last summer's mix, it's a psychedelic venture with plenty of instrumentals, all blended together into one long track – perfect music to listen to while soaking up some sunshine.
The Blues Control is No. 1!
01 Blues Control – "Blues Control"
02 Offside – "Small Deal"
03 Them Two – "Am I a Good Man"
04 Oscar and the Majestics – "House of the Rising Sun"
05 Vanijairam – "Thanimayil"
06 Mulatu Astatqe – "Yekermo sew"
07 Yura Yura Teikoku – "It was a Robot"
08 The Seeds – "Fallin"
09 Panda Bear – "Ponytail"
10 Yabby U – "Hungering Dub"
11 Fela – "Zombie"
12 Bango – "Rock Dream"
13 Blue Cheer – "Babylon"
14 The Mops – "San Franciscan Nights"
15 Blues Control – "Boiled Peanuts"
The Blues Control is No. 1!
01 Blues Control – "Blues Control"
02 Offside – "Small Deal"
03 Them Two – "Am I a Good Man"
04 Oscar and the Majestics – "House of the Rising Sun"
05 Vanijairam – "Thanimayil"
06 Mulatu Astatqe – "Yekermo sew"
07 Yura Yura Teikoku – "It was a Robot"
08 The Seeds – "Fallin"
09 Panda Bear – "Ponytail"
10 Yabby U – "Hungering Dub"
11 Fela – "Zombie"
12 Bango – "Rock Dream"
13 Blue Cheer – "Babylon"
14 The Mops – "San Franciscan Nights"
15 Blues Control – "Boiled Peanuts"
7.08.2007
10 things I learned over the past week
1) I like tennis again. When I was a kid, tennis fascinated me. I remember watching Boris Becker and John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf do battle at Wimbledon, and just being in awe of the game. I specifically enjoyed how quiet the game was when watching on TV, how I could hear every grunt from the players and the smack of the ball off the top of the net on a failed serve. I never played tennis when I was a youngster — there just wasn't a culture of tennis where I grew up — but I did watch a good deal of it on TV, in the few instances that it was televised. Well, I've fallen back in love with tennis again, in large part because ...
2) I've started playing tennis again. While it's taken me a while to shake off the rust — I hadn't played consistently in about a decade — I'm starting to get the hang of it again. And after this week, I now know that I can beat Donovan in tennis, at least in a short match. I was beginning to wonder about that.
3) I'm enjoying my new baseball trivia blog. You should, too.
4) My entire family visited this Saturday. While it was a bit overwhelming and M is a lifesaver, the entire process was less of a struggle than I anticipated. Much grilled food was consumed, horseshoes (damn my dad is good for someone with a replaced hip and knee) and bocce (the victors!) were played, and my brother even briefly rediscovered his old Clash records. I don't share much in common with my family, but I have grown to enjoy hanging out with them in small intervals.
5) Sophie the Cat did not enjoy the company. She had to share her loft space with sleeping guests, and that had her even more moody than usual.
6) I need to wear protective goggles or glasses while mowing the yard. Our woodsy backyard has too many small sticks, pine cones, and wood bark lying around, and those things do not feel good when they strike you after being spit out of a mower.
7) My back yard is tolerable in the 90-degree heat. The above mentioned woodsy feel has one benefit in shade.
8) People who light off firecrackers at three in the morning three days after the 4th should lose a finger or limb in the process so they remember the next time they consider repeating the process that it wasn't such a good idea.
9) I'm saddened that my baseline hook shot was not named to the updated list of the 7 Wonders of the World. Clearly, people worldwide need to get outside more often and experience all that the 30-something Champaign-Urbana elementary court basketball league has to offer.
10) Rick Ankiel needs to be freed. The AAA slugger now has 26 homers. Sure, most of those have come against lesser talent, but for the love of baseball, fans in St. Louis need something worthwhile to cheer for at the major league level. Bring him up already!
2) I've started playing tennis again. While it's taken me a while to shake off the rust — I hadn't played consistently in about a decade — I'm starting to get the hang of it again. And after this week, I now know that I can beat Donovan in tennis, at least in a short match. I was beginning to wonder about that.
3) I'm enjoying my new baseball trivia blog. You should, too.
4) My entire family visited this Saturday. While it was a bit overwhelming and M is a lifesaver, the entire process was less of a struggle than I anticipated. Much grilled food was consumed, horseshoes (damn my dad is good for someone with a replaced hip and knee) and bocce (the victors!) were played, and my brother even briefly rediscovered his old Clash records. I don't share much in common with my family, but I have grown to enjoy hanging out with them in small intervals.
5) Sophie the Cat did not enjoy the company. She had to share her loft space with sleeping guests, and that had her even more moody than usual.
6) I need to wear protective goggles or glasses while mowing the yard. Our woodsy backyard has too many small sticks, pine cones, and wood bark lying around, and those things do not feel good when they strike you after being spit out of a mower.
7) My back yard is tolerable in the 90-degree heat. The above mentioned woodsy feel has one benefit in shade.
8) People who light off firecrackers at three in the morning three days after the 4th should lose a finger or limb in the process so they remember the next time they consider repeating the process that it wasn't such a good idea.
9) I'm saddened that my baseline hook shot was not named to the updated list of the 7 Wonders of the World. Clearly, people worldwide need to get outside more often and experience all that the 30-something Champaign-Urbana elementary court basketball league has to offer.
10) Rick Ankiel needs to be freed. The AAA slugger now has 26 homers. Sure, most of those have come against lesser talent, but for the love of baseball, fans in St. Louis need something worthwhile to cheer for at the major league level. Bring him up already!
7.05.2007
Post-fireworks "Fireworks"
The 'Fork released a teaser to the upcoming Animal Collective album, Strawberry Jam, due to drop in September. The video for "Fireworks" is nothing to write home about — typically odd and missing a narrative — but the song is spectacular. They're moving in a Flaming Lips direction with this one.
P.S. Two new Destroyer songs. Woo-hoo!
P.S. Two new Destroyer songs. Woo-hoo!
7.04.2007
That old familiar feeling
Expect more posts here, as I'm back in the blogging mood after a grueling three months at the day job and a tiring move to a new house. First some sad news: Jukebox Upchuck/Good Moanin', my music blog(s), is dead. I just don't have the desire to keep it going when there are so many other worthwhile music blogs that I'd rather read instead of keeping up my own site. But some good news: inspired in part by my friends recent trivia nights, I have a new daily trivia blog. (Sorry, non-baseball fans, it's specific to the diamond.) If you know any fans of the game, please pass along the good word.
6.18.2007
That robot song had me in stitches
One episode in, I'm liking HBO's new comedy series, Flight of the Concords. It's part Extras, part mock-musical, and part indie rock hipster in-joke -- and very enjoyable. We'll have to see how it holds up over the course of several episodes, of course, but I'm hooked after just one. The premise of the episode was so simple -- two bandmates are temporarily torn apart by a girl -- that you wouldn't think it could sustain enough jokes for a 30-minute show. But you'd be wrong. And the musical numbers are actually the show's strength, which is saying something considering how I hold actual musicals in disdain and find little to laugh about as far as Tenacious D is concerned. I'm interested to read what the critics have to say, but in the meantime, do give it a try.I'm also digging John From Cincinnati. I'm not sure if I'm ready to invest all this emotion in the characters just yet, and the show is already asking its audience to do just that after a dramatic episode two. (The writers wisely chose the kid to be the target of your emotion, and its hard to say no to that naive kid.) By and large, this is a show full of oddballs, and my three favorite characters so far are the hotel owner, Ted Bundy, and the namesake, who I can only describe as Rainman meets Morrissey.
As for the first episode of the second half of Entourage, I can already tell I'm going to tire of Billy's character -- and fast. Unfortunately, it looks like he'll be around for a good while.
N/P -- Peter Bjorn and John
3.11.2007
Illini head to the Dance, undeservedly
While I thought we would get a bid to the Big Dance, I don't think we were deserving. Especially when you consider some of the teams that were left out, like Syracuse, Florida State, and Oklahoma State. The Big East didn't get as much love as I expected, which is surprising considering that I think it's the best basketball conference in the nation. Top to near bottom, it's a bitch. When you compare us to Syracuse, you can see why Jim Boeheim might have a good argument. SU beat Penn, 'Nova, Marquette, and G'Town, all teams in the Tourney. I think they're big two wins, over Marquette (on the road) and Georgetown (a game I watched) stand up much better than our two marquee wins over Indiana (at home and neutral). Then there's Oklahoma State, who has two elite college players, and beat Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and lost by just two to Tennessee. Florida State beat Florida, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Duke, and North Carolina State.
We're damn lucky to be dancing, methinks. And I think we'll get bounced in the first round by Virginia Tech, ruining the possible Weber-SIU matchup the tourney folks set up for round two. Here's what I know about the Hokies:
1) A Hokie is not a turkey, as their mascot would lead you to believe. It's actually an old-timey, sorta made-up word that basically means "hooray." True story.
2) They're beatable, as they proved in their non-conference season, beginning the year 4-3 with losses to Western Michigan, Southern Illinois, and George Washington. They dropped another game in surprising fashion when they lost at Marshall (by one). Other than that, their remaining losses were all to good teams within conference.
3) They're also damn good, as evidenced by their two wins over North Carolina. The Hokies can put the ball in the bucket. They scored 90+ points this season twice in ACC play, including a win over the Tarheels. They're led by guard Zabian Dowdell, who is averaging 18.0 points per game and hits 39 percent of his threes; Deron Washington, a 6-foot-7 wing with mad hops; point guard Jamon Gordon, a talented distributor and defender; and swingman A.D. Vassallo, their best three-point shooter. In general, they shoot fairly well from both inside and outside the arc, but like us can struggle at the line. They force a good number of turnovers and create havoc on defense with their athleticism. They remind me in many ways of a poor man's Ohio State -- poor in the sense that they're lacking a Greg Oden.
Our best bet to win: we take a sudden liking to feeding the post, hit a majority of what open looks we can get from beyond the arc, and better our season average at the charity stripe. My prediction: VaTech 61, Illinois 54.
We're damn lucky to be dancing, methinks. And I think we'll get bounced in the first round by Virginia Tech, ruining the possible Weber-SIU matchup the tourney folks set up for round two. Here's what I know about the Hokies:
1) A Hokie is not a turkey, as their mascot would lead you to believe. It's actually an old-timey, sorta made-up word that basically means "hooray." True story.
2) They're beatable, as they proved in their non-conference season, beginning the year 4-3 with losses to Western Michigan, Southern Illinois, and George Washington. They dropped another game in surprising fashion when they lost at Marshall (by one). Other than that, their remaining losses were all to good teams within conference.
3) They're also damn good, as evidenced by their two wins over North Carolina. The Hokies can put the ball in the bucket. They scored 90+ points this season twice in ACC play, including a win over the Tarheels. They're led by guard Zabian Dowdell, who is averaging 18.0 points per game and hits 39 percent of his threes; Deron Washington, a 6-foot-7 wing with mad hops; point guard Jamon Gordon, a talented distributor and defender; and swingman A.D. Vassallo, their best three-point shooter. In general, they shoot fairly well from both inside and outside the arc, but like us can struggle at the line. They force a good number of turnovers and create havoc on defense with their athleticism. They remind me in many ways of a poor man's Ohio State -- poor in the sense that they're lacking a Greg Oden.
Our best bet to win: we take a sudden liking to feeding the post, hit a majority of what open looks we can get from beyond the arc, and better our season average at the charity stripe. My prediction: VaTech 61, Illinois 54.
3.01.2007
10 random thoughts the morning after watching some incredible NCAA hoops
1) You can assume from the title of this post that I was not watching Big Ten basketball, because there's been far too few Big 10 games that would fall under the headline "incredible". (Even though the end of the Penn State-Iowa tilt was entertaining, at least.) No, the hoops I refer to was Texas A&M versus Texas in Austin. This game has been on my calendar for weeks, and unlike the teams' previous meeting @ A&M, this one was all it was billed to be -- tons of lead changes, and a close, well-paced game throughout. Kevin Durant, the best "big man" in college ball, versus Acie Law, the best guard in college ball. It did not disappoint. If you missed the game (eventually won by Texas by two points in double OT), then allow me a brief recap of the game's single-most defining moment. First, the set up: Durant drilled a three with around 20 seconds left in regulation to put Texas up by three. That set the stage for Law, who has earned his rep this year time and time again as the NCAA's best performer with the game on the line. With time winding down, Law dribbled to the wing past a screen, causing Durant -- he of the ninety-foot wingspan -- to switch onto him. Law needed a three to tie the game and send it into overtime. He had to shoot with Durant in his face, so he released a three-pointer that somehow arced over Durant's outstretched arm and, after dusting off the rafters while in orbit, swished through the hoop. Best shot of the year. No doubt. Law hit another three to send the game into a second overtime. But by that point, the Aggies, with two of their starters long-since fouled out, were dead-tired and just couldn't quite get it done on the road. To think that Law isn't being mentioned as a lock for a lottery pick just yet is sad. Yes, this year's draft is deep. But if Brandon Roy can go in the lottery and put up good numbers as a rookie, then Law is a lock to make some NBA team very happy. He'll be a great scoring-dishing PG in the pros. As for Durant, there's no doubt he's the best player in the country. He dominates games in a way that Greg Oden was supposed to, but never has.
2) In general, I've seen more memorable, entertaining NCAA games this year than in any year in recent memory, save for possibly the '04 Illini's run to St. Louis. The influx of freshman talent has had an astounding influence on the NCAA, and if you've been missing out, please pull your head out of your ass and try to catch a game or two before the tourney starts, especially if Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Wisconsin, North Carolina, UCLA, or Florida are on. One of those teams will win the title this year. That's not saying much, I realize, except that I don't think there will be any surprises in the final field of four this year. The cream of the crop is too good. My two darkhorses to make the Final 4: Pitt and Georgetown.
3) Enough NCAA discussion, let's talk pro ball. (Enter collective moan.) I was a bit shocked that the Bulls didn't pull the trigger to get Pau Gasol of the Grizzlies, as was widely rumored. But in the end, I'm still glad that Paxson didn't break up the nucleus. It's true that he also didn't improve the team's most glaring weakness -- interior scoring -- but I like the roll of the dice he's taking. He's got a talented team that defends relatively well and, if their shots are falling, will win at least one playoff round this year in the mediocre East. The Bulls hold a likely Top 10 (probably somewhere between 8-12) pick in the draft, and with that pick its still very likely they can get a very good big man who can step in next year and contribute offensively, say Al Horford, Spencer Hawes, Brook Lopez, or Aaron Gray.
4) My trip to Louisville with M proved rewarding, at least on the record-shopping end of things. The city in general isn't all that interesting on the surface. There's the Louisville Slugger Museum (pics from that later), which was interesting if you're a baseball fanatic but no so much otherwise, the Ali Museum (didn't go), some theater and art, and a variety of restaurants and locally-owned shops. However, we didn't get to experience much of that in the time we were there. There's one mile-plus strip -- Bardstown Road -- where a majority of those shops and restaurants are located, but it's a non-walkable, heavy traffic strip, which makes it difficult to discover much in one day. I concentrated on record stores, and found just two worth visiting: 1) Ear X-tacy, a truly great independent with massive selection and back catalog, but unfortunately no used vinyl, which is what I was after; and 2) Underground Sounds, which had some used vinyl but also a fairly decent '60s collection of new records from Sundazed and the like. I found a couple rarities of note there which I'll post about later on Good Moanin'. Certainly the town had more to offer in terms of music stores than Champaign, but that ain't saying much, of course. I was disappointed. Highlight of the trip: the fried pickle I ate at The Pub, a British pub knock-off. (They also had a diverse and plentiful selection of draft beers, but they were pricey.)
5) I can't wait for my first taste of baseball on TV this year. Wainwright -- remember him, Mets fans? Tigers fans? -- started our first game yesterday, tossing three scoreless innings against the Fish. Rick Ankiel -- remember him, baseball fans? -- went 2-for-2 at the plate. Today, Carpenter faces Glavine. Woo-hoo!
6) Al Green has one of the best voices, ever.
7) Would you read a well-written book on America's introduction of baseball to East Asia, their cultivation of the sport into a distinct style with their own branding, and then East Asia's come-full-circle influence on MLB? I'm gunning for such a book.
8) I've basically stopped taking this multivitamin that M tried to get me to start taking a while ago. I've had this huge bottle of 'em for some time. As foolish as this sounds, taking a daily vitamin makes me feel old, or at least older than I am. I suck at taking vitamins. Always have.
9) The Oscars suck. How did Jennifer Hudson ever defeat Adriana Barraza for an acting award? Of course, I was pitiful once again at picking the winners at this year's Oscars Party. I failed to finish in last, though. For the second year running, I was basically next-to-last, after winning last in my first try three years ago.
10) I like Rice Krispies treats -- a lot. There were some at the Oscars Party, and I enjoyed several. Maybe if I could just place a multivitamin inside a Rice Krispie treat...
2) In general, I've seen more memorable, entertaining NCAA games this year than in any year in recent memory, save for possibly the '04 Illini's run to St. Louis. The influx of freshman talent has had an astounding influence on the NCAA, and if you've been missing out, please pull your head out of your ass and try to catch a game or two before the tourney starts, especially if Kansas, Texas, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Wisconsin, North Carolina, UCLA, or Florida are on. One of those teams will win the title this year. That's not saying much, I realize, except that I don't think there will be any surprises in the final field of four this year. The cream of the crop is too good. My two darkhorses to make the Final 4: Pitt and Georgetown.
3) Enough NCAA discussion, let's talk pro ball. (Enter collective moan.) I was a bit shocked that the Bulls didn't pull the trigger to get Pau Gasol of the Grizzlies, as was widely rumored. But in the end, I'm still glad that Paxson didn't break up the nucleus. It's true that he also didn't improve the team's most glaring weakness -- interior scoring -- but I like the roll of the dice he's taking. He's got a talented team that defends relatively well and, if their shots are falling, will win at least one playoff round this year in the mediocre East. The Bulls hold a likely Top 10 (probably somewhere between 8-12) pick in the draft, and with that pick its still very likely they can get a very good big man who can step in next year and contribute offensively, say Al Horford, Spencer Hawes, Brook Lopez, or Aaron Gray.
4) My trip to Louisville with M proved rewarding, at least on the record-shopping end of things. The city in general isn't all that interesting on the surface. There's the Louisville Slugger Museum (pics from that later), which was interesting if you're a baseball fanatic but no so much otherwise, the Ali Museum (didn't go), some theater and art, and a variety of restaurants and locally-owned shops. However, we didn't get to experience much of that in the time we were there. There's one mile-plus strip -- Bardstown Road -- where a majority of those shops and restaurants are located, but it's a non-walkable, heavy traffic strip, which makes it difficult to discover much in one day. I concentrated on record stores, and found just two worth visiting: 1) Ear X-tacy, a truly great independent with massive selection and back catalog, but unfortunately no used vinyl, which is what I was after; and 2) Underground Sounds, which had some used vinyl but also a fairly decent '60s collection of new records from Sundazed and the like. I found a couple rarities of note there which I'll post about later on Good Moanin'. Certainly the town had more to offer in terms of music stores than Champaign, but that ain't saying much, of course. I was disappointed. Highlight of the trip: the fried pickle I ate at The Pub, a British pub knock-off. (They also had a diverse and plentiful selection of draft beers, but they were pricey.)
5) I can't wait for my first taste of baseball on TV this year. Wainwright -- remember him, Mets fans? Tigers fans? -- started our first game yesterday, tossing three scoreless innings against the Fish. Rick Ankiel -- remember him, baseball fans? -- went 2-for-2 at the plate. Today, Carpenter faces Glavine. Woo-hoo!
6) Al Green has one of the best voices, ever.
7) Would you read a well-written book on America's introduction of baseball to East Asia, their cultivation of the sport into a distinct style with their own branding, and then East Asia's come-full-circle influence on MLB? I'm gunning for such a book.
8) I've basically stopped taking this multivitamin that M tried to get me to start taking a while ago. I've had this huge bottle of 'em for some time. As foolish as this sounds, taking a daily vitamin makes me feel old, or at least older than I am. I suck at taking vitamins. Always have.
9) The Oscars suck. How did Jennifer Hudson ever defeat Adriana Barraza for an acting award? Of course, I was pitiful once again at picking the winners at this year's Oscars Party. I failed to finish in last, though. For the second year running, I was basically next-to-last, after winning last in my first try three years ago.
10) I like Rice Krispies treats -- a lot. There were some at the Oscars Party, and I enjoyed several. Maybe if I could just place a multivitamin inside a Rice Krispie treat...
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