Cards fans, don’t panic. After digesting and contemplating the long term effects of a 7 game losing streak for the past 18 hours, I can tell you that doom hasn’t settled over the team YET.
Things to remember…
*We are losing to 2 of the best teams in baseball. The Braves and Pirates are stocked with good young pitching and play very well at home. This isn’t an excuse but only a reminder when you think this 62-44 team is inching closer to their death. Scratch that. There is time and we aren’t done yet. Sometimes when you lose so many in a row you forget who the opposition is.
*This bad bad streak is happening with 2 months left. Better now than late September. A playoff savvy team has to be playing their best baseball in a tight division race. The timing of this streak isn’t sweet yet not that bitter either. If this happens at the end of June the team is probably barely above .500 and more than 2.5 games behind the Pirates. It happened this past week, and took the pep out of our step but we still only sit a few games back and have tonight’s game to inch closer. The Cards could be a totally different team in late August and September and show a few new members. Don’t sweat this streak for long.
*One win can change everything. Overall mindset. Outlook. When we staked Adam Wainwright to a 2-0 lead last night, I really thought we were going to snap the streak and climb back in. However, as Mike Shannon said last night via Twitter(yes that just happened), “they never said it was going to be easy”. Waino was sloppy and the team blew it. That’s life and that’s baseball. The good thing about this is that the Cards get another shot tonight. The turnaround in baseball is quick and that can be good or bad.
The game of baseball can age a man. I say this because I am a die hard baseball fan and am obsessed with the game and the Cards, as you probably discovered here. It’s so hard to not get romantic and passionate about sports if you step too close for a long time. This is why I whispered into Vinny’s ear last night that its okay to not be obsessed with sports and to actually get there and live a little. This game will take pieces of your soul and sanity away little by little. The more you give, the more the team will take when they plummet and suffer. Cards baseball is the only sport in town that can drain my senses and control my mood. I’ve watched the Blues since a young age but I can shake off their defeat and it’s even less with the Rams(playoffs not included). The reason for me is baseball is such a slow diabolical game and it will wear you down. It contains the most games in a single season and the games are very frequent. It isn’t like in the NFL where you have 1 game per week and that is it. Win or lose, you can recover in time for the next one. In hockey, they play 2-3 times a week but the action happens so fast it can roll in and out of your system quicker. In baseball, it’s a slow bleed and a painful boil inside your soul and mind. It can kill you. All the little inner mind games going on and the intellectual madness and despair involved in the decision making. As fans, we take it all in and its dangerous. For me, with baseball, I see all the signs and the lanes of opportunity. Like last night when Matheny didn’t pinch hit for DD with Adams and Carpenter on the bench. That one decision. This game is truly a game of inches. Inches that can decide a huge number of games. As a fan this can be painful.
Example. When the Cards lost game 1 of the doubleheader on Tuesday, I was about to walk into a movie. I watched the ball bounce off Kevin Siegrist’s glove and into left field for the winning hit and I walked into the theater and literally told my poor wife, “This movie better be fucking good!”. I give a lot of credit to my wife for putting up with my sports and movie obsession. It’s not always easy seeing your husband watch a movie for the 15th time or seeing him wallow with a team when they struggle. She gets extra points for that. I can say without hesitation that sports obsessions have ended plenty of relationships but the Buffa’s got it together. She knows I have a mistress that is the Cardinals from February until November. She accepts that and that’s why I’m lucky. Most women would shake their heads(unless they were die hard fans too) and walk out the door.
So tune in tonight and don’t hold your breath for a victory but I wouldn’t rule out success at the same time. They may crush our spirits again but we can at least keep in mind that they will do it again on Friday. Take the field, pitch to win, hit to succeed and try to make enough plays and smart decisions to come up with a win. Also, the people who want Mike Matheny fired are stupid, ridiculously inept sad excuses for a baseball fan. Probably a member of the best fans in baseball who desperately want Tony La Russa triple guessing decisions and perplexing strategy back.
Alright, non baseball shit-
*The Bourne Legacy is nearly as good as the previous three entries. Without Matt Damon, Jeremy Renner stepped into the role of Aaron Cross, a fellow Bourne like agent, and knocked it out of the park. Together with a cast including Rachel Weisz and Edward Norton, the writer of the original three Bourne films, Tony Gilroy(along with his brother Dan) crafted a highly entertaining and intelligent film. The same tense action and thrills and gutsy performances. Check it out on HBO or DVD.
*I have acquired my copy of the first season of Cinemax’s underrated and addicting new series, Banshee. I have written two articles about it on my website. The show is delicious and worth a look. The entire season is only 25 dollars on DVD. Check it out.
*The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club are coming to St. Louis on September 27th and I will be there. One of the most underrated unknown rock bands return to a place they have piloted before and the walls and floor will be shaking. Smooth old fashioned punk rock n’ roll. Swirling guitars. Heavy vocals. Plenty of hits. Tickets go on sale tomorrow and they are cheap. Need a taste. Here it is.
-Albert Pujols’ injury closing down his season is a good thing.
-Why Jake Peavy isn’t a good fit for Cards and how we can stand pat.
-The Cards player with biggest question mark? David Freese.
-The bizarre absurd movie called Only God Forgives.
-And More..
Starting things up…bullet style.
Albert Pujols’ foot injury, caused by plantar faciitis, will put him out for the rest of the season. We all know about AP’s miraculous healing efforts when he was in St. Louis but he is getting older now and may indeed be out until 2014. For three months, the man cranked 17 HR, 64 RBI and hit .260 while standing on one leg. It was painful to watch him take hacks and get overpowered by a fastball. He was in pain but is one of the toughest bastards to play baseball and even took the dreaded DH spot to prove it. However, he tore a muscle in his foot this past week, and that is exactly what is required for plantar fasciitis to heal. Tear the muscle, alleviate pressure and REST. I want nothing but the best for Pujols. Love or hate his decision, but he gave our city 11 fantastic seasons that few STL athletes can claim and he went to a team that barely opposed the Cards. I want him to dominate and be his old self. In order for that to happen, he needs to sit.
I don’t think the Cards need Jake Peavy. Apparently, John Mozelaik agrees because Peavy cleaned out his locker today and is headed to Oakland(per reports). Peavy is a nice talent and good addition for most teams but to give up Carlos Martinez or Kolton Wong(players that could be in Cardinal Red for a decade) would be foolish. At this stage in his career, Peavy is a liability. In 2008, this is a different conversation. Now, he is an injury prone 15 million dollar arm that may not give a team more than 2 months of pitching before a body part breaks down. He is a less tougher younger version of Chris Carpenter. Alexei Ramirez isn’t worth the swap either, because he is an older player, can only hit better than Kozma but doesn’t play as good of defense. Ramirez isn’t a horrible addition but only worth it for the right exchange.
This is why I pride Mozelaik’s brain. He doesn’t get fooled that often at the deadline. He may bring in a shitty guy like Khalil Greene or Ty Wiggington in the offseason but he is aces at the deadline. He brought in Edwin Jackson and Rzep, who helped us knock out the playoff opposition. He got rid of Colby Rasmus. He brought in Ryan Ludwick and traded him before his body gave up on him again. He traded for the presumed nobody Edward Mujica last season, who is now 30-32 in saves in 2013. Mozelaik knows that this team can stand pat on the young firepower that has got the team to this point and is capable of winning a World Series. Young teams have done it before. I have faith in Mo this week.
Chris Carpenter is as tough as they come. Seriously, the man is made of many parts but his heart and soul is unbreakable. He gave it a great shot. He tried to come back. If he shall decide to hang it up, nobody can fault his effort or drive. He wants to be able to play with his kids in 10-20 years. He wants to hoist his grandchildren one day. This nerve issue could get a lot worse if he presses on and keeps throwing. If that is the case medically, Carpenter needs to pay his dues and hang it up. He had a helluva career, and one that was marked with improbability. He came to St. Louis 10 years ago under a mystery label. He won a Cy Young and won 2 rings. The Cards may have given the Red Sox a fight in 2004 if Carpenter didn’t tear his triceps. You never know with injuries. I do know that Chris Carpenter is the best pitcher I’ve ever seen in person. He is tough, efficient and the guy you always wanted on the mound. What he did in the fall of 2006 and 2011 at the end of the season and in the postseason is the stuff of legend, especially 2 years ago when he outdueled Roy Halladay and gave everything he had against the Rangers. Carpenter is true grit personified. It may be time for him to hang it up.
Once again, David Freese needs to watch his back and play his best. He is up for free agency and Kolten Wong needs a place to play soon. Just saying. IMOS may want to find a different face.
Only God Forgives was as brutal, disturbing, blunt, original and absurd as a movie can get. It’s available on demand and on Itunes. Japanese madness. Ryan Gosling stars in it but even he looks misguided. Definitely a DVD.
That’s it. Short one this time. Need to get out, grab the wife, get barbecue material and start grilling. 705 game time tonight on ESPN.
Quick, blunt and straight to the point…otherwise what am I doing here? Talking. Here is what I have heard and what I know and believe.
The Cards lost last night to the Braves and here is why.
-Adam Wainwright allowed a 2 out RBI single to the opposing pitcher.
-The Bats went silent with the exception of Yadi’s homer. It was the first home run for the Cards since before the AS break and Yadi hit that one at Wrigley.
-The defense threw the ball around in the 7th inning.
-Mike Minor was in shutdown mode.
Chalk it up and move on. Here is the important part. We are 62-38 and lead the Pirates by 2.5 games in the central. Why?
Let me run down a quick list.
-The Cards are getting tons of timely hits. With RISP, the team is hitting .338. Ridiculous and just as strong with 2 outs. Yes, I do believe there is such a thing as clutch hitting. Some hitters flunk in the big spotlight and others shine. Allen Craig is hitting nearly .500 with guys in scoring position. Put the stakes at the ceiling and Craig delivers.
-With Ty Wiggington gone and the bench a little more young, they are producing. Shane Robinson is pitching in with a platoon effort with Jon Jay. Shane isn’t flashy and a 4th OF for his life but plays good defense and is speedy on the basepaths. Brock Petersen was a brief power bench bat option.
-The rotation is sharp again. Jake Westbrook has recaptured his efficiency and found a bat. Lance Lynn set himself straight against the Phillies, as did Shelby Miller. You don’t get anywhere without good pitching. In our April-May surge, it was there. In our June swoon, it wasn’t. In our 13-6 July, it has returned for the most part. Few leaks and bruises exist but better.
-The Bullpen is getting stronger. Seth Maness and Kevin Siegrist are new talents. Randy Choate is doing his job. Trevor Rosenthal is a lights out setup guy. Edward Mujica is the biggest surprise of the season(bigger than Matt Carpenter bc Matt hit very well last year all over the field). The bullpen is so good Mike Matheny brought back over the hill vets Marc Rzepcynzski and Fernando Salas.
-The offensive attack has been built on singles. RBI single galore. No home runs. Just small ball killers minus the stolen base.
-Our pitching staff doesn’t give up home runs.
-Matt Carpenter is a legit leadoff hitter.
-Edward Mujica is 30-32 in saves.
-Allen Craig is a cyborg RBI producing bat ripping machine.
Questions?
Do we need a trade? Take the NEED away and it’s more like John Mozelaik can walk through the grocery store at the deadline and just glance at the options. Shortstop is a need but Kozma/Descalso combo works and there isn’t a good option on the market. Starting pitching is a need but you have 5 guys in there now battling and Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha and Tyler Lyons(starting 1st game of the PITT doubleheader on Tuesday) await in the wings. We don’t need Jake Peavy. Bench bat? Matt Adams and Brock Petersen say no but I wouldn’t mind a veteran presence who can hit better than .190.
Can Lance Lynn improve and hold up…in the rotation? No telling. True toss up. He is an enigma because this year he is in shape and has a full arsenal of pitches yet gets trapped in mind games. He can at least be an effective 4th or 5th guy but that means Miller must rise up.
Is Pete Kozma really good enough to play SS for a whole season? First thing is, he will platoon with Daniel Descalso and that will prevent him from being over..over…over exposed at the plate. He is a .230-.240 hitter but plays a very good shortstop. He will make errors but not often and makes a lot of tough plays look easy with his little baby angel hands. If there was an option that didn’t cost us an arm and a future leg and was a big upgrade over our current set, I’d say go for it but it doesn’t exist Alexei Rameriz isn’t it!!!
Is Allen Craig an alien from Clutcheonton? I know, bad planet name but this guy is insanely productive and the team couldn’t have a better cleanup guy right now. He has an ability to work the count, not be fooled, and stretch out and poke singles in big spots. He loves the pressure and thrives in it. With Albert Pujols heading for surgery and Craig thriving, there should be dry eyes in Cardinal Nation at the 1B spot.
Can Edward Mujica keep this up? Yes, but I wouldn’t bet your mortgage on it. Simply put, Mujica doesn’t have a devastating fastball and also has a splitter that isn’t impossible to hit. In other words, he pitches to contact. This isn’t bad but we got a whiff of this nightmare with Ryan Franklin years ago. Soon enough, hitters will get better hold of Mujica and that may cause dicier 9th innings, like we have seen lately. On Wednesday, Mujica was very good, struck out 2 and slammed the door on the Phillies. He does have 30 saves and that can’t be forgotten. I am telling you he has never closed in August/September and his pitches will need more life to hold up.
Let’s roll on with quick takes.
Fruitvale Station is the best movie I’ve seen in 2013 and it opened wide yesterday. It’s a true story and worth watching because of the hole it leaves in your stomach and the lasting image. Forget Trayvon Martin and the comparisons. The tale of Oscar Grant is more powerful and speaks to a whole range of topics that has nothing to do with a court or jury. It bought up real estate in my soul and hasn’t left yet. Remember the name Michael B. Jordan at Oscar time. My review.
Jake Allen signed a two year deal and that’s great news. This guy rescued the team in February when Halak was hurt and Brian Elliot went into no man’s land. Allen is the future and the #1 goalie my mind that the other two have to worry about. Halak can do all the workouts he wants but still sits behind Allen. The kid.
The Rams opened minicamp and it doesn’t mean anything just like previous seasons but there is an obvious buzz this year. Sam Bradford with the same offensive coordinator for a 2nd season. Tavon Austin bringing new fire to the return game. Jared Cook giving us a legit tight end. The departure of Steven Jackson opening up a frenzy at the RB position. Jake Long protecting Bradford. The Jeff Fisher ball producing a 7-8-1 season in 2012. The lighter schedule. Explosive offensive capabilities. Big things could happen this year. For the first time, expectations could be set going into the preseason. A lot happens in a year.
Joe Kelly with 6 productive innings today in Atlanta. Starting pitching need? Yes and as seen today, NO. Kelly was vital in 2012 and received zero credit in 2013. He is back in the rotation again and just froze Dan Uggla with a 96 mph fastball on his 76th pitch. Book it. Cliff Lee would be nice but the Phillies will want a boatload of prospects. Do you make that move? Lee’s contract is ridiculous. I know he would make the rotation aces but I have hesitation there.
The Wolverine is a big improvement on Wolverine: Origins and adds spice to Marvel’s most badass character of Logan/Wolverine. Hugh Jackman is the reason this film works. I wrote about him for my site this week. Check it out.
Albert Pujols is taking time off to get his left foot looked at. Plantar fascitis is no joke and doesn’t get better until you rest it. Pujols is a tough bastard. The toughest. But he needs to sit, get surgery and get well. Again, he has 8 years to go on that contract. A contract I still don’t think he will complete.
I’m wrapping this up early. Kid is asleep and I need to get a couple things done before he awakes. Thanks for reading.
Throw another round in the chamber and here we go….unfiltered and blunt as usual. Sunday afternoons with a little rain and shine can’t hide what I need to say so on with it.
Random Fire Style-
Chris Carpenter is the most honest athlete you will ever meet. He’s hard on himself and gives the media the blunt truth so we get it straight. Joe Strauss talked to Carp after his bad outing on Saturday and the future suddenly isn’t so bright for a Carp comeback. Last night, his pitches look sloppy and were punished. His fastball didn’t fly and his curve rolled. Carp hated his work and thus gave a rough analysis of the future. He meets with John Mozelaik and Mike Matheny tomorrow and will throw next on Thursday and then make another start right at the trade deadline. It’s hard to tell what will happen. Carp’s fastball hit 95 mph this weekend but his stuff looked flat and didn’t improve from Monday’s performance. Getting lit up by AAA pitching doesn’t bode well for major league sluggers, but I have to step in here and add. This is his second start of 2013. He is being hard on himself but for good reason. If he can’t come back, that puts more food on Mo’s plate to dice up and chew. If he comes back, there isn’t a HUGE need for a starting pitcher. Carpenter is truly an X-Factor in the deadline arms race.
Furthermore, the important thing to point out again is that the Cards DON’T HAVE to make a move but they can certainly help themselves with an addition. For me, it has to be right. Don’t add a salary for no reason. First, assess what you have. Carpenter gets two more starts at least in AAA and in my mind should take them. He has thrown less than 10 innings this season and is still in spring training mode for facing hitters. I love his candor and honesty but think his bluntness is getting used too sharply here. He will throw again before the break and that is a big day for him and the team. Carp is being straight here and that is because the deadline is approaching and it will be decision time soon for his bosses. This has nothing to do with money or glory but being able to help his team. Carpenter isn’t going to climb that mound at Busch if he can’t fool a minor league hitter with his curveball. Simple as that. As much as I want to see him scream, roar and dominate ONE more time, he won’t do it if he isn’t ready.
In my mind, Lance Lynn is trade bait because the guy is becoming Jekyll and Hyde for this team. If Mo has a trade piece, it’s Lynn, who has a proven track record of success and may need a fresh start. Granted, he has a ton of wins as a starter and I am not pushing him out the door but you have a ton of Memphis heat waiting in the wings and we are entering Lynn’s dog days. He is slowly putting pounds back on his frame and losing to less than stellar talent. He got beat last weekend by the Cubs and fell to the Padres this weekend. We don’t need that kind of performance right now. If you are going to place an asset on the trade block, Lynn may be it. Also, Lynn is showing too many young boy whining session on the mound. I don’t see that shit from Miller, Rosenthal, Kelly or Carlos Martinez. Lynn randomly loses his cool on the mound and doesn’t have his father figure, Carp, to keep him in line. He acts like a child at times.
Jake Westbrook has fired off three solid starts in a row after Friday night’s gem against San Diego. He collected 3 hits and spread a few hits over 6.1 innings. Westbrook has calmed my fears about his post elbow strain performance. He is joining Waino as a reliable asset in the rotation. An expected veteran lift.
Joe Kelly is also trade bait simply for the fact that he is a floating piece of pitching strength. If Carp comes back, Kelly goes back into the pen. If Carp doesn’t come back but Lynn is moved, Kelly stays. Kelly has proven his worth and has decent value. He has 19 starts in the majors and over half are quality turns. He can be a long relief guy and closer type. He is a guy the Cards can hold onto and utilize in the last two months or move. Use him or move him.
The 5th spot in the rotation comes into full use again on July 27th. From there on out, the full rotation goes back into motion because the off days are few and far between.
The Options For the Cards and the 5th spot are simple yet carry a small amount of complexity.
*Carpenter comes back and fills a manageable durable 5th spot. This means don’t expect the vintage Carp here. That man is gone and never to return. If he can give 5-6 innings of decent work, he gets the 5th spot.
*Carp derails completely and Joe Kelly keeps the fifth spot. Kelly will give you the decent results from a 5th starter quite easily. He’s done it whenever he gets the ball, even after weeks of barely seeing the mound.
*Kelly/Lynn are moved, Carp comes back and Carlos Martinez steps into the rotation. I like Carlos being used a starter and have no clue why he is in the bullpen right now being underused. He was sent back to Memphis in June to be stretched out as a starter but got called back last week as a reliever. What is the team doing with this kid? Don’t mess with him. Treat him like Shelby and make him a starter all year or give him the Waino treatment and let him work in the pen. Don’t mix it up. Choose one. He is too important.
Whatever happens, we will know in 10 days.
David Freese is hitting his way out of STL. He is hitting cleanup today in Matheny’s latest “start the backups, jumpstart a slumping vet” tactic. He made a horrible error(ruled a hit bc its at Busch) and grounded out in the bottom half. I wonder if Freese will ever recover from being crowned a hero in Game 6 of the World Series in 2011. He had a decent 2012 season but has regressed in 2013 to the point of being moved all around the order. Freese is coming up on the last years of team controlled free agency, so there could be a move and he is a trade option. With Kolten Wong tearing up Memphis and Matt Carpenter becoming the revelation of 2013 at second base, Freese is finding his spot and future on this team in danger. That’s baseball for you.
Trade block assets are Lynn, Kelly, Freese and Jon Jay. I wouldn’t be surprised if either of them are moved.
The Cards are in a dogfight and can’t afford to be sentimental. If Freese has to go, he will never lose those memories and neither will we.
The story of recently called up power bat Brock Petersen is worth telling. I will give the short version. A year ago, Petersen was looking at the end of his long minor league career while playing for an independent league team. No minor league affiliated team. Independent league. Petersen was getting set to register for online courses for the University of Phoenix when the Cards called and sent him to Memphis. This season, he has become a true force and earned a call up. He put together a .306 BA, 22 HR, and 66 RBI down in the AAA circuit and resurrected his once dead baseball career. He put together a 9 pitch at bat in his MLB debut last night, collecting an RBI groundout. He is at the plate now, hitting 6th in the starting lineup. Two days later, Brock is starting in left field for the St. Louis Cardinals. Fantastic story. An older guy given a shot late in his career to be a MLB player. It doesn’t get better than that because it’s 100 % real.
Batman and Banshee. Switching gears, unless you hate comics and movies, you heard yesterday that Batman and Superman will join forces in a movie in 2015. Man of Steel helmer Zach Snyder will return and DC comics is taking its big chance. For me, it may or may not work. Depends on the script, casting of the Bat and the director. If Snyder wants to go all action bombast crazy like he did at the end of Man of Steel, I can’t say it will work a second time. If he tones down the action and gives plenty of story, it may work. Who would I cast as the bat? I give 6 options in this piece on Film-Addict. My dark horse option. Banshee’s Antony Starr.
I will be writing a column on Showtime’s Ray Donovan for Film-Addict. My TV spotlight goes on this fine drama because it packs a wallop, has a great cast, plenty of story and got renewed for season 2 last week. Bring it on.
The real question is what series do I tackle in the downtime of the summer? I am out of work and there aren’t many new shows on right now? FX’s The Bridge looks interesting but I may wait until it’s first season concludes so I don’t get left on the hook each week. It’s a one season story line and a remake that follow a Mexican cop and American cop’s investigation of a body found right across the border of Mexico and the US. Other options include AMC’s Hell of Wheels with Anson Mount. A western revenge tale. You also have the recently wrapped cop drama, Southland(from the creator of Ray Donovan). There is Cinemax’s Strikeforce, which looks like a combination of stupid action, tense terrorist drama and buddy camaraderie. Decisions all around.
You know you are a proud loser/stay at home dad when you spend Friday and Saturday night at the gym. When the kid goes down, I go to work.
The Rams begin camp soon and if there is one hope I have for this team that has a new found toy chest of offensive toys, I want the 2012 points per game of 18.6 to go up. If we have any chance of beating the Seahawks and 49ers in the division or putting together a sneaky run at the playoffs, the Rams need to score more points. More touchdowns. Less field goals. With inbound weapons like TE Jared Cook and multiple asset Tavon Austin, I hope we can light teams up this year. I have high expectations for Fisher ball in 2013.
The Blues signed enigmatic forward Chris Stewart to a 2 year, 8.3 million dollar deal. This deal is good and bad. Stewie is a decent producing winger but disappears for long stretches. He can score 5 goals in a week and then none for 2 weeks. He is dangeorusly streaky. The David Freese of the Blues. Stewart is an aggressive player and can hold his own in a fight but you don’t pay a thug with a scoring touch 4 million to drop his gloves and protect. We have Barrett Jackman for that. Stewart has to earn this deal.
Yadi Molina has come back to life and is hitting .335 on the season. Over his past 15 games, he has only gone hitless twice. He isn’t slowing down. Just wondering if his right knee is affecting him at all.
Good headphones are everything to a runner/weight lifter/laptop junkie. I prefer the pods that come with Apple products. I have worn every kind of head equipment for listening to tunes and movies. It doesn’t get better than Apple ear pods. So when your son chews on your two pairs, what do you do? Head to Walmart, buy a new pair for 30 bucks. Money doesn’t matter if you use the product enough and would be wasting money on a lesser quality brand.
Twitter Urges Are Real. The logical thing for a writer seeking exposure for his own writing and website would just keep on tweeting and plugging away. Let the followers and feedback come. It’s harder than it seems. You see interactions with followers go to great places, and how that effects your craft and you just want more. That’s life and the human flaw. WANTING more. I want more and nearing 200 followers(I once sat at 45), I just want more followers to interact with and spread my craft. I don’t want fame only. I want an audience. It’s in my blood. Part of my system. Something I can’t control. If you are on twitter, connect with me and let’s have some fun with 140 characters.
That’s it. All I got. List of topics is finished. Cards have a 3-1 lead. Allen Craig hits RBI hits as often as water comes out of a tap and what do you know Freese gets a 2 run double. The day is in front of me and I am going to get away from my desk and get busy living. Thanks for reading. If unemployment has taught me anything, it’s take advantage of the time with your kid while you get it.
Here are a few things that are rattling around my cage over the past couple of days.
*The All Star game doesn’t suck. It simply shouldn’t determine the home field advantage in the world series. That’s the main gripe. It makes the participants play hard and really compete, which can result in fine pitching duels like yesterday’s 3-0 AL domination, but still shouldn’t determine a huge advantage in the playoffs. I don’t need to watch it either live. ESPN adores and worships the event so they show every single part in its recap. If you missed a glance from an old timer to a current player in the 4th inning, Sportscenter will have it. Without the MLB ASG, ESPN would commit suicide. Without the HR derby, they would leave town after they committed suicide.
*ESPN shows all the highlights for the ASG because MLB is the only sport going on right now. People fail to realize that during the good portion of the summer, baseball is all there is. They don’t have to share the limelight with any other major sport. NBA and NHL share a part of the year. NFL comes in at the end of MLB and the dawn of hockey and basketball. MLB is all by itself and when they take 3 days off, Sportscenter is as dry as the heat in STL in August. Since I love baseball the most, I say this with pride. It may not rule the world like the NFL, but it gets its own spotlight.
*The HR Derby can go. Seriously, fire a bullet into Berman and can the whole operation or make it faster paced or more entertaining. Stop giving hitters 10 outs in each round. Stop letting the HR totals add up throughout the rounds. Each round HR count should stand on its own. Make it interesting. Pit Bryce Harper against Robinson Cano and have one of the hardest throwers in the game fire nothing yet fastballs down the middle of the plate. Each gets THREE outs to hit as many home runs as they can. Make it quicker. It has to be faster and not become a long 2 hour event. Berman can say BACK BACK BACK and its cool for about 3 minutes. After, the derby becomes too much excess. Like a lot of CGI in a movie. Give me something dramatic, real and worth watching. The HR derby sucks.
*Carlos Beltran wants to play 3 more years and if I were him right now, why not? He is running better, cranking power stats and holding up a 2 year deal in St. Louis. If the Cards wish to keep him, it may take a 2 year deal at least and I wouldn’t be violently opposed to the deal. If he wanted more money and 2 years and really wished to stay, I have started to switch my vote from one year only to maybe he can stay. He has produced power numbers and held up in the health department. We do have Oscar Taveras, but he is showing David Freese like ankles down at Memphis. So if Beltran wants to stay here and doesn’t want too much of a raise, sign him up. Worse comes to worse, he platoons with Oscar in Year #2. I do like Matt Adams and this would keep him in a platoon spot, so if Beltran walks, I wouldn’t object either. The Cards have options and good ones. These are good problems to have. Like standing at the car dealership and seeing three solid cars that just need some mileage. If Beltran stays, you mix Matt Adams into the lineup or use him as a bench bat because he is still young. If Beltran goes, you put Craig in right, mix Oscar in with Jay in center and put Adams at first. The way Adams played full time at Wrigley last weekend, he makes that question even harder.
Once again, good problems to have. There is money coming off the books in 2014. Jake Westbrook and his 9 million are gone. You aren’t paying Furcal or Carpenter anymore. You have payroll flexibility. Think about it. No answer is stupid. Unless you say trade Matt Adams, which is stupid because he is young, productive, and electric with the bat AND cheap. If you said let Beltran walk unless he wants 1 year and an option, I would consider that statement with merit.
*The Way Way Back opens in theaters on Friday and is flat and disappointing. Critics will gush over its wacky feel good charisma but this critic is telling you to stay away. It’s got good writing in spots and a killer Sam Rockwell performance but runs dry in the third act. Hardest part of writing a script? Writing THREE good acts. Trust me, I have three unfinished scripts.
*White House Down is good entertainment but nothing golden sticks out after 3 weeks. I gave it a 4/5 because I thought it was highly entertaining and special, but weeks later I can say its worth it but not worth seeing AGAIN. There you have it, a film-addict revisit.
*World War Z is a special film and a worthy 4/5. I didn’t rate this film for the site but I would see it again. It’s a fresh take on the zombie genre and Brad Pitt is good in it. It relies on tension and not GORE.
*I didn’t get a chance to see Now You See Me or This is The End. I wish I had. I will down the road. You have to save some for Blu Ray, right???
*Cory Monteith overdosed on heroin and mixed in alcohol to further the departure. Believe me, that’s what happened. He left rehab in April but didn’t kick the habit. He was a popular guy in Hollywood, had a good role on GLEE(not that I would know) and a killer girlfriend in co-star Lea Michele. Too bad he had a drug addiction since he was 19. This wasn’t done by Hollywood folks. The guy struggled with substance abuse since he was a teenager and simply couldn’t outrun it. Some people change. Most can’t change. Monteith got mixed up with the wrong drug. Heroin is truly deadly. It can stop your heart in an instant. Either Cory got a bad batch or just let too much in. The human body is vulnerable and weak to these substances. Imagine lighting your insides on fire. That’s drug use. Cory was the same age as me. 31 years old. The only reason I’m alive and he isn’t. I am not a drug addict. Just say no friends.
*Steven C. Miller is a indie horror director and I had the chance to interview him yesterday for his new film Under The Bed. The movie is DVD worthy but the director is a real good dude who could make a solid horror film if given a budget. He drove straight from Florida to Hollywood right out of film school when he was in his 20’s did so on 100 dollars, along with a couple buddies and he was in his car for 6 months. He has made 1 mainstream movie and 7 indies. He makes movies with teens or children as the heroes and ends films with a bang. All of his movies are 90 minutes or less. Talking to him, you got the sense that he knew what he wanted to do at an early age and is making it happen(on his terms) in the show. Read the piece when it posts on Friday.
*Mel Gibson is Expendable. He is the bad guy in Expendables 3, the AARP action slug fest brought to you by Sly Stallone. Call it humor but the movies are a whole lot of fun and easy on the eyes. Sly calls up all his action buddies and they get paid to blow shit up. It’s action porn dished out 1980’s style. The last one had Chuck Norris telling his own Chuck Norris fact joke. Dolph joking about his real life braininess on screen. Statham being…Statham. Gibson will only add to the fun in the same way Jean Claude Van Damme did in the second edition. If you love and miss old school action, watch the first two and await the Crazy Mel VS. Roided Up Sly matchup next year.
*Fruitvale Station, the true story indie about Oscar Grant featuring a star making Michael B. Jordan performance, is still on my mind 9 days later. Powerful movie. Comes out July 26th.
*The Wolverine has a chance to be something different in this film James Mangold and Hugh Jackman present the idea of the X-Men’s finest character becoming mortal. An interesting predicament for the anti-hero. If you don’t like this stuff, read on. If you like it, consider that Hugh came out and said the last one was shit and he wanted to do better. This is redemption.
*Chris Carpenter was good in his Springfield start. His stats(5 IP, 5 K, 3 BB, 3 ER, 5H) were alright but he came out of it the next day feeling strong and ready to go. The starts don’t count until he gets back to the show. He will make at least 3-4 more starts. He’ll probably be back in early August. I don’t think he takes the whole 30 days.
*David Freese better get his swing working or else he may not be a Cardinal in 2014. Let me explain before the STL BFIB whiny bunch throw me off the ARCH. Freese hasn’t consistently got his bat going this year. He had a wretched April, an average May, a hot June, and an okay to average July so far. Freese needs to bust out of this average overall streak. Freese is hitting .271 with 5 HR and 30 RBI. That isn’t terrible but he needs to do better than that. He is making 3.15 million this year. He wants a multi-year extension after this season. If he wants stability, he needs to finish with a bang. He has played 74 games and has an on base percentage of .342. That’s decent. His problems is Kolten Wong and Matt Carpenter. Carpenter is blowing minds(with justification if you ask me) and Wong is tearing up AAA pitching. Carpenter has made 2B his home but can play 3B as well. Wong is going to come up to the club in September at the latest. He will be here in 2014. He is the future and this team is relying more and more on younger talent. Freese is getting old and needs to earn his keep. He wants to start and probably not step down to a utility bat or platoon guy. If he wants to do that in a Cards uniform, he has to hit better. His defense is adequate at best. He hit .293 with 20 HR and 79 RBI in 144 games last year. His stats halfway through are trending down and not up. If he wants to get paid and paid here, he has to be better. Carpenter and Wong aren’t stepping down.
*Jon Jay has a similar dilemma. He is having a rough season. Hitting .250 with better power numbers than Freese(bad for David there). Jay played in 100 or more games and hit .297 or better in the last three years. He made getting rid of Colby Rasmus tolerable in 2011. Jay has been a cheap producer the past three years. His OBP percentage this year is a paltry .331 and for him that’s bad. In 2012, his OBP was .373. He is having a bad year and with the idea of Carlos returning, Oscar coming up soon and other options coming to light, Jon Jay is starting hear breathing over his shoulders. I never saw him as a long term big time talent. He was going to run out sooner or later. He isn’t hitting leadoff anymore and is best in the #7 hole. He will make a fine 4th OF if he wants to accept that role. Rather or not Beltran stays or goes in 2014, he may be sharing time with Oscar, ride the bench or be elsewhere in 2014. Jay’s defense has also become average to decent instead of gold glove worthy in 2013. If he loses that, his bat gets more attention and that’s not good right now. Reality hits hard for guys like Freese and Jon Jay.
*People are throwing a large fit over Rolling Stone magazine posting a cover story of the Boston Bomber on their latest issue. Listen people this is a magazine that branched out from music and movies a long time ago. Get over it. It is a story that I would love to read because I am a true crime nut and want the story behind the monster who threw a backpacked bomb into a well known epic race. I want that story. Instead of seeing Kanye or Beyonce on the cover, we get an old pic of the young man who became a terrorist with one move. It’s called journalism. Rolling Stone has been doing it for years. They have put their foot in politics and war related topics for decades and having read several of their pieces, I approve of their work. It’s detailed, full of quotes and source checked like a champ. They can do more than talk about song and fiction over there. It’s been done for a long time. People are so sensitive since 9/11 about magazine covers exploiting terrorists. When did we scare so easy? What happened? Why are we weak in 2013 about a man who blew up a part of Boston getting a story on the front page. Evil lives right beside us friends. Jacob Riis, a famous Philadelphia photographer of the slums, once said, “Where God builds a church, the devil lives next door.” It’s part of us. A human did this. He committed these crimes. I want to know why so maybe next time we can stop it or at least understand it. I’ll buy the issue and read it and discuss it in a blog and put it all over the internet until I get chased by little people with torches.
I’m not lying about Charles Manson. See my attached image.
*DVD Must Watch(Or Find). 42, the story of Jackie Robinson, came out on DVD today. My critic colleague said it was decent yet wrapped in shiny foam. Kind of goody goody. It didn’t tell us anything new. If you want a really good pull back the covers look at a famous baseball play, watch Billy Crystal’s HBO classic, 61, that chronicles the chase of Babe Ruth’s record by Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle. Back then, people wanted to create their own heroes. So when the quiet church going outcast Maris got close to it and not the alcoholic rebellious Mantle fell off, outrage followed. Barry Pepper and Thomas Jane have never been better than they are here.
Go find it.
*DVD Must Not Watch. Dead Man Down. Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace and Terrence Howard fill up this glossy dull crime thriller that carried distant characters and had the pace of a snail. I had high hopes and it let me down. Avoid it.
*Film-Addict posts screening alerts every other day on our site. Passes to advanced screenings. If you live in STL and love movies, go there, sign up, and start commenting and getting free movies.
*Dan Brown novels are getting made again. Ron Howard and Tom Hanks are coming together on his latest novel, Inferno. It’s got a fairly fresh take on the Robert Langdon chronicles and should make for a good movie. I read Da Vinci and Angels and Demons and thought the movies were crap. Hopefully, this one is better. It will be a billion dollars but I just hope its entertaining and a little smart.
*TV Alert. Newsroom is back and stronger than ever. Dexter is holding up well and starting to wrap up its season and True Blood is near moronic.
*Closing Statement on Cards. They don’t HAVE to make a trade. They can live with their internal options and system. We have a guy named Brock Petersen cranking bombs at Memphis that can help our bench. We have Carlos Martinez, Michael Wacha, Tyler Lyons, John Gast and Chris Carpenter as rotation helpers. We have plenty of offense. Our bullpen is stocked worth of young power arms. The second half features more PITT and CIN but also games against lesser competition. Mozelaik doesn’t have to make a move. That’s why he is a dangerous man.
That’s all. Thanks for reading. Appreciate it as always.
Cards news. Beltran and Molina in ASG starting lineup, batting 2nd and 6th respectively. Hope Yadi doesn’t hurt the knee and Beltran is ginger as usual in the outfield. Go NL and that’s only because the stupid rule of this game determining the WS home field is in play.
Keith Butler was sent down and I am fine with that. I don’t know what the Cards are doing with Carlos Martinez,a prized prospect and future rotation mainstay. The kid has lights out stuff and pitched well Saturday at Wrigley. However, he was sent down in May to be stretched back out as a starter after a brief callup. What are they doing now with him? He will have to be sent back down and stretched back out. I hate when the team messes with players like this, especially younger ones. Decide on a road with a player. The rotation is crumbling a bit lately and if that’s the case make a move and insert a fresh arm like Carlos into the rotation. Is Shelby Miller in need of a shoulder exam and is he suffering from shoulder soreness? If you want to limit his pitching for the second half, give him a DL stay and see what Carlos can do with 2 starts. If not, what is his role? I hope he doesn’t take the Joe Kelly mystery role spot. He’s too important.
Speaking of Kelly, I somehow think he is trade bait. With Carpenter on the mend and Martinez with the club and Wacha and free agency lurking, Kelly could be a piece inserted into a package trade. He has proven success as a starter in the big leagues and can also be an effective long reliever. His future in STL is cloudy at best. His July 27th start could be his last before Carp takes over. If you can’t use him, get something for him. The team and Kelly deserve that.
I may have the chance to interview one of my favorite actors, Mark Strong, next month. He is a true underrated gem and here is the piece I wrote on him two weeks ago.
My son gave himself a black eye and a chin bruise because he likes to throw his head into walls when he is mad and takes his agony out on himself. One day, when it all starts to hurt, he will reconsider all those head shots. The way it is, my son could overtake Kurt Warner in concussions before he is 5 years old. The kid just doesn’t care and is a pure brute. But he is mine and tough and with the insane amount of cuddling I see with kids these days, I will take his physicality to the bank.
I won’t be watching the All Star Game because I have a screening and I really don’t feel the need to donate 4 hours to a very long and stretched out game. I can watch the highlights or DVR it and watch the Cards do their thing. This break isn’t just for the players. It’s for hardcore fans like me that need a fucking break.
NFL Training Camps start in a few weeks and the preseason is a couple months off. I am extremely excited to see what Bradford, Fisher and company can produce this year. There were upgrades made and depth added. Fisher Ball is in full swing and I can see this team getting 7-9 wins with the slightly easier schedule and second year in a row with Bradford working with OC Brian Schottenheimer.
Managing a website is hard and time consuming because you don’t want to act like a politician and promise things you can’t produce. If I say there is a section called the Daily Dose, it will be refreshed at least once a day. Promises are put together by one’s integrity.
Crafting A Nation, a beer documentary partially filmed in STL, has a premiere downtown at the MX Theaters on Thursday night at 8pm. I posted something on my website about it because its an intriguing project. Two brothers putting their livelihood on the line to try and do what they love for a living and that’s make beer and open their own brewery. I have all the respect in the world for men and women who put their financial well being on the line to do something they love. In a way, I am doing it with film-addict.
It’s time to go job hunting online so I must wrap this up. Looking for work is a hard walk because you come into a company at the bottom and truly have to do some work to get to a respectable level. Everybody there knows what they are doing and you don’t. Doing it over and over really sucks.
Every time I pound out a blog after a 10 day absence, I find myself back at the computer the next day to pick up the scraps. It’s impossible to stuff everything into one bowl of dispatched material. Here is my second attempt at saying it all at once.
BLUES TALK
I didn’t give the St. Louis hockey team a fair trade in last night’s rant. Sometimes, a team gets short changed and its never on purpose. A die hard Blues fan would read my blog and go, “Oh shit he didn’t”. The truth is I have to say about this team and will do it right here. 10 Things About The Blues that I have noticed in their first five games.
1.)It’s nice having two goalies who can produce quality starts. Jaroslav Halak will never be the #1 guy here in town. After two years, that is for sure. He either gets hurt, starts to crumble or starts to get hurt. Having Brian Elliot in the chamber waiting is the reason this team may go all the way this year or make a good effort. Elliot is a different goaltender than Halak. The Slovak is all tender grace, slow adjustments and style. Elliot is aggressive, jumpy and to the point. We have two different goaltenders and they both are pretty good when overexposure is kept out of the room. Good tool for Ken Hitchcock.
2.)The team is allowing a lot of goals on the power play. It seems that the only time the Blues are vulnerable is when they are shorthanded. The Blues power play has risen to the top of the league after being in the shitter last season. The units have changed spots. The PK is in the dumps while the extra man unit is thriving. Funny themes going on so far. I could be wrong about the penalty kill.
3.) Vladimir Tarasenko is the legit shit. That is easy to say after 5 games when the Russian has 7 points and is a dangerous man whenever he touches the ice. That is the brilliance of hockey. Off the ice, these are regular sized harmless looking men. On the ice, they are fierce warriors and physically dangerous. Tarasenko isn’t afraid to throw his body around and has made All Star stoppers like Pekka Renne and Jimmy Howard look like pedestrian AHL hacks in the net. He skates in, does a shoulder fake and sinks it over their chest or into the five hole. He has that computer brain on the ice and can make opposing player seem half witted and slow. So far, he is eating the hype and spitting out the leftovers.
4.)The David Backes line is fine. Sure, they aren’t netting goals at an alarming rate but soon enough Backes and Oshie will thrive. I think of this line as our aggression and size set. They aren’t just out there to score goals. I’ll take Backes pile driving the other team’s star into the boards over a goal if that is the balancing act on some nights.
5.)Roman Polak is a bad bad man. He doesn’t score a lot or look flashy on the ice, but when skaters enter his zone or try to go behind the net carrying the puck, he slams, hits, decapitates or knocks them on their ass. He is a true defender. We need more like him. Wade Redden is like an old old Polak. He will due.
6.)How good is David Perron? Pretty good. When he is not diving for penalties, the Frenchman can be great and skate around defenders. Yes, he likes to fake out the entire defense but slide this guy the puck in the offensive zone and he can wrist a shot past three bodies and into the net. In a 2-1 deficit last night in Dallas, Perron singlehandedly changed the game. He tied the game with a wrist shot, assisted on Chris Stewart’s go ahead goal, and netted the game winner with another wrist shot. He has skill to burn and drive to spare. When he can contain it, the man is a 35 goal guy easy.
7.)There was never a damn doubt the fans here would come out. Let me say it again. The Blues were a victim in this lockout. They are a small market team that can’t give out big enough contracts to help start a lockout. The fans proved their mettle when 6,000 and 11,000 showed up for a practice at Scottrade. It’s nice having the house packed every game.
8.)This team can play defense. Sure they can fall apart for 8 minutes and give up 3 goals but overall, the defense is made of stone and takes teams apart in the neutral zone. They are allowing among the fewest goals in the NHL through the early going here and I expect that to continue. Hitchcock’s bread and butter is his strictness when it comes to disciplined hockey. If you don’t do it, you don’t play.
9.)Ryan Reaves is more than an enforcer. Kid can handle the puck, make plays and contribute on the forecheck. He can also pummel a guy with those large ape arms. He isn’t a boxer with a hockey stick.
10.)I love the shortened season for this one reason. There are so many fewer days off between games. This is like the playoffs. Play two games, and get a day off. Play 4 games a week at least. Fans don’t suffer withdrawals and go out and start checking innocent people into the cooling racks in grocery stores. The Blues are playing so much it’s almost like baseball season. Nobody likes a team playing 2 times a week. The jewel of the lockout shortened season is the urgency of the schedule.
Also, go Blues. They play in 2 hours.
What else?? This may seem like an adrenaline shot of knowledge, good or bad.
-One of the reasons I still watch Grey’s Anatomy is Kevin McKidd. He played Vorenus on Rome and here he plays a former Iraqi War surgeon who beefens up the joint at Seattle Grace, where the testosterone is needed. Sure, he can seem overpowering at times and may breathe too heavy in his monologues, but the man is a good actor who isn’t afraid to bring vulnerability to the role of a doctor. He is a keeper. Sandra Oh can go. She annoys the shit out of me and her nose isn’t a good mood setter. Girls love the guys on this show but the men are left wanting more. Greys Anatomy is full of 6’s and 7’s when it comes to women. No fucking 10’s.
-FX keeps everybody moving in the family. That is why you will see Justified lawman Timothy Olyphant guest star on Archer and The League. He is a versatile actor who played every kind of role before he became Raylan Givens three years ago.
-A few new shows look interesting but I barely find time to watch my own shows. Where do people find time to soak up all these new hours of television? What do they do with their lives? I love my television but I can’t plant my ass there for hours every night. I got a website to run, movies to see, weights to hurt and a kid to raise. That may have sounded heavy handed but where the fuck are minutes invented for all these new shows. The Following and Banshee are my new shows.
-Listening to Heartless Bastards, The Lumineers and The Heavy at the moment. If you don’t know these bands, download these songs and get to know them.
“Marathon”
“Slow down”
“Short Change Hero”
-Watching the Screen Actors Guild awards tonight. Next to the Oscars, this is the one that counts big time for actors and filmmakers. The actors vote on these and it’s always good to win based on your peers recommendation. The Golden Globes were surprisingly entertaining, but SAG is where the votes count. Some people rate these over the Oscars. I couldn’t argue for long against that. I’m rooting for the same people. Bradley Cooper, David O. Russell, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro and Kathryn Bigelow.
-I support the Marquez-Pacquiao IV fight being voted the fight of the year. For 6 rounds, that was toe to toe, jaw charging, hard hitting and relentlessly bloody action that ended with a true bang. There’s few pairings in a ring that call out for another round only minutes after the latest fight ends. A stunning conclusion to a thrilling fight. I want Part five. Please don’t tell me how it ends if you can tell the future.
-Jason Statham is still my favorite dose of action hero, but his latest, Parker, sat like a heavy pot of bland chili. Decent and comforting at first yet faltering and forgettable hours later. No go. Someone tell Jennifer Lopez to stay away from my British Man of Action unless she is completely naked and not just teasing us. She needs acting lessons…again or George Clooney to throw her another bone.
-Bob Costas’ speech at the Stan Musial wake was as powerful as it gets. I included the link in last night’s blog. I strongly advise you to check it out. Watching him break up when talking about Musial’s kind treatment of African American players and his relationship with Mickey Mantle almost got me going. Strong stuff from a guy who does his homework and knows his material. If I could make speeches like Costas, I wouldn’t be in a warehouse working. I’d be in a suit instructing.
-I am finishing one cup of coffee(double shot Americano from Starbucks) and will be making a homemade cup after I flush my system with a bottle of water. I could make it on a deserted island with coffee, water and pink lemonade.
-My website is about to get into fundraising, advertising and marketing. We are legit but need to go wider and broader. That is how you make money with a website. Make people feel like they need your site over others. The real fight begins now. I don’t see this endeavor as a real money maker for at least another year but seeing some positive income by November would be nice. I am in it for the long haul. Sometimes I stop myself and say, “I have a website.”
-I use Twitter and Facebook nearly every day to exercise my social rights and fire off quick doses of material and funny shit but this a camping ground for self pity. How many times do I have to read a post where the writer seems to be having a conversation with….himself or herself. Example-“Why do you hurt me so much when I care for you so much? This didn’t need to happen.(Cue the start of my violin)” I can’t stand it. I know it’s a site to unleash your inner demons but pick up a fucking phone and call the person. That’s why they invented the phone, so you can say all those things that are too scary to spit out face to face. They invented text messaging so we could write all the things we didn’t have the balls to say. Got it social site bitches.
-My pick for next Sunday. Good times because my wife is packing my house with friends for my birthday party. My pick for the Super Bowl is the 49ers but I wouldn’t hate for the Ravens to win. This will be a physical battle with blood to spare. Two hard hitting defenses and running grounded offenses. Who steps up and takes their glory? Ray Lewis or Aldon Smith? Joe Flacco or Colin Kaepernick? Colin was a backup holding a clipboard a year ago. Now he is a Super Bowl starting quarterback who draws everybody’s attention when he touches the football. That’s the greatness of the NFL right there. Your status can change instantly. I hope for a good evenly matched close game. If I had money on it, I’d say a leg will decide it over an arm. Get the field goal kickers some chicken.
-Tomorrow I am sending my dad to a screening. Being a small startup website with limited staff, you have to use all your resources. So when I get a screening RSVP for an 11am show and I know my dad is now off all week due to his new work schedule, I call him up and ask him to do a favor for his son. This screening isn’t a bullet of any kind. The movie is Stand Up Guys, the new flick with Al Pacino and Christopher Walken playing old thugs trying to have one more good time before one has to put a bullet in the other. I want to see this film but I work during the day, so the old man is taking it. I will get his review over the phone, put it into words on the page and throw some Buffa polish on it. This is a weapon being used.
I think that is it. Goodnight folks.
-D. Buffa
“Took me a long time to come to know what I think; and an even longer time to be okay with others not digging it.”-Ron Perlman
Let’s tear into a few things lingering in my head. I’ll roll into a neat little number for you. 10 things with Buffa.
1.)Less hockey does suck when it comes to fierce NHL action, but look at the bright side because that’s all you can really do. The Blues will play 45 games instead of 82 and there are good things to be found. First, there is no lags in the schedule. Weeks where only 1 or 2 games are played. As fans, we can appreciate that. As players, well, I suggest more cardio, less booze and better food. Teams can’t relax at all and the urgency is heightened. Second, all the games will be played inside the the conference, so if you hope to make the playoffs, losing a game will seriously hurt your chances. A four point swing could push a team down. If the Blues lose two in a row to the Blackhawks and the Canucks, with the two teams above them in the standings, it’s a huge blow. There are no fanfare outside conference games against the Capitols or Penguins. It’s being kept in the family in 2013 and the Blues are going to duel with their neighbors more often. Third, the Blues are set up well in this situation. We have a very young team and several players didn’t lay down at home and do nothing during the lockout. Matt D’Agostini, T.J. Oshie, David Perron, newcomer Vladamir Tarasenko, and a few others played in different leagues and countries to remain fresh. This will help in the short run. Another huge factor and reason to be happy to be a Blues backer is the fact that we have two #1 type goaltenders. Most teams have to find a way to incorporate a backup goalie they really don’t want to use. With a short schedule and limited rest, teams can’t weigh too heavily on their starters. The depth of a roster is huge as well. The Blues got great production from Jaroslav Hakak and Brian Elliot last year. When Halak struggled, the journeyman Elliot pushed him and filled in. When Elliot was being exposed as a career backup, Halak stepped back in and cleaned up. It’s a great situation to be in. Most teams don’t have this. I don’t want to be too excited here, but this shortened season is the best chance for the Blues, a small market yet incredibly homegrown talent built team, to make a run at the Stanley Cup. Our defense was stout last season and will remain under coach Ken Hitchcock. Our offense was fantastic when most of the roster was intact, with several players contributing 20 goals or more. The Blues start play a week from tonight at Scottrade against the Red Wings before heading to Detroit on Sunday for a home/away series. This is the perfect way to start the season. With a stiff test and energetic doubleheader with a bloody rival. Two weeks ago, I didn’t think hockey was happening. Now, Blues fans can get ready to punch a Red Wing next Saturday and today if it makes you happy. Scottrade Center will be fired up because let’s be honest, downtown has been quiet most days at 14th and Clark. You can cart old rockers like Paul McCartney and Bruce Springsteen in there and try to replace the fury and adrenaline that comes with hockey, but in the end sticks, pucks, and attitudes are required. I am a devoted Blues fan, and have been all my life. The Die Hards will dismiss me and others for not knowing every line arrangement, meal and tweak and quirk of the game. I know plenty and can tell you quite simply at the moment that the St. Louis Blues are a feared hockey team in this 45 game bull rush. While the know it all’s break down this paragraph, I’ll hit up some other subjects.
2.)Zero Dark Thirty is a fascinating look into the hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal spare nothing on our eyes with their brutally accurate and blunt depiction of the CIA’s efforts to bring this man down. Save your politics for the door and go see this movie. Rust and Bone is in theaters in the Midwest as well. A dark French romance that is a quiet powerhouse of drama, love and sacrifice. One film you know and the other you probably don’t. I recommend both.
3.)I will write a post on film-addict about the Oscars this weekend but I will say I was pleased, disappointed and surprised by the nominations. If you don’t care for the Oscars, that’s fine. Go read US weekly. This awards ceremony is the World Series for filmmakers and actors. Forget the other awards with a slight exception for the Screen Actors Guild and the Critics Choice awards. The Oscars are the ones that are remembered. Without diving too deep into it here, I will say I have a huge problem with Ben Affleck and Kathryn Bigelow not getting director nominations. They each handled a fascinating true story that made the USA look good and produced a superb film loved by critics and fans alike, so why they were left out for Ang Lee and the director of Amour I will never know. Affleck is still living down his troubled past and Bigelow directed a movie that included the torture of very bad men. She got to enough government suits with her tale of a female CIA agent tracking down Bin Laden for 12 years, so maybe they pushed her out by whining about the film. I am happy for the Silver Linings Playbook, a devilishly charming romantic drama that scored a boatload of nominations. Robert DeNiro and Jacki Weaver scoring looks was as special as Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence getting nominated. This film was a genre film spiced up with crazy characters, a heartfelt ode to sports fanaticism and an improbable yet game cast. Lincoln scored the most with 12 nominations, and while the film is flawless and very well done(scoring a spot on my top 10 list), it was a predictable greatness. With Steven Spielberg, Daniel Day Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field and writer Tony Kushner writing his screenplay from a novel called Team of Rivals, there was little doubt. I was moved by the film but not as much as others. It isn’t a smack on the film but it is my way of saying that other films(Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, Silver Linings, Rust and Bone) hit closer to home without banging a biography over our heads. Read more about the Oscars on my website tomorrow.
4.)Reports that Rob Ryan is the new Rams defensive coordinator are false, at least for now. He is being considered but a few reports on Twitter and other sports outlets saying Ryan was hired aren’t true. I text a few friends about it and tweeted about it, but will rescind those words now. Ryan is an intriguing option for the defense and similar to Gregg Williams because he loves to blitz and prefers a 3-4 defensive arrangement. He didn’t fare too well in Dallas leading a 19th ranked defensive unit but suffered from several injuries. He is the brother of Rex Ryan so there are those bizarre connections. His coaching skills aren’t that great so I wonder why this hire would even be considered. Jeff Fisher can answer that.
5.)Kyle Lohse can’t find a job and that’s unfortunate. He fired off 3 injury free solid seasons in a row for the Cardinals, anchoring the rotation in 2012 with a marvelous performance. His agent Scott Boras more than likely spiked up his asking price, trying to score on the Cy Young caliber season last year but so far there are no takers. Lohse is too expensive for the Cardinals and other teams are backing off. Post Dispatch writer Joe Strauss suggests it is the draft pick compensation coming to the Cards from the team that does sign him because the Redbirds offered him a 1 year tender contract. My feelings are that they are weary of the Lohse that came before the last 3 years. The erratic, average record holding pitcher capable of being smashed. I think Lohse has turned the corner and learned something here, but my bet is other teams with millions in their pockets are taking their time. He will land in either Texas, Baltimore or Milwaukee, and get a 3 year deal and no more unless a team goes stupid. He will not be as good as he was in St. Louis in 2012. NO WAY.
6.)Baseball starts in one month. On February 12th, pitchers and catchers report to Florida or Arizona. When you are down and need something to perk you up, remember that baseball fans.
7.)My thoughts on the NFL round of action this weekend. Green Bay will get rid of San Francisco and Seattle will beat Atlanta. Seattle is playing too well, runs the ball like mad and will overwhelm Matt Ryan and reveal his playoff weaknesses yet again in Atlanta. Pete Carroll and his incessant cheerleader antics will continue and drive me insane but his quarterback and running back are too good right now to be stopped. Green Bay will play just enough defense to throw off Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers offense while shredding their defense. Aaron Rodgers got tossed by the Giants last year and wants revenge. The Denver Broncos will send Ray Lewis into retirement in Denver because they didn’t win 12 games in a row for no reason. Peyton Manning is playing better than ever, they can run the ball and get enough of a pass rush to disrupt the overrated Joe Flacco. Tom Brady and the Patriots won’t beat the Texans by four touchdowns tomorrow but they will win 28-21 and give us the Manning-Brady matchup again. In the end, Arian Foster won’t be able to carry this team any further. Like the Falcons, the Texans are a regular season giant made small in the playoffs by an inability to execute and dominate. There you have it.
8.)Raise your hand if you can’t believe we are nearly 2 weeks into 2013. Time flies when you work for a living and have a life at home. My days seem to be flying by so fast that the only time I feel it can slowed down is when I am sitting in a quiet room. Then, I fall asleep and the next day begins. Two jobs, a family, and a little passion leaves me worn out but ready to tackle the next day. I will say this. If you don’t like your job, get in line. Nobody REALLY likes their job unless they work for themselves and have their own money making company. That doesn’t guarantee happiness. Ask any owner of a startup company, restaurant, bar or business. It’s taxing and leaves you with shredded nerves but save me the bitching and moaning. You can change it if you want. Nobody is tied to a job so I hate when all I hear is whining. With millions out of work and struggling to make ends meet, be glad you have a clock in card or corporation that doesn’t mind paying you money to help their production.
9.)I turn 31 next month. Say hello to meaningless birthday #1 on the road to 40. Once you hit 30, the following years are just stepping stones to the next goal, which is 40 large loud bells. Individual birthdays are overrated. Milestone decade marks are important. Just keep breathing.
10.)Finally, some parting shots. I still prefer Peyton Manning’s career over Brady, because of his versatility and minus a Spygate scandal. The Cardinals shouldn’t let David Freese and Jason Motte go to arbitration. They have proven themselves enough to get 2-3 year deals. I don’t know why they insist on one year deals. Freese is injury prone yet productive and cheap. Motte solidified himself as the closer in 2012 and fixed a huge problem with this team for the past 6 years. He gave us a shutdown closer. John Mozelaik is smart but this I don’t get. Spread the money Mo. I do think Vladamir Tarasenko will be an exciting player to watch but his production relies on his health. I have seen plenty of young quick players come into this league and only a handful can avoid concussions and injury to put up great numbers. Look around at Perron and McDonald, Vlady, if you want to understand the collision of skill and human frailty in a physical sport. Junior Seau’s report coming back showing significant brain damage is expected when you play in the NFL for so long. When one man chooses a brutal sport to make his living, brain damage is on the docket. You just can’t take that away. All Roger Goodell will do is dumb down the game and make it weaker. Seau didn’t kill himself because he had brain damage. If that was true, a lot of ex-NFL players would be dropping daily. The evidence is skewed here. Sorry vulnerable people. I like nice weather or cold weather but only wish it would be more consistent. I am not afraid to drive a 24 foot truck on city roads. I like riding over everybody else. Our company truck needed an oil change so a colleague and I took it around the city trying to find a building tall enough for our rig. I took my dad to a screening on Thursday(Zero Dark Thirty) and for the first time, he started to understand that his son actually HAD a website and was a legit movie critic. Evidence is required for a parent to buy into an operation that doesn’t yield money slips yet.
I better stop here because I can’t give it all away in one blog. Thanks for reading.
Never mind my emotional sounding title of this blog. It’s just me talking about the usual suspects that sneak into my head, lay down, order room service and feel like causing a stir until I write about them and dismiss them back into the rabbit hole trash bin located of my head. A woman once told me that when I sit down to write, get your hands set to do the unthinkable and imaginative work that many only keep in their heads until they explode with a hurtful physical act. By blogging, a guerrilla artform that has drawn more ridicule than praise, I keep the demons at bay and myself out of trouble. Spin the news, tell the tale and do the deed so I can just keep living. Let’s do it.
The Cardinals begin spring training in 31 days. A reason for excitement that draws more passion and fury for the simple fact that there is no hockey or football in St. Louis any longer. The town has gone sports silent and needs a reason to get moving again downtown. Maybe you haven’t noticed but downtown in St. Louis looks pretty dull without sports going on. Concerts, food parades, runs and whatever don’t carry the weight of a sporting event. While the NHL decides this week if they can get a deal hammered out(something I won’t acknowledge until it sits closer to reality), the hope now is baseball and the beautiful pain of 162 games driving me insane and throwing against the wall. The Cardinals are predictable in that very singular way. They promise torture, joy, and endless nights of frustration. There isn’t much to talk about with this team other than their time is coming. They are content to run their chips behind a middle infield that may include 5 different players. Can Rafy Furcal’s elbow avoid explosion? He makes 7 million dollars and is a career ending injury waiting to happen. The Cards made little play to find him insurance, so the unlikely playoff hero Pete Kozma steps in as his backup. I like Pete and praise his improbable work in the playoffs but wish the Cards had gotten a more versatile shortstop to back up Furcal’s fragile body. Second base will be split between defensive minded Daniel Descalso and the transitioning big bat Matt Carpenter, who is being taught by his professional baseball coach father in the winter and will get schooled by Jose Oquendo in the spring. I don’t mind this lefthanded platoon combo until Kolten Wong gets his shot. Allen Craig will play first base primarily and I can only hope the Cards keep big husky Matt Adams on the bench as a power bat and lefthanded backup to Craig in the predictable event that Allen suffers a lower body injury. The Cards need pop off the bench and Adams can provide it. David Freese is at third, inching closer to a multi-year deal with the team and will get Carpenter and Descalso to back him up. The infield is a moving parts committee. You could see a player make a stop at three positions inside a month if an injury happens. The outfield is Matt Holliday, Jon Jay and Carlos Beltran with rookie Oscar Taveras on the horizon. If he hits well in spring training and looks ready, the Cards need to bring up Oscar and get him on the MLB wagon. Yadi Molina is the catcher with Tony Cruz backing him up. Yadi’s brother Bengie is the assistant hitting coach so the Cards may want to up the chips/salsa count in the clubhouse. The sure rotation spots right now are Adam Wainwright, Chris Carpenter(fully equipped with a upper half of bionic body appendages), Jaime Garcia, Jake Westbrook and a player to be named later. Unless he is traded soon, Lance Lynn is that 5th guy based on his 2012 record(team’s proposed words, not my own). Joe Kelly, Shelby Miller and Trevor Rosenthal will fight Lynn for that 5th spot. Garcia is a wild card as well with his shoulder barking throughout 2012 and his choice to pitch for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. Garcia, like Furcal, avoided surgery and went for the rest route. Risky. The Cardinals would be smart to monitor Garcia’s innings in the tournament. We don’t need him missing half the season again. The bullpen consists of Jason Motte, Mitchell Boggs, Sam Freeman, Randy Choate, Marc Rzepcynzski, Rosenthal/Kelly/Miller. The Cardinals don’t need any big pieces but can use a couple spares if they chose to keep Adams at Memphis. Your bench right now is Cruz, Kozma, Carpenter, Taveras(?), Adams(?) and a few other warm bodies. Mike Matheny has a lot to work with and a few decisions to make. The spring’s big debate and competition will sit with the rotation’s final two spots. Is Garcia healthy? Can Lynn handle the pressure and be a solid 5th starter? If not, the team has plenty of options available and none of them involve the free agent market. This is the most set I have seen this team coming into spring in a long time.
T.J. Oshie and other Blues players went on social networks and told fans that the NHL lockout may be over by Monday. The players made another proposal and the league will decide by this coming week. If rejected, the season is more or less OVER. If the owners accept, the games could be on by January 18th. That will be a much needed boost to the local sports scene but also a test of the will of Blues fans and hockey fans across the country. This team isn’t to blame for the lockout. Let’s make that clear. The Blues are a small market team that lost money in 2011-2012. They didn’t overextend themselves with stupid long term contracts or play their hand too long. They are victims here. David Backes is a part of the players union and may have played a small part in delaying hockey, but its my belief that most of the Blues were waiting on a resolution between the mom and dad of hockey operations here. Local new owner Tom Stillman is chomping at the bit to get rolling and if a deal is struck soon, hockey gets set in motion in two weeks. Stadiums, arenas and games will feature lots of empty seats and rightly so. However, if the entire season is cancelled, the 2013-2014 season is in serious jeopardy of being abandoned by fans before the players and owners get a chance to fight over money. I like Oshie’s optimism but I will wait for an official word before I get excited about the return of NHL action.
The Rams performed a lot better that my forecast for their 2012 season. There were too many penalties, stalls on offense, and questions still abound about the overall future of Sam Bradford. There were a few late minute collapses(Lions on the road) and embarrassing losses(Jets at home). However, this team is tough, resilient and made a comeback. They beat playoff teams Washington, Seattle and San Francisco at home. They nearly toppled Seattle and San Francisco on the road. They dominated their own division. The Rams showed an ability to come back in the fourth quarter and win a game, as shown in Buffalo and San Francisco. They were one of the few teams to stop Robert Griffin III in the fourth quarter. They sacked Russell Wilson more than any team could all season last week. The Rams finished with 7 wins as they did in 2010 but looked legit this season. They didn’t have the league’s softest schedule that the 2010 team had. They took down some pretty good teams and lost to a few very bad teams. All the common elements of a football season. 2013 will be an exciting and explosive season for the Rams. Their needs are easy to point out. A solid return specialist so Danny Amendola can play more than 10 games. An explosive vertical threat wide receiver who can get away from defenders. Chris Givens and Brian Quick showed that ability but a veteran presence would be welcome. A safety to pair with Quentin Mekkel on defense would help, as would an outside linebacker to pair with James Laurinaitis. The Rams’ schedule is tough in 2013 but I expect this team to challenge San Francisco and Seattle for the division and make an easy play at a wildcard spot. The doom and gloom of a Rams preseason doesn’t exist here anymore.
Steven Jackson’s critics still call him a non team player and overall worthless talent. Too bad they are all wrong when logic and stats hit their faces. Yesterday I shot down a Jackson critic by reminding him that he has played with shitty offensive lines and mediocre and average to only decent quarterbacks throughout the majority of his career. He is one of 6 running backs in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards in 8 straight seasons. Sure, the seasons are 16 games, longer than the old days of football. If that is their only case, why haven’t more running backs in the past 15-20 years shown the level of consistency that Jackson has? Emmitt Smith played for monstrous Dallas teams in accomplishing the feat. Put Jackson on that Dallas squad and his stats and touchdown totals are akin to Smith’s. Every Jackson critic doesn’t get logic and has a short term memory. He is the ultimate team player. Did he walk off the sidelines of a close game like Randy Moss or attack his team in the press like Terrell Owens? He has constantly supported every this team, been a team leader and done his job. Anybody who speaks against that is a fucking idiot or better show me some numbers. Please don’t tell me you wish he would run straight. Hard to run straight when your constantly beat up offensive line isn’t opening any holes. Jackson runs whenever he can and had an explosive finish to the 2012 season.
Manny Pacquiao was told by doctors that he has early signs of Parkinson’s disease. My response is simple. At this point in their career, a lot of boxers show signs that could be connected to Parkinson’s. Ever since Muhammed Ali was diagnosed, every doctor looks at a fighter differently. Pacquiao is fine and will fight a few more rounds. If he was told a ticking bomb was inside his chest, his pride would refuse to allow him to retire. The man was last seen sucking the canvas after a huge Juan Manual Marquez right hand that sprung out of a perfectly timed booby trapped connected with his jaw. Pacquiao will come back, doctors orders or not, and avenge his loss. I expect a fight in April to warm up(pulverize Timothy Bradley once and for all) before a September showdown with Marquez. People still question why they may fight again. The answer is simple. Their fights are thrilling and consistently toe to toe action. They don’t hug, buy time or throw punches with their head. They stand in the middle and fire or chase each other around the ring. It’s old school boxing like it should be. If their brains and legs are able, they should fight another three times. Pacquaio gave Marquez a fourth fight to recover some dignity and this time Juan needs to do the same. Money will be made, minds will be blown and blood will be drawn. Let it ride.
In other boxing news, Floyd Mayweather Jr. will fight Robert Guerrero in May and will face a steeper challenge than many expect. Guerrero beat the shit out of Andre Berto and is a tall young lefthanded power punching undefeated champion. Floyd jumps off the couch after a year away(which included 54 days in jail) and will still show speed, agility and the fine tools of the sweet science but also brandish an older body that can be hurt, as seen in his last fight against Miguel Cotto. Floyd can tell me all he wants that he did that to put on a show, and I will say those are the words of an older fighter denying logic and the father time blues. Floyd is getting older. He fights Guerrero, and win or lose, he takes on Canelo Alvarez in September. Cotto’s options are few and sparse. He can give Amir Khan a bone and fight him, but little else exists out there. Canelo will fight Austin Trout in May and probably beat him unless he underestimates Trout’s chin and gets caught. Alvarez HASN”T been tested yet. That needs to happen before Floyd. Juan Manuel Marquez may fight Bradley to get a belt or just rest until Pacman is ready. Some areas of boxing are harder to tell than others but its best if these self proclaimed promoters let me handle the fight arrangements. I know what fans, like myself, want to see. Bloody spectacular action.
Listening to my anytime mix, a list of tunes I put together that can be listened to at all times because of the amount of favorites located on the list. Johnny Cash, Dave Matthews, Bon Iver, Mumford and Sons, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Bob Dylan, Dead Weather, Coldplay, Adele(live), Greg Holden, Benjamin Francis Leftwich, B.B. King, John Mayer(acoustic blues), Jimi Hendrix, David Gray, Florence and The Machine, The Black Keys and Frank Sinatra. A fine list of versatile musicians promising a calming mood for a tired overworked man at any time. Here’s one of the songs on the list.
Matt Damon isn’t going to run for political office and we are all the better for it. This isn’t a shot at Damon, because he is one of the best entertainers and consistent performers in Hollywood. He loves his job too much to lose a portion of his soul to politics. In an interview, he was asked about politics and politely denied any interest. He said he knew he met a guy while doing research for The Adjustment Bureau who was getting out of politics, saying you work for idealistic people in the beginning but eventually lose yourself in the process. Who wants to slice up their own life in a global arena of liars? Damon doesn’t and he is smart to avoid it. His new film, Promised Land, which he co-wrote and stars in, deals with fracking(big corporations extracting natural resources from small towns) and is sure to be interesting, provocative and well acted. I see it tomorrow. My film-addict colleague, Landon Burris, saw it and gave it a 3/5 rating, citing it as a good if not great movie.
I could listen to Bob Dylan, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash sing “Girl From North Country” all day long. Such a sweet old fashioned ballad that recovers a decent amount of charm after it’s 20th listen.
I would like to add Skyfall to my top 2012 films list. I would throw that in there right with Dark Knight Rises as a part expected part surprise expertly crafted film. The latest James Bond film is the best Bond adventure I have ever seen and yes I did watch the Connery films. Daniel Craig cuts deeper than any other actor to play the role. His team up with Javier Bardem(go to guy for sincerely demented villains), Judi Dench, and director Sam Mendes created a classic spy film. See it on DVD/Blu Ray next month.
Lance Berkman is close to signing with The Texas Rangers. This is a surprising move because I would have bet money on Berkman closing his career in Houston with the Astros, his former team. Astros GM Jeff Luhnow was talking with Berkman this past month. How that team couldn’t find financial terms to allow Berkman to retire where he was a star is beyond me, but its good for him that he is going to a contender. The deal is a one year deal with a vesting option for a 2nd, but we will see how long Berkman’s knees hold up. He is a veteran presence, a switch hitter who can DH and play first base and is candid with the media in a way few athletes are. He is good for the game of baseball. I am glad he has a chance to end his career with his head pointed up. His time in St. Louis was short and sweet but I’ve always admired and feared Berkman’s ability.
The use of Scala and Kolacny Brothers choir version of Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” in the latest trailer for Zero Dark Thirty is genius. I finally get a chance to see that film on Thursday. The tale of the greatest manhunt in the world is special because of who is handling the material. Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal did The Hurt Locker and love or hate the film, you can agree it was authentic. They get the insider access to so called classified documents because a good amount of the US government wants this tale to be told. Why would you not want a capture and kill mission that spanned 10 years not told? The idea of backlash is expected because of the sensitive content. The methods of madness used by our ladies and gents in this fight to find Bin Laden isn’t for everyone but you tell the 2995 families who lost a soul to 9/11 that this story needs to stay top secret. I do believe it happened and can’t wait to see the tale. The cast looks killer as well, full of character actors and anchored by Jessica Chastain, whose character is based on a real CIA field agent who chased Osama for 10 years.
Playoff football just started with the kickoff between Houston and Cincinnati. Tonight, the Vikings and Packers do battle and the key part of that battle is the home field advantage that Aaron Rodgers and company hold. The other factor is the fact that Adrian Petersen has ripped them for an average of 200 yards rushing in their two meetings this season. Since my team is finished and not participating in playoff activity(the Rams, who have always remained my team during their dreadful period), I root for my favorite players and not necessarily teams. My boy is Peyton Manning and his Broncos don’t play for another week but when they do, I like their chances. Manning enjoyed a superb season in his comeback from neck surgery and looks to capture Super Bowl #2 and having home field advantage will help. The Super Bowl returns to New Orleans this February so explosive offensive teams are in luck. My prediction is Denver and Seattle gunning for the trophy with a slight worry about New England and Green Bay. I would love to see Denver and Green Bay play but I am not sure The Packers can make it with their defense struggling so much.
Jose Canseco and Charlie Sheen need to do a reality show together. Two completely crazy yet talented people thrown into one house for a month. I’d watch that and I hate reality television. Canseco is crazy, posts retarded new year resolutions on twitter, once drank jet fuel, dated Madonna and publicly confessed to doing steroids before anyone else did. Credit Jose with coming out first. He is nuts and once put an ad out on the internet while on house arrest for fans to pay him to hang out. Sheen is a national media sensation, doing and saying everything and looking smarter than people give him credit for. He carried Two and A Half Men to a long rein of profit and viewership before dumping it for a large chunk of money. He had a solid film career with some seriously funny comedies and a few decent dramas. He suckered FX to give hi a deal that will keep his stupid show, Anger Management, on the air for 90 more episodes. He will be rich and crazy while Jose needs money. These two guys are perfect. Don’t discredit Canseco. His stats are tainted yet can’t be dismissed. He was the first player to hit 40 homers and steal 40 bases. He was a great power hitter. Steroids doesn’t give you the ability to hit home runs. He was a great player for a decent portion of time. These guys are entertaining and this is my pitch for a reality show in 2013. This isn’t one of my resolutions but just a solid idea that I came up with driving to the gym after work. That’s where I get my best material. I need to put a microphone in my car. Great stuff. Completely unfiltered, dirty and blunt.
Justified on FX comes back this Tuesday and thank goodness for it. Californication follows a week from Sunday. Great television can’t be ignored.
I made no resolutions at New Year’s. I never do. They are pointless, unless you are like Arnold Schwarzenegger, who wrote his down with specific target dates when he was younger. People crowd gyms with their hollow promises and generally piss people off who exercise year round and don’t have to make it a big deal. I hate going to the gym to find zero lockers because fat Sal and smelly six roll stomach Lou wanted to prove their family and co-workers wrong. Get serious or fuck off. New Year Resolutions are for lame people. Just do it and forget the list. My goals are the same every January. Eat better, exercise even more, keep writing and be a good husband, father and man in general. I want to take Film-Addict to the next level, do a few crazy things, and provide for my family. That’s it. Stay in shape or be a shape bitches!
That’s it. Thanks for reading, spending time here and digesting this latest dose of Buffa.
Sincerely,
Dan L. Buffa
“The L isn’t silent. It stands for Larry”
Closing song-“All You Do Is Talk” by The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
I’ll won’t keep you long here as I am sure you are partying it up like it’s the end of the world and the Mayans were only 10 days off. I am at home, with a kid in the bed and a wife on the couch and the lovely sound of Newsroom reruns flowing behind me on HBO. Aaron Sorkin has a pair of brass balls and uses a political platform better than Quentin Tarantino bends history. Many political animals showed their teeth when Sorkin dug his own into the past few years of huge world events and threw his own spin on things. They thought, “oh fuck no, who is he to do this and say these things?” Well, let me tell you. When you have an hour of premium cable to put your thoughts on a screen with an all star cast, you have your way with it. No holds barred and full steam ahead. Come on, this is why politics are lame and the United States of America is considered weak. We hate it when the mirror gets turned on us and the ugly reflection kicks us in the stomach. Newsroom did that, showing the way the news should have handled critical events such as the oil spill, an assassination attempt on a Senator and the hateful nature of a Presidential candidate turning away one of his staff because he was gay. It also threw back the cover on the talent of its cast members. Jeff Daniels never looked better as Will McAvoy, the anchor with a wolf instinct and a deep down love for his country but disdain for what it’s become. Daniels was amazing and better than Matthew Fox ever was on Lost. Suck it mystery island flock of shit lovers. Sam Waterson, Law and Order vet and a man who once played Lincoln, killed it as old hound news runner Charlie Skinner, who drank, spoke and kicked out wise tales like a journalism Buddha. Emily Mortimer, a long time British talent in film, climbed aboard and reminded the women in news that their voice can be sharp as a flesh eating male. The show sings as I digest it a second time. It is the best new show on television and June of 2013 can’t come soon enough. Please tell me why you don’t like this show and make it sound better than what I just wrote.
While you think about that, enjoy this best of Charlie Skinner(Waterson) clip put together by some dude on Youtube. You will forget this is the same guy who starred on the duller than chalk dust Law and Order show. Nobody says the word, “fuck”, better than Sam Waterson.
Let’s keep going here without a structure. People that need bullets and bold colored statements every time they write a memo or blog need to be walked out to an alley and have their face kicked in. Back to the point.
Hey gun haters, let me tell you a story that you may have unearthed in the news reel the past two weeks under the rock of Sandy Hook and its many manipulators. A couple days after Sandy Hook, December 17th, a man walked into a San Antonio restaurant with the intent of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend. He walked, shot her, and the people in the restaurant freaked out and ran over to the movie theater next door. The man fired at police cars on his way over. The man followed the fleeing crowd into the theater with the intent to kill more people. Before he could, an off duty deputy put four holes in him and saved many lives. The victims weren’t 6 and 7 years old but this was the work of a hero. This week, that woman is being given a medal for having imaginary steel testicles. Why didn’t we hear about this? The media hounds buried it under the rest of the truth pile because it didn’t fall in line with the politically correct safe people who dictate the mainstream news. This wasn’t reported and there were few interviews. CNN and NBC think its okay to interview a traumatized 7 year old about what it sounded and felt like to hear bullets fired in their ear, stay quiet while their classmates were gunned down or quickly leave the school so their lives were spared. However, it wasn’t a priority to send a news team to Texas to report this amazing story. In case you think I am lying, here is the story.
It’s not flashy or soaked in blood but without a person acting on instinct and using a weapon, more lives could have been lost. It puts cement around my original point. When a bad person with a gun walks into a room, the best defense is a good person with a gun. Moving on.
As I down a shot of devil’s cut Kentucky Bourbon whiskey with 2013 firing up as I write this sentence, let me move into smoother topics. I like to start things with a bang, especially now that I am four hours into my Newsroom revisit. This show is so good because it hooks you with the content and holds onto you with the material used by Sorkin, real events. The second season starts this summer. I suggest you get on this.
The Rams didn’t win on Sunday against the Seahawks but it sure felt like a victory when they succumbed 20-13 after a late touchdown drive by Seattle rookie Russell Wilson. For nearly three quarters, the Rams were outplaying and beating up the Seahawks. They sacked Wilson 6 times, the most allowed against him all season long. Chris Long had 2 sacks and finished with 10 on the season, and Robert Quinn also had 10 sacks as well. The Rams finished with 52 sacks, tying Cincinnati for the most in the NFL. Sam Bradford threw a late game sealing interception but looked solid on the road and wasn’t bothered by the extremely loud conditions. Seattle had been pummeling opponents recently, accumulating 142 points in three games. The Rams were picked by many to be slapped around brutally. Local radio minds like Randy Karraker picked the Rams to lose 31-6 right before kickoff. Like they have done all season, the Rams proved a lot of people wrong and nearly upset the Seahawks. The loss was their first inside their division, the NFC West. They defeated Seattle at the dome earlier in the season and nearly beat the 49ers twice. Two teams in the NFC going to the playoffs and the Rams didn’t just hang with them but outplayed them in all four games. Steven Jackson ran for only 52 yards on 11 carries(4.7 per carry) but reached 1,000 yards for the 8th straight season. This has been done by only 5 other running backs in NFL history. It’s a testament to Jackson’s durability, skill and loud leadership for him to reach this milestone with a lot of average or bad teams. The Rams haven’t had a winning season with Jackson behind the quarterback and lots of feeble minds will place blame on the running back. They think he can call plays, play defense, draft players and work free agency and trades as well as run the ball. They are stupid. Steven Jackson has played his ass off for the Rams and deserves recognition. He doesn’t get the ball enough and may play elsewhere in 2013. I implore him to look around the market because he deserves the right to play for a serious contender. While they will pose a healthy threat in 2013, the Rams may not be able to overtake Green Bay just yet. However, their efforts in 2012 make you reconsider. They finished 7-8-1, a vast improvement over their 2-14 record in 2011. Jeff Fisher is the MVP of this team. Without many free agent moves or high profile draft picks, the Rams won 5 more games than 2011 and looked legit. Two years ago, they nearly made the playoffs and finished 7-9 but didn’t look as sure as this team. The 2012 Rams could have collected two more wins if they had starved off Detroit in Week 1 and avoided a drastic penalty on a field goal attempt in overtime against San Francisco. They would have finished 9-7 and still missed the playoffs but looked better doing so. This isn’t excuse making yet a clear way to evaluate a season. Point out what could have been and move on. The Rams won’t send any player to the joke that is called the Pro Bowl and that’s fine. They will recover dignity and head into the offseason looking for wide receiver, offensive line and help on special teams. They have two first round picks in 2013. The offense needs to run smoother and finish with more touchdowns but that’s obvious. The Rams need a legit returner who can get the team better field position. They desperately need to stop taking stupid penalties, including false starts. The Rams led the league in penalties and a few crucial mistakes cost them games. As is the case with any team, there are areas to fix and address but lots to feel good about. The Rams improved in 2012 and looked poised to make a run in 2013 and 2014. Their team will look different next year but retain the same fighter spirit implanted by Fisher and his coaches. They have one of the best cornerback tandems in Cortland Finnegan and Janoris Jenkins and one of the toughest defensive line tandems in Long and Quinn. Sam Bradford’s stats improved this season while his decision making and gutsy play took steps forward and backward. This team is alive and interesting again.
The Blues are dead in the water. The NHLPA and Owners will meet this week but don’t expect much. The deadline to start a season comes in less than 10 days and I have a feeling the second full season of hockey in the last 7 years will be lost. Greed is a dangerous part of life. 2013-2014 doesn’t look too bright either. Will the hockey fans come back? Sure. Will all the fans come back? NO way. These things will take time to heal and recover trust. Such a sad thing when an enterprise that makes lots of money and produces such a thrilling game is shut down by greed and stupidity.
Here are my favorite movies of the year. The best according to Buffa. It’s hard to call them The Best of 2012 when it is just your opinion being spread here. These movies didn’t leave my mind for awhile and found a place in my heart and soul. In the my first year as a film critic, my gaze was sharpened and my passion was heightened.
In no fixed order, here they are.
1. The Intouchables
2. The Dark Knight Rises
3. Rust and Bone
4. Killer Joe
5. End of Watch
6. Searching for Sugar Man
7. Silver Linings Playbook
8. Argo
9. Lincoln
10. Flight
-A word of advice from a film-addict. Avoid Django Unchained. It is a disappointment and this comes from a Quentin Tarantino fan. The spaghetti western tribute is a 3 hour meandering uneven enterprise of style over substance. Leo DiCaprio is a great bad guy but the rest are just fine. After I left, I regretted my time spent during it. Here is a duel review between myself and FA staff writer Landon Burris. He loved it while I didn’t enough to like.
-One more thing from my site while I have you here. This is my revisiting of The Dark Knight Rises, where I quarrel with the notion of whether it’s Oscar worthy or not. While it made my favorite films list, I don’t think it deserves awards like The Dark Knight did. Read it and get a clue. The Dark Knight Rises isn’t Oscar bound in my opinion, but still really fucking good. An excellent Blu Ray purchase especially if you love special features like this guy. Nolan takes you through his entire thought process and shoot. Nolan’s trilogy is hard to beat for being complete and direct with its ideals. Tom Hardy’s work as Bane is underrated but Christian Bale’s acting in the final chapter was home run material and is harder than it looks. Read more in my piece.
That’s all my website marketing I will do. It’s mandatory at this point when I am basically my own agent and publicist.
More NFL bits as the playoffs begin. The Giants and Steelers are out and that is sad yet true and understandable. The Denver Broncos are dangerous and Peyton Manning is the reason. While Adrian Petersen nearly broke the single season yards record and is great, Manning’s work is amazing. The defense is average, the receivers are young and the team barely made it into the playoffs last year and only did so after a QB change. Manning looks sharper than ever. After being left for dead by the Colts and the better portion of the NFL, Peyton has risen from the ashes and making a claim for Super Bowl win #2. He led the team to 12 straight wins and a 13-3 record. Watch out New England. The only way Tom Brady beats Peyton Manning is by attacking that weak Denver secondary. People gave so much crap to Peyton in the past for his teams losing without thinking about the Colts soft secondary. Sure, Manning made mistakes but the man can only throw the football. When the Patriots went up 28-7 early this season against the Broncos, Peyton nearly led them back, cutting the deficit to 28-21 before Brady iced it with a long field goal drive. One of the best attributes of the Patriots defense is Brady himself. He scores so many points on the other team that the opposing offense abandons the run and goes out slinging the football 35-45 times per game, resulting in New England turnovers. Peyton is a clear MVP candidate, but whether I like it or not, Brady’s effect on a game is hard to ignore. If the Broncos can muster a pass rush, the only kind of kryptonite in Brady’s lair, Manning is a threat to win the Super Bowl. Manning haters are waiting to come out and blast him but forget the team around him and also forget the man is putting the same kind of numbers on grass as he did in a comfortable dome setting. Tony Romo acted like Tony Romo on Sunday. End of story. Good quarterback on average teams but one that can’t get it done in clutch moments. The Packers, Seahawks, 49ers, Falcons and Vikings are all solid if beatable teams. I expect the AFC to capture the Super Bowl this season. The Seahawks would have been my NFC pick if they got home field advantage and didn’t get outplayed by the Rams in their own house. Cris Collinsworth is my trusted source of NFL information. His research and knowledge is second only to Jon Gruden. Speaking of Gruden, I expect Gruden and Bill Cowher to make a return to head coaching in 2013. The firings didn’t take long to commence on Monday. Andy Reid, Pat Shurmur Norv Turner, Lovie Smith, Romeo Crenel, and Ken Whisenhunt were all fired. It’s hard to argue with any of them. Smith put together good records but couldn’t find playoff success. Rex Ryan deserved to be fired but Jets owner Woody Johnson fired the GM instead. Jason Garrett may be out of Dallas but Jerry Jones might replace Romo instead. We will see.
Other things that I won’t forget from 2012-
*My kid walking around the house. It’s a little thing but falls in the big plateau for a young man category. Vin isn’t a baby anymore. He is a boy.
*Manny Pacquiao getting knocked out with one punch by Juan Manuel Marquez, laying a new twist in their legendary battle. They will meet again, but it’s hard to get the image of Pacquiao sucking the mat for 2 minutes out of my head. He was winning the fight but got careless. That one punch may have helped bring back boxing.
*The year Canelo Alvarez was denied a big payday twice. Victor Ortiz got his jaw broken and lost a chance to fight the redhead Mexican sensation. Miguel Cotto lost to Austin Trout and won’t get a chance. Canelo lost big fight money. Something he may find in 2013 when he potentially takes on Floyd Mayweather Jr..
*Seeing The Black Keys live and wanting more. A tease never sounded so good.
*Fully capturing the rock n’ roll grace of the underrated Black Rebel Motorcycle Club’s music.
*Twitter became a new tool for me.
*Film-Addict became a reality, movies became a job and our website officially became a business. Sweet and the bitter.
*No hitters, head coach firings, shootings, bad drivers, unpredictable weather, death, sickness and triumph. Oh, that’s every year.
*20 young souls lost in an instant at Sandy Hook.
*The media turning the idea of a good man or woman holding a gun into a bad idea while disregarding moments of heroism.
*Athletes taking their own life. KC Chiefs coaches watching up close. Ask Crenel what he will remember most. The bad record of the Chiefs or his young linebacker blowing his head off in front of him?
*I still love my wife as much as the day I married her. Good happy marriage is possible if you put in the work.
*Improvements to my house. I like coming home to my little South St. Louis City Buffa shack.
*Friends gained, lost and stuck in the middle.
Something I never lose in life is hope. The hope that people can be better and do good things. It’s a quality that comes at birth and is left up to the person to put to good use. So many people are down every day of their life and it’s fucking pathetic and sad. If you aren’t happy, do all you can do to fix it. Maintain hope that life can be better even when its not. When Vin got sick, Meme died and I lost my job, a lot of people could have wallowed up and hid from the world. I didn’t. I maintained my stance and kept my head up. I remembered Meme, spent time with my son and watched him get bigger and healthier, and helped install confidence in my wife and myself that we would find jobs. I can’t say it enough and I will borrow from Rocky again. Life is all about taking the hits and keeping the body moving forward. You don’t have to score a knockout. You just have to keep your head up and moving forward. Keep up the hope. It’s all we got in the end.
I’m making an anytime mix of music. Tunes that can be enjoyed any time and any place. Good to go for the soul.
Happy New Year. Good luck. Be safe. Now go live another round. Fuck the resolutions. Just be better in 2013 than you were in 2012 and if you are good already, just maintain it. We make our own luck.
Thanks for reading,
Dan L. Buffa
*Players report for spring training in 45 days. The St. Louis Sports scene is dead for that entire period. The sweet and the bitter, folks.
Dose of Buffa 