Starting this rant with excuses about my four week absence would only drain the following bullets unloaded from my overloaded chamber, so let’s just say I have been away on business.   If you know me well, you understand my time crunch situation.  If you don’t, think of it as a duty that found itself at the back of the line.   Let me go ahead and run straight into the gauntlet of hot topics.   First, my take on the Rogues in Red, the St. Louis Cardinals.  

Warning: This will be a long blog.  Epic length that shocks Poe, kicks Hemingway in his grave and hands the poets another cup of scotch.   It has been awhile and if you have ever seen a coffee addict tackle his or her first cup of coffee after lent(I have, its something to behold), you will understand the journey I am about to take you on.  

The Cards endurance test hit a massive speed bump in mid May.   This team personifies the lyrics from the Frank Sinatra classic, That’s Life.   They were riding high in April and got shot down in May.   They need to change the tune and get back on top in June before mid season finds them at a deadly crossroads.   There are reasons for a team falling apart and for this group, it’s easy.  I call it the tripod of doom.   Bad pitching, sloppy defense and a tougher schedule.   After facing their own NL Central crews for a solid month, the Cards ran into the East/West trap.   They struggled on the road, got no hit by Johan Santana, saw their rotation severely struggle and their bullpen has followed that up with burnt out arms and extended leads handed to the other team.   Take out the 3 game offensive cold streak last weekend, and the lineup has done their job.   The Cardinals lead the league in batting average, runs scored and home runs.   When your lineup scores 8 runs and loses two games in two weeks, the pitching isn’t holding up their end of the bargain.   The Cards troubles don’t end with a lack of performance.  They have gotten hammered early on with injuries again, which will be discussed in the next section.    The good thing for this team is it’s only June 8th.    Slumps, tough games and bad habits don’t land too hard in June.  Teams can pick themselves up.   Baseball is a game of attrition and endurance.   162 games are played for a reason.   A long season frustrates fans, puts managers on the hot plate, throws general managers into a monopoly frenzy and tests a players resolve.  It’s all part of the game.  The question is, can the Cardinals survive a little adversity and learn to thrive again without playing bad teams.  The answer lies in their 2011 season ending run that led to a title.  Doubting this team would be futile to a smart fan’s plans.  As Rocky Balboa told his kid, it’s about taking the punches and keep moving forward.  Taking the hits and keeping the legs moving.  Do what you can.  Seasons aren’t won in September. They are won in May and June when a team decides to give up or fight back against the natural flow of bad play and injuries.

More Notes on the team-

*Matt Adams has been impressive in his time here.   He started 12 consecutive games and hit decent yet did something very rare for a young slugger.  He adjusted to pitchers on the fly.  In at least 3 games, he struggled early on and later delivered a big hit.   Adams wasn’t supposed to play here this year, but he is giving the team a reason to keep him around or remember his impact.   Matt “Biff Webster Country Fried Steak”  Adams isn’t wasting his time and it’s good to see the depth on the farm producing solid talent.

*Jake Westbrook and Jaime Garcia experienced horrible months of May.   Westbrook couldn’t last more than 5 innings, gave up a ton of early runs and hit a wall.   Garcia started hot, collapsed with 3 bad starts, and now finds himself looking  for a second opinion on his shoulder.  The Cards rotation is being held up by Lance Lynn and Adam Wainwright.   Kyle Lohse has experienced setbacks in May but pitched decent as of late.   Without Chris Carpenter and soon to be missing Garcia, the rotation strength will only be further tested.   Brandon Dickson or Joe Kelly will make starts when interleague play starts at Busch against the Indians this weekend.   Questions will be answered but we know right now Westbrook is expendable and Garcia is damaged.   Rotation thinness is showing.

*Allen Craig is a hitting machine and providing evidence that 2011 was no fluke.   In 21 games, he has 7 home runs and 22 RBI.   He has missed 20 plus games to injuries but when he is in the lineup, he hits big and collects clutch hits.  The lineup gets better with his presence.   Holliday and Beltran get more protection and he pairs nicely with Yadi Molina and David Freese.   As long as Craig stays in and gets support from Adams, Lance Berkman won’t be missed.

*While the offense thrives and obvious players get attention, one man that is quietly exploding at the plate in 2012 is Molina.  He is hitting .328 with 8 HR and 32 RBI.  He had 10 HR in over 500 at bats in 2011.   Molina lost weight, changed his stance and has gotten even better at the plate.  His trademark eye is intact but his power numbers are up.   He is just another replacement bullet in losing Albert Pujols.

*As I write, David Freese has put the Cards on top huge in the Astros game tonight with a 7th inning grand slam.   The score is now 12-2 in favor of St. Louis.   This is an example of the Cards lineup picking up the pitching.   After Lance Lynn put them behind 2-0 early on, the Cards erased it with a 3 run 3rd inning.   They added on and added on and now Freese drills in the nail.   On a night where the pitching needed to go deep, the bats have silenced the Texas night and produced a seemingly positive end to a treacherous road trip.  Through bad pitching and bullpen meltdown, the bats have kept working.  Forgetting about a three day stretch in New York where the Cards scored 1 run in 29 innings against Santana, R.A. Dickey, and Jonathon Niese, the lineup has given its fair share of support.  Tonight is only an example.

*It’s easy to give the bullpen more blame than the rotation.   I beg to differ.  The Cards rotation’s main problems came down to a lack of innings produced.   When the starter gives up 4-6 runs in the first inning and pitches less than 5 innings, bad things will happen.  The bullpen is forced to pitch a lot of innings and crumbles.   This happens with any bullpen in baseball, trust me.   The domino effect came into play when the starter’s came up short on back to back games.   Bullpen arms are engineered to pitch a certain amount of innings.   Look at Fernando Salas last season.  He was a weapon in June and a casualty in September.  Too many innings wear down any arm.

-I like Matheny’s style because it mixes in the La Russa way and his own skill set.

-Shane Robinson, Tyler Greene and Adron Chambers aren’t legit major league players but they are feeling holes and providing.   Robinson plays a great defensive center field, takes a good at bat, gives you the occasional power stroke and gets on base.   Greene gives you the speed factor, power stroke and defense along with a ton of strikeouts.   Chambers is a .300 hitter with speed who also serves as a clubhouse leader.  The Memphis trio is doing its part until the professionals come back to work.

*Anything Daniel Descalso does at the plate is a big fat bonus.  The man’s glove in the field at second and third base is undeniably gold glove caliber effort.

*In a nutshell, what is hurting this team?  Injuries, tougher schedule, light innings from rotation, and bullpen eruption is dealing a blow to our division standing but once again, its early, chill out.

Main Idea With the Cards Moment of Distress-The Cards hospital waiting room is getting crowded.   Matt Carpenter, Jon Jay, Allen Craig, Lance Berkman and Chris Carpenter are on or have spent time on the disabled list.   While Craig returned last week, David Freese has missed time with a hand injury and Carlos Beltran is already gingerly playing the outfield on sore knees.  The result of many years in the grinding halt of 162 game seasons.   We have a lot of games left and a lot of dates with The Reds, so fear not Cards fans.  It’s early, and while the blood on the walls suggests a dark future, the fight in this team and the depth is holding them afloat.   Imagine a stretch where the Cards are completely healthy.    Yes, a lead of 3 runs or less handed to the bullpen right now is like handing a 5 year old a live grenade.   The starters are getting smashed early but arms like Lance Lynn and Adam Wainwright are only getting stronger.   Wainwright pitched his first complete game in over 200 games last week against the Padres and that brought him back from the dead land of self esteem deprived elite pitchers.   Lynn collected his 8th win on Monday.   There are four Cardinals with at least 10 home runs.   Matt Adams has adjusted to pitching in the majors and is holding the fort at first base until Craig returns to help stage a platoon.  Beltran has 44 RBI and 16 home runs, and is making his 12 million stand up in the same manner as Ex-Astro Berkman did in 2011.  Bats will slow down, arms will rise and fall, managers will stress and wonder, but the season will simply keep moving.   You learn these things following a baseball team passionately and obsessively.  It’s a long road and I’m on it.  The real question is…are you?

Moving onto other less painful topics-

*The Russian is coming to town and his name is Vladamir Tarasenko.   The 20 year phenom is making his way to America from the KHL for lesser money in order to take the next step in professional sports.   He is trying to become a worldwide talent.   Tarasenko turned down a three year deal in the Russian hockey league in order to join the Blues and while hesitation sets in like any draft pick in any sport, this kid makes you anxious for winter ice wars.  Prospects provide the excitement and registered dread in fans because we don’t know what the transition talent provides.  The Tarasenko signing means things get interesting in 2012-2013, because who leaves and who stays?   Obviously, the quick moves are Matt D’Agostini, BJ Crombeen and one of the vets in Langenbrunner and Arnott not coming back next season.   T.J. Oshie will sign the 1-2 year deal unless the team feels they don’t need him.  He is a fan favorite who nets 18-19 goals per season and gives you the energy lacking in other players.   He is the expendable asset in the kid line, because Perron gives you the all around skill set and Patrik Berglund gives you the size and ability that Chris Stewart sometimes lacks.  The Blues have to decide if they want to get older or go all in with young players.   Berglund staying meaning Stewart can go?   If Oshie leaves, does Jaden Schwartz get a bigger role or does Tarasenko get a spot on one of the top two lines?   Your keepers are David Backes, Alex Pietrangelo, Kevin Shattenkirk, Jaro Halak, McDonald, Steen, Berglund, and Perron.   Tarasenko’s landing means a roster shakeup is in order.

*The Rams dome issues come down to this.   Does the city want to pay for the fixes or do they want to watch it go and resist a second chance at a football team?   If they don’t comply with The Rams demands and the dome falls out of the t0p 15 home stadiums ranking, the lease is broke in 2014 and the team leaves.   Remember people, the lease lasts until the end of 2014.    The Rams presented the city with the required work to turn the dead end Ed Dome into a place that people want to watch football.   I like the idea of a retractable roof because this city won’t pay for another stadium to be built.   If Ballpark Village hit a wall, a new place for the Rams won’t get past the early stages of planning.  The only way to keep the Rams here is to make the required constructive repairs and additions to the Dome.   I like it.   Put in a retractable roof so outdoor games are possibility.   Put in a new gallery outside the dome to pull people in.  Install creative fixtures inside around the field.    Look, Stan Kroneke will have to put his own investment in the new Dome repairs if he wants to see everything done properly.   My feeling is, the city will benefit from the Family Arena(which is connected to the Dome and shares revenue) and get revenue from the Rams games as well.  The city should pay for at least 2/3 of the repairs.   They will make plenty of money if the new Dome does well.   The Rams team is being rebuilt with new players and coaches, so there is hope here.  If the next three years yields a finer on field product and fans come out and fill the dome, I say make the repairs.  If not, the city will let the team walk away.   It’s up to them, because as much as Kroneke wants to keep the team here, he won’t bend his own finances over backwards to make it happen.   He has waited long enough for the Rams to be his and won’t risk losing them or putting them in the wrong situation.  The city council needs to figure out how bad they want the football team.  The ball is in there court.   I say come to an agreement on price and get the project done.   This is the city’s last chance at an NFL team.

*Messing with the Mayweathers makes my day.   Let me explain myself.   Before I was blocked by Roger Mayweather, Floyd Mayweather Jr.’s uncle and trainer, last Saturday, I engaged in a back and forth twitter battle.   It was fun and lit a fire under Mayweather’s ass.   Roger Mayweather is a former fighter with a 59-13 record and a big loud annoying mouth.    His tweets end with “muthafucka” and usually involve a bet or slam on Manny Pacquiao, the only fighter who poses a real threat to his nephew.  This gave me the idea of messing with him with a flurry of Buffa bullets aimed at getting a rise out of Roger.   I messed with his lost bets(which ranged from 350,000 to 900,000 dollars on playoff basketball), his 13 losses, his big mouth and his willingness to expose himself with his massive hating.   Before long, I was known in the Mayweather family and friend clan as “the bald pedophile who looks like Dana White”.   I wore the label proud.   The name calling continued and understand the entire time I am reaping the benefits of getting on Roger’s nerves from so far away.   He could launch a tirade on my family and call me anything.   That was my job being done for me.   When he finally blocked me after I tossed him my 6th handful of shit on his nephew spending 50-87 days in a 7 by 12 foot jail cell with no millions, he blocked me.   I also follow Floyd Mayweather Sr. but chose to leave him alone.  One Mayweather per month is enough.    Go ahead and ask the question.

Why did I mess with Roger Mayweather so much?  First, I don’t like loud trash talking old average fighters who make no difference as a trainer.   Second and more importantly, I don’t put a lot of stock into trainers, coaches or side shows in a big league sport.   I believe that Floyd Jr. would be the same kind of brilliant fighter without Roger in his corner.   With the rare exception being Freddie Roach or Dave Duncan(who connect with their pupils), trainers/coaches don’t make a bit of difference.   Watching Roger train with Floyd is like watching an old man cling to boxing life.   He doesn’t teach him anything.  He doesn’t help him too much.  All he does is cash a check.   Floyd would argue with me until I threw a stack of cash into the corner for him to play with.   Ask Floyd if Roger wanted a bigger cut from the fights and see how important he is.   I don’t think so.

*The Los Angeles Kings are on the brink of disposing of the New Jersey Devils and bringing home the first Stanley Cup to their town in a long time.   Something poor Wayne Gretzky could never do in uniform could happen this weekend.   The same team that easily kicked out the Canucks, schooled the young Blues, and sawed the Pekka Rinne led Predators down to size is up on the Devils, three games to one.  If the Kings win, it’s a triumph for Darryl Sutter and the 8th seeded team.   They are a signature impression of the team playing the best hockey wins the Cup and not the league’s best team.   The league’s most complete team could be the Flyers or Rangers, and they both perished.  The Kings played hot in April and haven’t stopped winning.   The acquisition of Jeff Carter, the play of Dustin Brown and the goaltending of Jonathan Quick.  Martin Brodeur can’t stop the mighty Kings train and when they win(and they will), the NHL will only get stronger.  A different champion each year displays the power throughout the league. Dynasties are boring.    The Kings are the underdog winners of the year.   Look for them on HBO.

*The Cardinals win 14-2 on two Freese homers(Grand slam, two run blast) and another strong Lance Lynn performance.   Lynn is now 9-2 and has held up through the middle of June.   Many picked him to fall down last month and he has maintained his sturdy rotation presence.   Wainwright and Lynn saved the Cards road trip with back to back “bend without breaking” performances.  The offense delivered tonight as well, giving 4 home runs and forcing the Astros to use a position player on the mound in the 9th.  Now we come home for the Indians, without Harry Doyle, Rick Vaughn and Jake Taylor.

*Can Lebron take down the Celtics?   The question posed last week and throughout the playoffs is the big mountain that Lebron can’t seem to climb over.   Tonight, he pushed another Game 7 in the East finals.   Lebron isn’t going down without a fight and the Celtics, my personal favorite team, won’t catch up to father time and quit.   A great battle that will provide an answer to the earlier question.  Can Lebron step up and take control like the greats before him or will he shrink, hand off the ball and let the game play him?   Since he left Cleveland for South Beach, Lebron has rightfully faced a ton of scrutiny and pressure from the fans.   He made a huge decision and jumped a title-less ship in order to join a star studded roster and win as many as six rings.   Instead of winning last year, he choked in the Finals against Dallas.   This season, he is having problems with Paul Pierce and the Celtics.   James won’t take the big shot and instead passes it off.  Instead of standing up and taking a three pointer, he passes.  Instead of driving the lane and drawing a foul, he charges and passes.   He has always been a selfless player and expert defender and passer, but I am talking about a lack of confidence and hesitation here.  Tonight, he delivered with 45 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists to keep the Heat alive.  The bigger question is…. can he deliver again to seal another trip to the NBA finals?   We all know Lebron can take over a game and win it by himself, like he did tonight.   He needs to do it Saturday night or else all will be forgotten.  You have to win titles in this league and not just MVP trophies.

*Can Kevin Durant get past the Spurs?  Yes he can, because Russell Westbrook is his classic wingman and helped Durant overcome a 2-0 series deficit and storm back to win 4-2.   Durant is the big time young talent in basketball at the moment and all he needs is a title win to clamp his feet in the ground.    His tale mirrors the fight of the Celtics and Lebron.    An old trio fighting to stay alive, a former superstar turned polarizing figure, and a bright young warrior trying to put his name on the game’s mantle.   The NBA doesn’t get interesting until the playoffs begin.  Everything comes to a head this weekend.

*Film Addict Plug- Here’s a clue to my time issues the past month.  A small passion project called Film Addict.   A movie website that looks great, had new juicy material and needs members and marketing plugs.   Allow me to dish on new things going on with the site.   My piece on Robert Downey Jr. is up on the site under “On A Role”.  I go back over the long brutal career of RDJ and provide his comeback story.   Eric Moore provided a cinema spotlight on Granite City theater, highlighting their unique qualities.  Chris McHugh, Moore and I plug the site with new reviews every week.    I am injecting my daily dose of Buffa into our news feed page.   The small perks of this side job is getting to watch movies for free at screenings.  Being on the list of screenings means less money spent and more movies seen.   I have 3 films lined up next week, and they are Rock of Ages, That’s my Boy and Brave.  Reviews go up on Fridays unless by special mention and insight is given in a format that is only sharpening my movie reviewing ways.   The Addicts Corner, where we introduce topics and invite fan reaction is our key spot of the website.   Hearing your feedback is our main goal and can only feed the site.  The problem is marketing and advertising.  The boys and I have bought shirts and are handing out business cards and fliers, but we need the word spread.   Go to http://www.film-addict.com, and see for yourself.   If you like the site, recommend it to anyone.  The target is every single person on this earth.     Give it life and we’ll give right back.

 *The Job Hunt Begins in a month.  Life changing events always sneak up on you.  My company, Senoret Chemical, is folding up the chairs, closing shop and dropping the curtain in three weeks.   At the end of June, I will be out of a job.   My owner, Tom Kraatz, sold the company and a lot of people who worked hard for the company are out of work.   It is a business matter, doesn’t involve much hate on my end, but the sting is all the same.   I am out of work in less than a month and in a job I have grown to feel comfortable in.   However, opportunities only knock when change strikes, so I am in for a new ride.   There is a lot of shit and shine to this situation, but one that comes out of the other end is my need to find new life in a new career.    All can wish Film Addict could produce faster than expected, but baby websites take years to return any profit.  If you hear of any work, send it my way.  I have a resume ready to send out, thanks to my beautifully adaptable wife Rachel.

*Manny Pacquiao faces a huge test this weekend against Timothy Bradley in Las Vegas, and the fact that Bradley is an undefeated bulldog hard working competitor runs second to Pac-Man needing a good showing after his controversial win over Juan Marquez in November.   Pacquiao looked out of sync, slower, more hittable and not as sharp against his long time adversary and nearly lost if it weren’t for a little hometown bias.   He faces a fresh young talent in Bradley, who has never faced a large scale mega opponent like Manny.   Each fighter needs each other and this fight to prove to themselves what they are worth right now.   Pacquiao needs a tuneup before Floyd gets out of jail and Bradley needs to find out if he has what it takes to stand with the top fighters.   Who wins is anyone’s bet, but my hard earned cash would be on Pacquiao, who has too much to lose at this point.  He has gone two knees and a long throat deep on GOD, re-motivated himself, and looks ready to return to killer Manny pound mode.   Can Manny remind us who he used to be or will he continue to be distracted by his political title in the Philippines and lose sight of what he is truly good at?   He can do good for his country long after his fighting days are over.   Right now, he needs to focus on boxing and becoming the best.

*I love music that moves me someplace else.   Tunes that crawl inside the veins and swim around for a few hours before departing to my playlist mixes.   That’s the beauty of music.  Everything about it seems right when it is done…wait for it…right.   You know right away if it works or not.   Here are six songs that are working for me right now.

Andrew James O’ Brien-Through the Days

The Lumineers-Ho Hey

David Gray-Shine

Band of Skulls-Wanderluster

Nina Simone-Feeling Good

James Brown-The Payback

*The power of Mad Men’s fifth season is leaving imprints on my soul.   In other words, the latest season is fucking good.   After a two year wait that was spent working out the details between creator Matthew Weiner and AMC coming to an agreement, the episodes this season have been so well done, one can’t decide if the layoff did any good or if you wish the crew never stopped working.  What’s going on this year?  Let me throw you a few bones you may or may not understand.  The young advertising firm, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce,  is struggling to land big accounts after the loss of Lucky Strike, with its main figure, Don Draper(the coiled rage master Jon Hamm), also struggling to maintain his edge and brilliance amid changes in the home and workplace.   Everything spins off Draper’s centerpiece.  A sea of lost souls rotating around one man living off a fake identity.   Season 5 is where my lovely crush Christina Hendricks saw her character Joan’s story fleshed out and taken to the forefront of the show.   Roger Sterling(the wonderful John Slattery) trying to keep his dying trade noticeable.    The scenes between Slattery and Hamm are old school bravado at its finest.   Two worn souls talking like old lions chasing a young man’s game is money.  In the last episode, the second to last of the season, Hamm nailed a Draper pitch to Dow Chemical, telling them bluntly, ” Success is only good because its temporary. You already ate a meal and you’re hungry again. I’m not happy with 50 percent of anything. I want 100 percent and I won’t stop until I get it”.   Ad men with blood on their mouth chasing down the pitch of a lifetime is Emmy award winning television.   The work by Jared Harris as the tragically doomed character, Lane Pryce, has been stunning this season as well.   Mad Men keeps you interest levels high at all times.   It makes for good and addictive television.  The season finale is this weekend and it won’t leave without taking a piece of me and pouring me a couple drinks.

*Charlie Sheen is making another comeback to television this month with Anger Management on FX.    I will be watching.  Why?   It’s fun to watch the Sheen madness, and its only juicier if we know he is basically playing himself on camera.   People get so annoyed with this guy but I love his attitude, whatever comes out of his mouth rapid fire tommy gun fucked up confidence game and overall appeal.   He has been this way for quite some time.   The top just popped off last year in a contract dispute with Two and a Half Men, a shitty show Sheen held up for many years before departing.     Think of it in the same manner as Mel Gibson finally losing his cool.   These are people my friends and not mere actors.   They are as dramatic as your next door neighbor or best friend.  Part of the problem with people and celebs like Sheen is they take them too seriously.  We all want to think he is simply acting out a role.  90 percent of artists are addicted to something and as crazy as the next psych ward patient inside while displaying happiness on the outside.   Sheen’s raging crazy streaks have marked his entire career.  The kid spent most of his first 10 years on the road with his actor father, Martin.   He spent many hours on the Apocalypse Now set with Marlon Brando and Dennis Hopper spinning tales with his dad.   You think Charlie is acting?   Wrong.   Charlie Sheen is fucking crazy and it’s highly enjoyable to watch.  His madness is the sell.   You don’t get this anywhere else.  It would only get better if Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez would join him for a family reality show on HBO.  The best part about Sheen’s madness is he hasn’t apologized for his behavior in order to save his career.   He has never made excuses for his behavior early in his career where he challenged James Spader to who could arrive to the Wall Street set more hungover.  According to Martin, Charlie is the most honest person he knows and has never resisted the hits that come with his turbulent life.    He has made Hollywood dance to his tune.   He got a show because they came to him with an idea and pitch.   Please don’t doubt Sheen’s television rock star status.   He took over Spin City for Michael J. Fox and turned it into an even bigger hit than it was before he arrived.   Then he made Two and A Half a global hit.   A stupid comedy about a pair of dudes living with a kid trolling through life on a sitcom set.   Sheen played himself, a bowling shirt, boozing, womanizing wild man who never gave up.  When show creator Chuck Lorre refused to write episodes for Sheen and the cast when he got out of rehab early, Sheen went off.   Lost in the media spin was Sheen making a plea for his cast and crew to get paid.   People love to prop wild things like Sheen as a poster child for “Please Avoid This When Older”.   Rightfully so in a way, but still, they get carried away when they embrace other crazies in Hollywood.  Rolling Stone put him on the cover this week because they wanted a wild story.   Charlie Sheen has been mad for years.  He is now being paid to be mad as hell.  I would spend a night on the town with this man, lose my mind and come home to return to sanity.   However, I bet I wouldn’t forget that night.  That’s Charlie Sheen.  Unforgettable.

*In other boxing news, Sugar Shane Mosley and Antonio Margarito finally hung up their gloves and retired.    Quite simply, it’s about damn time.   How many more fights did Mosley need to take a pounding and how blind would Antonio need to get in order to recover his logic.   It’s time to seek other work, possibly in a line of duty where you don’t get punched for a living.

*Glen Hansard, formerly of the Swell Season and the Frames, is coming to the Pageant in September.   This singer-songwriter is immensely talented and tells sweetly proud stories in between songs and his live work is genuine.   Musicians get the final stamp of approval from me when they can sound great on stage.   Come watch this man play and you won’t be disappointed.   You may well be enlightened.

*In July, my favorite band, The Dave Matthews Band, returns to St. Louis after a two year layoff that included a vacation in 2011 for the band.    For the first time in 16 years, the band took a summer off for the most part, except for a four show caravan tour.   This only wet the lips of fans seeking their DMB fix, so on July 12th it will be time once again to get lost under the lights and dark of night with Mr. Matthews and his crew of jam specialists.

*True Blood is a good if not great show.  Save me the speech or joiner plea.   It has a rapidly attentive fan base and I am not one of those diehards.  I like it enough as a guilty pleasure soap opera with real sex and hardcore violence.   The acting is decent, the blood is frequently spilled and the lady love is strong.    I don’t NEED to watch it.  It’s not that good.

*Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Rises opens in July and the expectations on this end are greater than usual.   This is my pick for the film of the year.   Nolan’s last two Batman sagas have set up the grand finale that he is calling his “biggest film yet”.   This coming from a famously secretive and quiet genius filmmaker.   Why am I so excited?  Nolan creates “big” films with realistic settings.   He used 11,000 extras to film a climactic battle scene in downtown Pittsburgh.   He travels to actors homes to have them read the scripts and he waits while they read it.   This happened with Michael Caine, one of the most famous British actors of all time.  Nolan makes films for a creative reason and not just a financial gain or job title filling.  His final chapter to the Batman series is promising because he threw all his weight into the design and execution.   Nolan is the kid who makes good on a bet.   He took the challenge of reviving a dead franchise and did so with flying colors so bright the series is a critical and box office sensation.  It’s hard to doubt Nolan’s vision because his aim is so sharp.

*The growth of Vinny.   The kid is the light of my life.   You understand that saying when you have a kid.   They take over your life, kidnap your soul and never let go….even when they call you horrible things, see you as the entitlement of embarrassment and go away to college.  This is the way things go down with parenthood.   I love it even when I hate it.   At his worst, Vinny is an adorable drunk.   At his best, his laugh can lift your day up faster than a pair of hands could lift up a chair that fell down in the middle of a party.   He is a gem.   He is officially crawling, flirting with older women, and negotiating words.   In other words, he is spitting out random sounds, a few relatively normal sounding words and seeing how they all add up and stick together.   He is coming along so fast.  25 pounds and over 2 feet of madness.

*Softball istaking its toll on a 30 year old man.   While I am in good shape and a decent player, the lazy sport taxes the shit out of me.  Allow me to explain my situation.  I took the field this week for the first time in 8 months.   I sub on teams from time to time and my good friend R.J. Morrison’s team is a frequent service.   It’s a thrill, even when you left the sport due to a lack of time, to get on the field and mix it up.  I play the game of softball as hard as you can.  I dive on rock hard dirt for grounders, slide into home plate to lose the skin on my calf(scars on both legs to prove it), and always go from 1st to 3rd on a single.  I don’t always crush the ball but I get on base and I wreck the other team’s plans.   I play a solid first base and just like being one of the guys on a team and not the leader lately in the Forest Park field of play.   I spent 5 years leading a team so these days I am happy to be a supporting leg on a much better team.   However, being older means your body can’t recover as quick as it used to.   That’s the real painful part of sports.  Recovery.  We can all get out there and shake a leg.   My 58 year old dad could get back out there, pitch, hit and run the bases.   When he gets home, his knees will need ice and a 8 hour bed rest with moans and groans.   Its the after party that pain catches up to you.   That’s the kicker when you get old….er!  A sport as lazy and fat man happy as softball can take its toll on a 30 year old body who goes after it on a field of play.

Closing Thoughts(yes this has been the longest damn rant in 3 months, but it’s still got legs)

*Prometheus is worth your hard earned money this weekend at the theaters.  There’s your one Rant Members List tidbit from my Film Addict review page, located right here

http://film-addict.com/news-and-reviews/a-dose-of-buffa/item/337-prometheus

*Will The Saints ever cut out the monkey business and give Drew Brees his money?  If the Colts gave Peyton his monstrous contract before he went under the knife and the Patriots amped up Tom Brady’s bank account right after knee surgery, the Saints need to give Drew his cash.  He has turned that franchise around and brought a Super Bowl to a tragically ripped apart city.  He produces every year and is an elite quarterback.   If they think the bounty hunting scandal and the loss of Sean Payton  is bad, think about being without Brees when the first game goes under the clock in September.  Nightmares follows.

*The Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox will be no pushovers when they hit Busch this week.  The Cardinals need to jump off their Texas boner 2 game winning streak and dig in deep and get a surprise series win this homestand.

*Fatherhood only gets to you if you let it.   Seriously, take a minute when your kid lets loose and just remind yourself that the person screaming bloody murder in front of you is your production and in some crazy way, is communicating with you.

*Remember the beer, Tank 7, a Boulevard product out of Kansas City.   A Smokestack series brew that stings the nostrils and buries the hatchet of a rough week better than any cup of coffee.   It’s hoppy, bitter, and a direct effect beer.   You take a sip and immediately know what you’ve gotten yourself into.  It’s delicious and my recommendation of the week.

With that beer crush, I am done.   My work is finished and I need to get on with the evening.   Somewhere, I am needed elsewhere.  I may not know it yet, but I can make a fair bet my name is being called right now.   It’s not fatherhood.  It’s not work.  It’s not the website.  It’s a life that needs to be lived.

Thanks for reading and come back next time for more madness.

Goodnight and good luck,

Dan L. Buffa

“Life is like sucking honey from a thorn.   There’s good times and bad times. “-Robert De Niro in The Killer Elite

There are things to discuss and a fair amount of time has passed since my last posting here in the Buffa Rant Lounge, so let’s dive right in.   In no logical order, I am going to fire off about a few things but I will give them a number.   Here are 12 things to talk about.

First, an opening rant-I don’t like the assumption that baseball players aren’t as skilled as hockey players.   Bullshit.  That is a wrong statement.  This isn’t a knock against hockey players but a simple correction.   Let’s look at this bluntly.   You could train a baseball player to skate and shoot a puck with a stick.   It would harder to take a hockey player to hit a moving fastball or wait on a curveball or throw one.   Hockey and football are games of supreme athleticism and skill, but it must be known that baseball involves the hard task of hitting exploding sliders and nasty offspeed offerings from some of the best pitchers on the planet.    Baseball requires a mental and physical skill and in my opinion, is as skillful if not more so than hockey.  Skating isn’t required in baseball but all you have to do is look at the old fashion matchup of pitcher and hitter to see how hard it is.   Skating and shooting can be taught quicker than hitting moving baseballs and throwing them.   You ever seen a non baseball player throw a baseball.  It’s not pretty.   Just saying.  Let’s get on with it.

1.)The Cardinals.   Yes, the rogues in red continue to play good baseball while remaining a step away from greatness.   At 20-12, they are easily leading the feeble NL Central but are running into the gauntlet of outer divisional matchups for the next few weeks.   After playing their own divisional foes for 30 plus games, the Cards battled the Diamondbacks and are welcoming the Braves at Busch this weekend.   Last night’s 9-7 loss in 11 innings brought to light the wonder of this team and the question marks.   The good part is our offense is powerful and firing on every cylinder available.  Carlos Beltran’s signing looks like expertly invested cash.  The vet is sitting with 12 home runs and 29 runs batted in and coming up with huge go ahead hits.   In Lance Berkman’s absence, Allen Craig has cranked 4 homers and along with Matt Carpenter, is making first base a well oiled machine.   David Freese continues his quiet assault on NL pitching, racking up 25 RBI as pitchers continue to think they can get him out on the outside corner instead of pounding him inside with heat.   The Cardinals swept the D-Backs and battled the Braves close and it’s good to know this team can hang with better teams.  Atlanta is the first team to give the Cards a true challenge, as the Central division teams only gave our Redbirds a chance to beat themselves.   Losing two walkoff shots to the Cubs at Wrigley or failing to register a sweep of the Reds, Brewers and Pirates stung but didn’t reveal a real weakness.  Sure, in July, the Cards will look back and wish they pushed the knife into the jugular when the chance was present, but April and May is all about winning series’ and establishing a solid form of play.   This team has weaknesses.  Their lefthanded relief isn’t strong, with Rzep struggling and JC Romero being the worst “flier” signing of the winter.   Their starting pitching has shown flashes of brilliance and domination, but also has trouble collecting 6 innings of work.   Adam Wainwright is looking better but has given up 7 home runs.   Kyle Lohse got bruised against the Astros this past week, but rebounded against the D-Backs.   Jake Westbrook is looking sharp but not getting run support.  Jaime Garcia enjoyed a fine April but is getting blasted early in starts in May.   Lance Lynn is the silver bullet of the rotation so far with a 6-0 record to go with a 1.40 ERA and 37 strikeouts in 38.2 innings.  My two biggest appreciations fall in Beltran and Rafael Furcal, who is hitting .362 with 24 runs scored and 46 hits.  Furcal is meeting the hype that his contract provided in January.  He has become the leadoff bat that the Cardinals have been coveting for years and supplying the sure handed defense in the field.  Many complained about the contracts of Beltran and Furcal and while their health is a walking question mark, their production right now is anchoring a lineup that isn’t at full speed.  Imagine a lineup with Craig lurking as your extra bullet in the hole.   The goal facing this team will be to maintain the offensive attack and get more innings from their rotation.  For all the little bumps and bruises ran into by the bullpen, their work has been solid thus far.   The lineup and rotation are the team’s life support lines and right now, each is strong enough to carry a team weakened by the absence of two of their top players in Berkman and Chris Carpenter.  Are Craig and Lynn legit or mere 2 month band aides?

2.)The Blues.   After beating the Sharks in the opening round, the LA Kings swept the Blues and ended their run.   Taking the loss into perspective, the Blues season was a still a fiery success and something to build off of for the future.   After Ken Hitchcock came on board and installed new styles of play and an attitude into the team core, the Blues were the best team in the NHL for the last 4 months of the season.   Their defensive first approach and goaltender strengthened attack launched them to a 2nd place finish in the Western Conference.   After early trouble, they quickly delivered a knock out punch to the Sharks to advance into the second round against the Kings.  While hopes were high that the series would deliver a thriller, the Kings were too much for the Blues.    The failure was on a group effort, The main issue was the Blues lost their two man attack in net.  Jaro Halak injured his ankle badly in the Sharks series and his absence helped expose the weakening skill set of Brian Elliot.  Elliot was stellar against the Sharks but against the Kings multi-layered attack, he allowed bad goals and in heavy doses.  His play in front of rookie Jake Allen left the team with few options and led to the demise of the playoff run.  The Blues defense, namely Carlo and Jackman, gave up two many odd man rushes and allowed the Kings to apply constant pressure in front of Elliot.  The Blues took a ton of bad penalties and their disciplined play went missing in Game’s 2 and 4.   Chris Stewart scored 3 goals after being benched in Game 2 but it wasn’t enough while most of the offensive players of the Blues didn’t provide anything.  The biggest strength during the season for this team was their goaltending tandem.   When Halak was weakening, the Blues were able to insert Elliot.  When the backup was starting to crack, the Blues had Halak waiting.   The strong play of both gave the Blues the protection against exposure.  Neither were required to start 4-5 games in a row, and they racked up 15 shutouts together and carried the team to the playoffs.  Upon Halak’s injury, the pressure was too much for Elliot, the defense weakened, the top 6 stopped scoring and the discipline disappeared.  The Blues weren’t undone by roster depth but by their own play forced upon them by domination from the Kings.   The LA Kings outworked them, beat them to pucks, were faster in their own zone and attacked our zone with more force and skated circles around our defenders, which led to Elliot’s fall.   In the end, the Blues were fed a spoonful of their own medicine.  Taking everything into account, the Blues accomplished something missing for 10 years.  A playoff win.   They collected 4 playoff wins and look to build on that with the new ownership in local businessman Tom Stillman and his group.   The team has holes to fill.  A powerful lefthanded defenseman and a proven goal scorer would boost the talents on this roster.  The cost will probably be one of the kids on the roster.   TJ Oshie or David Perron will have to be shipped out in a trade and my guess is Oshie, who is the less talented player of the two and a player that’s hard to gauge and build off of while measuring his excitement.   Patrik Berglund is signed up through next season but I wouldn’t rule his departure out either.  The core is David Backes, Alex Pietrangelo, and Andy McDonald.    Stillman will work with John Davidson and Hitchcock and work to fix the leaks in this Blues attack that must build on the playoff success accomplished this season.  You’re nothing if you take a step back.

3.)The Rams didn’t grab a flashy player in the NFL Draft but they filled holes.   Michael Brockers didn’t knock the socks off anyone but he will fortify a strong defensive line with middle power.  He will work on stopping the run attack that has hurt the Rams the past 3 seasons.  The Rams grabbed Brian Quick, a running back from Appalachian State with great tools but needing work.  A 220 pound 6′ 4” speed back who can complement Steven Jackson.  CB Janoris Jenkins has off field problems but amazing abilities on the football field.  He will team with offseason signing Cortland Finnegan and improve a terrible area for the defense.   In order to add depth, the Rams picked up RB Isiah Pead and CB Trumaine Johnson.   The Rams loaded up on players to fill holes instead of taking that big talent.   That move is hard to grade until we see performances on the field and playing time given.   I can say this team missed out on Michael Floyd, Fletcher Cox and Morris Claiborne but there is no proven guarantee that those players will pan out.  The draft is merely a gamble and fake representation of promise.   The Rams produced a helpful draft.   GM Les Snead found players that suited Jeff Fisher’s style of play and this season will go down as a Fisher experiment.  The Rams draft was bold, risky, impressive and unexpected overall.   They did things the hard way and if Steve Spagnuolo was in charge, he would be hung with the lack of starry selections.   Jeff Fisher installs a confidence in problem child picks and his pillars of winning football are under construction.  He is no wizard but someone you feel better with in charge.  We all wanted Justin Blackmon, including Fisher(whose reaction when Jacksonville stole the 5th spot was a simple “fuck”), but we live with the versatile picks.

4.)Being a greedy fan is part of the baseball.    I may sound greedy fan when I say the Cardinals need to sweep the Pirates and Brewers while winning the series is substantial enough but there is a plan behind my madness here.   Every game counts in this league.   If I need to cement my case for that, look to the last day of the 2011 season.   The Cards and Braves battling things out to the final out with the Red Sox and Rays doing the same thing in the American League.  Wild Card matchups only get more intense with the one game playoff in 2012.  You need to stick the knife into the other team’s jugular when you have the chance.  Do it often because now that the outer division matchups have started, those easy roads will start to look more distant.    As noted earlier, Beltran’s power presence is fueling a Cardinals attack that is scoring 65 more runs than their opposition.   Success within the division is a double edged sword.   The competition is weak but its good to know you can handle those team on a consistent basis.   We face the NL Central the most so we need to be effective.  When he is clicking, Matt Holliday’s violent swing can carry a team and one of the attributes of Holliday’s most forgotten by fans is his old school hustle.  No one plays the game harder than Holliday.   Watch him play day in and day out and make a case to differ with me and I will squash you.  David Freese is the best hitter with 2 strikes and 2 outs.

5.)While I won’t divulge any movie reviews, I will provide a few notes on trailers.    The Dark Knight Rises produced a second and eventful preview of Christopher Nolan’s finale to his Batman saga, and the final duel looks like a carbon copy of the Dark Knight with an additional amount of spice and political intrigue.   Batman is faced with a new bad guy, terrorist Bane(Tom Hardy) who is looking to burn Gotham to the ground and not just expose Batman like The Joker wanted to.   In Dark Knight, The joker didn’t just challenge the Batman straight up.  He challenged Batman’s carefully constructed world.  He thwarted Batman’s getaway plan by taking out Harvey Dent and his ambitions of being the new White Knight in Gotham.  The Joker turned Dent into a mad man but killing Batman’s love, Rachel Dawes.    He also turned the public against Batman by forcing him to go outside his justice comfort zone, challenging him to kill him and not merely arrest him.   He went after everything in Batman’s life and while losing the battle in the end, he won the war and pushed Batman to take the rap for Harvey’s killing spree and ride off as a fugitive.  In DKR, Bane is back and more deadly than the Joker because his plans are more bold and he brings something to the table the Joker did not and that’s the physicality to match Batman’s abilities.   Hardy took a page from Heath Ledger’s memorable playbook and went after the devil behind the face with Bane, a well known mad man in the Batman comics.   His scary voice, demeanor and physical power looks to have drained the older and casted out Caped Crusader.   Nolan doesn’t waste a punch and I expect his last hurrah to be legendary and pack a wallop.  Here is the trailer.

Also looking good in small dose tastings are The Expendables 2, Sylvester Stallone’s second ode to action heroes coming out in August.   Sly’s escapism combo pack reloaded now includes Jean Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, and Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger in bigger roles.   Think of this second chapter as bigger and badder when you think Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Jet Li and Randy Crews are returning.   Stallone will tell you but this is a simple gathering of friends with one goal in mind and that’s blow shit up and look cool doing it.   There is no bigger goal here than kicking ass and taking names.   Action films carry an art of their own and no one gets that more than writer, producer and star Stallone.   Look for this one to knock your socks off.   I wouldn’t be far off if I asked for Sly and Arnold to square off once and for all to see who the real badass is.

6.)  My new website, Film-Addict, is live and needs viewers and members.   Eric Moore, Chris McHugh and I created this movie website with the goal of one day doing it for a living but for now the passion project is meant to entertain and inform.  Tell a friend.   Tell them to inform 20 others and spread this.  My attempt at working for myself starts now.  That’s what the idea is.   The goal in life has to be working for yourself and leaving the days of working for somebody behind.   That’s the real American dream.   Making your own hours and doing it on your own.   Film Addict has launched.   Go there and enjoy the content.  Go to Addicts Corner and post your questions and thoughts.   Tell us if we are good.   Comment if we are wrong or need a second look.  Just give us some popularity by giving us your time.   Spread this preferred film flavor like a cocaine brushed wildfire.   That’s how these things go crazy and get interesting.

Instead of finding them here, go to http://www.film-addict.com/dose of buffa for my latest reviews on Avengers, Dark Shadows, Think Like A Man and Safe.

Once again, my website is http://www.film-addict.com and that is the place to find movie news, reviews, showtimes and fan forums that recreate connection in the film community.

7.)Miguel Cotto and Floyd Mayweather Jr. gave a reminder that boxing is far from dead by delivering a thrilling fight last weekend in Vegas.   Puerto Rican champion Cotto gave Floyd his biggest challenge of his career and made the invincible legend sweat and bleed in a 12 round battle that produced the best fight I have seen in a few years and I have watched a lot.   Cotto is the quiet proud fighter who went against the loud and flashy Mayweather Jr. and forced him to reach deep into his arsenal of tricks to win the fight.  Floyd won the fight easily but this was the first time Floyd was hit hard and often by a fighter on prime time.   Cotto hit him, forcing bleeds on Mayweather’ s nose and cheek and while Cotto took more damage himself, he never stopped coming and applying pressure.   Floyd respected Cotto and gave him the pleasure of a non Floyd like post fight slam fest.   Every boxer knows when he is hit and hit hard, and Floyd respected the challenge Cotto brought him.   While MMA fights have taken over Pay per view and pushed boxing to the brink of extinction, this isn’t a case of the internet burning newspapers.    The Cotto-Mayweather Jr. fight produced 1.5 million buys and 94 million in television revenue alone.   Boxing is alive and draws like Cotto, Mayweather Jr., and Pacquaio are proof that the sport is far from hitting the canvas.   Cotto’s future looks bright now that he has held his own against Pacquiao and Floyd, the two best pound for pound boxers.   He looks to fight Sergio Martinez or Canelo Alvarez next.   Canelo easily dispatched the old Shane Mosley on the undercard.   Canelo’s powerful straight left hands and right hooks nearly sent Mosley to the canvas and this young Mexican is the future of boxing because he is good and marketable.   Alvarez is a quiet deadly puncher who will soon enough challenge the likes of Floyd, Cotto and Manny.   For now, he deals merciful beatings to clock punchers like Mosley, a champion far past his expiration date.   Boxing is full of contenders and the best part about it is they haven’t faced each other soon enough.   Life can be found in this sport if you pay any kind of attention.   Cotto taking the unbreakable legend Mayweather to the brink of failure proved the strength still exists.

8.)DVD Selection of the Week-Haywire, a quick action packed solidly acted thriller that proves hard boiled Hollywood filmmaking can be still be done.  Steven Soderbergh’s take on the female Bourne starring Gina Carino was a movie I really enjoyed.  Also, it doesn’t waste any of your time with the 95 minute running time.

9.)Albert Pujols’ struggles don’t require a master class in observation.   He is choking under the extreme pressure of a big contract with a new team under new expectations and hopes.   I have no soft spot for Albert’s struggles or sympathy for his condition.  He is a millionaire athlete who chose to leave a kingdom and now he will pay the price.  Albert, I have a lyric from the Silent Comedy’s new killer song, Bartholomew for you, “And you best believe there will be hell to pay”.   Look, Albert is facing the same kind of pitching he did in the National League.  Major league professional class.   Pitchers are busting him inside and making him reach for pitches off the plate.  They are making him over-extend himself and expand his zone.   Same tactics used in the first 11 seasons but now they are working.   He walked today for the first time since April 26th.   Last season, his walks were down and his ground ball rate was up.  This season, Albert is hitting .195 with 1 home run and 13 RBI.  He isn’t walking and he is striking out.  He is grounding out to third and shortstop.   He isn’t a difference.   Last season at this time, he was starting to come out of his season opening drought.  This season, I can’t tell you if he will because he doesn’t have the comfort of St. Louis to guide his recovery.   The man is in a new city who wants the 25 million salary backed up with production.  He chose this setup and will have to work his way out of it.  As a good friend said, I respect the man and what he did here for 11 seasons but I have turned my back on him.   I wasn’t crazy when I said the best place for him was St. Louis.   He had the legendary status, the comfort zone and the surroundings to dominate.  In LA, all he has are the expectations that his legend laid out for him to live up to the next 10 years.

10.)The Black Keys live from Chaifetz Arena produced a solid concert but one that left the diehards wanting more.   The Oklahoma musicians played for only 75 minutes and while they sounded crisp and as good as the studio recordings, I wanted them to play for another 30 minutes.   Their live music is great but their set lists need an extension.   The set wasn’t worth 40 dollars and the gas and parking fee to boot.   Their opening act, Arctic Monkeys, played the same exact same noise for nearly an hour before the Keys came on 90 minutes into the arrival time and played for a brief time that you forced the question, “Was it St. Louis or is this their gig?”   In the future, I will reconsider the idea of spending that kind of cash on a tease.  The band is one to die for but their live show is far too short.

11.)Vincent is 8 months old and nearly 24 pounds.   He is becoming more of a man every day and is perfecting the one arm crawl and can also make his way into three different rooms.   Being small and adorable makes it easy to escape and get away with anything.   Vinny is a good little baby but he also presents challenges just like any new addition to civilization.   He makes you stop what you are doing because he is discovering what you don’t do with electronics and also how hard a wood floor hurts when you slam your head on it.  Normal concussion related moments and times where you try to teach him the warnings of life.   It’s an ongoing process.

12.)Junior Seau’s suicide can only teach us that larger than life athletes can be fallible to the pressures and expectations life can place on you.   Once he stopped being a football player, a new kind of challenge began for Seau and the problem most athletes face is replacing the adrenaline rush of the game they leave behind.   Seau’s suicide will never be able to be deciphered completely because suicide involves so many details and private urges.   What I saw on the NFL network was a happy ready to go individual and what I heard about was a guy putting a bullet in his chest to end his life.   What you strive for in between is a reason that we will never get because the only man who can provide that is Seau himself.   I don’t like calling suicide victims cowards because there are so many variables that go with each life and the different fuels required to remain happy.  How can you label someone that if you don’t know all there is to know about their life?   We don’t know Junior’s life so let’s celebrate what we did know.  He was a great football player and a great guy off the field.   A worthy soul was lost.  Before people call Junior Seau a coward, know that there is a fine history and medical evidence stating the effect of concussions causing former athletes to go through bizarre mood swings, rapid depression and revert to suicidal urges. This is not an excuse, but a well documented claim.   However, there is indeed a huge gray area in athlete suicides. Lot of details that will be buried with Seau. Family left to pick up the pieces.

Closing Rant-Last Sunday, I celebrated 10 years of being together with my wife, Rachel.  10 years since our first date.   One of the perks of being married is the ability to talk to women without any pressure.   Since I am happily married, I don’t have to worry about impressing women when talking to them.   That is the greatest thing in making the right choice to get married.  All the anxiety and pressure to go with the interaction with women is gone.   The worry in the words isn’t there.   I can walk up to any woman and say almost anything and I don’t have to worry about revealing too much, being too harsh or being a bit too kind.   Single men have to worry about what they say.  Saying too much may ruin a future chance at a kiss, sex or love.   I don’t have to worry about that.  I have found my woman.  The rest can deal with my brutal honesty.

That said, it is time for me to check out of here.  Get some things done, get set for the night and have a little fun.   Work is a stressful process because the transition between Senoret and Woodstream is making the days at work a gut wrench at times and film-addict is forcing me to see bad movies more often than I want to.    Life at home is great but produces its own challenge.    The weekend is a time to unwind, but today a blog needed to be done.   The unplugging of the mind is required to keep the systems fresh.   Now that this is done, I can keep moving.

Thanks for reading and come back next time?

Sincerely,

Dan L. Buffa

This is the only way I know how to bring it folks.   Direct and deep to the bone.   Writers tend to stay away from ideals that strike too close because they fear it will impact their overall writing ability.  I tend to stay close to what lies in my chest.   What else is a man to do when he needs to unwind?   I talk and I write.  I collect information and I distribute the thoughts like a Tommy gun messenger with a business plan.   It’s one mans thoughts.  Just one.   People take my thoughts too personally at times, like I am launching a grenade on their standards and that is the wrong thing.  I take shots at a wide range of people and stick to names here.   Examples, stories and theories rock the boat of truth and I keep my words to the task a sword would take.   Straight and meant to penetrate a valve few like to touch.   I don’t have a lot of time so lets get moving while another morning begins.

The St. Louis Blues Return the Favor

For the first time in 10 years, the Blues are advancing in a playoff series.   This is a shot to the heart for Blues fans who have stuck with this team for the last decade.   I count myself as one of those fans.   While they aren’t my blood pressure team(the Redbirds own that label), I have watched this team for years and seen them through the bad times.   It takes the most loyal fan to dish out harsh truths about a team when they are struggling and be able to recycle the sentiment when they prosper.   You earn the right through minutes given to their play.   On Saturday night, the Blues finished off the San Jose Sharks in 5 games and sealed their first series in a long time.  Count that as something achieved in a land of short term memory.  By getting rid of the Sharks, the Blues erased demons from their past.  Th 2000 ghost where they won the President’s Trophy and lost in the first round to a more experienced Sharks team.  David Perron delivered the game winning goal in the clincher, returning the favor to Sharks captain Joe Thornton, whose mid ice hit left Perron off the ice for 90 games.   A decade of futility got wiped off the books in Game 5.  Brian Elliot stepped up in Game 2 in the same manner he rescued the team in October.  When Halak went down, the leader in goals against average and save percentage picked up the stick and delivered 4 wins for the home team.  No small feat when you consider the Sharks tried to play hardball and resorted to dirty play.   In Game 2, the Blues took control of the series and stamped the approval of a city when Roman Polak and Vladamir Sobotka destroyed two Sharks players after regulation ended.   A matchup with the Los Angeles Kings and Jonathan Quick looms for this team on Saturday.  A week after advancing, the Blues entertain one of the best goalies in the NHL.   Quick didn’t treat the Blues kindly in the regular season, and after he outgunned Roberto Luongo in round 1, the task is steep.   Quick and the Kings are a pesky, quick team with an excellent penalty kill, and this series will go at least 6 games and challenge both sides.  The Blues are up for the challenge.  This series will be legendary.   7 games bitten down to the bone.  The talent of Patrik Berglund, TJ Oshie and David Perron will be tested over and over again.   They are the young core, the proposed difference makers within a versatile group of leaders that includes team Captain David Backes, top rank defenseman Alex Pietrangelo, and Andy McDonald.  David Perron shined the brightest in the Sharks series.   This whole team has been beating the odds since November when they were left for dead following a coaching change.   Since Ken Hitchcock took over, the Blues have been the best team in the NHL.   Will that continue?   I’d pay to find out.

The Rogues In Red

The Cardinals lineup begins to slow down and the crew accumulates only one win in Wrigley while only allowing 6 runs in the entire series.    That’s right, the mighty bats are slowing down after a quick 8 game start.   This isn’t something alarming because teams go through streaks.  However, trends can be spotted and when you allow two walkoff wins against the Cubs, fingers are pointed.   The band aides are falling off, as part time talent is starting to show their true colors.  Matt Carpenter is a fine young hitter, but he has only 1 RBI in the last 6 games.   Tyler Greene, Daniel Descalso and Shane Robinson all contribute little and the veterans health will soon come into play.   This team can’t rely on the Memphis crew for 30 more games.   Tyler Greene isn’t a major league baseball.  We covered this before but allow me to state it again.   He has come up to the Major Leagues 4 times, taken 398 at bats and hit .217.   He makes bad errors, as seen in Tuesday’s game when he failed to knock down a 10th inning ground ball that allowed the winning run to cross home plate.  The whisper in the room is Greene doesn’t have the confidence to play this game and that is evident every time he crosses the chalk.  He is hesitant, takes bad at bats and looks average.  He hits the occasional home run but in the end, will be nothing more than a pinch runner.   Kolton Wong needs to keep hitting down in Springfield because the Cardinals need a legitimate everyday second baseman.   The work of Lance Lynn so far requires a reluctant praise.  The starter-reliever is 4-0 with a 1.33 ERA.  He is making Chris Carpenter’s injury a non-factor for the time being.  Lynn could falter at any moment.  He has good stuff, a decent arsenal of pitches and plenty of poise.  Just don’t be surprised if he falters.  This is a devoted fan telling you of a pothole awaiting ahead for a guy whose innings load could come into play in a couple weeks.  It’s not a given Lynn will misstep and lose.  Just a historical poke at a young pitcher.  The real question is how many starts the Cards will waste in 2012?  They wasted two solid starts from Jaime Garcia and Adam Wainwright in a week.   Garcia was the victim of many late breakdowns in 2011 and has been on the receiving end twice already this season.   Closing is a problem already.   Jason Motte and Marc Rzepcynski blew games in Wrigley in back to back walkoff wins for the Cubs, once at the hands of Joe Mather.   When you blow a save, the closer is the number one source for blame.   Motte walked 2 batters en route to a 2 run single given up to Mather on a bad slider.   Rzepcynski gave up a first pitch home run to Tyler LeHair(a young first baseman the Cards are busy turning into Babe Ruth the same way they transformed the average Bud Norris into Nolan Ryan the past 2 years) on Tuesday.  Closing games has been a problem for year since Jason Isringhausen saved 47 games in 2005.   The team blew over 20 games in 2011 after the collapse of Ryan Franklin and that can’t continue this season unless you want to see a timebomb.   Lynn and David Freese rescued the team with a 5-1 win on Wednesday before they return to Busch Stadium for a three game set against Milwaukee this weekend.   Trouble lies ahead for this team if the blown saves continue and the bats remain in neutral.

RAMS Draft lightly on Opening Day

Look, all draft picks are a proven risk.   No matter who you select, the player could be a dud.  He could produce nothing and become a waste of money.   However, the Rams actions on draft night produced a passive unspectacular result for a team in need of firepower and excitement.   Let’s go outside the box here and remind people this team needs to reconnect with a scrambling fan base.  This team is sinking and the fans aren’t staying on the ship for long. The Jeff Fisher regime is the last stand for Stan Kroneke in St. Louis.  So, when they trade the #2 pick 2 months ago to Washington and accumulate picks in the next 3 drafts, I was fine.  However, when they traded down from #6 to #14, I began to get weary.  It is clear that the Rams decided to swap picks with Dallas(getting the 45th pick in the 2nd round for moving), it came after the Jacksonville Jaguars moved up to #5 and took the coveted wide receiver Justin Blackmon from Oklahoma State.  They didn’t trade down until after the Jags made that play.   So, the board still read Michael Floyd from Notre Dame and Fletcher Cox, a defensive tackle from Mississippi State.  The team had been coveting both players.   Everybody knew it.  The Rams made the wrong move to drop 8 extra spots for one second round pick.   Why drop so low if you are in need of a game changer?  They already had 2 picks in round two.  Why move so far down and jeopardize losing all three of your targets? No offense to their pick at #14, Michael Brockers, a defensive tackle from LSU.   He is a large man, capable of teaming up with Chris Long and Robert Quinn and stopping the run, but he isn’t a wide receiver who can score points.  The Rams averaged 10.2 points a game in 2011, good for barely 2 wins.   Sam Bradford, working behind an overrated offensive line, had no one to throw a football to and got crushed.    The goal in this draft is find him quality friends who can catch.   Blackmon fit the description.  He fell off the board.   Fine.   Why drop so low and risk losing the chance to draft Floyd, a deep threat with speed down the middle?   The Rams didn’t produce an exciting pick.  This pick feels like Jason Smith, Adam Carriker or Tye Hill.   A reach and a risk.   When I look at first round picks, I look for exciting risks.   This isn’t one.  The Rams need a great second round to recover this draft.   Fisher and his little kings to need to take advantage of three picks and get some offense.   Alshon Jeffrey and Stephen Hill are quality receivers still on the board.   A running back with speed to back up Steven Jackson would also help.  The defense allowed a ton of rushing yards in 2011, but overall, it made a dent and held the game in check.   The offense did absolutely nothing to help their cause and kept the defenders on the field.   This won’t stop unless the Rams draft an impact wide receiver.   On Day 1, the Rams came up with a limp choice.  Prescription pad reading for Rams from doctor: NEED OFFENSE. Wide receivers who are big and fast help. Right?  You can’t be patient in the NFL kids. These kids train for 4 yrs to start right out of the gate, unlike NHL and MLB.  The Rams are in need of reinforcements on Friday.   I am yet to be impressed.   Just in case you forgot, the Rams draft woes have been the chief reason for the team’s futility since 2005.

Boxing Digest

I am looking for Miguel Cotto to connect with Floyd Jr. on a few punches.  Winning the fight is a distant possibility, but the Puerto Rican champion can make a dent.  Making it a fight is within reach.  When was the last time Floyd Mayweather Jr. faced a fighter of Cotto’s weight and power.   Before you completely rule out Cotto, remember he is on top of the world at the moment after avenging his loss to Antonio Margarito with a satisfying 9th round TKO.   Floyd will carry too much speed and get into Cotto’s defense after the 8th round, but until then, the fireworks can be on display.   No fighter walks into the ring to lose, and I expect Cotto to put up a fight.  Manny Pacquiao, on the other hand, needs to realign himself during the Bradley fight.  The Marquez decision was controversial and left too many questions.  Pac-Man needs to return to the ring and get his shit together, beat Bradley with conviction and get his top rank feel back.  Until he regains his mojo, fight talks with Floyd surrounding a split of the purse means little at this point.   I’m looking for Saul “Canelo” Alvarez to put an end to Shane Mosley’s career and make a name for himself.  Alvarez carries atom bombs for fists and will make short work of a former champion in Mosley who is reaching for one final payday and could get hurt.   Exciting boxing in the next 2 months.

TV

Mad Men is a quiet powerhouse that continues to add bullets in it’s fifth season, airing on AMC at the moment.   Slow moving yet deliberate in its plotting.  Matthew Weiner treats his episodes like Greg Maddux treated his pitch count.  He doesn’t waste a minute.   Jon Hamm is still the face of this show about isolated souls living in a man’s world.  Game of Thrones will be the next show I challenge.  The hangover effect from ROME has me craving a sword and sandals epic.   George Martin’s book series is getting a fine adaptation from David Benioff, and the show simply looks interesting.  It’s a man show.   Violence, sex, power playing and desire floating around a pocket of erotic tension like a devil dancing around a tomb.   The cast is hot, the stories are interesting and I am game.  Please avoid reality television if you fear the idea of headaches.

Movies

Check out my new website, http://www.film-addict.com for my latest reviews and articles.   The site goes live on May 4th  and you will be able to check out my reviews of Hunger Games, Think Like A Man, The Avengers and Safe there.   In my blogs, I will only direct you to Film Addict so my partners and I can accumulate viewers and members.   I will only lay down a hint here and tell you Hunger Games justifies the #1 Box Office status and Think Like A Man’s quality does not.   The Avengers exceeded my expectations and Safe will be seen tomorrow.   It will accompany my article on Jason Statham, who promises a particular brand of justice.  As he puts it in a Details magazine article, he just goes to work.   The same goes for my partners and I on May 4th.   Visit our site soon and often.

Music

The Black Keys come to St. Louis tonight and I have tickets.    The blues rock band will shake the dust from Chafeitz Arena and go down as a great show because I am confident in the musicians ability to produce on a big stage.  Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney played Madison Square Garden in March and came out alive.  Once you play NYC, the stress levels decrease and you come into your own.  For long time band mates Auerbach and Carney, the connection on stage is easily recognized and what you get is fluidity between two men that have been working together since high school.   Auerbach on the guitar and Carney on the drums.   The greatness factor lies in their ability to  avoid the mainstream makeover.   You won’t see these hawking their talents on American Idol or The Voice.   No commercials.   These boys are old school and they have been making glorious blues rock for a decade, all the way back to the Big Come Up in 2001.   Their 2010, Brothers, smoked the music market and their latest, El Camino, continued the trend.   A band that deserves the launch during the prime of their career.    In other news, DMB is coming back to St. Louis in July.  After taking 2011 off for the most part, the true boys of summer hit the road for a six month tour.   Matthews and company will be showcasing a new album this summer, blasting crowds with versatile playlists, 3 hour shows and a willingness to go the extra mile for more excitement.   John Mayer’s best CD is Continuum because it showcases his blues guitar ability.    The Swell Season documentary is worth watching because there is a real heartbreaking story of love placed inside a musical collaboration.  Once stars turned band mates Glen Hansard and Marketa Iglova met, made a movie about falling in love, joined as a band, won an Oscar, fell in love, toured for 2 long years, and slowly broke.   The documentary tells their story.   Seeing them twice in concert, I can tell you the fusion was worth the eventual sorrow.

Vinny

The little guy took his first professional pictures this week and the kid is made for a camera.   Taking over 100 shots in about 10 minutes and going through 3 wardrobe changes, the boy played along and produced some very great photos.   Kids have to go through the movie star act all the time.   Pose, smile, and do it 50 times in a row.   You only stay adorable for so long and at 7 months old, the cheeks are popping and the idea is simple.   Pucker up kid.  Vinny doesn’t mind the camera, but did things on his own terms.  He smiled when he wanted and took a few pictures off when he wanted, but for the most part, the kid drove the ladies wild.   There are rare moments where people stop what they are doing and walk up to your kid to tell you how beautiful he is.   I have a beautiful baby.  And I know it well.  You can brag about your kid all day and never feel bad about it.

Other than that, nothing has changed around here.  Politics are the same old bribe.  Gas prices are hanging around.   People can’t drive.   The goal is to keep breathing and do better.    I love my wife and son, make a living, own a couple cars and a house, and strive to do better starting with this website.   Plans are always in order around here.  It’s part of living, right?

Thanks for reading and have a good day,

Dan Buffa

Team Film Addict

http://www.film-addict.com

 

 

Ladies and gents,

Strap in for the thrill ride called the Buffa Blog.  A quick stream of consciousness as the morning flips over.   Light the hands on fire and we begin.  12 things to talk about.

Rogues in Red 

The Cards have start fast at 9-4 and are doing so with a heavy early injury toll.  Bombs are hitting the ship and shrapnel is flying around the clubhouse.   Chris Carpenter went down with nerve damage in his shoulder before spring training ended.   Lance Berkman blew out a calf extending a double into a triple and he is finding himself on the disabled list.  David Freese missed a couple games due to a hand injury.  Jon Jay ran into the center field wall looking for a Drew Stubbs home run ball that sailed way over his head.  The 2012 Cardinals are getting hammered yet carry a NL Central leading record heading into April 20.   They have defeated the Reds, Cubs, and Brewers in best of 3 series’.   The strength of this team early is powering ahead with young talent.   Matt Carpenter filling in for Berkman and driving in 11 runs.  Daniel Descalso and Tyler Greene anchoring second base while Skip Schumacher rehabs from an oblique injury.   While missing 5 regular players, the Cards have 9 wins.  The story of the season so far is manager Mike Matheny and his ability to lead this team into the new era of Cardinals baseball after the departure of Mount Rushmore holders Tony La Russa, Albert Pujols and Dave Duncan.   A team that was expected to be disjointed has turned into a divisional powerhouse and the thing about this team is the downfall isn’t looking likely from this set of lens.  How do you figure it?  When the Cards reacquire their shipwrecked veterans, the team only gets stronger.  The Cardinals are jumping on teams with early offense and finishing them late with solid starting pitching.  Adam Wainwright is 0-2 and getting rocked, but recovering from Tommy John surgery carries its own timeline.  Waiting for the Waino of old may be more than a few weeks.   If April is one thing in baseball, it’s the stage where you feel out your roster and find your hidden strengths.  Early and often, the Cards are finding that the corners of their roster carry unexpected resources.  It’s too early to pinpoint Matheny’s managerial structure, but there are hints being dropped.  He is being patient with his starters, pushing them but yanking them out before firm exposure.  He shows emotion in the dugout and doesn’t hide behind the shades.  His differences from TLR mafia land are evident while his wide range manager skills aren’t yet explored.   You can tell that this team likes his style, and wants to win for him.  Their early surge could make for a happy September.

Blues/Playoffs

They ride into Game 4 tonight knowing that 60 minutes are required to firmly secure a playoff win.   The Blues have their first 2 wins in the playoffs since 2004, so the complaints here are few.  A series win is the next step but the San Jose Sharks will not go down without a fight.  They are the lesser team in this series and their mad aggression after the first couple Blues goals puts their desperation display.  We know tonight the Sharks will get rough right away and try to get into the Blues heads.   The Blues must put up a mental and physical barrier tonight and take the throat in this series.  All you have in the playoffs is your tenacity and willingness to expose your strengths and weaknesses.  Ken Hitchcock and his team, best in the NHL since November, are finding out that the 3rd period is the danger zone for a team ahead in the playoffs.  With a 4-1 lead late in Game 3, the Blues nearly lost it all and saw overtime.  Now they know that the razor edge for teams in desperation is play to the final buzzer and the question of the Blues is this.  Do we see the collapse of past playoff adventures or can the Blues put the Sharks away?  The Blues need to understand how the Sharks do business.

Marquez/Pacquaio Round 4

This is the kind of boxing fight a fan loves.  Two guys stepping into a ring to not only punish each other, but put on a show.   Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao know how to fight each other, and that simply means they collide well.   Pac Man is the aggressive puncher and Marquez is the sharp defender and counter puncher.   As Pacquiao sets up his June bout with Timothy Bradley, the fall calls for these two fighters to do battle again.  I approve of the fight, especially if it puts off a Manny showdown with Floyd Mayweather Jr. until next year.   Floyd will be coming out of jail and need extra time to get right.   Manny needs to close the Marquez chapter with a decisive win because their third fight yielded too many questions.  For the Mayweather clash to be perfectly set, Manny needs to take care of business in his past.  If the big fight doesn’t want to happen, we can only hope for a clash boxing fans know promises a good result.

Small Chat About the Job Situation

After June 29th, I will not have a job at Senoret Chemical.   My company  has been sold and that is that.  A business deal that effects many people’s lives.   My own will go on.  Don’t worry about me my friends.   Opportunities are knocking at the door and the website is only one.   People can feel sorry for me or hopeful that another landmine has been thrown into my path that I must deal with.   You are what you in this world only because you learn to deal with shit storms.  This could be an episode of the Hunger Games.  A chance for me to explore the job market and at 30 years of age, see if I have something else out here to do with my life.

TV Lapse

Without Justified on FX, my television schedule is getting lazy.   To be honest with you, I can’t tell you one show right now I am addicted to.  Game of Thrones is enticing, but I don’t have 12  hours to catch up with.   Walking Dead and Breaking Bad are also interesting, but where’s the time?   Current programming is only highlighted with coded hope.   Some episodes seem better than others to spend time with.  Justified was so good that the aftermath of its seasonal passing is leaving a need in my evening vacations.

Song of the Week

The Silent Comedy-“Bartholomew”

Website Bit

The territory in my next creative juncture is set to launch in 2 weeks and I am pumping material out like a caffeinated recluse.  Let’s just say I am covering a bullet headed Brit at the moment for a story.

The Rams Position

Unless a huge offer comes into the room in the next 2 weeks, the Rams can stay put at #6 in the draft and take Justin Blackmon, the wide receiver from Oklahoma State who will be waiting for them.   He is what the offense needs and I have said that since the kid’s name dropped into the ring.  If Jeff Fisher loves Sam Bradford as much as his printed words state, he will make the move and select Blackmon, a deep threat talent who can change the field or at least stretch it.

Sean Payton Madness

The New Orleans Coach getting banned from any sort of contact with NFL players, coaches or officials is downright ridiculous friends.   Come on.   Are we still holding onto the Roger Goodell bounty hunting prayer session?  Let it go and let the coach back in the room.  The Saints aren’t the bad guy in this fight.  An issue long ignored and now crammed to the front of the line is the problem.  As I have stated before, if this was so important, why did our commissioner wait so long?  I will tell you why.  Money talks because violent play builds the roads it lives on.

Closing Statements-

The NBA Playoffs are here and I don’t care but here are my quick thoughts.   Go Boston and I’m pulling for Kobe Bryant to come back from a shin injury and win his 6th title only to give him the title he deserves.  Best of his generation.   I have a silent hunger for Kevin Durant and the Thunder to come out of nowhere and shock the league with a win.  My money is on Lebron and the Heat wilting in the pressure cooker again.

Weather Gripe of the moment.  Pick a number, please.  My body doesn’t like visiting 80 degrees and going back to 45 degrees inside a 24 hour period.  I can’t control it but that doesn’t mean I can’t complain.   I like cold weather and can deal with hot weather but I don’t like a weather swirl.   That’s all I am saying.

Coffee and I have a nice consistent relationship.  It presents itself and I take it.

Movie to see of the moment for the movie man here is The Hunger Games.  Until April 27th arrives and my dock is full of films, right now it’s the scholar student of the box office.  The latest sensation.  A film about being thrown into Darwin’s game and winning the ultimate game of survival on television is an interesting film and one I need to take a ride on.   What’s all the fuss about?   After the crowd has died down, my time to see the Hunger Games has come.  Check Film Addict on May 4th for the review.

My son Vinny is getting large.  Seven months and 22 pounds of furious ambition.   While a diet plan isn’t in his future, I will point out my kid will put anything, everything and then some into his mouth.  Toys, binks, food, fingers, my beard, his clothes, the shelving unit, the car seat latch, the napkin on the table or my finger into his mouth.   Why?  Who gives a shit?  That’s why.  It’s there, he can reach it, and its happening.   My kid sleeps like me as well.   On his stomach smothering his lammy like I do my pillow, as if a bomb is being secured underneath.   He has his mother’s eyes, breaking point and attitude, but there is plenty of me in this kid’s makeup.   I find out something new every day.  Today was him really admiring my lunch instead of his own.

I am done.  Take this as you will because all I can do now is hit send.

See you in the morning,

DLB