'You Are Blind as a Bat, and I Have Sight... '

You ever wake up with something in your head, and have no idea how it got there? For some reason, this classic SNL skit was on my mind first thing out of bed, with Joe Piscopo's Frank Sinatra voice providing the soundtrack. I'm just happy I found it (though disappointed it wasn't available on Hulu).


via videosift.com

Wow, was that really 1982? I don't think I could even stay up late to watch SNL back then. If I did, it was a victory for Young Ian.

Today's Photo - 02/25/09

Gee, is there a Watchmen movie coming out? You'd never know it from the offerings available on bookshelves and magazine racks.


That's not even including the dozens of copies of the graphic novel stuffed onto the bestsellers rack near the front of the store. The Official Film Companion, by the way, was pretty cool and almost renders The Art of the Film unnecessary. (Plus, it's like half the price. Hey, we're in a recession.)

And just so you know, no mothers with their children saw me checking out pictures of Dr. Manhattan's schlong.

The Dark Sprite?

I generally enjoyed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, though it's doing the opposite of growing on me. The further I get from it, the less I think of it. (But I'll probably watch it again when it's released on DVD.) And I can't exactly put my finger on why that is - maybe because I'm not sure the movie really said anything - but Jimmy Kimmel might have figured out what was ultimately missing: Batman.



There we go. Now if Brad Pitt had gotten in some brawls and kicked a little ass, as he did in his other collaborations with David Fincher, maybe we would've had a Best Picture winner.

(via /Film)

Maybe Weed Makes the Oscars Funnier

For the benefit of those who may have missed it (such as the person with whom I watched the last 1/3 of the Oscars telecast over the phone), here is the 'Pineapple Express' skit with James Franco and Seth Rogen, in which they celebrate the year in comedy.



The contented look on Franco's (or Saul Silver's) face as the talented young actor named James Franco (who deserved a Best Supporting Actor nomination) makes out with Sean Penn in Milk was my biggest laugh of the evening.

I suppose Janusz Kaminski filled in for Saul's bubbie?

And how about the shot taken at The Reader? Between that and the poke it took during Hugh Jackman's opening song-and-dance number, Kate Winslet had some bruises before she took the stage to accept her Best Actress award. Or was that the classic defense of making fun of yourself so others won't pick on you?

Here's a Comeback That Needs to Pay Off

In another attempt to get past Mickey Rourke not winning Best Actor at the Oscars (as well as The Wrestler and Darren Aronofsky being overlooked when it came to nominations), we laugh to prevent ourselves from crying. (Maybe we're better off paying more attention to the Independent Spirit Awards.)

Check out this parody from the Funny or Die folks:



And hey, maybe Alyssa Milano can be the actress who can manage a Rourke-like comeback, which is something that Cinematical (via Jezebel) wondered today.

The Acceptance Speech Mickey Rourke Got to Make

As you probably know by now, Sean Penn won the Best Actor award at the Oscars last night, instead of Mickey Rourke. (And though I predicted a Rourke win, I tried to cover my bases by saying Penn deserved the award, in what will eventually be viewed as the more important film.) So not only was Rourke denied recognition for a great performance, but we as a viewing audience were deprived of what surely would've been a memorable acceptance speech.

Fortunately, Rourke won Best Actor at the Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday night, and got to make a speech that was surely more raucous than what he may have intended for the Oscars. (Just be warned if you're watching this at work: This is from the live broadcast, so the profanity isn't bleeped out.)



But hopefully for Rourke's sake, this is the launch of a comeback, and not a landing point. May his next movie choice be a good one. (Do Iron Man 2, Mickey!) Maybe Rourke will get another chance at an Oscar someday, and we'll get to see ABC censors freak out as he walks to the microphone. My fingers are crossed.

If It's Oscars Time, We're Making Predictions!

This is probably being posted too late for anyone to read it before the actual ceremony, but in the name of continuing a FRT institution - five years running, baby - we're predicting the Oscar winners in the so-called major categories. Tomorrow, we'll also be doing our traditional Oscar post-mortem and hand out some of our own awards.

As much as I love the Oscars, however, I don't feel as much enthusiasm for them as in recent years. Largely because I don't believe there's going to be much suspense, other than in two or three categories. (Maybe it's always been that way, and I talk myself into believing some awards are up for grabs. Or maybe I read so many movie blogs now that conventional wisdom seems more locked in than it used to be.)

In addition, I usually think the Academy gets it right with the Best Picture nominees, but I wasn't thrilled with their choices this year. I still think Doubt got screwed. How can every actor in the cast be recognized, yet the film itself doesn't get nominated. And I'm still disappointed a more daring choice like The Dark Knight or WALL-E wasn't made.

But I'm very curious to see how Hugh Jackman does as host. I think not having a comedian sounds like a bad idea, but maybe this is one of those daring choices that I just accused the Academy of not making. Plus, he's Wolverine. So he'll get it done somehow. Also, I really want to see if Mickey Rourke wins and what he might say in an acceptance speech.

Okay, here's how I think it'll go:

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Viola Davis - Doubt

I know - she's only in the movie for, like, 10 minutes. But it's a great 10 minutes, especially when you have to go toe-to-toe with Meryl Streep. I also think Doubt has to win something tonight, and this is where it'll be. I have to admit, however, I didn't see Vicky Christina Barcelona (though I just got it from Netflix), so I can't say if the herd has it right on this one.

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Heath Ledger - The Dark Knight

Probably the lock of the night, don't you think? Other than a happy ending for the Mickey Rourke rebirth story, this will likely be the most emotional moment of the evening. And it's not like Ledger doesn't deserve this award. It may have been the most memorable performance in any movie last year.

BEST ACTRESS
Kate Winslet - The Reader

Actually, this could be the lock of the night. I didn't see The Reader, nor do I have much interest in doing so, despite the promise of Winslet getting naked. Thankfully, she's done that in plenty of other movies, a dedication to craft that will finally be saluted tonight.

BEST ACTOR
Mickey Rourke - The Wrestler

I haven't posted my thoughts on The Wrestler, though I still intend to because I have a lot to say about it. But - spoiler alert - I loved it, and still think about it weeks after I saw it (twice). Rourke's performance was amazing, but I also wonder if his story has kind of overwhelmed critical opinion. Not to say I'm not guilty of that, either. I've read or watched as many recent interviews with him as I can, and gone back to read profiles from five to 10 years ago. It would be great to see Rourke win this when he's been painfully honest about how badly he's screwed his life up.

However, if you're talking about the craft of acting, Sean Penn completely becomes someone else in Milk. It's unlike anything else I've ever seen him do, and there's nothing showy or over-the-top about it. So I think there's a damn good chance he wins this.

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle - Slumdog Millionaire

This isn't just because Boyle directed the likely Best Picture winner. But of the five nominees, I think he also created the most consistent, exciting film. Frost/Nixon really takes a while to get going. I'm not sure 'Benjamin Button' ever really does get going. And though I believe Milk is Gus Van Sant's best film, it sometimes feels formulaic. Slumdog Millionaire just feels alive. Boyle quick cuts when the action calls for it, he slows down when he has to, splices in flashbacks at just the right time, juggles humor and drama skillfully, and uses music masterfully.

BEST PICTURE
Slumdog Millionaire

Well, I think I already described what makes 'Slumdog' a worthy winner. I'll add, however, that it has quite possibly the best ending credits sequence that I can remember. If any of the other nominees has a chance at winning, I believe it's Milk. And years from now, we'll probably be saying that was the more important film. But there's also something to be said for acknowledging the zeitgeist and embracing a cultural phenomenon as it occurs, and 'Slumdog' has definitely tapped into something.

And because we're all about the writers, the screenplay awards must also be mentioned. I'm going to predict a surprise for BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY. Martin McDonagh is going to win for In Bruges - creating a strangely touching, though unquestionably dark and violent, story around four or five memorable characters - though Andrew Stanton is probably the favorite for WALL-E. And Simon Beaufoy will get BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY for Slumdog Millionaire.

Finally, I predict an 11:45 p.m EST ending for the festivities. Jackman will move the show along as best he can, but some of those speeches are going to run on.

Attack of the Insult Comic Dog

With Late Night with Conan O'Brien coming to an end tonight, the show has been replaying some of its best segments from the past 16 years. Thursday night, they showed an absolute classic.

Here's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog abusing visiting fans awaiting the premiere of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones:



I know I've been saying this all week, but I hope Conan's move to 11:30 p.m. EST doesn't take away any of his edge or skewed sensibilities.

(And yes, I know I've been lazy by just posting videos this week. There will be Oscar predictions before Sunday night's festivities! And I really do intend to write about The Wrestler...)

String Dance-Off: Conan vs. Colbert!

Conan O'Brien isn't holding anything back as his "Late Night" show comes to an end this week. What other explanation could there be for a clash of invisible string dances?



Not quite as epic as the Conan-Colbert-Stewart smackdown from last year, though. (Did NBC really take the video of that down? What a buzzkill.)

I just hope NBC lets him do wacky stuff like this when he takes over "The Tonight Show." Let Conan be Conan!

Today's Photo - 02/18/09

Some cheeky with your coffee?


These are frickin' awful. (Of course, if it came in a stainless steel travel model, I'd be all over it. Naturally. I think I'm quite hot.)

Today's Photo - 02/17/09

Last night was the annual "Meet the Wolverines Night" for the University of Michigan baseball team. And it's probably much more fun for the kids, with snacks, player autographs, and... balloon hats.


No, I didn't get one. "Too old" or whatever. (Although I like to think I could've sweet-talked a mother into giving up one of her kids' hats. But I most certainly got some pizza.)

I was there to learn about this year's team with Mr. Big Ten Hardball. (You can read his 2009 season preview here.) Many introductions were necessary, as a lot of last year's squad graduated. It could be a rough season over at Fisher Stadium.

Happy President's Day

In honor of President's Day, we salute one of our favorite presidents, Josiah Bartlet. Here's an excellent example of what made him such a great leader, fictional or otherwise:



Man, I loved The West Wing.

To those fortunate enough to get the day off (and I really don't think there are many), Happy President's Day.

The Beard is Gone

With the end of "Manuary" (as Big League Stew's Kevin Kaduk coined it), it was only a matter of time before the facial hair I had accumulated (along with the untamed mane of hair that had grown) needed to be shorn away. The protective hirsute armor I had built to protect myself from the elements had outlived its usefulness and appeal.

Yesterday, I took clippers to face and left my beard in the sink. After that, it was off to New Age Salon, where a Taiwanese lady can cut my Asian-esque hair in a way that doesn't look awful when it grows out again in a couple of weeks. I have once again rejoined civilization, cleaned up enough to be recognized by the Twitterati.

So what did the whole thing look like? Well, it may or may not have resembled this:


My glasses are less clunky. That's all I have to add.

Sunday is Trader Joe's Day

Regardless of what I'm doing on Sunday, I somehow seem to find my way to Trader Joe's. Never underestimate the need for cheap cans of black beans and frozen tilapia fillets. So this seems like a good video for today.



(via mediabistro and tumbléo)

A Valentine to Myself

Sell Crazy Someplace Else, Part 2

Did you see Joaquin Phoenix on David Letterman last night? Yeesh.



The guy's just having a laugh on us, isn't he? Regardless, it's always fun to see someone get on Dave's bad side.

UPDATE: Looks like CBS had all the clips taken off YouTube. You can still watch it at the official "Late Show" site.

Sell Crazy Someplace Else; We're All Stocked Up Here

I know I'm almost 24 hours late with this, but I just watched Ann Curry's interview on Dateline with the octuplets' mother (or "Octo-Mom," as she was called on TV Newser) via DVR. My opinion is the same after viewing as it was beforehand.


This woman is fucking insane.

I realize how mean that sounds. And how reductive and dismissive calling someone "crazy" can be. I've learned not to throw that word around lightly. Hey, the woman's own mother called this decision "unconscionable."

But this is batshit loony territory. And I'm not even talking about whether she thinks she's Angelina Jolie or whatever. (Though if that's true, she's certifiable.)

Consider this quote (via Andrew Sullivan, by way of Secular Right):

The nine-week premature octoplet’s delivery required 46 doctors, nurses, and assistants; in twelve days, their care has likely cost at least $300,000 and counting.

And isn't that just the tip of the iceberg? How many couples struggle to pay for child care? How many opt to put off having children until they can afford it, work more, decide that one parent will stop working, or enlist grandparents to help out?

I'd love to know what job Octo-Mom plans on nabbing after she finishes school that's going to support 14 children. (Think about that number. If someone put 14 books on a table, you'd say, "Man, that's a lot to read.") Has she been paying attention to what's going on with the economy? Or does she see books and reality TV shows in her future? (She's also accepting donations through her website, which I can't really bring myself to link to.)

Maybe she's also hoping for a federal bailout.

25 Random Baseball Things: Detroit Tigers Edition

Looks like a baseball day, here at Fried Rice Thoughts.

Following the trend that's become so popular on Facebook, Kevin Kaduk of Yahoo! Sports' Big League Stew has recruited baseball bloggers to list 25 Random Things related to their favorite teams. My list, heavily influenced by the Detroit Tigers, is up today.

Thanks to Kevin for asking me to participate. Once I got rolling, it was a load of fun.

(And go read your Big League Stew! It's good for you!)

A-Rod Had Me... Until He Started Being A-Rod

[I originally posted this at Bless You Boys, and would normally keep it over there, but since this A-Rod steroids thing is bleeding over into the regular news - Did someone really ask President Obama about this at last night's news conference? - I thought it would fit here, as well.]

I know I can be a sucker, but Alex Rodriguez almost had me.

Maybe it was whining on his part, but I was ready to buy A-Rod's admission that he took steroids during his first season in Texas because he felt pressure to live up to that record-setting 10-year, $252 million contract. Expectations can be a hell of a thing. Here in Detroit, we saw how fast some Tigers tried to duck the championship expectations that so many of us put on them last year.

But it briefly looked like a true moment of candor from a player whose image seems manufactured down to the smallest detail. I've never had any dislike for Rodriguez as a player. In fact, I've always been quite impressed by his talent. But I certainly understand why so many refuse to embrace him or flat-out think he's phony. Very little about the guy seems genuine. Every move he makes, every word he says seems geared toward getting people to like him.

Sure, an athlete like Michael Jordan was manufactured for endorsements, but what we saw from him on the court was genuine. Think about how he celebrated after hitting that shot over Craig Ehlo in 1989. Or the shrug of the shoulders he gave to the scorer's table after hitting his sixth three-pointer vs. Portland in 1992. That was a man being overtaken by the moment.

Compare that to A-Rod's fight with Jason Varitek in 2004. Didn't Rodriguez try just a little too hard to look tough? (I've always thought he was mouthing those curse words to Varitek's face a bit too demonstrably.) And I'm not even getting into the ol' "slap-and-run" he pulled later that year in the playoffs.

If only A-Rod's chat with Peter Gammons could've ended after what appeared to be a rare moment of humanity. Of course, it couldn't because Gammons had to conduct an actual interview and push the issue with some questions. (You can read the entire transcript at Big League Stew.) And that's when the rehearsed A-Rod came back. I particularly enjoyed when he used this as a defense:

Back then it was a different culture. It was very loose. I was young, I was stupid. I was naive.

It's as if A-Rod stepped off the bus from Kansas and dropped into Haight-Ashbury of the 1960s. Hippies were everywhere, man... I was listening to Jefferson Airplane... It was free love!

But here's where he finally lost me:

...there's many things that you can take that are banned substances. I mean, there's things that have been removed from GNC that today would trigger a positive test. I'm not sure, exactly, you know, what substances I used, but whatever it is, I feel terribly about it.

He's not sure what he used? There's an original defense. And I know this is hardly a fresh rebuttal here, but a world class athlete worth $252 million knows what he's putting in his body.

Sure, I could see a guy who wants to bulk up or slim down start scarfing down protein bars without checking to realize some of them contain more sugar than candy bars. I don't even look at a bottle of fruit juice anymore without checking if it contains high fructose corn syrup. And I'm just a schlub concerned about his weight.

But somebody who's handled his career as meticulously as Alex Rodriguez just stuck a syringe in his butt without knowing what was in it? A clubhouse attendant didn't just slip A-Rod a brownie with some Primobolan baked in it. It's not somebody's bottle of rhinoceros testosterone. That is real deal, engineered in a lab, professional grade stuff.

So Rodriguez has now thrown himself at the mercy of the people and admitted he tried to get an edge - an edge he probably didn't even need with his physical gifts. By at least copping to the crime, following the New York Yankee handbook written by Andy Pettitte and Jason Giambi, he shows he's smarter (and maybe even less arrogant) than Roger Clemens or Barry Bonds.

But does he still have to try so hard to get us to like him? With the frowns and the near-tears and the pleas for understanding? Maybe this de-legitimizes him in the eyes of some. (And others are probably just weary of seeing the headlines hogged up by what's going on with the Yankees.) For the majority of baseball fans, however, I'd say this is just more of an unfortunate moment. It just gives us some more ammunition with which to make fun of A-Rod. And I (along with the rest of the baseball blogosphere) am kind of grateful for that.

'No Masks, No Capes, No Gadgets or Experimental Weapons'

I've already let out enough shrieks and giggles about Watchmen, but the brilliance of their viral marketing campaign continues with this video:



24 days until the film hits theaters on March 6.

Raging Bedhead

What two straight days in bed (due to a cold) will do to a decent head of hair:


The picture doesn't even convey the full horror. That tuft on the right (my left) was gargantuan.

And I really need a haircut.

When Mothers Meet Tigers

I've been meaning to post this for the last couple of weeks, but just could never find the right time. But with things currently quiet in on the baseball front (and I imagine they will be until pitchers and catchers report next week), here's my chance.

The Detroit Tigers held their annual Winter Caravan across the state two weeks ago, leading up to TigerFest at Comerica Park. One of their stops was at the University of Michigan's Mott Children's Hospital, a place that not only holds a special meaning for one of their players, Brandon Inge, but happens to employ my mother as a nurse.

Word gets around the hospital that some Tigers are there to meet with the kids, so my mother goes down to check things out before her shift ends. (Knowing that her son spends way too much time on his Tigers blog, I'm sure she also wanted to throw some names at me later on.) As she approaches the clerk's desk, she notices a small crowd gathered around.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"One of the Tigers is over there," her co-worker said. "I'm not sure which one."

My mother waits until the people scatter away, then goes over to say hello. "He was shorter than I expected," she told me later. (Mom thinks all professional athletes are supposed to be the size of Wilt Chamberlain.) "Kind of small for a baseball player. Is he any good?"

The baseball player notices my mother staring, smiles and says hello. "You play for the Tigers?" she asks. He nods, still smiling. According to her, this is what she said next:

"My son is a huge fan of the Tigers! He's a grown man, but he loves you guys. He watches you every night and cheers you on. Talks about you all the time! Oh, could you sign something for him? He'd be so happy! Let me find something for you to sign..."

My mother then reaches into her pocket and pulls out an index card. The player smiles, asks to whom he should make it out, and signs the card. The two of them exchange thanks and carry on with their respective days.

"He was very nice," Mom said. "Very humble, too. He seemed kind of shy. Who's number 15? Is he the one who donated all the money?"

One of the questions that came to mind, of course, was, "Ma, you couldn't have mentioned the blog? Maybe say your son would've loved to do an interview?" But I didn't want to seem ungrateful, and I wasn't. Besides, that wasn't really the time or place for such a thing. And what Mom did was pretty cool.

Here's the card my mother handed to me a few hours later:

So does this mean Brandon Inge is my Tiger this year?

Ah... Bacon!

Have you ever read Fried Rice Thoughts in the morning and thought to yourself, "Man, I could really go for some bacon right now." Well, crispy pork goes very well with fried rice, so here's something that might help you with that.

Thanks to Bacolicio.us, you can add a slice of bacon to any site you'd prefer. All you have to do is add "http://bacolicio.us/" to the beginning of any URL. As an example, you might try:

http://bacolicio.us/http://friedricethoughts.blogspot.com/

Wa-Pow! There's a nice crispy strip of bacon strewn across the front page. Maybe I'll take a picture of a fried egg tomorrow to go with it. Now, you're free to look at whatever else it is you like to look at on the internet, with bacon on top. You're welcome.

(via AppScout.com, with a hat tip to twitter.com/moryan)

Jon Stewart Has No Curiosity For Benjamin Button

I enjoyed The Curious Case of Benjamin Button for the most part (though I'd lean toward outrage if it wins the Best Picture Oscar), but Jon Stewart's thoughts on the film were still pretty hilarious.

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Intro - Slumdog Millionaire

Daily Show Full Episodes
Funny Political Videos

Important Things With Demetri Martin
More Funny Videos

That was from Tuesday's show, if you missed it, which also included a fun interview with Slumdog Millionaire's Dev Patel.

Looking Into the Crystal Ball

You have questions, I see. About the future? Yes. The Year of the Ox has you excited. Big things. Yes...

What do I see... ? Ah, yes - it's becoming clearer. The fog is dissipating. The future is coming into focus now.

You will be traveling. Someone will throw a fish at you. You will not catch it, because you are clumsy.

There will be... a needle. The letter "s" is important...


Space Needle! Safeco Field! Science Fiction Museum! Salumi! (But sorry, no Supersonics.)

Seattle. You will be going to Seattle.

The Funniest Super Bowl Ad

... in Detroit, that is.

For those watching the Super Bowl in metro Detroit, one of the first commercial breaks during the game (or maybe it was during the "kick-off" show) gave us an ad funnier than anything Budweiser had to offer.



Maybe if the ad had said, "Look, we're really, really, really sorry," I'd have been more receptive. (And if it had said, "We're also really sorry you have to watch Matt Millen on NBC's pre-game show," that would've been glorious. But Channel 4 in Detroit sort of took care of that.)

And the load of cheese served up in getting new coach Jim Schwartz to pose by the scoreboard and then run onto the field would've gone great on the nacho chips I was eating at the time.

But hey, at least they're trying.

A Superb Super Bowl

With six to seven months until meaningful football is played again, the final game of the NFL season - the one that determines the champion, the one that millions of people have essentially turned into a national holiday - should leave a lasting impression. And Super Bowl XLIII most certainly did not disappoint.

After the Steelers' Santonio Holmes caught the winning touchdown, somehow reaching high into the air to snare the football, while also dragging his toes along the grass to stay in bounds, I briefly thought I might not ever watch football again. Because I'm not sure any future games can match this.


What chance do they have? This game had everything! Pittsburgh gained the upper hand, but then Arizona fought back. And when it looked like the Cardinals might take the lead for the first time, the game turned with probably the most spectacular play ever made in the Super Bowl: James Harrison intercepting Kurt Warner's pass at the Steelers' goal line and running his 242 pounds the entire 100-yard length of the field to score a touchdown. Instead of a 14-10 Arizona lead, the first half ended with Pittsburgh up 17-7.

That could've been a knockout punch for the Steelers. So often, an opponent can't recover from a blow like that.

But the Cardinals did, pecking away at that 10-point deficit, until they finally had a breakthrough when Larry Fitzgerald found a crack in Pittsburgh's defense and ran like he was shot out of a rocket, streaking 64 yards for what had to be the game-winning touchdown. And most of the time, it would be.

(Incidentally, I've always admired Fitzgerald as an athlete, but I officially became a fan when a pre-game feature mentioned that he's kept his mother's drivers license in his wallet ever since she passed away. I do the same with my father's drivers license.)

Yet with just enough time remaining on the clock (2:30, I believe) for one last comeback, the Steelers did just that, putting together the kind of game-winning touchdown drive that fans talk about with reverence for decades.

I didn't think Ben Roethlisberger (or as my mother calls him, "Burger," apparently because she's intimidated by all those consonants) was that great of a quarterback. Good, yes. But drives like that make a player legendary, up there with Joe Montana, John Elway, and Tom Brady. At first glance, Roethlisberger doesn't appear to belong alongside those names. And maybe he doesn't in terms of overall career achievements. But he's right with them in Super Bowl performances.

For anyone who would ask why I love sports, I'd point to that game-winning touchdown. Besides the dramatic backdrop, it's the feat itself that amazes me. Roethlisberger threw the football exactly where he had to, over three Arizona defenders, toward the back corner of the end zone where only his receiver could catch it. Just high enough, just far enough. If he had to make that throw again, who knows if he could? Maybe he'd think about it too much. Or throw it too low. Or throw it too far. But hell, maybe he could. Maybe Roethlisberger is just that good.

There is one thing about the very end of the game that really bugs me, though. The outcome became official once it was ruled that Kurt Warner fumbled the ball and turned it over to Pittsburgh. Yet if Warner's arm was coming forward in a throwing motion, the play would've been ruled an incomplete pass and Arizona would've kept the ball for at least one more chance to try and win the game. The play, however, was called a fumble. And the determination was made so fast by the referees that the evidence would seem conclusive. I think it was anything but.


It's not just that the call may have been wrong. It's that it wasn't even reviewed. Which is baffling, because officials had taken second looks at every questionable play in the game, utilizing the multiple camera angles that were available. Why the rush to make such a quick decision? Considering the stakes, how can you not even take a look at that play, to make sure the right call was made?

Oh, and I can't write about last night's game without mentioning Bruce Springsteen's halftime show. More than the music, I was impressed by The Boss giving America a closer view of his crotch than they may have been ready for.

Obligatory Super Bowl Pick

I realize the popular consensus seems to be that the Steelers' defense will rule the day, but I'm not so sure their offense can outscore the Cardinals. And I like the fact that Arizona's coach, Ken Whisenhunt, used to coach with the Steelers, and is familiar with their scheme and personnel.

It'd also be more fun to see the underdog win. So...

Arizona 26, Pittsburgh 20.


I know - I should be rooting for the Steelers. Rust belt city, same colors as Iowa, etc. But I really dig Kurt Warner and his story. Even if he lays the Jesus talk on a bit thick.

The Cardinals also have more players who went to Michigan (five, to the Steelers' two), which is how I've determined rooting interests in the past. And I'm thinking of growing my hair like Larry Fitzgerald's. Though I'm not sure that's a good look for my people.

But a clean, exciting game, with some funny commercials thrown in, should make for an enjoyable evening.

These Fingers Were Made For Typin'

It wasn't exactly a resolution of mine to blog more here in 2009, but I did want to post more this year than I did last year.

The 34 posts I put up in January - and I intended to write more - were the most I've done in a month on this blog since July of 2005. (I wrote 19 posts last January.) But that's when there was no Bless You Boys or Sweaty Men Endeavors, and I spent all day on campus, with plenty of time to kill between classes and waiting for buses at Iowa. (And later on, I blogged to keep my head from exploding after my father died.)

In January of '05, I wrote 63 posts! And that was with no video clips available and few photos. What the hell was I writing about? Although I think I "got" writing in short bursts much better back then. (And I didn't gratuitously split up "random thoughts" types of posts, like I may have today. Ahem.)

I bet FRT had more readers back then, too. Ah, well.

Peanut Butter and Jelly! That's All I Put in My Belly!

Judging from how often I've been buying it (including this morning), peanut butter is apparently my favorite thing to eat thus far in 2009. Boy, did I pick the wrong year...


Thankfully, none of the stuff I've been buying is on any sort of recall list.