November 18th

Today marked the one year anniversay of the passing of my grandmother. My family and I went to visit her grave and say a prayer. It was a nice moment as two of her daughters and two grandsons were able to go. But it was also a very sad day moment. It doesn't feel like it's been a year. And when I look back I think if all the things that have happened since November 18th, 2009. Many small things, but one big thing: I did get engaged. And it makes me sad that my grandmother won't be able to be there to celebrate the special day with me.

Hope you're smiling down on us grandma. I love you. We all miss you.

The One Chip Bandit

I've been lazy with the blog lately, but a series of incidents have occurred at work that inspired me to write again.

What is this serious incident?

Before I get into it, let me start by saying I work for a company that is nice enough to provide free snacks and drinks on a daily basis. Right around 3:30pm, the pantry is fully stocked with bags of chips/popcorn/pretzels, cookies, granola bars, and cans of soda. It's a freeloaders delight. However, it is also the scene of the crime.

Cue screen to black. Cue Law and Order music.

Time: 4:15pm

The digitally renacted scene of the crime:
A man or woman walks into the pantry. They are alone. They scan the snack options available. The culprit takes a bag of Lays baked potato chips. The person takes a few steps as if walking to their desk to enjoy an afternoon snack. But wait, he or she is opening the bag right there in the pantry. The culprit reaches in and takes out a chip, shoves it into his or her mouth and chomps away. Then he or she looks around. The culprit remembers the Lays commercial, but misunderstands it. He or she thinks it's "You can only eat one". So this person puts the opened bag of chips back on the counter. Wipes the bag clean for fingerprints. Re-traces his or her steps back out the pantry and quietly leaves the scene of the crime.

This hideous act has been going on for over a year now. At first, it was seldom and infrequent. Lately, it's been daily. The local wannabe criminal investigator's (that being me) take is that the first culprit was acting alone.

For front page headlines sakes, I call him or her "The One Chip Bandit"

But the act has caused an epidemic of sorts, as the criminal action has spread. People think they can now get away with it. So now there are multiple copycats. For example:

"The One Cookie Bandit"

"The One Fruit Snack Bandit"

And worst of all..."The One Chip, one cookie, and one fruit snack bandit"

It's like a movie. The crime happened during act one. The investigators surveyed the scene of the crime. Analyzed all the pieces of evidence. Rounded up the usual suspects.
During act two, we have narrowed down the players.

1. The person who could eat 50 bags of chips, but uses that misconception to trick us all into thinking he or she wouldn't just eat one chip.
2. The person who just wants to be a dick.
3. The person who thinks it's funny.
4. The rich person who thinks he's at home and his maid will clean up after him.

Now it's act three. Will we catch this criminal mastermind red-handed? Or will this reign of terror continue?

Check back as we try to solve this puzzling crime.
Until then...I have a message for "The One Chip Bandit".
If you are reading this...

"EAT THE WHOLE FUCKING BAG OF CHIPS YOU ASSHOLE!!!"

Thank you.

Retired Orangemen

During fantasy football season, I write an article on my league's website.

Check it out www.retiredorangemen.com. It's called Random Thoughts.

Expanding My Online Empire

Bypremier is all over the web this week:

Check me out at my brand new fantasy football article at sdubsports.

Then listen to my latest podcast with BrockAngeles.

And if that's not enough for you...as my buddy once said, "Ah, read my old stuff".

- B.

Summer Movie Preview: August 2010

July finally delivered for the movie business. Why? One word: Inception.

Inception blew away minds and the competition with a box office gross of $227mm and counting. I expect this movie to continue to bring in the repeat business and people go back again and again to try and make sense of the movie.

But Inception wasn't the only hit of the month. 'Despicable Me' pulled in Kung Fu Panda money, continuing the hot streak of animated movies. 'The Last Airbender' pulled in over $100mm despite the horrible reviews. And 'Salt' showed why nobody does action better than Angelina Jolie.

Throw in decent showings from 'Predators' and 'Dinner For Schmucks' and really only 'The Sorecerer's Apprentice' and ' Cats and Dogs 2' failed were busts.

So that leaves us only one more month for summer movies. Let's take a look at what August has in store:

The Other Guys: Qualifies for #8

Starring: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Eva Mendes.

Directed by: Adam McKay

My prediction for comedy hit of the summer. This is the type of movie people want to see Will Ferrell in. And sometimes you can just tell from a trailer that the movie will be good. That’s what I thought last year when I saw the trailer for “The Hangover”. And you know what…the trailers for “The Other Guys” looks hilarious and the action looks fast and furious. Mark Wahlberg is on a mini-comedy tear (see “Date Night”). Samuel L. Jackson and The Rock are perfect as the super-cops. And Eva Mendes is her sexy self. Throw in the fact that McKay and Ferrell are most successful when they are together (see “Anchorman” and “Talladega Nights”) and prepare for the comedy-action movie that “Cop Out” was supposed to be.

Pros: A perfect cast. Good timing since “Cop Out” disappointed.

Cons: All the funny parts are already in the trailer?


Step Up 3D:

Starring: A bunch of people who can dance better than I can.

Directed by: Some Asian guy.

This movie has gimmick written all over it. Dancing. In 3D. The third part of the franchise. In 3D. And you know what. I think it’ll work. Dancing is all the rage nowadays (See America’s Best Dance Crew and Dancing with the Stars), plus the first two movies were bonafide hits (the first one made $65mm, the second made $58mm). Based on the early trailer, the movie looks like it’ll have some fancy 3D tricks (outfits that light up, dancing in water to get the splash effect, and people getting thrown in your face). Consider me there (on DVD of course, since nobody will actually watch this with me). Final gross will be $70mm, becoming the top grossing film in this franchise.

Pros: The third dimension. Slick dance moves.

Cons: Does dancing actually need to be shown in 3D? How much more dance drama can they milk out of this franchise?


Eat, Pray, Love: Qualifies for #9

Starring: Julia Roberts, James Franco, Billy Crudup, and Javier Bardem.

Directed by Ryan Murphy (of Nip/Tuck and Glee fame)

Based on the popular book (which my girlfriend recommends), this could be the movie that reminds everyone why Julia Roberts is America’s Sweetheart. The problem is Julia’s been away for so long (it’s been awhile since Erin Brockovich and Notting Hill came out) and she isn’t as bankable as she once was. Reviews will be important, since fans of the book and the older demographics care about reviews before deciding whether it is worth it to pay for the movie. But in the end, I think Julia can’t be faulted for taking time off to have a family – and that doesn’t mean she lost the ability to open up a movie. And Ryan Murphy is on some kind of hot streak. I think the movie does very well thanks to strong legs carrying it into the fall season. Final gross of $130mm.

Pros: Julia being Julia.

Cons: Duplicity didn’t exactly light the box office world on fire.


Expendables:

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, with cameos from Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Directed by: Sylvester Stallone

The comparisons have been made a million times, but you know what…there is no other way to put it. This movie is for the guys. All the man’s man out there. This is our Sex and the City. Look at that cast. All it’s missing is Jean Claude Van Damme and Steven Seagal (and rumor is that Sly contacted both, but they couldn’t make it work). I think the cameos by Bruce and Arnold will bring in the crowds, but the scene will ultimately disappoint (it’ll just be talking and joking. Not like they fight, shoot, or blow anything up together). To be honest, I’m most excited to see Dolph Lundgren. And I’m glad Mickey Rourke decided to be in the movie despite all the other movies he was offered – especially when he did it to pay back Stallone for remembering him when the times were tough. That’s respect and appreciation. Love it. Oh, yea…the movie. It’ll probably be a decent action flick, but worth it for the once in a lifetime cast. Final gross will be $70mm.

Pros: The cast – who cares if it happened 15 years too late.

Cons: Michael Dudikoff was too busy. And where the “F” is Chuck Norris?


Scott Pilgram vs. the World: Qualifies for #4

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Anna Kendrick, and Brandon Routh.

Directed by: Edgar Wright

When I first heard about this movie, I thought it had a chance to be really cool. I’m a big fan of Cera’s and think he’s on a whole nother level of comedic genius. But then Youth in Revolt came out and I’m not convinced he can play the lead role and carry a movie by himself – and his act is getting kind of repetitive. So this movie will go a long ways in determining what to make of Cera going forward. After seeing the trailer, the movie can only go one of two ways. It’ll either be crazy awesome or the old 1960’s batman TV show sound effects will render the movie cheesy beyond repair. I’m hoping it’s the former and looking forward to seeing Cera kick some ass and get the girl. But I think the final gross will disappoint with only $40mm.

Pros: Edgar Wright of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” fame.

Cons: Where is Simon Pegg?


The Lottery Ticket:

Starring: Bow Wow, Brandon T. Jackson, Mike Epps, Ice Cube, Terry Crews, and Bill Bellamy.
Here’s hoping that this movie is more “Barbershop” than “Next Day Air”. I’m not sold on Bow Wow and Brandon T. Jackson in the main roles, since both could border on becoming annoying characters. But the supporting cast looks like it could bring the funny. Final gross will be $30mm before a successful DVD run (for the cannabis crowd out there).

Pros: Epps, Bellamy, and Cube in hilarious supporting roles.

Cons: Not from Tyler Perry.


Nanny McPhee Returns: Qualifies for #3, #11

Starring: Emma Thompson, Ralph Fiennes, Ewan McGregor, and Maggie Gyllenhaal

This movie is like Mary Poppins for our generation. Considering the first one made a solid $47mm with decent reviews, I can see this sequel doing the same. Throw in a relatively modest budget and I expect this family friendly film to make a solid $45mm. btw, I have no idea what this movie is about. Hence, the short paragraph.

Pros: Built in fan base. And there is magic.

Cons: I’m not sure people were screaming for a sequel.


Takers: Qualifies for #4

Starring: Zoe Saldana, Idris Elba, Paul Walker, Hayden Christensen, Matt Dillon, Chris Brown, and T.I.

I think I saw this movie recently. Yep, action movie. Involving guns. Hot black chick from Avatar. British guy with the accent from “The Wire”. I thought it was called “The Losers”. Wait, where is the guy who played Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four? Why is Anakin Skywalker here? Oh, it’s a different movie. Never mind.

Pros: Some eye candy for both genders.

Cons: The movie was pushed back – never a good sign. Also, the Losers didn’t light up the box office.


Piranha 3D: Qualifies for #3, #5

Starring: Elizabeth Shue and Ving Rhames.

Now this is the future of 3D. Used as a gimmick for horror movies. Because what else would make you jump in your seat than some blood and a blunt object being throw at your face. “My Bloody Valentine” used the extra dimension pretty well, and I expect Piranha to do the same. Throw in a silly spring break storyline and you got a potential cash cow (I smell sequel). It’ll close out the summer on a high note. Final gross will be $80mm.

Pros: 3D. Half Naked People. Spring Break…and Piranha’s.

Cons: Remember Snakes on a Plane?


So there goes the final month of the summer. Look for the summer movie recap coming after Labor Day weekend. Until then, see you in line for Inception...for the fourth time this summer.

A Bypremier Book Review

Despite popular belief, yours truly doesn't just watch movies and sports. Occasionally, I also read. Sure, I read books about movies and sports...but it still counts as reading.

Anyway, this years book review comes courtesy of 'The Sports Guy". That's right. Famous sport writer, twitterer, and podcaster...Bill Simmons.

Mr. Simmons recently wrote his second book. The follow up to his book about the Red Sox was a mammoth, seven-hundred page book on basketball. Fittingly titled, "The Book of Basketball". So after plowing through the book in only six months (it was a Christmas gift), I am here to give you readers my faithful review.

First off, let me preface this by saying I'm a huge basketball fan. It's my favorite sport to play.

Secondly; let me say when I first got the book, I skimmed through it...saw Simmon's pyramid rankings and could not help myself from reading his thoughts on the players I knew. So technically, I read the book out of order. Once I ran through the rankings, I read the book from the start. That's why it took me so long to read the book.

Anyway, back to the book. It's broken down into several chapters:

1. Simmons history with basketball.
2. The secret of basketball.
3. His thoughts on ending the Wilt vs. Russell debate once and for all.
4. MVP redo's.
5. His thoughts on redesigning the NBA Hall of Fame.
6. His debatable pyramid rankings.
7. Best Teams of All time.
8. Players that make up his all time team.
9. Closing thoughts.

So let's get to review already...bypremier's final take: The book is a great read. Simmons definitely knows basketball and is probably one of the most knowledgeable basketball people living. The rankings are the highlights. There is definitely a bit of homer/bias to the book: Simmons loves the Boston Celtics. However, he is fully aware of this and tries to curb his bias (for example, ranking Magic above Bird...Kareem above them both). But you can't write a book based on your opinions without your own personal biases seeping in. That's understandable and Simmons doesn't knock you over the head with it. Some of the other parts are a little slow (Wilt vs. Russell debate, best teams of all times...), but still enjoyable to read because Simmons absolutely does his homework and backs it up with intersting stats. And that's argubly the most impressive thing about the book. Simmons has really done everything he could to write this back. He's read every relevant book (including placing a listing of all the books and their helpfulness). He's watched thousands of hours of game film. He's even talked to almost every person imaginable about the sport. So give him credit for putting his heart and soul into the book. So all that boring stuff aside, let me just finish this review with a few intersting thoughts.

1. If you are a writer (or a wannable writer like me), you've probably tried to write a ranking or list about a certain topic. For me, I like to write a column for my fantasy football league and I try to include everyone in my league in my writing. And you know what? It's hard to write for some people...and very easy to write for other people. After reading Simmons pyramid rankings, I thought the same thing. For some people in his rankings, he wrote wonderfully. Particularly, the current players and any Boston old-timers. However, some other people (mostly very old players) were not very well written and had short paragraphs. Because it's not easy to write something great for everyone.

2. Nobody...and I mean nobody...compares sports to pop culture better than Bill Simmons. My favotire comparison of his was Magic vs. Bird to the two Shannons (Whirry and Tweed). My favorite growing up with Shannon Whirry.

3. My favorite part of the book was when Simmons thanks everyone involved in helping make the book possible. Simmons is a talented writer and extremely funny. But he also gets help. His friends make him infinitely funnier. When he thinks of a great idea or someone passes along a great idea, he gets input from his 'creative team' to come up with funny thoughts, good names to talk about, and basically write his brillant responses. So I'm glad he thanked his friends. I think if I ever was able to write professionally, I would do the same.

So overall, I highly recommend the book. It's a great read for any sports fan. A must read for any basketball fan. And an absolute read for any fan of the Sports Guy.

Lastly, I can't wait for the revised edition. Another beauty to the book: You can revise it multiple times and milk it for everything it's worth. Kind of like the guy who wrote the book "1001 Movies to see before you die" and updates it every year for that year's movies. Talk about a money maker. Another idea that goes into the "Why Didn't I Think of That" category.

Why I Belong In the Movie Business

The buzz and hype following "Inception", which for the most part has lived up the expectations, has cast aside the fact that the movie business has been terrible as of late. Former big name movie stars don't carry as much weight as they used to. Big budget special effects spectacles don't fool audiences anymore, since they see through the lack of story and character. So with everything from redos (A-Team), Tom Cruise (Knight and Day), and Jerry Bruckhiemer (Sorcerers Apprentice and Prince of Persia) failing, what's left for Hollywood to do? Come talk to bypremier...that's what.

So here are some things that need to happen.

1. Cuba Gooding Jr. can't even get a movie role anymore. John Singleton hasn't lived up to the hype of "Boyz N The Hood". They both were at their best in the beginning. Why not bring them back together with a gritty, urban drama. Imagine the marketing possibilities.

2. M. Night Shyamalan is almost a joke now. A one hit (or two hit) wonder who is a one trick pony (slow beginnging...surprise ending). I think he's a talented man who got too much success too quickly and fell into his own massive ego. So what should he do? Go back to the models for the two hits that brought the best out of him. And that's combine his talents with an A-list talent. That's right...did you know, M. Night's two biggest success were "The Sixth Sense" and "Signs", which also happened to be stars Bruce Willis and Mel Gibson's careers highs. And since A-listers, with the exception of Will Smith and Johnny Deep, can't guarantee box office anymore, why not pair M. Night with another "A-lister". I'm thinking someone like a Tom Cruise or even Tom Hanks.

3. Speaking of Will Smith, the man should do another romantic comedy. He was fantastic in "Hitch". Sure, I'd love to see another Sci-fi movie or a "Men in Black 3", but he should also do another "Hitch"-esque film.

4. Stop making comic book movies based on characters that are too niche. "Kick-Ass" was a great movie. But not successful. Others like "Jonah Hex" were just bad decisions. Just because Iron Man 2 worked, doesn't mean every comic book will work.

5. Since nothing is original anymore in Hollywood, follow Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino's lead. Let the talented men do what is 'original'-esque. I say 'original'-esque, because as great as "Inception" and "Inglorious Basterds" were, they were Nolan's and Tarantino's take on other movies. They didn't steal, so much as copy what inspired and moved them and put their own twists and takes on them. And that's how Hollywood does original ideas these days. So let Nolan And Tarantino to continue to do what they do. But also let James Cameron, Ridley Scott, Michael Mann, and Kathryn Bigelow do their thing.

6. Call this the Lebron James factor. Or the "Expendables" Model. Basically, put a dream all-star lineup together in one movie. Give the fans what they want. Fans want to see all the old 80's stars in one movie. Because it's not like the 80's/early 90's when Seagal, Arnold, Sly, Bruce Willis, and Van Damme would all show up in their own action movies and find enormous success, the new millenium doesn't work that way anymore with the advent of CGI and other special F/X. So give Sly credit for thinking of putting everyone in the same movie. But the truth is there are other examples. People were excited when Jackie Chan and Jet Li made a movie together. So why can't this work in a million other ideas. For example:

a. Julia Roberts and Meg Ryan in a romantic comedy. Two of america's former sweethearts together at last. Have it written and directed by Nancy Meyes...even better.

b. You think "The Grown Ups" were an all star comedy lineup. Imagine some combination of Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, Chevy Chase, Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld...or throw in Jim Carrey for good measure. Heck, have it be written and directed by Woody Allen. I know what you're saying...didn't Judd Apatow do this with "Funny People". I didn't say it had to be a drama about comics. Just let them be funny as older aged men.

c. Non-caucasian women who have managed to rise up above their races and be seen as able to play any part, not just parts designed for their race/color. I'm thinking Halle Berry for the African Americans, Lucy Liu for the Asian Americans, Eva Mendes for the Latin Americans. Put them into a cross-racial film and the possibilities are endless.

d. How about an all-star cast of true method actors who aren't necessarily box office giants. I'm thinking Russell Crowe, Christian Bale, Edward Norton, Clive Owen, and the best actor alive...Daniel Day Lewis. That would be oscar bait and then some.

e. Just for the heck of it...Harrison Ford and Clint Eastwood in a film together.

f. Heat 2: De Niro, Pacino, Hackman, Hoffman. Make this happen Michael Mann...why not? These heavyweightsw all need one more opportunity to go out on top.

g. Connery, Pierce Brosnon, and Daniel Craig in a spy thriller. You wouldn't see a single article without mentioning James Bond...andI know Connery is retired, but who cares.

7. The Karate Kid remake was a huge success. So why not remake some other beloved, cultish 80's movies...I'm thinking of "The Goonies", but there are probably at least ten others.

8. I'm calling this right now, "Tron: Legacy" is going to be a huge hit. Surprisingly, since Tron was considered a flop. But it was way ahead of it's time. But that would also qualify for other early special F/X flicks that could be re-imagined with the latest special F/X. I'm thinking of "Flight of the Navigator", "Logan's Run", and "Flash Gordon".

9. Raunchy comedies are making a bit of a comeback. Look at "The Hangover" or "Hot Tub Time Machine". Why not comine this fad with the untapped MILF market. "Cougar Town" is a decent hit on TV. Why not copy that mold as a movie in a raunchy comedy. Imagine a Sharon Stone, Michelle Pfieffer, Kim Basinger, or even Jennifer Aniston...in such a movie. Older women would come out and you know the men would too.

Yes, I know imagining the possibilities in movies are easier than making them a reality. There probably aren't scripts or even interests on the parts of any of the named actors/actresses above. But wouldn't you rather see some of this happen and have people put the time and effort into making it real, then to see another crappy romantic comedy, unecessary sequel, or stupid action/revenge flick. I know I would...and maybe that's why I don't work in Hollywood.

Fantasy Football: July 2010

Since my fellow blog brother finally initiated the "hard launch" on his fantasy football blog...http://sdubsports.com/...I thought it was time to give you a true experts thoughts on the upcoming season.

And since all experts love to compare people to past performers, here you go.

RUNNING BACK:
The #1 RB at the end of the year will be Ray Rice.

#2 will be Jamaal Charles - who will be this years Chris Johnson. Don't worry about Thomas Jones, JC will finish with over 2,000 yards from scrimmage.

Chris Johnson will be this year's Michael Turner. Justifiably hyped in the pre-season as a top back. Question marked for overuse in the previous year. Will have a good season, but will not match prior year's production.

If you have one of the top 6 RB's (CJ2K, AP, MJD, Rice, Gore, Charles), then I'd wait to get a 2nd RB. There is tons of value in the Matt Forte/Michael Bush/Justin Forsett/Donald Brown/Ahmad Bradshaw/Arian Foster/Montario Hardesty/Fred Jackson/Clinton Portis group. All guys will go in rounds 5 or later and produce just as well as the Ronnie Brown's/LeSean McCoy's/Joseph Addai's of the fantasy world.

QUARTERBACK:

If you sleep on Kevin Kolb, you will regret it like everyone who passed on Aaron Rodgers the year after he took over for Brett Favre.

QB is a pretty deep position this year, so if you can't get one of the top 5 QB's (Roders, Brees, Peyton, Romo, Brady) then I would wait and double stack on two up and coming QB's in hope one breaksout. That list includes Kolb, Chad Henne, Joe Flacco, Matt Leinart, Matt Moore, and Jason Campbell.

WIDE RECEIVER:

This year's Sidney Rice...Jacoby Jones. Both play for teams with three solid WR's. Both have excellent QB's (top 7 fantasy QB's in Schaub and Favre). Both play for offensive powerhouses.

Vincent Jackson will be this year's (and the year before) Brandon Marshall. A guy people stay away from due to suspensions, but ends up with over 1,000 yards and is a great value pick. Vjax is missing 3 weeks. I know rumors say he may hold out. I say if you stack up on a RB and QB early in your draft, I'd take a flier on Vjax as you number 1 WR. He might not be better than say Santana Moss. But the reward is far greater and you don't win fantasy football championships by playing it safe.

Out of all the breakout wide receiver candidates, I like Michael Crabtree the most. He has the best shot at jumping to the tier 1 category of fantasy WR's. I like what I saw from him last year. I expect Vernon Davis to regress this year, so more balls for Crabtree. I think the 49ers will have an easy schedule playing against the NFC West. And the 49ers defense will work wonders at providing the offense with excellent field position.

There are many sleeper picks I like: Devin Aromashodu, Golden Tate, James Jones, the aforementioned Jacoby Jones, Mike Wallace, Kenny Britt, Malcom Floyd, Chaz Schilens, Jabar Gaffney, Nate Burleson, Devin Thomas. I think if you're in a deep league (say 12-14 teams), then my game plan would be to get two stud WR's early. Wait on your #3 WR and get one of these guys. That way you can load up on QB/RB/TE. Who knows you may even get two of these sleepers and have the luxury of mixing and matching.

TIGHT END:

Deepest position of the draft. I'm almost inclined to let the big guys go (Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates, Jermichael Finley) and take better value later on in the draft. I think Zach Miller, Dustin Keller, Fred Davis, Tony Scheffler, John Carlson will all have just as good seasons as some of the other bigger name players (Tony G., Vernon Davis). Even better, since I count at least sixteen quality TE's available, you can wait until the very end and pick up two of the tier 3 guys and hope one breaks out. Hey, it worked for whoever took Brent Celek or Vernon Davis.

DEFENSE/KICKER:

While I agree that it is wise to wait until the very end to take a kicker and defense, I think there is an argument to be made for going one round early (if you're in a 15 round league, picking defense/kicker in some order in the 13th and 14th round). Unless there is someone you really, really, really like...then I'd jump on getting a guy or defensive unit that you can feel comfort in playing each week. Yes, you may get lucky playing the weekly matchups routine or finding a surprise on the waiver wire. But odds are there will be plenty of people in your league who carry more than one at each position. And that's not even starting to go into always figuring out who to drop. Bench spots are valuable. Playing that game can come back to haunt you.

As my former blog brother would say...only 38 days until the ROFFL draft. Better get studying.

Bron Bron

By now we've all seen the Lebron "decision". We've witnessed the fallout. The bizzare introduction at the Miami Heat arena. Just a weird two days...there is no other way to describe it. But regardless of what opinion you have (where he should have gone, Miami - good or bad decision, the manner in which he made the annoucement, etc...), I think we can all agree on this: We are glad we did not have to make that decision. I say this while I am trying justify the logic...or find any logic in the decision. And honestly, the only rationalization I can come up with is this...Lebron was in a lose lose situation. No matter what decision he made, he would have been vilified if the yet to be determined outcome (i.e. Lebron winning a championship and becoming one of the greatest basketball players ever) did not turn out in a story book fashion. And since that is the outlook Lebron is staring at, then I think it's safe to say that not one of us would want to have to make that decision. Yes; we'd all love to have Lebron's talents, we'd love to have the millions, but would we enjoy the pressure that comes with it? I doubt it. Can you imaagine the pressure when there was no right answer to this. No easy way out. Because the decision was much bigger than just Lebron. Cities, a professional basketball league, friendships, and entire franchises were hanging in the balance. And no matter what he decided (stay in Cleveland, go to New York, go to Miami, etc) he risked alienating a group of people and disappointing others. All while trying to figure out his legacy. Because there are no certainties in professional sports, just higher percentages of favorable outcomes.

So if he made the 'safe' choice and stayed in Cleveland and never brought home a title, he'd go down with the Charles Barkley/Patrick Ewing/Elgin Baylor/Karl Malone's of the NBA. He'd be just another great NBA player, but not a winner. A guy who couldn't get over the hump and people would then start to question just how good he really was. I mean people are already starting to do that after playoff exits to quality Orlando and Boston teams the past two years. Imagine if the same outcome were to happen the next five years. Would people honestly say, well at least Lebron was loyal and stayed in Cleveland. It's ok if he never won a title. Look, we've all seen how far loyalty can get you in professional sports. Kevin Garnett was loyal to the Minnesota franchise and he wasted his prime. Ask him if he made the right decision. Hundreds of players are loyal to their teams, but when they get past their primes, they come to find that their teams are no longer loyal to them...just ask Patrick Ewing or even Brett Favre. So in truth, saying he should have stayed in Cleveland isn't as simple as that. (And I say this as someone who still believes he should have stayed in Cleveland). Plus you have to remember that he plays in Cleveland (no offense Clevelanders), it's not Los Angeles or Chicago or any other major city in the US. You can't compare his situation to Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant. Not everyone is lining up to play for Cleveland. Look no further than Chris Bosh, who chose to play in Miami instead. If Bosh has picked Cleveland, than I'm sure Lebron would have stayed. But Cleveland isn't attractive to people who have no ties to the area. But people want to play in Chicago. Shaq wants to go to Los Angeles. You get my point. In this case, being Cleveland actually hurt Lebron's chances to pull in another marquee player. So that means Lebron is pretty much going at it alone with the Antawn Jamisons/Mo Williams/and JJ Hicksons of the league. Not exactly Pau Gasol level here (and remember that...Kobe couldn't win by himself until Gasol came - you can't win in this league as a one man show). So there goes option #1.

Option #2 was to go to another team not named Miami (Chicago, New York, LA Clippers, or Dalllas). I group them all together because the impact/hatred would have been a little less than going to Miami. At least he'd be going to a team where'd he still be the alpha dog and that team's success/failure would still lie squarely on his shoulders. So say he did that? Again, no guarantee of championships...not even the best odds (although you could argue Chicago had better odds than Miami, but then you're arguining that a complete team is better than having 3 of the top 20 players in the league...Rose/Noah/Lebron does not compare with Wade/Bosh/Lebron). On top of that, you still alienate the Cleveland fans, because you left. And if you fail to bring home a championship (which would have been extremely difficult if he went to New York or LA Clippers), then you would be regarded as a failure and not one of the best ever to play. So there goes option #2.

Which brings us to option #3. Miami!!! A cheap way out by any true fans account, but you can understand why he would decide to go there. He basically did the opposite of what Kobe did. Instead of being the guy that other superstars come to play with, he choose to be the superstar that leaves to play with another superstar. He had to make that choice, because Wade wasn't coming to Cleveleand. Bosh wasn't coming either. Nobody in that level wants to play in Cleveland. Plus Cleveland didn't have the money. So if he can't get people to play for Cleveland, then he has to leave and go where they are. Instead of being Kobe, he was Gasol. Does that make him a villian...absolutely. Will people think he took the easy way out...yes. But in the end, if he wins multiple championships...it won't matter. He'll still be up there with Shaq and Hakeem as one of the best 10-12 players ever. Just not one of the top 3 players ever. And maybe he's ok with that. It was the easiest pick, yet also the hardest. He had to turn his back on his home town. He had to become a hated man. He had to tarnish his legacy and his reputation. But he did what 'felt' right and what made him happy. And nobody ever said that the 'right' and 'happy' decision was always the easiest one to make.

Only time will tell how we view this decision and Lebron as a player and person. And that's the problem Lebron had with the decision in the first place. He wouldn't know if he made the right answer until he was too old to change it.

World Cup Thoughts

I don't know about you, but the World Cup has me hooked. Consider me a huge soccer/futbol fan. Beforehand; I never quite understood the appeal of the sport. But after seeing a majority of the games in the World Cup, I finally get it. I love the artistry of the game. The beauty and difficulty of scoring a goal. The drama of the penalty kicks. The magic tricks some of the guys play with the ball. I also enjoy the fact that the game will only last about two hours (baring sudden death penalty kicks). And that their are no timeouts/very few replays/and the clock keeps running.

But the moment that truly won me over was the same moment that inspired United States fans around the country. Yes, I'm talking about that moment. During the 91st minute of the Algeria game. Right around 11:51 am EST. The greatest goal in US Soccer history. Landon Donovan who nails home the rebound and sent fans into a frenzy. I can't say enough of the goal. Mainly because I missed it at the time. I was on a plane about to take off for Mexico, but I was following on my phone. I saw ESPN refresh, US 1 - Algeria - 0, and knew it was a huge moment even without seeing it live. All I could think about for the next five hours was seeing the highlight in my hotel room. But in Mexico, the game was just another World Cup game being played. Much like how the America's ESPN wouldn't go crazy over an amazing Uruguay game. Finally sometime during a quick recap on CNN, I finally saw the clip. But it was just a clip. I didn't fully comprehend the moment until I got back home. Until I saw the YouTube clips that Bill Simmons so nicely linked to in his article. I saw the crowds reactions. And you know what? I've seen it at least thirty times. And every time it still gets me. It sends chills up my spine. It makes me proud to be an American. And as it writer and sports fan, it makes me want to put the moment in context.

Because very few times can you remember when a sport took off or returned to prominence.

In Basketball, it was when Bird-Magic met in the NCAA championship in 1979.

In Baseball, it was in 1998 when McGwire and Sosa took steroids and blasted some baseballs out of the park. (Baseball was always popular after all)

In Swimming, it was in 2008 when Micheal Phelps won 8 gold medals.

In Hockey, I wouldn't dare say it was near the Eruzione goal in Lake Placid in 1980. But it's close to the Zach Parise goal scored in the nail biting final of the US-Canada Hockey Gold Medal Game at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Think about it. Parise scored off a rebound, just like Donovan. Parise was the star of the American run to the gold medal game, just like Donovan was the star of the Americans run to the round of 16. Neither was a game ender (aka a walk off)...Parise scored with 24.4 seconds to play, while Donovan scored in the 91st minute (meaning 3 minutes were still left to be played). You could even make the parallel to the Parise goal only taking the game to overtime, where the US eventually lost...and Donovan's goal only taking the US team to the next round of the World Cup, where the team eventually lost to Ghana.

Still, that was the moment. That goal will mark the exact moment that soccer became relevant in the United States. I'm hooked. So are about 20 million others. It's finally arrived as a respected sport here and one that people will want to play and watch. So maybe not right away...or even in four years in time for the next World Cup, but soccer will see a rise in young kids playing. There will be a great American soccer player. Someone comparable to the Christian Ronaldo's and Lionel Messi's of the world. Why? Because somewhere out there...there is a kid blessed with tremendous athletic ability and the intangible soccer gene, who will actually decide to play soccer and work on the game. He won't play baseball or basketball or football. You don't believe me...baseball is already losing African American's as it sees a rise in Latino ballplayers. Football studies are showing that their is tremendous brain damage that can be done even while playing as a youth. Kids will turn to other sports, whether they be Lacross, tennis, golf, or soccer. It will happen. And you know what...there will be many who decide to play soccer. They will be inspired by Landon Donovan's goal and by the 2010 US team in general. And they will lead the American soccer revolution.

I'm writing this over a week since the goal was scored. ESPN decided to replay the game and I watched it again. And even though I knew the outcome, I still was nervous and tense in the moments leading up to the goal. And when it finally happened...it still gave me chills. It'll be a goal that I show my kids. And who knows, maybe they'll choose to play soccer too. So thank you Mr. Donovan.

Write The Future Commerical Tally

You've all seen the popular Nike 'Write the Future' campaign. But now that the World Cup is into the semi-finals, we can take a look back at the on-field success of the commerical. And you know what...I think there is a Nike curse?

You don't believe me? Let's do a quick Nike Write the Future commercial tally - Here are the prominently featured players:

Rooney (England) - zero goals, eliminated in the round of 16.
Cesc Fabregas (Spain) zero goals, team still alive in semifinals.
Christian Ronaldo - one goal, eliminated in round of 16.
Frank Riberty (France)/Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)/Fabio Cannavaro (Italy) all eliminated in round 1.

With the exception of Landon Donovan (USA), who scored 3 goals and famously led the US team into the round of 16...none of those above players did exceptionally well in the World Cup. And to be fair, Donovan was more like an extra in the commercial. He was reading, he wasn't featured in the soccer scene, and was probably only in the commercial in an attempt to appeal to the American audiences.

The rest of the players in the commercial are not super duper stars and also had mixed results: Those being Andres Iniesta (Spain), Theo Walcott(England), Patrice Evra (France), Gerard Pique (Spain), Tim Howard (US)...not many goals scored, and only Spain is still playing, but that's largely thanks to the play of David Villa rather than Iniesta or Pique.

Listen; the commercial was great and the people were are paid very well by Nike, but don't you think any one of those guys listed above would rather be in David Villa (Spain), Thomas Muller/Bastian Schweinsteiger/Mesut Oezil (Germany), Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands), or Diego Forlon (Uruguay) shoes.

Write the Future? Not quite.

Summer Movie Preview: July 2010

Another summer month has come and gone and that means we're at the halfway point of the summer movie season. After a disappointing May, June added a little more excitement and cash flow. But only three movies stood out and excited the audiences. Let's take a quick recap:

If you haven't already, check out May and June's previews:

Hits:

Toy Story 3 - Pixar has done it again. A wonderful and touching film that made me remember why I loved (who am I kidding....I still do) my toys. The last half hour is some moving stuff...prepare to cry. In a lackluster summer, this movie has stood out even more and the grosses are showing it. It's almost at $300mm and looks headed for Shrek 2 teritory (i.e. $420mm). The probably #1 movie of the summer, with Inception having an outside shot of pulling the upset.

Twilight: Eclipse - With each movie the grosses just keep getting bigger and bigger. And they say this is the best of the franchise so far (although that's not saying much), so expect a final tally greater than the last Twilight film.

The Karate Kid - One of the surprises that I correctly predicted. Even though it's too long, the movie is a huge hit and could spawn it's own sequel. Jaden Smith will become a huge star...unless he starts hanging out with the wrong crowd.

Moderate Successes:

Grown Ups - just another in a long line of Adam Sandler hits. By few accounts is it actually good. But the cast really helped pull in big numbers at the box office.

Get Him to the Greek - some have called it hilarious...others have felt it was bland. It's made about $50mm so far, and will be considered a money maker. But it's no Hangover.

Misses:

The A-Team - supposedly the action was worth the price of admission. But the story was not well conceived and a sequel will most likely not be made.

Killers - Just didn't have the leading actor and actress to pull off a story that's been done plenty of times before...and way better.

Splice - I really swung and missed on this one. Audiences saw it as just another by the book horror movie and it will go on to live a better life on DVD.

Knight and Day - Another movie I really swung and missed on. I thought for sure this was the film that would bring Tom Cruise back to prominence. Especially after his performance on the MTV Movie Awards. But a poor title hurt it's cause. And it's shown that audiences don't love Tom like they used to.

Jonah Hex - And there goes Megan Fox's once promising career. She can't get by on looks forever.

JULY 2010:

The Last Airbender: Qualifies under #2

Starring: Dev Patel and a bunch of other people you never heard of.

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

M. Night Shyamalan directs his first ever feature that he didn’t write, which is a good thing. That means no surprise ending. No long, boring stretches of time wasted on building up to that surprise ending. And after “The Sixth Sense” (and arguably “Signs” and “Unbreakable”), Shyamalan seemed to become a little too complacent. Too willing to settle on that one trick pony/writing ploy. There is no denying the man has talent. So it’ll be interesting to see what he can do with this popular animated series that could lead to his own comeback story. Opening on the coveted July 4th weekend, I think this movie is going to get glowing reviews and have some sick special effects. Final gross will be $300+mm and a sequel will be in the works.

Pros: The return of M. Night. Air, Water, Fire, Earth…tailored made for 3D.

Cons: Uproar over the racial (or lack thereof) casting. (Um…they’re supposed to be Asian).


Despicable Me: Qualifies under #11

Featuring voices by: Steve Carrell, Kristin Wiig, Jason Segal, Russell Brand, Julie Andrews, and Will Arnett.

The summer’s required other animated offering to compete with Pixar. This one comes from Universal, which isn’t known for animated movies (yet). And the trailers have looked confusing so far, giving no indication of what the movie is about (or any voices). Heck, the only thing that stands out about the trailer is the rap song. Yet, with this all star lineup and a cute premise (that I had to look up) I expect this animated entry to make Ice Age money. Final gross of $190mm.

Pros: Big production animated movies like these usually do well.

Cons: A trailer that fails to excite.


Predators: Qualifies under #3

Starring: Adrian Brody, Topher Grace, Danny Trejo, Alice Braga, and Laurence Fishburne.

Based on the early trailer/preview, this could be the entry that brings the franchise back to its roots. After a lackluster sequel, followed by a couple of Aliens vs. Predators titles, we might finally see a basic man versus monster in the jungle movie. Consider me intrigued. The key will be how well the stars act as they mercenaries. Let’s face it, Arnold was awesome. But Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura were money too. Danny Glover, Sanaa Lathan, and the girl from “24” were not so money. Can Brody, Grace, Fishburne, Trejo, and Braga pull it off? That will be the key to whether it makes $40mm or $75. I say they disappoint and the movie only makes $50mm.

Pros: Bringing the franchise back to its roots.

Cons: Would have been at least 27x more anticipated if Robert Rodriquez were the director.


Inception: Qualifies for #2, and #6

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Ken Watanabe, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan

In this particular instance, doesn’t Christopher make him sound so much better than if he went by Chris Nolan (see Chris Weitz)? Anyway, I have no idea what this movie is about. No clue what anybody is doing in the trailer. Yet, this is probably going to be the coolest movie of the summer. Nolan does not disappoint: See Memento, Batman Begins, the Presitge, and The Dark Knight. The man is simply money. Throw in a stellar cast and prepare to have your mind blown. The only question is will people get it? Because let’s face it - some people are stupid. They want to see “Big Momma’s House 3” and “White Chicks 2” instead of having their minds challenged. Final gross will be $300mm making for Nolan’s biggest non-Batman hit.

Pros: Nolan’s only original movie in between making Batman’s. IMAX. Guaranteed twists and turns that will leave your mouths open and heads scratched. The next Matrix?

Cons: Too confusing for its own good?


The Sorcerer’s Apprentice: Qualifies for #2, and #6

Starring: Nicholas Cage, Jay Baruchel, Monica Bellucci, and Alfred Molina

Directed by: Jon Turteltaub

Great, another Jon Turteltaub-Nicholas Cage-Jerry Bruckehimer movie. Just what the National Treasure fans out there needed (although, I’m sure my friend Sherm is happy). I know that was my initial reaction. Followed by the obligatory, “How the heck does Nicholas Cage keep getting these gigs?” and “This movie will suck”. But then a funny thing happened. This movie started getting good press. Early leaks have all been good. They say this will make Jay Baruchel (last seen in “She’s Out of My League”) a star. And the trailers have looked impressive. Throw in the track records of J-N-J and consider me sold. I think this movie has a chance to be the breakout hit of the summer, exceeding all expectations, and finishing with a solid $250+mm box office run (sequel alert).

Pros: From the team that brought you National Treasure. Prepare for adventure and special effects.

Cons: More crazy, over-the-top Nicholas Cage.


Dinner for Schmucks: Qualifies for #3, and #4

Starring: Steve Carrell, Paud Rudd, and Zach Galifianakis

Directed by: Jay Roach

This movie has hit written all over it. Starring one of the comedy kings of the moment (Carrell), and two up and coming comedy stars that are moving up the ladder (Rudd – who was great in “I Love you, Man” and Galifianakis – who stole the show in “The Hangover”). Throw in the director of “Meet the Parents” and “Austin Powers” and how can you not be excited? Well because the trailer doesn’t look funny at all. Actually, it looks pretty bad. This movie is more of a farce than a raunchy comedy, and I’m not sure how that’ll play out for the fans of Rudd and Galifianakis. I think this comedy has a chance to be 2010’s version of “Funny People”. A dramedy that is being sold on the stars and director, instead of the quality of the movie. Final gross will be only $50mm.

Pros: An equal comedy dream team to the “Grown Ups”, minus the SNL pedigree.

Cons: Based on a foreign film, so might not be your typical brand of humor.


Salt:

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Live Schreiber, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Directed by: Philip Noyce

Another movie that has been supposedly hit by production troubles. Sure, the movie has gone through several directors and stars, even going through a gender change (Salt was supposed to be played by Tom Cruise). But I don’t think this is the same as Robin Hood or Jonah Hex. All that happened prior to the movie being made. And ending up with Angelina Jolie in the type of sexy, action heroine role that fans love to see her in (her biggest hits have been “Mr. and Mrs. Smith”, “Wanted”, and “Tomb Raider”) is not a bad consolation prize. The trailers have looked pretty cool - adding the right amount of action and intrigue, all while making people want to know if Jolie is bad or good in the movie. Job well done people who make the trailer and get paid tons of money to do it. Final box office gross: $165mm.

Pros: Angeline. Jolie. Naked. (I just made up the naked part)

Cons: Trying a little too hard to be the female Jason Bourne (right down to the NYPD car chase scene).


Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore: Qualifies for #3, #11

Starring: Chris O’Donnell and Jack McBrayer

Featuring voices by: Alec Baldwin, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Bette Midler

If G-Force has taught us anything, it’s that any kind of talking animals are cute and will make a lot of money at the box office. So nine years after the first film made a decent $93mm domestic gross, a sequel is back to delight little kids yet again. Now, I haven’t seen the trailer or heard anything about the movie. But do you really need to? The title says it all. Prepare for cute dogs and cats. A couple of humans thrown in to make it live action. And let the cash flow in. Final gross will be $105mm.

Pros: Dogs. Puppies. Cats. Kittens. Sooooo cute!

Cons: Will it reach beyond the family audience?


That's all I got readers...So which ones are you most excited to see?

Weekly Random Thoughts: 6/18/10

1. In this weeks installment of "Tales from Stall #2"...

After lunch one day, I had to drop a deuce. The regular stall was taken, so I had to go to the handicapped stall.

Sidenote: Does anyone ever worry that one of these days when they occupy the handicapped stall, that an actual handicapped person will come in and need to use it? Wouldn't that be an awkward moment? Do you ask for a few more minutes to finish? Do you hurry up and get the hell out of there as soon as possible? These are things I think of while sitting in the handicapped stall.

Anyway, back to the story. So I'm doing my business and I look down next to me and check out the shoes of the person in the stall next to me. I immediately recognize them as a co-worker of mine. Back to relaxing and trying to do my business...because nobody likes to be stressed while going #2. Out of the corner of my eye, I see something moving. I look back down and to my horror I see, the hugest cockroach I've ever seen. It looked like it was doused in radioactive materials. So the cockroach from the Manhattan Project scampers across the floor in my stall. I lift my legs up off the ground, because I'm legitimately scared of touching the thing. I don't want to stomp on it and get cockroach guts on the bottom of my shoes. Nor do I want it crawling up on me, so I'm trying to finish my business with my legs raised in the air like I'm hiding in the stall and I don't want anybody to see my feet. The whole time, my eyes are glued to the cockroach. I follow as the cockroach makes its way to the other stall and my co-worker yells out, "Holy Shit" and does the same dance that I did (i.e. lifting his feet up off the ground). The cockroach is now pacing back and forth between stalls. It's like the thing knows we don't want any part of it, so it is toying with us. And as the cockroach goes into one stall to another, our feet go up and down like we're in the military doing some weird sort of punishing exercise. A few more minutes of this and it's apparent that neither one of us to kill the thing. So the next time the cockroach leaves my stall; I quickly wipe, flush, and get the heck out of there...I rush to the sink area and wash my hands all while looking back like the cockroach is going to creep up on me like Mike Myers shadow. Then the bathroom doors swing open and in walks the CFO of my company. He makes his way to the urinal, but he stops dead in his tracks. The Hiroshima cockroach has stopped right in front of the stall. My CFO says aloud, "Wow, that's a big one." The two heavyweights engage in a brief staredown as my CFO circles the cockroach...ready to attack. He makes his move and quickly slams his foot down on the cockroach. He looks down towards his foot to investigate the damage, but to his and my surprise...the cockroach is still ALIVE!!! Like a beaten down fighter in the 12th round, the cockroach is dragging half his body back into the stall. My co-worker is still in there and quickly lifts his feet into the air again. My CFO looks at me like this is the superman of cockroaches. He grabs a stack of paper towels and waits for the cockroach to come back out from under the stall. When the cockroach does, he tries to squish it with the paper towels...but the cockroach eludes him. The CFO tries a few more foot stomps, but to no avail. The cockroach has now gained his second wind and is running sprints around the bathroom. My CFO looks at me with a look of confusion and exhaustion. He can't kill the thing. He throws his hands up in the air and says, "This isn't part of my job." He washes his hands, my co-worker now decides to finally leave the stall, and the three of us exit the bathroom like three survivors of a horror movie. Except this time, the survivors didn't win. The enemy is still alive and well. But there will be no sequel...at least for me. Becaue I am never going into that bathroom again.

2. Game seven was one ugly game. It was close and hard fought to the end...but that wasn't good basketball being played. It definitely won't go down as a classic.

I really wanted the Celtics to win too...I'd rather see KG/Pierce/Allen get ring #2, then to see Kobe get ring #5. Now we have to listen to "Is Kobe the best Laker" for the rest of his career...btw, the answer is "No, he's not".

3. Big weekend at the box office as we see the arrival of Toy Story 3. I think this opening is going to be huge, because the movie is rating off the charts. 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, 4 stars and A grades in every publication an online website. Throw in the pent up demand...Pixar's track record...and very little competition. Estimated weekend opening = $120mm.

The other movie opening this weekend is Jonah Hex. This movie is going to bomb big time. Demand just is not there and for good reason. The movie is horrible. I caught an early screening and was bored out of my mind. The movie is 80 minutes long and even that was stretching the story. Megan Fox is hardly in the movie. The action is nothing special or memorable, neither are the FX. So while Josh Brolin plays the character pretty well...the rest of the production is a mess. I don't even think this movie is going to make $10mm this weekend. This is going to be another blow to Megan Fox's career (did anybody see "Jennifer's Body?")...what happened, I thought she'd be a huge star for sure.

4. How awesome was the US-Slovenia World Cup match? What a comeback! The goals by Donovan and Bradley were both insane. But that should have been a victory. The ref's took that last goal away for no good reason. I want an explanation damnit.

So now we go to the last game versus Algeria in control of our own destiny. I'm not sure what to expect. The lackluster play that we have shown early in both games...or the stellar attacking play from the second half of the Slovenia game. All I know is, I will be watching and I'm glad that there is still something to get excited for in game three of the World Cup for US soccer.

That's all I have for this weekend. Happy Father's Day to all the father's out there, especially my dad. A great man. Love you dad.

Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend!

Mid Week Randon Thoughts: 6/14/10

I had another funny blog entry that I was going to post today, but it just didn't feel like a good time to post it. I need to wait for a few more readers...otherwise it won't make sense.

So to keep you entertained until that happens...here's an early week Mini-Random Thoughts edition:

1. So the Karate Kid is a bona-fide hit already grossing more than the estimated budget of $40mm. Now you know what that means...we'll be getting a Karate Kid 2.

That got me thinking. How many original non-comic book and non-horror movies that spawned a sequel were remade or reimaged to such rousing success that the redo's spawned their own sequels? I mean take away your 'Batman's'...your 'Halloween's'...'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre'...what do you have left? Can't think of many can you?

Well, I did some research and although many remakes/redo's/reimagings (or whatever you want to call them) were done where the original had sequels - see 'Planet of the Apes' and 'Psycho' - you'd be hard pressed to find a non-comic book or non-horror movie that emulates 'The Karate Kid'.

As a matter of fact, I could only find one...keep reading to find the answer below.

2. You ever see or hear something and think to yourself...what a simple, yet brillant idea...then ask yourself, "Why didn't I think of that?".

Well my list goes as follows:

a) A TV show centered around a fantasy football league.

b) A movie about two guys who crash weddings.

c) A rap song names "Whoa".

3. I was in Atlantic City in a casino during the US-England world cup match on Saturday afternoon. I was walking around with my girlfriend, while trying to follow the game on my phone, and I see the Brits score an early goal. The U.S. team is down 1-0 and things aren't looking good. Then sometime around the 40th minute, I just hear a loud roar in the casino.

My girlfriend wondered aloud, "Wow, somebody must have won big."

I said no...I bet it's the soccer game. So I quickly look at my phone and refresh the ESPN webpage...1-1. Yep, that cheer was for Clint Dempsey's goal.

And that's how much people were into the soccer game...

4. Why was I in Atlantic City for the weekend? Well let's just say the girlfriend is a big Backstreet Boys fan and they happened to be performing at the Taj Mahal (The things you do for love). So yours truly and a packed house made up of roughly 85% screaming ladies watched the BSB sing all their classics (Ok, I'll admit it...I'm a fan too). As I looked around, I thought to myself...'the odds here are definitely in a guys favor to pick up some chicks."

Well apparently a group of six other guys thought the same exact thing. They came as a group (not a single female friend among them) and prompty ran around hitting on every chick in the immediate vicinity (and some out of)...while dancing and singing along to the songs like true die-hard fans. Too bad they got kicked out for reasons unknown (being too rowdy? Sneaking into the wrong sections that they didn't pay for?? I don't know).

But seriously, how embarrasing is it to tell people that you not only went to a Backstreet Boys concert ten years after they were famous, but you also got kicked out of a Backstreet boys concert ten years after they were famous.

Anyway, the highlight of the show happened as the restless crowd waited for BSB to come out to the stage. The theater was playing music over the speaker system and the crowd was bored. Then Lady Gaga 'Bad Romance' came on. And the first thing you notice is a blond chick stand up in the lower section (say 15 rows back from the front...it wasn't a big theater) and start performing the dance from the 'Bad Romance' video. It's mildly entertaining and the girl is pretty good. She's memorized the video. She doing her thing. You think she's just going to do a few seconds...maybe a minute. But no...she just keeps going and going. Yep, she's doing the entire song. Slowly, all eyes dart towards her and the fans sitting around her move away so she can slide her way to the middle aisle. Now she has more room to really get into the dance. But she's still only decent-good. Then out of nowhere...a male that can only be described as flamboyant pops out from the upper rows. And in complete sychronicity, the one man Gaga dance show becomes two. And the guy absolutely crushes it. Even I was impressed. Now the whole crowd is really getting into it. People are screaming, clapping, even taking pictures and film. Just as it's getting really good a security guard comes in and puts the kibash on the show. And the crowd boos...it was insane. You really had to be there. It was the highlight of the show. I'm trying to find it on YouTube, but there doesn't seem to be any video of it. But trust me when I say...that dude killed it.

And just to show you that I am a proud BSB fan. Here are my three favorite BSB songs:

a) "All I Have to Give" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZN0SaNiAhvk&feature=channel
b) "I Want It That Way" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fndeDfaWCg
c) "Shape of My Heart" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dx-hOveXGs

Check back Friday for another blog update...oh yea, and the answer is:

ANSWER: THE PINK PANTHER

Weekly Random Thoughts: 6/11/10

1. How many times does something truly live up to the hype? Think about all those sporting events, movies, vacations, birthdays, dates, sexual experiences…anything that you were looking forward to. Nine times out of ten, you end up disappointed or at least dissatisfied. Which is why Stephen Strasburg is such an incredible story. The man had ridiculous amounts of hype and expectation going into his first major league start. And I joked beforehand, that the only way he could meet they hype and those expectations was if he threw a no-hitter or perfect game. Well seven innings later, two earned runs on four hits (including one home run), and fourteen strikeouts later…dare I say…he surpassed what anyone could have imagined. WOW!!!

I mean how many things actually lived up to the hype?

Off the top of my head…Avatar? The Iphone? LeBron James? Seriously…it’s not a long list.

What happens now will only add to the legend of Stephen Strasburg. All I know is he’s arguably the #1 fantasy player in a keeper league.

2. Is this the weekend that finally excites movie audiences? You have to go back to the first weekend of May, to Iron Man 2, to find a movie that excited audiences and had people lining up outside movie theaters. And to be honest, even that movie wasn’t loved and definitely fell short of expectations. Over a month later and the audiences are sitting around waiting for a movie to spend their money on. They want a crowd pleaser (see ‘Up’, ‘The Hangover’, and ‘Star Trek’ from last year). Could it be ‘The Karate Kid’ or “The A-Team’? I think it might. Both have a chance to do well and make up for a weak May/June slate so far. Early reviews are good (not great). If not this weekend, then soon…there will be one movie that blows past every conceivable expectation. And the movies that are expected to do well - might do even better…because people want to see movies this summer. Just not crap like ‘Robin Hood’, “Prince of Persia’, and ‘Killers’.

Again…off the top of the head. Movies that fall under this category: Toy Story 3, Inception, Twilight: Eclipse, The Last Airbender, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, and Salt.

3. Right now is a bad time to travel. Flights and hotels are all marked up higher than last year’s prices. Where are the recession specials?

I think it’s just a dirty trick played by the airlines (also not being helped out by the upcoming merger of Delta and Northwest Airlines); because people are flying more…yet, the airlines have not increased seat capacity. Thus allowing them to charge more for airfare. Chalk it up to just another case of supply doesn’t meet demand, so you have to pay more for it.

4. The NBA finals have a chance to be an all time classic. If you were like me, then you just finished watching a thrilling game four. The series is all tied up at two a piece. Home court is thrown out the window…tensions and emotions are at an all time high (I predict a fight happening soon – or at least an ejection)…and each game features a surprise hero (Game two it was Ray Allen, game three it was Derek Fisher, game four it was ‘Big Baby’ David). I honestly have no idea what to expect for game five. But I do believe this series will be going seven and be a fixture on NBA classics for years to come.

5. Who’s excited for World Cup? I know I am. For the first time ever, I’ve read up on the teams. I know the players by name (and more importantly…the WAG’s). And I’m genuinely interested in the games. Seeing the passion that people feel for the game makes me wish people in this country appreciated soccer more. It is the global game. Of course it would help if the US team were better.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to catch the US vs. England match on Saturday. I have plans…

6. Bathroom story of the week:

In this week’s ‘Tales for the Stall #2’.

You know how you go to sporting events or family friendly restaurants and you see children using the urinals, except they haven’t quite mastered the unzip and pee routine, so they drop trou (lower one’s pants to one’s ankles) and go pee. Well the other day, I saw someone at work do this. And there was just something wrong about seeing a middle aged man with his pants down to his ankles, in tighty whities, standing there with his dress shirt hanging out…and taking a piss. I mean I’m all for not wrinkling your shirt, but you don’t place wrinkle free over pissing so people can’t see you ass.

7. In sad economic news, the ESPN Zone in Times Square will be closing down on Tuesday. This was a frequent meeting spot for me and my college buddies and I’m sad to see it go. I might have to make one more visit before they shut the doors and close the lights.

That’s all for this week folks. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend!!!

Signs you care too much about your blog.

According to ‘How I Met Your Mother’, blogs hit their peak about eight years ago. And according to my doctor (who recently wrote a diet book), there is no money in blogs. But that doesn’t stop me from spending half my day thinking about my blog.

You know you care too much when you start obsessing over it and doing the following:

1. Every time you meet someone new you always say, “Hey, read my blog.”

2. Every time you see an old friend you don’t say goodbye…you say, “Read my blog and sign up as a follower.”

3. You force your girlfriend and best friend to click on the Google advertisements on your webpage in order to make a whopping $2.07 in advertising revenue. (C'mon...who doesn't need Mechanical Bull Insurance?)

4. You check your blog page hourly to see if someone has written a comment.

5. You get overly-excited when you see a comment posted or a new follower.

6. Your facebook status and twitter feed is a continuous stream of daily links to your blog.

7. When people talk about something you have written about on your blog, you automatically scream out, “I wrote that in my blog.” And then get mad and ask, “Why aren’t you reading my blog?”

8. Anything you do in life automatically becomes a possible blog entry topic.

9. You spend your days thinking of catchy blog titles like “blogbrother” or “You don’t know Jack”.

10. You feel a bond with other people that write a blog. Like you’ve been to war together or something. And you're always down to guest-blog...

So my blog brothers...how many of these do you do every day?

Weekly Random Thoughts: 6/4/10

1. With the NBA playoffs tipping off as I am typing this, please check out another podcast featuring yours truly. My buddy Brock and I breakdown the Lakers - Celtics series like only two experts can.
http://brockangeles.tumblr.com/

2. So my girlfriend is going to watch 'Sex and the City 2: Attack of the Louboutins' this weekend with five female friends. I am debating on whether or not I should go with them. Why? Two reasons.

• I love movies and wouldn't mind seeing the movie (feel free to call me names if you like). After all, I did see the first movie and I thought the first couple of seasons of the TV show were extremely well written and entertaining.
• It would be quite an experience and something I could write about in my lblog. That's prime material right there.

So I don't know readers...what do you think? Should I go?

3. The great Ken Griffey Jr. retired this week. I feel the same way many baseball fans do right now: Sad to see a once great star get old and fade into the background. Glad that I got to see one of the greatest and most exciting players ever in my lifetime. Reminiscing about the time I once had the cherished Upper Deck rookie card in my collection. And wondering what could have been if he had stayed healthy and never left Seattle.

And since I'm reading Bill Simmons 'The Book of Basketball', I feel it appropriate to say that if anybody ever wrote 'The Book of Baseball' and tried to rank the players using a pyramid...Griffey Jr. would be one heck of an argument. He's considered one of the greatest, yet never played in a World Series. Griffey had amazing stats, memorable plays, and the hardware and records. So does that make him the equivalent of Karl Malone or Elgin Baylor? I don't know...baseball is more difficult to compare than basketball. I think football would be more appropriate. Many great NFL players never won the Super Bowl. So after some consideration, I'm going to say that Griffey Jr. is more like Barry Sanders. Both could have owned a presitgious record (most home runs for Griffey, most rushing yards for Sanders), but never quite got there for varying reasons (Griffey due to injuries, Sanders due to early retirement). Yet, both meant so much to their franchises and the cities they played in. Both were also known for their breath-taking abilities...even having that one identifiably picturesque skill (Griffey's sweet swing...Sanders cut back ability). In addition, both never won the big one, but made it to the playoffs a few times. And both are regarded highly by their peers, fans, and media. Lastly, both are players people in my generation will always say, "I was lucky to see him play during my lifetime."

We'll miss you Griffey Jr., but we'll always remember that sweet swing.

4. Caught an early screening of 'Get Him to the Greek', which arrives in a theater near you on Friday, June 4th. I had really high hopes for this movie, but thought it was only OK. It's definitely raunchy and has a few funny moments. But it's a bit long and probably something you'll quickly forget as soon as you leave the theater.

My only question is, "Where does Russell Brand go from here?". I mean, he is Aldous Snow. Can he only play that type of character? I guess I just don't see him playing a straight laced guy, so I'm curious to see what his next movie role will be.

5. A buddy of mine, Doug, made the argument that Lebron has to go to New York because the NBA needs New York and Los Angeles to be good. It's in the best interest of the league. Obviously, the Lakers are fine with Kobe and Gasol (both of whom have a few years left in the tank). But the Knicks haven't recovered from the Scott Layden and Isiah Thomas era's.

While I agree with this argument, I think the answer is not Lebron in NY. But rather Dwayne Wade needs to go to New York. He'll bring a similar level of excitement and competiveness. That'll allow LeBron to stay in Cleveland. Then just give Wade some help (Knicks have the money)...and now you're talking. New York will be good again. Cleveland will be a contender every year. So will Orlando as long as Howard is there. Boston has it's next star in Rajon Rondo. That just leaves Chicago...and Rose and Noah gives them a good foundation. Problem solved. You're welcome, David Stern.

6. My current favorite term to use is 'Gum Dick'. You know what a gum dick is. Just think of that nice person who goes to Costco and buys a bulk sized package of Trident. That person then carries around at least one pack of Trident everywhere he/she goes. And everytime he/she takes out a piece, he/she always is nice and offers a piece to every one standing or sitting in the vicinity. Because that's the nice thing to do. Unfortunately, you always have that one person who just has to say no. Becaus that person is...a 'Gum Dick'.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GITSZUEqaL8

7. Did anyone check out my guest blog last week? That was some of my finest work in the blogosphere world. Guess my readership will never grow...

8. I've noticed that I spend a lot of time at work in the bathroom. And there's always a story or a funny/weird thing that happens in there. Whether it was the previously mentioned (see April's weekly random thoughts post) question of whether you say 'bless you' when in the stall...to the guy who doesn't wash his hands...to the guy who has to answer his phone while on the toilet or even at the urinal...to the strange conversations you walk into between your boss and manager while you are awkwardly sitting in the stall taking a #2. I think this would make for a great blog idea..."Shit that happens when I go to the bathroom at work." Heck, I might even make something I write about each week.

Anyway, this weeks story:

There are two urinals at work. One is higher up than the other. I guess this is for people of varying heights. One day I walk in and the higher urinal is occupied. I'm not one to wait, so I walk up to lower urinal and start to do my business. The guy next to me gets done and is quickly replaced by another guy who walks in with perfect timing. The new guy standing next to me unzips and their is a brief moment of silence...you know, except for the sound of us peeing. Then the guy looks over at me and says, "You know that urinal is for little boys. This one is for men." Another pause. I smile and give a fake laugh. Then I turned and pissed on his shoe. I zipped up...and said sarcastically, "Good one". What a 'Gum Dick'.

(PS - I made up the last three sentences.)

That's all I got for this week. Thanks for reading. Have a great weekend every one.

Summer Movie Preview: June 2010

So May has come to an end and this has to go down as one of the most disappointing May's in summer box office history. Every movie that came out underwhelmed. We already saw two box office bombs. Three more box office disappointments. And not a single well reviewed major movie.

Let's recap quickly (check out my May movie preview at http://bypremier.blogspot.com/2010/05/2010-summer-movie-preview-may.html.)

I predicted Iron Man 2 to do huge business. It did well opening weekend, but $128mm was still below expectations. It's done over $277mm so far, but looks to come in just around the $318mm the first one made. Everyone thought the sequel would make more than the first one, but audiences were not too pleased with the second one. Hopefully, the third one can rediscover the greatness of the first entry.

Robin Hood did OK business, but won't make more than the Kevin Costner version. This will be another blow to the box office clout of Russell Crowe.

If any movie exceeded expectations, it was Letters from Juliet. The romantic movie will finish will a good $45-50mm. Amanda Seyfried will be a huge star if she keeps this up (she was in Mamma Mia and Dear John). Who would have thought when Mean Girls came out, that Lindsay Lohan would be the third biggest star of the movie (following Rachel McAdams and Seyfried).

Just Wright and McGruber came and went in the blink of an eye. Neither made much of a dent at the box office and will go on to enjoy a nice run on DVD. McGruber was especially a huge flop, not even making back its estimated $10mm budget. It may have single-handedly killed any hope of future SNL skit to screen movies.

Shrek 4 also did decent business, but easily came in as the worst performing in the franchise. Sure it'll be the #1 movie two weekends in a row, but...

...that's because Sex and the City 2 and Prince of Persia both came up short at the box office. It's clear that audiences were not screaming for a second Sex and the City movie, when the first one wrapped things up perfectly. Audiences were also not screaming for Jake Gyllenhall as an action hero. SATC 2 will make over $!00mm, but come up far short of the first entry. Prince of Persia won't even make $100mm, and won't even 50% of the estimated $150mm budget. There goes Jake's franchise hopes.

Let's hope June has more to offer...I know the movie studios and theaters hope so:

JUNE 2010:

Get Him to the Greek: A chance to qualify under #4 and #8.

Starring: Jonah Hill, Russell Brand, and P. Diddy

This movie has an outside chance to be this summer’s breakout comedy hit. A sequel of sorts to “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (in the way that “Evan Almighty” was a sequel to “Bruce Almighty”), “Greek” takes the rocker Aldris Snow from the first movie and makes him the star. The red band trailer looks partially funny, but I expect a lot more crazy stuff to happen in the movie. The star here will be Brand (aka Katy Perry’s lucky boyfriend) and he could put himself on another level if this movie finds much success. However, his humor also has the ability to turn lots of people off with its brashness and outrageousness. Expect a final gross in the $50-55mm final gross matching “Sarah Marshall’s” total.

Pros: A star making turn for Russell Brand?

Cons: “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” wasn't exactly the biggest hit and didn't really cry out for sequel. Also, too raunchy to be a breakout hit?

Killers: A chance to qualify under #5 and #9.

Starring: Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, and Tom Selleck.

Directed by: Robert Luketic

People are comparing this movie to "Mr. and Mrs. Smith", but it looks like a more PG version of "True Lies". Except no James Cameron and no Arnold. Plus, Kutcher is no Brad Pitt or Arnold. So in my opinion, this movie lies squarely on the shoulders of Heigl. Since "Grey's Anatomy" and "Knocked Up", Heigl has shown that she can open up a movie by herself (think "27 Dresses" and "The Ugly Truth"). All her films have finished north of $75mm at the box office and I expect "Killers" to do the same.

Pros: Couple friendly concept and stars. Friendly rating. Almost critic proof (see "Bounty Hunter", which will finish with over $60mm at the box office).

Cons: The movie is almost guaranteed to be bad.

Splice: A chance to qualify under #5.

Starring: Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley.

A very interesting horror/suspense movie that combines science and monsters. This has a bit of "Species" mixed in with "Mimic" and I could see it being a breakout hit of sorts as something different during the summer season of bang and boom. The trailers do a good job of adding intrigue while giving you a glimpse of the creature. No name stars might hurt, but I actually think it helps in these types of films (see "District 9"). Stars would only take away from the premise and that is what will sell this film. Expect a straight-to-DVD sequel. Final gross will be a solid $75mm.

Pros: Did I mention the premise?

Cons: These types of movies don't make $100mm (District 9 is the exception).

The A-Team: Qualifies under #2 and #3.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Sharlito Copley, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, and Jessice Biel.

Directed by: Joe Carnahan

Now this is a movie that I'm really looking forward to. I think the casting is superb. The director's choice is spot on. And this TV show has been screaming for a movie. Now, apparently I don't speak for everyone out there (why is that?). The trailers have been both cool and ridiculous (C'mon, the tank flying in the air). But I think the movie isn't meant to be taken seriously. You come for the famous lines ("I love it when a plan comes together"), the overacting, the action sequences, and the theme song (the whistle part always gets me). This movie will make at least $150mm, but has a chance to top $200mm if the reviews are positive.

Pros: Supposedly one of the coolest action sequences ever. And a possible Mr. T cameo.

Cons: Could it be more "GI Joe" than "Star Trek"?

The Karate Kid: Qualifies under #3

Starring: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan, and Taraj P. Henson

This movie has set off a firestorm online. Fans of the original movie are in an uproar that their beloved film is being remade with a privileged son of a famous movie star (that would be Will "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air" Smith). Throw in people upset that the movie takes place in China and should factually be known as "The Kung Fu Kid", as well as the Asian population that should be mad that the black kid is clearly going to get the cute little Asian girl at the end of the movie (while kicking the Asian boys ass in a fight) and you can understand why this movie has failure and boycott written all over it. But somewhere between all that madness, people actually started feeling sorry for the movie (kind of like in sports when someone is underrated for so long that they become overrated – see Ben Wallace). Then started the outcry of "Give the movie a chance", "It's actually pretty good", and "Wouldn't you do the same for your son if you could". My prediction, this movie will be a huge hit. The movie will be one of the better reviewed movies of the summer. Jaden Smith will be on his way to super stardom. And the movie will make a ton overseas. It will be this year's Star Trek...put it in the books for $175mm.

Pros: Based on a popular 80's movie and pays proper homage to it. Will reach out to the Asian and African American audiences.

Cons: Still potential for fan backlash. Ralph Macchio might give this movie his blessing, which will actually kill the movie's prospects.

Jonah Hex: Qualifies under #2, #4

Starring: Josh Brolin, Megan Fox, Wil Arnett, and John Malkovich.

Another "based on the comic book/graphic novel" that very few people ever heard of. The backstory on the making of this movie just cries out "bust of the summer" (change of directors, rewrites, Megan Fox's acting)...but then the first trailer came out and I must say I was impressed. Brolin seems tailor made for this role, Fox is her usual sexy self, and the action looks pretty sick. However, it also has a little too much "Wild, Wild, West" in it. I say it bombs, finishing with a box office gross of $50mm (and I really wanted to like this movie. Heck, I’ll probably still go and see it).

Pros: Brolin makes for a better action star than Kutcher. Megan Fox in a corset. Malkovich always kills as the bad guy ("In the Line of Fire" anyone?)

Cons: Bad buzz. Trailers are supposed to look cool, but if they show all the good parts then the movie will suck.

Toy Story 3: Qualifies under #3, #7

Featuring voice by: Tom Hanks and Tim Allen.

One of the few guarantees of the summer. Pixar is can't miss. They are the Jason Heyward/Justin Beiber/child of Tom Brady and Giselle of the movie business. You know exactly what you're going to get. A great movie for all age. Some funny moments. A few touching moments. A great story. And a reason to believe in the beauty of movies again. I can't wait.
But this time the geniuses at Pixar are making it's first ever threequel. And people are starting to express doubt and fear. Doubt that the original ideas are running out. Fear that they are only doing this for the merchandising rights and because Disney demanded it. Well, I say to all those doubters and naysayers...Pixar has given you at least eight reasons why you shouldn't doubt them. And even if it's not as good as the first two, aren't you just a bit glad to see Woody and Buzz one more time. I say it makes $275mm gross.

Pros: Toy Story 1. Toy Story 2. The child in all of us.

Cons: Not many third parts of a franchise are that good. C'mon who am I kidding. There are no cons.

Grown Ups: Qualifies under #8

Starring: Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade, Rob Schneider, and Salma Hayek.

Directed by: Dennis Dugan

A comedy dream team starring some of the most celebrated and successful SNL alumni. Sandler looks to bounce back after last year's disappointing "Funny People", while the others are just looking to score another big box office hit (sad that Kevin James might be the biggest box office draw out of them all). However, the trailers have yet to make me laugh. Just like the "Funny People" trailers didn't make me laugh. And they keep trying to sell us on the stars (understandably so with this comedy all star lineup) instead of the actual movie. Much like "Funny People" tried to sell us on Apatow. So, I'm not sold on this film. I think it has a chance to be more like "Mr. Deeds" or "Click" than "50 First Dates" or "Big Daddy" on the Adam Sandler scale of greatness. I say this one barely makes $100mm.

Pros: Sandler + Rock + James + Spade + Schneider = Guaranteed to make the teenage and young boys laugh.

Cons: Doesn't it make you wish Chris Farley was there instead of Kevin James. A little too much Salma Hayek in the trailers - not bad if you're a Salma fan, bad if you have hopes of this being a funny movie.

Knight & Day:

Starring: Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz

Directed by: James Mangold

Could this be the movie that reminds us why Cruise was once the biggest movie star in the world? I think it could be. The trailers make me laugh. The action looks slick. Even Diaz comes off at the top of her game. I really think this movie has a chance to garner some good reviews and a pretty box office take. I say it finishes with a $200mm gross.

Pros: Cruise and Diaz are both big box office draws in the right type of film. This is that type of film.

Cons: A corny title. It should have been called Knight & Deay and starred Bobby Knight and Parker Deay.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse – Qualifies under #3

Starring: Kristin Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, and Dakota Fanning.

Are you ready for more pasty faced vampires and shirtless werewolves? Based on the killer box office figures of the first two Twilight films, I’m going to say yes (yes, yes, a thousand times yes). The trailer for Eclipse recently premiered to rousing fan approval. This one looks like it might actually ramp up the action a bit, which could bring in some non-diehards. However, this movie is now in the Harry Potter realm of franchises. The movies will all see final grosses in the same range (Harry Potter makes $260-300mm domestic, Twilight makes about $290-300mm domestic). This is another one of the summer’s locks. A can’t miss.

Pros: Twi-hards. Team Edward. Team Jacob.

Cons: I still don’t get the appeal. The first two were boring to me and almost tortuous to watch. And I don’t think I’m alone on the front.


Check back at the end of June for my thoughts on July movies.

Mini-Weekly Random Thoughts: 5/28/10

Just a short post this week:

1. I’m guest blogging for a friend’s site. Check it out at http://www.nychar.blogspot.com/.

It’s a great site that tells you about events happening in NYC; including free stuff, great deals, and other fun and exciting ways to spend your time.

2. Queensbridge. Say Queensbridge. (Bill Simmons beat me to using this).
But this was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in a sports interview.

Sidenote: Queensbridge Projects is the largest public housing development in North America. It is most known for its hip hop roots with many famous rappers calling it their home. From legends Marley Marl (who made the classic "The Bridge"), MC Shan, Roxanne Shante, and Craig G...to more recent names like Nas, Mobb Deep, and Capone-N-Noreaga. But thank you Ron Artest for bringing it to a whole 'nother level of recognition.

3. Have a happy and safe Memorial Day weekend everyone.

Thanks for reading this week.

- bypremier

You Don't Know Jack...

Welcome to my new column: You don’t know Jack.

(Sidenote: I was debating between Jack in the box, Jacked up, and Jack off; before going with ‘You don’t know Jack’. Because you don’t. He lives in Connecticut.)

Jack said...

Thank you for your insightful response. The truth is, many fans can't stand from an objective point of view. i.e. I hate Kobe, but I would never claim that he sucks simply because he doesn't. I can appreciate his talent, but I don't like his character.

A friend of mine was appalled and disgusted by Paul Pierce's comment and made it known on facebook. His facebook status now tallied over 60 comments and counting.

Within those comments, we touched on a subject that falls under a grayscale and I would be interested to see your point of view on this one.

Do you think an athlete should be judged by their athleticism alone, or does their moral character play a role? i.e. the Tiger Woods scandal.

bypremier responds...

Ah, the age old question…does character matter when we judge star athletes? It’s a tough question to answer, because the honest answer should be, “No, it shouldn’t”. Athletes are human just like anybody else. They are not perfect. They make mistakes. And in the famous words of Charles Barkley, “I am not your role model.”

Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. As a society, we look up to our favorite athletes. We believe that with that god given talent and fortune, they have a greater responsibility to the world (or at least…to us fans, that root for them). They are supposed to play exceptionally well, carry themselves with a sense of dignity and sportsmanship, be charitable, respectful, save lives, rescue cats stuck in trees…basically they are expected to be perfect. Much like how we hold our Presidents to a higher standard (helloooooo, Bill Clinton). But then we find out that they cheat on their wives or girlfriends, take performance enhancing drugs, that they curse, spit, buy expensive things with their money instead of helping out the needy, drink, smoke, fight…basically all the bad things they teach you in church. And suddenly, it’s like they did these things to us. But is that fair? Who are we to judge? Most of us are no better and are guilty of the same things. So where does that leave us? Depends on which side you fall.

In one corner you have the athletes: The ones who never asked for that responsibility and just want to play sports.

Then you have the fans in the other corner: The ones who wished it was them that were on that court/field/ring. The ones who pay good money…hard earned money…to watch these athletes. Who bring their kids to watch them too. And they want their money’s worth and then some. And those kids…they want to believe that these athletes are everything their imagination leads them to believe.

So who is right? You’re not going to like my answer…but I say the athletes are. They should have the right to choose to do what they want and we have the right to like them or not. We should only judge them for their ability to play and perform at the highest level. We watch Tiger, so we can see greatness on the golf course. So what if he cheats. Statistics say a majority of people cheat as well. That makes a majority of us hypocrites. Is Tiger stupid…absolutely! Did he lie and ruin a good thing…sure. But who cares. It’s his life. He’ll still be considered one of the greatest golfers ever. Same goes with Kobe, Big Ben (although he belongs in jail…if he actually raped that woman), and all the other villains the media writes about everyday. If you don’t like it, then don’t be a fan of theirs and don’t buy their merchandise. And if you choose to turn off the TV or stop following them, well…all you risk if missing out on greatness. But at the end of the day, as the great NFL writer Peter King once said, “The criteria for the NFL Hall of Fame is for what they did on the field, not what they did off of it.”

Sure, there are exceptions. Some people relish that responsibility and do good deeds with their fortune and fame. Think of the Tim Tebows of the world. But then again, a lot of it is media created. The 24/7 news cycle forces people to create an image and try to maintain some sort of privacy in their lives. But this part is a whole nother argument for another day.

Jack, hopefully that answered your question. And I hope you don’t mind me shamefully using you as material for my blog.

In closing I would like to say…WTF??? 60 comments? I wish I could get 60 comments to something I write. Heck, I’d settle for 6.

How to Run a Successful Yard Sale:

“Your trash is my treasure.”

- Nick Serrano

I never fully understood that phrase until two weekends ago.

Yes, that's right readers...yours truly experienced his first ever yard sale. And I’m still trying to figure out what happened.

Did you know that almost everything you ever thought of throwing out or donating, someone else will pay money for? Not a lot of money. But they will pay. Ohhhhh, they’ll pay. But only if you do it right. And I’m going to tell you how with these five easy steps:

1. You ever see “Glenngarry Glen Ross”? Great movie. One of the best lines in the movie is when Alec Baldwin says, “A-B-C, A-Always, B-Be, C-Closing. Always be closing, always be closing.” Well you need one of these sellers. Fortunately for us, we had one: My girlfriend’s sister - Janet. She could sell a water bottle to someone already drinking out of one. She could sell you size 24 jeans if you could barely squeeze into size 36’s. You got kids? Well you need a used stuffed animal. You got hardwood floors? Here are some nasty, used slippers for those cold winter nights. What’s that?? Your boy needs a new shirt? Take this “Beer is Best” t-shirt. Sure your boy is only twelve, but the shirt fits him perfectly. The lesson here…Always Be Closing. No matter what.
2. You think people are above stealing from a yard sale? You are wrong. They will steal from a homeless man if they can get away with it. That’s why you need security. And I’m not talking about the bouncer types sitting outside your favorite clubs or the bodyguards protecting the most famous celebs. All you need is a guy standing by the sidewalk with his feet shoulder width apart and arms crossed. That’s it. If he has on dark sunglasses, that’ll provide added fear.
3. Do a group yard sale. Everyone has crap to get rid of. Better yet; everyone has different, random stuff (this adds to variety of inventory). Split up the tables and the yard and no matter what, your yard sale will look packed. For example, our yard sale was shared between three different groups consisting of eight people. That meant at anytime, there were at least eight people standing around. And that’s HUGE...because people will feel awkward stopping by a yard sale if they are the only ones there. It’s like walking into one of those local shops on any popular tourist area (Times Square, Canal St., etc) but you’re the only one there. You’re more prone to leave without buying anything. Because just like those local shops that you find on every corner, there is a yard sale on every other block. There were at least three yard sales that we knew of in a ten block radius. But those were empty and the people selling were bored out of their mind. Why? Because it looked like a ghost town. If you can’t get other people to do the yard sale with you, or are just selfish and don’t like to share, then at least get friends to stop by and hang out. That gives off the same appearance.
4. Bring a dog. Doesn't even have to be yours. Dogs attract crowds. Once the crowd comes, you go into seller mode and drop step #1 on them. See how I brought that back full circle.
5. Offer free stuff. People love free stuff. You know how many people will wait outside in the freezing cold for free movie tickets…hundreds of people. You know how many people will wait to get into the MOMA for free on Fridays? Put it this way, don’t even bother to go unless you plan on getting there very early. You want to hold a training session or a conference at work? Just offer free food and the people will come. It really is that simple. You don’t even need anything fancy…just some homemade lemonade or iced tea and some munchkins. And like Field of Dreams, “The people will come.”
   (Sidenote: I was thinking of pulling a Crazy Eddie's and parking my car in the front and offering to sell it too. Even joking that if you bought enough merchandise, you get the car for free. Of course, I didn't. Instead I offered my friends house if you bought enough jewelry. Heck, it wasn't my house...)

So there you go. Five easy steps and you’ll be raking in more singles than Kraft. Bad joke? Well someone sell me that bad joke book you got as a gift a long time ago. Boom…lesson #1.