Chewed Up

I didn't even realize that Felt 3 just dropped. This time, MURS and Slug get beats from Aesop Rock instead of ANT. Judging by the couple of tracks I sampled on youtube, the production difference is notable but not necessarily better or worse than before. I don't know, if it's anything like Felt 2 I think I'm going to have to get this album.

It's The Incredible

I haven't been reading any fixed gear blogs lately but I did stumble upon this one today. A backwards wheelie... I've been waiting for someone to learn how to do that.

Back By Popular Demand

Clipse featuring Cam'ron and Pharrell. I like this song despite it's lazy (in a bad way) hook and weak guest spot from Cam. I think the beat and Pusha T's verse is what does it for me. And the low budget video reminds me of the "Grindin'" video, which is a good thing. Based on the the singles so far, I'm lookin forward to Til The Casket Drops. I just hope it's better than the Road Til The Casket Drops mixtape from last year.

Today's Sun, Tomorrow's Star

This is J-Live's "The Best Part", with production by Premier. The lyrics are all pretty good but the a cappella lines are just plain solid. Man, I forgot how much I like this song... Maybe not best of the decade, but pretty close.

I Can't Believe The News Today

This is more U2 than Jay-Z but they both do it big.

Slam!

Wow, this dunk is ridiculous. Over the dude, off the bounce and through the legs... I can't remember the last time I was this amazed by a dunk. Okay, maybe I can. It was the first time I saw Nate Robinson throw one down off a rebound in college. Or maybe it was more recent than that, when that street baller did a 720 a couple years ago. Before that, it was probably Vince Carter's Dunk Competition dunks, particularly his reverse spin 360 windmill. But yeah, this one's nice too.

The Werewolf'll Kill Ya

Damn. Here's a "freestyle" by Mos Def, Black Thought and Eminem.

I Can Make You Feel Okay

Sharam (feat. KiD CuDi) - She Came Along


This was one of my favorite tracks off that one KiD CuDi mixtape. I still love it even though they clubbed it up a bit and toned down the excellent walking bass line. Still good though.

Playoffs?

So it's kind of old but I just saw this video on a Fatlace blog and I had to post it. It's DJ Steve Porter's "Press Hop" and it's dope. So dope in fact, that it got me to blog. It's been a while.

I'm About My Business

It took a little while but I think I like this track. The Boi-1da beat is strong, with hard drums and ominous synths. Kanye and Lil Wayne put in solid verses but it's Eminem who steals the show. He sounds like he cares, and raps without that overly-nasal, fake accent he has been abusing too much lately. He sounds like The Eminem Show/8-Mile-era Eminem and that's a good thing. And Drake? Well, Drake does okay. I'm not sure, but I think I can rap better than him or at least I could rap better than him if rap were my chosen profession. His auto-tuned hook is kind of smooth though.

In related news, Lebron James' movie, More Than A Game comes out today (in limited release) and I want to see it.

G-G-G-G-Gone, G-G-G-Gone

It's a good thing Kanye likes the limelight because his latest VMA outburst is big, big (non)news. Even Mr. President is talking about it and it's kind of funny.

Robot Rock

I think a huge factor in the success of DJ Hero will be whether or not the songs/mixes/remixes are actually any good because it's not entirely like Guitar Hero, where you just play regular songs. Having Daft Punk featured on the game is a positive in my opinion, although it could also be a sign that the game is going to be more focused on dance/electronica dj-ing rather than hip hop beat-juggling and scratching. Either way, the game has potential, and as with Guitar Hero and Rock Band I can see DJ's getting their own signature game which will be pretty cool. I've never been big on Guitar Hero or Rock Band but I'm looking forward to one of my friends getting DJ Hero.

Can't Believe It

T-Pain and iPhone kind of join forces for something kind of stupid and kind of awesome, and I think I kind of want to buy it...

This Is Roc Nation

This Jay-Z x Rhapsody commercial is dope! I've actually listened to The Blueprint 3 and I have to say, I like it. I'll let it settle in before I fully rate it but after one listen, I'm impressed.

Ten Years Have Got Behind You

I was pretty late getting into classic rock and other music from the 70s. And while I definitely enjoy bands like Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, I was never fully blown away by them like I might have been had I been born 20 years earlier. That being said, it's easy to see how I completely forgot how much I like this song.

I Already Know How This Thing Goes

At first I thought this was just a whack cover but at about 40 seconds in, the beat drops and the song picks up a bit. Typically, I like it when songs build up, but in this case The Fray could have done better by just starting off strong. I also think the song could have used that running, airy flute-line that provided the "head nod" in the original, but all in all this is a pretty solid cover. I still prefer Kanye's version but against all odds The Fray have put together a much, much better video than the original. The animation is amazing and it completely brings to life the imagination of someone doodling and day-dreaming in class.

Motivate Me

After seeing it a few days ago, this Nike promo video had me really excited for the start of Arsenal's season. Even though European soccer seems to have the shortest off-season of any professional sport, it has been a long summer of never ending transfer rumors and few actual transfers. The Gunners have sold a couple want-away players and only brought in former Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelan but the squad remains strong and hopefully hungry. There are still a few weeks left to add some strength or depth to the team but new signings or not, I'm really looking forward to watching Arsenal play again.

In Arsenal's EPL season opener on Saturday, the Gunners didn't disappoint. They cruised past Everton by a whopping 6-1. This is the same Everton that finished a close 5th to Arsenal last season, and who many consider are a strong contender to knock the Gunners out of the top 4 this campaign. Although it's only one game, this Week 1 victory sent a message to the league and left me feeling somewhat reassured. Despite what most writers and fans think, I'm optimistic about the Gunners this year and what doubts I had about the team were put to rest during the game, if not permanently. I realize the weaknesses I thought Arsenal had a few days ago are still there but it goes without saying that laying the groundwork for a strong start to the season is ideal. Now, I just hope this momentum can be carried into Tuesday's Champions League Qualifier (Celtic United) and into the next several EPL games (which include ManU and ManC).

Children, Wake Up

Trailer 2 for Where The Wild Things Are. Yup, still really exited about this movie. It would make for an awesome costume, but I have to wonder how many people are going to be Max for Halloween...

Time Of My Life

Shadow was a big reason why I used to want to get into dj-ing. I feel like a "real" day-in-the-life video of his would be the awesome. Insight into how he finds and selects records, how he makes his music, that entire process would be really interesting.

My Whole Team Got Dough

Jay-Z (feat. Kanye West & Rihanna)



Pitchfork didn't think much of this song but I like it. For one, Jay-Z actually sounds like he means it on this one, ditching that less-than-gruff, breathy style of rapping he tends to lean on too much. Rihanna doesn't do much here but once again she proves that she can serve a hook well. Kanye did the beat, which is more solid than stellar, but he makes up for it with a great guest verse. I keep saying this, but damn if Kanye isn't the best "featuring..." rapper over the past year or so. Anyway, this song has me looking forward to The Blueprint 3, even after finding out that the album won't include "Jockin' Jay-Z" and "Brooklyn (Go Hard)".

Warriors Don't Surrender

Every once and a while a rapper from San Francisco comes along and records an 80s spoof song that actually rivals, and in some cases dominates, real 80s songs. And then, sometimes someone else comes along and makes a video for that song that almost equals the glory and majesty of the song itself. This is just awesome. I want to post the lyrics.


Champion Of My Heart by Richie Cunning

1. 2. 1. 2. 3. AGGGH!

When the darkness closes in
and the animals run for shelter,
a bird still sings for you.
When you think you've lost it all,
'cause the other guy knows karate
and you don't know what to do.

How will you know? (How will you know?)
How will you know? (How will you know?)
That your punch is filled with fury and your kick is f*ck*ng lethal?
Will you be strong? (Will you be strong?)
Will you be strong? (Will you be strong?)
Will you wave your flag of glory? As the lightning strikes the steeple?

OOOH!
You're the champion of my heart! You're the champion of my heart!
Cast away the shadows and brace yourself for battle!
'Cause you're the champion of my heart! You're the champion of my heart!
There's only room for one on top. You had the world and you threw it all away.

1. 2. COME ON!

When the enemy swords are drawn
and the prophecy has come to pass
that you are the chosen one.
When your heart begins to flutter
like the delicate wings of the hummingbird
and there's no where left to run! Run! RUN!

How will you know? (How will you know?)
How will you know? (How will you know?)
That you were born a warrior! And warriors don't surrender!
Will you be strong? (Will you be strong?)
Will you be strong? (Will you be strong?)
When the moonlight falls upon your face! I want you to remember.

That you're the champion of my heart! You're the champion of my heart!
Cast away the shadows and brace yourself for battle
'Cause you're the champion of my heart! You're the champion of my heart!
There's only room for one on top. You had the world and you threw it all away.

Then the fire burns within.
Your battle cry echoes through the night
And you write your own final chapter.
And so you call upon the gods
and the deity appears before your eyes
and he passes you the scepter! Scepter! SCEPTER!

How will you know? (How will you know?)
How will you know? (How will you know?)
That you've always been a legend! You just have to believe!
Will you be strong? (Will you be strong?)
Will you be strong? (Will you be strong?)
Will you fulfill that which is destined? Will you fight your way to victory????

OOOOH!
You're the champion of my heart! You're the champion of my heart!
Cast away the shadows and brace yourself for battle
'Cause you're the champion of my heart! The M*TH*RF*CK*NG champion of my heart!
There's only room for one on top. You had the world and you threw it all away.


The lyrics are awesome, right? This song is fantastic, like real fantastic and ironic fantastic. I wonder if we can get this track on Internet jukeboxes, this would dominate the Kezar rock genre!!! As seen on VG.

And Everything Is Alright

Check out the commercial for the latest signature shoe for Paul Rodriguez. It's got a nice laid back vibe to it, and really brings out the feeling of a good day of skating (or a good day in general). There's also a nice holler to LA with the Kobe and Cube cameos, and I'm liking that Eric Koston is in there as well.

Back when I was more into longboarding and skating, Koston was my favorite street skater. I was always impressed at how technical he was while being completely fluid at the same time. His spot on Menikmati blew me away and his stuff in the more recent Fully Flared was excellent as well (see below). But not only was he killing it in videos, he was winning comps left and right which proved he didn't need take after take to land a trick.

The Past And Pending

It's not often that you see Youtube clips of defenders, especially here, but now is a good time for such a post. Kolo Toure has left Arsenal for the greener ($$$) pitch of Man City. In my short time following Arsenal in a more than casual fashion, Toure has been a stud in central defense. And in learning more about Arsenal's recent history, it's apparent that he is one of the Arsenal greats, at least during the Wenger Era anyway. On more than a handful of occasions, I've seen him save goals, score goals, lead the team as Captain, inspire the players on the field and impress fans watching around the world. While he had his ups and downs last season, and a few shaky, missteps in the previous couple seasons, the cons are vastly outweighed by the pros.

Toure was the last starting member of the Invincibles at Arsenal and the last "real" tie to that team. From a symbolic standpoint, it may be a good thing for him, and Arsenal, to move on. I don't think there was ever any conscious effort to top or even match the Invincibles' standards but still... That season is just near enough to remember the glory and just far enough away for everyone to spout that Arsenal haven't won anything since. The players have been constantly reminded of how they have not won league since that historic team, and not won any trophy since the 2005 FA Cup. For this current team, not being connected to the Invincibles might be a good thing. They will know of the stories but they will want to achieve their own success so they can experience it for themselves. Sure, players like Fabregas and Clichy were on the team in 2003-04 but I think they will want to know what it feels like to win as starters and leaders as opposed to substitutes.

Anyway, I'm not saying that Toure leaving is good; I have mixed feelings about it. His departure does weaken the squad on the defensive side, a side which few would argue as Arsenal's strength in the first place. While it wasn't clear whether or not Arsene Wenger considered him a starter anymore, the depth at center-back and right back is now more of an issue without Toure. As I mentioned above, we're not only losing a strong player but we're losing a leader as well. Fans were clamoring for another center-back signing before he left and now they might just want more than one. And on top of that, in an era where Arsenal seems to be losing all of their top players in the transfer market, some disgruntled fans may be even more frustrated with this loss.

On the flip-side, I think Toure had to leave now because he was going to leave sooner or later. He's not getting any younger and while he still has good seasons left in him, I don't think he's getting better by any means. He went through a rough patch last season, to the point where he requested a transfer. I have always thought that players should be sold if they don't want to play for a certain team. (I guess on the same note, I have always wondered what contracts were for, if players just get to leave whenever they want.) Why should Arsenal bother to keep Toure if he wants to leave. Who's to say he will train and play with his heart, which is a big part of what makes Toure a good player. From a financial standpoint, I doubt Arsenal would be able to sell him for this much in the future. What's better: the money now, from a Real Madrid/Man City-inflated market or one more season with Toure and significantly less money in the future? The money Wenger received now can be put to good use strengthening the center midfield, or even reinvesting it in another center-back.

As much as I hate to see him go, I think the timing is right. He'll get to be a starter for sure; he'll feel more at home considering Adebayor (who I don't even want to talk about other than to say it's good he left and took his drama with him) is there too. Anyway, Toure definitely strengthens Man City's squad, so good luck to him but bad luck to them. Now, let's just hope Arsenal can sign one or two solid players and hit the ground running come August 15th.

What It Takes

I enjoy Woods' relatively new album. I also enjoy doodling, and crosswords too.

Oh O-Oh Oh Oh

Kid Cudi + Kanye West + Common + Lady GaGa sample = Make Her Say

My Swag

I decided to check out jj based on Pitchfork's album and track reviews and let me tell you, I'm not disappointed. Hardly breaking any new ground, the enigmatic Swedish band touches on electro-pop, ambient, straight forward acoustic pop and even hip hop (practically covering T.I. on "my swag, my life" and using Lil Wayne's "Lollipop" on "ecstacy"). The lush, simple melodies and layered, echoey vocals result in a surprisingly fresh and enjoyable sound. I've been listening to "jj n° 2" and "jj n° 1" for the past hour (at least) and while there aren't any obvious standout tracks, there isn't a dud in the bunch. Typically, I shy away from using music as strictly background noise -- I definitely avoid advertising music as such -- but in this case jj has provided the perfect backdrop for taking care of some things around the house. For that reason, I can't fully comment on the lyrics but at this point, I doubt the words can bring down the music even if they're terrible. Maybe, I'll write a more complete review when I give it a better listen, but you should check out jj in the meantime.

Ain't Hard To Tell

Anthony Randolph messed around and got 42 points last night in the arguably pointless Summer League. I've been saying this kid needs to get more playing time but it only happened last year when injuries hit the Warriors. It's not hard to see that Coach Nelson just isn't good with young players; there have been stories all over the place addressing that very issue. With regard to Randolph, the Sports Guy touched on it last year and Kawakami wrote about it in relation to last night's performance. For a couple years now, I've been saying the Warriors need to get rid of Nelson in order to really build the team into a contender. In all honesty, the Warriors need a near-complete overhaul on the management and coaching side of things, but I think replacing Nelson is essential. They're clearly a few years away from becoming a legitimate threat for the title and I don't see that ever happening with a coach who can't develop young players and who runs a style of basketball that, while being fun to watch, won't succeed in playoff basketball.

Wolf At The Door

I guess if you wanted to recreate a scene from a summer blockbuster for a wedding speech, you may as well choose one that is really funny and awesome. Sure, swiping lines from movies for your best man's speech is a little lame, but quoting Zach Galifianakis' toast from The Hangover is not even remotely close to walking around screaming "yeeeeah!," Chappelle/Lil Jon-style or butchering lines from Old School.

Vivrant Thing

I came across this image on Flickr. People in the comments section complain about the HDR but I think the image has a very cartoon-y, dream-like appeal. (I'm not sure blogger exactly captures all of the vibrance so you should check out the Flickr page.) I don't know anything about the photographer, Andertho, but some of his other photos are equally amazing.

You The Best?

Am I the only one who thinks this song is overrated? I doubt it, because there are always haters when something or someone gets this much hype. I'm not hating but I just don't find him to be a particularly good rapper or singer, and he isn't particularly clever or creative either. I suppose Drake's mixtape is kind of okay; it's not terrible but I feel like the standout tracks only stand out because there are a lot of lackluster songs in there. Give me Cudi or Wale any day. Anyway, Drake and his Canadian television actor background does have the backing of famous rappers and teeny boppers so I guess that is all he needs. Kanye did this video, which is like Baywatch meets Hang Time meets um, any stereotypical rap video. Enjoy???

Stay

Yes, with Real Madrid's signing of French striker Karim Benzema, it looks a slight bit more likely that David Villa will remain at Valencia for next season. Well, he may still get swooped up by another team, but at least he isn't going to Madrid who were thought to have been the front-runners in the Villa saga. I don't know why, but I was never keen on him going to Real. It has nothing to do with the spending (if they have the money, let them use it) but more to do with the fact that they aren't building a team so much as collecting big players and that I am becoming less and less a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo each time I watch him. I would much rather have Villa join Barca over Real Madrid, so if he must go it's good to hear rumors that he's meeting with them. With Eto'o likely on his way to Man City, David Villa would fit right into the front-line with ex-Gunner Thierry Henry (my other favorite striker, although he's more of a winger now) and the real best player in the world (sorry, CR7), Lionel Messi. Throw in a few other guys I like (Iniesta, Xavi, Puyol, Pique, Toure) and yeah, I guess I'm kind of a Barca fan, after Arsenal and Valencia of course. So, here's to hoping David Villa stays and Valencia can keep a few of their young up and coming players...

To speak on the Benzema signing, I think it will benefit both the player and the team. Based on last season and after their two big signings this summer, I thought Madrid needed a striker more than a winger/midfielder. This move makes so much more sense than them bringing in Ribery (another player I'd rather not see at Madrid... Although Madrid sounds much better than ManU). Now, I don't have a great idea of just how good Benzema will be but I do know he is a good. Playing in top league (no offense, Ligue 1 fans) where he can play against better competition at a high profile club is the next logical step for him. It'll be interesting to see how he performs and handles the pressure.

Also, in related but old news, I'm kind of bummed that Raul Albiol is out. This doesn't have that much to do with Madrid as it does with the fact that Albiol is one of the most promising young center backs in the world and he didn't want to leave Valencia (touch up on your Spanish). Good signing for Madrid, I guess. At least they aren't completely ignoring the defense.

Random

I guess this is Microsoft's answer to the Wii. I think it was made for Max. Not only will he be able to play dress up when searching for his Halloween costume each year, but he can provide himself and everyone else with endless hours of entertainment, watching him play MS' version of Wii Bowling and Wii Tennis. Plus, Jamie's worst fear isn't even an issue; there's no controller to throw through the TV!

Remember The Time

The big news of this week, among other things of course, was the death of Michael Jackson. I admit I never really ranked MJ among my favorite artists but I have always, always liked his music. I wasn't old enough to experience the high points in his career but I was able to discover them through his back catalog. From his work with the Jackson 5 through his solo career, he's made hit after hit after hit, songs that got stuck in my head time and time again. Whenever I hear "I Want You Back" I want to sing like Little Mike. I can't help but dance, at least a little, every single time I hear the bass-line drop on "Billie Jean". Who wasn't left awestruck after watching "Thriller" or "Scream" (when Janet was still hot even with that hair and that, um, resemblance to her brother...) or even "Remember The Time". Hell, I even liked "You Rock My World". Yes, the one that had Chris Tucker in the video. I won't say I liked every song he made but the good significantly outweighs the bad.

Jackson's influence as a singer/dancer/performer, from his vocal style to his music videos to his fashion sense, is almost unmatched. Off the top of my head, I can't come up with another artist in my lifetime that has had quite the impact as Michael but I can list several performers who he impacted (JT, obviously, and um, pretty much every single pop or R&B artist since the 80s). He was even involved with two of my favorite parody songs and one of my favorite mash-ups, two categories that I arguably shouldn't have favorites in at all. Those songs wouldn't have existed without Michael. He is undeniably a cultural icon and for that reason, I will probably always remember what was doing when I heard of his passing.

Similar to how my parents can recall what they were up to when they found out about JFK, I will always remember getting a call from my roommate on an unemployed Thursday while I was watching a soccer game at home. He just had to tell me the bad news. He was on vacation in NY, walking around SoHo, when he heard some lady talking about it on the street. In a similar situation on the west coast, my other roommate heard about the news while walking on the street in Oakland at lunch. That's the kind of impact Michael Jackson had on the world. Even in the age of Web 2.0 and 50-plus news channels on television, information of his death was traveling through the streets. (Of course, he did affect the Internet as well. How many other people could have taken down Google, Twitter and AOL with his/her passing?)

It's sad but even now I can't help but half-laugh at his issues. His problems with the law, his baby dangling, his monkey and his amusement park, his plastic surgeries and his family problems. Now that it's just about all said and done, I think those eccentricities will just be footnotes buried in the story of his great career as an entertainer but they're still there. I've spent the last couple days remembering the good and the odd, but mostly I've been revisiting his music and his videos (thanks, youtube, obviously). It's amazing how many of his songs I had forgotten I liked, how much of his work was actually pretty grand-breaking at the time. I'll be sure to do the RIAA a favor and bolster my anemic MJ collection.

It's a shame it took his death for me to get back into his music but so it goes. I don't think I owe him any more than that. I know I don't. As some one who never knew him, I was a little shocked but I wasn't really emotionally affected by the news. To a certain extent, for me anyway, it's sad in the same way any death is sad. Michael Jackson passed away and I will remember when it happened. Hopefully, he is in a better place. Hopefully, he's at peace with whatever caused him to do all that weird stuff. But mostly, hopefully he realizes that people enjoyed and will always enjoy his music.

Big Deal

Initially, I wasn't too impressed with this song but I'm kind of feeling it now. I guess that's true with a lot of Clipse songs; I can only think of a handful that really grabbed me straight away. I didn't even like "Grindin'" at first. But yeah, this son is pretty good. And I may have mentioned it before but Kanye West has been killing it with the guest spots in the past several months. His verse here is surprisingly good so hopefully he follows up the very respectable 808s & Heartbreak with a rap album.

Get Right

I thought I'd do a bit of follow-up regarding the Confederations Cup and US Soccer...

When I wrote the last post, I was considering touching on the impact that a good game against Spain would have. At the time, I was leery of the reaction that a positive result would have by the media, casual soccer fans and sports fans in general. As much as I wanted the US to win, I was worried what a victory might do. Well, maybe I wasn't worried so much as I was dreading what might already be happening: over-hype. I'm all for people getting excited about soccer but without taking anything away from the US national team, let's keep things in perspective.

First off, it was a great win defeating Spain 2-0 yesterday. The US played a solid game tactically, and played an even better game in terms of effort. To be honest, I don't remember the last time the US played with that much heart and fire. Players like Clark and Bocanegra were throwing themselves at every pass and shot. Players, for the most part, were hustling all over the pitch. The US saw another good game from Donovon, and from Davies as well. Altidore, while still very raw, showed great strength and positioning with his goal. And after another mediocre game overall, Dempsey made a very heads up play in finishing off the game with his second goal in two games. In limited minutes, Feilhaber again impressed with his composure and decision-making. Above all, Onyewu and DeMerit were excellent in back. I'm glad to see DeMerit finally getting a chance to earn a place in the starting line-up (his story is pretty incredible) and I was waiting for Onyewu to "wow" me like has these past few games. The only disappointment for me was Michael Bradley. Even before getting sent off on a questionable call, he didn't really make a mark on the game.

On top of all the positives for the US, Spain didn't play well. David Villa was missing shots. Xavi and Xabi Alonso were extremely quiet. Torres played as poorly as I've ever seen him play. Capdevilla played awful and surprisingly, Puyol and Pique were spotty as well. Ramos had a huge mental lapse that resulted in the second goal. Without any bias (hopefully), I have to say that just about the only player who did anything was Fabregas, placing a few dangerous balls through and over the top of the defense, and he was subbed off midway through the second half. Even with poor performances by the bulk of the team, Spain still dominated possession but they just couldn't break down the US enough to score. To maintain a huge win streak, teams need a few breaks here and there, fortunate bounces, lucky calls, goals off deflections, etc. and yesterday Spain just didn't get any those.

To put it simply, one team played well, the other didn't. I do agree with most that this was an important win, but one of the biggest in the history of American soccer? Sure, I guess it was. But when it comes down to the ultimate goals, becoming an international powerhouse and winning the World Cup, this win doesn't mean much. It does not put the US among the top teams in the world. Despite curbing the incredible unbeaten and win streak of the number one team in the world, it shouldn't overshadow the fact that the US struggles with consistency and has some glaring deficiencies on the field. Even though it was a semi-final victory in an international tournament, it was the Confederations Cup (google "Confederations Cup pointless" to see what people think) and it was the semi-finals.

So beware of the hype. Let's see what happens in the finals before we start thinking about World Cup 2010 success. And before we start thinking about WC 2010, let's see what happens in the Gold Cup this summer, and for that matter, the rest of World Cup Qualifying. It's not that I don't want more people to watch soccer (I do), or that I'm an elitist fan (maybe I am, a little), or that I don't think the US team is improving (they are). Just beware of the hype. Remember what happened after reaching the quarter finals of WC 2002 and winning the Gold Cup in 2002 and 2005? The US bowed out of WC 2006, finished last place in their group (I know it was the Group of Death but still). This team can be good. It has a balanced mix of young talent and experienced veterans, domestic and international club players. I, like most Americans who like soccer, want to see this team succeed but let's just wait and see what happens.

Listen Hear

It's been a pretty hectic few weeks for David Villa with transfer rumors and gossip overwhelming the news but he hasn't let that affect his form on the field. While his penalty miss against South Africa was pretty bad, Villa's goal (one minute later) was an incredible display of skill and helped to extend Spain's record-breaking unbeaten run and win streak.



A few more thoughts on the Confederations Cup group stage:

- First off: the United States. Wow. I'm sure several professional sports journalists have written about it so I won't get into it all but wow. After two lackluster performances, they finally showed some spirit on the field, producing 3 goals and conceding none against a tough but suddenly out-of-form Egyptian team. Not only did they pull off that miracle (they had only one goal, from a PK no less, in their two previous games) but they were handed second place in the group when Brazil destroyed Italy, also 3-0. Things like this don't happen often in sports so suffice to say, it was very exciting. Now the US moves on to face Spain in the semis. A respectable display against them would do wonders for a team that has been shaky as of late.

- I'm not usually one to heap praises on Landon Donovan but he has had a strong tournament. He's been working hard on defense, running at defenders with the ball and creating good space without. I know he's one of the best players in US history but I am a little surprised at how he has done. Let's just hope he continues playing well in this tourney, and carries this form into the Gold Cup, WC Qualifying and WC 2010.

- I am quick to praise Clint Dempsey, one of my favorite American players but he has had a pretty bad Confederations Cup. He picked up his play against Egypt picking out a couple superb through balls and scoring a nice header but other than that, he has not done that well. Had he not scored in the Egypt game, he would have warranted being benched for the early Gold Cup games. He's given up the ball cheaply, not hustled on defense and attempted to draw a foul too many times. All that leads me to believe he should be playing higher up on the field. He hasn't shown the work-rate to play in the midfield and honestly, he's just more effective as a forward or striker, something Coach Bob Bradley probably realizes now.

- After catching several Barca and Spain games in the past 18 months, I'm beginning to understand and appreciate the play of Xavi and Puyol. Earlier this year, it happened with Iniesta but after watching these Confederations Cup games I see why people love Xavi and Puyol as well. For someone not looking for things to like about these players, their ability to impress can be subtle because neither player is known for the spectacular in a SportsCenter Top Ten sort of way. Xavi's vision, confidence and composure on the ball when pulling strings in the midfield is top notch. He is also a solid defender which might not be expected based on his height and speed (or lack thereof). I've seen Puyol play at center back and on the right the past few times. Out wide, he's surprisingly effective going forward, creating space and picking out the right passes. In the middle, he uses his strength and smarts to win headers over players much taller than him, and he is a naturally-gifted tackler. The more I watch soccer, or any sport for that matter, the more I become familiar with the intricacies (some them obvious oversights based on prejudices, I admit) that make great players great. I don't know. It's nice to find reasons to like world class players that typically don't impress me.

- Even while missing some big name players and not choosing to play others, Brazil has looked strong. Fans may be complaining about the lack of flair this team plays with but few can argue the results. Yeah, it'd be nice to see some fancy footwork and silky skills but the style that Dunga has the Brazilians playing is grittier and more effective than I remember seeing the past few World Cups. Also, players I am less familiar with, like Maicon, Ramires, and Felipe Melo (a possible Arsenal transfer???) have been more impressive than players like Robinho, Kaka and Julio Cesar.

- The Italian team is an aging bunch but even still, they underachieved this tournament. I don't know what it was, but they just didn't look sharp. To touch on the age thing, I don't follow Serie A as much as La Liga or the BPL but I have gathered that the Italians like to honor their veteran players and they are a little hesitant to give young stars a chance. Without knowing the whole story about any of this, look at Giuseppe Rossi. He's only 22 years old. He plays in Spain for Villareal, where he earned a starters spot and has played really well. That allowed him to be called up to the national team where he also has done well, most recently scoring two goals against the US. Had he played in Serie A, I don't know if that would have happened so soon. Juve's Sebastian Giovinco for one, might be an excellent player for the national team but he doesn't get enough playing time for the coaching staff to evaluate him. Yes, Juve is arguably a deeper team than Villareal and Giovinco may not be as good as Rossi, but he still deserves a chance. At Juventus, he was playing behind the soon-to-retire Del Piero, the just-retired Nedved and the injured Trezeguet but he still only made a few appearances last season. Maybe it's because I like him but I feel that with experience, he could be a good player for the Italians... Other players that do get playing time at the club level and have been called up to the national team, need to get more games too. How can players like Santon and Santacroce gain experience at the international level when they don't get a chance?

- Last random thoughts... It was unintentional but I didn't watch any of the New Zealand games except the first half of the Spain game, which saw El Niño get a hat trick in 17 minutes. NZ didn't look good... Egypt played well in their first two matches. Even though they were missing Zidan, I would have thought they would have come out stronger in the US... Against Spain, Iraq showed everyone how to lose respectably. They held the best team in the world to one goal and they did it without parking 11 men in the box. Aside from giving the ball away too easily throughout the game, they were even able to maintain possession on occasion... South Africa looked decent from what I saw, which is good. It's always nice when host nations step their game up and compete against stronger teams. It definitely adds to the excitement, and this tournament has gotten me really excited for 2010... Finally, I don't see what the big deal is about the horns. One of my roommates can't stand them but I think they're fine. I don't think they take anything away from the broadcast. I think they either add to the atmosphere or provide a nice white noise to tone down annoying commentators. Mostly though, I just don't notice them that much because I'm focused on the game and they really aren't overwhelmingly loud through the TV. If they get banned from WC games, it would be stupid and if I was South African, I would be pissed.

And Another One...

Here's another movie I want to see... I feel like I should just post trailers here all the time, since I've pretty much just been doing that anyway.

I Wanna Devise A Virus

Here's a couple marketing vids for one of the many movies I want to see this summer, Funny People. The first is a scene from a George Simmons movie and the second is a clip from Mark Taylor Jackson's show, Yo Teach!

It's crazy how almost all forms of entertainment are virally marketed now, movies especially. As long as it's done well, I don't mind, even if I never end up seeing the movie.

What Up Gangsta?

Everything about this clip is bizarre. Maybe 50 using Vitamin Water to save Elmo's life is symbolism for something (Elmo = 50 Cent's career as a respected rapper?) but I doubt it.

Poo-Putt Platter

So I've been playing catch-up with my "looking at garbage on the web" business these past couple days. Today, I stumbled upon this at Videogum. First of all, I think this hilarious. Yeah, it's entirely bizarre and weird but I like it. I think that says a lot coming from some one who A) can't stand Japanese game shows in America because of the whole "laughing for the wrong reasons" aspects of them, and B) has hospital bill issues of his own to worry about (some clam should give me a valuable pearl). Maybe I like it because it's more or less about poop and the added "knowing is half the battle/the more you know" non-lessons tacked on definitely add to the appeal. But mainly, I like that the main character's name is Unko-san because it's like naming your dog, "Dog" and because "unko" was one of, if not the first Japanese word I ever learned.

IIIIt's Alllll Right!

This Zack Morris interview makes me thankful for the Internet because I am able to watch funny parts of shows that I don't really care to watch in their entirety. It also makes me wonder how other "people" have been doing since their times in the spotlight, like the Fresh Prince, Shawn Hunter, Parker Lewis, and going back a little further, Kevin Arnold.

Bonkers!

This song is kind of repetitive and admittedly, a litte brain-dead but I dig it. Dizzee Rascal is abstract.

I Can't Restrain It

Blog's not dead. Not yet anyway. Here are two of my favorite songs in recent history that both happen to have kind of terrible videos. Maybe not terrible but definitely underwhelming.

Fab x The-Dream


The-Dream x Kanye West

Hand On My Nine

Wow, this looks really great. Focus Films, on point once again.

Tokyo Drift

Seeing as how I love riding hills on my longboard and on my fixed gear, I would probably love this as well. It's like a more serious take on BYOBW. Someone should buy me one...

Ryan Started The Fire!

I think The Onion just firsted SNL to making an awesome news skit that makes fun of the MySpace/Facebook/Twitter/digital/Internet culture. Also, it's funny because it's true.

Twenty Seconds 'Til The Last Call

Really looking forward to the new Phoenix that comes out next Tuesday...

It's Funny How

As long as Twitter is popular, Twitter jokes will be funny. And yes, you can follow me on Twitter.

Also, Mad Libs Men:



Maybe I should start checking out more stuff from College Humor.

Here I Stand

Stringer Bell takes his experience from "The Wire" and "The Office" and puts it to use in his next logical career move: R&B singer. It's kind of like a 40 degree day.

**** In A Box

Interesting how they bleep out "****" but say "jizz". Bleeps are funnier than hearing the actual profanity, and this clip is all bleeps.

I still think it's just about as awesome as it is terrible that Jimmy Fallon can't say anything without laughing at himself or what's going on.

Also, Black Thought auto-tuned.

Danger!

Wow! Please Internet, in honor of the new X-Men movie, please turn this into the Star Wars Kid. It'd be embarrassing not to...

P.S. Those things look really, really dangerous. Like, accidentally kill yourself-type dangerous. Yikes.

Swagga Like Us?

I think it was just last Saturday when I was telling someone about how awkward and weird it is when urban slang gets embraced by mainstream media. I think it was during a basketball game. It's one thing to hear NBA announcers talk about a team's swagger, but this video is just embarrassing. What's next, MSNBC talking about "squalie" and "piff"? How about Fox News dropping "pause" into there daily coverage? Sure, it's funny to see old folks talking about "chicken heads" but only when they know it's a joke.

And also, doesn't everyone want a "not afraid to give hugs"-type President?

'Til Infinity

Jason Kidd is the man. He has probably been my favorite player in the NBA pretty much since he was rookie. I have always loved his ability to pick apart defenses, run a fast break and make something out of nothing. His excellent work ethic, stubborn defending and unparalleled vision were out of this world. You could argue that his work ethic and vision still are top notch. Even with his streaking shooting and the occasional turnover, his on the court efforts made it possible for me to support him (and look the other way) when it came to his off the court problems. He commanded his team the way a quarterback or a holding midfielder should, probing defenses and controlling the tempo of the game to perfection. He's the reason I wore the number 5 during my high school soccer career.

Even before his start in the NBA he was one of my favorite basketball players. I first saw him when he won his second state championship at St. Joes. My dad took us to the State Championships almost every year. Even as a high schooler, he was faking behind the back and throwing no-look passes with pin-point accuracy. While I can't name the other player or remember how it exactly affected the game, I can vividly see his alley-oop in the second half the State Championship.

I followed him through his two seasons at Cal where he went on to break passing records and become an All-American. One of my favorite Jason Kidd moments happened at Cal but it wasn't during a game. We attended Cal baseball games on a regular basis and liked to use Harmon Gym's bathroom because of its cleanliness (obviously). I remember always stopping by the court to watch Cal basketball players take jumpers. One specific time, Kidd was shooting around. I can't remember if he was by himself with a couple teammates but I watched him for what could have been 5 minutes or an hour. I even mustered up the courage to grab a couple stray rebounds for him. It was kind of really awesome.

After college, I watched him win co-Rookie of the Year, and pile on numerous awards and records after that. I followed him most fervently during his relatively successful tenure with the Nets, where he was unable to win a Championship (or an MVP). Unfortunately, Kidd and his teammates just didn't have what it takes to win it all. As the Nets began to fade, and as Kidd got older, I started lining up my new favorite players and following them more closely. I always kept my eye out for Kidd highlights, stat lines and the odd Nets' game, but in all honesty, I had moved on. (This stretch also marked a low-point in my interest in basketball and the return of the Warriors to the playoffs, both of which contributed in me not watching Kidd as much.)

That brings us to now, or to this season anyway. I was against the Dallas trade from the start. I didn't think Kidd matched Dallas' style. I didn't think he was what they needed to make it to the Finals (and I still don't think that). I didn't agree with the terms of the trade and I didn't like the pressure that Kidd would be under because of those terms. And mainly, I just couldn't see myself rooting for the Mavs. As it went, the Mavs didn't do half bad in the regular season and now they're in Round 2 of the playoffs. Even the Sports Guy, who has been bad-mouthing the trade all season long, is finally giving Kidd his due props:

"Q: Does Dallas' thorough shellacking of the Spurs mean that the Jason Kidd-Devin Harris trade wasn't one of the five worst trades of the decade?

A: You know what? I have to say yes. To be clear: The Mavs still gave up waaaaaaaaay too much and should have fired their coach before shaking things up; there's an 81 percent chance they'd be just as unstoppable with Devin Harris in Kidd's place. But you can't deny Kidd's effect on Jason Terry, Josh Howard and Dirk -- he lives to make them better and they are better. Beyond that, the Mavs have excellent chemistry for the first time I can ever remember. Part of that might be Nowitzki emerging as a leader, but again, maybe that doesn't happen without Kidd.

The most interesting wrinkle to me: Of any "former great," with the possible exception of Karl Malone, Kidd did the best job of accepting his weaknesses and accentuating his strengths. He can't defend good point guards anymore, and he always shot a poor percentage. Fine. But he can run a team. He can make 3-pointers as long as he's wide open. He can advise and lead. He can run fast breaks as well as anyone. He can still jump passing lanes and swipe a dumb pass. He has recreated himself as a still-effective complementary player. That's something that Gary Payton couldn't do, or Chris Webber, or Allen Iverson, or Charles Barkley, or Larry Johnson, or Mitch Richmond, or Glen Rice, or Penny Hardaway, or Jermaine O'Neal. ... I mean, it's hard to say, "I can no longer do everything from A through Z, but I can still do A, D, F, J, K and M, so that's what I will do."

In a stroke of luck, Kidd might make it the rest of the playoffs -- a postseason that featured a remarkable slew of penetrating point guards -- without facing anyone else who will chew him up like Tony Parker did. In Round 2, Chauncey Billups is a perfect matchup for him, a herky-jerky, physical jump-shooter who Kidd can bump and grind. In Round 3, he'd go against Derek Fisher, Shannon Brown and the Artist Formerly Known As Jordan Farmar, or as I like to call them, the Poop Club Sandwich. In the Finals, he'd get Mo Williams and Boobie Gibson. That's why I see Kidd gaining steam as the playoffs keep going, this rejuvenated Dallas team making the Western Conference finals, and even the Lakers sweating out that Finals berth more than people anticipate.

You know what else? A reader (can't remember his name) pointed out something to me that I passed along in a podcast and now I will mention here: Kidd is the only guy who can defend LeBron and Kobe. Why? They respect him too much. They don't want to kick his butt. It doesn't make them feel good. They settle for jumpers instead of just destroying him off the dribble in a goofy display of guilt and respect. Back in the '60s, Wilt rarely unleashed against Russell because he liked him so much. ... In fact, that was Russell's ploy, to make Wilt like him so he wouldn't annihilate him. I don't think Kidd thinks that way; the situation is what it is. Those guys love him from their Redeem Team days and have no interest in eviscerating him now.

But as strange as this sounds, Jason Kidd's advanced age and declining defensive skills might be Dallas' best chance against the Lakers and Cavs. Call it the Pity Theory. Just wait."

Even though the odds are against him, I hope Kidd can win his championship, even if it's in a reduced role. Hopefully, he can contribute to a Championship team in the same way, if not more integral, that he helped US win the gold medal last summer. But let's face it. I doubt that's going to happen with Dallas and in some odd way, I hope it doesn't happen with Dallas. I'm holding on to the entirely slim and pretty unrealistic chance that he can find his way to a Lebron or Kobe team where he can provide some experience and veteran savvy in limited, but *not* unimportant minutes. For me, that would be ideal and really fun to watch, but for Kidd's sake, I just hope he gets his ring.

Skips On The Record

I try not to watch commercials anymore so I missed this one. Also, more interestingly, three episodes away from the goat.

Gold Soundz

More gold from Videogum. This is Jeff Goldblum's character in Law And Order: Something talking about hip hop like he's Jeff Chang. Get familiar!

I'm Not Worried At All

First off, people make trailers for everything these days. It's weird but it's fine, I guess. In this case, nothing builds up the hype like a deep, ominous voice, cool graphics, and video/audio snippets. 

Point two, CuDi's new mixtape, Dat Kid From Cleveland, is really good. It's not "good" like Asher Roth's mixtape, which I now find mostly un-listen-able, but "good" like A Kid Named CuDi. Probably better. He isn't the strongest rapper but he's got a solid, sing-song flow and he has a good ear for interesting beats. Mainly, he sounds fresh. I'm not saying he's doing things that haven't been done before, but he definitely stands out.

Thirdly, KiD Cudi has declared that his official debut, which is supposed to drop later this year, is going to be his last solo album. True, he has other projects on the horizon but forgive me if I don't believe him. Based on the history of failed rapper retirements (Jay-Z, 50 Cent, Bow Wow, Too $hort, Common, Saigon, The Game, Master P, Ja Rule, DMX, Scarface, to name a few), I'm calling it now: KiD Cudi will have more than one solo album when it's all said and done. 

How Many Others Have Them?

For some reason, I talked about Twitter a lot this weekend. Now, I kind of want one so I can twat just like @EveryoneElse. Something like, "Just signed up. Follow me on Twitter." Was that less than 140 characters?

When I Grow Up

Out of exhaustion and frustration and sheer laziness, I wasn't planning on posting anything today. And then, and then I noticed this video. Oh my. This broadcaster must have had a ball with this piece. It's like the writers and broadcaster had a bet to see who would crack up first. I think this guy won. He straight-faced the entire piece and it was full of tea-baggings and tea-baggers and Dick Armeys.

Is it wrong that I didn't listen to any of the "actual" content? Can I be blamed that my brain was overloaded with "TWSSTWSSTWSSTWSS" at almost seizure-inducing levels? Do I need to grow up?

Beat The Clock

After repeated viewings of Role Models, this scene is possibly my favorite in the movie. (Or maybe it's just my favorite scene that doesn't have anything to do with Ronnie.) Watching this now, I realize that it's much more funny in the context of the film, even though it might make more sense as a stand-alone clip.

Daniel

Bat For Lashes' Two Suns was released a couple days ago but I haven't picked it up yet. This, the first single, is a great song. I've only listened to it a handful times (today) but there's something about the breathy vocals and 80s pop vibe that have really stuck with me. It's not a huge departure from any of the songs off Fur and Gold, one of my favorite albums of 2007, and I mean that in a good way. It's just surreal. The video, which reminds me of some weird, alternative stage performance, is oddly memorizing and compliments the song nicely. If the other tracks on the album are anywhere near this good, I'd say Bat For Lashes will be one of my favorites this year too.

Kick, Push

At times this season I have been okay with the fact that Adebayor might leave Arsenal this summer but after this goal, which probably left Villareal fans having flashbacks of Ronaldinho, I'm not so sure:



Similar to this past weekend, Fabregas placed a nice ball in the box to Ade but all credit should go to the big man for that finish. Because of his size and rugged style of play, it's easy to forget Adebayor has this level of skill and composure. I don't know what has gotten him back on track but after some bland performances this season, but it's good to see glimpses of why this guy was the African Player of the Year.

In regards to the rest of the game, the Gunners only came away with a 1-1 draw (Marcos Senna had a screamer early in the first half) but the crucial away goal puts Arsenal in the driver's seat for the second leg at the Emirates. The team didn't put together a great performance but I wouldn't say it was disappointing. If anything, this minor blip can be used as more motivation to pull out a win in the second leg.

Mr. President

The big news around these parts (um, the entertainment region of the Internet) is that Kumar is no longer on House. That's really big news in my world! I mean, I never watch that show but apparently his character committed suicide so he can go work at the White House. Well that's not exactly how it went down, but you get the gist.

It's pretty cool that he quit his lucrative acting job (maybe temporarily) to pursue more civic duties. While it's an opportunity that probably doesn't present itself to most people, it's cool nonetheless. And after working on Obama's campaign, I'm sure he's qualified for the position of Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Liaison even though I'm not entirely sure what that person does. At any rate, I'm guessing that his time with President Obama will be different than the time he spent with President Bush and Harold.

Like A Boss

When I watched this on SNL yesterday, I wasn't impressed. I thought it wasn't that great but now, I'm not so sure... After a couple repeated listens/viewings, I think it's pretty great actually. Like I mentioned before, the Lonely Island guys are taking ridiculous braggadocio one step further (and in this case taking it literally as well) and it's awesome. Clearly, the Digital Short songs are just music satire and good music satire too. While sometimes the actual jokes in the satire can be hit or miss, the execution and intent are usually solid. "Like A Boss" might not be up there with "Dick In A Box" or "I'm On A Boat", but it was easily in the top two sketches of the relatively unfunny Seth Rogen SNL.


In case you didn't know, "Like A Boss" is based on Slim Thug's "Like A Boss" (not to mention dozens of other songs, including every single song in Rick Ross' catalog):



Maybe I should save this for a separate rant but how stupid is Universal Music Group? They have a ton of content on Youtube but none of it is embeddable. Don't they realize that when people embed videos more people will be able to see those videos, thus generating more awareness of artists and songs? Aren't music videos made for promotional purposes? It's not like they're cashing in on sales of music videos and they're trying to avoid bootlegging. Why not allow embeds? I seriously don't understand this...

... I just did a quick check and found this link. Apparently, I had jumped to the wrong conclusion by assuming it was all Universal's fault, when it's Youtube's fault too. While there isn't a really clear source of this information, Peter Kafka and All Things Digital seem pretty credible, and everything on the Internet is true. But yeah, I think they should put their heads together and come up with a solution to allow embeds. It would be beneficial for both parties and far less annoying for me.

Trick Love The Kids

A clean sheet win in World Cup Qualifying is nothing to take lightly for the US National Team (even though it was against T & T). That's all well and good but it's even better to see Jozy Alitdore not only get the nod, but get a hat trick too. I've been waiting for him to get a chance to shine and this will do wonders for his confidence after having a relatively disappointing year in Spain this season. At just 19 years old, I think he's one of the most promising young American players right now so it'll be interesting to see how far he can go. Hopefully this was just his coming out party.

First In Flight

Flight Control is the first and only game I have paid for on the iPhone. It's by far the best game I've played on the iPhone too. I can already envision cool updates and improvements like having different runways for different levels, turn radii for the various planes, weather disturbances and even different altitudes for the planes. I think the guys at Firemint should pay me for these ideas (and for promoting their product. It's only $0.99 right now, so cop that!!!).

Borderline Schizo

Mos Def talks about (MF) DOOM.

Incredible Like Ichiro

I'm a couple days late and it looks like I missed out on a good game. Blown saves are never a good thing but Ichiro is the man.

Long Way To Go

This shot is amazing but let's face it, Lebron got lucky. Obviously being one of the top two or three basketball players in the world helps a bit but nine out of ten times, he'd probably miss. That's not to take anything away from the guy... I'm just saying that to make a one-off, prayer of a shot during a TV interview it takes luck so the Internet might could calm down.

P.S. Steve Kroft kind of looks like this guy.