104th Edition - 2/27/07

No idea what happened today, but my post got messed up. I had Cubs and Big Ten basketball talk - but that disappeared. Life is trying to knock me down a bit. I'm going to let it. More tomorrow...

• Update: the running diary - Oscar Style

*Here's the running diary. It (the idea) is a work in progress, it will be better next time.
click to read

*Listen to the entire Arcade Fire album here.

*Saturday Night Live
Rainn Wilson hosted. Funny. Barely. For a 1.5 hour show, there was about 30 minutes of comedy, and it was almost entirely before the news. Wilson was great to see as himself. "The Office" skit was a little too easy. The digital short was good and then there was Arcade Fire. So good. By the way, I will be seeing them in May when they are at the Chicago Theater.

For the season: 8-6
Funny: John C. Reily, Hugh Laurie, Alec Baldwin, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Justin Timberlake, Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Rainn Wilson

Not Funny: Dane Cook, Jaime Pressly, Matthew Fox, Annette Bening, Jeremy Piven, Forest Whitaker

94th Edition - 2/06/07

• Blatant Self-Promotion

The new issue of Chicago Clubline is out and you can read my article right here. It's a wrap-up of the films from 2006, the good, the guilty pleasures and the most disappointing. click to read

• Super Bowl: Is there anything else?

USA Today has a Super Bowl Ad meter, and somehow, the ignorant thing decided the Budweiser Crabs was the best commercial. Though I don't agree with that, I do agree with most of the worst rated commercials. Flomax, Godaddy.com, Revlon Colorist and Salesgenie.com were all awful.

I did like the Garmin (GPS navigation) commercial, but it's probably me and 20 comic book nerds that appreciated that one, so it's no woner why grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, aunts and uncles collectively thought, "huh?"

As for the ratings of the game itself, they held steady with a 42 rating and a 63 share, if you don't know what that means by now, you really don't care about TV ratings. Last year, the Steelers vs. Seahawks had a 42.3 rating and 62 share ... But, because there are more TVs in the world, this was the third-most watched show in TV history, behind MASH and the '96 Super Bowl with the Cowboys and Steelers.

And if you have a die-hard Bears fan in your life ... you probably don't want to buy them this ... It's never pretty seeing a grown man or woman cry. click here

• NFL: Something else ... almost

Defensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears, Ron Rivera is set to interview with the Dallas Cowboys for the heading coaching job. The system wouldn't change if Rivera left, Lovie Smith enforcing the Cover 2 system for the Bears.

• NBA: Kind of ... but really, it's still about the Super Bowl

Charles Barkley said he won about $700,000 in Las Vegas betting on the Super Bowl and playing blackjack. He's also said that at one time, he lost $2.5 million in a "six-hour period" last year. I am actually getting nauseous.

• Stuff

*Andy Dick gets dragged off the set of the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" show for touching Ivanka Trump too much. click here

*If you are a fan of Nintendo's Wii, you can make Mii's that look just like the characters from "The Office." Don't believe me? This guy already did -- click here

86th Edition - 1/22/06

• Bears: Fate? Probably not.

Today is my 86th post on The Daily Score. And in 1986 the Bears won Super XX. Fate? Probably not, but I really don't care today. I get to watch the Bears in the Super Bowl, that is all that matters.

The Chicago Bears beat the America Saints 39 - 14. The defense showed up, allowing the Saints to score a long drive before the first half came to a close, and in the second half giving up a long pass to Reggie Bush. Otherwise, the high-powered Saints offense did nothing. And the Bears offense? No turnovers. That is really all that matters, but on top of that Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson combined for 196 rushing yards as well.

It was 16-14 when the Bears forced Drew Brees into a safety to make it 18 - 14. Most people say when the Bears went up 16 - 0, they "knew" the Bears would win. I didn't feel comfortable until the Bears made it 25 -14.

Now we can have two weeks of listening to "Miami" by Will Smith!.. I guess I shouldn't complain about two weeks of over-hype, after all only two teams are "lucky" enough for that.

• The Other Game: (The much more exciting one)

On Saturday, talking with my fiancee, I asked her who else was playing on Sunday.
She said, "The Colts and the Patriots."
I said, "Who is the quarterback for the Colts?"
"Not Brady?" she said.
"And who's the quarterback for the Patriots?"
"Brady," she said.

I went on a four- to five-minute explanation of how for a sports fan, that was very deep. After all, Manning is the anti-Brady as far as playoffs were concerned ... That was of course, until the Colts beat the Patriots 38-34. This game was incredibly fun to watch. Back and forth the entire second half (which is why I don't consider it the greatest comeback for a championship game, anybody watching didn't feel like the Colts "came back" in the forth quarter from a major deficit). I found myself wishing the Colts would win, because it would be a more exciting match up for the Bears, but wanting the Patriots to win the game.

After the game was over, my fiancee said, "Oh wait, Manning's the one we saw home videos of playing football when he was a kid ... I like him, I'm glad he won."

• The Picks (revisited)

NFL Season Standingsj : 26-25-4
Mike D: 28-25-2

NFL Playoffs
j: (1-1) 4-6 -- but I also took the over in both games, and the Bears winning the first quarter.
Mike D: (1-1) 6-4

NFL Overall
j: 29-30-4
Mike D: 33-28-2

So it all comes down to who win the Super Bowl. I say this because everyone knows the Super Bowl is worth five picks, which is funny because that's EXACTLY how many I need to win the Overall record. That is fate.

• Stuff

*I've watched 2/3rds of SNL and can't officially decide if it's a funny one or not. Stay tuned.

*Quick Movie Reviews:
"The Last King of Scotland" - a great film. And an amazing job by SUPPORTING ACTOR Forrest Whitaker. I have no clue why he is considered the lead. He's in a third of the film. Whereas the LEAD ACTOR James McAvoy is in every single scene, and he does a great job. I hate the business of the awards. Bigger name does not mean lead actor.

"The Painted Veil" - a great film. Reminded me a little of "The English Patient," but more importantly it had an amazing score, Ed Norton and Naomi Watts are top notch, and the love story/tension felt real.

Here is a competition to decide the 40 Greatest Internet Superstars. Clips included. Click here

85th Edition - 1/19/07

• NFL: The Final Four

Colts vs. Patriots

Indianapolis Colts - Everyone forgets that this team won 13 regular season games in a row last year, and started the season 9-0 this year. That's a pretty good run. Keep in mind, they were 9-0 inspite of their defense. Now, the defense has performed well two weeks in a row and no one is truly believing in this team. Plus, EVERYONE on the Colts thinks the only reason the defense was bad was because Bob Sanders was out. So why don't I feel good about the Colts? because they are playing the ...

New England Patriots - Tom Brady had an awful overall game last week against the Chargers, and he won. It's the first time he's had a bad playoff game. Odds are, he won't have another. Plus, the Patriots have a better road record this year (7-1), than home (5-3), so playing at Indy shouldn't be a big problem. I think the game will be close because neither team is amazing, they both have flaws, especially on defense. In all likelihood it will come down to a late 4th quarter FG ... Imagine the scenario ...

Adam Vinateri lines up for a 47- yard FG, enough to make any team nervous, but then again it's Vinateri, and he hasn't missed at home all season. The snap ... what's this!?! He's walking away from the hold?! The Patriots gang tackle the holder. Game over, Patriots win 21-20 ... And now Vinateri is ripping off his jersey! Dear god it's a Patriots shirt underneath! This must have been Belichek's plan all along. Brilliant.

Bears vs. Saints

New Orleans Saints - Only four teams have a city name and team name that ends in a "s" (can you name the other three?) and I don't like any of them to win this weekend. Drew Brees is due to throw an interception. Deuce McAllister doesn't have back-to-back monster games any more. Reggie Bush can count the number of games he has played in really cold weather just using his thumbs. "America's Team" will perform just like America, overconfident and when things don't work they will just do it more.

Chicago Bears - The early forecast of below 30 degrees and snow has to point against the domed team. It just has to. I know the Bears don't practice outside in the cold, but sports is a head game. And cold weather teams are convinced they play better when a domed team comes to town. Rex Grossman threw a perfect pass to Bernard Berrian last week. He can muster up one of those again. Turnovers will be key, and the Bears already did that last week against the Seahawks, it's out of their system. Cedric Benson will run like Brittney Spears to a camera (fast, hard, and with little regard to the people around).

The end of the game will come down to a nail-biting drive by the Saints, who are down 17-20. Everything looks good for them. Each 7-yard gain, kills me a little bit more each time. Then, Peanut Tillman -- a man that makes me WAY too nervous -- will intercept the ball and run it back for the back-breaking touchdown. 28-17, Bears.

This, of course, will set up the rematch everyone is dying to see -- Bears vs. Patriots. It's Super Bowl XX all over again.

• The Picks

If it wasn't obvious by my comments above ...
Patriots +3 over the Colts
Bears -3 over the Saints

NFL Season Standings
j : 25-24-4
Mike D: 27-24-2

NFL Playoffs
j: 3-5
Mike D: 5-3

NFL Overall
j: 28-29-4
Mike D: 32-27-2

Look for Mike D's comments later in the day.

• Michael Vick is probably stupid

I will not officially go on record as saying Michael Vick is stupid for bringing a water bottle that is probably used for smoking up with him on his Air Tran flight. And I won't talk about what a moron he is for NOT wanting to throw it out and that making airline security suspicious. I do like that a man worth more than $100 million is flying Air Tran. That's good stuff.

• More NFL

Three good artclies today:
Jason Whitlock - NFL Real Talk
David Fleming - 30-second column
and look for Bill Simmons later today - The Sports Guy

• Stuff

*"The Office" was amazing last night, and the "Scrubs" musical was pretty good. The theme for both seemed to be "guy love." Whether is was J.D. and Turk or Dwight and Michael, men loving men, in a hetrosexual way, was the message. A hunch on "The Office" -- both new people, Andy and Karen, will be gone shortly.

*Since there is nothing new worth seeing in the theater, I will be catching my final two important movies of 2006. "The Last King of Scotland" and "The Painted Veil." I've decided "The Good German" isn't necessary to see. After this I will be able to create my top ten of 2006. Did you just get goosebumps?

*News on Fountains of Wayne's new album - click here

*Age-O-Matic. Now you can see what you will look like 50 years from now. If you do this, I hope you will send the link our direction. click here

81st Edition - 1/12/07

• Blatant Self-Promotion

I interviewed Golden Globe-nominated Jennifer Hudson from "Dreamgirls" and the hometown of Chicago.
click here to read

• Bears!

Finally, all the Rex Grossman talk will stop ... for a couple hours on Sunday when the Bears are actually on Soldier Field versus the Seattle Seahawks. Then, no matter what the result of the game, the Grossman talk will pick right back up again. And who am I kidding, the Grossman talk will be in full swing during the game as well.

Whether he has a good, horrible, amazing, awful, OK game -- it will be talked about to death.

It's the Bears defense that needs to show up and play. That's all that needs to happen. I believe Lovie Smith wants to win a Super Bowl. I believe he will do whatever he has to in order for Rex Grossman not to lose the game this Sunday. Run every single play, pull Grossman after the second pick, only play special teams and defense ... it doesn't matter, just win.

Perhaps the nation doesn't realize that the Bears haven't won a playoff game or HOME playoff game in a long time. That is the only thing that needs to be accomplished on Sunday no matter what Rex Grossman's ego needs.

Last playoff game the Bears won:
Jan. 1, 1995 - Wild Card Round - Chicago 35, Minnesota 18
(Thanks, Mark)

• NFL playoffs AND PICKS: One week makes all the difference

Last week, some of the games were close, but mainly from below-average play. There wasn't any great story lines, all that changes this week...

Also, last week I was 1-3. Which meant Mike D was 3-1 because he used the logic of George Costanza (he did the opposite of me). I didn't complain, though he wouldn't have made though picks without seeing mine, so he did cheat. Just wanted to be clear on that.

NFL Season Standings:
j : (25-24-4)
Mike D: (27-24-2)

NFL Playoffs:
j: 1-3
Mike D: 3-1

NFL Overall:
j: 26-27-4
Mike D: 30-25-2

Saturday - 3:30
Colts at Ravens
Peyton Manning has a chance to prove he can out think the best defense in the league. I don't think he can (because of the rest of his team).
j's pick: Ravens -3.5

Saturday - 7:00
Eagles at Saints
I just want lots of scoring ... and the Saints to win. But the Eagles are giving Philadelphia sports fans hope, and that always amuses me.
j's pick: Eagles +5

Sunday - 12:00
Seahawks at Bears
The Bears are going to win, the Bears are going to win, the Bears are going to win.
j's pick: Bears -8.5

Sunday - 3:30
Patriots at Chargers
Coach vs coach and QB vs QB -- You have to take the Patriots.
j's pick: Patriots +5

As always, look for Mike D's picks in the comments section.

• Beckham: Am I supposed to care?

An aging soccer star, David Beckham, is coming to Los Angeles. He isn't good enough to play on the elite European teams. There will be talk about how soccer is once again invading the United States, but really my only thought through this whole thing is this ... How is the world does the Galaxy have $250 million to pay him? There is no way the franchise is worth that much, so where is the money coming from? It does not make any sense.

• Stuff

*Quick movie review:
"Letters of Iwo Jima"
Clint Eastwood improves on every aspect of "Flags of our Fathers" when he made this version, focusing on the Japanese perspective of the battle of Iwo Jima. But that doesn't make it an instant classic. It's good, not great. There was an odd feeling that Eastwood was just playing to the crowd, attempting to show only Japanese soldiers who didn't want to fight or loved the United States. But the acting was fantastic and the story was interesting.
Grade: B

*Cracked did an article of the five biggest mismatches in movie fight history. Funny stuff. Click here to read

*Steve Martin is going to write a memoir, titled Born Standing Up

*Rotten Tomatoes has released their Golden Tomatoes Awards: The two best -- Casino Royale and The Queen. click here to read

77th Edition - 1/8/07

• NFL: New York, ouch babe

Colts 23, Chiefs 8
Kansas City didn't have a first down in the first half. The Colts defense played better than Peyton Manning.
next week: Colts at Ravens

Seahawks 21, Cowboys 20
The last seconds were insanely good for Bledsoe fans. Tony Romo fumbled the snap of a 19-yard FG attempt, then tried to run it in only to be tackled from behind at the one yard line.
next week: Seahawks at Bears

Patriots 37, Jets 16
The announcers were trying to say it was a close game with the Patriots leading 16-30, until Pennington threw an interception, returned for a touchdown ... It wasn't that close before the pick.
next week: Patriots at Chargers

Eagles 23, Giants 20
The Ealges got outscored 10-3 in the 4th quarter, but those 3 came from a game-ending 38-yard FG by David Akers. Tiki Barber is retiring, and ever since he announced that, the Giants are 2-9.
next week: Eagles at Saints

• MLB: The Medium Unit going back to Arizona

The Yankees actually got rid of a player to create some financial space. Randy Johnson is 43-years-old and the Diamondbacks are giving him $26 million over two years. Then again, any pitcher going from AL to NL improves, but this guy is a shell of the man who made John Kruk weak in the knees during the '93 All-Star Game.

• College Football: What do you mean there's a game on tonight?

Just awful timing. I will watch, but my attention has drifted.

THE Ohio State Buckeyes vs Florida Gators. The winner gets to win. It has been 50 days since Ohio State has played. But I'm sure with all that extra time, the players have honored all their classes. Hats off to the NCAA, making sure education is always the top priority.

• Stuff

*Quick Film Reviews
Children of Men: A-, just a great Sci-Fi (bleak glimpse into the future) with some amazing suspense/action scenes.
The Queen: B, it was nice, I just don't see what all the fuss is about.

*Chevy Chase (used to be a comedian) wrote an op-ed about Gerald Ford dying. click here to read

74th Edition - 12/28/06

Yes, I have taken a break. And I will probably take another break until about January 3. But here is a quick post ... pick edition.

It's Billy Z vs. J
If you're just joining us, here is how the regular season has played out...

j NCAA: (23-16-1)
billy z NCAA: (27-12-2)

And now Billy and I will pick ten bowl winners each.
Will it be possible for one of us to go 10-0?
Could I have a chance to come back and win the season?
Time will tell...

Billy Z's picks

kentucky +9.5 over clemson

missouri +3.5 over oregon st

georgia +3 over va tech

nevada +3.5 over miami

auburn -2 over nebraska

tennessee -4 over penn st

wisconsin +2 over arkansas

michigan [even] over usc

louisville -10 over wake

lsu -9.5 over notre dame

J's picks
california -3.5 over oklamhoma st.
oregon st. -3.5 over missouri
maryland +1 over purdue
minnesota +6.5 over texas tech
texas -8.5 over iowa (this is the lock of the week, trust me)
georgia +3 over virginia tech
tennessee -4 over penn state
michigan over usc
oklahoma -7.5 over bosie st
wake forest +10 over louisville

And here is the update from the NFL picks last weekend.
j NFL: 1-1-1 (25-24-4)
mike d NFL: 2-1 (27-24-2)

• Stuff

Quick film reviews:
The Good Shepherd: B (slow, long but very good acting by Matt Damon)
Notes of a Scandal: A- (just amazing performance by Judi Dench, it has the tension of the murder mystery)

73rd Edition - 12/22/06

Real quick...

• The Picks
  

Mike d and I will be picking NFL like usual ... Next week, look for billy z and I to find 10 bowl games each, and pick every single winner. I plan to hit a 10-team progressive parlay and buy everyone I know milk and cookies. Happy Holidays.

j NCAA: (23-16-1)
billy z NCAA: (27-12-2)
j NFL: (24-23-3)
mike d NFL: (25-23-2)

j NFL:
Bills -4.5 over Titans
Rams -2 over Redskins
Bears -5 over Lions

As always, look for Mike's picks in the comments section.

• Stuff

Here's some quick movie thoughts for you guys this holiday season, and I would love to tell you about "Rocky Balboa" but I'm saving it for friends ...

Pursuit of Happyness: B+
The Holiday: B
Eragon: C- (loved the book)
Happy Feet: C-
Apocalypto: B
Dreamgirls: B (must like musicals)
Casino Royale: B-
We Are Marshall: B
Blood Diamond: C+

Here's Bob Dylan reading "The Night Before Christmas"

72nd Edition - 12/21/06

• Cubs: the lineup

Perhaps the Cubs aren't done picking up free agents and making moves. There has always been talk of Cliff Floyd making his way here from New York. But for this experiment, we are looking at the Cubs roster this second ... Here's what the 2007 Cubs will look like today.

Batting (order chosen by me)
1. Alfonso Soriano CF
2. Cesar Izturis SS
3. Derrek Lee 1B
4. Aramis Ramirez 3B
5. Jacque Jones RF
6. Michael Barrett C
7. Matt Murton LF
8. Mark DeRosa 2B

Pitching (possible starters)
1. Carlos Zambrano
2. Mark Prior (I hope)
3. Ted Lilly
4. Sean Marshall
5. Rich Hill
6. Wade Miller
7. Jason Marquis
8. Angel Guzman
9. Glendon Rusch
10. Carlos Marmol

The problems are really on the pitching side. Who knows

• Stuff

Want to be an elf? You or anyone you have a photo of, can be a dancing elf. Sure, at first I thought it was insanely stupid, but that lasted about two seconds, and then I found it hilarious.
Here's my nephew Cole, watch him and then make your own ...
Click here to watch

Yes, I love the holiday season, but I also don't believe in Santa. I debated the issue on Beep.
Click here to read

"Rocky Balboa" is alive and well, and getting fairly good movie reviews. But before you run out to the theater, read Bill Simmons two articles on the matter. A Rocky road for Stallone and Which Rocky is the Champ?

Coming Friday...
Picks and a list of films out (or coming out) with quick grades so you know what to see when you get sick of your family.

68th Edition - 12/15/06

• Blatant Self-Promotion

*Click here to read my interview with Paul Feig. He is the director of "Unaccompanied Minors," the creator of "Freaks and Geeks," and has directed multiple episodes of "The Office."

*Click here to read my interview with Will Smith. I shouldn't have to explain who this man is, but he's the one who brought us such classic songs as "Nightmare on my Street," "My Buddy," and "Parent's Just Don't Understand." -- We didn't talk about any of those songs.

• NFL: Game of the Week

Eagles vs. Giants. The Eagles were left for dead a couple weeks ago when they lost Donavan McNabb for the season ... that hasn't happened yet. If they lose to the Giants, everyone can say, "I told you so." Because they will be dead. Both teams are 7-6 and one game behind the Cowboys.

*And don't forget -- there is football on Saturday night (Cowboys v. Falcons)

• NFL: Game of the Weak

Combined, the Packers and Lions are 7-19. But this game still matters ... to me. I have Roy Williams, Donald Driver, Ahman Green and Kevin Jones on my fantasy roster. Yes, I know Kevin Jones is out for the year.

• Bears: Bear down, Chicago Bears (not the song, more of a disappointment)

Tank Johnson, the Bears defensive tackle, was charged Thursday with not having a gun owner identification card after six firearms were found at his Gurnee (close to Six Flags) home. His neighbors had been complaining about Johnson and friends shooting guns in the backyard and also having six pit bulls in a cage. The police had been investigating Johnson for the past six weeks. Knowing the NFL, he will not miss any time this year for the incident.

• The Picks

j NCAA: (23-16-1)
billy z NCAA: (27-12-2)
j NFL: (21-23-3)
mike d NFL: (22-23-2)

The Bowl games are close to starting. Billy z and I will be picking them (but probably not all of them -- just enough to allow me a comeback.)

Until then, you're stuck with mike d and me dominating the NFL (of recent).

Mike d picked the 49ers over the Seahawks last night, I don't know the spread off hand, but it doesn't matter because the 49ers won outright. So he is sitting at 1-0 already. Look for mike d's two other picks later today in the comments.

j NFL:
Eagles +5 over Giants
Rams +2 over Raiders
Buccaneers and Bears over 34 total points

• Stuff

Oh, a soap box, give me a second to get up on this ... I can't stand that Meryl Streep was nominated for Lead Actress instead of Supporting Actress. It just doesn't make sense. I sat through "The Devil Wears Prada" (it was fine, for what it was) and at no point did I think I was on Streep's journey. It was clearly Anne Hathaway's journey. The film was about her, and her life, about her job and about the people in her life. One of those people became Streep.
This all started (for me) when Anthony Hopkins won Best Actor for Silence of the Lambs. With less than 16 minutes on screen, Hopkins was given the "Lead Actor" nomination. It's ridiculous. He was a supporting character (and should have won for that). It doesn't matter if his role was cool, crucial, or the best male role, he wasn't the lead. All of this is determined by the studios that make the films. It shouldn't be. It should be up to a nomination committee. And I formally announce my candidacy for this position. Vote for j.

Quick Movie Review:
"The Pursuit of Happyness"
Totally worth seeing. Both Will Smith and his son Jaden give great performances. The movie's goal is to actually put you through the hell that Chris Gardener went through in real life. It does.
B+

Here's some Christmas movie trivia to get you through the weekend. Not that easy. Click here - I expect John and Kenzie to post their scores in the comments section. I will also.

If you like year-end lists, here is a list of those lists. This shall waste the rest of my morning. Click here

Dan Marino loses it on the HBO's "Inside the NFL" - Click here to watch the video

"Heroes" has comic books. Click here to read

And finally, whether you watch "30 Rock" or not, you would be stupid not to take advantage of sending your friends a message from Alec Baldwin. It's personalized, and it's fantastic. Click here for the link

67th Edition - 12/14/06

Not much going on today.

• NBA: a litte boring

Dwayne Wade had his wisdom teeth pulled out. Allen Iverson hasn't been traded yet, but Bill Simmons has written a great article about the situation. Click here to read

• MLB: about time

Daisuke Matsuzaka finally signed with the Red Sox. They spent $103 million ($51 to talk to him, then a six-year $52 million deal).

• NFL: a fixture

Lamar Hunt, the Kansas City Chiefs owner who coined the phrase "Super Bowl" is dead at the age of 74. My heart goes out to my friend Brian Hunt, who recently changed his name from Brian Schneckloth (marriage reasons). Losing a Hunt this early in his name change must be hard for him.

Also, former Iowa Hawkeye Wayne Drehs has written about former Iowa Hawkeye Chad Greenway, an early draft pick for the Minnesota Vikings who has spent his season on the IR list. Click here to read

• Stuff

Coming tomorrow: An interview with Paul Feig (creator of "Freaks and Geeks")

Coming soon (maybe tomorrow): An interview with Will Smith

Golden Globe nominations are out today - here's the complete list

My quick thoughts on the Golden Globes ...
*"Babel" is now overrated. But then again, what did you think the foreign press would vote for?
*The race for "Best Comedy/Musical" is a tougher competition.
*Beyonce Knowles and Meryl Strepp are not the leads of their movies, they are just the biggest names.
*Mark Wahlberg getting nominated for "The Departed" is a waste of a vote. He was great, but his role was small and Jack Nicholson being nominated in the same category proves how pointless it is.
*I am so sick of people calling "Desperate Housewives" a comedy.
*Tony Shalhoub (love him from "Wings") better not win again for "Best Actor - Comedy."

I haven't even begun to think about all the mistakes that were made from people not on the list of nominations. More on that later.

63rd Edition - 12/8/06

• WSOPC (World Series of Pop Culture)

Once again, I am at my work computer and can't upload the necessary photos... So with that said, the update on "World Series of Pop Culture" will be happening on Monday. Promise. I mean it. Listen, I swear. Come on, don't give me that look. Good lord, not everything is my fault. Get off my back. I hate you. Is that what you needed to hear? I. Hate. You.

• MLB: Bonds is back

Barry Bonds signed a one-year deal with the San Fran Giants (the only team that can love him), for $16 million. He needs 22 home runs to break Hank Aaron's record. It should happen if his knees hold up. So we are stuck watching Sportscenter URGENT UPDATES for one more year. I guarantee Bonds will hit the history making home run at home. No way he hits it on the road.

• NBA: High

Damn. The Suns beat the Nets 161-157 in double OT. It was 133-133 at the end of regulation thanks to a three-pointer by Steve Nash with two seconds left. Jason Kidd had the most impressive line with 38 points, 14 rebounds, 14 assists. Thirteen players had double digits in points.

• Fantasy World

Turd Ferguson: 9-4, 1214.28
7th Place: 9-4, 1181.86
T.D. Parker: 8-5, 1245.14 (this one's me)
Shane Falco: 8-5, 1223.46
the hunt begins: 8-5, 1222.92
bo knows: 8-5, 1176.20

Those are the top six team in my Fantasy Football league. Bonus points if you know what my team name is a reference to. Four of us with make the playoffs, two won't.
I would be more excited, accept I am going against Willie Parker and he already had 26 points last night against the Browns.

• The Picks

the update ...
j NCAA: (23-16-1)
billy z NCAA: (27-12-2)
j NFL: (18-23-3)
mike d NFL: (20-22-2)

NCAA: Billy and I will be taking a break as he enjoys his comfortable lead.

NFL:
Falcons -3 over Buccaneers
Vikings +1.5 over Lions
Titans +1 over Texans

• Stuff

I only saw one of the flicks opening this weekend ...

"Apocalypto" - It's a good action movie. Very similar flow to "Braveheart." There are some great chase scenes. I wish more directors would attempt to do what Mel Gibson has done. Instead of making a mindless action movie, he has made a mindless action movie set in a world I didn't know. You only get a glimpse of the Mayan culture, but that is much better than what we are normally handed.
B

Here are the top 50 videos of 2006, presented by DoCopenhagen. They also have a link the the top 50 of 2005. That way you have something to do in the morning AND afternoon. Click here to go to the site

Did Ali invent Rap by Chuck Klosterman. Click here

54th Edition - 11/22/06

The Big T-day Extravaganza

OK, my next update will be on Monday, November 27. So I'll make this a long one (in other words, bare with me).

We'll get to the picks (at the end), the movies, some fluff and a little self-promotion ... But since it is Wednesday that means we start with the ...

• Weekly Bull: There's truth in the title (3-8)

Things aren't going well. The good news is that the Bulls just completed their fifth game on the annual circus road trip (the circus comes to town every year and forces the Bulls to have a big road trip). Yes, five games are done, but they have failed to win any of them. 0-5. With two games left at Philly and at NY, hopefully they can manage to finish 2-5.
This trip is a set back for the Bulls who should be one of the elite teams in the East. Now they are going to have to work hard just to get to .500 by the All-Star break (about 30 games away).

Inside the numbers:
Leading scorer - Luol Deng, 17.3 ppg (43rd in league)
Ben Wallace - 10.3 rpg (11th in league)
- 4.8 offensive rpg (1st in league)
Kirk Hinrich - 6.0 apg (19th in league)

• NCAA Basketball: Still a little early

Doesn't feel right talking about college hoops, but with Marquette defeating Duke (73-62) last night maybe I should start paying attention.

Top-ranked Florida is sick (good) right now. I mean, who would have thought they would have beaten power house Prarie View A&M (94-33). After all, Prarie View A&M had already beaten South West Assembly of God (61-57). If you can beat God, shouldn't you be able to beat Florida?

• Cubs: We need a pitcher

The signing of Alfonso Soriano is great. We still need help in the pitching department. One suggestion, Tom Glavine. The Mets have declined to pick him up for next season. He was good, not great, last season. But the Cubs need good pitchers, and after all -- crafty veterans are always a plus.

By the way, the Juan Pierre era is over after lasting just one year. He is signing with the Dodgers.

Also, in an interview yesterday Cubs' GM Jim Hendry said Soriano will play the outfield, but which position is still up in the air. He will be leading off though.

• MLB: The Final Awards

Not that anyone really cares or remembers how they were earned, but here are the 2006 MLB awards.

NL MVP: Ryan Howard
AL MVP: Justin Morneau
NL Cy Young: Brandon Webb
AL Cy Young: Johan Santana
NL Rookie: Hanley Ramirez
AL Rookie: Justin Verlander
NL Manager: Joe Girardi
AL Manager: Jim Leyland
NL Comeback: Nomar Garciapara
AL Comeback: Jim Thome

• Stuff

Watching Michael Richards rant and rave on stage, showing he is capable of spewing racism is awful to watch -- click here
Watching Michael Richards attempt to apologize on the David Letterman Show is awkward to watch -- click here

• Living in a Fantasy

Fantasy Football: Right now I am one game out of the playoff race, even though I have more points than anyone else in the league. I keep telling myself I'm the best and the competition always tries to rise up against the best ... Then I realize I am wasting too much thought on fantasy football. With three games left before the playoffs I think I need to win two. It's going to be tough.

College Football Pick'em: With two weeks left, I have a three game lead, over mike d. I need this win. For the season so far I have picked 134 out of 244 (all the Top 25 games). 55 percent is pretty good in the world of gambling.

• Quick Movie Reviews

The Fountain
Hugh Jackman carries this film by Darren Aronofsky. I have never been blown away by a Jackman performance until now. "The Fountain" tells the story of one man's journey through a thousand years to try and save his love (played by Aronofsky's real-life girlfriend Rachel Weisz). There are definitely times when you won't fully understand what Aronofsky is trying to say in this film, but the feelings and visually you are left with will more than make up for it.
Grade: B
Blatant Self-Promotion
Click here to read my interview with Darren Aronofsky

Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny
Plot: Jack Black and Kyle Gass got their start on “Mr. Show with Bob and David” on HBO. Now they have a full-length film which tells the tale of JB and KG hungry for success, and trying to pay the rent. They set off on a quest for the pick of destiny, a legendary guitar pick that has helped many bands become rock legends. Black, Gass and director Liam Lynch (“Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic”) wrote the film, which also features new songs by the band.

Bottom Line: “Mr. Show” was on a decade ago, and this film feels about five years too late. Black and Gass still have good chemistry … but “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny” hits us over the head that the chemistry is pot. And they probably have a point, the jokes would be funnier with a joint. That’s not a compliment. It starts off strong with Meat Loaf as Black’s father and that is just the beginning of cameos that include Amy Poehler, Ben Stiller, Ronnie James Dio, Tim Robbins and John C. Reilly (as sasquatch). The one truly laugh-out-loud moment came when Black and Gass discover their tattoos and name the band accordingly. The new songs don’t compare to “Tribute,” “F*ck her Gently,” and “Rock Your Socks.” Otherwise, it’s easy to watch and zips along pretty quick, but it’s not the greatest film of all time, as “The D” would have you believe. You would be much better off checking out Tenacious D in concert, buying their self-titled album, and waiting for this film on DVD … And have a burrito close by for when the munchies hit.
Grade: C+

• The Picks

Well, we learned some things last week --
1. I can still win a weekend with the NFL (I went 2-1)
2. billy z clearly learned how to make a post after the games are played (it's the only explanation for him going 3-0 last weekend)
3. mike d should stick to playing fantasy football

With the big t-day weekend upon us, we're going to add some more games to the mix...

Previous Standings:
j NCAA: (19-12-1)
billy z NCAA: (22-8-2)
j NFL: (14-18-3)
mike d NFL: (13-20-2)

j NCAA
Boston College -4 over Miami
Texas -13 over Texas A&M
LSU straight up over Arkansas
Tennesee -19 over Kentucky
Oklahoma -5.5 over Oklahoma St
USC -7 over Notre Dame

Last year, I went 3-0 on my Thanksgiving Day parlay. And since n=1, I will always go 3-0 on my Thanksgiving Day parlay. That's how gambling works, right?
j NFL
t-day games:
Dolphins -2.5 over Lions
Buccaneers +11 over Cowboys
Chiefs +1 over Broncos
Sunday games:
Steelers +3 over Ravens
Bengals -3 over Browns
Bears +3 over Patriots

That's it. That's enough to keep you full until next Monday. As always, look for billy z and mike d to add their picks in the comments section.

52nd Edition - 11/17/06

• NCAA Football: Game O' The Year

No. I am not talking about Northwestern vs. Illinois. Nor am I speaking of Iowa vs. Minnesota (even though the winner gets a pig).

#1 THE Ohio State University vs #2 Michigan Wolverines

As an Iowa Hawkeye alum, I think I am supposed to have hatred for both these teams, probably one more than the other ... But on Saturday afternoon at 2:30, I really won't care. All I hope is that the score is close. Hype has a way of making these "once in a lifetime" games a disappointment. If the score can be within eight points, I will be in college football heaven.

Speaking of heaven, ESPN has decided the game is "Judgement Day." It would be SO awesome if the loser got banished to hell. That would probably make the kids play harder.

* Also - USC starts a streak of playing Cal, Notre Dame and then UCLA. If they win out, expect to see them play the winner of the Big Ten in the BCS Championship game.

* Iowa is currently bowl eligible. Montana was the division II team, not Northern Illinois. But I guess we can count that as a win every so often. So here's a sarcastic yippee! to the Iowa Hawkeyes for making it to a bowl game (can you tell I have gotten used to them finishing in the top 10?).

• NFL

Game of the Week is the Chargers vs. the Broncos, Sunday night. I know this because NBC has told me about the "flex" schedule and all of its glory. "Flex" stands for "Flexible," which is WAY to big of a word for the TV world. The idea is that NBC makes sure there is a good game on Sunday night. Thank you NBC, especially for dumbing it down.

NFL Real Talk with Jason Whitlock

• The Picks: As always, look for billy z and mike d's picks in the comments

so far this season:
j NCAA: 19-9-1
billy z NCAA: 19-8-2
j NFL: 12-17-3
mike d NFL: 13-17-2

j NCAA:
Illinois -2.5 over Northwestern -- I like Juice.
Iowa +2.5 over Minnesota -- The word is fight, Fight, FIGHT for Iowa!
Ohio State -7 over Michigan -- I believe Ohio State is going to win. Seven is a lot of points, and it makes me want to take Michigan, but Michigan's offense can disappear at times, Ohio State's can't.

j NFL: On the road again ...
Colts -1 over Cowboys
Steelers -3 over Browns
Bears -7 over Jets

• Stuff

Quick Film Reviews

Fast Food Nation
Richard Linklater has taken the non-fiction bestseller and make it into a drama about all angles of the fast food corporation. Unfortunately, none of the punches he takes hits hard enough. The cast is impressive as always with a Linklater film (Ethan Hawke, Avril Lavigne, Bruce Willis, Wilmer Valderrama, Greg Kinnear, Luis Guzman, Patricia Arquette, Kris Kristofferson). Willis' cameo is probably the most fun, but the movie is a bit slow and the impact scene is supposed to be the kill floor at the end, though interesting, I didn't feel like I was learning anything new. All that being said -- Linklater was fantastic to sit down and talk to -- click here to read the interview.
Grade: C+

Happy Feet
It's creepy. This animated flick is about an Emperor Penguin who dances instead of sings. It felt like I was watching "Moulin Rouge" and "March of the Penguins," good in theory, not in practice. But more importantly it answers questions such as --
Q: What if Elvis and Marilyn Monroe had a child?
A: It would sound a lot like Frodo Baggins.

Q: Will it offend anyone that Robin Williams overdoes impressions of a black voice and an Argentinian voice?
A: Probably not, somehow everyone will think that's great.

Q: Why would humans want to save penguins?
A: Because they are cute and dance when we want them to.

The film is fluff through the first 2/3. Then Mumble (Elijah Wood) leaves his parents Memphis (Hugh Jackman) and Norma Jean (Nicole Kidman) to discover why their food is disappearing. Will kids find the zoo creepy? Will anyone understand the timeline doesn't make sense in this film? I have no idea. It's best not to think about.
Grade: C-

Casino Royale
Plot: Bond is back. “Casino Royale” is based on the original novel by Ian Fleming and is considered a prequel to all the other adventures. This time Daniel Craig (“Road to Perdition,” “Layer Cake”) is Bond, James Bond. On his first “007” mission Bond must stop Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) from winning a high-stakes poker game.
Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), a Treasury official, is assigned to assist him. There is plenty of time for chases, romance, martinis and torture since the film is two hours and 24 minutes long.

Bottom Line: Since this is Bond’s first mission, he’s rough around the edges and Craig’s Bond has a bigger ego than all that have come before him. This remains the highlight of the film. Unfortunately, the rest doesn’t keep up with Craig and we are left with similar problems the recent Bond films have had. There is not a great bad guy, just guys who report to other guys. I thought I was getting the story of how James Bond got his start, but that really only takes five minutes, and then we are off to the races with over-the-top action sequences, which are easy on the eyes.
The film comes to a stretching halt when Bond … “bonds” with Vesper … It takes so long you’ll think you are watching “James Bond: The Love Story.”
Two more things, the film does a terrible job assuming the audience doesn’t know how to play Texas Hold’em, and the ending is simply a “to be continued …” to the next installment.
I know, I sound like I am ranting, but I had high hopes that this would be the beginning of something brilliant. After all, in the cinematic world, “B” stands for Bond. Unfortunately, I have to add a minus to it.
Grade: B-

47th Edition - 11/10/07

• NCAA Football: Rutgers sucks ... Rutgers is AWESOME!

Rutgers was losing to the Louisville Cardinals 25-7. That's a wide margin, especially when Louisville has an offense that won't quit ... that was until the 2nd half of the game when Rutgers held them to 52 yards, and came back to win 28-25. They got two chances to make a late FG thanks to an offsides call, but Rutgers now joins Michigan, Ohio State and Boise State as the only unbeatends in college football.

• The Hawkeyes

*Iowa is getting 1.5 points against Wisconsin. Keep in mind Iowa has recently lost to Indiana and Northwestern (at home). There is a strong possibility the Hawks lose out and don't make a bowl game this year.

*The Iowa Basketball team will enter the 2006-07 season with 18 straight wins in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, a streak that ranks first in the Big Ten Conference and third in the nation behind only Gonzaga (40 games) and Connecticut (19) ... Too bad the Hawks are expected to finish 9th out of the 11 Big Ten teams.

• Plaxico Burress is a moron. This is one of the reasons:

"I don't think they're the best corners I've played against or we've played against this year. By far, no," Burress told the Newark Star-Ledger. "Those guys make plays [on] the balls that are thrown straight to them, but they're not just covering guys straight up and just shutting them down. I haven't seen any of that.
"They're very beatable."

Thank you Plaxico, sometimes NFL players need to feel "disrespected" to get motivated. I am liking the Bears chances against the Giants on Sunday night a little more.

• The Bull (2-3)

Bulls 94, Cavs 113
LeBron James only scored 19 points = good. James getting 12 assists = bad. The Cavs went on an 11-2 run and put the game out of reach in the 4th. I'll look forward to the day when they aren't under .500 anymore for the rest of the season. Hopefully that's in two games.

• NBA: That was quick

The undefeateds: none
The defeateds: Nuggets at 0-3. Though some teams have already played 6 games.

• The Picks

j NCAA: 17-8-1
billy z NCAA: 16-8-2
j NFL: 11-15-3
mike d NFL: 12-15-2

It's insane how close I am to these two guys. This is the weekend where I create a gap. Then after that, I shall widen that gap.

j NCAA
Wisconsin -1.5 over Iowa
Temple +36.5 over Penn State
Notre Dame -11.5 over Air Force

j NFL
Cheifs over Dolphins (no points)
Chargers -1.5 over Bengals
Saints +4.5 over Steelers

• Stuff

Quick Movie Reviews

Stranger Than Fiction: Will Ferrell is great as Harold Crick. I needed the reserved, toned down Ferrell and I am a sucker for any film that attempts something new. Having Harold hear the voice of a narrator (Emma Thompson) might be too much for some people, but the film is very nice. And it's good to see Dustin Hoffman steal the show as a literary professor trying to help Harold discover if he's in a comedy or tragedy. B+

A Good Year: Just not worth seeing. Russell Crowe doesn't fit as the lead, and the film actually comes off as a failed physical comedy. The best part of the film should be the wine but even that gets overlooked for most of the film. There is no heart, just a businessman releasing there might me more to life. And we've seen that before. D+

Come Early Morning: Simple. And it works. Ashely Judd gives a great performance about a woman from a small town in Arkansas struggling. The most powerful, uncomfortable scene is when Judd's character tries to have sex without being drunk. The film is written and directed by Joey Lauren Adams, who I happened to interview (click here to read). B

Studio 60 has been picked up for a full season (click here to read)

Do you like Johnny Cash? Well, maybe you like these people more - Kanye West, Johnny Depp, Justin Timberlake, Sheryl Crow, Chris Martin, Keith Richards, Kate Moss, Chris Rock, Iggy Pop, Bono. They all appear in Cash's new video "God's Gonna Cut You Down."
click here to watch

43rd Edition - 11/3/06

• The I.C. is coming

Tailgating. It's why god invented football. Or at least that will be my excuse for being bloated and a bit tipsy at 10:30 tomorrow morning. We're going to Iowa City and so is Northwestern (where my fiancee went--though she doesn't really care about their football team). It's the annual road trip to Iowa City!

Things to do in Iowa City
Drink Beer
Throw darts atThe Que
Eat Wig 'n Pen
Tailgate
Eat wings at the Vine
Watch Iowa win
Drink Sparks
Enjoy ample tom-foolery to the point where the women begin to wonder why they are with us
Hope for no hangover
Consider purchasing an Iowa sweatshirt and then remind myself that I'm not that guy
Eat Hamburg Inn

• The Picks

j NCAA: 15-7-1
billy z NCAA: 11-5-2
j NFL: 10-13-3
mike d NFL: 11-9-2

j NCAA:
Army +6 over Air Force
Ball State +33.5 over Michigan
Northwestern +20 over Iowa

j NFL:
Rams -3 over Chiefs
Bengals +3 over Ravens
Texans +13 over Giants

The boys are going to play catch-up this weekend so we can all be on pace for the same amount of games picked. I am going to try and pull my head out of my arse and get back some pride in the NFL.

• NFL : Whitlock's truths

A couple weeks ago, I was talking about Whitlock being one of the sport writers worth reading. Here's why.

• Stuff

Stephen Colbert is funny.
Here are two examples of why this is true -
Steagle Colbeagle the Eagle
America's Anchors -- This is the cover story of the lastest Rolling Stone

Quick Film Reviews

"Borat" - It is the funniest, most offensive, nervous comedy I have seen. I say nervous because I was actually scared for some people that would be interviewed by Borat. But was thrilled when the film exposed the prejudices that run rampant in this country. This film is a must see, so I will leave it at that.
A-

"Babel" - Communication and cultural barriers are plentiful in this film starring Bard Pitt, Cate Blanchett and a host of others. It is an international "Crash," showing how complicating and confusing the world can be. Unfortunately, it seems to just show the absoulute worst case scenario for traveling overseas or dealing with U.S.-Mexico border issues. It's visually dazzling, but the story lines are more aggrevating than interesting. Perhaps that's the point. The story of the Japanese girl could/should have been it's own art-house film, but didn't need to be the third story line.
C+

41th Edition - 11/1/06

• Bulls: But don't forget about the Bears

Bulls beat Heat: 108 - 66

Kirk Hinrich signed a five-year deal with the Bulls before the game, then went out and led them with 26 points. The Heat, well, they looked like an old team (besides Dwayne Wade) who had nothing to play for (besides Dwayne Wade) and are in for a miserable season (besides Dwayne Wade). We'll see. After all, it's just one game. It's foolish for me to already be saving my monies to purchase my first ever NBA Final's ticket for June. Foolish like a fox.
Some numbers:
37-14: 2nd quarter score
28-15: 4th quarter score
1-9: Ben Gordon's shooting night
5: Ben Wallace's offensive rebounds

• The NBA

Two articles. One by a talented writer. One by me.

Bill Simmon's 33 things to be excited about this NBA season.

November film preview comparing the movies to the Chicago Bulls (no, I don' t know if it works, but I love attempting).

39th Edition - 10/30/06

• The NFL: The "real" Bears are back (I hope)

The Bears were ahead 31-0 with 10 minutes to go in the 2nd quarter against the 49ers. They dominated the game, which they have done five of the seven games they have played this year. Again, it looks like those three games in November--in a row (against the Giants, Jets and Patriots) are going to be the big test. Next up, Miami.

The Undefeateds: Bears, Colts

The Best
QB
Drew Brees: 383 yards, 3TD, 3INT
Peyton Manning: 345 yards, 3TD
Marc Bulger: 327 yards, 2TD
RB
LaDainian Tomlinson: 183 yards, 2TD
Larry Johnson: 155 yards, 3TD
Mike Bell: 136 yards, 2TD
WR
Marques Colston: 163 yards, 2TD
Reggie Wayne: 138 yards, 3TD
Eddie Kennison: 132 yards

• Red Auerbach died

He was 89 years old and a legend. He was also one of the first to be color blind and instead judge people by their talent.
Article by Ken Shouler
Article by Bill Simmons (from 2002)

• The Picks (revisited)

j NCAA: 2-0 (15-7-1)
billy z NCAA: 0-0 (11-5-2)

j NFL: 0-4 (10-13-3)
mike d NFL: 0-0 (11-9-2)

• Stuff

SNL was funny again. But just barely. Hugh Laurie even played a little guitar. Borat opened the show and if you didn't think it was funny ... well, you are correct. The sketch died. But the movie will be a classic.
So, for the season -- SNL: 2-2
Funny: John C. Reily, Hugh Laurie
Not Funny: Dane Cook, Kate Hudson

Weekend Box Office
1. Saw III - $34 million
2. The Departed - $9.8
3. The Prestige - $9.6

It's hard to argue with studios that give us crap like "Saw III." It cost $10 million to make. Meanwhile, "The Departed" finally broke even this weekend, making a total of $91 million. If you were an executive, where would you want to invest your money?

34th Edition - 10/23/06

• The Series: It's getting dirty

Game One: Tigers 2, Cardinals 7
Game Two: Tigers 3, Cardinals 1
Series Tied at 1-1

But the big story this morning is Kenny Rogers' left hand. There was something that looked like dirt on his left hand for last night's game, as well as Game 3 of the ALCS. Pine tar? Dirt? We don't know, but at least there is no game today so we can talk about it endlessly.
Here is Rogers' take on the issue.
And here is commentary from ESPN's Gene Wojciechowski.

• NFL

Shawn Merriman was quickly becoming one of the premier linebackers in the league and a fan favorite for the San Diego Chargers. Now he will serve a four-game suspension for testing positive for steroids. The good thing about the NFL and its fans is that they'll quickly give over the steroids thing and get back to praising him ... oh wait, that's what is bad with the NFL.

The Best
QB
Joey Harrington: 414 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT (It's not too late to call yourself Joe and turn respectable)
Peyton Manning: 342 yards, 4 TD (Maybe I shouldn't have taken the under in this game)
Donovan McNabb: 302 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT (two weeks in a row the Eagles have lost on a last second FG)
RB
Chester Taylor: 169 yards, 1 TD
Larry Johnson: 132 yards, 2 TD
Leon Washington: 129 yards, 2 TD
WR
Hines Ward: 171 yards, 3 TD
Tony Gonzalez: 138 yards
Darell Jackson: 131 yards, 1 TD

• The Picks

If anyone in the Atlanta area has seen billy z, please send him my best. There was no college picks sent from his this weekend, so I can only assume he is missing. It's the only logical explanation.

Speaking of missing, so is my talent at picking NFL games.

j NCAA: 2-1 (Season 13-7-1)
billy z NCAA: 0-0 (Season 11-5-2)
j NFL: 1-2-1 (Season 10-9-3)
mike d NFL: 0-2 (Season 10-9-2) -- He has the Giants -3.5 tonight.

• SNL

We have a winner! John C. Reily scored the first goal for Saturday Night Live this year. Not only that, the Weekend Update segment was funny. Job well done. Reily was very impressive at doing physical comedy well and the digital short (Harpoon Man) was hilarious. The Will Ferrell cameo came in the form of James Lipton ("Inside the Actor's Studio") during the opening monologue. Good, not great.
SNL Season (1-2)
Funny: John C. Reily
Not Funny: Dane Cook, Kate Hudson

• Stuff

"The Prestige" delivers. It scores a solid B. My hunch is the twist will be obvious to most, but it was still a fun journey and good acting. Suddenly, I like Hugh Jackman as more than just Wolverine (he's in "The Prestige" and is the best part of "The Fountain").

23rd Edition - 10/6/06

• MLB Playoffs

Three close, well-pitched ball games yesterday. Quite surprising considering most of the pitchers involved were over 40-years-old.

Tigers 4, Yankees 3 (Series Tied 1-1)
Johnny Damon hit a three-run homer, but the Tigers chipped away.

Cardinals 2, Padres 0 (Cards lead 2-0)
Have the Cardinals forgotten they stunk down the stretch? What is their problem?

My Mets
Mets 4, Dodgers 1 (Mets lead 2-0)
Tom Glavine pitched six scoreless innings. Billy Wagner got his second save, and Jose Reyes drove in two RBI. The Mets are in control. At least half the teams I jumped on the bandwagon of, are doing fine (Twins being the other).
Yesterday's name of the game: Glavine, he might not have gone the 8 innings I promised, but he didn't give up a run and proved to be an oldie, but goodie.

My Twins
At 3:00 central it's the Twins vs. A's (A's lead 2-0). Radke vs. Haren. Either the Twins find a way to win and begin an amazing comeback, or the A's start getting dressed for the AL Championships.
The Name of the Game: Torii Hunter shakes off the diving catch, which led to an inside the park home run.

• The Picks

I'm back baby. I went a combined 5-1 last weekend. Before this, I had never had the chance to roll in money. Actually, it's not as cracked up as I thought it would be. Plus, I still can't find $20.
j NCAA: (Season 7-4-1)
Iowa -11 over Purdue
Pitt -7 over Syracuse
Nebraska -6.5 over Iowa State

j NFL: 2-1 (Season 8-3-1)
Titans +19 over Colts
Redskins +4.5 over Giants
Rams -3 over Packers

• The Movie

The Departed

Plot: Based on the Hong Kong film "Infernal Affairs," "The Departed" gets a South Boston makeover. The Massachusetts State Police are waging a war against crime lord Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) from the inside. Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) goes undercover to try and gain Costello's trust, while Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon) has worked his way up the Special Investigations Unit and is assigned to take down Costello's crew. What no one knows is that Sullivan grew up with Costello in South Boston.

Bottom Line: Hype. The big movies in 2006 have been surrounded by hype with very few payoffs. Superman was back and boring. Jack Sparrow took us on a pointless roller coaster ride, and no one bothered to see the all-star cast in "All the King's Men."

So, although I am a huge Martin Scorsese fan and Nicholson, DiCaprio, Damon, Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin were involved, I didn't want to get too excited about "The Departed."

Well, go ahead, get excited. The story of good guys being bad, bad guys being good and the layers in between have this film immediately becoming a classic.

Whether it is a random at a bar getting a glass smashed in his face, a gun going off, or Costigan slowly losing his grip while undercover--every moment is intense. And beyond the intensity is a great touch of humor with everyone trying on their Boston accents and Baldwin coming away as the funny guy in the group. And of course, Nicholson shows off as the mob boss you don't mess with, plus bad hair and worse outfits.

The one knock on "The Departed" is that half the music is great. The other half ("Gimmie Shelter" from the Rolling Stones starts us off) feels like Scorsese just lifted songs from his previous films.

Hype, we finally have a movie in 2006 that has lived up to it.
Grade: A