91th Edition - 1/31/07

• Super Bowl: No where

At this stage, I do not know where I am watching the Super Bowl. Perhaps the biggest game for me since Game 7 of the Cubs/Marlins debacle and I am without a destination at this stage. I guess that is what Vegas does to a man, blurs the big picture.
I have few requirements ...
*No bar. I need volume control and Chicago still allows smoking.
*Questionable food choices.
*Friends.

A.M. Jump has a quick list of memorable half-time shows. click here

I was going to look for funny questions that were said from Media Day yesterday. Such as gems, like the moron who ask a Colts' player how it felt to lose one of their own (Barbaro). But, then I figured I'd just let Bill Simmon's chorincle it for us.
Welcome to media day
By Bill Simmons

And also, what Super Bowl countdown would be complete without commercials. MSNBC does a ten best. click here

• Stuff

*I got this link from casual ultimate. It's good for a laugh, plus very educational. I have no idea about Kitten Huffing until yesterday. click here

*The Police are back together for the Grammy's on February 11.

*So far, pretty happy Jerry Seinfeld's gum isn't getting much love on ebay. click here

90th Edition - 1/30/07

• Forecast: Hazy

I'm not talking about the weather. It's my brain. After about 112 hours in Las Vegas and 16 hours of sleep, I'm back. My pocket is lighter but only because of expenses, I broke even in the gambling department. And the way I broke even? Making a two-game parlay on the only available NBA and college basketball games late Sunday night. Didn't even know I won until the next morning.

Craps and poker are now going to be my Vegas games 80 percent of the time, with black jack making up the remainder. For those that know craps (it was my first time), I rolled at a table for 30 minutes straight. People were happy. I was happy. Las Vegas is a great place (this time).

And our ultimate frisbee team (ihurt - Iowa Hawkeye Ultimate Reunion Team) finished 8th out of 20, going 3-2 and being content with how we played.

• Amazing: Sports

*Roger Federer is the Tiger Woods of tennis. Because of my friend John, a die-hard Federer fan, we watched the final match at a ... gentleman's establishment. Federer is just too good. He dropped something like four points in the final two sets on his serve ... I still want them to go back to wooden rackets.

*Tiger Woods is the Roger Federer of golf. He won the Buick again and also recorded his 7th straight win on the PGA tour. Second best streak of all-time.

*The Suns finally stopped winning every single game. The Timberwolves beat them last night to stop the 17-game win streak. They are 33-2 in their last 34 games.

• WSOPC: Friday

Happy Fun Ball (John, Kenzie and me) will be auditioning for the World Series of Pop Culture on Friday morning. If it was today, I would be saying, "It's on the tip on my tongue," every single question. Now, I'll probably just say it every third time.

• Stuff

*I get home at 11 p.m. last night, and decide to watch the SAG awards from my Tivo. "Little Miss Sunshine" won for best overall cast. It might be gaining speed for an Oscar run. I still can't believe "The Departed" isn't winning everything.

*Want to buy a t-shirt for charity designed by Rilo Kiley, Stars, or others? click here

*Indiana Jones starts production in June.

89th Edition - 1/25/07

• Vegas

I don't need another vacation, but one is being thrust upon me. Tonight, I leave for Las Vegas. There will be seven of us, growing to 12 for the weekend. I will come back with stories, hopefully I'll be able to share some with you. Those involving my friend Mark, probably won't be appropriate. I'll be open about my gambling (unless I lose), and of course the ultimate frisbee tournament (our reason for going). So far, I have gone through a half box of kleenex (I have a cold), my right knee throbs when I run, I haven't played in a tournament since last year, and I am trying to win enough money to pay for my fiancee's ring. It has the makings of a fantastic weekend.

I'll be back on Tuesday.

• The Weekly Bull (24-19)

There is a lot of talk about Paul Gasol, the 7 foot Spaniard who plays for the Memphis Grizzlies. The trade would definitely include P.J. Brown and would either be with Ben Gordon or Luol Deng. Deng makes sense because of the depth the Bulls have at small forward, Gordon does not. Gasol is good for about 18 points and 8 rebounds. Most importantly, it would give the Bulls a low-post scoring threat, which is something the Bulls don't have at all ... yes, Ben Wallace, I'm looking at you.

Tonight the Bulls play the Mavs in a chance to see how close they are to the top, and then they have the Heat at home on Saturday night. Both are at home where the Bulls are 18-6.

• Tennis anyone? Not so fast Roddick

It took less than 90 minutes for Roger Federer to be done with Andy Roddick, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2, though there are reports that a sweat was broken by both men. This took place in the early a.m. so I am assuming no one saw it.

• Cubs, meet Floyd

Cliff Floyd is a Cub. Chicago picked up his contract which can be worth $3 million for one year or as much as $17.5 million for two. With that kind of money on the line, it would appear Floyd will be the Cubs left fielder, moving Matt Murton to the bench. Murton had the highest batting average on the Cubs last year. Logic would dictate this young player would get better. Sitting on the bench, it's going to be tough to improve. Murton didn't hit many home runs, and that must be what will cost him his starting job. If Floyd is healthy (pesky bone spur that he had surgery on) he'll probably bat fifth or sixth in the line-up. I don't like the move. Unless of course he returns to his 2005 form where he hit .273 with 34 home runs.

• Stuff

Optimus Prime (from the movie coming this summer)

The Decemberists go on tour in March, there will be a two-night stay in Chicago.

New Music -- Bo Pepper -- http://myspace.com/bopepper (I recommend Buses). This girl doesn't have a record deal yet, so you are getting her REALLY early.

88th Edition - 1/24/07

• Tennis anyone?

The Australian Open is going on, and I find myself paying attention because Andy Roddick is still alive. I don't know why my interest drifts toward American tennis players. After all, Roger Federer is considered the greatest tennis player of all time, yet I barely pay attention. Maybe it is because I grew up with Andre Agassi, Michael Change, Jim Courier and Pete Sampras. I even remember Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe making runs late in there career. Maybe I just read what was reported when I was little, but now I find myself not paying attention to tennis unless an American (right now, Roddick or Andy Blake) makes a run.

Long story short, I finally get mildly excited about the Australian Open and now Roddick has to face Federer, which no one expects to happen. Oh well. My friend John on the other hand loves when one individual destroys all the others, he must have been a big fan of Stalin as well.

• Vegas is coming

What started out as an enjoyable vacation, has turned into pain. I am leaving for Las Vegas on Thursday night, returning Monday afternoon. The main reason is for an ultimate frisbee tournament. Once a year, Iowa Hawkeye Alumni get together to play one tournament together. We've been to Kansas City, Washington D.C., Atlanta and now we are adding Vegas to the list. Normally we have 18 guys. For some awful reason, we only have 11 this year. Plus, most of us haven't been keeping up in the "active" department. And I just got a bad cold (as opposed to a good one), which means I would like to be left alone and have nine hours of sleep a night. Not happening. Clearly, the only good that can come of this trip is winning. And no, I'm not talking about the frisbee. I plan on sitting down to my first poker table in Vegas. I'd have to be an idiot to assume the money wouldn't be following shortly after that.

• Tank (not a reference to the James Garner movie from the 80s)

Tank Johnson is allowed to go to the Super Bowl. He's currently on house arrest, awaiting trial for gun charges. It's his third arrest in 18 months. Johnson has been allowed to go to work (practice and games), but only in Illinois. This helps the Bears, and it helps the Judge's chances of securing season tickets for next season. If Johnson thinks about it, he's been more "disrespected" than anyone else at the Super Bowl. Neighbors, cops, judges, lawyers and coaches have all "disrespected" Tank. Hopefully that will continue and he will channel this disrespect into an MVP performance in Miami ... unless alcohol and guns get to him first.

• Stuff

*I'm not looking forward to the movie, but "Ghost Rider" has set up a Web site, where you can have your head burn just like in the movie. You have to have a web cam. And please, don't try this without the special effects. Click here

*The band James is getting back together. Unfortunately, you probably only know them as they guys that did "Laid," but trust me, they are amazing. What's not amazing is, at this point, no U.S. dates. Click here

*Want to see Estelle Getty ("Golden Girls") working out? The correct answer is yes. Click here

*Ewan McGregor will be playing Kurt Cobain in a bio-pic.

*Here's a list of the top ten most annoying kid performances by Cracked. Click here

87th Edition - 1/23/07

• Super Bowl Hype: Two Coaches

Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy have become the first story that we are going to hear a lot about for the next two weeks. They are good friends (Monday morning phone calls every week) and the first black head coaches to make it to the Super Bowl. It's a great story and one day, probably years from now, it will be a non-story.

Here's the interesting thing, they REALLY like each other. It seems the other will be almost content when one of them wins the Super Bowl. In an atmosphere of killer instinct, locker room quotes, and constantly feeling you are being disrespected by someone, Smith and Dungy have nothing but respect for the other, and you know what? It won't hurt the game, the players won't try less, and after the game, women everything will think it's so nice that one coach is happy for the other.

• Another coach: He Gone

Bill Parcells is gone. Everyone will talk about how Terrell Owens was the downfall of a legend, but really I never liked the man. Parcells helped crush the would be Bears dynasty in the late 80s. The more important question for me is, does he get to choose his wardrobe when he is in one of the studios? I hope I get to see shorts that come up to his boobs for a long, long time.

• NBA: Slow down

After one game, yes only ONE GAME, ESPN has four stories on the Denver Nuggets new marriage of Carmelo Anthony (back from fighting) and his new teammate Allen Iverson. They beat the Vancover Grizzles. That is all they have done as teammates. Don't we have a Super Bowl that needs more coverage?

• Stuff

OK, I tried to talk about sports as long as I could, but really, all I care about this morning is the Academy Award nominations. Well, let's take a look and seee what they got wrong ...

Best Picture
Babel
Little Miss Sunshine
The Departed - I am clearly pulling for this movie to win
Letter from Iwo Jima - most thought it would be a foreign film nominee
The Queen

Actor:
Leonardo DiCaprio, "Blood Diamond" - wrong choice, he was better in "The Departed"
Ryan Gosling, "Half Nelson"
Peter O'Toole, "Venus" - after seeing him on Letterman, I want him to win for the speech
Will Smith, "The Pursuit of Happyness" - wow, suddenly I want Will Smith to win
Forest Whitaker, "The Last King of Scotland" - he'll win

Actress:
Penelope Cruz, "Volver"
Judi Dench, "Notes on a Scandal" - For me, it's either Cruz or Dench
Helen Mirren, "The Queen" - she'll win
Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada"
Kate Winslet, "Little Children" - didn't see it yet

Supporting Actor:
Alan Arkin, "Little Miss Sunshine"
Jackie Earle Haley, "Little Children"
Djimon Hounsou, "Blood Diamond"
Eddie Murphy, "Dreamgirls" - Now it's a no-brainer.
Mark Wahlberg, "The Departed" - No Jack Nicholson? Starting to get upset!

Supporting Actress:
Adriana Barraza, "Babel"
Cate Blanchett, "Notes on a Scandal"
Abigail Breslin, "Little Miss Sunshine" - glad she finally got noticed
Jennifer Hudson, "Dreamgirls" - winner
Rinko Kikuchi, "Babel"

Directing:
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, "Babel"
Martin Scorsese, "The Departed" - it's the only award I care about now
Clint Eastwood, "Letters From Iwo Jima"
Stephen Frears, "The Queen"
Paul Greengrass, "United 93"

Foreign Language Film:
"After the Wedding," Denmark
"Days of Glory (Indigenes)," Algeria
"The Lives of Others," Germany
"Pan's Labyrinth," Mexico - I am starting to like this film more and more
"Water," Canada

Adapted Screenplay:
Sacha Baron Cohen and Anthony Hines and Peter Baynham and Dan Mazer and Todd Phillips, "Borat Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan" -- Adapted because it is based on a TV show? Seemed original to me.
Alfonso Cuaron and Timothy J. Sexton and David Arata and Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, "Children of Men" - I hate that I want Borat to beat this film just because of the potential speech.
William Monahan, "The Departed"
Todd Field and Tom Perrotta, "Little Children"
Patrick Marber, "Notes on a Scandal"

Original Screenplay:
Guillermo Arriaga, "Babel"
Iris Yamashita and Paul Haggis, "Letters From Iwo Jima"
Michael Arndt, "Little Miss Sunshine"
Guillermo del Toro, "Pan's Labyrinth"
Peter Morgan, "The Queen"

Animated Feature Film:
Couldn't they nominate "A Scanner Darkly" just for something different?
"Cars"
"Happy Feet"
"Monster House"

If you want to see the rest of the list - Click here

At some point, I will create my own list of nominations just to put my mind at ease.