On Star Wars. And, Human Resources at Jabba's Palace

James Rolfe (the Angry Video Game Nerd) has the first of a 2-part review of the Star Wars saga up over at CineMassacre. Check it out - it's pretty awesome. Star Wars is one of my favorite movie series of all time and I honestly think The Empire Strikes Back is one of the greatest films of all time. I periodically immerse myself in the SW universe, and I always get something different out of it. I'm glad he did this now, as playing Battlefront II has recently kicked up the ol' midi-chlorians again. Rolfe does a good job sharing his personal memories and experiences with the saga, as well as exploring and editing-in Lucas' influences and making allusions to some of the other GOAT sagas/epics. My favorite line in the piece is when, talking about rediscovering the saga as a young adult, he realized that Star Wars is "every epic story ever told." Well said.

On a lighter note, this new SW kick reminded me of a conversation I had with the Moviegoer a while back. The key question was: Who is Jabba's chief-of-staff? If you look through the expanded universe, in pre-trilogy times, Han and Lando were great buddies and were very well known in certain circles. They were daring and famous smugglers who made names for themselves with key nefarious figures, like Jabba the Hut. It's a falling out with Jabba that has Han on the run through the first 2 movies and it's why Bobba Fett's even in the damn thing. What does this have to with Jabba's staff, you ask? Well, think back as to how they finally liberate Han in ROTJ. Lando infiltrates the palace gaurd and the rebels work an inside job. You mean to tell me that no one recognized Lando Calrissian? If he's as famous as we're led to believe and he hung with Han in the old, presumably Jabba-employed, days, why the fuck would Jabba hire him? I mean, he's the only black guy we see in the first 3 movies for fuck's sake. Nobody recognized the black guy who used to hang out with Han Solo? A black human stands out WAY more than any of the aliens we ever saw. Whoever was in charge of personnel at Jabba's palace really slipped up here.




Oh yeah, this can be pretty fun, too.

That's 2, Junior

Georgia beat Vanderbilt. We're unstoppable!*


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* not really.

The Videogamer, Vol. III

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin. For those who played the first F.E.A.R., know that the sequel's better. Less repetitious levels (though how many subways can I shoot my way out of?) and foes pick up the pace . The story may be less comprehensible, but it's told completely in-game; no cutscenes interrupt the flow. The single player campaign is predictably short, and I didn't partake in the multiplayer at all. But if you ever thought the only thing Call of Duty was missing was scares, F.E.A.R. 2 is for you. I jumped a couple of times, and I assure you that is a rarity. F.E.A.R. 2 is no more genre-changing than your run-of-the-mill action flick, but there's nothing wrong with running around, guns blazing, for 6-8 hours.

Flower. This PSN original may just be a variation on the old "fly through the rings" game, but the beautiful, peaceful atmosphere is truly one-of-a-kind. You never knew flowers had such lush inner lives until you take control of a petal. Floating on the wind, you bloom your brethren, adding soldiers to your petal army. Not that any fighting takes place. Still, Flower is fairly conventional for the increasingly non-traditional Sony Playstation Network exclusives. (If I ever understand what I'm doing in it, I'll discuss Noby Noby Boy.)

Next up: I'm hoping to give you the scoop on Wii's Deadly Creatures and House of the Dead: Overkill soon.

Now Playing: Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned (definitely worth $20)
Last Played: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed DLC (not worth $10)

Rivalry, Tobacco Road Style

In light of HBO airing a special on the battle for tobacco road, I thought I'd explore the rivalry a little. Then, I realized I didn't care that much and decided to just link to this instead: From Michael over bravesandbirds: UNC-Duke IS NOT a rivalry. Interesting. I don't know if I can embrace the "not a true rivalry" thing, but he makes some good points.

Well, March Madness will soon be upon us once again and for a few fleeting days, I will care about college basketball. Especially if Georgia pulls another miracle tournament championship like last season!*

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*This WILL NOT happen.

For Awards Season

In the spirit of the Oscars, EDSBS has posted their own hybrid film/football themed awards. Georgia fans: laugh with great relish as they slaughter our sacred cows; we deserve it and it's funny (and it only ran a plodding 4.6 in the combine).

Without further ado: The EDSBS Oscars

Shryuken! and In Defense of a Medium

Well, The Moviegoer recently added a new section to the world of FTS, thus establishing one more thing we can all enjoy from a safe distance: Videogames. However, after 2 thrilling and insightful posts, he's faded away as quickly as he appeared. Now, like any mysterious hero, he will return, but until then, I, like Azrael in 93, will take up the cowl.

My meager addition? Street Fighter IV. This newest in the classic series is my most recent adventure in digital punishment and one I'm damn glad I took. It's fighting engine runs in a classic 2-D mold, but the sleek artistic techniques combined with the traditional work create a textural, almost 3-D feel to the boards. In a much celebrated decision, Capcom has done away with all the over-the-top Alpha and Marvel vs. style super-air-combos and insane rolling moves that turned a once proud series into a juiced up anime-cartoon . But we're not exactly playing Turbo here, either. The creators kept the ultra-moves, reversals, technicals and combo bonuses that actually enhance gameplay. Having a grasp of the fundamentals and a knowledge of special moves are essential, but a beginner won't feel completely overwhelmed on the default difficulty. But, if you want to win, you must have the proper fighting instincts and defeat Shen Long to stand a chance....oh, sorry...it got away from me there. Anyways, anyone can enjoy the game, but if you're not going to dedicate your time to building your skills and honing your instincts, this might be better as a time-killer, gamefly, or rental. If you are a dedicated World Warrior, though, then you'll really enjoy the online combat mode, which will allow you to reach out and crush someone (in your face, HW1). But, beware: strangers will cheap you, friends will back-to-back spinning-360 you, and if you didn't live and die on SFII back in the day, you might not be ready for it. If you were a Gouken-geek, you'll probably want one of the specially released fighter sticks (god knows i do), but good luck finding one.

Long story short: SF4 is definitely worth checking out and allows you to swim as deep as you dare explore. You'll have as much fun dropping it to easy and breezing through the story/arcade mode as you will knotting up the head band for an online, ranked match, ass-whooping. Enjoy. And may the Videogamer return shortly sparing us all from my hack reviews.

In Defense Of A Medium

To make up for my vulgar simplicity, I'd like to provide you with a link you MUST check out. It's from Michael Swaim over at cracked.com and it's in defense of video games as art. I have not played a lot of games on the list, but I did see a Murakami exhibit in Brooklyn, once (thanks, KTL). You'll see why I included this when you read the piece.

Not This Season, RichRod

I thought that RichRod would really be a good investment for Michigan Football. I knew he would struggle at first, but then, eventually, totally revamp the program. The Moviegoer and I even went as far as to say that RR would be to the Big-10 now what Spurrier was to the SEC in '90. And, I thought it would be sooner rather than later. Why? Because I think the spread-option can work (especially in the flat-footed B10). RR's system uses options and underneaths to exploit the slow and over-aggressive alike and pure speed to outpace the overly-cautious. It seemed like a perfect fit in the big-10, who, let's be honest, as a conference plays a little behind the faster teams in the nation. I knew it would take a while, as you have to gather the right personnel, but I figured he'd draw some recruits and refine his talent enough to be competitive by year 2. What I didn't figure was how absolutely awful Michigan would be last year. They needed at least 5 wins to plant the seed and had a schedule to get it, but they never showed up. The other problem is that the key position in this type of offense is without a doubt the QB. And, Big Blue just lost another one this week. What does this mean? Michigan won't be hoisting up the conference trophy this season - or be anywhere close to it. RichRod's hill for '09 has gotten MUCH steeper. But, there is a bright side. by starting a true freshman (and getting MURDERED this season), Michigan will build experience and confidence heading into 2010. Will we see 90's Florida-type dominance in Ann Arbor through the 20-teens? I'm starting to realize that no, we won't. But, will the heroes of the west re-establish themselves in the pecking order, play for the conference title, and chip away at the Vest's rivalry record? Absolutely. Give it time, Big Blue. You'll be back at the top of the Big-10 one day, even though that doesn't mean as much as it used to.

Not To Be

Sorry Jinx, it's not gonna happen. He chose to go back to Frasier-town.

Ken Griffey Jr. - Home of the Braves (Maybe!)

Early rumors are that KGJ, a god among men, who, even with the hip and knees of a lactose intolerant octagenarian, managed to hit 500 home runs, may be headed for Atlanta to play for the Braves. That's not news, but the fact that he's been telling friends Atlanta is the new place for him might!

Source: Deadspin.

Stafford May Not Go Combinin'

Matt Stafford has most likely opted not to participate in the upcoming NFL combine. This could be disastrous. Just check out Brady Quinn and Matt Leinart. Both of these QB's decided not to throw in the combine and they payed for it on Draft day, Leinart dropping 10 spots and Quinn plummeting under the sympathetic/mocking eye of viewers everywhere. I guess it can be difficult to get amped for the combine; the big stage, strange receivers, etc. However, these kids have got to get used to pressure if they're going into the pros. Now, some have called for Staffy to sit and stew while Sanchez and others get the call. But me, I'm taking the optimistic road. I'm guessing he's been in contact with the Lions and they've given him a little assurance he's their guy. That way, there's no need to risk anything at the show in Indy. Oh well, we'll see.

This Pretty Much Sums it Up

(clay travis)

Where's Utah?

Graham Watson put up her picks for the 10-best non-BCS teams for next season. The regulars are there - TCU, BYU, ND, BSU - but she's got Houston and Nevada rounding out her list. Where's Utah? I know they lost some folks, but Nevada? Houston? I even think next year's rebuilt Utah team will be better than ECU and Air Force. Honestly, I think her list from 4 down is sketch as fuck. You be the judge:

1. TCU
2. BYU
3. Notre Dame
4. Boise St.
5. ECU
6. Southern Miss
7. Air Force
8. Central Michigan
9. Houston
10. Nevada

I'd be on the lookout for an improved Navy squad or some pissed off Rice Owls supplanting some of her choices. Of course, she spends a lot more time wit these little brothers of football than I do, so maybe she's on to something.

Maybe this is why the Basketball team won...

http://onlineathens.com/stories/021509/men_388013516.shtml

"What really inspired us was Mark Richt came in and talked to us before practice yesterday (Friday)," Georgia senior guard Corey Butler said. "He came in and said G.A.T.A. I don't want to have to say what that means. We all know what that means."

The Weekender

Matt Kenseth won a rain-shortened Daytona 500 yesterday. I watched none of this race and the fact it was shortened doesn't bother me. I gots TV to watch on Sunday nights, mofo and NASCAR seems to be laughing in the face of the very people tha support it. I guess it's like the Republican party that way, huh? Thousand dollar tickets to watch 40 cars burn a billion gallons of gas/oil.

That's a bit harsh, I know. I actually have a passing interest in motor sports every now and then - I'm just still bitter about there being no football.

Griffey might be a Brave! Sweet, I guess. I'd like to break .500 this season, please - no matter who you have to get to do it. As Jinx put it: I'd buy the steroids for A-Rod if he'd play in ATL.

Side-Note: I hope A-Rod 'Roid rages on Madonna and kills her. I mean, talk about past-your-prime-self-importance.

The Slam-Dunk Contest is always a lot of fun. But, it would be so much better if the stars still jammed. Lebron sat court-side and goofed and mugged - which is fun and all - but, I want to see him in the skills test and Dunk-off.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to take anything away from Nate Robinson. And, it was great to see last-year's winner, Dwight Howard, help him get the title. But, I remember when the BIG guys were in this thing. MJ vs. Nique, for fuck's sake.

At least LeBron has committed to compete next season.

Even though I don't care much for the NBA now, I can respect the fact that it's, at present, the cleanest of the big-3 sports. The NFL has more criminals per-capita than Congress and the MLB will quite possibly never fully recover from Juice-gate and the pall it's cast for the last few seasons.

But...

The Coolest Sports Moment this Weekend: Georgia beat Florida in roundball!

Georgia B-ball is, according to Clay Travis, the "worst men's program in the modern era." He's not far off. His Vols certainly ass-pounded us all-night last Wednesday. I think that makes the win over Florida that much more awesome. It's our first SEC win and it came against slick-Billy Donovan and the hated Gators. Nice job. Now, let's find a coach.

Monday College Football Notes:

I just listened to Ted Miller try and sell me on Cal's Pac-10 Championship chances for '09. I'm not buying it. He referenced what is going to be "a rebuilding year" for USC as one of his reasons. I hope he's just looking for stories in a relatively dead period of cfb, 'cause "rebuilding" at USC doesn't mean anything. Nobody knew Carson Palmer and his no name team mates before 2002 - the re-ascension, if you will - and they kicked ass without the benefit of four years of Carroll recruiting. USC's got nothing but 4 and 45 stars and 30 All-Americans on the 2-deep. I think they'll be OK.

How much pressure is there on Missouri to keep winning? Realistically, none. Daniel was overrated and so is Pinkel. What's underrated is the shit-tastic level of play in the Big-12 North. Nebraska's coming back, so don't expect Mizz to be back in the B12CG. The biggest reason? Maclin. That kids was the REAL reason that Missouri was able to just explode on people.

Ole Miss: Number 6?! No way. They'll be an 9-4 team in the mid teens. Their season will be similar to this one, but since they'll be pre-ranked so high, they'll fall further.

I think, conversely, that Georgia will benefit from that same paradigm. With "no one" returning (seriously, it was just 2 guys that left), they'll be fairly low to start, struggle early in a difficult non-conf, right the ship and glide into a top-14 finish.

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UPDATE: Oh yeah, Kiffin fucked up - Again.

The Fine Liner Movement

This Calvin and Hobbes cartoon was put up by KTL earlier today:

Head over to his blog, here, to check it out. It's insightful and topical stuff. Look at C&H spittin' troof nearly 15 years ago. The American people, represented by the angry little girl, get pushed around like this all the time.

We, as the consumer/taxpayer, bear the brunt of greedy and manipulative business practices. I think these idiots at the Peanut corp that cleared a shipment that tested positive for low salmonella content ought to be tried for murder. If your product, which you know is unsafe, kills 8 people, you ought to be held accountable. Too many corporations are still able to hide behind the super-protection provided to them at our cost. I'm not a socialist, but I do believe there needs to be a line drawn somewhere between free markets and responsibility. And, I don't mean we need to award tons of cash to some dumb ass who burns them self with coffee, either. That's her fault. Temperature is clear risk involved in consuming coffee. Death by poisoning should not be a risk involved in making your kids a goddamn PB&J for lunch. Especially because it's all you can afford to eat since you lost your job and your home. If I had to label myself, I would use a new term I invented for my beliefs: I'm a Fine Liner. We have to find a balance that enables freedom, but requires responsibility. Partisan-Hack politics must be done away with. We need negotiation and, perhaps the most American of all ideas, COMPROMISE. We are a nation founded and survived on compromise and we've thrown it all out the window for the sake of monied interests, outdated ideas, greed and ignorance. I'm rambling now, so I'll stop. Thank you to KTL for putting this up.

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UPDATE:

The Fine-Liner Beliefs:

"Organized Religions make a mockery of humanity; Our governments are dangerous and out of control.

The Garden of Eden is just another graveyard; If they had someone to buy it, then I'm sure they'd sell my soul."

The Videogamer, Vol. II

It wasn't until Christmas that I became a complete videogame glutton by getting a 360 (mainly for the zombie action of Dead Rising and Left 4 Dead). I had been a strict Nintendo-ite until November of 2007 when I purchased a PS3. That decision opened the floodgates. I already had a DS; I bought a PSP last March. My 360 merely completed the next next gen circle.
So which system is the best?

Graphics and Audio: PS3 and XBox 360. The PS3 and 360 are virtually the same (despite the PS3's vaunted hardware superiority). Kudos to you if you can actually tell a difference. I can't. The Wii can't--and doesn't try to--compete.

Online play: XBox 360. I don't do the whole online game thing, but from what I've seen and read, XBox Live is far superior to the Playstation Network. Plus, XBox has the Halo franchise and a worthy successor in Gears of War. Metal Gear Online hasn't caught on like the extension of an established series should.

Exclusives: PS3. Gears of War and Halo are swell, but neither is Metal Gear Solid 4. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts isn't nearly as inventive as either Little Big Planet or the Ratchet and Clank series. Wii still has Mario, Metroid, and Zelda, but those three can't overcome the overwhelming glut of mini/party games and simulations.

Downloadables: XBox 360. The XBox Live Marketplace gets everything the Playstation Network gets earlier. Microsoft has inked an exclusive deal with Rockstar for Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content. (Fallout 3's DLC is only available on 360 as well.) Special mention goes to the Wii's Virtual Console, which allows you to play games from Nintendo's gigantic back-catalog (as well as that of Sega and TurboGrafx-16).

Overall: XBox 360 (slightly). The 360 gets the nod for its online gaming (if that's your thing) and its online store. But you won't be disappointed with a PS3. If you prefer online gaming, go with a 360. Gamers longing for narrative/gameplay experience might prefer a PS3. Microsoft often seems afraid to stray from the Halo model, especially now that Bioshock has apparently gone multi-platform for its sequel. If you're longing for a second system, go with a Wii. It vastly differs from the virtually interchangeable 360 or the PS3.

Kiffin'd

Here's some fun with Lane:

LAMEkifin.com - a collection of the gaffes and guffaws that have surrounded junior in his brief career in Knoxville.

My favorite item? "Is choosing a father Lame's greatest professional accomplishment?"

Nice.

Next up: Finebaum calls for Kiffy's head. Is it waaaaaay to early for this? Yes. Does he make a couple good points? Yes; namely, Gruden as coach.

And, just in case Lane forgot: Marlon Brown, bitches!!

BTW - In a recent comment clash over at Claynation, Clay Travis added Marlon Brown to the list of "vag" receivers in Georgia's history. I think he's just jealous.

How will this flying circus of nepotism, coach O, fake press conferences, insults, fire-eating, questionable recruiting and sword swallowing actually do on the field? Who knows. My guess? 7-5. It's like Tennessee fans forgot how awful this team was last year. I mean, Wyoming? At home?

And, what has Kiffin really done since he's been here? Committed two recruiting infractions, lost the 2 best in-state recruits, and pissed off the defending national champions. Good luck - you'll need the whole might of the Orange-mada to get you out of this.

All that said, they'll probably beat Georgia. Fuck.

Mitch Albom - Talentless Hack - Swindle Style at EDBS

Amen:
http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday.com/2009/02/09/blogging-jackal-time-mitch-albom-is-short-preachy-and-short/#more-8908

Mitch Albom is a worthless stain on the libraries of America. Not because of what he writes, but because of who reads him. Writing fluff and feel good crap is fine - it's just that idiots who can't read their way out of a Barnes and Noble shopping bag read Albom and think they're 'readers', or 'smart.' I'm glad to see the hack get raked over the coals. The fact he's so popular just shows how dumbed down we are as a nation. And you know the funniest thing about all of this? Albom's "novels" are actually listed in the LITERATURE section of bookstores. Literature? It's book-of the-month, made-for-TV crap, not Tolstoy. You know who reads Mitch Albom? Adult college-graduates that still mix up they're, there, and their or to, two and too. If you read it - great. I read some crap, too. Just don't pretend he's an 'author' or you're some literary guru for reading whatever Oprah tells you.

For Albom to color the Internet as a dubious party in recruiting is idiotic and shallow. Does anyone that's not hung-over and can't sleep even watch The Sports Reporters anymore? It's 2009. The Internet is here to stay. Your regard as an insightful writer, hopefully, is not. Surely future generations will see the transparency and predictability in your books and relegate you to that shelf of dull witted, but hyper-consumed, works marked Inspirational.

The Videogamer, Vol. 1

Welcome to a new, regular feature From the Sidelines. I, the Moviegoer, play a lot of videogames. Through my new Gamefly account (think Netflix for videogames) and wide range of systems (PS3, 360, Wii, DS, PSP, and PC), I have the opportunity to play every game I want and have the time to play. What does that mean for you? Hopefully, it means you'll never buy a shitty game again.
First up, are videogames the new TV? In the late 1990s, television went through its golden age. "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "The Sopranos" changed the game. No longer was the TV the Boob Tube, home to a plethora of sitcoms and a handful of hour-long dramas about doctors, lawyers, and cops. HBO continued to set the gold standard. FX got in the game. Soon, cinema, which peaked in the 1970s, faced its most serious narrative competition from its little at-home sibling.
Here in the 00's, television has peaked like movies in the 1970s, and videogames, into the next next generation, are at an all-time high, technologically, narratively, and stylistically. (So heavily reliant upon reality shows, TV has almost completely ceded story superiority to videogames and movies.) Last year's crop of games offered five I'd rate a perfect 10 (Metal Gear Solid IV, Fallout 3, Gears of War 2, Bioshock's PS3 port, and Devil May Cry IV). This year promises similar entertainment (a Bioshock follow-up, a new Resident Evil, continuing the acclaimed RE4 reboot, a second Uncharted, and much more). It's not that television or movies have regressed; it's just that videogames have matured.
Still, games will never be TV, just as TV will never be movies. Some people simply cannot play videogames. Sure, the Wii's a gamechanger, but how many Wii Sports and Fits can Nintendo publish? TV is the great equalizer. Everyone can watch it; everyone can understand it. And that's just fine with gamers, so long as their significant others don't mind them playing for hours at a time.
Next time, reviews!

Update - Fulmer Cup Style

Here's an official Fulmer Cup Update. This is an ingenious, point based, measurement of chicanery, tomfoolery, and general douchebagery that's monitored by Orson over at EDSBS. I think we all know who it's named after. Enjoy!

I would have never thought Ball State would make the leader board, much less be number one.

Stuff From All Over - The Weekender

1. I played Balderdash Friday night. I've played the game several times before in my life and it's never not been fun. However, all that being said, I've never used the game board, the dice, or had the opportunity to actually yell "Balderdash" at someone. I guess that could be remedied by reading the directions, but where's the fun in that.



2. The LeBron vs. Kobe deabte is getting more intense with each day that passes. So, what do the guys do when they have a head-to-head chance to shine? Crap out. At least Kobe has the flu for an excuse. As far as the debate goes, though, I'm a LeBron guy.



3. The ProBowl was last night. Did anyone even really care? I wasn't even sure if it was this weekend or not until about 2:00 yesterday. I watched some of it late and was not surprised by Larry Fitzgerald's MVP nod. He's amazing. I hate to jump on with everybody else, but he's really good and seems to shine at just the right time.



4. I hope there's not an international swimming competition in the next three months.



5. Big Love may very well be the best show on television right now. The writing and acting complement each other almost perfectly and there's not a miscast or down spot anywhere.



5a. Flight of the Conchords will be performing at the fab Fox in ATL soon.



6. I spent Saturday night in Atlanta for Liley's B-day. There was beer and poker to be had and old friends to see. We had a good time and someone walked away with hundreds of dollars in winnings. As they played (I sat out), Daytona qualifying was playing on the TV, and for just a split second - a minuscule moment in time - I was excited about NASCAR.

That's what the end of football season does to people.

7. The Online Dynasty BCS is in a shambles. The Big East might get 2 BCS spots, including USF in the title game.

- over and out

Stealler1's Take on Signing Day....

Sorry for the delay in my response...damn corporate officials and their walks of random stores.
Feelings around our Class:
The class this year was capped by the addition of Marlon Brown. He is a Plaxico Burress type of wide receiver...and based on his report card...not likely to shoot himself in the leg. He was one of three players to see his stoke sky rocket during the all star games. He has tremendous upside. Adding Brown to the slot this year and opposite A.J. the following year will only make our ability to explode on offense that much more likely. I am impressed with Georgia's ability to keep recruits confident in their decisions to sign with the school over such a long time. The first group of verbal commits to our class committed in the first months of 2008. This philosophy of getting recruits to commit early and stay committed, assisting in recruiting other potentials, has led to the continual success of such programs as Texas and Oklahoma. I believe it speaks volumes to the recruiting prowess of Rodney Gardner and Mike Bobo (I am in no way promoting his play calling...just his ability to recruit). I am excited to think that we could have as many as eight of these new Bulldog Football Brothers play next year.

Feelings around the top five classes:

Alabama - I am starting to hate Nick Saban, as much as I used to hate Steve Spurrier. He is just a beast when it comes to recruiting. His class consists of four players that were ranked at the end of the year as the best in their respective positions. He rejuvenated the running game by signing D.J. Fluker, a ginormous man 6'7" 350 lbs., to fill the shoes vacated by Andre Smith and Trent Richardson, a running back that is a better talent then his predecessor Coffee.
LSU - Another class built on some position players that were ranked first. I am impressed how Les Miles continues to lock down his state, but also recruit nationally. He was able to sign the top three players in his own state including a defensive tackle, out of the Glenn Dorsey Mold, Rueben Randle, a deceptively fast big receiver similar to Andre Johnson in the NFL, and Chris Faulk, a strong possible to play RT next year. He also went into East Texas to steal and plunder its resources. He stole Craig Loston, a Eric Berry style safety, and Russell Shepard, who knows how high his ceiling in once he learns the proper mechanics to throw a football...a ridiculous 4.3 forty time.
Ohio State - A class dominated by the defensive side of the ball. This had to be Jim Tressell's focus as he is losing a starting DB, 2 starting LB, and 1 starting DT. He was able to secure the top two players in PA...Dorian Bell, a laser quick linebacker out of the Zack Thomas Mold, and Corey Bown, a defensive back that reminds current Buckey fans of Malcom Jenkins. All in all Tressell signed 2 LB, 5 DB, 2 DE, and 3DT.
USC - Pete Carroll yet again signed a top five class...I believe that is six years in a row. His class like every other year is dominated by really talented players. He recruited the #1 QB, #1 DE, #2 Ath, and the #3 DB in the country to his team. The most surprising stat of the day for USC was the fact that Pete lost out on four high targets and lost two previously committed players to other school. Maybe he is losing his touch and others out west have a chance.
Texas - Another school that consistently recruits great talent. They are highlighted by Garrett Gilbert, a slightly slower with a bigger arm version of Colt McCoy, Alex Okafor, a super fast DE, and Mason Walters, a potential first round draft pick in three years. I envy Mac Browns ability to lock up his class in the summer before the next years signing day giving him the ability to recruit for the following years.

General Statements:

SEC Dominance - The SEC had in either of the two most respected publications for recruiting 10 of the top 25 classes in the country. If this information does not shut up the Pac 10 and Big 12, then no amount of information will keep them quiet about their assertions that their conferences are comparable to the SEC. The best athletes have spoken again and they want to play in the SEC.

Lane Kiffen - I hope that he continues his stupidity. I also hope that every coach that he has directed statements toward utilizes their teams to destroy his on the field of play.

Coach Richt - I was amazed at how he handled the statements by Kiffen. He respectfully just insulted Lane by telling him he should probably watch his own backyard before claiming that our Universiy does not close the borders of Georgia.

Signing Day - The Waiting on Stealler1 Edition

This is all the signing day insight I will offer because I'm holding out hope that Stealler1 emerges safely from the rock he must surely be trapped under to enlighten all of us.

This is what I think:

1. Marlon Brown! Hoo-ray, mofo. Richt likes Jesus, Brown's grandmother likes Jesus - sold!

2. Two 4 star recruits from...ECI? Really? That's middle GA ball, son. ECI ruined my high school's perfect regular season when I was a freshman. So, you know, there's that.

3. I hope Orson Charles decides to reunite with Aaron Murray.

4. Seriously, where's the official FTS Signing Day re-cap?


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UPDATE: I hope this new Kiffin-Meyer War will leave both programs in rubble and we can fill the vacuum. The only problem here? The last time I checked, Tennessee sucked last year and Kiffin's record as coach is awful. So, until he backs any of these costly, showboating antics up, Georgia's still SEC East #2. And Tennessee, according to the final standings, is SIXTH (All East teams except the Vols bowled this year).

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UPDATE 2: I think Kiffin cranked up the anti-Florida recruiting dramatics to cover up the fact that he lost his state's top 2 recruits to Mark Richt and Georgia. In yo face, vol state!

Signing Day Wrap-up: Where the fuck is it?

Recruting summary - we haz nun.

Why? Ask Stealler1. Forgive me for thinking the recruiting guy would speak up on signing day.

First Update on Recruiting

My first prediction is correct....Greg Reid, the stellar cornerback, has chosen FSU. Hopefully I will be wrong with Massie and right with Brown and Charles tomorrow. This was a big miss for the Georgia program, as Reid was from our own backyard, here in Georgia.

Seriously - You Don't See It?

Not only are they brothas, they could be brothers!

SuperBowl Round-Up

I multi-tasked my way through the SuperBowl, watching it in spurts, napping early through the first quarter, showering, rediscovering the Beach Boys and minimizing the main event to my small TV during Big Love.

Things that stood out to me:

1. I was in no way pumped up for this game. Much like last season, it was just an event in which I had passing interest but no real rooting stake. This is probably why I stayed home, didn't drink, and dozed off during the first 10 minutes of the game.

2. Between nods, I caught some of the early ads. Guess what? GI JOE the movie is going to SUCK. Hard. When you really think about it, there's a ton of potential in the JOE franchise to make a kick-ass movie. Look at Transformers. You know, The Moviegoer has a GI Joe trilogy treatment that I'd love to see made...

3. Star Trek, however, will not suck. I'm not a Trekkie (er?), but I've seen most of the films (at least the original cast) and enjoyed them for the most part. This throw back to the origin is going to be tuff.

4. That late interception was HUGE. I don't think it was an exaggeration when Al called it one of the most important plays in SuperBowl history. The Cards were threatening late, looking to exploit a Steelers mistake, and then James Harrison returned an INT a billion yards for a score.

5. We all got to see the longest play in SB history. Suck it, Warner.

6. The Boss rocks - nuff said.

7. The Career Builder Ad was by far my favorite. That poor, intellectual Koala...

8. Don't eat at Denny's on the free food day. Hordes of poor people - gross.

9. Why would the horse still have a Scottish accent if he's third generation American? That's ridiculous. C'mon Budweiser, you're better than that.

10. Judging by the secondary play here in the fourth quarter, I'd say that all the DB's took the over.

11. Big Love was intense, as well. While the game raged on the little TV, an awesome episode of Mormon moral ambiguity unfolded, including:

1. Teenage pregnancy

2. attempted murder (of the marital variety)

3. Government infiltration

4. attempted suicide

5. Gratuitous use of Alphaville's Forever Young; Which, oddly enough, is used
in Napoleon Dynamite, which co-starred Tina Majorino, who also stars in Big
Love. I wonder if it's in her contract.

11.a The Big Love theme song encouraged me to delve into the Beach Boys' entire discography. I fattened out Jinx's Rhapsody library with all manner of Beach Boys tunes.

Cabin Essence is a trippy fucking song.

12. Santonio Holmes: in. Touchdown. Ball game.

13. I skipped a mention of the Cheetos/pigeon commercial. I loved it - this new dirty, old-man Chester is kind of funny. He's like a trickster character from an absurdist fantasy novel.

14. Kurt Warner got showered and changed into a suit very quickly. Why the rush? You're the QB of what was called the worst post-season team ever and you took it to the last 6 seconds. Plus, you might not be back next year. Drink it in, man.

Also, your wife's kinds ugly, so the more time in the locker room, the less time you have to spend with...

15. Congratulations to the Steelers. Omar Epps...err, I mean, Mike Tomlin has done a great job. Cheers.

16. This episode of The Office is going to be AWESOME!

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UPDATES

1. I was right: That episode of The Office was, in fact, awesome.

2. For a much more insightful, football-centric breakdown of last night's big game, check out what the man, the myth, the online dynasty commish, LTDx, had to say.

Hoops, Hardwoods, and Simple Battery

We usually don't discuss hoops here at FTS, but this is exciting:

Bobby Knight Might Be UGA's Next B-Ball Coach

That would be awesome - maybe. I mean, it's got to be an improvement over our last couple of head coaches. This program has obviously been lacking discipline, which Knight has in spades. I can't wait to see him here throwing chairs and chocking brothas in the red and black. Players skipping class? Face Slap. Skip practice? Drop Kick. Talk back? Three-Stooges style Eye Poke. Foul Out? Congratulations, son, you're playing Knight-Ball now...

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BTW, my favorite line in this article? This one: "To be honest, I don’t know that much about college basketball,” [Guard Corey Butler] said. “I just play it.”

Maybe that's why we're winless in the SEC and lost to Bama this weekend.

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The Senator wighs-in. Hint: He's anti-Knight.

Just a Few Thoughts Around Our Future Football Brothers

I was asked by my little brother, who happens to be much bigger than me, to throw out some of my thoughts around "OUR FUTURE FOOTBALL BROTHERS!" I would first like to begin by saying that I believe our class this year will include more talent then in years past. I feel that the mixture of high quality premier position players along with the guys, who get no publicity on the lines, will make for an extremely great group. I will start my analysis by reviewing some of the commitments already on board and how they will impact our team and will finish the critiquing by discussing and projecting where some of the players uncommitted will sign.
Brandon Smith - A hybrid Cornerback/Wide Receiver - Tremendous hands and great recovery speed - comes to Athens like a Champ Bailey style player - I believe he is going to be a good to great corner back, but will not see as much of an impact on the offensive side of the ball as Champ did in his years
Aaron Murray - Quarterback - To this individual has almost as much upside as Matthew Stafford did coming into Athens - I project that he will red shirt this year, but the following year will be the Dawgs starting quarterback for three years - I see Aaron Murray the same way I view Colt McCoy
Chris Burnette - Offensive Gaurd - He looks like an absolute beast, but what seperates him from other lineman being recruited this year is his footwork - He has a high ceiling if he comes into Athens and displays the same work ethic he has displayed in High School - If he avoids injury, he will be a second or third round draft pick in the 2013 NFL Draft
Arthur Lynch - Tight End - He is the individual in this class that I believe most experts are underrating - I believe that he is going to red shirt this year while adding about 15 pounds of muscle - Starting in 2010 we will see a Tight End that will not only catch everything thrown his way, but will show the blocking tenacity of his offensive lineman brothers.

So who is still left on the Board? (Big Four)
Greg Reid - Cornerback - made a huge move up the radar of most teams after stellar all star game performances - probably the most instinctive cornerback on film that I have seen this year - has the ability to move from an infavorable position to a favorable in just a move of his hips - I project that he will be one of two shut down corners in this years recruiting class - I am praying that he will sign with the Dawgs, but believe that he will sign with Florida State
Bobby Massie - Offensive Tackle - the biggest man I have seen on film - a future first or second round draft pick - probably the perfect frame for an offensive tackle - Again I pray that we will sign him, but I believe it is a forgone conclusion that he signs with Alabama and takes the place of soon to be second pick, Andre Smith.
Marlon Brown - Wide Reciever - One of the top passcatchers in this years class - utilizes his huger 6'5" 205 pound frame to his advatage - looked great in the practices of the Under Armour Game - believe he would be a great compliment in the slot next year and opposite A.J. Green in teh future - I believe this is one of our catches on Wednesday as he will sign and become one of OUR FOOTBALL BROTHERS
Orson Charles - Hybrid Tight End/Wide Receiver - being recruited as a tight end by the Dawgs - would be a great compliment to Authur Lynch - would solidify the position for the next three to four years - he has the uncanny ability to go up for the ball for a Tight End - I believe this is also the other catch on Wednesday

Hopefully this keeps everyone in the loop.....