Movie Trailer - The Lone Ranger

Director: Gore Verbinski
Starring: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Wilkinson
Release: July 3rd, 2013

I know it might not be all that I am hoping, but this is the team that made Pirates of the Caribbean, one of the greatest action/adventure movies of all time.  If they can just come close to the energy & comedy they created then, this could be big.

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Sports - MLB Picks, Wild Card Play-in

Here are my MLB Wild Card play-in picks:

StL @ Atl - (Lohse 16-3, 2.86 vs. Medlen 10-1, 1.57)

     The first ever single-game postseason "series" should be a good one.  The Cards are the reigning champions, having sneaked into the playoffs last year thanks in part to an epic Braves collapse.  They lose LaRussa, Pujols, Berkman, and Carpenter, and yet remain a tough team to beat, mainly due to a high powered offense that can out-score anyone.  They will need their stars to shine tonight (Molina, Holliday, Craig, Beltran, Freese) to give Lohse some support in, what should be, a low scoring game.

     Runs have been at a premium for teams facing Medlen.  He has been amazing in limited appearance, and has the look of a long-term ace.  However, he lacks post-season experience, and the Cards must capitalize on his early nerves.  Veteran hitters like Ross, Chipper, Uggla, and Prado will be the backbone of this team in this game, and HR-hitting youngsters like Freeman and Heyward must show their muscle as well.

     In what might be Chipper Jones' last game as an Atlanta Brave, look for the home-town crowd to be loud and impacting.  The Cards will need a quick lead in order to quiet things down, or they could be in for a long night.  Should either team have a small lead in the 9th, don't look for any last inning heroics, as closers Motte and Kimbrel are both lights out.  If Lohse holds steady and Medlen makes some early mistakes, the Cardinals can hold on for another surprising finish to a mediocre season.

Cardinals 4 - Braves 2

Bal @ Tex - (Saunders 9-13, 4.07 vs. Darvish 16-9, 3.90)

     Two teams could not be less similar.  The Orioles are the perennial whipping boy of the AL East, a group of misfits that never rise to the the level of the Yankees and Red Sox.  This year is different.  They've put together pieces that, combined,  make a legitimate roster.  Young players like McLouth, Machado, and Wieters are primed to make names for themselves, and veterans like Thome, Jones, and Reynolds are ready to take this wild ride all the way to the World Series.

     The Rangers are as elite as any team in baseball.  With a roster stacked from top to bottom with proven talent (Andrus, Kinsler, Young, Napoli, Cruz, Beltre, Hamilton) they are virtually unbeatable when firing on all cylinders.  The losers of the last two World Series, this is a team and a home-field crowd that expects to win.  If they can get going early, there is no stopping this offense or this shut-down bullpen.

     In a match-up of two confident and capable teams, the final outcome might be decided by pitching, rather than hitting.  Both Saunders and Darvish are new to their respective teams, and both have done well.  Saunders' numbers are poor, but most of them came with a weak Arizona team, while Darvish's numbers are good but not great.  If both pitchers get touched for a few runs, and the closers Johnson and Nathan do as well as they have all season, then the game could come down to one costly mistake that ends one team's post-season dreams.

Orioles 6 - Rangers 7

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Movie Trailer - Fat Kid Rules the World

Director: Matthew Lillard
Starring: Jacob Wysocki, Matt O'Leary
Release: October 5th, 2012

I've seen Terri and it wasn't good, but Wysocki was.  I would give him another chance in a better movie, but this cannot be it.  Let us not forget that Lillard played Shaggy in Scooby Doo.  I refuse to watch the directorial debut of a man who is less talented than a cartoon dog.

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Sports - NFL Picks, Week 5

Here are my NFL Week 5 picks:
(I was 11-4 last week)
Bye teams: Dal, Det, Oak, TB

Ari @ STL - It's hard to imagine a world in which the Cardinals are 5-0.  They almost lost last week to the Dolphins, they will probably lose this week on the road vs. the Rams.
Mia @ Cin - The Bengals better get their wins in now, as they're about to face the Steelers, Broncos, and Giants right in a row.  But that aside, they'll win this game.
GB @ Ind - The Pack got back on track last week vs. the Saints, and they'll look to continue that against the Colts.  Rodgers should be just fine from here on out.
Bal @ KC - The Chiefs have a QB problem, and that's the worst problem a team can have.  The Ravens have no such issue with Joe Flacco.
Cle @ NYG - The Browns can't be happy that the Giants lost last week.  Now they'll be playing mad and, let's face it, they'll be playing the Browns.  G-men win.
Phi @ Pit - The Eagles have been a hard team to pick, as they should have lost a couple times.  Neither Penn team is playing well, but maybe Mendenhall brings some life to the Steelers.
Atl @ Was - RG3 has been playing great, but Matty Ice has been outstanding.  The Falcon's amazing O vs. the Redskin's pathetic D?  Yeah, I'm picking Hotlanta.
Sea @ Car - Cam looks to be improving, and Wilson looks in over his head.  Two dynamic QBs, but one has about 1 year more experience and 1 foot more height.  Panthers.
Chi @ Jax - Oh, Jay Cutler, how I despise thee.  But you win games, and the Jaguars are a beatable team, so I've gotta pick you.
Ten @ Min - The Vikings have got all cylinders pumping in all phases of the game: O, D, and ST.  They might falter in a few weeks and end 7-9ish, but not this week.
Den @ NE - This is tough for me.  Tom Brady seems to enjoy playing against the Broncos defense and scoring 40+ points.  Peyton might score 30, but it might not be enough.
Buf @ SF - As predicted, the Niners were much more focused last week.  They ought to roll this week vs. a Bills team that just doesn't match up well.
SD @ NO - The Saints will finally get a win this week and Drew Brees will say something foolish about God teaching him patience Job-style.
Hou @ NYJ - The Texans are just too much to handle right now and the Jets are in disarray.  It's soon to be Tebow Time!

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Sports - NHL

I'm sure I'm not the first person to say this, but I'll say it anyway; this lockout is going to cripple the NHL.  In the early 2000s the NHL was going strong.  It was moderately popular, its players were well known, and it was expanding.  After the 2004 season was cancelled, popularity plummeted, teams struggled to sell tickets, and hockey players ceased to be celebrities.  In 2009, things were looking up.  Attendance was much improved, TV ratings were up, and all was going well.  If this season is cancelled, I don't believe the NHL can recover.  Football and baseball, and even basketball, are just too popular.  People won't scramble to get into hockey if and when it comes back.  They just won't care. 

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Movie Trailer - Lincoln

Director: Stephen Spielberg
Starring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field
Release: November 16th, 2012

Looks like just another typical Spielberg movie; the best actors, a great story, music that breaks your heart, and a film that will always be remembered.  It could miss the mark, but it probably won't.

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Thought - Carcassonne

I've gone and done it. I've played a nerdy board game and gotten hooked. And I've asked for it for my birthday. It's over.  It started with a trip to the Scott house. We had good times, good food, and the kids played well. Jessica & Jacob taught us how to play Carcassonne and I've decided I have to have it. And stickers for my Meeples.

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