What the Hell's a Rant Podcast - Episode 2

Me and Greg spit the shit about some NFL draft goodness.

What the Hell's a Rant Podcast - Episode 2

Episode 1

New podcast, follow the link to download/listen to me and Mikey Russo jive about the tv shows, Treme, How to Make it in America, Real World/Road Rules Challenge - Fresh Meat II.

What the Hell's a Rant - Episode 1

MAXIM Hot 100

Now let's be frank here, the one and only reason publications like Maxim and any other media outlet for that matter does any type of list, it is for the sole reason of sparking debate and in turn creating buzz and attention.  So when you say to your friend/acquaintance/co-worker "hey did you see who those idiots put as number 1 on the maxim hot 100 list?" you are giving free advertisement via word of mouth to Maxim, they don't give a shit if you agree or disagree, in fact the more controversial the better.  So lets delve into the 2009 list of the hottest hotties around.

Right off the bat I gotta say I am really digging the top 5.

1.  Olivia Wilde - (Pictured) I know, its not Megan Fox, BUT hear me out...this chick is hot as hell, plus she gets naked in movies (Alpha Dog...pauses while you google image search - welcome back) so when Foxie drops the top in a flick, she can have the top spot back.  This can be a little motivation for her.

2. Megan Fox - Enough said.

3. Bar Refaeli - This year's Marissa Miller.  She has a body like a godess and dates Leo DiCaprio, he's big time.  Plus, big points for being the cover girl of the SI swimsuit issue.

4. Malin Akerman - I had an eye on her since her role in Harold and Kumar go to White Castle as the farmers wife, she was pretty funny in Heartbreak Kid, and i was really pleasantly surprised by her role in Watchmen, she did a nice job and was not afraid to get naked.  Maybe a little square facey for some, but i'll allow it.

5.  Mila Kunis - Really stole the show in Forgettin Sara Marshall and has broken out from behind her "Meg" character on family guy to be a premier hottie.

Rounding out the top ten we have.

6. Eliza Dushku

7. Adriana Lima

8. Rihanna

9. Jordana Brewster

10. Jennifer Love Hewitt

JLH sneaks her way onto the list, i dunno...clearly the theme here is skinny, brunette, straight long hair.  The one standout that is total garbage is Michelle Obama at number 93.  COME ON!!! What's the deal with her fashion/style?  That's just crap.

I've missed you....world

Well friends....it's been a while, but thank you for waiting.  I am back.

I promise you one thing, I will not be discussing the following topics:

Brett Favre

T.O.

Roger Clemens

Ok...that's a bold faced lie, but hopefully I got you on my side for a minute there.

I'm considering expanding my covered topics...since we last talked I've garnered quite an interest in personal finance and found a few terrific blogs which I will link to here.

The Simple Dollar

Get Rich Slowly

Blog « I Will Teach You To Be Rich

Bad Money Advice

20-Something

I may also discuss a few pop culture items as well. Books, movies, television and the likes.  So go hook me up to your Google readers and just go nuts.  Cheers.

Brett Favre So Long, Fairwell, Auf Weidersehen, Good Bye

Yea I had to Google that.

So news broke today from  both Ed Werder and Chris Mortenson of our favorite four letter Entertainment television channel.  Brett Favre has informed the Jets of his impending retirement.  I'm not surprised because if there is anything that can make Favre stop loving football, it's a season with the Jets.

The QB prospects of the future are....grim.  Kellen Clemens, Brett Ratliff and Erik Ainge round out the group that will likely compete for the starting job.  Everyone has given up on Clemens, I'm not ready to do that just yet, I'd like to see him with a year of tutelage from Brett Favre under his belt and an improved offensive line.  Although the receiving core is pretty weak.  We'll see...look for Clemens to likely win out.

Something a little fishy about this whole story though, after a much maligned season where both Werder and Mortenson found themselves at the center of stories instead of objectively covering them (T.O. and the Raiders coaching vacancy respectively) one can only think that ESPN lobbed them a softball on this one to two of their senior football gurus/reporters back on the right track.

The A-Rod Quandry

Friday afternoon, as I'm sure you all know by now, news broke that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids in 2003.  A-Rod was one of 104 players to test positive during a survey of the magnitude of steroid use going on at the time.  Now there are a few key components here that need to be taken into account.  Lets start in 2003.

The 2003 Test

By 2003 the steroid issue had reached its boiling point, Cameniti's SI story, Canseco's book, BALCO and Barry Bonds historic home run chase were all the top stories for a while.  Major League Baseball was in a position where it had to act, up until that point steroids were not illegal under the list of banned substances.  So the logical next step was to outlaw steroids and put a testing procedure in place, it was the only move, the right move in my mind.

But then we have the Players Association.  They had a different take on things.  The MLBPA insisted that steroid use wasn't anywhere near the levels of use outlined in the aforementioned "literature."  So they fought tooth and nail to avoid a testing procedure being put in place, "Players rights!" they cried.  So they met halfway.  They agreed that a random sampling of several hundred Major Leaguers would be taken and tested for steroid use.  If the number of positive tests were greater than (forgive my guess) 7% or so, then a testing procedure would be implemented.  The tests were to be totally anonymous and destroyed afterwards.  No names, no penalties.  This was a survey for statistical purposes only.  The tests were greater than 7% and obviously a steroid testing procedure was put in place, one that most agree is the most effective and extensive in pro sports.

This wasn't enough for MLBPA Exec. Gene Orza, instead of destroying the tests and letting the issue rest, he persisted.  He attempted to swipe the legs out from the validity of the test results.  He was certain that he could prove enough of the positives were false therefore negating the results and eliminating steroid testing moving forward.  As we now know, Alex Rodriguez was among the positive tests from the 2003 survey.  The results were never to have been made public.  Had Gene Orza destroyed the test results, this would not be an issue today.

Selena Roberts

Ms. Roberts is the SI reporter that, citing four anonymous sources, first broke this story about the positive test.  Now at face value this seems legit, but there is a little more to this.  As it turns out, Ms. Roberts is less than three months away from releasing a book about A-Rod titled Hit & Run: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez.  It is being pegged as "an expose of A-Rod's controversial path to self-destruction."  Clearly it will not be painting him in a positive light.  

Now to me the damage is done, A-Rod has been exposed and he is once again the villain.  But Ms. Roberts in my mind did not do her job as an investigative journalist.  If she was able to get the name of one of these positive tests, why not the other 103?  The answer is simply because she is not writing a book on the other 103.  A-Rod's positive test and subsequent admission of guilt will all undoubtedly help her sell books.

And ESPN is not free of trying to score a buck off of the controversy.  Take a look at your tv tonight and see what highlights they show, what hat he is wearing in the pictures they put up.  It won't be that of the Texas Rangers, the team he played for while cheating.  Yankees = interest = revenue.

Alex Rodriguez

Now Let me put this out there in the interest of full disclosure, I am a Yankees fan, I have been an Alex Rodriguez fan moreso than my brethren.  By all accounts, A-Rod is somewhat of an enigma.  He is extremely insecure, puts his foot in his mouth and cares greatly about what others think about him.  Basically the perfect storm of bad qualities to have if you are a public figure, nevermind the highest paid athlete in American team sports.  Alex has never been out of the center of controversy for long.  His much publicized divorce and affair with a certain ancient pop singer, his feud with Derek Jeter, and on and on.

There are a few schools of thought here, Alex did, in an interview with Peter Gammons this afternoon, admitted guilt.  He claimed use of steroids from the years 2001-2003, three full seasons.  He took full responsibility for his actions and gave off what sounded like a sincere apology.  Sure, put that in a box, gift wrap it and put a bow on top, he did it! He saved his image!

Well, sadly, I don't buy it and here is why.  Alex cited the "pressure" he felt living up to his record breaking contract he signed in Texas.  It was a different time, the culture was different and he was young and stupid.  Here's the problem, he's still stupid, the times aren't different just the drugs are, and pressure?  Since signing that contract in Texas, he has been traded to New York and signed a bigger contract.  So no pressure anymore, right?  Yea, I don't think so.  I have a feeling in my gut that this isn't over.  I just don't believe he only cheated for those three years,  I don't buy it.  I'm waiting with gut wrenching anxiety that there will be more.  Just when people may be ready to forgive the embattled superstar, we'll find out what we always knew, he is a liar, a cheater, a narcissist, and one hell of a ball player.

The Fans

Where does all this leave us?  It's really hard to say.  I'm faced with a ton of inner turmoil.  As much as I want to cheer for my team and root them on, it's hard to defend.  Alex is hard to defend, he was up until this point and now its nearly an impossibility.  How can you argue with someone he is the greatest player ever now?  Who is?  Who is the best player in the league? Pujols?  Can you tell me beyond a shadow of a doubt he hasn't juiced?  That's the thing, the "beyond a shadow of a doubt" factor is gone.  There isn't a single player that I would stake my reputation on the fact that they never used roids or PED's of some sort.  Jeter? Sacrilege!  Mo? Blasphemy! Pettite? Not a chance....oh wait.

Thats just the thing, the average fan now just doesn't know.  And the only way to deal is to stop caring.  Short of dropping the game all together, the only way to protect yourself from heartbreak that only a fan can experience, is to detach yourself from your emotional investment in the integrity of the players.  The sad fact is, there is none.  So from now on the happy fan, is a skeptical fan.  The youthful optimism and admiration has gone by the wayside.  Baseball is an entertainment industry.  Just as you'd root for your favorite character on your favorite tv show to get the girl, so too should you root for your favorite Major League Baseball team.  Is the show scripted? Yea, but it's fun to watch.  Do the players cheat? Yea, but damn it anyway if you still aren't compelled to watch.

Yankee Talk - manny??

So I read (river ave blues) and heard (max kellerman show 1050 espn radio) something very intriguing to me.  That is the prospect of Manny Ramirez becoming a Yankee.  Now it was explored earlier in the offseason and seemed to fall to the wayside when the price seemed too high and the years seemed too long.  I was nervous about the idea at the time, then we signed the entire free world and I kind of forgot about him.

But here we are, February and arguably the greatest right hand hitter of all time is still available.  The prospect is tantalizing, especially with the new Matsui/Giants theory in the mix.  If you haven't heard...the Giants are looking for a corner outfielder with power, they aren't necessarily looking for a bargain, they would love a big name to put butts in the seats.  As a result they are high on the list of Manny Ramirez suitors.  However they HAVE shown interest in Hideki Matsui of the Yanks.  Trading Matsui to the Giants does two things, first it unloads $13 mil in salary, and second it takes away a possible bidder for the services of Manny Ramirez.

Here's the thing, i was anti-manny for a long time, i dont think it will happen in reality, i still think he will be a los angeles dodger when its all said and done, but the thought of having Manny is just too juicy.  Think about this, Rodriguez - Texiera - Ramirez, thats roughly 360 runs batted in per year, 120 home runs...and being on base 40 percent of the time.  As much as i would hate to sell my soul to the devil for a guy like manny who is the definition of a slouch, i have to believe his motivation would be there with 19 games against boston and 19 against tampa bay...the thought is enough to make your eyes swell.  Just something to think about.  I could really do 2 years $45 mil though...haha, I can just hear the yankee haters now....oh well we'll see what happens.

Why baseball is the greatest american sport

Smell that?  It's subtle but its there...the aroma of fresh grass clippings, dirt, pine tar, chewing tobacco and rawhide.  Oh yes....it's damn near baseball season.  Let's get one thing out there right now, I love hockey...i'm a huge Devils fan, its one of my favorite sports to watch but there's just something about it, i can't follow it.  From the time the puck drops to the time they announce the third star i'm captivated but between games it just doesn't grab me.  Even football, come Wednesday/Thursday, i lose track of things.  Not baseball though...baseball is every day.  It's consistent, and thats what I love about it.

Baseball is always there for you, there's a great speech from the movie fever pitch where he goes over this in a way more colorful way than i am capable of, but its true.  Baseball is so great for people like me because you can argue everything with numbers.  It's all logical and it tells the entire story.  You can get the everything you need to know about a baseball game from a box score.  Even in a sport where everything is black and white, it never is.  You can debate for hours on end about who is a better first baseman, about whether a guy should start or be in the pen, it doesn't end.

So breath deep baseball fans, take it all in, it will be October before you know.

Superbowl

Well i got the winner wrong, but i knew Arizona would show up.  They killed themselves with penalties the whole game.  Big Ben put together two good drives and the Harrison pick ended up being the deciding factor.  Arizona played like a team who has never been there and Pittsburgh played like a team that has been there plenty.  Fitzgerald is a pig, but Santonio Holmes had one of the better catches you are gonna see, don't ask me how that ball got there because in a film room 9 times out of 10 its "Ben why did you throw into triple coverage??" but this time he got lucky.

One contention I do have is with this being called one of the greatest superbowl games ever....it was not.  It had one of the more exciting endings, but quarters 1-3 and a half were terrible.  Bad play, punts, short drives, and sloppy play.  

Superbowl picks, yippee

So espn.com reports that today is the day they play the superbowl.  I had to navigate around the site for a while but eventually I found that little gem.  Anyway I guess i'm obligated to make a pick.  I really don't want to and let me tell you why...this is by far the least interested I've ever been in a superbowl, ever.  The two week break does nothing good for this game, i'm thoroughly unimpressed by the prospect of these two teams matching up.  Currently the spread is Pitt (-7) over Ariz.

That being said, I'm going to pick Arizona and here's why, lets forget for a second about the stars, Arizona's offense and Pitt's defense.  On the other side of the ball, the Arizona defense does not suck, they are middle of the pack and have been rushing the passer nicely this playoffs.  The Steelers offense does suck.  They have a shotty offensive line that cannot keep Big Ben off his Big Ass.  Throw in the fact that Hines ward is not going to be 100% and you are looking at an offense that will not be a touchdown scoring offense.  I dont care how tough the steelers D is, Arizona is going to score some touchdowns, and I just don't think Pitt can put the ball in the endzone enough to keep up.

I say Arizona 27 - Pittsburgh 17.  Thats my two cents anyway. Enjoy the game, i'm in it for the snacks anyway really.

Black Sunday

This is the worst day of sports as far as i'm concerned.  You still have a football hangover, the super bowl is still a week away, and all thats on is shitty basketball.  I think there were some NBA games of some relevance on, and I'm being told the NHL All-Star game was today on some fake channel.  I couldn't be less interested.

This week will especially suck this week because there are no controversial story lines to beat into the ground.  Sure Kurt Warner is a nice story, but his first comeback (from being a grocer) was way more interesting than this one (from backing up Eli Manning AND Matt Leinert).  So prepare for a media onslaught of garbage, verbal diarrhea, and outlandish predictions - cough - Merill Hodge - cough...

Either way, enjoy family and the return of flight of the conchords on an otherwise listless Sunday night after Dexter, Californication, Football, The Sopranos and Entourage all left Sundays hanging like a single mother raising a bastard child - too harsh?  Probably.

Double Bypass Burger

I normally stick with sports here, but when the time comes, and a moment so significant in our country takes place, I would be remiss to overlook its importance.

That's right, on a recent episode of Man V. Food on the Travel Channel, Adam Richmond heads to Atlanta Georgia to take on a 13 lb. pizza challenge, but on his trip he stops at the Vortex Bar and Grill.  A place where they have this burger, a MASSIVE coronary waiting to happen dubbed the double bypass burger.  It features an 8 oz. patty, with 2 fried eggs, 4 slices of American Cheese, 6 slices of bacon not on a bun, but on TWO GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES!  

Add a side of cheesy bacon tots and you have what I estimate as a 4,090 calorie, 344 grams of fat belly bomb.  DELISH!