2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 6

So, some quick takes on week 6 of the NFL.

The Thursday night game was a bore. The Patriots barely tried, and won by 21. Daniel Jones threw three picks and the Patriots D is legit.

The Panthers cruised over the Bucs in London. CMC didn’t have the yards, but he did have 2 TD’s and their defense picked off Jameis Winston 5 times. Looks like he’s back to his old tricks, and Bruce Arians may not be a QB whisperer.

Who in the hell cares about Washington-Miami? Really?

Lamar Jackson put on a god damn show against RD’s Bengals. He passed for 200 yards and ran for 150 yards. He’s so awesome. The Bengals, not so much. Zac Taylor is a bad head coach.

Teddy Bridgewater improved to 4-0 as a starter, but it was that Saints D they won for them Sunday. They totally shut down Gardner Minshew and Leonard Fournette.

The Seahawks came back, yet again, and won a game they shouldn’t have. Russell Wilson was great too. I don’t like admitting it, but he’s been incredible this season. And everyone’s preseason darling, the Browns are 2-4 and look kind of hapless. They played better offensively, but struggled on D with a lead.

RD’s other squad, the Vikings, took it to the Eagles. The Eagles are floundering and their secondary is a mess. The Vikings took advantage of this and aired it out. Stefon Diggs had a humongous game.

The Texans and Chiefs played a fun, and close game. Both Pat Mahomes and Deshaun Watson were great. The problem, the Chiefs cannot stop the run. The past 2 weeks the Colts and Texans have racked up the rush yards.

The Falcons are a total disaster, and their kicker missed an extra point that would have tied the game against the Arizona Cardinals. Also, the Cardinals shredded the Falcons secondary. Kyler Murray was stupendous. The Falcons have fallen so far since blowing that 25 point lead to the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The 49ers are legit. There I said it. They okay solid defense, run the ball and play action the hell out of their opponents. The Rams couldn’t do a thing. And Jared Goff’s recent performances are a cause for concern. And they need Todd Gurley back ASAP.

The Broncos are finally playing solid defense, and they shut down the Titans so bad that they benched Marcus Mariota in favor of Ryan Tannehill. Yeesh. And Phillip Lindsay has been solid as the lead back.

The funniest outcome was the Jets beating the Cowboys. The Cowboys are proving to be frauds and the Jets exposed them further. Sam Darnold torched them, and even when the Cowboys had a chance to tie it, they blew it. Jason Garrett is done, Ezekial Elliot isn’t that good and Dak Prescott has been really bad lately.

On Sunday night the Steelers pummeled the Chargers. The Steelers got 2 early turnovers, both from Devin Bush, and turned that into a quick 14 point lead. They held on, and beat the Chargers, who look lost right now.

Monday night’s Packers win felt hollow. The Lions got screwed, and Green Bay won on a walk off field goal. The Packers D stepped up when they needed, but the refs helped them. Even I can admit that. The Lions won that game.

One last note, Marcus Peters got traded to Baltimore, and that makes that secondary scary. What’s even scarier though, the Rams just traded for Jalen Ramsey, and he and Aaron Donald on the same D should help fix whatever is going on with that D right now.

That’s it for week 6. Come back next week for week 7 quick takes.

Ty

Ty's NBA 2019 - 2020 NBA Preview: Jazz, Nuggets, Rockets, Bucks

Moving on to day 7 of my NBA countdown, we are getting to the cream of the crop. I like all these teams, and they all have certain qualities that put them this high on the list.

At number 6 I have the Utah Jazz. I have stated how gross their fans are, but their roster is good enough to push this team to the West, and dare I say, NBA finals. Donovan Mitchell is a star. He is an electric scorer, plays hard and is getting better on defense. He continues to work on his game every year, and that will only benefit him. I love watching Mitchell play basketball. Rudy Gobert is the best big man defender in the league. He is the epitome of a rim protector, and he is a great rebounder. His game has also rounded out on the low post, and he dominated the US in FIBA this summer. Joe Ingles is one of those guys you hate to play, but love when he is on your team, and he can shoot the ball. Getting Mike Conley was a humongous upgrade over Ricky Rubio. Conley has proven himself one hell of a team leader, can create his own shot, finds the open guy and is awesome on defense. He is also at the stage in his career where he just wants to win. Bojan Bogdanovic is the quintessential scorching shooter off the bench. He is the type of player that could score 18 points in 10 minutes. Tony Bradley is a great defender. Ed Davis was a solid pickup. When healthy, Dante Exum is an excellent backup point guard. And Emmanuel Mudiay, while not the player I thought he could be, should fit in nice here. Utah has always played great defense, but now, they have a true point guard, and they have shooters. The Jazz, with this roster construct, should be good for awhile. They are true Western Conference threats.

At number 5 I have the Denver Nuggets. Nikola Jokic is a true MVP candidate. He is also an anomaly. He looks out of shape, can barely jump and eats awfully, but the dude is amazing with a basketball in his hands. He is the best passing big, and one of the best overall passers in the NBA. He also has those old man moves under the basket, and he makes them work better than anyone else. The dude is legit. Jamal Murray got his big time extension this offseason, and if he can become a consistent scorer, he will be one of the better offensive players in the league. He is hot and cold, but hot more often. Paul Milsap is the perfect veteran for this squad. His play has slightly declined, but his leadership is crucial. Malik Beasley has proven that he deserves good bench minutes because of his scoring ability. Garry Harris is a solid creator and passer and a good defender. Will Barton and Monte Morris can provide instant offense. Hopefully we will finally get to see Michael Porter Jr play, because if he is half as good as advertised, he could play a huge part on this already good team. I also love that they took Bol Bol when he fell to them in the second round. If he hits, that would be a cherry on top for this team. The Nuggets are not a fluke, and Jokic is the real deal. I like this team a lot.

At number 4 I have the Houston Rockets. Boy oh boy did their GM make a mistake. But, looking at this team from strictly a roster construct standpoint, they could be very, very prolific offensively. James Harden, as boring and frustrating as he is to watch play, is a great, great scorer. He has crazy moves that no one can guard, he shoots a million free throws and, when he passes, he is always on the mark. They traded Chris Paul for a younger, more athletic and harder playing version in Russell Westbrook. I do not know how this will work, a Harden and Westbrook backcourt, but if it hits, it will be deadly. Those 2 were awesome in OKC, and now they are older and have each won a MVP. Clint Capela took a slight step back, but he is the best pick and roll center in the NBA. The way he moves to the rim, it is beautiful. He is also a good defender. PJ Tucker brings the toughness this team craves, and the defense. It also helps that he is a great corner three shooter. Tucker is underrated. Eric Gordon is as well. He finally got paid, and without him last year, they would have lost much earlier in the playoffs. Nene and Tyson Chandler are both pretty old, but they know how to play, they play hard and know how to win. Austin Rivers, much to my surprise, hasn't been a total disaster since he signed with the Rockets. He actually plays good D, and with guys like Harden getting him open looks, he can knock down the three. Danuel House is a G League legend, and in limited minutes last year, he was the perfect Rocket. Only efficient shots and threes. The Rockets, if Westbrook lets Harden run the team, can score 120 to 125 points a game. No bullshit. They won't be as good defensively, but they will outscore a ton of teams. They just better hope that the new backcourt meshes.

My final team for the day, at number 3, I have the Milwaukee Bucks. With KD out and LeBron being older and Anthony Davis getting hurt all the time, Giannis Antentokoumpo is the best player in the NBA, even better than Kawhi Leonard. Giannis is unstoppable on offense. He is like a nimble Shaq. And the fact that he is working on a three point shot, that should scare the rest of the NBA. He is also so long, that alone makes him a good rebounder and defender. Khris Middleton had a real solid year, and earned his new contract. He is a great sidekick next to Giannis. He is also a really solid defender. Eric Bledsoe kind of lost it in the playoffs last year, but I still think he is a good point guard for this team. He also just so happens to be one of the best defensive point guards in the NBA. Brook Lopez totally morphed his game, and is now a lethal three point shooter. He really stretches a defense. And they now have his brother Robin on the team, and he will bring toughness and an inside presence that this team can use. Kyle Korver is still around, and he can still shoot the three. He will find lots of open looks playing with Giannis. Wes Matthews has never been the same since his ACL injury, but he cans till provide solid spot minutes here and there. DJ Wilson, in a very limited role, showed he can shoot and play a little D. He was also a clutch rebounder. The Bucks are a very good team that fell a bit short last year. That only made Giannis hungrier, and that could push the Bucks to the Finals. I know they lost Malcolm Brogdon, and that is a bummer, but this team has the goods, and Giannis, to still be one of the top teams, by a wide margin, in the East.

That does it for today. Come back tomorrow for my top 2 teams. We are nearing the end of the countdown.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019 - 2020 NBA Preview: Heat, Nets, Celtics, Lakers

The weekend is over, and that means we are back to my 2019-20 NBA countdown. Today we enter the top 10. I think each of these teams have a legit shot to make it to the Finals, but they could also have a sloppy year, and neither outcome would shock me.

Starting with number 10 we have the Miami Heat. The Heat were in this weird kind of middle that they seemingly would never get out of. Then they went out and signed Jimmy Butler this offseason. I don't think Butler is a super star, but the dude is one of the better 2 way players in the league. What he does lack is a true deep shot. He can shoot the mid range, attack the rim, draw fouls and he plays some of the best defense in the league. He is also a throwback style player who doesn't really need to be friends with anyone in the league. He would rather beat you then befriend you. I dig that about him. But, he is old, coming off a few injuries and has shown an ability to wear out his welcome real quick. But, he was a big time get for the Heat. Outside Butler, they have solid guys. I still believe in Justise Winslow. I think his defense has been much better than I thought it would be, and if he could be any kind of threat on offense, that would really open things up. Goran Dragic is a solid point guard, and if he sticks around, I think he and Butler will get along tremendously. Dion Waiters is still liable to go off at any moment. He is so inconsistent, but when he is cooking, he can light it up. I am a big fan of Bam Adebayo's. He made it easy for them to part ways with Hassan Whiteside, and the way he played this summer should have fans hyped. James Johnson is a bad dude, and he just so happens to be able to score. He is another throwback player I dig. I don't know what to think of Meyers Leonard. He has moments, but more often than not, he doesn't really show up. And the rookie from Kentucky, Tyler Herro, could be the instant offense they need on the bench. Miami is a solid playoff team, and if things bust right, and Butler plays better than ever, this team could be dangerous.

At number 9 I have the Brooklyn Nets. They would be number one if KD wasn't hurt. But, that is the reality of the situation. And, they did trade away All Star D'Angelo Russell. But, this team was a playoff team last year. and without Russell, and KD, this team is better. They will be much better next year, but still, they are a good team. They signed Kyrie Irving, and now that he got to pick where he wanted to play, I think he will be fine. I still think he will say dumb shit and be a curmudgeon, but this is the first time in his pro career where he made the choice. He picked this team, and I think he will play well. Caris Levert is becoming a reliable scorer and defender. He is rock solid. Jarret Allen is a young and ferocious defender. He is also a solid rebounder, and is getting better around the rim. I think it is a bummer that he will lose minutes to Deandre Jordan, but that comes with the territory. And, I think Irving and Jordan can be a solid pick and roll duo. Spencer Dinwiddie is the new Jamal Crawford, except he plays defense. Joe Harris can shoot threes. I love the trade for Taurean Prince. He is a solid defender, and he can get you 12 to 14 points a night. And Wilson Chandler is finally gone from Denver, and he can fill it up as well. The Nets are a solid team, that plays great defense. When they get KD next year, I will have them as my finals favorites, but for now, they will have to settle for a 4 or 5 seed.

At number 8 I have the Boston Celtics. I feel like this is way too high if I am being honest. They replaced Kyrie Irving with Kemba Walker. Look, I love Kemba Walker, but how is that an upgrade. People will point out Kyrie's weird outbursts last year, but Walker is not as good as Irving. That is facts. They then replaced Al Horford with Enes Kanter. Kanter is a better scorer than Horford, but that is it. Kanter is a liability on defense, and cannot pass like Horford does. Gordon Hayward is a shell of himself, and I lost faith in him when he played in the playoffs his last year in Utah. Jayson Tatum regressed last year, and I hope that isn't a sign of things to come. He has the ability to be a top tier scorer, but last year was worrisome. Jaylen Brown is an awesome defender and slasher to the rim, but I don't know if he will get enough minutes, and he is in a contract year. Marcus Smart is really, really good on defense, but that is it. Carsen Edwards was a great scorer in college, but he will be going up against guys 5 and 6 inches taller than him, and he will find it hard to get shots off. I don't get why they drafted Romeo Langford. I feel like he will be in the G League by all star break. They're going to have to find minutes for Grant Williams, but that means other guys like Robert Williams and Semi Ojeleye will barely see the floor. I think, including myself, we have overrated the Celtics for the past 4 years. The one thing they have in their favor, they play in the East. They will be in the playoffs, but if they are a 6 or 7 seed, that wouldn't shock me.

My final team for the day, at number 7, I have the LA Lakers. Look, the Lakers may have the best duo in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis. That pick and roll will be lethal, they can both handle the ball, Davis is a great defender and rebounder and this is the best teammate LeBron has ever played with. But, LeBron just got his worst injury of his career, and Anthony Davis hasn't played a full season yet. And the rest of this roster is just flat out weird. I was checking it out while doing research, and man, it is an odd collection of players. Danny Green was okay last year, and can kind of shoot the three, but he isn't the same guy that he was in San Antonio. Avery Bradley is well, well past his prime. I am stunned that people think this is a good signing. Alex Caruso is the new Matthew Dellavedova, except he won't get the minutes to be of any notice. Dwight Howard is back, and that is laughable to me. He is so far past his prime. Rajon Rondo is still there, but the fact that LeBron has been named the point guard should tell you all you need to know about his playing status. Quinn Cook was a "big" get for them after missing out on Kawhi Leonard. Yeesh. They still have Kentavious Caldwell Pope, and that makes me yawn. And I am over all the Kyle Kuzma talk. The Lakers should be good, but I do not see them as the best team in the West. Like I said, outside of Davis and James, I do not get this roster. Oh, and if things go mildly bad to start the year, Frank Vogel will get canned. In fact, I would bet that, before the season ends, Jason Kidd will be the head coach of the Lakers because that is what LeBron wants. The Lakers should be a playoff team, but I don't see them getting any higher than the 5 seed, especially in the West.

That's it for today, come back tomorrow for the nest 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Raptors, Pacers, Trailblazers, Warriors

Getting right into it on day 5 of my NBA countdown, I have the defending champs at number 14, the Toronto Raptors. I know they just won the title, and did it in pretty convincing fashion, but they lost the one guy that truly did it all for them. Kawhi Leonard was truly a one year rental, and he more than lived up to the price they paid to acquire him, and he brought them a title. Outside of Leonard, they have a good amount of talent, but it is only older, or won't be able to do what they did without Leonard there. I really, really like Pascal Siakim, and I think he can be an All Star, but it will be tougher for him with no Leonard. Yes, he will score and rebound and play solid defense, it will just be tougher because teams will now be targeting him solely on scouting reports. Fred Van Vleet was great in the conference and NBA finals, and he is a solid point guard. Kyle Lowry got a humongous one year deal, but it was smart for him and the team. Also, he is on the wrong side of 30, and without Leonard, he may go back to being the player he was before, which was good, but a playoff choker. Marc Gasol was great for them in the finals, but he is very old, and if stuff goes bad quick, he will want out. He only has a few years left. Serge Ibaka is okay, but he has kind of turned himself into strictly a mid range shooter, and the defense isn't what it used to be. OG Anounoby is going to come back, and while he was starting to come on, he missed more than half the season, and all of the playoffs. He has work to do. Norman Powell is a good three point shooter, but he is streaky. They acquired Stanley Johnson, but for a guy I thought was going to be good, he has been kind of a bust. They also signed Rondae Hollis Jefferson, and while he is okay, he was going to be pushed aside from Brooklyn regardless of who they signed this offseason. The Raptors will still be a playoff team, maybe even a 4 seed, but they will not find the same success as last year. It's tough to repeat anyway, and when you lose your main dude, it is made that much tougher.

At number 13 I have the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers are a solid playoff team, and they will win in the mid to high 40 games this year. But, I feel like that is all they will be as long as they keep this roster together. We still don't know when Victor Oladipo will be back, and they need him to be a true threat. Oladipo is great, and he can be the difference in a 6 seed or a 3 seed. The Pacers do still have solid players around him. Myles Turner is a great rim protector and rebounder and solid on switching defense. He is even getting better on offense. Domantas Sabonis is a good throwback big, but I feel like he is going to be trade bait all year long. That can mess with a player. Doug McDermott is an okay three point shooter, but he does literally nothing else. TJ Leaf showed zero in his rookie year. What the Pacers did do was go out and sign some quality vets. TJ Warren is a scoring machine, and I think he will fit in very well. The fact that they pulled off the Malcolm Brogdon deal is a big, big deal. Brogdon is such a solid pro, a good shooter and the Bucks will miss him. He was a great get for the Pacers. And Jeremy Lamb, while incredibly streaky and inconsistent, when he catches fire, he can light it up. The Pacers are a very solid team, but their success lies with Oladipo and when he will be back. They need him.

At number 12 I have the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers have one of the best offensive back courts in the NBA. Damien Lillard is a killer, and he proved that in the playoffs until he ran out of steam. That dude is amazing. CJ McCollum proved that he can coexist with Lillard and had a monster year last year. He is a scoring machine as well. But, they don't play much defense at all. But they can, legit, average 50 to 60 points combined this year. No one knows when Jusuf Murkic will be back, and Portland needs him. For the time being, they took a flyer on Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside is a total wild card, but when he is locked in, he is one of the better defenders in the league, and a total beast on the block. Pau Gasol is there, but he is so old now, I feel like he is more there to help coach than to play. Who knows what they will get from Zach Collins, besides stupid fouls. He is a good player, but he needs to learn to control his temper. Rodney Hood is back, and I think he is in a perfect place for himself. He is free to create and score in Portland, and can destroy second units. As I wrote awhile back, I love the Nassir Little pick. I think he is going to be great, and will be out to prove 24 other teams wrong. Every wroter I read now is obsessed with Anfernee Simons, and right now in the preseason, he is showing out. I just don't know where he will find solid minutes. They also signed Kent Bazemore, and he is solid all around. I am probably too low on the Trailblazers, I always am, but their roster is weird and outside of McCollum and Lillard I just don't know yet.

My final team of the day, at number 11, I have the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors have been an easy number 1 for the past 5 years, but now, things are up in the air for them. Steph Curry is great and will be even greater this year. He is going to have so much offensive freedom, and I feel like he will put up historic numbers. D'Angelo Russell was an odd pickup for them, but I think he will be a good scorer next to Steph. He won't ease the loss of Klay Thompson, but he will do his best to fill the scoring void. Speaking of Thompson, he tore his ACL in the finals, and will not be back until after the All Star break. But, he got a huge contract and will be given ample time to recover from his injury. And when he comes back, there is no better catch and shoot player in the league, and he is an all NBA defender. Draymond Green might be the best overall defender in the league. And if he stays in shape all year, and brings it for 82 games, he could easily be an All Star. They drafted Jordan Poole in the first round, and I watched him for 2 years at Michigan. When he is hitting shots, he is great. But, that didn't happen as much his sophomore year as it did his freshman year. They signed Willie Cauley Stein, and while I like his pick and roll ability and his defense, how is he not JaVale McGee 2.0? Kevon Looney is back after having a very good playoffs, and I think that he is the definite starting center, he could get even better. Outside of that, the Warriors are a big time question mark for the first time in the past half decade. Steph is Steph, and he is great and will score tons, but they have a lot of questions after that. I'm very curious to see how they respond when they aren't the clear favorites. They don't have KD anymore, and Klay is going to miss a good chunk of the year. It is time to see how good the Warriors, and their staff, really are.

That is it for today. Come back next week when we break into the top 10.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Tyler the Creator Delivers in a Great St. Louis Show

I wanted to tell you all about a show I went to last Friday quickly. I know I have been doing all basketball, but I did promise to do reviews of other stuff, and last week I saw Tyler, the Creator in concert.

I am fairly new to his music, although I have been listening to Odd Future for about 5 years. But, when the OF crew went out on their own, Tyler was one of the guys I waited to check out.

That was a mistake. I love his beats and the way he rhymes. He is so fierce and vicious and the beats are pure hip hop. Also, as you all know, I am a big time fan of his last 2 records, "Flower Boy", and even more, "IGOR". And boy did he do some "IGOR" on Friday night.

He came out on stage in a blue suit and a blonde wig, buying fully into this Igor persona. It was almost like performance art added to a really kick ass show. And man did this show kick ass. I didn't know what to expect, but I was blown away. Tyler was on point and on fire all night long. I also loved the show within the show. The lights were great. The big screen behind him totally ruled. The effects, like fire and fireworks, were so god damn loud and perfect. I have nothing but great things to say about what I witnessed. And the tip in the cap of the night, he covered a good amount of his catalog. He played a ton of stuff off "IGOR", as expected, and it was great. He opened the show with "IGOR's Theme", and stood like a statue until he decided to rap along, and it was great. He did a piano intro to "EARFQUAKE", let the crowd sing it, then did an acapella version of it which was awesome. My favorite, "NEW MAGIC WAND" was, what the kids would say, a true banger. The bass was so heavy I could feel it in my chest, the lights were very strobe heavy and he crushed the song.

Even when he decided to do his older stuff, it worked so well. "IGOR" is such a different album, so to hear him do his older stuff, I really dug it. It showed how good of a rapper he is. Even while performing a song, he said he rapped too fast, slowed it down and then got right back into it and slayed again. Even in full Igor regalia, he did his old music justice. It was awesome. I also liked, when he decided to break character, his interactions with the audience. He wanted us all up and grooving with him. He asked for help on songs. He wanted us to be involved in a good way. And when people got too involved, he shut it down. There was also a guy that was just standing there, hands in pocket, and Tyler called him out. I loved it. He wanted that dude to have fun, and if I had to bet, that dude loosened up and had a good time.

This concert was such a pleasant surprise and I am so glad that I went to see him. If you have a chance, go see Tyler, the Creator. He is one of the more underrated rappers out there right now, but he is so, so good. And this whole Igor character is super fun to watch live. What a solid, and super fun show. I cannot recommend it enough.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Ty was not the man with his hands in his pocket. Ty waves his hands in the air like he has no cares.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Timberwolves, Kings, Spurs, Magic

Day 4 of my NBA countdown gives us, in my opinion, the best 18 teams. We will get into my top 16, or playoff teams if you will, but that doesn't mean that I have 8 teams from the West and East. I simply put who I thought wee the best 16 teams in that order. I am all for the playoff being conference less, and that is how I looked at my countdown when I took all my notes. So, with that being said, lets get into it.

At number 18 I have the Minnesota Timberwolves. The T'Wolves are kind of in a no man's land. If they were in the East, they would be a playoff team easily. But, the West is a whole different animal, and Minnesota just doesn't have quite enough to break through. What they do have is a bona fide star on their team. Karl Anthony Towns is legit. He is so good on the offensive side of the ball. He is a great scorer, and now that he has extended his range, he is a matchup nightmare. He is also an excellent rebounder and a solid passer. But, he needs to get better defensively. When he is engaged on that end he is good, he just needs to be engaged always. Then he will become a top 10 player in the league. But, outside od Towns, the T'Wolves are a mystery. I think I was the last person on the Andrew Wiggins hype train, and even I have jumped off. He just isn't consistent, disappears far too much and isn't the defender I thought he could be coming out of college. Jeff Teague is old, and ready to be replaced. Josh Okogie looks like he will be the guy, but he needs to become more consistent in every phase. I like Jarret Culver, and think he could be a good player for a decade, but he still has a ways to go on offense. Robert Covington is a solid veteran, and a good role player, but he is a starter in Minnesota. He is so much better off the bench. They took some flyers on free agents like Jake Layman and Jordan Bell, and I just don't know with those guys. Layman barely saw the floor in Portland, and Bell regressed last year in Golden State. Minnesota will win close to 40 games, but I fear that Towns is getting into Kevin Love territory, and that is not where you want to be if you want to win titles.

At number 17, and I really, really wanted to put this team in the top 16, but they play in the West, and they're too young, I have the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have totally remade themselves, and they are no longer the laughingstock that they have been for the past decade plus. The Kings have a cohesive, and fun team. I love DeAron Fox. He is so fast, good with the ball, finds the open guy, plays hard, plays tough and has only gotten better since he has been in the league. He is one of my favorite young guys in the league. Marvin Bagley played far better than I thought he would last year. He looked to be stronger, played smarter and got better in his rookie year. That is a great sign. Buddy Hield, as you all know I love, has found a proper NBA home. The Kings allow him the freedom to shoot and be a playmaker, and that is what he needed coming out of college. He is quietly one of the better three point shooters in the NBA. I think Bogdan Bogdanovic is going to be this version of the Kings Peja Stojakivic. He is a solid outside shooter, and he is fun to watch. Harrison Barnes, who I think gets unfairly criticized, is a solid veteran that this team needs. He knows what it takes to win in the NBA, and he does the little things fairly well. Harry Giles, who has been hurt seemingly forever, looked good in limited minutes last year. He looked athletic and rebounded and ran the floor well. The Trevor Ariza signing here could be what I expected it to be in Phoenix. Ariza is also one of the better defenders in the league. Dwayne Dedmon is a solid center, and a rim protector they need. I find the Kings to be very fun, and I think they will be at, or above ,500 this year, which is huge for them. They just need one more year before they are a playoff team.

At number 16, my first "playoff" team, I have the San Antonio Spurs. I know, this team plays old style dinosaur basketball, they have no real super stars and they may seem boring. But, they still have Greg Poppovich as their head coach, and as long as he is there, the Spurs will always be a playoff team in my eyes. And, without having stars, they do have LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan. Sure, those guys may not pop, but they are really good, really solid NBA players. Aldridge had a very good year last year, and he is finally finding his groove as a Spur. And DeRozan is a proven scorer and shooter, even if he doesn't take a million threes. He is still a really good player. Outside those 2, this team is relatively young. Yes, Patty Mills is still there, and he is their best shooter. But, after that, this team is young. Derrick White had a great playoff run last season. He really showed out, and I think that is a sign of things to come. Lonnie Walker had to do some time in the G League last year, but I think it helped him. He looked unstoppable in summer league, and he has been solid in the preseason. Dejounte Murray, who is going to be awesome, is back after missing last year with a knee injury. Murray was on his way to being "the guy" there, and I think that will come true this season. Jakob Poeltl is a big lumbering center, but he is what this team needs under and around the hoop. Rudy Gay is still there, and he was super efficient and really good last season. He is the epitome of a consummate pro. I also like the addition of Trey Lyles, I think he helps them. And even if he isn't the defender he was in Toronto, DeMarre Carroll still offers value on that end of the floor. The Spurs dynasty of the past is over, but they still have a solid roster and the best coach in the history of the NBA. They are still a playoff team to me.

My final team for the day, at number 15, I have the Orlando Magic. The Magic are back. Well, not back to being a title contender, but they will be a perennial playoff team in the East. This roster is stacked with talent, but it is raw and it is young. Aaron Gordon has really turned himself into so much more than a dunker. He is a great defender, he has a shot that you have to respect and he is becoming the team leader, and he is only 24 years old. Mo Bamba has been really good in the preseason, and if he can put on some weight, and continue to improve around the rim, he will be worth way more than the sixth overall pick that he was two years ago. Johnathan Issac had a solid year last year, and has the look of an improved jumper. He, like Bamba, is rail thin, but he can be a problem for opponents on defense. He is also super long, and plays hard defense. Nikola Vucecvic got his big deal after an All Star season, and now I think he will play with freedom. He is also the prototypical modern big. He heled me make the finals in my fantasy league last year because he stuffs the stat sheet. I see more of that. Markelle Fultz, knock on wood, has looked okay. His jumper looks better, not fixed, but better and he is attacking the rim so far in the preseason. If he can give them a tenth of what was expected from him coming out of college, that would be great. Evan Fournier was awesome in FIBA this summer, and the dude knows how to get bucket. Terrance Ross is s solid all around guy. They signed Al Faroq Aminu, and that guy has been a playoff player forever. And DJ Augustin is back, and even though he has been around forever, he won their only playoff game for them last season. The Magic have a glut of players at power forward, and no real point guard, but they play defense and they spread the ball around. I see them easily making the playoffs again, and maybe this time they will win a series. Also, they could pull a big trade with all the assets they have, and that would be big time.

That is it for today. Come back for the next 4 teams tomorrow.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Hawks, Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans

Day 3 of my NBA countdown is here. We are almost at my top 18, or which teams I would put in the playoffs if they didn't have to do East and West teams. Also, if any of the 4 teams I have today make the playoffs, it wouldn't shock me at all.

Anyway, coming in at number 22 I have the Atlanta Hawks. I love the way this team is being built, and I love the young talent they have. Trae Young totally changed my view of him with the way he improved all season long. He started slow, but he didn't let that bother him, and by the end of the year, it wasn't a far gone conclusion that Doncic was the runaway rookie of the year. Young made it a real race. He is already a very solid shooter, but the way he passed the ball and his handles, man did he have a real solid year. Now he needs to grow off that. I am a big time fan of John Collins. I like his old school game, he is strong, he can rebound and is a nice dunker. I like the pick of Deandre Hunter. He was a great defender in college, and hopefully that will translate to the pros for him. He also shot the lights out in the NCAA title game, and maybe that was a sign of things to come. They also took a "flyer" on Cam Reddish with the 10th pick. I don't see big things from him, he was a ghost at Duke last year. But, for the 10th overall pick, why not take a shot. If he becomes a sixth man, I feel like that is a win. Vince Carter is back for his 10 millionth season. I know this is his last, and he has been so much fun tot watch. I have nothing but respect for Carter. Kevin Huerter is another lethal shooter right next to Trae Young. Jabari Parker is there, and while he has not been great at much, the dude can score. The Hawks are not ready yet, but neither were the Thunder when they first made the playoffs. I could see that happening with the Hawks, especially in the East. But still, I think 35 wins is best case scenario for them.

At number 21 I have the Detroit Pistons. I just don't really know what they're trying to do. They have a few big names. Blake Griffin is a perennial All Star and a solid player. But, I still feel like he is wildly overrated, he is older, not as athletic and still gets hurt too much. Andre Drummond is a massive, throwback center, and I love watching him play. He plays hard and tough, but he isn't a top of the line center. Also, he needs to stop shooting threes. That is not his game at all. Reggie Jackson is a waste of a roster spot. He has only gotten worse since demanding his way out of OKC. He makes far too much money, and thinks he is better than he truly is. Luke Kennard is a nothing player. He isn't that good of a shooter, he cannot defend and he just takes up space. Derrick Rose is here, and while he played way better last year, he just isn't the guy he used to be. I hope for good things for him, but he seems past his time. They signed Joe Johnson after he won the MVP in the Big 3, but come on, he isn't "Big Shot Joe" anymore. Other than that, it's a cobbled together group of basketball players. What helps them is their coach, Dwayne Casey, who I like, and the fact they play in the East. But still, I do not know what to make of this team.

At number 20 I have the New York Knicks. Now this roster, this is the most cobbled together piece of junk I have seen in some time. This team totally whiffed on any big name free agents this past summer, and then they were left digging for scraps, and scraps they got. Julius Randle is a fine NBA player, but he is not a cornerstone player. You cannot build a title contender, or even a playoff contender, when Randle is your guy, and like I said, I like Randle. They got Marcus Morris to fleece the Spurs and sign with them, but I feel like the Spurs dodged a bullet. They signed Elfrid Payton, and he is the point guard version of Jabari Parker minus the scoring prowess. Bobby Portis is better known for punching a teammate than anything he has done on the court. Taj Gibson is a billion years old. And Wayne Ellington is here for some reason. The young guys are still very unproven. Frank Ntilikina has never gotten a real shot, and they need to trade him so he can try and reinvigorate his career. I love Mitchell Robinson, and I think he is the dude they need to build around. Kevin Knox was dreadful last year, and has not looked good in preseason. Dennis Smith Jr is hyper athletic, but still struggles to shoot the ball. And they took RJ Barrett, who I have zero faith in as a future All Star. The Knicks roster is so weird and seems incompatible. Randle will score in bunches and Mitchell Robison is awesome, but outside of that, I just don't know what to make of this team. I have them higher than I thought I would, but I wouldn't be shocked if they win 25 games this year. Who knows.

My final team for the day, coming in at number 19, is the New Orleans Pelicans. No team, that lost a great, top 5 player, could have had a better offseason than the Pelicans. Yes, they lost Anthony Davis, and while that is a real bummer, they got such a great return. They got Lonzo Ball, who has a much improved shooting form, and can still play D and find the open shooter. They got Josh Hart who is a consummate pro. He does all the little things. They got Brandon Ingram, and he was really starting to come along late last season. He played so much better when LeBron was out, and in New Orleans, I feel like he could shine. And they got the number one overall pick, Zion Williamson. While I want to see more than just dunking from him, he is going to ease the loss of Davis so much smoother. He will get people to come out and watch the Pelicans. They still have Jrue Holiday, who might be the most underrated player in the NBA. He is so good in every phase of the game. They drafted Jaxson Hayes, who is incredibly raw, but incredibly talented. When/if he starts to figure it out, he is going to be a great modern big. I also love the pick of Nickeil Alexander Walker. He was an under the radar choice, and he had an excellent summer league and has looked solid in preseason. They signed Derrick Favors and JJ Redick too. Those guys have been in the playoffs a ton, and they have great veteran experience to help out this young squad. The Pelicans did something great after losing such a star. They rebuilt on the fly, and they did it so much better than anyone could have expected. The one problem, they play in the West, and the West is super duper tough. I could see them winning 42, 43 games and missing out on the playoffs. But my hat is off to New Orleans. They did an excellent job, and they will be a playoff team much sooner than expected.

That is it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams. We are in playoff team territory now.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 5

I know it’s late, but I didn’t forget my week 5 NFL quick takes. It’s going to real quick though, like a sentence or 2, because I’m doing my major basketball previews. But still, want to touch on the week in the NFL.

The Rams blew the Thursday night game, and the Seahawks escaped. Yes, Wilson made beautiful throws, and I’m coming around on him as a solid QB, but I still don’t like him as a person. But the Rams should have won. They missed an easy kick, and they need to get better if they want to return to the playoffs.

The Eagles cruised over the Jets. They scored 2 defensive TD’s and played simple, yet effective, offense. The Jets stink, and Sam Darnold won’t save them.

The Panthers, and mainly Christian McCaffery, are starting to come around. They won a hard fought game, and they’re letting their best player, CMC, lead the way. When Cam comes back, look out. And the Jags look destined to be a 6-10 team, but play close games all year.

RD’s Vikings easily disposed of the overrated Daniel Jones. Also, Kirk Cousins actually threw the ball fairly well. The Vikings are doing what they should to bad teams, but they aren’t competing yet with good ones.

Deshaun Watson emerged as the front runner for MVP for me. Five TD’s, 350 plus passing yards and total control of the offense. The Texans go as he goes. And the Falcons are a mess. I wouldn’t be shocked if Dan Quinn gets fired soon.

Teddy Bridgewater finally threw the ball real well, for four TD’s, and the Saints got a good division win. Tampa was hot coming in, but the Saints won a big game. They’re 3-0 without Drew Brees.

The Bills and Titans played a boring, low scoring game, just like both teams want to. The Bills won, and are somehow 4-1 now. And the Titans are trending down right now.

RD’s other team, the Bengals, let Kilff Kingsbury get his first NFL win. I mean, Kyler Murray play well, but still, the Bengals should’ve beaten the Cardinals. The Bengals are bad.

But not as bad as Washington, who fired their coach after getting shellacked by the Patriots. I mean, New England barely showed up, and they won by 26 points. Washington is bad, and just firing Jay Gruden will not fix what ails them.

The Ravens may not be as good as I hoped they would be, but Lamar Jackson is still fun as hell to watch. They barely beat Pittsburgh, needed overtime in fact, and the Steelers are not a good football team right now.

The Raiders beat the Bears, and they looked pretty good doing it. They ran all over a good defense, and came up with a solid game winning drive late. The Bears have an otherworldly defense, but their offense is so subpar. They need to fix that.

The Broncos got their first win, but I think this says more about the Chargers. The Chargers look sleepy right now, and I don’t think they will wake up. Good for Phillip Lindsay running all over the Chargers too. It helped my fantasy team.

The Packers crushed the Cowboys, much to my delight. Sure, it looked close at the end, but it wasn’t. Prescott was awful, the Packers shut down the overrated Ezekial Elliot and Aaron Jones went the hell off. Maybe, just maybe, Green Bay might have a good running back. And their defense got all the turnovers they needed.

The Colts played a magnificent defensive masterpiece to shut down the Chiefs. They held them to 13 points, Mahomes only had one TD and the Chiefs couldn’t run the ball. The Colts, on the other hand, ran and ran and ran some more all night long. They controlled the ball and the clock, and when that works, that’s what you need to do to beat the Chiefs. The Chiefs will be fine, but the Colts, without Andrew Luck, are a good team. Jacoby Brissett is a solid QB.

Finally, we have the Monday night beat down. The 49ers dismantled the Browns. They owned the night. They owned the hell out of Baker Mayfield, and they took pleasure in it. I said last week maybe I was too tough on Cleveland, well, last night proved they, and Mayfield, are not ready for prime time. They talk and don’t back it up. And I am now a full on supporter of Richard Sherman for his NCAA comments, and his comments on Mayfield’s attitude. Props to Sherman.

Alright, those are my week 5 takes.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The head editor’s teams on the field may be mediocre to bad, but his fantasy team in the internets is 5-0 baby.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Suns, Bulls, Thunder, Mavericks

Day 2 of my NBA countdown has done usual suspects that fall low on my list, but also a new team that is trying to rank it seems.

Coming in at number 26 I have the Phoenix Suns. I proclaimed them as my new favorite team, but after this offseason, I may have to jump ship. I don’t get some of the moves they made. Why did they sign Frank Kaminsky? Couldn’t they get more fit Josh Jackson? What is going on with that front office? The Suns have a good amount of problems right now. That being said, they still have Devin Booker, and that dude can score. He is a walking bucket. But isn’t he just a poor man’s Brad Beal? He could go for 30 a night, but will it really matter? I still have high hopes for Deandre Ayton. I think he can be really good if he fully buys in. Yes he was a rookie, but he looked lost and preoccupied at times last year. He also got eaten up by bigger centers. I still have faith in him though. I think Ricky Rubio was a solid signing, they just gave him too much money. Booker could thrive with a point guard like Rubio, but Rubio has never really lived up to the hype. He’s been solid, but never great. I also am not a fan of them letting TJ Warren leave as a free agent. They need guys like him. Guys like Kelly Oubre are good and well for a solid game here and there. But, he’s not consistent like Warren. The Suns have 2 really solid building blocks, but they have a ton of work to do. And they need to win if they want to keep Booker.

At number 25 I have the Chicago Bulls. This may seem far too low for some, I’ve heard some people say they can push for the playoffs, but i think that says more about the East than the Bulls. They have okay players, but that’s it, they’re just okay. Zach Lavine is not a guy you want to build around. He’s an average scorer, an excellent leaper and a so so defender. That’s it. Lauri Markanen can shoot, but he’s soft. Kris Dunn is a bust. I love Coby White, and I want him to be good, but it will take time. Wendell Carter was playing okay, but he got hurt. I just feel like the Bulls have far more questions than answers. And, if they do make the playoffs, I’d be stunned. They still seem a ways off.

At number 25 I have the OKC Thunder. This is another team that I don’t know what they’re doing, but smart people, smarter than me about the NBA, seem to think they could push for the playoffs. I say no way, especially in the West. The Thunder need to fully embrace the rebuild. Their stars are gone. All of them. They’ve moved on. And I know they acquired Chris Paul in the Westbrook trade, but he’s old and has been on the decline for the past couple years. And, I don’t think he’ll be on the team come All Star break. Same goes for Steven Adams. I don’t think he’s going to want to be around on a team that’s rebuilding. He’s getting to the back end if his career, and for a player that’s been in the playoffs every season, I think he will want to keep that streak alive. What this team needs to do is give the keys to Shai Gilgeous Alexander. Build around him. He’s young, he’s good and looks like a team leader. He had big moments last year in LA, and looks ready to take the next step. You can pair any number of the other young guys, like Terrance Ferguson for example, with SGA, and start a rebuild from there. They also have about a million draft picks in the next couple drafts. The Thunder are in a perfect position for a good rebuild. Take that route, use picks, trade old vets for more picks and younger players and be ready to be a threat in 3 or 4 years. That’s what I would do anyway.

My final team for today, coming in at number 23, I have the Dallas Mavericks. Here’s another team that will win 35-40 games, but are just not ready to compete in the West. Not yet anyway. Luka Doncic was every bit as good as advertised. Now he just needs to keep it up. Keep getting better, stay in shape and improve the little things. The Mavs traded for Kristaps Porzingis last year, of which he played zero games, and they seem to think he will come out on fire this year. I think it’s going to take time for him to get back to his good days with the Knicks, and don’t forget, he was accused of sexual assault this past offseason. Some people may have forgotten that, I didn’t. Outside those 2 guys, this team is cobbled with an odd mixture. Tim Hardaway Jr is still there, and he will have a 25 point game here and there, but he’s much more prone to scoring 12 points on 3 of 15 shooting. JJ Barea is somehow still in the league even though he seems like he’s 60 years old. Boban is on the team, but he’s more of a spectacle than a player of circumstance. They have the less talented Curry. Courtney Lee is there to shoot threes and be trade bait. Jalen Brunson is fine, but he’s a bench player at best. And Justin Jackson left Sacramento, where he was a non factor, to come ride the bench here. The Mavs will win games, and Luka is legit, but I don’t but them as a playoff team. They have work to do, but they’re on the right track.

That’s it for today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty's 2019-2020 NBA Preview: Hornets, Wizards, Cavaliers, Grizzlies

We are mere weeks away from the NBA starting, so that means, you guessed it, I’ll be counting down the teams from 30 to 1 for the next 8 days. The 2 days after that I’ll do predictions and a men’s college basketball preview. And not to worry, I’ll sprinkle it some smaller blogs not pertaining to basketball over the next 2 week. I mean, I have to still do my NFL quick hits and concert, TV and movie reviews. Anyway, let’s start with the bottom of the barrel NBA teams.

At number 30 I have the Charlotte Hornets. I think pretty much every NBA person thinks they’ll be the worst team in the league by a wide margin. They lost their best, and most reliable player, Kemba Walker, and even with him, they couldn’t make the playoffs, in the East. And they replaced him with nothing. The Hornets are a weird mix of youth and veterans, but it doesn’t fit. They are the square peg, round hole team of the NBA. They guys they’ve drafted haven’t really panned our yet. Miles Bridges looked more lost than good last year. Malik Monk has been a disaster. Marvin Williams has never lived up to the hype. And they finally got rid of Frank Kaminsky. The vets are well past their prime, or overrated. Nic Batum is toast. I will never understand why they gave Terry Rozier so much money. The Hornets are, quite simply, a mess. I would be stunned, stunned I tell you, if they win 20 games this year. They’re going to stink.

At 29 I have a team that might be as bad as the Hornets, if they trade their star player. That team is the Washington Wizards. Oof, this team has fallen on hard times. I picked them to make the Finals just 2 years ago, and now, they’re one of the worst teams in the league. And it’s not like they traded all their good guys, it’s just that the good guys got old, hurt or want out. John Wall was a supernova, one of my favorite players in the league and a blast to watch 2 years ago. Now, he missed most of last year, and will miss all of this year. And his contract is an albatross. I can’t see anyone, right now, trying to trade for him. That’s a shame. Bradley Beal is so, so good offensively. He’s also gotten much better on D. He just has zero help. He could score 40 a game this year, and the Wizards would still lose by 20 points on any given night. They were lucky enough to get off Jeff Green and Dwight Howard, but those guys don’t make a difference. And they have replaced them with G League level guys. I was puzzled by them taking Rui Hachimura in the lottery. While he may prove me wrong, he still has some work to do to get better. And he will not demand defenders to open up space for Beal. Then we have Scotty Brooks. I didn’t think this was a good hire to begin with, and it’s coming to fruition. He is not a very good coach, and he’s proven that twice now.

At number 28 I have the Cleveland Cavaliers. Man has this team fallen flat again after losing LeBron. Kevin Love barely played last year, and seems marginal now. Tristan Thompson is more focused on cheating on girlfriends. Colin Sexton started off poorly, and only leveled out. Cedi Osman looks like a role player at best. I don’t get why they took Darius Garland a season after taking Sexton, and by the way, he hasn’t played meaningful basketball since high school. And they took John Beilen from Michigan. I mean, he chose to leave, but still. Also, why the Cleveland job, I’ll never know. I’ve even written about how puzzling this choice was for me. The Cavs are a lottery team, and will be for awhile. Beilen may make them more fundamentally sound, but this is the NBA, not college basketball. If he tries to coach like he’s still at Michigan, he will get eaten alive. The Cavs may be good one day again soon. But, for the time being, they’re no more than a 22 or 23 win team.

My final team today is a team I actually like, but they’re going through a total revamped youth movement, and while they’ll be fun to watch, the Memphis Grizzlies will not win a ton of games, and they are my 27th ranked team. I love the young dudes on the team. Ja Morant was my number one prospect in the most recent draft. He is super athletic, and when he gets a jumper, he can be as good as Russell Westbrook. Brandon Clarke was a great late first round pick. He’s big and athletic, can protect the rim, get rebounds and shoot from outside. He’s a steal. Jaren Jackson Jr was having a solid year before he got hurt. With Morant, they could be a deadly puck and roll duo. It’s just going to take time. I feel like those three guys are a solid building block for a future contender. But they’re all under 22 years old. Also, the Grizzlies play in the West. That’s tough when you have a good veteran team. So, while I like what the Grizzlies are doing right now, they need time to gel and learn to play in the NBA. They won’t win many games this year, or the next. But, in 3 years, if they stay together and improve each year, I could see Memphis in my top 10-15. Just not yet.

That’s it did today. Come back tomorrow for the next 4 teams.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet. 

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

A New Perspective on Pay to Play

While I thought that I had said pretty much everything I wanted to on the "Pay to Play" law yesterday,

I didn't.

I was talking to my dad today about the new possibility of this becoming a law, and we got on the topic of being a parent of an athlete that a school may have profited, or will profit, off of. Now, my dad, all of us are grown. If we had a shot, we didn't make it, or we didn't try. I do have one brother that played college football, but I honestly do not remember if anyone had his jersey, or wore stuff with his likeness on it. So we then shifted the conversation to his grand-kids, and my kids. He asked me how I would feel if my son or daughter was a good enough athlete that they were being heavily recruited to play college sports, and "Pay to Play" became a real thing, what would I do, as their parent. Would I try to steer them to a certain school, or would I let them do what they please.

Now, I would love to say that I would let them do whatever they want to do. I do that now. I let them make choices, although they are small. I let them pick clothes, how they want to do their hair, what they want for dessert, just small things here and there. But, if "Pay to Play" becomes a real thing, god I hope it does, I would be lying to myself if I said I wouldn't try and steer them towards the schools that have "Pay to Play". I am a Michigan fan through and through. They are my ride or die squad. As you all know, they are the only sports team that I truly love. But, "Pay to Play" is not a thing in Michigan yet. My dad told me to envision my kids being college athletes now, and singularly focus on the states that have passed "Pay to Play". That made me think extra hard. Still, I would let them know all the advantages of playing in a state that has "Pay to Play", as opposed to states that don't allow it. I would let them know that the schools in California and New York would give them a much deserved piece of the profit that they are making off selling my kids jersey, or items that may have their likeness on it. I would also let them know that states that do not yet have the law, those schools would take all the money and give it to coaches and assistant coaches and AD's and the NCAA. I would let them know that they would be taken advantage of if they chose to go to a school in a state where "Pay to Play" was not an option. That they wouldn't see a dime of stuff that has anything pertaining to them on it. I would let them know what an injustice that is, and try and steer them towards a school that would help them out with more than just a scholarship. I would want them to be comfortable in college, and not have to worry about going out to get a meal because it may or may not be an NCAA violation. I also just think it is right for them to see a little something if they are making millions of dollars for a college that they are going to. It just seems right. Sure, it would be tough for them to be so far away from my wife and I, but still, they would deserve to be compensated. They would deserve to be comfortable. They shouldn't feel like lesser than a university, especially if they are making money for the school. That is my perspective as a parent in a world with the "Pay to Play" act possibly becoming a real thing.

Look, the NCAA is as corrupt as FIFA, and for them to act like victims in this new world is appalling. I hope "Pay to Play" becomes a world wide thing so I wouldn't have to steer my kids to a place where they would be taken care of. But if it doesn't, and just stays on the West and East Coast, then I would try and get them to look so much closer at those schools than schools close to home, or schools I am a fan of. That is the honest truth.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Every State Needs to Pass Pay to Play Laws

I am very happy right now that the "Pay to Play" bill is getting closer and closer to becoming the law. It is about damn time that these kids get to benefit off their likeness and jersey sales in college sports. I wrote, maybe a week or so ago, how I have totally flipped to the side that these kids deserve some kind of compensation, outside of a scholarship. The money that the schools, and coaches make off the superstar players on their teams is insane, and the fact that the player sees no kind of return, well it is asinine.

My wife and I talked about this very subject the other night, and she actually disagreed with me, saying that a scholarship was enough for the star players because soon they would be making a fortune. I countered with the fact that some of the highest paid employees in certain states are coaches, usually of the football teams. She did not know that. I know that Jim Harbaugh is the highest paid employee in Michigan. The same can be said for Nick Saban and Alabama. I wouldn't even be shocked if guys like Jeremy Pruitt and Willie Taggart are the highest paid employees in Tennessee and Florida, and they are coaches of struggling football teams.

All of this is to say, if the coaches, their staffs and the university, and the NCAA, can profit millions upon millions upon millions of dollars, why can't the kids bringing in the profits see a dime? That is why I am all for the "Pay to Play" act. This makes me so happy. I love that California has already passed it. I think Florida has as well. I know places like Ohio and New York are in the process of getting this passed as well. And it is about damn time.

I am going to go back to some of the players I mentioned from my first article. And while my wife isn't wrong, Chris Webber and Zion Williamson are set for life now, the fact that they got nothing in college, and the school and coaches got millions, is sickening. I want to go back to the UNC-Duke game from last year, the one Obama was in attendance for. The tickets were upwards of 10,000 dollars, everywhere you looked , people had Duke jerseys with the number 1 on the back, Williamson's number and there were so many branded shirts in the crowd for both schools. But, the 10 players on the floor, most notably Zion, got none of the money. People, random students, were wearing his jersey, and he didn't see a dollar. Same thing goes for Webber at Michigan. He would go into the bookstore at school, see his number 4 jersey for sale for upwards of 60 bucks, and he could barely afford a meal at McDonald's. That is criminal. And, it isn't like these kids can get a job in the offseason. Their sport is essentially their job in college. One, I think it is against the rules for an athlete to have a job, and second, they have no time. I had a friend that played division 1-AA football, and he never had an offseason. During football season, he was up at 5 for a morning practice, then off to class all day, then back in the afternoon for a practice, then film study, then study hall, then lights out. This was all year long in fact. Even when football was over, he still had weight training, study hall, film sessions and anything else that the football team needed him to do. He didn't have time for a job. And this was 1-AA football. So, just imagine what the top flight, top prospects have to go through in D-1. It has to be insane. I'm sure a guy like Jerry Jeudy from Alabama, a top flight receiving prospect, and one of the top prospects in the nation, has zero time to focus on anything other than football. Yet, he has been at Alabama for three years, people wear his jersey in the stands and he sees nothing from it. He has to deal with a curmudgeon of a head coach, who is making money hand over fist. He has a university that is throwing him out there to promote Alabama football, from which they make tons of money. And he just has to sit back and accept that he has to wait until the NFL draft before he can make any money. That is so wrong. And Jeudy is just one of the many prospects, across all major sports at big time schools, that is being unfairly kept away from profiting off their name and image.

Point is, I'm fully on board with guys like Draymond Green and Richard Sherman. I hope this destroys the corrupt and immoral NCAA, and I love college sports. But, it is high time that these kids, who are being put on national TV, having their jerseys being sold, having to talk to media members and being portrayed as bastions to their university get some compensation. Tim Tebow is an idiot and the people who think a scholarship is enough are wrong. Too many student athletes have been taken advantage of for far too long, and it seems like their time may finally be coming. I know if either one of my kids ends up playing a sport in college, and they are good enough that people buy anything with their likeness, name or face on it, I would want them to see a share of that money.

Lets hope the "Pay to Play" act is the wave of the future needed in college sports. I fully support this law.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

I Ran a Trail Half Marathon

Last week I tried, and I think I was successful, to answer my own personal question as to why I was running a trail half marathon. Well, the race was this past Saturday, and I did it, I finished and I want to reflect on what I experienced before, during and after the race.

Before the race I was pretty nervous. More nervous than I usually am before any race. I kind of knew what was ahead of me, but I wasn't fully certain. I had been training at the spot of the race, but I only ran the course a handful of times, maybe four, and it wasn't the full course. I did different distances on the course, but nothing over seven and a half miles. So, I was sweating the full course before I even started. I also caught up with my buddy before his race started, and you could just tell from looking at us that we were both nervous. He even texted me as I was driving there, asked me if I was ready, and I told him I was as ready as I was going to be. I wasn't even fully confident on the drive there. Then, after getting all the pre race info, the half marathoners were sent to our starting line, and headed over there. It almost felt like a death march. I know this all sounds very grim, but I promise, it will get better.

When the clock struck 7am, the coordinator blew the horn, and we were off. About one mile in, I started to actually feel okay. I was on a track I was familiar with, I was keeping a steady pace and it wasn't super hot or humid. Not yet at least. I kept feeling good even into the third mile. This was the first big elevation gain, but power hiking up the hill was treating me proper. It helped me get my heartbeat down, I still felt solid and once I got to the top, it was a flat track, and I was ready to run right away. For the next 3 and a half mile, that is 6 and a half total, the first leg of the race, I was good. I ran the straights, the downhills, power hiked the hills and kept chugging along. It was all good. I made it to the halfway point after about an hour and a half, and still felt solid. I stopped off to regain my composure, to check in at the aid station, not because I was hurt, we had to to give them our number to get our official time, and decided I had enough water and I was good to go after a few minutes of rest. I figured the back half would be similar, and I thought I had enough water to get me through.

So, I started back, and this is when I hit a major wall. I was good for another half a mile, maybe even a mile, but then some weird stuff started to happen. After I power hiked up the first hill, I hit a straight path that, for some reason, I couldn't get myself to run. My heart rate was too elevated, and I was suddenly very tired. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I pushed on through because that is what I do, but something was off. As I kept going, I started to feel twitchiness in my calves and thighs. Now, this has happened before, in fact, it happens a lot, but this was different. The twitch was constant, and it hurt. I felt like I could literally see the muscles twitch. If I was a bit more cognizant, I would have taken a video. But, choosing to not listen to my body, I decided I would push through this feeling, and that eventually, it would go away. It did, but something much worse happened. I had been walking for about 2 miles at this point, and as I hit mile 9 on the race, I completely cramped up. I drank some more of my water, but I was getting low.

I then decided to get to the side of the trail and stretch. This was super painful. I sat down, a mistake, and stretched my legs to the best of my ability. When I felt up to it, and the cramping stopped, I got myself up, which took a ton of effort, and started to hike again. I started to get the twitch again, but I drank some more water, luckily found a big walking stick and tried to run. I got maybe a quarter mile before I had to walk again.

And then it started to rain.

The rain didn't bug me, but the humidity was starting to get to me. I was sweating so much that it felt like I was wearing clothes that I had worn in a pool. I was soaked, and it wasn't the rain. I traversed on because that is what the athlete in me was telling me to do, but it was starting to get tougher and tougher. I was getting frustrated. I was cursing myself. I was saying things aloud to no one in particular.

That is when the quitting feeling started to set in.

I was around 10 and a half miles in, and I wanted to give in. I was getting near an aid station, the last one, and I was going to throw in the towel. I was also out of water and I just wanted to be done. I got to the aid station, and was ready to pack it in. But, and the volunteers were so truly amazing at this race, helped convince me to finish the race. They filled up my hydration pack, they gave me solid words of encouragement and they let me know that I just had 2 more miles to go. To think of how easy, and euphoric it would be to finish this race. They gave me the added encouragement that I was craving at that point of the race.

After I gathered my thoughts, walking stick and pack, and endlessly thanked the volunteers, I was back on the course. About a half a mile after that, I ran into my buddy that was doing the 53k that day, and saw him running, and that gave me the one last push I didn't know I needed. To see him pushing, knowing he still had a good amount to go, pushed me over the edge, in a good way. From there on out, I power hiked. I still had pain in my legs, my feet were very sore, I had a bruise on the ball of my foot from stepping on a rock early on in the race, and every time I stepped on it it shot pain throughout my foot, but I kept going. I kept telling myself one step at a time. That soon, I would be done. As I came upon a sign that read, "13.1 Finish Line Ahead", I started to get very excited. I should point out, my watch read 13.72 miles total, but at this point, I didn't care. I was so close. When I got to the very last, small climb, I decided to finish with as much speed as I had left, which wasn't much.

As I crossed that finish line, I felt a feeling like I never have before. This was an accomplishment for me. This was one of, if not the, toughest athletic competition that I have ever done, and I finished it. I wanted to quit, but I didn't. I wanted to give up, but I had people that were willing to talk me out of it and help me finish. And as I crossed that line, and yelled out to the race coordinator, jokingly, "my watch reads almost 14 miles", I was excited. I went and got stretched out and headed to my car. I tried to stretch a bit more, but started cramping up again, so I got in my care and drove home feeling very happy. Sure, I didn't meet my goal of 3 and a half hours, I finished in 3 hours and 53 minutes, and I was more sore than I have ever been, but I felt great. I couldn't believe that I had done a trail half marathon, but I did.

Now, 4 days after doing it, I feel totally fine, and am prepping myself for a street half marathon, and have already committed internally to do this same race again next year. The best word I can use to describe finishing is euphoric. This was hard and taxing and excruciating at times. But, finishing was the best. I'm so happy that I did this race. It was more than worth everything that happened on Saturday. I cannot wait for next year.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. No jokes today, just a hearty “Good Job Ty”.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 4

You all already know what it is on Tuesday, so let’s get to my week 4 NFL quick takes.

The Thursday night game was a frustrating one for me. Green Bay found an offensive rhythm, but the defense had an off game. The Eagles are good, but the Packers should have won. They were at home, have been playing stout D and had a chance at the end, but they blew it. Props to the Eagles though. They scored a good amount of points against a good defense, and won a critical road game. Still don’t get why the Packers didn’t run on the goal line though.

The Sunday afternoon slate was solid, highlighted by Chiefs-Lions. Look, we all know the Chiefs are good, but, right now, so are the Lions. They got screwed, twice, and still hung in there. They were toe to toe with the Chiefs and Mahomes, and that’s a god sign. But, the Chiefs did all the little things, and pulled out a victory.

Washington is an absolute tire fire. That team might be worse than the Dolphins, and the Dolphins are trying to be awful. The Giants won again, but don’t give all the credit to Daniel Jones. He played a sloppy game, and Washington is horrendous.

The Titans dismantled the Falcons. The Falcons are in a bad spot. They made Mariota look like a pro bowler, and their offense is stagnant. They have real problems.

The Browns won a game I was almost certain they’d lose. But they went to Baltimore, scored 40 and looked good. Was it a flash in the pan, or a sign of things to come? Time will tell. And Baltimore’s defense was atrocious. Nick Chubb owner them.

The Raiders beat the Colts, and Vontaze Burfict got himself suspended for the year. That is all I really recall from that game.

The Patriots were terrible on offense, but they still beat Buffalo in Buffalo. As bad as Tom Brady was, Josh Allen was worse, and that was the difference. But that Bills D is legit. New England is just better.

The Panthers got a hard fought, much needed win in Houston. Their defense was solid, and Christian McCaffery carried that offense. Also, Houston needs to protect Deshaun Watson much better. Oof.

In the late afternoon, there were some solid games and some duds. The Chargers easily disposed of the Dolphins. I feel like for the rest of the season I can write that same sentence, and just insert whatever team is playing Miami.

I almost feel like I could do the same with Arizona. The Seahawks were sloppy and still beat them by 3 scores. I do want to point out Jadaveon Clowney’s pick six. That was a hell of a play.

The Bears owned the Vikings. Sure, the final was 16-6, but it felt like a 50 point win for Chicago. Also, I think the Bears looked better with Chase Daniel at QB. As for the Vikings, Kirk Cousins has been a disaster. He is so bad when playing good teams. I would bet that most fans are dreading that contract, and the fact that he is still going to be there the rest of this season, and all of next season.

The Jags and Broncos played a semi exciting game without exciting players. I do not buy the Gardner Minshew hype, and Joe Flacco is beyond washed. And even though they finally got some sacks, the Broncos not only lost the game, they also lost one of their star D lineman for the year. The Broncos are in bad shape.

The most exciting afternoon game was the Rams and Bucs. The Bucs scored 55, and won. I think this says a lot about both teams. Maybe Bruce Arians is a good coach. I might have been too hard on him last week. Also, maybe the Rams aren’t as good as last year. Jared Goff is struggling right now, and they aren’t using Todd Gurley enough. It might be load management, but sooner or later, they’re going to have to let him loose. And 55 points to the Bucs is troubling for that D. They need to figure some stuff out.

The Sunday and Monday night games were duds. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing the Saints, and Teddy Bridgewater, beat the Cowboys. But, there was only one TD scored in that game, and it was sloppily played by both teams. Dak Prescott has his first bad game of the year, and the Saints D was up to the task.

I didn’t even watch the Monday night game, but I saw all the AJ Green reaction videos to that Bengals offense, and that spoke volumes. The Steelers got their first win, but who cares. The Bengals, sorry for going in hard on your 2 teams, are so, so, so bad. They have no direction or good coaching at all. This whole Zac Taylor hiring is starting to look like a real mess, and they should have moved on from Andy Dalton a few years ago. The Bengals are right there with Washington and Miami. They’re so bad.

There you have it, quick takes from week 4. Come back next week for week 5 takes.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The head editor has no idea why Ty apologizes for bashing Kirk Cousins, the Vikings, and the Bengals? They all suck. We could write that same sentence each week.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The SeedSing 2019 MLB Playoff Preview

I think since SeedSing became a website I write 2 baseball pieces a year, give or take, and today, I have one of my usual baseball pieces.

The playoffs start soon, I think tomorrow, so I am going to give my predictions, and pick a World Series winner, and MVP. I'm going to start with the AL, and I am pretty sure that I picked Cleveland to be in the World Series, and they aren't even in the playoffs. (editor’s note: Ty picked the Yankees) Shockingly, especially to me because I just found out yesterday when preparing for this blog, the Rays and Athletics made the playoffs, and I cannot name single player on each team. But, if history has taught us anything about the A's in the playoffs, it is that they always blow it. Also, I think the Rays have solid pitching, so I am going to go with them to win the AL wild card game, and advance to getting their brains beat out by the Astros.

The Rays "gift" for beating the A's will be a sweep at the hands of Astros. The Astros, who have been quietly amazing for the past three years, including a World Series win, are a house of fire. They are so good at every position, on their pitching staff and their coaches. They may be the best team in baseball, and it may not be as close as some think. Yet no one really talks them up that much. That is because in the other division series in the AL we have the Yankees facing the Twins. The Twins aren't usually a team a lot of people talk about lately, but they lead the league in homeruns this year, and they won a shit ton of games. They are really good, and they are very well coached. But, they have a history like the A's in the playoffs, and usually, that history is against the Yankees. I so want to pick the Twins to win this series, and they can score with this Yankees team, but I just don't see it happening. Especially with the injury bug that hit the Yankees this year, and yet they still won over 100 games. They have mashers all over their lineup, and while their staff is questionable, if their starters can give them 5 or 6 quality innings, their bullpen can take over. I will be rooting, not watching though, for the Twins, but I think the Yankees will win the series in the end.

That gives us the Yankees and Astros in the ALCS. The separation is not much between these 2 teams, but the Astros pitching staff is light years ahead of the Yankees. The Yankees may not find it so easy to mash homers when they have to face 4 really, really good starting pitchers. And for that one reason, I am going with the Astros to win in 7 games. They are so good, and I think the Yankees lack of starting pitching will come to bite them in this series. so, I have the Astros representing the AL in the World Series.

The NL was a bit harder for me to figure out. The wild card game might be the best game of the whole MLB playoffs. The Brewers are currently on fire, all without Christian Yelich, but they have to go up against Max Scherzer, and a Nationals team that is putting Strasburg and their other starter in the bullpen for this game. It may be hard for them to come by hits. The Nationals starting pitching is really good. Their bullpen though, is really bad. I think that is why they have their other starters going to the bullpen for this game. Milwaukee's best shot, and I picked them to win the World Series before the year started by the way, is to find a way to get runs early. I feel like they have the lineup to do it, but it will be tough against Scherzer. I think this will be low scoring, but I think the Brewers can find a way to score 2 or 3 runs in the first 3 or 4 innings, and that will be enough. The Brewers will win, and they will then get to face the Dodgers.

The Dodgers have kind of quietly been a great team all year. They won over 100 games, they can pitch and they can hit. They have it all. But, they also seem to blow it in big time games, especially Clayton Kershaw. He has exercised some past playoff demons, but he isn't the dominate playoff pitcher that he is in the regular season. And, the Brewers are on fire, as I said earlier. I just think they have that "it" factor right now, and they can beat the Dodgers, in a hard fought 7 games, and advance to the NLCS.

The other divisional matchup features a super young, yet super talented Braves team facing off against my Cardinals. The Cardinals have been pretty good since the All Star break, but I don't like the fact that they needed until the last day to clinch the division. I'm also not a huge fan of their pitching staff. But, they have a good lineup, they have experience, and I look at the Braves like I do the Thunder when they have KD. Russ and Harden. They are good, and will be great, but not ready yet. But watch out for this Acuna kid. He is awesome. But I think the Cardinals will win the series, probably in 6 games, and advance to the NLCS.

That gives us a divisional matchup in the championship series. And while I have been doting on how hot the Brewers have been lately, there is one stat that I saw that has just stayed in my mind. When the Brewers were super duper hot, standing at 12-2 since the Yelich injury, the person who released the stat mentioned that the 2 were both against the Cardinals. And, my dad, who is the biggest Brewers fan I know, says that all the Cardinals need to do to get on a run is to play the Brewers. I think for these 2 reasons, the Cardinals will beat the Brewers, in 6 games, and advance to the World Series. They will represent the NL.

The 2019 World Series will be a blood bath like when the Red Sox destroyed the Cardinals in a 4 game sweep way back in the early 2000's. The Astros are better in every area of the game. They have a better lineup, better pitching staff and better coaching staff. They are a far better team where we sit today. I have the Astros winning the World Series in a clean and easy sweep. As for the MVP, I think it will be a pitcher because it always seems to be one, and I will go with Justin Verlander. He is the best pitcher on their team, and one of the best in the majors.

There you have it, my 2019 MLB playoff preview. Take this with a humongous grain of salt, but this is how I see it all playing out.

RD’s thoughts

First off, what was I wrong about in my 2019 season preview?

The Red Sox were not as great as last year.

Cleveland did not win the AL Central. It was never even close. Minnesota was ready this year.

The A’s proved me wrong again.

The Nationals were better without Bryce Harper.

The Reds were below average once again.

The Dodgers were way better than I gave them credit for and the Rockies were way worse.

Now, where was I right?

Tampa did make the playoffs, along with New York and Houston (three out of six right)

I did get five of the six NL playoff teams correct. Only miss was picking Colorado.

So, what does it all mean, who is going to win the 2019 World Series? I actually completely agree with Ty on all the series. Milwaukee will get hot, the Astros and Yankees are on a collision course, the Dodgers will choke, and St. Louis will emerge to take on Houston in the World Series.

And it will be a four game Astro’s sweep. Just like I predicted at the beginning of the season.

Ty & RD

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Between Two Ferns: The Movie"

I just finished watching the "Between Two Ferns" movie. Literally, I just got done watching it, and it was pretty god damn funny. I like the internet talk show, I am a big time Zack Galifinakis fan, and I was very much anticipating this movie when I first heard. Also, whenever Will Ferrell is involved with something, for the most part, I am going to be on board. The "Between Two Ferns" movie is a Funny or Die production, and that is Will Ferrell's company, so of course, he is involved.

Anyway, this movie was exactly what I was hoping for, but so much more. It was goofy and odd and silly and takes on classic tropes to simply make fun of them. It did this perfectly. Having Scott Aukerman direct the movie, since he helped to create the show, was a great choice as well. You could see that he let the actors improv as much as they wanted, he let them have fun and he wasn't too much of dictator on set. The actors were all wonderful too. Galifinakis, as a heightened version of himself, was as excellent as he has always been on "Between Two Ferns". His crew, Lauren Lapkus, Ryan Gaul and Jiavani Linayao, were all funny and did a very solid job in the movie. Lapkus was phenomenal as Galifinakis' "right hand woman", as she called herself. She was funny and the heart and soul of the movie. Her never give up attitude was refreshing, while being hilarious. And the scene where she plays the trumpet was the funniest thing in the whole movie that wasn't the interviews.

Adding on to the cast was the impressive list of top of the line stars they got to be on the talk show. People like Matthew McConaughey, Bruce Willis, Keanu Reeves, Brie Larson, Tessa Thompson, Chance the Rapper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, John Cho, Jason Schwartzman, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Jon Hamm and Paul Rudd. I mean, that's wild, and I forgot to mention Tiffany Haddish, Hailee Steinfeld, Awkafina and David Letterman. They were all game, and they were all funny. I also loved the stuff that was written beneath each celeb. For example, they spelled pretty much everyone's name wrong. Underneath Awkafina's name it said, "crazy, rich, Asian". That is so funny on so many levels, and it is top notch comedy writing. David Letterman's interview was amazing because, for one, they got David freaking Letterman to be in their movie, and he is a super funny dude that was fully on board to goof around in this movie. The Chrissy Teigen scene was so funny and so perfect in a movie like this. It was unexpected, and super duper hilarious. Teigen is so funny. The opener interview with McConaughey was great and a perfect way to introduce the rest of the movie. Jon Hamm was hilarious, so was Chance the Rapper. But my favorite interview was the Paul Rudd one. He was great, he was game and he couldn't keep a completely straight face the whole time, and you know that means he was having a good time.

"Between Two Ferns: The Movie" is going to delight fans, but I also think people who just want to dip in and check out a solid comedy, that takes on classic tropes, will be enthused by this movie. Also, it is only 82 minutes long, so it is not a humongous commitment. As I said, I watched it while my daughter was napping before I had to get my son at school. But that is besides the fact. Just check this movie out. It is hilarious.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The only thing Ty thinks that Will Ferrell has done wrong is not playing his greatest character anymore. We need Ashley Schaeffer back.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Black Keys Deliver Another Great Live Show

Last night I went to see Modest Mouse and the Black Keys on the “Let’s Rock” tour. I want to say this was the second or third night of this tour, and I liked that because I like to see the very beginning. I like to be one of the first group of people to see these songs live first. It also shows me how much of a pro these musicians are, especially this early on. And, one of the bands seems like they need some work, and the other is set. They know what they are doing.

The band that seems like they need a bit more work is Modest Mouse. I had some problems with their set. It needs to be said that they are the “featured guest”, or even the opener. I don’t know if that hurts their ego, and they’re letting it out on stage, but still, they should have been better. Also, I do not know much about them, so maybe this is more on me, but still, they weren’t great. The sound mix was weird. The instruments drowned out the singers voice. I didn’t know any of the songs. They seemed almost disinterested on stage. Needless to say, I was unimpressed, and feared it might be a sign of a poor overall show.

Luckily, the Black Keys got on stage and reset the mojo. They were great. They were reliable. And they are god damn pros. What I loved, and appreciated most though, their set list covered almost all of their records. They didn’t just play their new stuff, they ran the gamut. They opened with “I Got Mine”, and that is a great song, and one I know how to play. Any hope I lost with Modest Mouse, the Keys picked it back up right off the bat. After that, the songs spammed their career spectacularly. They played a good amount of tunes off “Brothers”, and it was all the good stuff. They did the hits like “Next Girl” and “Tighten Up” and “Howlin For You”, but they also did “Everlasting Light” and “10 Cent Pistol”. And they were all great. “Next Girl” had super cool visuals attached as well. So did “Everlasting Light”. And the way they did “10 Cent Pistol”, kind of slowed down and more bluesy, was cool and unique. I was super stoked because I got to hear “Thickfreakness”, and that is my favorite song, and they nailed it. It was loud and filled with reverb and distortion and it was expertly played by both Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney. They played “10am Automatic” off “Rubber Factory”, and that is such a fun song to hear live. I loved that they played “Strange Times” because we are truly living in some strange times right now. It was a great choice, and they crushed it. “Fever” off “Turn Blue” was a nice little, slower detour from all the rock. They slowed it down and both the Keys slayed their instruments. Even “Your Touch”, off “Magic Potion” was very well done. And, of course they played some new tunes. I loved that I got to hear “Walk Across the Water”. That is my favorite song off the new record, and it was sublime live. “Fire Walk With Me” was amazing. It was a song I kind of forgot about, but after hearing it last night, I’m fully on board with it now. Even when they played the singles, “Lo/Hi”, “Go” and “Eagle Birds”, they played them excellently.

This was a solid show despite Modest Mouse’s poor effort. The Black Keys are a great band, and always do solid live shows. All I know is, once the Keys took the stage, it was great. Another successful live Black Keys show.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Ty is not familiar with any songs by Modest Mouse. He just seems to “Float On” by their pop hits.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

"The Righteous Gemstones" has Already Delivered a Perfect Episode of Television

I'm not fully caught up yet on all of "Righteous Gemstones" yet, I am one episode behind. But my wife and I watched the episode last night where they went back in time before their third, and final, child was born. This was one of the best 40 minutes of TV that I have seen in quite some time. The stuff they did on this episode, and how they kind of explained the way these characters took shape as children, was wonderful.

First of all, the kids they got to play Danny McBride and Edi Patterson as kids were phenomenal. The young kid playing Danny McBride's Jesse was tremendous. He was as boisterous and offensive and mean and confused as I imagine Jesse would have been as a kid. The scene between him and a young Baby Billy, who I will get to in a few minutes, was so great. Baby Billy getting young Jesse drunk, so he would start a fight with his dad, was so funny, and so telling for the future. That kid was awesome. The actress that played young Judy was hilarious and foul and just angry all the time. She loves seeing her brother get in trouble, she always wanted to fight him, she was a perfectly spoiled brat during her party, it was all perfect. When she secretly watches Jesse get in trouble on the stairs, my wife and I were howling with laughter. It was so well done.

As I mentioned earlier, to see a young Baby Billy, who is expertly played by Walton Goggins, who is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors, was stupendous. He was just as devious and conniving and backstabbing and pathetic as he is as an adult. He is a trickster and a shit disturber. He got Jesse drunk to start a fight. He is constantly picking fights with Eli(John Goodman), and he takes advantage of those who still, for some unknown reason, love him and want to help him. What he did to his sister, Aimee Leigh(Jennifer Nettles), was such a low blow, and when she finally stood up to him, I was so happy for her. But you could see the conman in Baby Billy the whole time. He truly only cares about money, and himself. I will say, when his son hands him the ninja star, that was the funniest scene of the whole episode in my opinion.

The best performances in this great episode were Goodman and Nettles. They were so perfect together. They showed every part of a marriage, and boy did they love one another unconditionally. Nettles was the perfect, happy and loving parent and wife. She wanted everyone to be happy and get along and have a good time. But, she did have a tough side to her, and she was the star of the church in its early days. She was the main attraction, and she knew it. Goodman was so deeply in love with his wife. Seeing this episode makes his current mood so much clearer. He is clearly depressed and misses his best friend and wife. She kept him in check and loved him as unconditionally as he loved her. He was willing to protect her at all costs. He did what she needed when she needed and he was happy to do it. I now fully get why he is in this awful head space in current day on the show. Their connection and chemistry was fantastic.

To wrap this all up, this episode was perfect because it gave us the seeds to see why these characters are who they are as adults and much older adults. You could see the fire and anger in Judy's eyes. You could see the want to be a star and want to be the only one that matters in Jesse. You could see the conniving and cunning and sleaziness of Baby Billy. And, most importantly, you could see the joy and love that Aimee Leigh brought Eli.

This was a perfect episode of TV. This is the type of thing where, when I see it, I remember how great McBride and Jody Hill and David Gordon Green are as a trio when they work together. I'm so stoked to see where the rest of this season goes, and where they take season 2. "Righteous Gemstones" is a great show, and this was a near perfect episode.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Since Ty is the youngest in of four brothers everyone should start calling him Baby Ty. Let’s get it started.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

2019 NFL Quick Hits: Week 3

It’s Tuesday, and that means NFL week 3 quick takes.

The Thursday night game was sloppy and boring and poorly played, but what else would you expect from the Jags and Titans? The Jags won, Gardner Minshew had an okay game, Leonard Fournette busted a big run late and Marcus Mariota has a rough one. Again, a typical Jags-Titans Thursday matchup.

The early games on Sunday were alright. The Packers improved to 3-0 behind their great defense up to this point. The offense needs to get better, but they are winning with their D. And the Broncos are in trouble. They are still very solid on defense, but that offense is dreadful.

Both the Cowboys and Patriots dispatched their lowly opponents with no problem. Dak Prescott is on fire right now, and they trounced Miami. And the Patriots looked like they were in a scrimmage against the Jets. Also, why is Luke Falk in the NFL and starting, yet Colin Kaepernick can’t even get a tryout? That’s ridiculous.

RD’s Vikings cruised over Oakland. I feel like Minnesota will do this to bad teams, beat them soundly, but struggle with better teams all year. That seems like their MO. But a wins a win.

RD’s other team, the Bengals found a way to let Buffalo get to 3-0. The Bengals has that win, and they blew it. Their “wunderkind” coach does not look good. But props to the Bills for pulling out the win. They had no business winning that game, but they did anyway.

The Eagles may not be as good as I thought, and maybe Detroit is better. The Lions has a kick return for a TD, and they moved the ball at will over the Eagles. Philly on the other hand may have more problems than I thought. They haven’t looked very good on either side of the ball, and they need to shore things up quick.

The Colts and Falcons played a game, but I saw none of it. I did know that Julio Jones had a solid game because he’s on my fantasy team. But, I also know it didn’t matter because the Colts won, and they sit at 2-1 without Andrew Luck. I’m a Jacoby Brissett fan, and he’s doing enough, him and Marlon Mack, to keep the Colts as a real playoff threat.

The Ravens and Chiefs game almost turned into a blowout, but Lamar Jackson wouldn’t allow that. He led a solid comeback, they had a cool onside kick and the D stepped up at the end. It wasn’t enough because Pat Mahomes is incredible. But still, that game was fun.

The afternoon slate was kind of blah. The Panthers easily dispatched the Cardinals for their first win. This was also the first game where Kliff Kingsbury looked as bad as I thought he would in the NFL.

The Giants has a nice comeback win over the Bucs, but it all felt very hollow. Sure, Daniel Jones led the comeback, but he’s not the Giants savior, and with Barkley out, the Giants are in trouble. And what in the hell was Bruce Arians doing that whole second half? He looks like he’s lost his mojo as a head coach.

The Saints beat the Seahawks in Seattle with Teddy Bridgewater. Writing that made me very happy. I like Bridgewater, Alvin Kamara was awesome and it’s always funny to see the Seahawks play poorly. That was a fun game.

The Texans came back and beat the Chargers, and I think that game was a great microcosm of how both these teams will finish the year. The Texans look like a playoff team, and the Chargers don’t.

The Steelers dropped to 0-3, and I love seeing a dumbass conservative like Mason Rudolph choke. I’m still bummed for Devin Bush, but he has played great so far this season.

The 49ers are like the Bills too. They have found ways to win games they really shouldn’t, and are 3-0 now.

The Sunday night game was an eye opener. I was never high on the Browns, and I decided I wanted to see the hype. Well, Odell Beckham and Nick Chubb look good, but Baker Mayfield, not so much. And Freddy Kitchens looks like a first year head coach. The Rams didn’t play well, couldn’t run the ball and still found a way to get a huge turnover and stifle Mayfield all game. The Rams are still good, but the Browns May be a bit overhyped.

As for the Monday night game, I didn’t watch a single second of. I saw that the Bears won, and easily, but so what? They were playing Washington.

That’s it for week 3. Come back next Tuesday for week 4 takes.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The head editor’s two teams have a combined 2-4 record, but his fantasy team is 3-0. That is what matters in football today.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Why I am Running a Trail Half Marathon

This Saturday I am embarking on what might be my most difficult athletic experience, to date, in my life. I am running a trail half marathon,, and I keep finding myself asking the simple question, why?

Now, I have run 2 half marathons. I have run this distance on training runs with my buddy. I have run multiple 10k and 15k races. I have done, which is my new favorite thing, a double helping run on Thanksgiving morning, which is a 5k followed immediately by a 10k. But, for some odd reason, which I will try and answer today, I am a bit nervous and confused as to why I am doing this trail half marathon. It doesn't help that almost everyone I talk to says that the particular race I am running is one of the tougher ones in Saint Louis. It's also got a crazy amount of elevation, for which I have been training for at least. I have heard, via a Facebook post, from a few people that have decided to drop out, or give up their bib. There seems to be a rising amount of people saying that this is going to be tough, yet I am staying in the race, and I am fully committed to running it, and finishing it. I even have a goal time in mind, and have started to mentally and physically prepare for how tough this race may possibly be. But again, I find myself asking, why are you doing this? And, I think I have found a few answers.

One, I like to do races because I like to challenge myself to see what I am capable of. That is why I ran my first street race half marathon. That was why I started to run to lose weight. That is why I challenge myself to go faster with every 10 and 5k that I do. And this trail race is no different. I want to push myself, to see how much I can take, on a course that is rocky and fast and has big time hills and is a very far distance. I want to prove that I can do this.

Second, my buddy who I run with is doing the 53k portion of this race. He is, admittedly, a much better distance runner than I am, and I feel like if he is pushing himself to do a humongous distance like that, I can do the half marathon distance. As reluctant as he is to this notion, and as much as he may try to deny it, seeing him do the distances he does only pushes me to try and do half of what he does. I have called him my unofficial trainer, and his willingness to run with me, and stay at my pace has been an enormous help. And while I won't be there when he finishes on Saturday, you better believe I will be rooting him on, and contacting him via text later in the day to see how it was.

Third, I love hiking and running. These 2 things became my main source of weight loss when I lost all the weight because they are both free. And I love being outside. So, when the 2 things are combined, and I can spend anywhere from 3-4 hours outside, count me in. This is one of the biggest reasons why I am more on the excited side now, where I was pretty nervous abut 2 weeks ago.

Fourth, the running community here in Saint Louis is so cool and loving and helpful and gets you through the tough parts of a race. Anytime I find myself struggling, there always seems to be a volunteer there to cheer you on. Also, I have ran with numerous strangers through the finish line because they have offered to get me through that last push. When running races, no one judges me, they want to help me, and I want to help when I can. It is such a cool and fun environment, and a community I am so grateful to be a part of now.

Fifth and finally, I am doing this simply because I want to. Yes, I make excuses when I get tired, and I walk up the big hills and I may curse myself during the race and want to quit, but I always find a way to finish, and when I do, it is euphoric. I will never win any of these races, but crossing that line, even if I am in last place, I feel like I have accomplished something I never thought I could do. The only person I am racing is myself, and that is a great feeling.

So I know why I am doing this race. It is all the reasons I mentioned above, and I also love doing this. I wouldn't continue to sign up for races, or go running for fun, if I didn't like doing it. I'm excited to do this race on Saturday, and I will be back next week to recap it for everyone who may be interested to know how it was.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. The head editor is being inspired by Ty and he is going to go out and walk a whole .5k on a trail this weekend. You have got to start somewhere.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.