Ty Watches "Killer Inside: The Mind of Aaron Hernandez"

Yesterday I finished the “Killer Inside” the Aaron Hernandez docu series on Netflix, and I’ve got to say, it was pretty eye opening.

I’m a football fan, one of the many people who root against the Patriots, and I knew of the story involving Hernandez and the murder of Odin Lloyd. This series shouldn’t have felt new to me, but I learned so much more than I thought I knew. I knew of him being convicted, that he was accused of a double murder, of which he was acquitted, that he got in trouble with fights in college and that he had pretty violent tendencies when he entered the NFL.

What I didn’t know, well, there was a lot of stuff. I had heard rumors that he was bisexual, and this series confirmed it. The QB from his high school team was featured a good amount in this, and he confirmed that they had some sexual encounters in high school. There was also another theory tossed around that he had a lover while in prison. What I found eye opening in this docu series was how much he, his high school friend and another pro player who stayed in the closet until he retired, tried to suppress this. I mean, who cares? Why was Hernandez so afraid to be his true self? Why was he so opposed to revealing this?

Another thing I learned from watching this that I never knew, that may explain why, his father was pretty abusive, not accepting of that lifestyle and that Hernandez, according to his older brother, was sexually abused as a child. I knew none of this. Also, that doesn’t make it okay to do what he did, quite the opposite, but it may explain why he was so violent. He had all these inner demons he couldn’t let out, and instead of seeking therapy, or just accepting who he truly was, he acted out with violence. He wanted to be a gangster, but he was a phony gangster. He tried so hard to hide who he was because of his past, that he went the exact opposite way of what he should have done.

I also found out that he had a fractured relationship with his mom because, after his father died, she almost immediately hooked up with another guy who tried to be his dad. Hernandez didn’t like this, so he started staying with his aunt, who let him do whatever he wanted. That was bad. That was when he fell in with the wrong crowd. I also didn’t know that he grew up in a fairly affluent town in Connecticut. This was a total assumption on my part, but from what I saw, I gathered he grew up in a not so good town. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Granted his parents were violent, but he grew up in a home with two parents and a brother. He had tons of friends in high school, excelled at sports and seemed like he had a normal enough childhood, at least on the surface. So, I guess this is where the whole wannabe gangster thing came from.

After he left Connecticut and went to Florida, that was when he started to change it seems. What I already knew was how slimy and robotic and mechanical people like Urban and Shelley Meyer, Rob Gronkowski, Tom Brady and Tim Tebow are. All of them had interviews shown during the doc, and they all had the same cliche, “I won’t comment on that”, “he seemed like he changed” or, “I’m going to leave if you keep asking me questions” answers to everything. They offered absolutely nothing, yet they spent the most time with him. In fact, the only people who kept it real were his high school friends that appeared in the doc. They laid it all out there, bare bones, and I was glad they did.

I also learned that, even in death, he was impulsive, stupid and selfish. He thought he could clear his name, and take care of his fiancé and child if he offed himself due to some archaic rule in Massachusetts. And while it worked for maybe a year, Odin Lloyd’s mom, who is a saint, was able to convince the courts to overturn this rule, and get the conviction back on Hernandez’s record. Odin Lloyd’s mom wanted her son to be remembered, and she achieved that goal.

I highly recommend this 3 episode series on Netflix. Each ep is about an hour long, it’s eye opening and you don’t have to be a football fan to enjoy this. This ranks right up there with any true crime series that is on TV right now. It’s good stuff with very solid reporting. Check it out.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Awkwafina is Nora from Queens" Series Premiere

The other day I was able to watch the premiere episode of "Awkwafina is Nora From Queens", and I have to say, this show looks like it is going to be great. I am a fan of Awkwafina. I have seen her in some of her roles, movies like "Crazy Rich Asians", "Ocean's 8" and "Neighbors 2", and her character has always left an impressions on me. She is hilarious, she is loud and she hits the right comedic note almost every time. So when I saw that she had a show on Comedy Central, that she co created, I was going to watch. And, like I said, the pilot didn't disappoint.

The show is about a late 20's person with no real ambition or direction in her life. She lives with her dad and grandma, is an Uber type driver and likes to sleep in and get high. She has a close friend who is willing, and able, to help her out if needed. But other than that, she is on her own, and she is going nowhere. In the pilot, Awkwafina's humor and acting shined through. She was hysterically funny. The way she talked, what she talked about, how she talked about certain tings, I was in stitches. There is a scene where she is sleeping in her car, and a tow truck guy comes to tell her that she is in a no parking zone. What happens from there, how Awkwafina acts as Nora was riotous. From the arguing, to the fact that she wasn't wearing any pants, it was perfection. And there was plenty of other moments that made me literally laugh out loud. The hoarding stuff was great. The interactions with her and her dad, played by BD Wong, was hilarious. The stuff with her tech savvy cousin was pretty funny. The way the show was shot, and how they cut from scene to scene was pretty inventive and cool. I was in for all of it. One of my favorite scenes was between her and her friend, when she decides she needs to get her own place and ends up crashing with her, when Nora is upset and crying, but still taking bong rips, I was absolutely cracking up the whole time. And this was all do to how Awkwafina portrays Nora.

I really feel like this show is going to prove to people how versatile, and funny, Awkwafina is as an actress. I know she raps, that she has done dramatic things, and played the goofy best friend, or been the comic relief in most things. But, she is the star in "Nora from Queens". The show goes as she goes, and if the pilot is any indication, this show can last as long as she wants it to. I don't think they will get to a point where they run out of funny material that she can pull off. I'm all in on this show. I cannot wait to watch the next episode, and the rest of the season for that matter.

This is a really good, really funny new show that I think people should definitely check out. I highly recommend it.

Ty

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

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Cloves and Fedoras: "The Grawlix Saves the World" is a New Comedy Podcast We Need

It feels weird to try and talk about other things after the helicopter crash on Sunday, but we have to try and move on, those of us not related, or even knowing him personally. Kobe, Gigi and the other 7 people that lost their lives will always be in our thoughts forever. That will never change. For those of us still around, and being a pop culture writer, I do want to talk about other things, happy things, that I am listening and watching at the moment. 

Today I want to talk about a new podcast that made me laugh for the first time since Sunday this morning when I listened to it. The podcast is called "The Grawlix Saves the World". For those that may not know, The Grawlix is a comedy trio composed of Adam Cayton-Holland, Andrew Overdahl and Ben Roy. If you see those names, and maybe don't recognize them, they were the creators and stars of a show that I was a big time champion of on Tru TV called "Those Who Can't". I loved that show, and I really dug these dudes senses of humor. I have written about Cayton-Holland's book "Tragedy + Plus" as well. Needless to say, I am a fan of these guys and their comedy. They have this great, quick wit that I am on board with. They had it on the TV show, Cayton-Holland talked about it in his book and the stuff I have seen online, from their comedy shows, they have a mutual respect, and a great working relationship with one another. The very same thing can be said with the podcast.

The premise is relatively simple, the Grawlix go out and do something out of their comfort zones and come back and talk about their personal experiences. There have only been two episodes, and both have been great. The first episode was about them disconnecting from social media for a week. Now, this seems pretty bland and simple, but their sense of humor makes this a wonderful listen. To hear them go at one another is gold. The way they go at Roy, who seems to be the most connected to social media, it was hilarious. And when they go to break, sidebar, the breaks are great because they play live stuff from their comedy show instead of a commercial, they come back a week later to discuss how they did. In the social media one, Roy instantly admitted that he did not stay off the phone as much as he could have, and Overdahl and Cayton-Holland roasted him, only to admit that they didn't stay off their devices for a week either. It was also interesting to hear them talk about how hard it was because they all have a show to promote, and to hear them have to do the old fashioned way, it was pretty insightful.

The newest episode, which comes out every Tuesday, they decided to try to eat out of their comfort zones. Again, seems simple, but made hilarious by the retelling of their experience. Overdahl and Roy ended up really liking the places they went to. Cayton-Holland however, he had a whole different story, and it was riotous. I don't want to spoil anything because I think people need to really listen to this podcast, especially comedy fans. This show is perfect for fans of comedy, guys that are great at riffing and poking fun at each other and themselves.

I highly, highly recommend "The Grawlix Saves the World" to anyone looking for a new podcast to listen to that will make them laugh. It is a true delight.

Ty

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

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Hatred, Respect, Admiration, and Heartbreak. Ty's Thoughts on Kobe

Yesterday while driving home from a very nice weekend visit to Cincinnati, at around 1:30pm, I started to get text messages from the group of guys I play basketball with asking if the Kobe Bryant news was true.

I had no idea what they were talking about because I was on a road trip, spending time with my wife and kids. I started to check some sports websites, to see what they may have been talking about, and no news had been released. All the sports sites only had stories about the Pro Bowl and the Super Bowl. I started to ask more questions on the text thread, because I was curious as to what they were talking about. I did not expect to read what I read next. Some of the guys showed some stories that were circulating around tabloid style sites saying that Bryant had been killed in a helicopter crash.

My first thought was that this was a hoax, one of those fake death things that comes out about the uber famous from time to time. I kind of said as much in the text chain. But, the more texts, and stories that were being sent made this feel more and more real with each passing minute. Pretty soon I got a notification from Bleacher Report on my watch, that Kobe Bryant had, indeed, been killed in a helicopter crash. In fact it said that as many as 9 people were involved in the crash, and that there were no survivors.

I was stunned. I didn't really know how to feel at first. I have never been silent on this site, to friends, on the pod, about my feelings towards Kobe Bryant. I was not a fan of his, not at all. I didn't like him as a player or a person. He seemed selfish on the court, and reportedly did heinous stuff off the court early in his career. But still, I had this unsettling, sad feeling deep in my gut. I was shocked by the news. I didn't really process it at first because I didn't think it was real. I mean, he was only 41 years old, and he always, always took his helicopter to places. This was one of the many things he was famous for doing. He used to helicopter into practice when he was still in the NBA.

As this news sat with me all day, I started thinking about how I would tackle the story for the blog today. I had one million different thoughts racing through my head. Like I said, I rooted against him, but maybe I did that because he was such a great foil and villain to the teams I liked. Make no mistake, Kobe Bryant was an all time great NBA player. He had the rare tenacity needed to be wildly successful as a pro. His work ethic was second only to Jordan. He spent infinite hours honing his craft, and it showed on the court. He put up ridiculous numbers, won MVP's and won titles. He is one of the greatest players ever. I rooted against MJ early in his career too, so maybe that was why I had so many conflicting feelings. Then the personal life stuff came up. Bryant was accused of a heinous crime, of which he was never convicted of. It is wildly believed that he did it, but the only people that will ever know are him and the woman in Colorado. This made me root against him even more when he was a player. But, as he got older, had some kids and settled everything with his wife, it felt as if he had redeemed himself. He seemed like he had tried to put that rotten past behind him. He became a great husband, and a doting and loving and caring father. I am a dad myself, and I follow a ton of dad centric websites, and Kobe Bryant always popped up as a person who was totally invested in his kids lives. He was there for all of them whenever he could be. He also became a champion for players standing up for their beliefs when the Colin Kaepernick stuff happened. He mentored young players trying to get in the league, or veterans trying to get better. He had a TV show where he dissected the games he watched, and dare I say, it was super informative. And he even showed great humility and graciousness when LeBron James surpassed him on the all time scoring list, just one day before his untimely death. Kobe Bryant seemed like a changed for the better man in his post basketball life. I look at all these young guys in the league now, how much they looked up to him, respected him and wanted to be him. That was me when I was younger, watching guys like Charles Barkley and Shawn Kemp. There is a whole new generation of players, currently in the league, who play because they watched Kobe play. I am stunned that I am saying this, but I had grown to respect who Bryant had become since his retirement. I looked at him differently more recently because he seemed like he had calmed, and was a champion for young guys, and the league. I recognized his importance to a sport that I have loved my whole life.

What made this horrific news even worse was when they started to identify the rest of the passengers, and one of them was his 13 year old daughter Gigi. In fact, they were going to one of her practices in the helicopter when this all happened. I, again as a father of 2 myself, was completely heartbroken when this news scrolled across my screen when I got home. As I said before, Bryant was a doting father, and he was taking one of his daughters to her practice, of which he ran, in the helicopter. I simply cannot imagine the terror that they both had when they realized what was happening. I cannot fathom what his widow, who has been with him since they were both 17, and his other remaining children are going through as I write this. This is the type of thing that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy. Not only was a legendary basketball player lost yesterday, but more importantly, and more devastating, a father and husband and a daughter and sister were lost yesterday.

This is a tragedy unlike anything I have seen involving people I have no personal connection to. For my generation, this is like when John Lennon died. I wonder if this is how RD felt when Prince died, except he was a huge fan of his. This is worse than when Magic confirmed that he was HIV positive. Kobe Bryant was a worldwide super star. Everyone knows who he was. I received texts from many other people, people I hadn't heard from in ages, asking me if I had heard this news yesterday. This is something that is going to linger, and stay with people forever. We all saw LeBron's reaction. We watched Dwayne Wade's moving video. We saw Carmelo tear up in a post game press conference. We saw all the tributes, the 24 second and 8 second violations that happened yesterday. We saw Trae Young come out wearing number 8. We all witnessed this, and we will remember this forever.

This is a truly devastating event that occurred. I feel for everyone involved in this wreck, and I simply do not know how the families of the victims carry on. Just know, you are in mine, and everybody else's thoughts. This is devastating. I hope everyone finds peace. Rest in Peace Kobe Bryant and Gigi Bryant. You were taken far, far too early. You will be tremendously missed by so, so many people. This stinks.

Ty

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

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I am Already Sick of the Eli Manning Hall of Fame Conversation

Eli Manning officially retired from the NFL today. Eli will go down as a two time Super Bowl champ and MVP of each game, undeserved in my opinion. He has something near a .500 winning percentage as a starting QB. He has a lot of career TD’s, but also a lot of interceptions as well. He also griped his way to the Giants, refusing to play for the Chargers if they took him.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m not a fan. If his last name wasn’t Manning, and he didn’t play in New York, he wouldn’t have near the shine, or love that has been poured all over him today. I like to think of players I put in his class, guys like Trent Dilfer, Nick Foles, Joe Flacco and Jim McMahon. They all won Super Bowls, had a few good years, but none of them are considered hall of fame players like Eli has been talked about lately. They’re all mid level starting QB’s that played on teams with otherworldly defenses, Nick Foles being the lone exception. The fact that Manning won the MVP twice is lip service to the people who vote on that, and almost always give it to the QB. The first year the Giants won the MVP should have been David Tyree for that insane catch, or even better, the Giants D line should have gotten it for attacking Tom Brady all game. The second MVP should have been Mario Manningham, or Wes Welker for dropping that gimme that would have won it for the Patriots. So, no I don’t think he was anywhere close to deserving of either award.

As for his case as a hall of famer, I don’t think he should even be considered. Take away his two Super Bowl seasons, he is an average, at best, NFL QB. I don’t ever remember him leading the league in any major statistical category. I don’t ever remember him being a real MVP candidate. While the starting QB of the Giants, they were never a contender, even when they won the Super Bowl. They were a wild card team each time. Eli was never must watch TV. He’s more a meme, for those stupid faces he makes on the sideline, than anything else. He was also a dreadful “SNL” host. Everything about Eli Manning, except his last name, screams average. He wasn’t even a real star in college. You may say, but Ty, he was the first pick in the draft. So was Jamarcus Russell. So was David Carr and that dude Tim Couch. Eli Manning was a teeny tiny better version of Jay Cutler, a high draft pick as well, in college. Everywhere he has played, he’s been just okay. I say again, if his name was Eli Jones, with the exact same resume, he doesn’t even get a second thought as a hall of famer.

What’s a shame though, I bet he becomes a first ballot hall of famer, and people point out that he beat the undefeated Patriots, and then beat another Patriots team in the Super Bowl. Eli will benefit from beating this dynasty twice. For no other reason will he get into the hall of fame. Eli Manning is average, doesn’t belong in the hall of fame, I’d rather have 20 guys before I’d even consider him as my franchise QB, but will get in based on his name alone. That’s a real bummer. And call me a hater all you want. But after you do that, look at his stats, and then come back at me to tell me I was right.

My point? Eli Manning does not belong anywhere near the hall of fame.

Ty

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

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In One Quarter, Zion Williamson Gave Us an Exciting Glimpse into His Future

I don't feel like I would be being a responsible sports/pop culture blogger if I didn't give my first impression of the debut of Zion Williamson last night.

I, much like the rest of the NBA watching world, have been waiting with bated breath for Zion to suit up. I know that the Pelicans are going to take every precaution, dot all the i's and cross all the t's, make sure he is more than 100 percent healthy before they were going to let him play. From what Zion said, he was ready to play a month ago. But, the Pelicans have a ton invested in him, so I get why they waited so long. I wasn't thrilled about it, but I get it.

Anyway, after 44 games, the Pelicans finally trotted Zion out last night. This was must watch TV. But, for the first three quarters, it was kind of a tease. The Pelicans started him, but he only played 8 total minutes in the first half. He took 2 shots, made 1, had a few rebounds and an assist. I said to my wife at one moment, "he looks a little awkward out there". He already has a weird gait, but it seemed more pronounced every time he ran. He almost immediately got rid of the ball when it was in his possession. He didn't appear as springy as we have all become accustomed to. He had a few wild turnovers. He seemed to avoid contact. Even in the second quarter, when he looked like he was finally getting in the groove, the coaching staff would take him out to get him some rest. All of this is expected, especially when it comes to a rookie, and a rookie coming off of an injury, but still, I felt a little disappointed after the first half. Even early in the third, it felt a little bit the same. He still looked somewhat tentative. I was kind of stunned because he has never shown this side of himself. He has always seemed to be an uber confident player, and when the lights shine brightest, so does he. He has a ton of followers on all the major social media platforms, he has since he was in high school, so to see him play, dare I say scared, was wild.

Then the fourth quarter happened.

The Pelicans were down, they needed a push and I think Zion sensed the moment, and that was when he took center stage. You could just tell by the change in his gait and face that he was ready to take over. He then went on to score 17 straight points, showing off all of the skills that he has been honing since high school. He ripped down rebounds. He bounced back up for tip ins. He made precise passes to start fast breaks. He dunked. He even hit a mid range here and there, and it was glorious to watch. I, and I cannot believe I am about to write this, felt the same as when I first saw LeBron in his first game as a rookie. Now, LeBron exploded right away, and he is now the second greatest player ever, and I am not saying that Zion will reach that stature, But, I had that same feeling that I watching a once in a generation talent. I was watching a guy built like Charles Barkley, but dunking and rebounding like Shawn Kemp ad passing like Chris Paul. He was playing defense like a vet against other vets. It was like the switch flipped, and he remembered he was playing a game he loves that he happens to be exceptional at. It was lightening in a bottle. All the wear and tear and rust, or whatever you want to call it, it went away in the fourth quarter, and it was so worth the wait. I thought while he was going off, this is what we have all been waiting for. This is what we all thought he could do. This was the fun player that I have been waiting to see. I know the Pelicans didn't win, but damn it if Zion wasn't a treasure to watch. He is part of this new generation that is going to continue to make the NBA the most fun professional sport to watch. I'm so happy he is healthy, playing and looks like he is having fun doing it all. And I'm glad that he is back on a court.

The wait was long, but if he continues to do what he did last night, and gets better and better every year, it will be completely worth it. Zion is a treasure.

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. 

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Better Late Than Never on "Brittany Runs a Marathon"

Yesterday I finished watching “Brittany Runs a Marathon”. It took me two days, but it’s not because I was bored by it, and figured I should finish it. Quite the opposite. I loved this movie. I felt like it was very relatable, especially the running stuff, to my experience. The only reason it took me two days, I have two kids, and they had zero interest in watching with me. If it doesn’t have super heroes, Pokémon, Minecraft, Barbie or Ryan from “Ryan’s Mystery Play Date”, my kids could care less.

As I said, was super impressed by every part of this movie. This was another one that I wanted to see in theaters, but couldn’t find the time. I was also intrigued because my buddy that I run with said he liked it, and thought I would to. He had good taste, and I usually watch most of what he recommends. When I turned the movie on it was already in my head that is was going to be good, so I’m glad that it hit, and exceeded, my personal expectations.

Jillian Bell is a great comedic actress, so to see her in a role that was more dramatic, I was pleasantly surprised at how good she was. She truly embodies the character of Brittany. From her partying days, to trying to get fit, to struggling personally and athletically, to getting her life together, I was in for all of it. I do want to point out how realistic, and how relatable, her running journey was in the movie. I am a person who was, at one time, a pretty big dude. I’m still big, but not as big as I was about 7 years ago. I took up running because it is a free sport, as long as you have shoes, and you can do it all year round. My favorite line in the movie, Brittany is at a gym, the trainer says something to her about the pricing for a membership, and she says, “you know I can just go outside and run for free, right?”. My running friends, my friends and myself, we say this all the time. It’s such a true statement. Sure, I’m part of a gym, but when given the option, I choose running nearly 100 percent of the time. When that line was spoken, I was completely on board. To see her go from that point, to starting running, again, easily relatable. When she tells herself just to make it a few blocks, and it’s a struggle, I had the same thing. It was so hard that first time I decided to run as well. From there, everything was relatable. The first time she runs two miles, and feels that joy and endorphin rush, same here. When she decides to run the NYC marathon, and starts her training, I did the same, only for a half marathon. When she runs and converses with her new friends, that’s one of my favorite things to do when I run with other people. When she starts to lose weight and feel good about herself, I went through the exact same thing with my family and friends. The injury portion from the movie, I’m currently learning how to pace myself and not re injure a minor knee injury I currently have. When she is told she can’t run for 8 weeks, I felt so bad for her, and Bell played that perfectly. The only thing I didn’t do that she does in the movie, I’ve never neglected myself from friends. I’ve never retreated into myself that much. But, again, Bell does it great in the movie. And when she’s finally healthy, and runs the NYC marathon a year later, I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I choked up a bit, and some tears may have been shed.

Look, for where I’m at in my life right now as a runner, and yes, I am a runner, this movie came at the perfect time for me personally. I know I’ve only talked about Bell, but that’s rightfully so. This is one hundred percent her movie. Everyone else is good, but Bell shines. Also, I say again, I totally related to her journey. I feel like anyone could watch this movie and enjoy it, but I feel like runners will appreciate it a bit more. I don’t know if that sounds weird, or if I’m saying that you have to be a runner to like it, which you don’t. But I think if you are a runner, or a person simply trying to better yourself, you will get much more out of this movie.

I cannot recommend “Brittany Runs a Marathon” more. I think it’s a great movie, and will really speak to the runner in everyone. Go seek this movie out. It’s very good.

Ty

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

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Ty's Midseason NBA Redo

Okay, finally time to do my NBA mid season redo. I definitely got some stuff wrong, but I think I also hit on a few things, mainly how awesome Ja Morant was going to be right away. Let’s get going.

I will start with the East, the JV of the NBA. I will touch on each team very quickly, where I had them preseason, and why I was wrong or right. For the East, the Bucks, like we all thought, sit atop, and share a very comfortable lead. They are clearly the best team in the conference with the most dominant player. The Bucks are good. Now lets see them make it to the Finals. Going from there, the current playoff teams are as follows, the Heat, Raptors, Celtics, 76ers, Pacers, Magic and Nets. I thought the Heat would be good, but not this good this quick. They will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time. The Raptors are being bolstered by Pascal Siakim taking the next leap, and a really, really good coaching staff. The Celtics are kind of just hanging around, but after what they did to the Lakers last night, they may start climbing up in the conference very soon. The 76ers are worrying me right now. I had them in the Finals, but Embiid is injured yet again, Ben Simmons has only taken 2 threes, Josh Richardson is not a poor man's Jimmy Butler. They need shooting, and they need it now. They can still turn it around. The Pacers are staying in the race, and they soon get Victor Oladipo back. I thought they would be much better, but the fact that guys like Damontas Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon are playing this well, plus getting Oladipo back, will help this team stay in the hunt. The Magic are okay, but they are in basketball purgatory. They can't trade for anyone, can't lure stars and they have far too many bigs on the roster. They are destined to be a 7 or 8 seed for a long time. And we have the Nets. Man this team was so much fun last year. They are not fun at all this year. I think they will be dynamite when KD comes back, but Kyrie Irving is becoming more and more clear as a locker room cancer. He has destroyed every place he has played, and been super miserable about it. I don't know why I expected something different.

As for the rest of the East, The Pistons, with Derrick Rose being the lone exception, are awful and boring, the Bulls had promise, but they have an awful head coach, and their young talent isn't meshing, the Wizards are better than I anticipated, and Bradley Beal is awesome, but man do they stink on defense, like big time.

Now for the bottom of the bottom, the Hornets just can't figure it out. They started strong, but they have really fallen off as of late. The Knicks are the worst run franchise in sports, and they are a bad basketball team. The Cavaliers have so many problems off the court, and that is compounded by how young, and bad they are as a team. They're not good. And then we have the Hawks. Can they get Trae Young any real help please. He is so good, and so is John Collins, but outside of them, it is rough. Cam Reddish isn't good, Deandre Hunter is up and down, Kevin Huerter cannot hit enough open threes and Vince Carter, while I adore him, is showing his age.

Now to the varsity. The West is so much better, and it shows. I will admit it right now, I was very, very wrong about the Lakers. LeBron is playing at a super high level, AD is a monster and the roster, right now, is really clicking. I thought Dwight Howard would be a problem, he is not. I thought guys like Danny Green and Avery Bradley would struggle, they have not. The Lakers are very good, and a real threat to go to the Finals. The rest of the West playoffs goes like this, Nuggets, Jazz, Clippers, Mavericks, Rockets, Thunder and Grizzlies. The Nuggets are super deep and very well coached. They lose a guy like Jamaal Murray and just plug in Malik Beasley or Michael Porter. They have the goods to take the next step. The Jazz started slow, but they have figured it out lately. They score a ton and play very, very good defense. I will be curious to see how they do when Mike Conley gets back, but right now, Donovan Mitchell is running the show, as he should be. The Clippers are kind of sleep walking right now, but I don't think it really matters where they end up. This is a team made for the playoffs, and when that time comes, they can "flip the switch". Also, they have Kawhi freaking Leonard. The Mavericks have shocked me by how they have played, and by all the wins. Kristaps Porzingis has been a non factor, but Luka Doncic is the real deal. He is legitimately a top five player currently in the league. It helps that guys like Tim Hardaway Jr is hitting threes, and Seth Curry is really stepping up. The Rockets are struggling, and I picked them to go to the West Finals, thinking that Harden and Westbrook would click, but it just isn't working. They don't play defense, they have very lousy shooting nights more often than not and they don't seem cohesive. There's still time, but they look like a first round out right now. The Thunder are my most surprising team. I thought they would be fun, but not good. They are, in fact, both fun and good. Chris Paul has really taken on a leadership role and Shai Gilgeous Alexander is becoming a star. This team is, shockingly, very good and a playoff team. And then we have the Grizzlies, my Grizzlies. I wrote a whole thing about Ja, but this team is so fun, and playing very well right now. I don't know if they can keep this up, but dammit are they an absolute blast to watch.

As for the rest of the West, we have the Spurs, who are now shooting threes, and starting to play like they want to make the playoffs, the Trailblazers, who I assumed would be far, far better, but do not play defense and need someone besides Dame, CJ or Carmelo Anthony to step the hell up, the Suns, who started hot, cooled off and are playing well again recently, they just don't have the depth they need, the Pelicans, who have really turned it around since their awful start, and tomorrow night they get Zion back, and he could be the difference in them making the playoffs or not. We then have the Timberwolves who just cannot figure much out. KAT is all world on offense, but plays no defense, Andrew Wiggins has totally cooled off and they just traded Jeff Teague for scraps to try and get a better player before the deadline. The Kings are next, and I thought they would be so much better. Sure, they have dealt with injury stuff, and that is a bummer, but maybe Luke Walton really isn't a good head coach. This team just doesn't look, or feel, the same as last year. That is a bummer. And finally, we have the Warriors. Well, I don't think any of us expected them to be this bad, but they lost KD, there has been no Klay and Steph got hurt in, like game five of the season. This has to be hard for their fans, after so much success, but just look at this as a lost year, where you will get a super high pick, and then you can come out blazing next season when your core is back.

So at the current moment, if I had to pick conference finals, in the East I will go with the Bucks and Celtics, and the Bucks winning in 5. As for the West, I want to see both LA teams play each other, and that is what I think will happen. And I am going to go with the Clippers to win in 7. As for the Finals, I got Kawhi doing his thing yet again, and bringing a title to the Clippers in 6 games. As for the awards, Ja is ROY. Etch that in stone right now. I think Nick Nurse should be coach of the year considering how well that team has played after losing their best player. Defensive player of the year is Rudy Gobert. Sixth man of the year is Lou Williams. And MVP, it will be Giannis winning it once again. As for Finals MVP, I'm going with Kawhi.

Okay, there is my mid season NBA redo. I'm very excited to see how things play out from here. The NBA rules.

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. 

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NFL Playoffs Quick Hits: Conference Championship Games

I was going to do my NBA mid season redo, but it is going to have to wait another day because I want to talk about the NFL championship games that were played yesterday.

We now have Super Bowl 54 set. The Chiefs are playing the 49ers. I feel like this is right for how this season has gone. The 49ers, and I will eat crow in a bit, played bully ball better than any other team this season, and they are healthy at the right time. The Chiefs had an easy enough path to get to the Super Bowl, and Patrick Mahomes is cementing himself as the best offensive player in football. I don't think that can be questioned at this point. How did we get here though?

The first game of the day was the Chiefs-Titans game. The Titans had a great, memorable run. They beat the Patriots and the Ravens, both on the road, and held a 10 point lead twice yesterday. But, as a person who had no rooting interest, I never feared for the Chiefs or their fans. I was more worried last week when they were down 24 to the Texans. The Chiefs, and Mahomes, turned it on in the second quarter, and it was a wrap from there. The Chiefs were the only team, shockingly, that has been able to slow down Derrick Henry and make Ryan Tannehill beat them. And the Titans D had no answer for Mahomes. He made his incredible throws, that we all expect now, with ease, and he ran the hell out of the ball. That 30 yard TD run he had, to officially take the lead late in the second quarter, was one of the most athletic plays, and smartest plays, I have ever seen. To see him find the hole, take, then juke a few defenders and then drag 2 guys in the end zone, that was a magical football play. Mahomes owned this game. He has owned their 2 playoff games. He is playing on an extremely elite level right now. He is the most dynamic player on the field every time he steps on the field. The Chiefs have their dude, now we will see if they can win a Super Bowl.

As for the late game, I did have rooting interest in this one because the Packers were playing. Well, I turned this game off at halftime. I love the Packers, not as much as the Wolverines though, so I had no problem checking out. Hell, the Packers and Rodgers checked out in that awful first half. Green Bay, after one drive, was completely outmatched, outmanned and out played all game long. Matt Lafleur was made to look like Kyle Shanahan's little brother. San Francisco's defense controlled the entirety of the game. I know Green Bay pulled within 14, but it was never really that close. And that run game the 49ers put out there yesterday, my god was that a great plan that was perfectly executed. when the game was still scoreless, and the Packers pushed the 49ers back to a third and eight, I thought that it would be a close game. Then the 49ers handed the ball to Raheem Mostert on a quick draw and he proceeded to run untouched for a 25 plus yard TD. That was my first inkling that this was going to be rough. Mostert than put in 2 more TD's, both double digit runs, and I was done, as were the Packers. They could not stop that run game at all. And I don't want to hear from the ESPN's and Bleacher Report's and Sports Iluustrated's of the world about how this is all about Jimmy Garroppolo. He didn't do a damn thing because he didn't have to. Garroppolo is Alex Smith 2.0, except not as mobile. The 49ers are great because of coaching, defense, and most importantly, their run game. Not because of their handsome QB. Colin Kaepernick is a much better all around QB. Anyway, the 49ers did what they have done all year to the Packers and bullied their way to the Super Bowl.

As for the upcomming Super Bowl. I think this is the best matchup on paper. It is strength on strength. The 49ers are a defense, ball control team, and the Chiefs are a quick strike, lets score as many points as fast as possible team. This will be a good matchup, and if someone asked me right now who is going to win, I'd go with the 49ers. I will be rooting for the Chiefs, but if the 49ers can control the ball and the clock, and keep Mahomes off the field, basically what they have done all year, they will win a close one.

Ty

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

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Ja Morant is Must Watch NBA

I was going to do a big mid season NBA redo, like I do every year, but I want to wait for Monday to do that. I really want to pore over that, and really dig deep. When I do my redo's, I also like to really pore over each team. Take a real deep dive if you will. With that being said, I do want to talk about one player this year that has been very good very fast. That player you ask, it is Ja Morant.

Earlier this year, before the NBA season started, I decided to change my allegiance yet again, it has been so hard to stick with one team since the Sonics left Seattle. But I decided I was going to stand by the Memphis Grizzlies. I have, full stop, thrown my hat into their ring. They are my NBA team now, and there is a plethora of reasons. It is the closest city to Saint Louis with a pro basketball team. I love the city of Memphis. They have the best BBQ and music.

If you all remember my pre draft ranking, I had Morant as my number one overall prospect. I have believed in this kid from the first moment I saw him jam on some dudes while he was at Murray State. So, when the Grizzlies secured the second pick in the lottery, and Morant was the clear choice there, it made my decision to back the Grizzlies even easier. And watching this kid play half of this season has been an absolute wonder. He is a whiz with the basketball. He has very solid handles already, and runs that team like he has been in the league for five or six years already. His passing is insane. The other night I watched him on League Pass make two passes that reminded me of Magic Johnson. It is almost as if he has eyes in the back of his head. He found guys cutting to the basket that I think only he knew were open. Sure, Luka Doncic, rightfully so, gets a ton of hype and airtime for what he does, and Russ is a triple double machine and LeBron has been doing this for years, but there is something so enticing, for me, watching Morant do what he does. He has flair and an arrogance and a cockiness and a gravity that just draws me in. For example, the other night when he hit those threes on Harden, and said, sorry mom and dad, "tell that mother fucker about me", I grew to like him even more. He is not even close to Harden's level as a scorer, and may never get there. But, he wasn't going to let Harden punk him by playing no defense and giving him a WIDE open three. It shows that he is becoming more and more confident in his jump shot, the biggest knock on him pre draft, and that he is making them now. It also shows that he isn't scared of anyone in the league. He made it there, and he feels like he belongs, and he sure as hell does.

Above all though, it is his pure athleticism that makes him my favorite player in the league at the moment. I was a KD guy for awhile, I loved Shawn Kemp and Kevin Garnett growing up, and Charles Barkley is my favorite player of all time. But, Ja has me rethinking my whole past, of being a power/small forward guy, to being a point guard guy. Along with Ja, I enjoy watching Doncic and Devin Booker and Brad Beal and Eric Bledose and Jimmy Butler. Most of those guys, if not all, are guards. But none of them do to me what Morant does as a basketball fan. And when he went up to try and dunk on Kevin Love earlier this year, I mean, he didn't even make the dunk, but it was still a top highlight. The fact that a skinny, 6 foot something guard went to dunk on a 6 foot 10 inch center, you have to respect the moxie. I personally loved it. I mean, had he made the dunk, it would've been the highlight of the year, full stop. And still, he has already dunked on a ton of dudes in his half of a pro career at the moment, and that list is only going to continue to grow the older, and better he gets. Ja Morant has been everything I expected, and so, so much more. He is fun, easy to root for, clearly loves the game, and has shown that he is putting in the work to be a star in this league. I cannot wait to continue to watch him, to see him live and to pat myself on the back when he walks away with the Rookie of the Year award this season. Hell, he may be an All Star this year before the voting is all said and done.

Ja Morant is amazing, and I am so glad that he plays for my new, official favorite team in the NBA. He is a true wunderkind.

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. 

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Better Late Than Never on "Captain Marvel"

Continuing to get caught up with movies that I have wanted to see, but didn't have time while they were in the theaters, my wife and I finally watched "Captain Marvel" the other night.

We both wanted to see it while in theaters, didn't have the time, realized that we are Disney + subscribers and decided it was time to finally watch it, and I have to say, I enjoyed this movie. While it is not "Black Panther" or "Endgame", "Captain Marvel" was a fun and entertaining movie. Sure, there were some parts that felt a little tacked on, or they could have cut it, but that is small nit picking stuff. All in all, I found this movie to be good.

First off, Brie Larson is a great, great actor. She has been in some of the best independent movies I have seen, won Oscars for them, been in comedies that were hilarious, and now, she got to try her hand at a Marvel movie, playing the most powerful Marvel hero. And to no ones surprise, she was excellent. I bought every second of her performance. I like how literal she took everything. I believed all the heart felt moments. Her stunts were kick ass. She was kick ass. When she realizes her full potential, that was an amazing scene. The fight between her and Annette Benning, who was great, was totally awesome. Her final battle scene was incredible. The back and forth between her and Nick Fury was tremendous. She was really, really good in this role. I don't know why I wouldn't expect that at this time, but she was great.

As was the rest of the cast. Sam Jackson as young Nick Fury was perfect. Seeing a young Agent Coulson was great. Captain Marvel's friend, Rambo I believe her name was, was super believable as the best friend who thought she lost her best friend. She was also a kick ass pilot as well. Jude Law as the bad guy, I mean, he is really crushing most of his roles lately. He is even good in movies that aren't so good. So, when I get to see him act well in a good movie, that is a treat. Ben Mendelsonn, who is super underrated as an actor, was so good as the main Skrull guy. I fully expected him to be the main villain, and spoiler alert, when he isn't, that was a shock, and it totally got me. He is a good guy. He is just looking for a safe place for his family and friends to live. I loved the misdirection.

As for the color and way the movie was shot, it was awesome. I like when Marvel does these fun and super bright movies. It reminded me a ton of "Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2", except a little less bright. But, it worked. The special effects were amazing. I mentioned the fight scene between Larson and Benning, that was cool as hell. The way she bends her body into a wall that is made of silver, that was so cool. Oh, and the music, it was wonderful. The movie takes place in the mid 90's, so I got to hear a ton of songs that I remember listening to when I was a teenager. And the way they set them to battle scenes, it was pure perfection.

While I may like the "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies a little more, or acknowledge how important a movie like "Black Panther" is, or how final "Endgame" was, I still see the importance of a movie like "Captain Marvel". It introduces us to a very important, very powerful superhero, and it is a great origin story. I put this one right up there with the original "Ironman". It is giving us the story of the new most important Marvel hero, and it tells it with a fun, and good, attitude. Marvel does good superhero movies, and "Captain Marvel" is one of the better ones out there tight now.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Dolemite is My Name"

Yesterday I sat down and watched "Dolemite is My Name", and I have to say, this is one of the funniest, and most heartfelt movies that I have seen in some time. I watched the preview for it about a month ago, and I knew then that I was going to enjoy it, I just had to find the time. I had an open afternoon, and watched it while I folded laundry.

This movie totally delivered as well. I am an Eddie Murphy fan, but some of his stuff lately isn't that great. It is funny because he is in it, but it just doesn't hit like "Beverly Hills Cop" or "48 Hours" did. "Dolemite is My Name" hit, and hit a god damn homerun. When Murphy is given range to be filthy, use a ton of 4 letter words and act like a comedian, he crushes his roles. That was what made him so great in a movie like "Dream Girls". He got to act like a hyper version of himself. Casting him as famed vulgar comic Rudy Ray Moore was perfect. It was almost as if he was born to play this role. He embodied it as well. I fully believed he was Rudy Ray Moore resurrected. He was just as filthy and funny and hard working and a hustler and a perfectionist, just like Moore aimed to be. To see Murphy play him from his lowest point was exceptional. To see him play him as he makes his rise, well that was even better. Murphy was astounding. The fact that he didn't even get a sniff from the Academy for the Oscars shows how unimportant that awards show has become. To pass him up for Joaquin Phoenix's Joker is so stupid. To pass him up for anyone playing a real life person, which I thought the Academy loved, is asinine. He should have been, at the very least, nominated. I think his snub is even bigger than Adam Sandler getting nothing for "Uncut Gems". Watching this movie made me remember that Murphy is a star. He was exquisite.

But it wasn't just him. Everyone involved with this movie was great. Wesley Snipes should have also gotten awards consideration. His character was so holier than thou and high and mighty and acted like he was too good for all of this, and Snipes absolutely nailed it. Just like with Murphy, it made me remember that Snipes is a really, really good actor. Titus Burgess is wonderful as Moore's record store buddy and friend. To see him in a role like this, outside of "Kimmy Schmidt", was great for a fan like me. Burgess was funny, but he was also grounded. It was great. Da'Vine Joy Randolph, as his comedy partner, was wonderful. She was tough, beautiful, funny and I loved every second she was in this movie. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen when she was there. Even actors in smaller roles, like Craig Robinson as the singer in a band and Mike Epps as a friend of Moore's, they both shined when they were on screen. Robinson is a great singer as well, and getting to hear him do the Dolemite theme was dynamite. Keegan Michael Key, as the writer of the movie, was wonderful as well. It also helped that we got cameos from both Chris Rock and Bob Oedenkirk.

As I said, the movie is a riot, but it also has some heart in it. I feel like it is a true journey, filled with all the ups and downs, about becoming a Hollywood star, and how hard that can be. But Murphy's portrayal as Moore had me rooting for him all the way. And he was never really mean to those that helped him. He didn't treat them like lesser than him. There was no scene that shows him acting like he is better than everyone else. He was a dude that worked hard, and appreciated all those that helped him get to where he got. Rudy Ray Moore became a star, but it wasn't all him. He had help from a ton of people, and I feel like this movie did a great job of showing that.

I highly, highly recommend checking this movie out. I feel like we are getting an Eddie Murphy renaissance at the moment, and this movie is the catalyst to all of that. What a winner.

Ty

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

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LSU is a Champion that Makes Us All Awestruck

Last night, after what seemed like an eternity between games, the college football playoff, and season, came to a close.

If you had told me before the season started that a team like LSU would revolutionize their offense the way they did, go 15-0 and make it look easy against a team on a 29 game win streak, with one of the greatest QB prospects of all time, I would have laughed directly into your face. But, that’s pretty much what happened. LSU hired a great offensive mind to put this team into the modern era in college football, and boy did they do some magical and astounding things on that side of the ball. Also, seeing Joe Burrow transform into a super accurate, mobile and efficient QB was a thing of wonder. I remember watching LSU get beat by UCF, I think 2 seasons ago, in a New Years 6 bowl, and Burrow getting absolutely bullied by their defense. Hell, last season he threw for 16 TD’s, and LSU looked as stagnant as ever. Then, Joe Brady comes along, Ed Oregeron goes and recruits supreme athletes and Burrow threw for 60 plus TD’s this year. I can’t even do that in video games. And the speed, and up tempo-ness with which this offense played this year, it was a blast to watch, and I’m not even a fan. Also, that running back, Edwards-Helaire, man is he like a super strong version of Darren Sproles. He was so good all season, and was extra sensational last night. Even the defense, which has been their calling card, while not great, is still very, very good. Grant Delpit is a star. And that D line, my goodness are those kids big and fast and nasty, in all the right ways. That Clemson even made this a close game into the third quarter, was impressive. Clemson is a great team, an elite team, an all time great team, but LSU was special this year. I feel like this season’s LSU football team should go down as one of the greatest college football teams in history. The way they modernized their offense, the players they had that won all the awards, the defense figuring it out after the Ole Miss game, the coaching staff being as productive and efficient as they could possibly be, beating all those top 10 teams, and taking down this Clemson dynasty, it was truly incredible. They were must watch TV all season. I stayed up late to watch this whole game last night because I wanted to see if they could actually pull this off. I wanted to really see if Burrow could do it again. I wanted to see those receivers against top notch defensive backs. I wanted to see what Edwards-Helaire would do. I wanted to see Coach O, or hear him is more like it. And, like I said, I had zero rooting interest. But I am a college football fanatic, and when a team this dominant and fun and likable comes along, I want to take it all in because it doesn’t happen that often. Sure, Alabama has been dominant, but they were never this fun. The University of Ohio State is elite, but they cheat and I hate that team. Georgia is bland. Oklahoma is one dimensional. Even Clemson is kind of blah at this current time. To see a team like this, it’s magical. I’m also happy for my friends that are LSU fans. I know they’ve waited awhile to see their team play this well.

My hat is off to LSU. They earned this title, and then some. This is a season that will go down in history, and man was it fun to watch. Congrats LSU. It was a well deserved title.

Ty

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

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NFL Playoffs Quick Hits: Semifinal Games

I have some thoughts now that we have the final four set for the NFL playoffs. This is going to be very similar to my weekly NFL quick takes in fact. I kind of want to touch on each game, and who I see playing in the Super Bowl in two weeks.

First and foremost, I was very wrong with my first prediction, of the Saints and Ravens in the Super Bowl. They were both first game exits. I touched on the Saints already, so let me talk a bit about the Ravens. They got bullied and beat pretty soundly by a Titans team that is peaking at the exact right time. This version of the Titans reminds me a ton of the Jags from, I think it was three seasons ago, except they have a much better, and much bigger, running back. I'm not taking anything away from what the Titans are doing right now, but I do think the Ravens got bitten by the bye week bug that gets top seeds sometimes. They were rolling, winners of 12 consecutive games I believe, and they came out flat and slow and didn't look like the same team. The Titans capitalized on that, and hammered them with the run game all evening. Derrick Henry is fast becoming a super star. Lamar Jackson did play well, but his defense didn't help him at all. This game was 14-0, and 21-6 before the third quarter was a couple minutes in. But again, this Titans team is so reminiscent of that Jags team to me. Props to them for making it this far, but I think it ends this weekend. I have said that twice now.

As for the team that I think will beat the Titans, and end this run, the Chiefs looked rough to start their game yesterday. They were down 21-0 before the first quarter was over. Then the Chiefs proceeded to score on 7 straight possessions. Seven straight TD's that is. They looked like the Chiefs from last season. They simply couldn't be stopped. Patrick Mahomes looked like his MVP self. And even their defense, for the most part, shut down Deshaun Watson and the Texans offense, They outscored them 51-10 after that first quarter. It was one hell of a performance. As for the Texans, this is kind of what I figured would happen. They are a fine team, and have an elite QB, but not much else. Deandre Hopkins is good, but he can only do so much when he is being double and triple teamed. They have an okay defense, but it isn't good enough to stop the best of the best offenses. They are stuck in a weird kind of 9 and 10 win limbo, and seem to be destined to do this most seasons, until they get a better coaching staff and hire a real GM.

As for the NFC, the 49ers easily dismantled the Vikings. This game was exactly why I wanted to see the 49ers play the Saints. It would have been a much better, and closer game. This game was essentially over after the 49ers went up 14-7. They stopped everything the Vikings tried to do on offense. Every time they went to play action, which they did often, the 49ers were there to stop it before it got started. The Vikings couldn't run at all. Kirk Cousins was pressured and looked like the overrated QB he has been his whole career. As for the 49ers, well, they didn't need much from their offense after the second TD drive. They ran the ball, controlled the clock and easily won this game. When the score was 21-10, right after half, I told my wife I was done watching because this game was over. She reminded me there was still a whole 2 quarters to play, but I told her that the Vikings quit. They got outclassed, outplayed and out coached all game. Good for Kyle Shanahan and his staff too. They have really turned this whole thing around quick. The 49ers are a very, very good team.

Finally, my team, the Packers tried to give me a heart attack, but ended up winning the game. They went up 21-3 before half, but only scored one more time, while letting the Seahawks back in the game. The final was 28-23, but it could've ended much worse. I firmly believed that the Packers were going to blow that game. But, they found a way to win, and beat Russell Wilson. As I have said all season, and it still pains me, Wilson is a great QB, and he showed that yesterday. But the Seahawks coaching staff still doesn't believe in him. For them to punt with under 4 minutes left was a terrible call. But, they did, the Packers got the ball back and never returned it to Seattle. Rodgers made some incredible throws, Davante Adams was an absolute beast and Aaron Jones gained some tough yards and scored pivotal TD's. The Packers now have to face the 49ers in San Francisco, and that will be tough.

As far as my Super Bowl pick now, I'm going with the Chiefs and 49ers. And I think the Chiefs will win. They are playing so exceptionally on offense right now, their defense is doing enough and the 49ers just aren't at that level yet. We shall see, but I think it will be a fun championship weekend, and I think that will be a very good Super Bowl matchup.

Lets do it.

Ty

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

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Better Never Than Late on "Vox Lux"

Yesterday I wrote about a movie starring Natalie Portman that I really liked. Today, I’m going in the opposite direction.

I really wanted to see the movie “Vox Lux” when I first saw the preview, about 2 years back. I thought it had an interesting premise, girl is involved in a school shooting, gets hurt, writes a song about the event, becomes a pop star and has many mental problems stemming from the incident in school. It also starred Portman as the grown up version of the kid, the pop star version.

The movie started out strong enough to keep my attention. The school shooting was a little bit too real, which made me emotional, and I felt for this young kid, dealing with the aftermath. It was upsetting and a struggle and, at least I thought, portrayed tragedy through the eyes of a teen very well. But, when the music starts in the movie, that’s where they lost me. As I said, the main character writes a song about the event, someone is filming it on local news, a record exec hears it and decides they want to record it. That is when the movie shifts tones and kind of goes off the rails. The girl, while dealing with record people, and people in the music industry, kind of becomes a satirical version of a young person breaking into the pop music scene. She has to learn how to do choreographed dances, but can’t really dance after the shooting. She goes away overseas and starts to get heavily involved in drugs and sex. She constantly derides herself for making pop music. She has weird monologues that seem pointless and endless. She walks in on her sister sleeping with her manager and that strains their close relationship. She is then late for a plane, but she’s told that she is going to make a video because her song is so popular.

What I gleaned from all of this, pop musicians can do whatever they want if they’re good. She shoots the music video, but that scene felt forced and pointless. We then flash forward about 15 years, and we see Portman as the adult version. And surprise surprise, she has all kinds of mental problems, she’s a head case, she’s an addict and she has no real redeeming qualities.

I’m a humongous Portman fan, but I did not find her very good in this movie. She talks way too fast, and her New York accent is trifling. She’s also over dramatic far too often. As is Jude Law, who plays her manager. In fact, everyone is a bit over dramatic in this movie. They also have a scene, twice in fact, where some bad dudes dressed as the people in her video, shoot up a beach, and they only broach that topic once. I feel like they could’ve done a ton with that, using her past, fame, religion, a ton of stuff, that they barely touched on, if at all. And when you think there’s going to be some big, revealing ending, there’s not. Spoiler alert, Portman sings the song from the beginning, they scan the characters in the audience all smiling, and when the song is over, credits roll. It was very unfulfilling.

This movie had all the makings of things I like, original songs from Sia, Natalie Portman, talking about modern pop music, and a tragic story that could have ended with revelations. None of that, except Sia’s music, worked at all. I wish this movie was better. Unfortunately it is not. Oh well, at least Portman crushes in pretty much everything else she’s in. Watch “Annihilation” instead of this movie. You’ll be happy you did.

Also, on a positive note, happy birthday mom! Love you.

Ty

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

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Better Late Than Never on the Movie "Annihilation"

With all the streaming options available now I have been catching up on a ton of movies that I have wanted to watch, and now have the time. I will be writing about two of them the next two days, and I want to do the good one today.

So, I recently watched the movie "Annihilation" and boy oh boy did I love this movie. I remember seeing the preview awhile back, probably over a year ago, and thinking that it looked pretty good. I then saw that it was directed by the same guy that did "Ex Machina", and that pretty much sealed the deal for me. I also heard some people talk about it, mainly RD, and they all seemed to find something to enjoy about the movie. I had a free afternoon on Tuesday and I decided that it was the perfect time to check it out. I was blown away.

The simple synopsis of the movie is that a group of women, some soldiers, some with wild pasts, decide to enter this weird, alternate universe called "The Shimmer" to see what is going on. Natalie Portman is the main character, and her husband, played by Oscar Issac, went to "The Shimmer", and came back a totally different person. Portman plays a biologist, and she wants to know what happened to her husband. She wanted to find out why he was so different. To find out what happened. She joined a group headed by Jennifer Jason Leigh, and it included Gina Rodriguez and Tessa Thompson. They enter this "Shimmer", and things are not what they seem. There is wild vegetation. The animals are weird hybrids. The days seem short but are actually months long. Compasses don't work. Timing is all odd. It is nuts.

I loved every second of it. I like weird sci fi movies that stay with you days and days after watching it. I have not stopped thinking about this movie since I finished it. I texted RD immediately to tell him how much I loved it. I told my wife all about it. I did the same with my parents. And when they asked me what was so good, or why I liked it so much, I have a plethora of answers.

First off, the story is really good, and fairly easy to follow. The imagery is some of the coolest and most unique stuff I have ever seen in a movie. The monster, the hybrid animals, are cool and scary and wild and memorable. The acting is top notch. The direction is cool. The colors are as colorful as "Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2". And I dig this director. I was blown away at everything in this movie. When you see some vegetation that looks like people, I was blown away. When the crazy stuff starts to happen, I'm trying my best to not spoil anything because this movie needs to be seen by everyone, I was stunned and shocked and pleased in all the right ways. The alien in this movie was one of the coolest things I have seen in quite some time. Everything that happened in "The Shimmer" was totally cool and fresh and like nothing I have ever seen before. Natalie Portman is so good in this movie, and when she has a solid script, she really knocks it out of the park. Also, I want to shout out Gina Rodriguez. I have only ever seen her do comedic stuff, but in this movie she is rough and gruff and I was on board. Also, shout out to the people who let women be the guiding force, the strong people in this movie. That doesn't happen enough, and when it does, it works.

I really think "Annihilation" is going to be fondly remembered as a very solid movie. This is another step in a good direction for director Alex Garland. To follow up "Ex Machina" with this, I am stoked for the future. "Annihilation" is a great movie that I highly recommend. Also, go into it knowing as little as possible like I did. The movie will blow you away.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Hot and Heavy" Series Premier

I have talked many times on this site how I now enjoy reality TV, and how TLC has become a channel my wife and I watch a ton lately. We love a good "90 Day Fiance", my wife likes "My 600 Pound Life" and "Say Yes to the Dress", and she has even gotten me to watch a "Gypsy" marathon show every now and then. Last night we decided that we were going to watch their newest show together. We saw a preview for said show, and we were immediately intrigued and decided then that we would watch this show when it premiered. The show in question, it is called "Hot and Heavy".

So, for those that may not know, this show is about, and I LOATHE this term, "mixed weight" couples. And if you think that sounds absurd, you are very, very right. Anyway, this show is about guys that are supposedly in good shape that date women that are overweight, or in some cases, as one doctor put it, "morbidly, and grotesquely obese". Yes, this show is as insensitive as this minor description may have you thinking it is right now.

The couples, there are three of them, each have their own little 5 to 10 minute blocks where they talk about their "mixed weight" relationships. We have one couple where the guy, his name is Rusty, is married to his wife, I think her name is Trish, and she weighs around 330 pounds. This guy Rusty is a real piece of work. He says some pretty upsetting stuff to his wife, that he thinks is cute and fun. It is not. And in this premiere episode, when the wife decides to see a doctor about a possible weight loss surgery, the husband is so offended that she would do this without him, and he is very opposed to her getting the surgery to lose weight, Never mind the fact that she is a diabetic, and the surgery could help her live longer and conceive a baby. None of that matters to this moron. He wants her to stay big, no  matter what. This gentleman clearly has a fetish, but he won't admit it.

There is another couple, they are from Canada, and they had a baby after only 2 weeks together. I do have to say, for how absurd this show is, this couple seems to be legit in love. But, TLC definitely hired a couple of kids to yell at the lady while she is eating ice cream, and they even call her a cow and moo at her. I mean, this was totally unnecessary and rude and unneeded, but TLC had to find a way to manufacture some drama with this couple. They don't seem to really fit in with this show, and it seems like TLC is going to have to fabricate some stuff if they keep this couple on.

There is one final couple, that also seem genuinely in love, but all the outside people are real pieces of work. The guy and girl seem to have a solid connection, but the girl is always putting on a show when she meets new people. She amps up the personality, and it is a struggle to watch. As for the guy, well, his family and friends are very mean people, and they say some super hurtful things about his girlfriend. When he asks her to come out to meet his friends, every one of them, except the wife of another friend, were just awful. They gave her odd looks, they acted nice to her face but said some rude stuff behind her back and they just seemed artificial. The guy's family, especially his mom, were straight up rude, except his sister. His sister could care less what the girlfriend looked like, as long as he was happy. But the mom kept talking about how she used to be heavy, and how she doesn't want her son to have to take care of someone that is bigger than him. She came off extremely mean and nasty. It was upsetting.

All this leads me to say, I guess TLC is at a point now where they will make up some nonsense like "mixed weight" couples, and just slap it together and throw it on camera. This show was offensive to heavy people, was mean, is ridiculous, and didn't have to ever be made. But, TLC must have accomplished their goal because I am here talking about it today, I told my folks about it, I'm sure my wife is talking about it at work today and it was blowing up on social media last night. And I hate to say, I will most likely watch the rest of this season, and if it comes back, I will probably watch it again. It is unnecessary, but also kept my attention. That is embarrassing, but true.

I will watch "Hot and Heavy", I will complain about how people treat other people and that means TLC has won. They broke me.

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Early Playoff Exits of the Saints and Patriots

As stated yesterday, I still want to talk about what happened to both, the Patriots and the Saints this past weekend. I promise I will get to something other than football this week, but I have to talk about these 2 teams getting beat.

Lets start with the Saints. First and foremost, and I think even RD would admit this, the Saints got hosed in overtime yet again. Now, that didn't cause them to lose the game. Not at all. Their play the whole game caused that. They looked awful, especially compared to how they played to close out the regular season. The defense was solid, but their offense was nonexistent. Also, why didn't they at least try to score a TD at the end of regulation? I don't understand why they didn't run one more play to the end zone, but that is that I guess. But Drew Brees played bad, the O line opened no holes for Kamara and they just seemed like they went out there and expected the Vikings to roll over. And props to the Vikings. They made the game ugly and slow and plodding and ran and ran and ran. I don't give Kirk Cousins the credit, maybe because I dislike him so much, but this win was due to Dalvin Cook. Cook is a beast out of the backfield. The fact that he played so well, while being hurt, that is admirable. I have all the respect for him, and the way their defense played, which was shorthanded in the secondary. The Vikings did enough to win the game. But, lets get real for a second. I mean, Kyle Rudolph pushed off. There is no way he catches that pass if he doesn't extend his arm. The Vikings would've kicked a field goal if the play was called correctly, and the Saints would have, at least, had a chance. The Saints might be the cursed franchise of the late 2000's, and now early 2020. They blew it against the Vikings two years ago, the Rams got away with a blatant pass interference, and then Sunday happened. This looks like the end for them as well. Brees is old, and unless they can retain Teddy Bridgewater, they may be in the market for a new QB for the first time in forever. I truly thought they had the goods to win the Super Bowl, but I was wrong.

Now for the Patriots. First and foremost, I was thrilled, absolutely thrilled, especially for a person who had no skin in the game, that the Patriots got beat at home by the Titans. It was tremendous. Bill Belichick got outcoached by a former assistant, the vaunted Patriots D couldn't stop Derrick Henry, who is amazing and their offense was absolutely atrocious. I'm stoked that someone other than Tom Brady and the Patriots will represent the AFC in the Super Bowl. But what does this mean for the Patriots now? Will Brady leave? Is Josh McDaniels going to finally leave the nest and take a head coaching job elsewhere? What will Belichick do, besides being a curmudgeon? And how many "happy endings" did Robert Kraft go out and get after that game Saturday night? I kid on that, but I bet he did anyway. But let me try and answer the other questions I put out there. So, first of all, the Patriots are one of the most dominant dynasties in any pro sport ever. Sure, they cheated, big time, but they won a ton of Super Bowls, and went to plenty. This all started when I was a freshman in college, and now I am a husband and father of two, and it looks like it may be finally over. As for Brady, I think he return next season, and I wouldn't be shocked if it is with New England. But I think a lot of that depends on McDaniels. If he stays, I think Brady is a shoe in to stay. If he goes, I bet Brady will actually dip his toe into free agency for the first time. I don't know what team he would want to play for, that will also pay him a crap ton of money. He is a name, but he is also 42 years old. He will be 43 next season. So, I don't think he will want to go to a team that isn't a contender. I have heard people talk about Miami or the LA Chargers. I don't think he wants to go to a team that may not make the playoffs. I have also heard the Bears as a possibility. They seem to have all the pieces to contend, but they just said they are sticking with Trubisky. But, if they have a shot to sign Brady, I'd say to go for it. But again, he will be 43. And the Bears really struggled this past season. Outside of those teams, no other team that is a contender needs a 43 year old QB. The Ravens are set, as are the Chiefs. The Rams, unfortunately, paid Jared Goff a kings ransom. The Seahawks have Wilson, the Packers have Rodgers, the Cowboys have Prescott and a new coach. Even the Titans seem content to move forward with Ryan Tannehill. If I had to guess, if Brady comes back, I say he stays in New England. Which leads me to McDaniels. I think he is so afraid to fail again, much like he did in Denver, that he is going to stay and wait out Belichick. I assumed last year, after he accepted, then declined the Colts opening, that he was told he could be the next head coach of the Patriots when Belichick leaves. I also think he is a coward and not prepared to be a head coach. He is a gimmicky coach, and his offense has only ever worked with Brady. He couldn't do it in Denver, and with all the openings started to get filled by other coaches, I think he ends up staying in New England as well. As for Belichick, just like with Brady and McDaniels, I think he wants to try and run it back one more time. I think he knows that his defense is elite, and if he can get some outside help for Brady, possibly AJ Green, the Patriots can go right back to the Super Bowl. As much as I wished this was the end, I think they are willing to run it back one more time. Maybe, hopefully, it will end like this season, but you never know, especially with the ability to bring in new players. I do think after next season, changes will be plentiful in New England. But for now, I bet they run it back one more time. But at least they got beat this year, and we won't have to watch another boring ass Super Bowl featuring the Patriots. I can take hollow joy in that for now.

Well, onto the next round.

Ty

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

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The Era of Dallas Cowboy Mediocrity will Continue with Mike McCarthy

cowboys fans today and for the foreseeable future

I was going to use my time to day to talk about how the Patriots, and my Super Bowl pick, the Saints, got beat. But, some news came across my phone this morning, sports news, that I just cannot go without tackling today.

While out grocery shopping this morning the news popped that the Cowboys had hired their next head coach. I just kind of glanced down, and I assumed that it was going to be Urban Meyer, Lincoln Riley or Matt Rhule. I was one of the many people that thought known racist Jerry Jones would go after one of the big name college guys. Well, when I got to my car and had a minute to check out who they hired, I was stunned, and not in a good way. The Cowboys I read have reportedly hired Mike McCarthy to be the head coach.

There is a decent amount for me to unpack with this decision. First off, yes McCarthy is a Super Bowl winning head coach. I watched that Super Bowl with big time rooting interest because he was the head coach of my favorite team, the Packers. In fact, I watched McCarthy coach for years, and all in all, he was a fine coach. But, he was not elite. I actually am of the ilk of people who feel that he wasted a good chunk of Aaron Rodgers prime. But, I'm not going to do all the bad stuff just yet. So yes, McCarthy has won a ring, he has been to the playoffs a ton, his offenses were always in the top 10, or at the very least, top half of the league. And he helped groom Rodgers. He is a very good coach for you team's QB. He knows how to work with them. Also, his teams were always competitive, even if they weren't a playoff team. They still made every game a game.

But, I am stunned, and yes, stunned is the word I want, that the Cowboys and Jerry Jones and Dallas and all the big wigs there decided that McCarthy was the best guy to take over as head coach, only two days after firing Jason Garrett. Like I said, I thought they would go for the big college guy. Or maybe a big time assistant, like a Greg Roman or Eric Bienemy type. Hell, I even thought they had the juice, especially since they just got beat, to finally get their white whale, Sean Payton. I never, ever expected Mike McCarthy to be the head coach of the Cowboys.

This is wild, and for all the wrong reasons. He will work with Dak Prescott, and I think this hiring means Prescott is about to get super duper paid. But, Green Bay never had a running back that was used properly under McCarthy. Now he has Ezekial Elliot, who got paid last offseason, and he will become, if McCarthy sticks to his usual nonsense, a guy that carries the ball 12-17 times a game and has a few catches here and there. He was already becoming neutralized this season, and he will regress more under McCarthy. I'm sure they will try and find a way to sign Amari Cooper so Prescott can have a good target, but that means they will lose some of the speedy guys they have, and some of the slot guys they have. Sure, McCarthy has experience coaching Randall Cobb, but he under utilized him in Green Bay. I'm sure he will do the same in Dallas. A guy like Michael Gallup, the Cowboys might not have the money to keep him after paying Cooper. The Cowboys also need a new tight end because Jason Witten is a billion years old. But, with all this being said, the offense should still be competent.

Yet, and this is what always bugged me about McCarthy, and why I was glad that Green Bay finally parted ways with him last offseason, he doesn't care about defense, and the Cowboys aren't very good on defense to begin with. The Packers D, under McCarthy, was horrendous. The offense was so highly rated because they needed to be great. They needed to score 25-35 points a game just to win. That is because McCarthy only focused on offense, hiring crappy coordinators and simply didn't care about that side of the ball. The Cowboys could score upwards of 28 points a game under McCarthy, but they may give up 28 points a game as well.

Finally, I feel like this is about as parallel a move as this franchise could've made. I expected an enormous splash. I expected the big time name. I expected a party after naming their new head coach. Now, they have a slightly better offensive mind than Jason Garrett as their head coach. Mike McCarthy definitely has had more success than Garrett, but he is just as bland, and cares less about defense. This almost feels like a move to please Jerry Jones because he knows he is still the boss. Mike McCarthy won't push and talk back. He will do what he is told to do. I don't think guys like Matt Rhule or Lincoln Riley would have done that. They would have wanted full control. And Jerry Jones is insane enough to not go out and get those  guys because he still thinks that the Cowboys are all about him.

This is a very puzzling hire. If I were a Cowboys fan, thank goodness I am not, I would be very pessimistic about this hire. I just don't get it.

Ty

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

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The SeedSing 2020 NFL Playoff Preview

Tomorrow the NFL playoffs kick off, and for the first time in a long time, spoiler alert, I'm not picking New England. I'm sure this means that they will find a way to win ugly and win yet another Super Bowl, but they have looked very good as of late, and they have to play on wild card weekend for the first time in forever. So, I will start with my AFC picks, then NFC, Super Bowl game and winner and my Super Bowl MVP.

The Texans and Bills are the first game of the day tomorrow, and I got to tell you, I am not going to watch a second of this one. I like Deshaun Watson, and I am a big Deandre Hopkins fan, but this game is going to be BORING. This is going to be a lot like the Jags-Bills game from a couple years ago, which I believe ended 10-7, and it was even more boring than that. Both teams are coming in kind of slow. The Bills have a very good defense, but their offense leaves a ton to be desired. The Texans have Watson and Hopkins, but they have a porous line and a mediocre defense. I'm sticking with Houston because of Watson, but this will be low scoring and brutal to the eyeballs.

The other AFC wild card game features The Patriots and the Titans. Again, I feel like this game is going to be slow and boring and not very well played. Both teams are better on defense than offense, but the Titans do have Derrick Henry. But, they also have Ryan Tannehill at QB. The Patriots are still the Patriots, but they have been a shell of themselves offensively all year. They have no run game, and Tom Brady looks every single second of 42 years old. The game is in New England, and honestly, that is the only reason I am picking the Patriots. I will be pulling really hard for the Titans, but I'm sure something weird will happen in favor of the Patriots to secure an ugly win.

That would give us a rematch of KC and New England, but this time I think KC will cruise. They are peaking at the right time, they have all their weapons healthy, Patrick Mahomes is 100 percent healthy and they are playing at Arrowhead. This will not be a repeat of last season. The refs can't even put the fix in on this one. If the Chiefs don't win, I'd be stunned.

The other matchup would pit The Texans and the Ravens. The Ravens should crush the Texans. They are better in every phase of the game, and I'm sure Lamar Jackson is itching to get the stink from last year's playoff game off him, and prove even further that he is the MVP of the NFL. He is awesome, the offense is awesome and the defense will harass the Texans all day. I have the Ravens winning big.

That leaves us with the Chiefs and Ravens in the AFC title game. This game should be a blast to watch. I may actually tune in just to see Mahomes and Jackson duel. But, the Chiefs just don't have the defense to stop anyone, let alone Lamar Jackson. This game will be high scoring, fun and I am picking the Ravens to be the AFC's representative in the Super Bowl.

Now to the NFC.

The wild card matchups included one good game and one I could care less about. The one I could care less about features my preseason Super Bowl champs, the Eagles, facing a very injured Seahawks teams, that was half a yard away from being the one seed. The Seahawks will win this game, but they will make it so much closer than it should be. That is what they do. Russell Wilson will pull something out of his butt, and throw a game winning TD, or set the Seahawks up for an easy field goal. The Eagles are too undermanned and Carson Wentz is not nearly as good as Russell Wilson. The Seahawks win a close one.

The other wild card game features New Orleans and Minnesota. Sorry RD, but the Saints will exorcise some past playoff demons and win this game with relative ease. The Saints are just a better football team, Drew Brees and Michael Thomas are lethal and Alvin Kamara is starting to look like his former self. And, the Vikings have Kirk Cousins as their QB, and he has an atrocious prime time and playoff record. Also, Dalvin Cook isn't fully healthy and the Vikings defense isn't as dominate as they could be. They also stumbled at the end of the season. Things are setting up nice for the Saints to make one last run with Brees.

If these teams win that would give us Saints-49ers and Seahawks-Packers. I don't trust the Packers as far as I can throw Aaron Rodgers. But, the game is in Green Bay, the Seahawks are hurt, and the Packers can control clock with their run game. I think it will be an ugly, and much closer than comfort for me, type game. But, I think the Packers can pull this one out.

As for the Saints-49ers, I trust the 49ers less than I do the Packers. The 49ers may be the most hollow 13-3 team in NFL history. They feasted on bad teams early in the year, and struggled against teams with solid QB's. Welp, the Saints have one of the best QB's to play the game, and I feel like he is going to carve up this defense, which has fallen as of late. The 49ers were a nice story, but they are still a year away, for me, to becoming a perennial threat. It is coming, and they could be good for awhile, but they will not beat the Saints.

That gives us Green Bay and New Orleans in the NFC title game. I am going to stick with my midseason pick, and say the Saints will win the game in Green Bay. Yes it will be cold and the Saints have a bad track record, but I feel like this is Brees' last go round, and he won't settle for anything less than a Super Bowl appearance. He will do enough, and the Packers will find a way to screw up in a critical moment, for the Saints to win a close one.

That gives us Saints and Ravens in the Super Bowl. And as much as I want to pick the Ravens because I love Lamar Jackson that much, I am going to stick with the Saints, and the fact that Brees will retire after the game. Like I said, this feels like their last run, and things are setting up almost too perfectly for the Saints to not go out as the champs this year. And of course this means I'm picking Brees to be the Super Bowl MVP. The game will be fun and exciting and come down to the end, but I feel like the Saints will have the ball last, Brees will hit either Thomas or Kamara on a critical third down and set them up for the win. The Ravens will be back, Jackson is that good, but this one is going to New Orleans.

Ty

Another view of the playoffs

The first round is filled with good teams playing bad teams. Ty is right on his picks for the first round. I would not be shocked to see New England lose, but I would also not be shocked if they won the Super Bowl. They cheat, that is why you cannot count them out.

The second week will see the 49ers lose to the Saints. Their first meeting was an aberration, the Saints will roll in San Francisco. I do not agree with Ty, I think Green Bay will easily beat the Seahawks. Russell Wilson is great, but Aaron Rodgers is also great and has a better team around him. In the AFC Kansas City and Baltimore will win easy games. Unless the Patriots cheat again, then it will be New England and Baltimore.

In the NFC championship I am picking Green Bay to beat New Orleans. The home field advantage of Lambeau in late January will be too much for the Saints finesse offense. In the AFC Kansas City, or New England because they cheat, will beat the Ravens. Lamar Jackson will put up numbers, but the Chiefs have a more balanced team, and I think Mahommes when healthy is the best quarterback in the NFL.

The Super Bowl will finally go to Andy Reid when the Chiefs beat the Packers and take revenge for their loss in Super bowl I. If the Patriots cheat their way to another Super Bowl, they will cheat their way to another win. I am just hoping that the cheaters finally falter, that is why I am holding out hope for a Kansas City win.

One more thing. The Bengals, if they draft Joe Burrow,. will be a better bet for the Super Bowl next year than the Vikings will. Kirk Cousins is not the answer, and never will be. Can Minnesota get Case Keenum back?

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.