Ty Reads "Paper Lion"

Recently during quarantine, and you all should still be quarantining if possible, or wearing a mask when you have to go out, please, I have decided that I am going to read what some deem to be classic sports books. I am also a non fiction fan, so the books I choose have to be real. That is just how I like to read, when I rarely read, although I have picked it up more as an adult. And during this pandemic, I have checked out the unread books I have in my closet, and a good portion are non fiction sports novels. So a few weeks back I decided I was going to start tackling these books. The first one I read, which I finished about five days ago, was "Paper Lion".

This book was on all the lists that I sought out before deciding to take this venture. This is a classic sports book written by a classic sports writer. And it is classic for a reason. I absolutely loved this book. Everything about it is amazing. My dad, my cousin, all the football fans in my life that I talk to about sports, they all told me I would love this book, and they were 100 percent correct. For those that don't know, "Paper Lion" has author George Plimpton going to Detroit Lions camp in 1960. He has longed to do this, and after asking many teams, the Lions finally bit. He had done a similar thing before, playing in the MLB All Star game, going to an NHL thing and some kind of pro golf thing, but nothing to the extent of this Lions camp. This was, by far, the most violent, and fastest pro sport he wanted to take part in. After getting into camp, he went through a few positions, until finally landing on quarterback. The sub title of the book is "The Confessions of a Last String Quarterback". He figured this would give him the most immersion into the sport, and he was right. Quarterback is the most important position in pro sports, so if you want to write a book about pro football, why not choose QB.

Besides the stuff all sports fans know, how tough and fast and big and scary pro football players can be, Plimpton gives us intimate details about training camp. He tells the ins and outs. He talks about arriving at the high school that the Lions used for training camp that year and being mistaken for a professor. He talks about conversations he had, one on one conversations mind you, with the coaches and players like Night Train Lane and Alex Karras, and the head coach and all of his assistants. He talks about the practices in great detail. He mentions how hard and fast and prepared you have to be even for a walk through type practice. He talks about the late nights, the curfews, vets and rookies getting cut, coaches yelling and screaming at stars, rookies and practice players, the pranks played on everyone, the late night stories from players, the rookies who were pushed aside by vets scared of losing their job to them. Plimpton writes about it all, and it feels like you are right there with him. I never got past high school football, but it was neat to remember my times playing when reading what Plimpton was talking about. The camaraderie, the lifelong friendships, the competition, he totally nails everything.

The best part of the book is when Plimpton talks about actually playing in a scrimmage, and how tough it was. He got to play five plays, five he knew really, really well, and he lost 30 yards. He missed a handoff, over threw a wide out, got stepped on by a lineman, fumbled the ball and got sacked before he could barely get away from center. He said it, and I felt it, it was nice to read that not anyone could play this game, that it takes a certain type of athlete. It was very interesting, and oddly comforting to know that a guy like Plimpton, who wasn't unathletic, but not a pro level guy, couldn't just walk on a pro football field and do things like real pro do.

I really loved this book. I now understand why it is on every best of sports books lists. I highly recommend this book, especially now when we have so much extra time, and because we will, most likely, not get any type of football this fall. "Paper Lion" is a classic, and I love that I have now read it and can exclaim how great it is to the world. Go read this book. 

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 "Space Force" Season One

The other night my wife and I finished season one of "Space Force".

When I first heard about this show I was excited. It was Steve Carrell and Greg Daniels pairing up to make fun of the current "government", and their "plan" to get the US back in space. It sounded like an absolute home run to me. I was stoked. Then it came out, and it seemed to be getting poor reviews. I saw online publications saying it wasn't that funny, Steve Carrell was not very good, it seemed disjointed, all kinds of problems seemed to be had. Then my wife talked to some people she works with, people who have similar taste in TV shows, and they echoed what the critics were saying. They seemed to simply say that it wasn't funny, and that was the biggest problem. So going against my better judgement, I decided to listen to the critics. I decided I wasn't going to watch it. Then one night my wife suggested we give it a try. We are home, we have caught up on other shows, we have watched far worse things, so why not?

One night we watched the first episode and we both liked it. The next night we watched a few more, and found ourselves liking it more. We would find ourselves watching two episodes every other night until we finished it late last week. When we were all done I stated, " this is why I don't listen to critics!". I mean, the show isn't great, it is definitely no "Office", but it is not as bad as most were saying. I found Carrell funny. Sure, his voice was weird, but other than that, he was good. He played his role as the guy lumped into a job he didn't even want, or is qualified for, very well. Carrell has become one of the more reliable actors in Hollywood. And working with Daniels, they remind me of Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, they put out solid stuff. John Malkovich played a scientist, a super genius, and he was the best one on the show by a million miles. He was arrogant and smug and mean, but he was also damn funny. He also showed a very soft side at times that I found incredibly sweet. Whenever Malkovich was on screen I did not take my eyes off him. I knew his performance was going to be great. I'd nominate him for an Emmy. Seriously. I thought Lisa Kudrow was great. She is Carrell's wife, and even though she has a very small role, it is damn memorable. When they move to Colorado, and she is in jail, I was shocked, in a good way. She has some great moments in season one. Diana Silvers plays their daughter, and she is good as the oft forgotten wild child in the family. She has good intentions, but she lets her emotions get the best of her too often. Jimmy O Yang is so god damn great as Malkovich's right hand man. He is funny, smart, obsessed, and involved in a very sweet love story. His love interest, Tawny Newsome, was simply perfect. She is a pilot who winds up going to space out of nowhere, but she just rolls with the punches. When she says her statement when she first walks on the moon, it was so great, so perfect and so well written and performed. Ben Schwartz is the media guy for Space Force, and while he could have pigeonholed himself as a Jean Ralphio esque character, he doesn't. He is kind of dumb, but also cocky, and when an actor like Schwartz, who is really willing to go for it, gets a role like this, it hits. And everyone else involved, they did a very solid job.

That is the best way I can describe this show. It is solid. It is not the best thing you will ever watch, but it is not the worst. It's not quotable, but you don't forget about it either. I highly recommend bypassing the critics and checking out this show if you are on the fence. I know I was, and I am glad that I was pushed into watching it. I recommend "Space Force". It is well done TV. 

Ty

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

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Maskless Covidiots Will Cost Us Football This Fall

Late last week the Big Ten, ACC and Pac 12 all decided to ditch their non conference schedules and commit, or at least try to commit, to a conference only schedule for the upcoming 2020 season. The SEC hasn't done this yet, nor the Big 12, but it is just a matter of time I feel.

The SEC commissioner, the University of Ohio State's AD and Michigan's AD have all said they are "very concerned" about the upcoming season as well. Me, I have kind of given in to the fact that the season is going to be cancelled. I feel that it is inevitable. The Ivy League has already said they won't even look into fall sports until January 1st. The NJCAA, junior college for those of you that may not know, is most likely going to switch to a spring season. And while I find it commendable that the power five conferences want to play this fall, I just don't see it happening.

It took me a while to get to this point, but it just feels like it is leaning so much that way. We have done a horrible job as a country in containing this virus. We have proven how selfish, arrogant and self righteous we can be. We thought we were above this. Some thought it would go away in a few weeks, I know I did in early March. Some figured we would be good after shutting things down for three months. But all the progress we made in three months was shattered because people wanted to go out and party over Memorial Day weekend. There were no masks, no social distancing and nobody following what we were supposed to do, and pretty much all did, for three months. We threw all that out the window the moment things reopened. People started to flood restaurants, bars, beaches, clubs, any place that was open. We felt cooped up, not me personally, but others, and people just figured the pandemic was over. It wasn't and still isn't. Not even close. And I know I was right here last week saying that I hoped my kids would be in classrooms in the fall, but now that seems as likely to me as a college football season happening.

People refuse to follow the easiest of rules, wearing a cloth mask in public and social distancing, and we are now paying for it dearly. Numbers are approaching, if not passing in some states, where they were when this first started. I know much more testing is being done, but the numbers are terrifying. In Missouri alone we went from about 200 cases a day to nearly 500. That's wild. And it is because people couldn't contain themselves and just had to go out. And that is fine, if they were following proper protocols. They weren't, and now we will all suffer. Schools won't be normal at all in the fall. I have heard that here in Saint Louis it will be a hybrid thing, two days on, three online, or you can do all online, but that won't last long if people continue to live, and disregard the rules like they have since shelter at home was lifted. I wouldn't be surprised if by early September my kids are strictly online learning.

Which leads me to college football. If my kids can't go to a regular, smallish elementary school, how is big time college football going to be played? You can say, no fans. Okay, but what about the players? You can say, test them every other day. Sure, but what about immunocompromised people or the elderly? Shouldn't they have priority over college athletes? The NBA, MLB and NHL right now are getting tests done regularly, and they know within a day if they are positive or not. But my friends and family that have been tested, they have to wait upwards of a week before they know. How is that fair? And with football, these kids are constantly colliding with one another, spreading sweat, spit, all kinds of bodily fluids everywhere. It would be the easiest way to get it. And I have seen some people talk about making full shields for helmets, or having kids wear some kind of face covering, but they all balk at that idea. Why? I have seen players wear every type of extra padding and gadget on their body. Why would they be against the one thing that could actually give them a chance to play this fall? I'll never know.

I have also seen people say they can push to the spring, but that leaves me with two questions. What star college player, who isn't getting paid a dime, would play in the spring, a few months before the draft and risk getting injured?  Also, who knows what this pandemic will look like in the spring. It could be worse, the same or better, we have no idea. All I know, or at least feel right now is, this season is going to get cancelled, billions, with a B, will be lost and a good amount of seniors will never get to play their last season of football because we are a selfish country. Where cases are record highs right now, places like Alabama, Texas, California, South and North Carolina, Louisiana, Ohio, these states live for college football, but since they couldn't, or simply wouldn't follow rules, they are going to miss out on another year of college football. The OSU's, LSU's, Alabama, Texas, USC, they won't get watched because a good majority of people didn't take this pandemic seriously enough, and refuse to wear a mask, even though they think they have to go out now.

I'm so, so bummed about this because I love college football. I live for it. I love nothing more than wasting an entire Saturday afternoon in the fall watching college football, especially my Michigan Wolverines, who only have had four positive cases I might add. It's the best. But, at this point in time I have zero faith that any type of college football season is going to happen in 2020. I hope the parties and the beaches and the restaurants were worth it because we are going to have to start all over again, and that likely means online, at home school for those of us with young kids, and no fall sports. That is a real bummer. It makes me very upset. 

Ty

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

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Let's Watch a Ten Year Old Review "Back to the Future II"

Teddy reviews Back to the Future II

The Nets Made a Few Big Moves Before the NBA Restart

Jamal Crawford was finally, finally signed: the Nets picked him up for this restart.

The Nets are currently decimated with positive Covid cases and injured guys opting out, so they needed to do something. How much Crawford will help them is questionable, but he should’ve been on some team way before this. He’s too good a scorer, who can still fill it up, to not, at least, be an instant offense bench player for someone. He could’ve been a great vet for a young team too. I still don’t get why Phoenix didn’t retain him. But, he’s back in the league, and he seemed pumped. He was all over social media after he signed saying how happy an grateful he was to be back. That’s great. He should’ve already been back, but better late than never. And while he’s stoked, and I’m stoked for him, I’d be a little upset that it took a pandemic and a restart before he was signed. Like I said, the dude can still play. He is liable to go off for 20 plus at any given time. He can come in and hit clutch shots. He could help young teams, and playoff teams. Hell, I signed him on NBA2K when I went on a deep playoff run with the Grizzlies. He was available, I needed a bench sniper, and I didn’t hesitate. And he was awesome in limited minutes. That’s a video game, think how much better he will he in real life. I know he’s been around for twenty years, but he stays in shape, and he stays shooting. The dude is a walking bucket. With the Nets, they’ll need him to do so very much, and while I think he’s up for it, it will be a tall task. He will now be the guy other teams game plan for. I know Caris Levert is younger, and Jarret Allen is a great time defender, and Joe Harris is lights out from 3, but those guys are specialists. They are more apt to give you solid numbers, but not the numbers it takes to win in the playoffs. Crawford is that dude, but he’s never been counted on as that dude in the NBA. He also hasn’t played at this level all year. The guys coming back have been off for four months, Crawford has been off for a year. He will be fresh, that’s for sure, but he’ll need these eight games to get into NBA shape, and if they still find their way to the playoffs, the Nets will need him to go to a whole other level. But, he’s back, he deserves it and I will cheer and root for him to show everyone what they’re missing out on by kit signing him.

The Nets are also bringing in Michael Beasley. This move isn’t near as enticing as Crawford, but it helps fill out the roster. Beasley has never been able to shed the “bust” label, but maybe he’ll show something in the NBA bubble. Maybe he’s been working on his game. He was once a coveted prospect, maybe he’ll show some glimmers of what could have been. He will also add size and strength to a weakish front court. Allen is good, but he’s skinny and he’s all they have. Beasley will add some beef, and frustrate opposing forwards. That’s one thing that kept him around so long, he’s a nuisance. He can get into other dudes heads. It doesn’t necessarily help his game, but it sometimes helps his team, and wrecks the opposing player. Beasley, hopefully for Nets fans, will flash some potential and bother other players on opposing teams.

I like the Beasley signing, but I LOVE the Crawford signing. The Nets still look bleak, but at least they’re giving guys who deserve a spot a chance. Good for them.

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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Ty Watches Eric Andre's Comedy Special "Legalize Everything"

Last night I was able to sit down, finally, and watch Eric Andre's new stand-up special, "Legalize Everything".

I loved it, of course. I am a big time Andre fan. I have watched his talk show on Adult Swim multiple times. I loved his role on "Man Seeking Woman". Any time he pops up in a movie, even in a very small part, like in "Popstar", I always end up laughing. And one of the more upsetting live show misses for me was when I was supposed to see him in Saint Louis, but he had to cancel the show due to scheduling conflicts. He never rescheduled, and who knows what will happen with live shows given the current situation. I wished I had gotten to see him. But, luckily, I have all this other content of his to watch, and now this new stand-up special. Since I didn't get to see him live, this was my best case scenario. And as I said, I loved it.

Eric Andre is like the Tasmanian Devil of comedy. He is a total ball of energy on stage, but he can also turn on a dime and really slow things down and tell some funny ass stories. I also appreciated that it was just under one hour long. He gets in and out, and crushes while he is doing his show. The live show was what I wanted to see as well. I mentioned the energy, he has great jokes, he talks about deep stuff that he makes funny, and his crowd work is impeccable. I am going to spoil much because people need to check this out.

Andre is a bit different than most stand-ups out there today. He is so high energy and so wild and so crazy, but it is all done with a tremendous amount of humor. I also liked the cold open of the special where he pretended to be a police officer in New Orleans, where the special was taped, and he walked around getting high, giving people pills, telling people he took evidence, just doing everything illegal, and seeing real people have real reactions, it was like watching his talk show. He then proceeded to crush from the moment he stepped on stage. Oh, he also went through the crowd when he was introduced, and was yelling and getting everyone hyped up. It was great. When he took the mic, he talked about so many different things. He did a good chunk at the beginning about drug use, which was hilarious. He talked about smoking pot with his mom, his experience with MDMA, his one time Xanax trip at Coachella, the bad cocaine in NOLA. It was so funny. He then did a classic bit about the show "Cops", and how ridiculous that they have reggae music as their theme music. It is funny, and timely. The stuff about religion, and Plymouth, Massachusetts was tremendous, and I am totally on board with his thoughts. I howled when he climbed onto an audience member, and told him to stop being weird. The thing with the phone, and texting, that is going to be a classic bit. When he spoke about his early career stand up, and the exploits that happened, again, cackling with laughter. The bit with the souvenir he got in Cuba was great, as was his story about being in the Red Light District in Amsterdam. The whole damn thing is great.

I am a fan, so I knew that I was going to enjoy this special. I do think people who may be on the fence about him will enjoy it too. Like I said, it is wild, but he does tone it down from time to time, and does very funny stories, of which he calls back later in the special. Eric Andre is awesome, and this special is great. I highly recommend checking 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 "The Polka King"

On our recent mini vacation, every night after the kids went to bed, we would pick a movie to watch at the Airbnb we stayed in. Each person chose a different night. On the last night we were there it was my father's choice, and he picked a movie called "The Polka King". I remembered seeing stuff on Netflix for this movie. I believe I had it on my list to watch, it has Jack Black in it, so that makes me instantly in, and it was, deemed by critics, similar to another Jack Black movie I love called "Bernie", I guess it has the same feel to it. So I was down when my dad asked to watch this movie. My wife and mom didn't seem too crazy about it, but it was dad's choice, and we watched it.

“The Polka King” is a solid movie. In fact, I enjoyed it quite a bit. And while, for me, it isn't on the same level as "Bernie", that movie is criminally underrated, it was still a well told story with a great Jack Black performance. The movie is about a polish gentleman named Jan Lewan, who is a polka musician, moves to Pennsylvania and gets sent to jail for running a ponzi scheme that preyed on the elderly. It seems like a very by the book crime movie, but it took a different approach than others. The fact that Lewan was this polka musician, and spoke with a thick accent, it made him seem aloof to what he was doing. You almost felt like he was doing now wrong. He seemed to be a nice guy, that just dug himself into a hole that he couldn't get out of until too many things went wrong and he landed in jail. Black embodied the character. Seeing him go about his everyday life as Lewan was great. He crushed that. But the polka stuff, my goodness did he crush that. He was electric. I am not a polka fan, in fact the only person I know who truly liked polka music is my now passed away Grandpa. I have met no other people who list polka as a favorite genre of music. But dammit if I wasn't bouncing my leg and humming along to the music when Black performed it in the movie. It was fun. Black was through and through perfection in this movie. I totally bought him as Lewan, I loved his musical performances, I bought his earnestness and his downfall, I was all in. He was tremendous. So was every other big time actor cast in this movie. Jenny Slate played his wife, and she was great. She talked about how she fell for him because he seemed so sad. She then really loved him, but struggled with his fame over hers. I loved the stuff with the Miss Pennsylvania pageant involving Slate. She was awesome. Jacki Weaver was wonderful as Slate's mom, and Black's mother in law. She didn't like Lewan, always thought he was up to something, and let him know every chance she could. And when she stood up for him, that was a dynamite scene. Jason Schwartzmann as his band mate and friend, he is becoming one of these actors that you can always count on for a solid performance, no matter if the movie is good or bad. It definitely helps when it's a good movie like this. Even JB Smoove, in a very small role, with a full head of hair, he was excellent and stole his scenes.

I didn't know if I would like this movie when we started it, but I can say very loudly now that I truly enjoyed this story and this movie's way of telling it. It was also a quick 90 minutes, which I very much appreciate. So, if you are looking for a quirky, funny, real life crime story, I highly recommend "The Polka King". It is a very, very solid movie. 

Ty

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

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Did You Hear About the Patrick Mahomes Extension?

Somebody in the NFL is going to get paid. Ten year extension worth 450 million dollars, and if he reaches certain numbers, it could get up to 503 million dollars. That is the extension that the Chiefs handed to Patrick Mahomes yesterday afternoon.

I was stunned when I first saw this deal. I was shocked at the price. I couldn't wrap my head around that much money over that amount of time, especially for a football player. Those deals are almost never given to a football player. I remember the Matt Ryan deal, the Jared Goff deal, hell, especially the Aaron Rodgers deal. But those pale in comparison to what Mahomes got yesterday. Those guys have plenty of money, but nothing approaching what Mahomes is going to make over the next twelve years. I mean, it is so wild to just read that, and think why would anyone give an athlete that kind of money. But when I sat with it, read some more things about it and really let it sink in, I don't think it is as wild as it seems now.

The contract is humongous, no denying that. I believe it is the biggest sports contract in history. But, when you have a player like him, a guy that can lead your franchise for the next decade plus, a player that will make guys off the street look good and a coaching staff that is as good as KC has, I'm not so blown away by it. Dare I say, it actually makes sense. The point of professional sports is to win titles. And when you have a player like Mahomes, who is as young and gifted as he is, you have to try everything to lock that up. This deal, to me, is akin to when the Bulls gave Jordan a one year 30 million dollar deal. I don't think any athlete is "worth", in real life terms, that amount of money. But, in the sports world, it is more than worth it to bank on a guy like Mahomes or MJ. Jordan delivered a title the year he got 30 million. Mahomes just won a ring, is young, the core of that team will be together for the next few years, so who is not going to make them the favorites? They have it all right now, especially offensively, and they have the type of QB needed to win in the modern NFL. I wouldn't have hesitated to give him that deal in hindsight. And the way they wrote it, and how he will get the money, it is simply perfect. He won't crush their cap the next two years because he is still under his first contract. This is an extension, so it doesn't really kick in until 2022 or 2023. Brilliant. The biggest chunk of money is set up for him to get in the middle of the deal. So years six, seven, and eight, he will be getting paid, and the Chiefs will be over the cap, but look at how the Patriots dealt with that during Brady's tenure, and right now, Mahomes is a more dynamic QB than Brady could ever dream to be. They will be pulling guys off the heap, but we would have never known the Julian Edelman's, Danny Amendola's, Jabar Gaffney's and Laurence Maroney's of the world had it not been for Brady. Mahomes will do that with similar guys, but might make them even better.

When I fully pull back and look at this deal though, and ponder what the future will hold, I see nothing but good times for the Chiefs, Mahomes and their fans. He obviously likes the team and area. The fans adore him. And the team, well they are set at the most important position in sports for the next twelve years, barring injury. If you have a good, or in Mahomes case, great QB, everything else can be figured out later. The Chiefs are going to be the dominant AFC team. They will be the next Patriots. Fans of other teams will be bored seeing them year after year after year in the playoffs, title games and Super Bowls. I could see him winning another 3-5 rings, which will more than make up for that contract, and he will bring home several other individual awards.

This is an absurd amount of time and money in this deal, but with a player like Mahomes, it just makes sense. Congrats to both parties involved, and I am stoked for my friends that are Chiefs fans. This is some great news for them. 

Ty

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

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Kids Need to Go Back to School

If we all just wore one of these, we would not need to have this debate

I am going to go a little controversial, at least to some, with my piece today. I have written about the importance of wearing masks, why we should all be quarantining properly, or if you do go out, taking the proper precautions, all that I do when dealing with all things involving the CoronaVirus. One thing I have split on, well I don't know if I've split, I have heard all kinds of thoughts on this topic, the topi c is kids should go back to school in a few weeks.

I want my kids in school, in their classroom, in the fall. Both my son and daughter are set to start school on August 24th, and if I had my way, they would be in their classroom, with new protocols, and getting the proper instruction and socialization that an eight year old and four year old needs and craves. Here in West County in Saint Louis, remote learning was an absolute disaster. There were so many missed meetings, Zoom barely ever worked, my son would be done with his "class work" in under an hour, my daughter, for the most part, couldn't converse or even hear what her preschool teacher was trying to teach the kids. It simply didn't work. I don't fully blame this on the Rockwood School District. No one was prepared for the pandemic. We could have been, but the powers that be decided it was simply just going to go away. Well, it didn't, and my kids have been home since early March. That is two months of school washed away. Their summer, so far, has been quite boring too. My son was so stoked when we decided to let him go to day camp, it is outdoors and masks are required. He has also started baseball practice, with social distancing, and he has been smiling ear to ear since these little things have happened. He gets to hang out with kids his age, see friends, it has been a very pleasant surprise. My daughter hasn't been so lucky. She is only four so she doesn't have a core group of friends yet. She hasn't been back to her dance classes because they don't require masks, and that makes my wife and I uncomfortable. She has had to spend all her time with me pretty much, especially since my son has been going back to camp. And she doesn't come to the store with me, no need to expose her to that, and we have only gone to a few places because it has been so damn hot here in Saint Louis. She has asked me countless times if she can go back to school when the virus is over. I have to tell her that the virus is here to stay, but I always say, hopefully, that yes she can go back to school in the fall. She misses it dearly, as do I, and my son too. He may be happy at camp and baseball, but he even told me that he misses his friends, teachers and classroom.

There were some rumors flying around for a minute that schools out here wouldn't reopen until there is a vaccine. That could be years. I don't want my son to be twelve years old, and have to start the third grade, or my daughter be eight and just starting kindergarten. The fact that we still don't know here what is going to happen is frustrating and it makes me angry. The fact that some teachers have come and said that they are scared, or need more time, I get the scariness, this is a very, very bad virus, but the time, you've had since March to get ready for this upcoming school year. The timing is an excuse I will not accept. I usually side with teachers, but to complain about that, get the hell out of here. I have also seen some complain about having to teach social distancing after months away, get over that too. That is part of your job. You get paid to do that.

Anyway, why I want my kids in school the most is the socialization. My kids are social butterflies. They like to be friends, and talk with any and everyone. My son will talk to the checker at a grocery store. My daughter will yell talk to people in cars when they pass us and say hi while we are walking the dogs. They are starving for the social aspect that school brings. They want it, and quite frankly, need it. I also think there is a way that schools can make this work. First off, teachers need to be properly trained, and that can be done using proper PPE and social distancing. Also, local governments need to stop giving money to what they deem essential businesses, like bars and nightclubs, and send it on over to public schools. The fact that bars are open in Saint Louis, and we still have no clue about school, that baffles and upsets me at the same time. It seems that the government is focusing more on the food industry than education. That's messed up. What makes it even worse, we won't know a thing about school until late in this month. The powers that be are having some big meeting on the 20th, and then they will eventually give us the decision. So, bars and restaurants and gyms can all stay open, but schools have to wait. What a crock.

I was sent a survey, as was my wife and every other parent with a kid in the Rockwood School District, and it was overwhelming how many people are willing to send their kids back to school, including me. They asked if we would send our kids back without a vaccine, and nearly seventy-five percent of parents said yes. The survey then asked how we would feel about a hybrid model, something like three days at school and two at home, and nearly eighty-five percent said yes, they'd do that if necessary. Like I said, it has been overwhelmingly trending towards parents wanting their kids in classrooms in the fall. And I don't think this has to do with laziness, or wanting to get back to "normal". I don't have the proper education to teach. I didn't get my degree in that. And my kids both know that. They have told me how I'm not a good teacher, and they are absolutely right. I'm not equipped to teach them because I am not a teacher, as far as stuff like math and science and history goes. And this whole thing isn't me bashing people that home school, or are planning on doing it now. Not at all. More power to you. It is not for me though. I don't have the patience, I don't have the education and I want my kids to see their friends and be exposed to different lifestyles. That is what I liked most about my time in school was meeting, and befriending so many different people. I sent my kids to public school for that very same reason.

So while I know that we live in a pandemic, that it is not even close to being over, and that some may be scared, I do want my kids back in their school come August. With proper training, and safety protocol, it can be done. I just think, if a bar, Ihop and the gym is open, schools can open, and be much smarter about it. And I know that I am not alone. My fingers are crossed that come August my kids will get to go back to school proper. 

Ty

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

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Let's Watch a Ten Year Old Review "Back to the Future"

Teddy reviews "Back to the Future"

The Football Team in Washington DC May Soon Have a Non-Racist Name

It looks like, finally, the NFL team that resides in Washington is going to change their name.

This has been a long time coming. I don’t know why they haven’t done it yet in fact. I’ve mentioned plenty of times that they need to change the name. I think the Indians in MLB should change their name too, or at the very least, their logo. The name is offensive. It’s a racial epitaph. The fact that people run around and scream the name, yell it from the stands, proudly wear shirts with the name plastered on it, it’s all so very insensitive. And this isn’t a recent thing, or a white guilt thing for me. As I said, I’ve been saying this since I was in high school. If the Bullets can become the Wizards, or the Bobcats can return to the Hornets, or the Saint Louis Browns switching to Cardinals, it’s easy to change a name. All it takes is one person deciding it needs to be done. I know the Wizards came about due to actual guns in the locker room, but still, they went with a change, and it was needed. The very same can be said, even more so, about the NFL team that resides in Washington. And while I know the change is only coming because Nike and FedEx have threatened to stop selling items, Nike going as far as taking all their stuff off their website last night, it needs to happen. Dan Snyder needs to stop being so bullish on this. I know he’s said that he will not budge, but when major investors start to threaten to pull out, his tone changed quickly. He released a statement this morning saying he’d have a meeting to discuss, and about an hour later it was revealed that a “name change was inevitable”. Finally.

As far as what I would like to see them change their name too, that’s a loaded question. I have been thinking about this for a very long time. At one point I really wanted them to change to the Warriors. I figured they could keep the logo, and all they’d have to do is change the name on the merch. I think it’s a much better representation to their team symbol. I still like that name a lot, it still might be my favorite in fact. But there has to be other choices. I saw someone mention the name the Red, White and Blues, and go by the Reds. I don’t like that. It’s too long, and kind of lame. My dad said the Diplomats, and while I think it’s appropriate, they’d have to do a full overhaul of all their merch, and I think it would be too patriotic looking, and the Patriots already own those colors on their gear. As far as other names, that could cause little change, they could go with the Native Americans or Cherokee’s or something in the Native American, American Indian realm. They could also go with something that represents the area. They could do Senators or Diplomats, my dad’s choice, Congress People, I don’t know. They just need to change it. I know it will cause a wide conversation, but it’s needed, as is the change. I’m sticking with my choice of Warriors, but hey, anything is better than what they have now.

This has been a long time coming, and hopefully they will have a new name whenever football comes back.

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 "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga"

On a whim the other night my wife asked if I wanted to watch the new Will Ferrell movie on Netflix, “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga”.

I was taken aback for a few reasons. I didn’t know he had a new movie for one. I didn’t know both Rachel McAdams and Dan Stevens were in it. I didn’t know that Pierce Brosnan played Ferrell’s father. And I had zero idea it was about a singing contest called Eurovision, which is a singing contest that invites bands and singers from all over the world, and it’s a real thing. I guess, according to some research, Ferrell became obsessed with this singing contest when his wife showed it to them on a trip. I think she’s of Swedish decent, and she thought he’d enjoy it. Well, it turned into an obsession, and he made a whole movie about it. And he sings and dances and acts and produces the whole damn thing.

While “Eurovision Song Contest” is a bit overlong, it is funny and sweet. Ferrell is hilarious as usual. He plays the lead character Lars. Lars is a dreamer ever since he saw ABBA on Eurovision as a young kid after his mother passed away. He got up and danced at the wake afterward at his home, and while all the adults laughed at him, he swore he’d win Eurovision one day. While at said wake, Sigrit, Rachel McAdams, got up and danced and sang with him. She was mute up to that point in her life. From that point we see them as grownups working in a new song for their band Fire Saga. It’s as European as it gets too. The song, the attached video, the costumes, it all screams European, and I loved it. It was silly, but fun. And while Ferrell is his usual funny self, McAdams matches him, and dare I say, surpasses him. She is so funny in this movie. She’s so quiet, yet naive. She loves Lars, but he loves Eurovision more. She sticks by his side no matter what, even if it’s to her detriment. McAdams really goes for it, and she absolutely crushes it. She is the star of this movie by far. I adored her performance. Dan Stevens plays Russian singer Alexander Lemtov. His performance is so over the top, but it’s supposed to be. He’s so full of himself and his music. He’s also hiding who he truly is. He may be the “bad guy”, but he’s really not. He just wants what’s best for his career and Sigrit’s. She has real talent that he sees, and Lars doesn’t. Also, the fight scene between Alexander and Lars near the end is one of the funniest things I’ve seen in awhile. Brosnan is great as the gruff dad. He doesn’t like the career path his son has chosen, and he lets him know it. Even when he eases up on him, he’s still kind of a jerk, as he’s supposed to be.

While the performances are great, I like that Ferrell is into this world, he invites real contestants to perform full on song and dance performances a few times in the movie. He really lets the singers shine, really gives them their moment, and it’s so cool and so much fun. Like I says before, the only thing I’d change is the length. It’s a hair over two hours, and that’s a little too long for a comedy like this. Other than that it’s a great, funny movie. Ferrell is good, but McAdams shines. I’d recommend it simply for her performance. But, it’s pretty great for everything else it does. Check it out if you haven’t, and if you enjoy Ferrell’s sense of humor. It’s uniquely him. I like that, and I think you will too.

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 "Logan Lucky"

During our quarantine date night last weekend it was my choice to pick the movie, and I chose “Logan Lucky”.

I had very fleeting memories of this movie when it came out in 2017. I saw a few trailers, saw the cast and saw it was directed by Steven Soderbergh. Those are winning elements for me. But I simply forgot about the movie. It seems like it was out of theaters pretty quick too. I thought it got decent reviews, it has Soderbergh’s name attached and the cast includes Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig, Adam Driver, Riley Keough and Hilary Swank. I simply assumed it would be out for awhile, it may get award buzz and people would talk about it. None of that happened. In fact, the only way that I remembered it, and how my memory was jogged, was by searching for movies on On Demand, and seeing it there. I rewatched the trailer, with my wife, and we both decided we’d give it a try.

I’m glad we did. This was a very good, very fun movie. The cast is awesome. All the actors I mentioned were awesome. Keough, Tatum and Driver play siblings who devise a robbery plan. The catch, they’re, on the surface, bumbling idiots that can’t keep a job and are just kind of aimless. Tatum is divorced, likes to spend time with his daughter, blew out his knee which ruined his burgeoning football career and just jumps from job to job. But on one of his jobs is where he gets this idea to rob a very popular race in Charlotte. Driver is a one armed bartender, he lost his other arm in the war. He’s a vet, slow witted and believes his family is cursed. He only goes along with Tatum’s idea because he’s his little brother, and he owes him. Driver was superb in this role. Keough works at a salon, she helps with Tatum’s daughter and loves to drive. She’s such a good driver, she agrees to be the getaway driver. The three of them devise this plan after Tatum is laid off again, and he’s sick of his lot in life. They go over the plan, and they realize they need a safecracker. This is where Craig comes in, as Joe Bang. He’s the standout in this movie. He’s a jail bird, with bleach blonde hair and totally nails the southern accent. He’s so funny, so good at his skill and has some of the best moments in this whole movie. He made me laugh out loud many times. I love this route Craig is taking in his later career. He’s taking cool, fun and interesting roles and he’s nailing them. That’s exactly what he does as Joe Bang.

When the crew gets to the day to pull off the robbery, this is when the movie goes into hyperdrive, and I loved it. This is when we get all the heist movie stuff that I’ve grown to love. To see the plan unfold bit by bit is so much fun, and I love having it all laid out for me. And even when Tatum decides to go a different route, spoiler alert, and we get to see what he actually does with the money, it makes me love this movie that much more. And when Swank shows up, she’s only in the last third of this movie and she is awesome, she’s with the FBI trying to solve the robbery. She meets all kinds of dead ends, but she’s relentless. She wants to solve this so bad that even when they close the case, she goes out on her own to try and figure this out. The closing shot is of everyone at the bar that Driver works at, and Swank is seen flirting with Driver. It’s pretty cool.

I loved this movie. The acting, directing, style, everything about it works for me. It has that “Ocean’s 11” feel to it, so much so that the robbers are referred to as “Ocean’s 7-11”. That’s pretty wonderful. I can not recommend this movie enough. It is a true hidden gem that just happens to have legitimate movie stars in it. I wish it got more love when it was out in theaters, but now is a perfect time to check it out since we should all still be staying home as much as possible, or at the very least, not going to theaters or restaurants.

Check out “Logan Lucky” if you’re looking for a fun heist movie. I think you’ll really enjoy it.

Ty

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

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Wear a Damn Mask

After seeing CoronaVirus numbers soaring, and now the UK banning American travelers for the time being, I just want to clearly, and plainly and loudly say, WEAR A GODDAMN MASK PEOPLE! It's as simple a request as one can make.

Look, we don't know a whole lot about this virus right now. There are so many variables that scientists haven't been able to put their finger on. We don't know if you can get it more than once, we don't know if it is seasonal or just going to ravage us for the rest of 2020, we don't know too much right now. But, we do know that wearing a mask while in public, and practicing social distancing, that is our best chance to not get the virus, or if you have it and don't know, wearing masks makes it far less likely to spread the disease. If we all wore masks in public places, we could get to a point where we have this under some kind of control, or at least have more time to figure more things out.

The fact that there are people here in America making fake exempt cards, or whining and crying about being asked to wear one in stores, or making much to do when a restaurant asks you to wear one, or calling people "sheep" that do wear one just proves how entitled and childish and selfish and stupid some people can be in the US. It is a piece of cloth that can save you and anyone you may come in contact with, and it takes 2 seconds to put it on. It is the simplest thing to do, and the most effective thing right now. I simply do not get these people that are so upset about having to wear one. I don't understand people who think it does nothing. I don't get people that seem to think it makes it harder for them to breath. None of the complaints about masks make a lick of sense to me. It's easy, it's effective, you can make your own, you can buy disposable packs, there are so many options for this one thing that can help us return to some kind of normalcy. If we all wore masks in public, and were socially distancing, we could finally flatten the curve and figure stuff out. But because we have so many spoiled rotten brats, our numbers are skyrocketing. We have so many more cases than any other country. We have dumbass people gathering in bars and restaurants and just simply trying to act like this virus is gone, and that is only making it worse. When we were on lockdown for three months, and the numbers were actually going down, all that hard work was for naught because of selfish people. As soon as things reopened to the public, people rushed out without their masks and gathered in large groups without distancing. Just look at the beaches over Memorial Day weekend. They were stacked with a bunch of idiots who just figured the pandemic was over. And since states have reopened, it has only gotten worse. I see far too many people out at restaurants and clubs. It is upsetting. I have also talked with people since my son started baseball practice again, and have heard things like, "I'm glad this is done because I am not a mask guy", or " that was wild, but now it's all over". Those statements are so wrong on so many levels.

This is not over. We are still at the beginning. Not a mask guy, get the hell out of here. How selfish are you? How much of a dick are you? I love things like movie theaters, sporting events, hanging out with my entire extended family, my kids going to school, running races and playing basketball. Since March, the only thing I have done is run virtual races, and I have started to see my parents again. Both are done with masks, and with a ton of pre visit or pre run protocol. But, if we all wore masks, and stopped crying like children, we may get to a point where some of this stuff can start happening in 2021 or 2022. If we all wore masks, I would have no problem going to a theater. I would enjoy the hell out of a Michigan football game if I knew that masks were required to get into the stadium. I took my kids to a local science museum that recently opened back up and it was great because we all wore masks, and no one griped about it. It was the safest I have felt outside my home since early March. And my 4 year old and 8 year old had no problem wearing a mask. They are children, but they understood and didn't bitch and moan and throw a tantrum like I have seen so many adults do since it became the rule in public.

It's such a simple thing to do. If we all wore masks, if we all practiced social distancing, we could, possibly, get to some kind of a new normal. So, I say at the end like I did at the beginning, loudly I might add, WEAR A MASK, IT CAN SAVE LIVES. 

Ty

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

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Looks Like the Patriots Did it to Us Again

The Patriots just refuse to let it go. They refuse to let someone else win their division. They refuse to play an unproven player since they struck gold with Tom Brady. They refuse to just let go, give in and rebuild. They are a less fun, meaner San Antonio Spurs. They just find ways to always keep themselves in the conversation as a contender.

The New England Patriots went out and got Cam Newton yesterday for absolutely nothing at all. They signed him to an incentive laden one year prove it deal after Brady left for Tampa. This is a move that will either be genius, or they can get away with it without having people drag them. They got Newton to sign for one year, if there is a football season, and even if he doesn’t make the team, it will cost them nothing. Any other team could’ve signed him, except Carolina I suppose, and while it shouldn’t surprise me, I was stunned that New England was who got him. They lost a hall of fame QB, but other than that, they were set up to compete simply because their defense is so good. All they really needed out of the QB position this season was a game manager, and it seemed that Jarret Stidham or Brian Hoyer was going to get the job. They looked like they were going to lean on the run game, short passes and their defense. And then they go out and get Newton. He may be the most overqualified game managing QB that was available. I understand he’s been hurt. I know he’s gotten three shoulder surgeries in three consecutive years. I know he hasn’t quite looked the same since his MVP year. I know he’s taken way too many cheap shots since the Super Bowl appearance. But, he’s won a MVP, he’s played in humongous games at all levels, he’s shattered records in the NFL and he has had over a full year to totally recover and get into shape. And if you’re like me and have been watching far too many pro athletes work out videos, because I miss sports so much, Cam looks about as in good a shape as any human can look. He was, in my opinion, the prize free agent QB. You may say that Brady was a free agent too, welp, at this point in their careers, I’d honestly rather have Cam. He’s younger, bigger and faster. So I guess it only makes sense that he’d replace Brady in New England.

I think the reason I’m so frustrated by this, why I wanted Newton to play anywhere else, is because I despise New England as much as almost everyone else does. They’re cheaters, they did get fined yesterday right after signing Newton by the way for filming a Bengals practice, yet they never truly get in trouble. They always get a slap on the wrist. I also was excited to see someone else win that division, and play in the playoffs. I’m fed up with seeing the Patriots every year. I want new blood. And I figured we’d get that. Be it the Bills, Jets or Dolphins, I was stoked for someone else to represent that division. But, if he stays healthy and is even half as good as he was three years ago, Newton will lead this team to another easy division title and playoff spot. This is the best O line he will ever play behind. The receivers might be the best too. Running back isn’t even close, Carolina is set there, but they still have guys that can fill that role solidly. And this defense, it’s better than the one that newton had when he led Carolina to the Super Bowl. This Patriots team was going to win somewhere around 5-8 games I thought with, most likely, Stidham. With Newton, I’d he’s healthy, they’re a 10 win team easily. They are already set everywhere else, and now they have a great QB who will be out to prove a ton of people wrong. Newton wants to show he’s still one of the better players in the NFL. This was exactly what he, and the Patriots needed. I mean, I’m pissed, but it makes too much sense for it to not work out. I thought he’d go to Washington to reunite with Ron Rivera, or go be the real dual threat the Bears want, or even go tutor Tua in Miami. None of that happened though. He went to the dark side. He’s playing for Palpatine, except it will probably work out much better for the Patriots than it did for Palpatine in the last “Star Wars” movie. I mean, the Patriots did it again, and while I shouldn’t be shocked, I am. I am stunned in fact. I’ll be very curious to see what happens next, but this is a home run for both sides, and that’s what’s most frustrating.

The Patriots  just won’t die. They won’t go away. Jesus.

Ty

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

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Let's Watch a Ten Year Old Review "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

Teddy reviews "Raiders of the Lost Ark"

The MLB Coronavirus Plan is Idiotic

I know a few weeks back I dumped on baseball for its lack of starting a season. They could’ve owned the summer, could’ve had all the eyeballs of sports fans craving live sports on them and could’ve been the ticket. They missed out on all of that because both players and owners started to fight over money. It was millionaire versus billionaire fighting over money. It was disgusting and disturbing and flat out upsetting. One side would come up with something, and sure enough the other side would say no. This went on for far too long.

Just recently, it seems that both sides came to some kind of agreement. It’s worth noting that the MLB said something along the lines that players will report on a certain day, all but making the decision for them. Eventually the MLBPA agreed on the proposal because I don’t think they really had a choice. This is where I actually agree with RD, that the players are being screwed. The fact that the MLB just picked a day shows how little they care about the players. But, for the time being, they seem to have a plan in place. It’s a weird plan, drought with problems from my perspective, but a plan nonetheless.

They’ll play 60 games, have an expanded playoff and do the playoffs as usual after the wild card stuff. Now, where this gets weird for me is where they’re playing. It appears that teams will play at their home stadiums, and travel to other stadiums for road games. That’s scary. To get on a plane to go play in another city is one of the no no’s bring handed down by the CDC and WHO. It’s unnecessary travel. I don’t know about the testing, but I can’t imagine it’s what the NBA has, or what colleges are doing right now. That number of games is so small too. If they did that last season, the Nationals wouldn’t have even made the playoffs. Sixty games is nothing in baseball. That’s like playing 4 NFL games. And, I don’t think fans will be allowed, I know for a fact that Busch Stadium isn’t allowing fans. But I bet they will make concessions if numbers of the Coronavirus slow down, which will only make numbers go up. I’m also not big in the number of players they’re bringing per team. RD told me they’re going to start with 30. Thirty guys on a bench, in a locker room, on a plane together is just asking for a cluster to happen. That number doesn’t include coaches or other staff either.

This plan is reminiscent of what the NFL is doing, almost acting like the pandemic is over. It’s not. It’s far from over in fact. I feel like baseball is picking money over health and safety, just like the NFL and college football. I hope I’m all wrong about this though. I hope this works, along with the NBA bubble, the NHL restart, training camps and summer football practice. I want sports back. I crave sports coming back. But we need more guys like Adam Silver in control of this weird time we live in, and less Roger Goodell and Rob Manfred. Silver cares about his players. These other commissioners seem to not care enough, or at all.

We will see what happens with this truncated season, but it seems weird, and seems too little too late. The MLB had a shot to really take over, and they absolutely blew it. Now they’ll be fighting for viewers with the NBA, NHL, soccer, NASCAR, golf and football, possibly. They made a humongous gaffe, and I don’t think a 60 game season during a pandemic is going to help. They blew it.

Ty

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

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Happy Retirement Vince Carter and Thanks for the Memories

After 22 years Vince Carter officially retired from the NBA this more.

He said, "I'm officially done".

I have always been a fan of his. There were times that I rooted for other players, wanted his team to get beat, I was not a fan when he was in college, but things changed over time for me. I have a distinct memory, as I am sure most NBA fans do, of the dunk contest that Carter entered and won going away. I don't remember when Jordan and Dominique went head to head, I am too young for Dr J's stuff and while Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine have put on some shows in recent years, the dunk contest Carter won was the most spectacular thing I have ever witnessed as a basketball fan. The reverse 360, the elbow in the rim, the bounce off the side of the hoop, it was all amazing and all new to me. He then went on to the Olympics and dunked all over Frederic Weis. I only know Weis' name because Carter ended him. He literally jumped over him and made the poster to end all posters. I had a picture of that on my wall, and I know a good group of my friends did too. That was when the fandom started for me. It was the dunk contest, then ending Weis. I have always been a fan of more thunderous dunkers. Guys that would dunk, and dunk hard. I loved seeing Shaq pull down rims. Daryl Dawkins is an icon dunker to me. I am, and always will be, a big time Shawn Kemp fan, he is my all time favorite player in fact, and that is because of his incredible dunks. Carter was able to do that, but also put some finesse into it. He was like a mixture of Dawkins and George Gervin with the way he would dunk. He would do these incredible twists and turns and loops and throw it down with authority.

I started liking him more and more after the dunk contest when he was in Toronto. When he moved on to the Nets I cooled a bit, but that was because I was naive at why he changed teams. Toronto wasn't going to do much to help him. They weren't going to compete for a championship, and Carter knew it. He figured the Nets were his best shot. And he had chances. He played on some good teams. Teams that made deep playoff runs. But they couldn't quite get over the top. This was also when Carter's game started to evolve. He was still doing magnificent things in the air, but he also started to work on his jumper, try a bit on defense and become more of a team guy. This made my fandom grow even more. After his tenure in New Jersey, he became a journeyman of sorts. He would go to young teams and kind of be a mentor, but also he could still play. He was still a contributor. He spent a season in Orlando, the next in Phoenix, then three years with the Mavericks, when his jumper became a real threat, three more seasons in Memphis, two in Sacramento and his last two years in Atlanta. Watching him play when he went to Memphis, then Sacramento and then Atlanta, he played into his 40's, he still contributed and you could see the love of the game. He didn't want to leave. Father time is undefeated, but Carter fought it more successfully than a lot of pro athletes.

What made me like Carter more near the end was his attitude. He didn't go to these places and demand things. He didn't go with an ego. It was like I said before, he wanted to play and he wanted to help the new generation of NBA players. I bet you dollars to donuts than a player like Trae Young loved having him on his team. I guarantee he helped John Collins a ton when he got wrongfully suspended. I'm sure Lloyd Pierce loved having him on the court as a "coach" on the floor. Carter became a beloved figure in the NBA, and that is rad.

Do not get it twisted, Carter was the man in his early days, and I think he is a first ballot hall of famer. While he may not have a ring, and I think it rules that he didn't chase one, he was an 8 time all star, twice on an all NBA team and won the rookie of the year award. He was also an All American in college. He was a lottery pick that lived up to the hype. He has a gold medal. He is an important and prominent figure within the NBA. Honestly, I'd rather have his career than super star guys like Carmelo Anthony or Tracy McGrady, who I love also, and is his cousin or James Harden. Vince Carter was steady, at times dominant, one of the most athletic players to ever play and, at the end, a threat when shooting jumpers and, all in all, a great, great teammate. Vince Carter has earned his stripes and my hat is off to him. Now he gets to enjoy retirement.

What a career. A Hall of Fame worthy one if you ask me.

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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Who Should Be the Next Head Coach for the New York Knicks?

Another day another basketball story from me.

Today I want to talk about the New York Knicks and their coaching search. They fired David Fizdale, unfairly I still think, and this team has been in the tank for too long now. The Knicks are a flagship team, and the NBA is better when they are a good team. The last time I can remember them being good was eight years ago, when Carmelo was still good and they won fifty games. They then immediately went out and got washed by the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. Since then it has been a dumpster fire. They have not been a good team. They have made some odd draft choices, and odd trades. They've made some questionable signings. And they have missed out on some big time free agents they thought they may be getting. And even when they make a good draft choice, Kristaps Porzingis comes to mind, he wants out and they trade him. And Mitchell Robinson is very good, but I am at a point where I think they will trade him when his stock is high. They won't let him stick around long enough to become the all star I think he can be.

The Knicks recent downswing has resulted in them becoming a laughingstock, they need James Dolan to be gone, they need to get a solid draft pick and they need to start making sound free agent choices. I think a lot of that depends on who they hire as their new head coach, and what Leon Rose brings to the team. Rose will get them meetings. He will get guys in the room. He was a super agent. Now the Knicks need to get the right coach.

I've seen so many names connected. It seems like every coach, be it a current head coach, former head coach or upcoming assistant is being mentioned, or have an interview coming up. The last three names I heard recently are Mike Brown, Jason Kidd and Tom Thibodeau. These are the three guys they seem to be honing in on.

I wouldn't hire Tom Thibodeau. I wasn't a fan of his in Chicago. I thought he overworked his best players and I still throw a little blame his way for Derrick Rose's knee exploding in the strike shortened season. He played him far too much. I also wasn't a fan when Minnesota hired him to be the coach and GM. I wrote a whole thing about it. He didn’t do much of anything until the Timberwolves signed Jimmy Butler, and we all saw how that turned out. I am not a Thibodeau guy, and I don't think he has it in him to coach a team that needs to be developed. He needs a team that is laden with vets, and I still would be hesitant to hire him.

Jason Kidd has come on strong as of late because of his relationship to Giannis Antentokoumpo. He coached him in Milwaukee, Giannis likes him and those Bucks teams were solid under Kidd. Unfortunately what I remember most from his tenure there is the water spilling incident to try and save a timeout. Also, it appears that he wears out his welcome quick. Milwaukee let him go after three years and the Nets job, I don't believe he finished one season there. He may also want to stay in LA because LeBron may want him to become the head coach if Frank Vogel screws things up. And, all this talk of Giannis leaving Milwaukee, and teams trying to set up how they will sign him or trade for him, getting the right players to pair him with, I truly believe Giannis wants to stay in Milwaukee. They are always going to be a threat with him, he seems like he likes it there, he started a family there and they can offer him as much money as any other team. He reminds me of a guy that wants to play for just one team his whole career. And if he can bring them a title, man would that make my dad happy.

So we are left with Mike Brown. I actually do think this would be a homerun hire for the Knicks. He has had major success as a head coach. Sure, it was with a young LeBron, but still, he coached a Finals team. He has also been doing wonders as an assistant in Golden State. He has stepped up, stepped in when needed and the players there love and respect him. I know things didn’t go great in Cleveland after LeBron left for Miami, but it hasn’t gone good for anyone else whenever LeBron isn't on that team. They are the Browns of the NBA. Cleveland is a waste land without LeBron. So I don’t knock Mike Brown for that. I also think his time in Golden State has opened him up to the modern NBA, he has helped develop some great players, he has taken the role of head man when Steve Kerr has had to sit out, he has done it all. I also think Knicks fans, and more importantly, players, will adore him. He can coach vets as well as he can develop raw talent. Mitchell Robinson could reach the all star level under him. Maybe Dennis Smith Jr would buy into being more of a distributor than a shooter. Frank Knilitina may be able to work on his jumper and become a poor man's Draymond. They could get a solid draft pick, maybe Tyler Haliburton, that they can turn into a swiss army type guy, because Mike Brown knows how to coach and develop guys like that. I think he is more than deserving of his second chance, and I think the Knicks would be foolish to not give him the job.

We shall see, but I feel that Mike Brown is far and away the best candidate for the vacant head coaching job for the Knicks right now. 

Ty

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

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Where Should Boogie Cousins Play When the NBA Restarts?

With the restart coming in the NBA, hopefully, there have been some guys that have already said they will sit out, and some players who weren't signed, or just signed before the shutdown, they are now available to be picked up by one of the twenty-two teams headed to Orlando, again, hopefully.

Davis Bertans is sitting out, and I get it. He has had his best year, he will never be as highly regarded and sought after and the Wizards are going nowhere. Trevor Ariza has opted to sit out because he is going through a nasty custody battle, and he wants to spend time with his kid. Those guys I get their reasoning. I'm sure some other players, with about as much clout as them, will decide to sit as well. But the big name I saw today, and oh, by the way, tomorrow is the deadline for players to let their teams know if they are not going to go to Orlando, so I am sure we will see some more names, was Demarcus Cousins.

So, I assumed Cousins was done for the season. Then a report came out that said he said he was going to get himself ready for next season and forego this restart. But then another story came out that said he wasn't fully committed to sitting out, and he may field some offers. That all got me thinking. First off, I thought he was done for the year, but in reality, it has been about a year. He came back last season early from a torn ACL and played, not well, but still played. He has had more time to heal now. He may be in better shape than he was at this time last season when he had to play for Golden State in the Finals. Who knows. He is also still a very, very high volume low post scorer. He was one of the best for a minute there, but injuries have slowed him down to a halt. He isn't the guy he was in Sacramento, but he is still a quality player, and an above average scorer. He can help a team immediately that needs an enforcer, rebounder and a big down low. I do honestly believe that. I am still a Boogie fan. I feel like he has been treated unfairly, and that he can still play offense, and rebound, at a high level. With all that being said, and the injury stuff, and his rehab, I also started thinking about teams that could use him if he wants to play.

The number one obvious choice is the Lakers. He was there, he knows the system, Dwight Howard may not play and LeBron likes him. He has also played alongside Anthony Davis before, and they had a bit of success. He would be a solid replacement for Howard if he were to opt out. I actually think he is a better scorer. Dwight Howard has been so much better on defense, and really accepted his role there. But, Boogie is an All Star and young and can play. Personally I'd rather have Boogie. I also think the Clippers could use him. They have good bigs, but no one like Boogie. Ivan Zubac is fine, but he is just fine. Montrezl Harrell is a super high energy rebounding machine off the bench, but he is small. Other than that, it is Kawhi and Paul George. And while they're great, I think Boogie could be a third or fourth option that they crave. I think Sacramento could use him. They have a crew of young guys, a new head coach and they need a solid big. Sure it would be weird to see him in that uniform again, but almost everything has changed since he was originally there. It is pretty much brand new. And I would love to see him paired with DeAron Fox is a pick and roll. Orlando could pair him with Vuvcevic, and that would be like the poor man's version of what the Pelicans did when they paired him with AD. Vucvevic is more of a scorer, like Boogie, so they may get eaten up in the post. But, they could each put in 20 to 30 a night, especially with all the time off every player has had. People will not want to body him. Hell, I could go on and on with teams I think could use him. Utah could pair him with Gobert, and that would be menacing. Denver could replace Paul Milsap with him and have a younger, more athletic big next to Jokic. Boston is begging for a big man, and the two have been linked prior. Toronto may even want to put him out there with Marc Gasol, and let Serge Ibaka roam for open jumpers on offense, and hunt for blocks on defense.

I feel like Boogie should be a hot commodity if the restart happens, and if Boogie wants to play. I still have faith in him. I still believe in him, and I wish nothing but the best for him. We will just have to wait and see. 

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