This Year's College Football Playoff is Made for TV

Next week will be my best of lists. I am still working on some things, and I need a little more time. It is a bit tougher for certain things because I have been busy watching old shows or movies with my kids. With that, this week is going to be some sports, a movie review and some random pop culture things.

To start this week, I want to talk about the College Football Playoff. The four teams that made it, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame and the university of Ohio State, were totally expected by me, and some others I knew. And I am not here to shit on two teams I despise, or how it really feels like it will be Clemson-Alabama for the title for the third or fourth time playing for the title. That is not my point at all. And while I feel bad for Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Florida, they each had reasons why they didn't get put in. The only team of these three that has a real argument is Texas A&M. But they didn't get picked, and they will just have to get over that. I actually feel worse for Cincinnati and Coastal Carolina. Both those teams finished their seasons undefeated, playing double digit games. But they both play in lower level conferences, and the playoff is constructed to keep these teams out. It is just like the BCS, and how they treated Boise State. The lower level teams do not get a fair shake, and that has to change. They need to add more teams. Now is the time to make it an eight or twelve team playoff. They could've easily expanded this season, used COVID as to why, and no one would be griping like they have for two days now. It would have been cut and dry, and everyone would've been happy.

My real point today, the four teams that made it are in there strictly for TV purposes. Alabama and Clemson deserve their spots. Alabama is undefeated, won every game, and won them mostly by wide margins and no one put a real scare into them. Clemson is 10-1, but the 1 was with a backup QB on the road, and it took overtime for Notre Dame to beat them. We just saw in the rematch what a fully healthy Clemson can do against the very same team. Now we have Notre Dame and the university of Ohio State. The university of Ohio State is undefeated. They beat four teams by well over 30 points. They have a Heisman candidate at QB. They were picked to run away with the Big Ten. They did win the Big Ten title game, but it was too close. They also only played six games. One cancellation was their fault, the other two were their opponents. The Big Ten also changed their rules to allow them to play in the conference title game. Do I think they will play well against Clemson in their matchup, yes. Do I think they will win, no. They still have COVID issues, Justin Fields does not look as good as he did last year and they barely beat Northwestern and Indiana. Those are two ranked teams, but the university of Ohio State didn't do to them what Clemson just did to Notre Dame, or what Alabama did to the whole SEC. The reason the university of Ohio State is in is because they will draw so many more people to TV than Coastal Carolina, Cincinnati or even Florida and Texas A&M. They have one of the biggest fanbases in the world. And hey, they did win every game they played. Notre Dame did beat Clemson early in the year, albeit shorthanded. They won every game they played until this past week. They did struggle with some inferior opponents, but found ways to win. This Notre Dame team reminds me of the team that played Alabama in the BCS title game when they had Manti Teo. Or even better, the one that made the playoff a few years back and got crushed by a freshman led Trevor Lawrence Clemson team. Notre Dame is a solid team, with a good run game. But, I don't trust their QB to win a game, and their defense should get shredded by Alabama. This may be Alabama's best offensive team, and that is saying something. I think they will fight and play hard, but, just like this past weekend, Alabama is just a better team. I wouldn't be stunned if Alabama wins by four touchdowns. But again, Notre Dame has fans all over the world. They will draw so many eyeballs because we are all home and watching games from our living rooms. And that matchup, Notre Dame and Alabama is much more enticing than Alabama and Cincinnati.

So when my friends that I chat sports with ask me if the committee got it right, I say no to the teams, but unequivocally yes to the TV market. These four teams, this playoff, during this pandemic, was all about getting people to watch so the NCAA could try and recoup some kind of money they lost from all the cancellations and postponements and lack of fans at the games. The teams they pick actually makes so much sense to me, even if I disagree with their top four. College football is a business, and the people at the top know that. That much is clear with the CFP this season.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 20 - Alone on Christmas Day

ed note: This article was originally published on December 20th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy.

Day 20: Alone on Christmas Day by Phoenix and Special Guest Bill Murray

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen,Sixteen,Seventeen,Eighteen, Nineteen

I have spent many Christmas nights all by my lonesome. I was not alone for the whole day. My Christmas mornings have always been about waking up way earlier than normal and opening tons of presents with my family around. Once the intense excitement of Christmas morning was finished, I would pack up my bounty and head back to my 15th floor studio apartment in downtown St. Louis. Most of these Christmas nights I would stare out at the Gateway Arch on the usually cold evening and decided I would get a drink, at the fancy hotel a few buildings down. I would put on my Christmas sweater, wrap a scarf around my neck, and head to the hotel bar. Once inside I would find a seat in a corner booth and observe all the travelers who were truly spending Christmas alone. I would sip my Manhattan, listen to the piano being played, and was thankful I was not alone on Christmas Day. 

Earlier this December, Netflix premiered the Sofia Coppola directed Bill Murray holiday special A Very Murray Christmas. During the course of the program a lonely Bill Murray asks the catering staff at the hotel to play him a song. The staff happens to be french indie rock band Phoenix. The band, with help from Paul Shaffer on piano, Jason Schwartzman on drums, David Johanson (as Buster Poindexter) on martini shaker, and Mr. Bill Murray himself on featured vocals, cover the Beach Boy's rarity "Alone On Christmas Day".

Phoenix and gang take an unknown and discarded Beach Boys tune with "Alone on Christmas Day" and create a new holiday standard. The Beach Boys tune was originally unreleased in 1979, and after Phoenix requested to cover the tune, Mike Love changed some of the lyrics and released his own version. The Phoenix cover is light years better. The tune alludes to the sadness of being by oneself on Christmas, but "Alone on Christmas Day" encourages us to think of the gladness, and to keep moving on. Plus if you listen to the tune, no one is truly alone on Christmas Day. You will still have the bar patrons and employees to sing you a joyful tune.

I was never truly alone on Christmas Day. In the morning I had my family and in the evening I had the travelers and  employees at the hotel bar. We all came to the bar as individuals, but on Christmas evening we were together. The piano played on in the background, our drinks warmed our spirits, and we all got ready to move on, together.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He has given up the Christmas Night bar scene and traded it for his family sitting around the fireplace. He did not give up on his yuletide Manhattan. Celebrate the togetherness of Christmas by liking SeedSing on Facebook.

SeedSing Classic: The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 19 - Fruit Cake

ed note: This article originally premiered on December 19th, 2017

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,                           Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen

Day 19: Fruit Cake

The holiday season is filled with emotions that swing from one range to another. We are filled with joy and happiness one moment, then we are filled with dread and anxiety a minute later. The excitement of finding a perfect gift, followed by the dread of seeing the price. The warm fewling of being with long not seen family, followed by the realization of why you only see these family members once a year. The holidays are filled with feelings that are in direct conflict of each other.

Fruit cake is the perfect holiday dish to reflect this emotional dichotomy. Fruit cake is either an awesome dish, or it is dreadful. Go to your local grocery store and buy a cheap fruitcake mixed with bad walnuts and over sweetened dried fruit, it is a holiday chore to get through. Find a special homemade connection with real brandied fruit, and you can sometimes taste holiday bliss. The lesson here is skip the chain store fruit cake, and find a nice artisanal made one that has spent years wrapped in brandy soaked cheesecloth. That is the only reason to eat fruitcake.

We go from the greatest highs to the lowest lows during the holiday season. We experience the joy of charity, and the dread of sticker shock, sometimes within the same act. Fruit cake is the perfect holiday treat to represent this swing. Sometimes it is great, sometimes it is terrible. Yet fruit cake will always be part of the mystery of what our holiday season is all about.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Fruit cake can be enjoyed with any holiday feast. Devo knows no matter what you believe, none of it is true, a Merry Something to You.

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

SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 18 - Tree of Life

ed note: This article was first published on December 18th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 18: Tree of Life as performed by Princess Leia

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen,Sixteen, Seventeen

I am the father of a young son. One of my primary duties as a father is to teach my boy about being an intelligent, kind, and curious person. During the winter holiday season I have tried my best to introduce my son to the variety of holidays celebrated be different peoples. We put up lights for Diwali, we lit the Menorah for Hanukkah and will light the Kinara for Kwanzaa. I have also made a point of showing the boy all the great holiday entertainment of my youth. Because today is the opening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I have been trying get my son excited for some new December entertainment. Yet there is one piece of holiday nostalgia that my kid will not get to celebrate this year. This will be another year without the infamous "Star Wars Holiday Special".

In 1978 Star Wars was a national obsession. People were enthralled by the film, kids were excited to be getting empty figurine boxes as Christmas presents, and CBS aired the only official showing of "The Star Wars Holiday Special". The public was not impressed. The comedy stylings of Bea Arthur, Art Carney, and Harvey Korman were made permanent members of the Star Wars mythos due to their involvement in the special. Disco legend Diahann Carrol gets to be Chewbacca's father's (Itchy) fantasy girl. A certain bounty hunter, who was fond of disintegration, was introduced through an animated short. In fact, the Boba Fett cartoon is the only part of "The Star Wars Holiday Special" that gives anyone fond memories. The only celebration was to be for a paid killer, not our heroes.

Then there was the music. The aforementioned Caroll sings, Jefferson Starship started their downward slide into 80s kitsch with a tune. Bea Arthur gets to sing with the Cantina Band (Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes). But the topping on this disaster cake was Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher)singing the song "Tree of Life" to the original Star Wars theme. 

Life Day was a Wookie holiday similar to Thanksgiving or Christmas. Like any great holiday, Life Day had it's own kind of carol. "Tree of Life", or also known as "A Day to Celebrate", hits all the important notes of any species celebratory season. Peace, harmony, togetherness, and many more themes are sung off key by an extremely sincere Princess Leia. "Tree of Life" and it's seasonal message has become more famous for being a "what the hell" type of song than one that makes people, or wookies, celebrate. Princess Leia did not ruin "The Star Wars Holiday Special" with the awful song, but she made sure the crash was as explosive as possible.

Today is a great day. We get a new Star Wars movie as an early Christmas present. I am very excited to infect my son's mind with all things Skywalker, Jedi, Solo, and more. I will not infect his mind with Star Wars lore that should be crushed in a trash compactor. "The Star Wars Holiday Special" may be spectacularly bad, and "Tree of Life" may be the rotten cherry on the trash dump, but we still have new Star Wars for the holidays. Today is a day to celebrate, to laugh, to dream, to grow, to trust, to love, to be.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the host of the X Millennial Man podcast. He wonders what happened to Chewie's wife Malla, and their kids, between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Did the Midichlorians get them? Make this a day for SeedSing to celebrate by liking us on Facebook.  

Eggnog is the Worst

Yesterday I came at you all with a hot holiday take about a good treat, something I like that maybe others do not. Today I am going to do a similar thing, but this is my hot take of the worst holiday treat.

I could take the easy way out and say Xmas dinner is the worst. It is just a rehash of Thanksgiving, with very few exceptions, and maybe people, my family included, replaces turkey with ham. You have two of the same meals in a one month span of time. But that is boring. I could also call out hot cocoa or any type of chocolate. These are all well and good, and the Reese's peanut butter trees are the best version of that, but that is also a little lazy to me. None of those work. The clichés are way too cliché. For me, here it comes, the worst holiday treat to have at this time is eggnog, be it alcoholic or non.

This drink is vile. It feels like drinking liquified eggs, with some seasonings in it. I am always afraid that it is going to curdle or give me salmonella or go bad. I am not a milk fan to begin with, and eggnog is just a thicker, sweeter milk. I don't drink any alcohol either. I have tried different alcohol, and none of it is for me. The closest I have ever gotten to liking any type of alcohol is Bailey's mixed in coffee. But that was probably just a one time thing. I have tried it again, recently, and it was too strong. I am such a lightweight because I never drink. My wife had some alcoholic eggnog the other night, I gave it a taste, and I told her, "this is awful, it tastes like paint thinner smells". That was about as honest an answer as I could give her. I don't know if it was too much alcohol in it, if it was the gross consistency of the eggnog, or if it were both. I'd have to say it was a little bit of both. It was too strong and too gooey. And for me, this goes for all things eggnog. I have bought my kids eggnog ice cream, tried it, and wanted to throw up. I have had regular eggnog, like a milk carton from the store, and thrown it away the moment I walked in my door. My mother in law has made eggnog cookies before, and she is a tremendously talented baker, and I couldn't even finish a small cookie. I have seen eggnog flavored milk. Why is this a thing? Who wants that? I mean, strawberry milk is gross enough, who wants to have an eggnog flavored milk? That is so gross. I just, I mean, I like eggs, but not in liquid form. It is too dangerous. There are too many things that could go wrong. I would rather try a sushi that could kill me if not prepared correctly. The idea of trying blowfish is more appealing to me than drinking eggnog. I would rather eat a pizza covered in sardines than have an eight ounce cup of eggnog. Give me a jar of olives, which I also despise, and I would choke that down before I would have some eggnog. It just doesn't do it for me. It is too gross. They try to cover up the taste by adding unnecessary spices. Who needs nutmeg and cinnamon in a milk based drink? I won't even put that stuff in my coffee. That is too much for me, and I put Splenda in my coffee.

My wife, my mom and dad, even RD, and I am sure my other brothers and their wives probably like the holiday concoction, I do not, not at all. Eggnog is vile and thick and just downright awful. There, I said it, and I feel better. Now I am going to go and have a good holiday drink, a peppermint hot chocolate.

Ed note: Ty is wrong

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

SeedSing Classic: The Advent Calendar of Great Holiday Movies: Day 17 "American Psycho"

ed note: This article originally premiered on December 17th, 2018

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a great movie associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be extra awesome. Enjoy.

Day 17: “American Psycho”

Opened Doors: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16

The holiday season feels like a competition. We want to one up our friends and family with better gifts. We want to impress our neighbors with superior outdoor decorations. We want to be the most stylish, and the most recognizable, at our office holiday parties. The competition of the holiday season is not only annoying, it is also dehumanizing. It is not a shock that some of us have fantasies about murder and mayhem on all of those around us when the competition hits a little to close to our own neurosis.

At the Sundance Film festival in 2000 writer director Mary Harron premiered her film adaptation of the novel “American Psycho”. The film was a hit and featured future Oscar winners Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon, and in a star making role, Christian Bale as Patrick Bateman. “American Psycho” revived interest in author Brett Easton Ellis’s work, and became one of the definitive films of the early 21st century.

Early in the film, Patrick Bateman is at a Christmas party with a fiancé he does not love, work friends he loathes, and massive insecurity about his place in the world. Drugs and alcohol are no help. The banality of 1980’s pop music is helping him get by a little bit, but Bateman needs more. He needs to destroy what feeds his insecurity. At the Christmas party, Bateman convinces Jared Leto’s Paul Allen to have dinner. The dinner is a disaster, and the evening ends with Bateman murdering Allen with a shiny ax while the dulcet tones of Huey Lewis and the News tell us all that it is hip to be square.

The weeks following Christmas find Bateman destroying anyone he sees as artificial. The false commercialism of the holidays have broken the young Wall Street worker. In the end, Bateman’s own artificial nature saves him from any punishment. He is free to wreck havoc on the poor yuppies of Manhattan next Christmas time.

The commercialism of Christmas is dehumanizing. We do not want the latest, expensive, gift, but we must participate. We really do not care about the fashionable holiday getaway, but we still make sure to book the trip. The fanciest business card from one of our office mate drones, who cares? You better damn well believe though that we are going to one up Brad from marketing. If we can not do better this holiday season, we may just go insane. In our insanity it is important to remember that ATM’s do not eat cats.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Sometimes we go crazy during the holiday’s we discover something dark from Christmases past. The gang knows this all too well in “A Very Sunny Christmas”.

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

Those Peanut Butter Cookies with the Chocolate Kisses are the Best

Today I am coming at everyone with a steamy hot Xmas take.

First up, I love all the snacks and treats and the food that comes with the holiday. It is acceptable to gorge, you can eat as much as you want, and most people will not say a thing. Now that I have lost some weight, and I very much enjoy running, I cannot stuff my face as much as I used to. This is a good thing, but sometimes I do miss going nuts on holiday treats.

Now for the take.

The one treat I can still eat to my heart's content, that I will still stuff my face, and eat until I am sick, is the peanut butter cookies that have a Hershey's kiss in the middle. I believe they may be called thumbprint cookies. I am not one hundred percent sure if that is the name, or if it has multiple names. Whatever it may be called though, these cookies are, hands down, the best treat to have over the holiday. You all can have your eggnog or hot cocoa or fruitcake or other cookies or whatever. The thumbprint cookie destroys all other holiday snacks. They are easy to make, even easier to eat and taste better than all the other treats. I love peppermint bark, especially the Ghirardelli brand. Thumbprint cookies are better. I enjoy hot cocoa from time to time. Thumbprint cookies are better. I don't drink eggnog, but I know my wife and dad, and I believe RD himself, enjoys it. Give me a thumbprint cookie any day. Within my family and friends it is well known that I love sugar cookies, especially when you snickerdoodle them. But this time of year I prefer the thumbprint cookie. It is just so good. I also don't get to eat as much peanut butter as before, my daughter is very, very allergic to peanuts. So when I do have them, if my wife and I make them after the kids go to bed, I like them even more now. I guess I have an even deeper appreciation of this cookie, this treat. I am also not a big peanut butter cookie fan, again, I prefer sugar cookies. But this thumbprint cookie just works on so many levels.

The fact is that chocolate and peanut butter pair so well. We all love peanut butter cups, my favorite M&M's are the peanut butter ones, when I make oatmeal I like to add a little splash of chocolate to accent the peanut butter. The pairing just works. The thumbprint cookie takes it to a whole other level though. Maybe it is because the cookie is so small, and the kiss is almost as big, or that the two work so well with the chocolate kiss melting into the soft cookie or, I don't truly know, I just know that I absolutely love and adore this cookie. When I see a tray of them at my folks house, or when we could go to Xmas parties, please do not go this year, be safe, and I would see a tray of these cookies, I am always tempted to take the whole thing for myself. It just works on every level. The size of the cookie is perfect. The addition of the kiss is the cherry on top. And you can pop these things like they are going out of style. I really, truly love this cookie. I believe my wife and I are going to make some this weekend.

I am seeing my family this holiday, we have all been extremely safe and cautious and none of us have symptoms of COVID, and I am hoping someone makes them for us all to eat, even though I will eat most of them. The thumbprint cookie is, bar none, the best holiday treat. Please tell me I am wrong, and I will retort with a photo of myself enjoying the hell out of one of these cookies. It gets no better. I dare you to try and find a better holiday treat. It is impossible.

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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

SeedSing: Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Television Programs: Day 16 "The Boba Fett Cartoon Featured in the Star Wars Holiday Special"

ed note: This article was originally published on December 16th, 2016

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 16: "The Boba Fett Cartoon Featured in the Star Wars Holiday Special"

Original air date - November 17th, 1978

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen,  Fourteen, Fifteen

Sometimes the thing we really want for Christmas turns out to not be that great. Maybe there was a big video game we were wishing for, and it was underwhelming. A new cool drone that crashes and breaks within ten minutes. A hoverboard that sets fire to your feet. Many times we have our heart set on something, and our anticipation is rewarded with shoddy craftsmanship. As we dig through the garbage that once was our wanted presents, we sometimes find something unexpected and spectacular.

It is well known that the Star Wars Holiday Special is an epic piece of trash. Premiering on November 17th, 1978, less than two years after the release of the original film, the holiday special was immediately greeted with disgust and disdain. George Lucas himself has wished for the destruction of every copy of the cash grab be destroyed. The story was idiotic, the guest stars were questionable, and the Tree of Life song was a special kind of stupid. The special only aired once, and has never been given a VHS, Betamax, DVD, or BluRay release. For almost two hours, the world was inflicted with holiday blues from a galaxy far far and away. It was mostly a major disappointment, except for a 10-minute cartoon smack dab in the middle.

"The Faithful Wookie" was a small animated feature that split apart the mind numbing stupidness of the Star Wars Holiday Spectacular. The animated short is most famous for introducing the bounty hunter Boba Fett into the Star Wars cannon. It is considered so influential that the 2011 BluRay release of The Empire Strikes Back has the cartoon remastered in high definition as an easter egg.

The adventure itself centers around Luke trying to rescue Han and Chewie from some McGuffin, and Boba Fett appearing as a helpful ally. The 1978 audience had never seen this character before and did not know what the armored man's motivations were. Unfortunately, we learn that Boba Fett is in contact with Darth Vader, and the bounty hunter is trying to set a trap for Han, Chewie, and Luke. The ever resourceful R2D2 catches Fett, and our new enemy uses his jet pack to escape, promising that they will all meet again. 

The ten-minute cartoon shows why Boba Fett has become one of the most popular figures in the Star Wars hall of heroes and villains. His armor is awesome. He uses the things on his wrist, and his jetpack. "The Faithful Wookie" features more dialogue from Boba Fett than what will come in the next two films. The adventure from our heroes is basic stuff, but the premier of this incredible new resident of a galaxy far far away was the only gift worth keeping from the Star Wars Holiday Special.

It is disappointing to get the new great thing and then learn it is a poorly constructed cash grab by some focus group driven idiots in a corporate office. The whole ordeal leaves a scar on what was once a favorite piece of pop culture. But, sometimes if we dig through the trash, we will find a gem. Sometimes that gem even comes in the mail with a rocket that shoots off of its back. If you find that gem, hold onto it, it is worth an obscene amount of money.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was inspired to write this because he just got done seeing Rouge One. He is now hoping to get his very own Death Star engineer figurine in the mail any day now

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

A Time of Uncertainty with Michigan Wolverine Football

I know I have been on a sports kick recently, and I promise I am going to get back to more pop culture stuff in the coming days and weeks. I have my best of lists coming up, I am going to get caught up on some shows and movies I have been holding off on, and I will definitely be writing about them all. But I want to do one more, for now, piece on Michigan football.

I know we just did a podcast about it, and I have had a lot to say on the website. But, as of yesterday, their season is all but over. They had to cancel their game against Iowa because they have a COVID outbreak that is not getting any better. Reports said they would've been without upwards of 50 players had they tried to play this weekend. It would have been pointless to travel to Iowa City to let third stringers and scout players get the snot beat out of them. I also fully expect them to not take any bowl invite. I know every team is eligible this season, but they do not deserve, nor should they, go play in a bowl game. The season is over, let these kids go home and get better and start focusing on next season. This season has been a wash, it has been brutal and they were not good. Not at all. This may be one of the worst Michigan teams I have ever watched. They were unprepared, under coached and got flat out beat by most teams. They did beat Minnesota, a mirage game I have been calling it, and they had to go to three overtimes to beat Rutgers. They probably should have been 1-5. And if they played these three games they had to cancel, they would have finished 2-7, maybe 3-6. All of it would have been pointless, just like this whole college football season.

Originally I was all for these kids trying to play, but as I stated on our most recent pod, I have come full circle, and I do not think any of these kids should be playing. They are essentially free laborers for their schools, and the coaching staff. The players make zero dollars, and they are risking their lives to play a game. I would be saying this if Michigan were 8-0 right now too. This has nothing to do with how bad their season was, this is all about how dangerous, more so than ever, this season has been.

For all intents and purposes, Michigan football is done for 2020. A bad year was closed out by a third straight cancelation. Jim Harbaugh is telling current players and recruits he is "committed" to Michigan, yet a three year extension sits on Warde Manuel's desk waiting to be signed by him. This off season is going to be as odd as I can remember, and it will chart the direction Michigan is going to go in for the foreseeable future. I do feel for the seniors on this team that really wanted to play. I also feel for the underclassman that will be declaring for the draft. They didn't get a full year, it was bad when they did play, and who knows how many may have played their last football game ever. But, for the kids returning, and the ones that are signing their letters of intent today, and in the future, I wonder where their head is at right now. Harbaugh, as mentioned, is still keeping everyone in limbo. If he signs the extension he will be at Michigan for another four years. I think that would be best for the program. Yes, this year was bad, but it is one season. And yes, I know they have really struggled against top ranked teams and their rivals. But I'd like to give Harbaugh the life of the contract and the extension. I know some have said that he has interest in the NFL, but I don't know if that is reciprocated. Some people in the know say yes, others say no. I also don't know why his stock would be any higher now, after a few less than okay seasons. Also, why would he want to leave Ann Arbor when he can do whatever he wants there. He is the king of that city. He makes more money than any other state employee. He is a rah rah guy. None of that would be true in the pros. He would make less than most of his players, and he would essentially be a CEO. He would be told by the GM and owners who to play, and when to play them and how much time. In college he makes those calls, and no one else. That is not the case in the NFL. The people higher up make those choices. They want their rookies, and cheap guys to play. If Harbaugh does decide to leave, and this team needs to hire a new coach, they are rebuilding. There will be more attrition than ever, and they would easily be a bottom feeder in the Big Ten. I don't want that, and I know most sane Michigan fans agree. Michigan also has a solid recruiting class coming in, but all that crumbles if they overhaul the entire staff. They would also lose a ton of talent currently on their roster. The kids at Michigan now came to play for Harbaugh and for his staff.

I hope Harbaugh stays. With that being said, they probably should make some changes on both sides of the ball. I am as avid a Don Brown fan as can be. I love his attacking style and his demeanor. He has had some great defenses at Michigan. But his refusal to make changes will be his downfall. I think they need to move on from him, as much as it pains me to write that. He was great, but he just isn't cutting it anymore. Their defense has been bad against top flight teams his whole tenure, and this season they were bad against everyone. They need a change. On offense I don't want them to get rid of Josh Gattis. I want them to fully hand the offense over to him. It is clear that Harbaugh is still making choices on that side of the ball, and it has killed this team. They haven't really got to try the whole "speed in space" thing to its fullest extent yet. There has been too much running and predictability. I love establishing a run game, but to run it every second and long has become boring and easy to stop. I also want to see the QB, whoever it may be, let it rip. I want them to air it out. If the university of Ohio State and Alabama and Clemson can do it, Michigan can too. They need to adapt. This isn't the late 80's, early 90's three yards and a cloud of dust anymore. They need to start passing to set up the run game more. I do think some position coaches may need to change, cough cough, Jay Harbaugh, and let Gattis pick the replacements. This team also needs to get tougher and meaner and play with more pride. They need more Devin Bush like players. I miss him so much. Michigan is still Michigan. They can still play with anyone, and win 10 games and be important. They just need to remember that. I also think they should try and retain Harbaugh, but with all the caveats that are on the extension they are waiting for him to sign. This team can still be good. But, this off season will either make or break this team.

I really hope it works out for obvious reasons. But, as always, I have my doubts. Time will tell.

Ty

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

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SeedSing Classic: The Advent Calendar of Great Holiday Movies: Day 15 "The Christmas Shoes"

ed note: This article was originally published on December 15th, 2018

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 15: “The Christmas Shoes”

Opened Doors: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14

Yes the movie I choose for day fifteen is a little film called “The Christmas Shoes”. First things first, I have never seen this movie, but I wanted you the audience to be aware of it’s existence. I put it on here for two reasons, the star and the song.

“The Christmas Shoes” premiered in 2002 and Rob Lowe, aka one Ty’s favorite actors, was the star. I do not know why. Rob Lowe has always seemed to make pretty good career choices. To star in a movie based off a terrible christian book and song, that seems noteworthy. Maybe Lowe, like us all, has his own guilty pleasures. Starring in this maudlin, convoluted, story is his I guess. God speed Rob.

The other reason I think you should all be aware of “The Christmas Shoes” is because of the epic take down Patton Oswalt does on the god awful song. (Here is a great animation with Oswalt’s epic piece.) It may not be a movie, but that under eight minute YouTube clip is probably more worth your time than the two hour made for tv movie.

My gift to you this season is to make you aware that Rob Lowe starred in a made for tv movie based on one of the worst Christmas songs ever. Now you know, and that is half the holiday battle.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Do you know what can be festive and tacky at the same time? Christmas lights. Thank goodness there is a joyous song about all the lights we see during the season.

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

Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: Predictions

I finished my preseason countdown of the NBA teams yesterday, and I come to you today with playoff predictions, award winners and some surprises, both bad and good, for the upcoming season. I think, like last year, there is no definitive favorite, although the Lakers are close. But, I could see upwards of five or six teams winning it all, and none would surprise me. I think the West is still much, much better too, but the East's top five or six teams are going to be very competitive. With that, let's get to my playoff picks.

I'll start with the East as usual. Also, I know they have the play in tournament back this year, and that rules, but I am going to go with the top eight teams in both conferences to further my picks. Okay, from eight to one in the East I have, Orlando, Atlanta, Toronto, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Boston, Miami and Milwaukee. This is pretty much the same as last season, with Atlanta taking Indiana's place. I just don't think Indiana is quite good enough to make another playoff push. I also think they will trade some key guys during the year. And Brooklyn could very easily be a top three seed if KD and Kyrie play like themselves, or they could fall off if either guy isn't as good or focused or gets hurt. The other teams seem pretty solid to me.

In round one Orlando will get easily dispatched by Milwaukee in five games. Orlando always wins one game. Atlanta will be a fun first round opponent, but Miami is too good on defense to let it go no longer than six games. Toronto and Boston will be the best first round matchup in the East, and it will go seven games and be a bloodbath, but Boston has too much talent not to win the series. And I love the Philly-Brooklyn 4-5 matchup. It will be fun, probably brutal at times, but if KD is 75 percent of himself, and Kyrie shows up, the Nets best two players are better than the 76ers two best players. I will be rooting for Philly all year, but Brooklyn, if fully healthy, is just too good. I have the Nets in seven.

That would leave us with a Milwaukee-Brooklyn and Miami-Boston in the East semis. These are two good matchups, and I think it is the best four teams in the East. This was where Milwaukee blew it last year, and maybe they will again. I personally do not think they will. Giannis is going to be even better. Getting Jrue Holiday was a major upgrade, and Milwaukee is deeper and better defensively than Brooklyn. KD will give them a run, if he is healthy, but I don't see Milwaukee letting it go more than six games. Miami and Boston will be a rematch from the bubble, but this time I think Boston will get the better of Miami. Their matchup last season was great, and due to the fact that Boston will be pushed by Toronto makes me think that they will beat the Heat. It will go seven, Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo will give the Celtics fits, but the Celtics are so young, so talented and have gritty playoff experience.

That leaves us with Boston and Milwaukee in the East Finals. I have picked Milwaukee to get this far the past two seasons, but not to the Finals. This is the year it changes. Giannis is more locked in, they upgraded the point guard position in a major way with Holiday, and they are the best defensive team in the league. This is the year the Bucks finally get over the hump and make the Finals. That pick is for you dad.

Now for the Varsity. The West has every team vying for a spot, save maybe for the Thunder. But SGA may have something to say about that. The other fourteen teams have legitimate cases for making the playoffs, and the play in tournament is going to be awesome. It may be better than the actual West playoffs. With that, in order from eight to one, I have Phoenix, Houston, Utah, Dallas, Portland, Denver, LA Clippers and LA Lakers. This could have been different if Klay was healthy, or if Sacramento could ever figure it out, or if the Spurs get coached the hell up, or if the Pelicans super young, super athletic talent figures it out. But right now, this is how I see the West playing out. The sprint of a season will make it a brutal run to get here, but these are the top eight teams to me. I wanted to put Memphis in there, and I hope they prove me wrong, but I just think they are going to take a teeny step back.

That means the 8-1 is Phoenix and the Lakers. This would be a sweep if Chris Paul wasn't on the Suns. He will not let this team get swept, and I feel like he will win them two games. But the Lakers will prevail in six, and I don't think they will have to use LeBron as much, saving him for later rounds. Houston, and this is totally dependent on if they keep Harden or not, will get easily passed over by the Clippers. The Clippers are on a revenge tour, they are a much better defensive team, and can score for days. That series will go no more than five games. Utah and Denver will be a very fun first round matchup. This was the first round in the bubble, and it was an incredible series. This time around, and I know I said I was going to stop doubting Denver, I think the Jazz will win. They will have everyone, hopefully, and they only lost last year when Conley's three pointer lipped out. I think Utah wins in a hard fought seven game series. Dallas and Portland is going to be a fun, defenseless, series. The scores of every game could be 150-145. Each team will light it up. Luka Doncic and Dame Lillard will go at one another. But I am going with Portland in seven. Dame is good in early round playoff series. Portland is deeper and a touch better on defense, and I feel like having Nurkic is going to be big for the Trailblazers.

That leaves us with the Lakers and Trailblazers facing off, and the Clippers and Jazz. I kind of thought this was how the West was going to play out last year before the shutdown. The Trailblazers are better this year. I love that Nurkic is back, and he was incredible in the bubble. But the Lakers are too talented, and with a, hopefully for them, well rested LeBron, they shouldn't have too much trouble with Portland. Dame and McCollum may do enough to pull out one game, but I don't see it going past five. The Clippers and Jazz looked like the West Semis in the bubble, until Conley's three rimmed out. I think a fully healthy Jazz could pose a problem for the Clippers. And given Paul George's inconsistent playoff career, who knows what he will bring to the table. I also think that Rudy Gobert could feast on the Clippers lack of size. But Kawhi is too good, Lou Will will have a game where he goes for 30, Beverly will shut down Conley and I think the duo of George and Kawhi will neutralize Donovan Mitchell. I have the Clippers in six.

This gives us the battle of LA in the West Finals. I thought this was what was going to happen last year. But unlike last year, I think the Lakers will pull out a seven game series win. This will be more competitive, the Clippers will show up, George will be better, Kawhi will give LeBron headaches. But the Lakers got better this offseason, and they have more size, and maybe even more depth now than the Clippers do. I think Davis will go nuts in this series too.

That leaves us with a Lakers-Bucks finals. If you had asked me to pick a winner 10 minutes ago I would have picked the Lakers to go back to back. But, Giannis just signed the super max, and that changes things. He won't be berated with questions about where he will play next season. He will be free to be himself. He won't have some weird burden looming over him. And Jrue Holiday was such a great pickup, I am really over the moon for the Bucks right now. Maybe this is for my dad, maybe I like Giannis too much, maybe I think Mike Budenholzer is due. I don't know why, but I am going with the Bucks to win the title, in a very good, very close seven game series. I have a feeling it will be epic.

As for awards, let's see. It is tempting to go with one of the first three picks in the draft for rookie of the year, but I think each of them have specific reasons why they won't win it. Edwards isn't even close defensively yet, Wiseman will be no more than a role player and LaMelo Ball is playing in Charlotte. I also don't like many other lottery picks to win it. I really, really want to pick Obi Toppin because he was my top prospect, and I love his game, but the Knicks are going to be real bad. I'm going to "go out on a limb here", and pick Cassius Stanley. He was a second round pick, and he may not even start the year. But at some point he will get some real run with the Pacers, assuming they blow it up, and I think he will have a Malcolm Brogdon-esque rookie season. For most improved I always want to give this to a player on the cusp of stardom. For example, I would have given this to Bam Adebayo last year. Hell, he may have won it for all I know. This season I am going to give it to Ben Simmons. I think he will feel more free to play his style with Doc Rivers at the helm and a slew of shooters around him. I think that will make him more prone to shoot from outside, and he already has the rest of his game intact. Sixth Man of the Year will be Norm Powell. No more Montrezl Harrell or Lou Williams. If Norm Powell meets the criteria, he will be instant offense off the bench for the Raptors, he provides solid defense and he is the definition of a modern sixth man. Coach of the Year I am going to go with Mike Budenholzer. Now that Giannis has signed on, and Jrue Holiday is there, and this team shoots threes and plays exceptional defense, I think Budenholzer will let go of the reins a bit, and let this team play to its fullest potential. He will loosen his minutes restrictions, he will let his best players play and his team will reap the benefits of it all. Defensive Player of the Year is going to be a big. I'm just not totally sure which yet. Will it be Gobert? He is the best rim protector and playing in a contract year. Will it be AD? He wanted it last year, didn't get it, so maybe he will go extra hard. Will it be Draymond? While not a big, he does guard every position, looks to be in shape, and if Golden State still has visions of making the playoffs, he will have to be the Draymond of old. Or will it be Giannis again? He won it last year, I'm sure he wants to win it again, and he is becoming a modern day Shaq on both ends of the floor. In the end I'm going to go with Gobert. He, as stated, is the best rim protector and wants to sign a humongous contract this offseason. He is going to be a problem this year.

Finally we have MVP. Will it be LeBron, or Giannis for a third straight year, or Kawhi, or someone way off the radar. I don't think Giannis will win it again. It seems that voters in the NBA are very wary of giving back to back, let alone three straight times, the same award to someone. LeBron may not have enough minutes. The Lakers are coming off a title, they have so many good options that LeBron will be able to sit games and they can still win, and AD will steal votes from him. I don't think Kawhi will get it because he is not that type of player. He just wants to beat the hell out of people and win titles. He could care less about those other trophies. So that leaves us with a total outside option. I'd love to pick Brad Beal, but the Wizards will not be a playoff team. Luka and Trae are awesome, but neither plays a lick of defense. Zion and Ja aren't ready to be MVP options yet. Maybe next year. But, in my mind, the MVP should come from a playoff team, preferably a top three team in either conference. Going by this criteria narrows the list for me, but actually makes it a little easier. I am picking Jayson Tatum to win the MVP this season. Look, I do not like the Celtics, never have, but Tatum has only gotten better each year, he goes hard every night, and this just seems like the next logical step in his career. I feel like he is going to have a great year, and I think the NBA will reward him by giving him the MVP.

Okay, that does it for my NBA preseason predictions. We are officially one week away from the start, and I cannot wait.

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 Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 14 - Fairytale of New York

ed note: This article was originally published on December 14th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 14: Fairytale of New York by The Pogues (featuring Kirsty MacColl)

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven Twelve, Thirteen

I once spent a magical December evening in New York City. My wife and I had an overnight layover in the city on our way for a tropical Christmas vacation. It was bitterly cold that evening. We bundled up and caught the subway to have a nice dinner in Manhattan. The few cold hours we spent in New York City that December were amazing. The city was decked all out for the upcoming holiday. It was magical. On our plane leaving the city I glanced down for one last look. The joys of New York City during Christmas was a memory I will never lose. I am glad I did not stick around to see the hopefulness of Christmas give way to the brutal realities New York City is home to the rest of the year.

"Fairytale of New York" was released by the Irish band The Pogues on their 1987 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God. It is rumored that the song was written based on a bet between Elvis Costello and The Pogues lead singer Shane MacGowan. Costello bet that MacGowan could not write a hit Christmas single. Once the music and lyrics were set, singer songwriter Kirsty MacColl joined MacGowan to sing the song as a duet. Elvis Costello must have lost the bet, because "Fairytale of New York" has spent the last few decades as one of the most popular Christmas songs in the United Kingdom.

"Fairytale of New York" starts off with the magic of New York City during the holidays. MacGowan and McColl are young, in love, and inspired.Being in the drunk tank on Christmas Eve cannot dampen their spirits. They have each other and the wonders of the city. The song treats their ideals as fake as the decorations around town. Love and admiration quickly turns to name calling and regret. Behind the holiday facade of the city lies a brutal, and ugly, reality. The two lovers were embracing the facade, but once the decorations are gone, their hate and despair shows through. They love the imagery and magic, they unfortunately do not really like each other.

The build up to Christmas can make us forget all the unfortunate things that confront us during the year. Our hopes, dreams, and love seem to get amplified in December. Once our holiday drunken stupor turns into a post December 25th hangover, our realities come into sharp focus. I enjoy the magic, and I am trying to prepare for the headaches. Thank goodness I will have the fine Irish ditty "Fairytale of New York" to be my musical companion through the transition.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. He is embaressed to say that his dinner in New York that night was at Trump Tower. Come and tell your tales of Christmas in the city by writing for SeedSing.

Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: Can Win It All

Today is the final day of my NBA countdown. We are eight days away from the start of the regular season. I will do predictions tomorrow, but as far as my rankings, this is it. These are the best of the best. These are the teams that have the players, coaches, staff and fortitude to win it all. The only thing stopping these teams are COVID or injury. I hope neither happens to any of them.

At number 5 I have the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are loaded with great young talent, they have one of the better head coaches and they have, for such a young team, lots of playoff experience. They also got rid of an albatross contract. The only thing that worries me with this team is depth. But man is their starting five loaded. Jayson Tatum is a straight up star. He can score from anywhere, he is lethal, he has the killer mentality, he plays defense and he just gets better and better. I am a true believer that he is a future face of the league. Jaylen Brown is an elite defender, and he is hyper athletic. His jumper is improving and he is asserting himself as the firm number 2 on this team. He may waffle from time to time, but he always makes up for it. Marcus Smart is the new age Tony Allen. He is a menace on defense. He can guard pretty much all 5 positions and he can draw fouls and mess with opponents heads. He isn't great offensively, but he is good enough. When Kemba Walker is healthy he is one of the better scoring guards in the NBA. He is also a solid perimeter defender. He is a better fit on this team too. He is so much better fitting in than being the star. He is injured, and will miss a month or two, but when he is back, the Celtics have three guys in the starting five that can go for 20 every night. Robert Williams may float in and out of games, miss some meetings and over sleep. But when he is engaged, this kid is good. There is a reason he slipped to the Celtics in his draft, but there is also a reason he was considered a lottery pick. He is starting to show flashes, and if he can reach some of his potential, he will only help this team. Daniel Thies is a solid defender. He does the dirty things for this team. Jeff Teague is a fine player, and that is all he has to be here. Grant Williams got decent, important minutes in the playoffs, and that is big for him. After these guys is where it gets murky. They gave Tristan Thompson too good of a contract for him. Tacko Fall is more of a spectacle than a player. Carsen Edwards and Romeo Langford haven't done much in their two years. Semi Ojeyle seems to be getting passed over. This is the worry for me with this team. But that starting five, and first two off the bench are more than enough for me to like them as a contender out of the East.

At number 4 I have the Miami Heat. Some said it was the bubble, others said it was Jimmy Butler, but I just think the Heat are a very good team, and they deserved to be in the Finals last season. Jimmy Butler proved yet again how important and viable he is on a top team. He willed them to the Finals. He had them as prepared as one player could. Bam Adebayo just keeps ascending. He is one of my absolute favorite players to watch. He goes hard, he rebounds and plays defense and he is becoming a great low post player. Adebayo is awesome. Tyler Herro has done more at 20 than I could ever imagine. He averaged double figures in the Finals. He averaged double figures as a teenager in the early playoffs. This kid is a straight up scorer. Now he has to play defense. Duncan Robinson is one of the most lethal shooters in the game, and the kid has earned every minute he now gets. He has made a name for himself, and all he has to do is shoot. He too needs to improve defensively. Goran Dragic re-signed there, and he is a perfect sixth man on this team. He runs their second unit so well. Kendrick Nunn had some ups and downs, and didn't play as much in the Finals. But, he can heat up at any moment. Andre Iguodala and Udonis Haslem are old, and their primes are way past them, but I would love to have two guys like that on my team. They are additional coaches when on the floor. Getting Avery Bradley will help their already good defense. Meyers Leonard provides front court depth. This team is good, and a return trip to the Finals wouldn't surprise me at all. Jimmy Butler is that dude.

At number 3 I have the LA Clippers. I was so very high on this team last year, and they totally blew it. They ran out of steam, they let the bubble get to them, and they lost a 3-1 lead to the Nuggets. They led to Doc Rivers leaving, and them letting a few other players walk. But this team is still loaded, they have to have revenge on their minds and I love hiring Ty Lue to take over as the head coach. Kawhi Leonard is not going to break down like he did in the bubble again. He will be back and he will be back with a vengeance. I wouldn't be shocked to see him return to his Spurs and Raptors self. He is a robot, but a robot that will be out for revenge. Paul George just signed a max deal, he is engaged to be married and it looks like he is having fun again. I know he said some stuff about the coaches last year, but who cares. This guy is an elite scorer and an even better defender. He just needs to stay focused. They also have Patrick Beverly and Lou Williams and Reggie Jackson back. Beverly is still an upper tier defender and his shot is better, Lou Will is a great, great bench scorer and Jackson plays all out every night. He may shoot too much, but he goes hard. Marcus Morris is a good dude to have on your side, and his shot is solid. Ivica Zubac is an underrated, solid big man. I like replacing Montrezl Harrell with Serge Ibaka. He may be older, but he is taller, he is a better shooter and still a bit better around the rim on defense. Luke Kennard adds long range shooting. And Nic Batum can still do some little things. The Clippers should bounce back. I would not be surprised to see them really challenge the top of the West. Some guys will need to step up, and play better than they did in the bubble, which I think they will. The Clippers will be just fine.

At number 2 I have the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks have the two time reigning MVP. Giannis is one of the best players in the league, and listening to him in interviews only furthers my belief that he is still getting better. Once he starts to hit his outside shot a bit more consistently, he will be as unstoppable as Shaq. He is also the best defender in the league. I love the addition of Jrue Holiday. He is a major upgrade over Eric Bledsoe, and he and Giannis will be a very formidable duo. Khris Middleton is another lockdown defender, and he can really shoot the ball. He needs to play better this year, but he will have ample shot opportunities playing next to Giannis and Holiday. He just needs to knock them down. Brook Lopez adds size and shooting. Donte DiVincenzo is inconsistent, but he can light it up. I wonder if his name being in trade talks will affect his play. Same thing for DJ Wilson, except he was barely seeing the floor anyway. Giannis brother Thanasis is there, and while it is cool that they are on the same team, I don't know how much he will truly see the floor. Bobby Portis is okay, but he shoots a bit too much, and people still only really know him from punching out another teammate in Chicago. And adding DJ Augustin adds a nice veteran, but also age. This team will be all about Giannis and Jrue Holiday. If they coalesce as I expect them to, they will be on top of the East.

The final team, the best team going into the season is the defending champs, the LA Lakers. They are here, they deserve it and they are, at least on paper, a much better team than the one that just won the title. They have LeBron back, and that is humongous no matter what. He was amazing in the bubble, and especially in the Finals. I still like Jordan as the GOAT, but LeBron is definitely the second greatest player ever. And no disrespect to Dywane Wade and Chris Bosh and Kyrie Irving, but he will be playing with his best teammate ever again this year, Anthony Davis. The two of them were a devastating pair. And Davis actually played a little better without LeBron on the floor. Davis is one of the best defenders in the league, he is probably the best big on offense and he showed some strength and ability to not get injured last season. He is also just now entering his prime. If they just had these two guys, and three of my friends I hoop with starting, they'd be a playoff team. Lucky for them though they have real NBA players, and they are solid. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took a major step last year, and I fully buy him as a solid third or fourth option. He was awesome in the Finals. They replaced guys they let go of, Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard, with Marc Gasol, Montezl Harrell and Dennis Schroeder. Gasol is a better defender and passer than both McGee and Howard. Harrell is a bull dog and a force on offense. Schroeder is a younger, and better offensive scoring version of Rondo. They upgraded all three of those positions. Alex Caruso is a solid player. I don't like the hype surrounding him, but that isn't him, that's the ESPN's of the world. He works well with LeBron's game. Talen Horton Tucker looks like a steal in the preseason. And Kyle Kuzma and Wes Matthews will be solid bench guys, if they keep them both. The Lakers only got better, and they should be the hands down favorites heading into this season.

There you have it, my teams ranked from 30-1. This feels right. I will be back tomorrow to wrap up my preseason NBA preview with predictions and award winners. Also, I want to wish my wife a very happy birthday. She is cooler than any other wife out there. That is just facts. Happy birthday, I love you.

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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Television Programs: Day 13 - "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

ed note: This article was originally published on December 13th, 2016

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 13: "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"

Original air date - December 18th, 1966

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve

Sometimes there is something so popular, and for reasons one cannot explain, that thing will drive you insane. Ten years ago Justin Beiber was the big thing, and many people could not stand him. The same phenomenon is going on today with Taylor Swift. It is impossible to like anything from these pop culture sensations if you have invested so much of your heart in hating them. It does not matter if a large group of people like these things, your hatred is blind. The world you live in would be much better if someone took all of these songs and shoved them off of the highest mountain.

In 1966 Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! became an instant holiday classic. The previous year saw the debut of A Charlie Brown Christmas and two years earlier was the premier of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The mid-1960s was the golden age for holiday television specials. Since 1966, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! has aired on television every year, winning its timeslot regularly. It has more than earned a spot as part of the holy trinity of must watch holiday specials.

For those living under a rock, the story centers around a lonely creature who has chosen to make residence directly above a group of people he hates. The Grinch is akin to a modern-day prepper. His cave is extremely well stocked with all the necessities. He has scissors, red cloth, a sleigh, anything a creature would need in the who apocalypse.

Yet even in his state of preparedness, The Grinch cannot stand the whos, he especially hates them around Christmas. The whos make an incredible racket, cook non-canned food stuff, and all blindly follow the brain dead joy of Christmas. The Grinch is on edge waiting for the end times, and his hate has become downright irrational. This year is the final straw, the Grinch is going to rob all the whos, and then they will know pain.

The Grinch succeeds in his thievery, but those weirdo whos still get up and have a festive Christmas. This breaks the Grinch's brain, and he decides his years of lonely prepping were pretty pointless. Not only does the Grinch get in the holiday spirit, but he learns that a freshly cooked roast beast is way better than a 10-year-old can of creamed corn. 

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!  was not just a perfect adaptation of a classic book, it also had a great look and incredible music. Animation legend Chuck Jones gave the special its look, classic Hollywood Frankenstein Boris Karloff told the story, and awesomely voiced Thurl Ravenscroft sang the iconic song. Of all the great Holiday television specials, Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! is the only one that is perfect.

It is a lonely existence to live in a world where one rejects what everyone else loves. There is no reason to fully embrace that piece of pop culture, but you should not totally dismiss it either. In all of the stuff you hate, there may be a shiny gem that made the journey worth while. If you will not give the popular thing a chance, then you are just a common hipster, or worse, a Grinch.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He was a little under the weather today so he mustered up the strength of ten bloggers, plus two, to get the article written.

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

SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 12 - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

ed note: This article was originally published on December 12th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 12: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas performed by Judy Garland

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven

There are a few cultural icons produced by the 1944 film “Meet Me in St. Louis.”  For example, it’s where Judy Garland met Vincente Minelli, thus creating Liza.  I had a film TA in college who theorized that the film inspired “Night of the Living Dead.”  But the one I care about the most is that staple of treacly holiday radio, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.”

A great many BAD versions of this song have been produced.  James Taylor has brought his special brand of anodyne blandness to it.  I once heard a bowdlerized version of it that replaced the word “fates” with “Lord.”  I guess the original line is just too pagan.  I’m sure it’s only a matter of time until Taylor Swift yell-sings her way through with her trademark lack of vocal subtlety.  (To whomever decides these things, I would happily pay $1.29 to hear Josh Groban do it.)  But Judy Garland’s lovely, heartfelt original is one of the finest pieces of Christmas music ever produced.

A great many of our holiday standards are unabashedly joyful.  Those are fine, I’m happy to hear “Silver Bells” and “This Christmas.”  But my favorite pieces of holiday art are the ones with a touch of melancholy about them, like A Charlie Brown Christmas.  To me, as a non-religious person, the holiday season is about finding light during the darkest time of year.  Most religions have a similar holiday, usually around the winter solstice.  Christmas, Hanukah, and Diwali, for example, are all about miracles and triumphs that chase away the darkness (metaphorical and otherwise).  Whether it’s baby Jesus born to bring hope, or lighting the way for Rama after his defeat of evil, it’s basically the same idea.

In Meet Me in St. Louis, the song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is sung by Esther to her youngest sister Tootie after they learn they are leaving their St. Louis home for New York.  The song is Esther ostensibly trying to comfort Tootie by assuring her they will always have Christmastime to come with their loved ones, in person or in spirit.  But Esther is really singing about her own sense of loss at moving, and trying to remind herself that there will be joyful times in the future, even if all is bleak right now.  We can all use that reminder some years.

A very merry whatever to all!

Tina S

Tina is a sometime contributor to SeedSing and occasional guest of the X Millennial Man podcast. One time we even let her host the show.

Seedsing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Television Programs: Day 11 - "The Twilight Zone: The Night of the Meek"

ed note: This article originally premiered on December 11th, 2016

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday television program for every day of Advent. This is the greatest tv of the season. Enjoy.

Day 11: "The Twilight Zone - The Night of the Meek"

Original air date - December 23rd, 1960

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten

Our lot in life helps determine our truest wish. Almost any good hearted person, rich or poor, will wish for kindness to all of their fellow citizens of earth. The wealthy will fulfill their wishes by giving to charity, donating their time, and finding other ways to enrich the poor. People who are at the bottom of the economic ladder will also want to help their fellow man, knowing that they are also part of this group that needs help. Some people who are very poor will be obsessed with helping their neighbors and do not have the means to achieve their wish. Many times these dreamers can only find their solace in the bottom of a bottle. If they, along with the rest of the meek, can not get at least one day of joy, then the dreamer can choose to weep or drink. Most of the time they drink.

In the second season of the influential television series, The Twilight Zone saw the first of the anthology series Christmas themed episodes. In "The Night of the Meek" Honeymooners actor Art Carney played the role of Henry Corwin. Narrator Rod Serling explains that Mr. Corwin is a normally unemployed man who once a year plays the role of Santa Claus at a local department store. Corwin starts the episode in a bar having finished six drinks and half a sandwich. When the bartender catches the department store Santa grabbing a bottle of booze, Corwin is kicked out into the snowy street on Christmas Eve. 

It was a good thing Corwin was kicked out of the bar, because he was an hour late to his job of being Santa at the department store. His boss, Mr. Dundee, is not pleased that his Santa is late and drunk as a skunk. Corwin can not even get through the first rotten child, terribly named Percival in the kids own mind, before he stumbles drunkenly out of his chair. Percival's obnoxious mother doubles her terribleness and tells off Mr. Dundee. With all the unpleasantness that just happened, Mr. Dundee fires Corwin's Santa and calls him a drunk. Corwin apologizes for his condition and explains to Mr. Dundee, and all the assembled children, that he has to drink or he will constantly weep. He is so saddened during the Christmas season to look around his tenement and see children who are hungry and have no toys to play with. Just once he would like to see the meek inherit the earth. Since that seems like an impossible dream, Henry Corwin must drink, or he will weep.

The audience witnessed Santa Corwin's weeping earlier when the poor children were asking for gifts, and for their daddies to have jobs. Knowing he has no choice to drink, Corwin heads back to the bar. The bartender will not let Corwin in because as he tells the other patrons, "Santa is a lush."

Left with nowhere to go, Corwin hears bells in the air and spots an old sack on the ground. He notices the sack is filled with presents and immediately goes out to search for the kids. Each kid asks for a particular gift, and Corwin delivers the exact wish. With his renewed holiday spirit, Santa Corwin heads to a church service at the mens shelter. After he insults Sister Florence with the promise of a new dress, Santa Corwin is giving all the poor men their exact wishes. A pipe, a cane, a sweater, a smoking jacket, all of it was magically coming out of Santa's bag. The meek were getting at least one day of joy.

The gift extravaganza ends when Sister Florence brings Officer Flaherty in to arrest Santa Corwin for theft. At the station Flaherty is joined by Mr. Dundee and the two men demand to know how and why Corwin robbed the department store. Santa Corwin is filled with joy as he explains that the bag just gives out the people's wishes. Mr. Dundee will not have it and starts berating Officer Flaherty while the store manager digs in the bag to only pull out empty cans and a confused cat. When Corwin asks Mr Dundee what his wish for Christmas is, the rude store manager says a vintage 1903 cherry brandy, that was a good year. Without fail, Santa Corwin produces the bottle and leaves to deliver more joy to the meek. 

In the end, one of Henry Corwin's fellow tenement dwellers remarks that there is nothing in the bag for Corwin. Santa Corwin responds he got the greatest gift of all, he was able to really be Santa for the night. With Corwin left alone, in pure and sober joy, he hears those bells again. As he goes to search out the sound, Corwin is presented with a reindeer-led sleigh and a joyful elf. The elf tells Santa that it is time to go and get ready for next year. Still confused, Santa Corwin gets in the sleigh and takes off towards the North Pole. Mr. Dundee, who is now drunk off of great cherry brandy, spots Corwin in the sky and offers cheers to Officer Flaherty for miracles on Christmas Day.

We all have our hopes and wishes around Christmas time. Those without want can usually fill their hearts with the spirit of the season by giving to any charity of their choice. The poor do not have this option. They see the want in kids and adults like and can only find solace in hard drink. They have their misery amplified by Christmas. But as mid-twentieth century philosopher Rod Serling says "There's a wondrous magic to Christmas and there's a special power reserved for little people. In short, there's nothing mightier than the meek."

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Want to know about the plight of mall Santa? Check out the great Fountains of Wayne song, "The Man in the Santa Suit".

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

Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: The Almost Contenders

Today we enter the top 10 of my NBA countdown. My next five teams have aspirations, and the talent, to be title contenders, but a few minute things stand in their way. They are on the cusp, but they need absolutely everything to fall perfectly for them.

At number 10 I have the Utah Jazz. People are so quick to forget that they were a spin away from beating Denver in the playoffs last season. If Conley's jumper had gone in, we could have had a totally different outcome. It didn't, and the Jazz were left to pick up the pieces after another first round exit. Donovan Mitchell is a star. That dude is awesome, he is hyper athletic, his jumper continues to improve and his defense is getting there. He is one of my favorite younger stars in the league. He is a beast also. He goes hard every night. Getting Mike Conley last year was supposed to be the thing that put them over the top, but he needed far much more time to adjust to their roster. When he figured it out though, this team was pretty darn good. Conley is still an elite point guard, and I think he will show everyone this year who may have forgotten. Rudy Gobert is going to be burdened with the fact that he will forever be the poster child of what not to do when you have the CoronaVirus. He did all that nonsense, then infected Mitchell, and now he will forever be the guy who caused the league to shut down for three months. But he is a very good basketball player. Don't forget that. He is great in the low post. He is a dominant rim protector, and he is very solid in the pick and roll. He is also in a contract year, so I wouldn't be surprised if he went out and dominated other big men this season. Bojan Bogdanovic is back after suffering a season ending injury prior to the bubble. He will add spacing and knock down shooting. Joe Ingles isn't much of a defender, but the dude is a solid trash talker and a decent shot creator. Jordan Clarkson is instant offense off the bench. He could be their Lou Williams. Derrick Favors iis a solid backup to Gobert, and he is a good defender. I love the Udoka Azubuike pick. He will get to learn, and wait before he has to see meaningful minutes, and that is major. Outside that though, the one thing that holds them back for me, is their lack of depth. It gets pretty iffy after Favors and Clarkson come off the bench, and that is why they aren't a Finals contender just yet. The Jazz are a playoff team, but they have to get out of the first round before I take them super seriously.

At number 9 I have the Toronto Raptors. I know the Raptors lost Kawhi a year ago, and they lost Marc Gasol and Serge Ibaka this off season, but I just cannot quit this team. They may be the new Spurs. They are so well coached, and every player does their job to perfection. They may have lost a good core of the championship team they had, but they pushed Boston, and I wouldn't be surprised to see them back in the playoffs. Kyle Lowry is still there, and he is still awesome. He is a great defender, one of the smartest players I have ever watched, and I love the grit he plays with. I'm never going to second guess him ever again. They re-signed Fred Van Vleet, and to me, he is worth every penny. He is their point guard of the future. OG Anounoby is really becoming a very good player. He is switchable on defense, he is becoming a better shot maker and he is figuring it out. He just needs to stay healthy. Pascal Siakim showed some great flashes last season, and he could be one of the better up and coming faces of the league. He is so long and good at basketball. Norm Powell proved his worth last season. They need a knock down shooter, and he feels like that guy. Aron Baynes adds toughness. Chris Boucher is raw, but he can be good. They took a flyer on Stanley Johnson last season, and he was okay coming off the bench. The Raptors are always going to play tough and play good defense. Are they the title team they were a few years ago? No. But they are a playoff team, and they will be a tough out. You can count on that.

At number 8 I have the Philadelphia 76ers. They got rid of Brett Brown. They finally traded for some shooters. And if Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid can coexist and stay healthy, could this finally be the year? I am not so sure, and that is why I have them here. They are loaded with talent. Embiid is like a modern Hakeem Olajuwon. He is not Hakeem, no one will ever be Hakeem, but he is like a modern version. Ben Simmons may not be able to shoot, or maybe not willing, but he is amazing. He is a solid ball handler, he is a great passer, he can get to the rim. But the best thing about his game is his defense. He can lock almost anyone down. The 76ers missed him greatly in the playoffs last year, and it showed. Tobias Harris is a fine player, I just don't think he is a max guy. He can score, but he is not great on the other end, and he kind of fell off a bit last year. What the 76ers needed was shooting, and they looked to try and address that this offseason. They traded for Danny Green, Terrance Ferguson and Seth Curry. While not the greatest shooters in the world, Green brings championship pedigree, Ferguson is young and willing to learn, and Curry is a flat out shooter. Those are good guys to have around Embiid and Simmons. They signed Dwight Howard, and if he plays like he did last year, he is going to feast on second units in the East. Matisse Thybulle is one of the best young defenders in the league, he just needs to work on offense. And I like them taking Tyrese Maxey. He could be a solid point guard for them. I also think getting rid of Brett Brown and hiring Doc Rivers was a smart move. The 76ers have all the potential in the world, they just have to find a way to put it all together. They haven't yet, and that is what worries me.

At number 7 I have the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets were in the West Finals last year. They took a game from the Lakers. They came back down 3-1 to the Clippers in the previous round. This team is underrated, even by me, but they need to be taken seriously. Nikola Jokic is awesome, full stop. He may not be the fastest, or the best leaper or even a good defender, but he more than makes up for those shortcomings with his basketball IQ. The dude is also an incredible passer. He is like the Patrick Mahomes of the NBA. I am still blown away by how good he is. Jamaal Murray more than found himself in the bubble, and he vaulted to being one of the better offensive players in the league. He can score from anywhere, and he is a very good ball handler. It is nice to have a guy that can get you a bucket when you need one. They re-signed Paul Milsap, and while he is not the all star he was in Atlanta, he is still a great vet to have on your team, and he can still have good nights. Gary Harris kind of slipped last year, but that was due to injuries and a full league stoppage. I think he bounces back. Michael Porter Jr, while I don't agree with his views on CoronaVirus, that dude can flat out score too. Denver is going to get to a point where they have to start him, and having him, Jokic and Murray is going to be absolutely lethal. I like Will Barton, he just needs to see the floor more. I would love to see Bol Bol play more. He was so dope in the seeding games, barely saw the floor if at all in the playoffs, but I just want to watch him play. He is so big, and he can stretch the floor. He can shoot threes. Monte Morris is a very solid bench/role player. The rest of the roster is kind of meh, but when you have Jokic and Murray, and been far in the playoffs, you get the benefit of the doubt. Denver is a perennial deep run playoff team now. I just wonder when they will take that next step. Hopefully for their fans it is soon.

The final team for the day, at number 6 I have the Brooklyn Nets. I have them this high for two reasons. One, they are in the East. Two, they get KD and Kyrie Irving back at full health this year. For as much as those two may rub people the wrong way, they are both champs, they have both hit humongous shots, one is an MVP winner and the other has MVP potential, and they are both amazing at basketball. Now they just have to coexist and stay healthy. The rest of the roster is solid too. I love Caris Levert. He is a Michigan kid, he has proven me very wrong about his career and he is a scorer. He is a creator too. Levert is a very, very good player. Joe Harris is a three and D specialist. He also plays very hard every night. Jarrett Allen has some of the coolest hair in the league, and he is not afraid to contest anyone. Go back and look at some of his blocks last season. Deandre Jordan is older, but he was handpicked by KD and Kyrie to be on this team, and he is still a very good pick and roll guy. Spencer Dinwiddie is a great microwave off the bench. He can light up first units, but I would have him as my star second unit guy. Landry Shamet was traded there, and I think he will fit in nice with Kyrie and KD. They're giving Jeff Green another chance, but hey, the guy wouldn't still be in the league if he didn't have immense talent. And I still like Taurean Prince. The fate of the Nets season rests on two guys. If they play well and it works, they could be a real contender. If not, they will not make the playoffs. I'm very interested in watching them play this season.

That's it for the day, and the week. Come back on Monday for my final 5 teams, and Tuesday I will have full predictions.

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.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

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SeedSing Classic: The Advent Calendar of Great Holiday Movies: Day 10 "Lethal Weapon"

ed note: This article originally premiered on December 10th, 2018

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a great movie associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be extra awesome. Enjoy.

Day 10: “Lethal Weapon”

Opened Doors: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9

The Holiday season is not easy for everyone. While everyone else is festive and happy, we may have some personal pain that eggnog and candy canes cannot wash away. We may be mourning the loss of a loved one, or concerned about the unknown whereabouts of a grown child who has lost their way. The prospect of a new partner to work with may make us feel stressed. Even worse the new partner may be battling some personal demons that makes them reckless during the holidays. Sometimes we are just to old to deal with any of this during Christmas, or any time of the year.

In March of 1987 the iconic film ‘Lethal Weapon” was released in the United States. It went on to become a smash hit, spawn multiple sequels, and even get the reboot treatment with a television series. It was the first film from influential writer Shane Black. Legendary director Richard Donner came in to direct. It secured Mel Gibson as a movie superstar. “Lethal Weapon” was destined for great success.

Where there is debate about “Lethal Weapon” is if the first film is actually a holiday film. It takes place around Christmas, but the themes of “Lethal Weapon” is what makes it a violent, darkly comic holiday treat. The story of Riggs being lost in his grief, and being taken over by his depression, we see and read stories about that every December. The growth of a friendship between two very different souls is not that different than spirit of the season bringing joy. In the end of the movie Riggs gives Murtaugh a hollow point bullet, the one Riggs was going to use to kill himself, and says Merry Christmas. Also for good measure, Darlene Love plays Danny Glover’s wife in the movie. If the appearance of the person who sang David Letterman’s favorite Christmas tune doesn’t scream holidays, I do not know what does.

It is hard to forget about the pain that surrounds people during the holiday season. We become more charitable and forgiving in December because of the holiday spirit. We want to help those who need the help. “Lethal Weapon” has these themes in the DNA of a classic plot. If you need reminding of the magic of the holidays, and you need a great action flick with one of the greatest Gary Busey characters ever, gather the family to watch “Lethal Weapon” while you usher in this season of celebration. You will not be sorry.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. For another updated take on a classic Christmas story, check out the Doctor Who episode that makes their own revisions to Dicken’s “A Christmas Carol”.

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

Ty's 2020-2021 NBA Preview: The One or Two Round Playoff Teams

Now we are getting to the good teams, the playoff teams. I would personally write these teams down in pen. Now, injuries, COVID positives and other random stuff can come up, and possibly will. But with the way these teams rosters are constructed now, it would have to be a major blow to move them out of the playoffs. They would have to lose star players for ample amounts of time. I don't think that will happen with these teams, and that is why I have them as "locks" for the playoffs.

At number 15 I have the Atlanta Hawks. Too high you say. Not enough defense you say. Won't mesh you say. I disagree with all of that. I also think Lloyd Pierce is going to prove how good of a head coach he is this year, and the Hawks will be back in the mix. Trae Young is great. No he is not Luka Doncic, and he can't shoot like Steph, but he has range for days, and he will find any way to score a bucket. His defense is lacking, and if he put some effort in it, a la Steph Curry, it would make a difference. But he is liable to go off for 30 plus any given night. I will take any day. I love John Collins. I do not want Atlanta to trade him either. I think he and Young are a good duo, and after admitting he didn't put in enough effort on D last year, he turned it around near the end of their season. He is also a bruiser in the paint. If Clint Capela can stay healthy, I don't see why he isn't the exact same player he was in Houston. Trae is a more willing passer than Harden, and Capela is going to get all the lob dunks he could ever want. He is also an okay enough rim protector. They ended up signing Bogdan Bogdanovic after the Milwaukee trade fell through. He adds even more space, and he is a solid shot creator. If DeAndre Hunter can play a little better defense, he is their version of Draymond or Kawhi. Kevin Huerter may lose minutes to Bogdanovic, but he is going to be instant offense off the bench, and I feel like he will light up second units. I could say the same for Cam Reddish. He lost some luster at Duke, but now he is being given the time and effort to do his own thing, and he is a very solid player, with room to grow. Rajon Rondo adds super intelligence and Danilo Gallinari is a very solid player when healthy. Kris Dunn is a bull dog on defense, and if that kid from USC they drafted is brought along slowly, he could be a solid bench guy. The Hawks went all in this offseason, and I applaud them for it. They will be in the playoffs this year.

At number 14 I have the Phoenix Suns. Here is another team that went all in, and it only took one guy to put them there. Getting Chris Paul was a humongous deal. After seeing what he did in OKC last year, while I may not like him as a player, I respect the hell out of his game. He is also going to be playing next to a younger, less ball hoggy version of James Harden, with Devin Booker. Booker is on the cusp of stardom. The kid can flat our score, he has improved his handles and he at least tries on defense. Booker wanted the Suns to make a push, and they certainly did when they traded for Paul. Deandre Ayton got better as the year went on, and was very good in the bubble. If he continues on this trajectory, he is going to fit in just fine with Booker and Paul. He is also a threat from outside, which is super useful for a 7 footer. Mikal Bridges had a very good rookie year, he can shoot and his arms are as long as any person's I have ever seen. He is going to be a very good NBA starter. Jalen Smith was a solid draft pick. He was a good big at Maryland, he is built and he hustles his ass off. Picking up Jae Crowder was quietly a great move. He adds shooting and defense, and an edge this team has lacked. Dario Saric seemingly refound his game in the bubble. And Elie Okobo might be ready to be a good bench contributor. The Suns had one of the better off seasons I can remember, and the sheer addition of Paul is enough for me to make them a playoff team, even with playing in the West.

At number 13 I have the Houston Rockets. Now, all of this depends on if they keep Harden, or what they get in trade. Houston is a mess, but Harden is the definition of a walking bucket, he is a perennial MVP candidate, and if he plays, Houston will find a way to make the playoffs. But if he is gone, they go way, way down on my list. Adding John Wall was puzzling, I wrote about that last week. He hasn't played in two years, seems like he is in okay shape, but I do not have any clue how he is going to look, and how he will coexist with Harden. PJ Tucker is awesome, I love watching him play, and he goes hard every night. But it seems like he wants out too, and losing him would really hurt this team. Eric Gordon is a very good three point shooter, and when he locks in on D he is good. But it seems like he may want out also. Singing Christian Wood was a good move. He was, lowkey, a very solid scorer in the post, and he can stretch defenders to the three. He fits in nice here. Tyson Chandler is on this team, but he rarely sees the floor. They signed Boogie Cousins, and while I love the reunion of him and Wall, Cousins is slow, and coming off two very brutal injuries himself. Gerald Green and Ben McLemore are fine bench guys, but they don't move the needle. And I like the addition of Thabo Sefolosha, but he isn't the lockdown defender he was in OKC. Houston's playoff hopes ride on Harden's shoulders. If he stays, and they don't have to trade him, they are in. But, if he leaves, if he gets traded, this will be a whole different conversation.

At number 12 I have the Portland Trailblazers. The Trailblazers are like the Magic, but they do have playoff success, just not as much as they would like. Damian Lillard is otherworldly. For me, he has surpassed Steph as the best pure scorer. He is Allen Iverson with a jumper. He is also a killer, which I love. Lillard is a star, and I will not hear otherwise. CJ McCollum is a perfect sidekick to Lillard. He is a great shooter, he can create, and he is a super smart player. He doesn't make any mistakes. Neither of them are great defenders, but they are so good offensively that it makes up for that. Jusuf Nurkic is back healthy, and he was a force in the bubble. I didn;t respect his game as much as I should, and that is on me. That dude is tenacious and solid and just a good NBA player. Carmelo re signed, and for as much flak as I might give him, he seemed to buy into being a bench guy and playing like "Olympic Carmelo". He can still put it up with the best of them. Getting Robert Covington helps with their defense, which is what this team lacks most. He can also space the floor, and will not allow teams to double Lillard or McCollum. I like Derrick Jone Jr too. He is probably the most athletic player in the league that you have never heard of, and he will do some highlight reel things for Portland. Zach Collins is coming off an injury, but if he is 75 percent of what he was prior to his injury, that is great for their second unit. Rodney Hood is also back after missing a year with injury. He is a good scorer and shot creator and should lead the second unit. Anfernee Simons is young, and coveted by other teams. I would keep him, but it is nice to have that in your back pocket. And adding Enes Kanter and Harry Giles makes them bigger and will give them a bit more flexibility. The Trailblazers will not be fighting for a playoff spot this year, they will firmly be in that 4, 5 or 6 range.

And at number 11 I have the Dallas Mavericks. Look, I am not a fan of this team. I think they whine and complain too much, and I do not like how major media outlets are so quick to point out their white savior in Luka Doncic. That being said, Doncic is awesome. He is a good shooter, a better passer and an excellent shot creator. He is as smart as advertised and the dude is legit. Kristaps Porzingis hasn't live up to the hype. But being the second or third guy seems to suit him just fine. He isn't a bruiser for how big he is, but he can sure shoot the ball. Tim Hardaway Jr has carved out a nice niche in the NBA for himself. He is a lockdown shooter, and I don't think he gets enough credit for his defense. Josh Richardson is another outside shooter for this team, and I think a change of scenery will certainly help. James Johnson is one of the baddest dudes in the league. He makes Jae Crowder look meek, and I think the Mavericks will like having him on their team. Boban is Boban. He is goofy, runs weird and was in "John Wick 3". But, you cannot teach height, and he is something like 7'6. Trey Burke seems to have found a home as a second unit scorer, and he fits in nicely. Willie Cauley Stein is a good pick and roll guy. And, if healthy, Dwight Powell adds depth. The Mavericks are a playoff lock now because of Doncic. He isn't as great as everyone says yet, but he is good enough to lead this team to the playoffs yearly.

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

Ty

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

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SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Television Programs: Day 9 - "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! - Koopa Klaus"

ed note: This article originally premiered on December 9th, 2016

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday television program for every day of Advent. This is the greatest tv of the season. Enjoy.

Day 9: "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! - Koopa Klaus"

Original air date - October 30th, 1989

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

One of the very best things about Christmas is getting a great present. During our shopping sprees, it is inevitable to find something that you want for yourself. The desire to get that one great present usually turns into an obsession. For the few weeks leading up to Christmas, we can start to get pretty self-centered about presents. We sometimes forget about all the good feelings experienced by giving other people joy around the holds. Our selfishness can make Christmas a downright icy time of the year.

In the late 1980's The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!  was there to capitalize on the sudden popularity of the Mario Bros. video games on Nintendo. Each episode started and ended with a live action adventure of Mario and Luigi with their celebrity friends in New York City. Cindi Lauper, Norman Fell, Vanna White, and many other late eighties luminaries stopped by the Mario Bothers plumbing shop. In between these live action segments was an unrelated cartoon adventure of Mario, Luigi, the Princess, and Toad in the Mushroom Kingdom. The crew was constantly thwarting the evil schemes of King Koopa and his coalition of animal like bad guys (ed note: The Mario games had not named the main bad guy Bowser yet, hence the title King Koopa).

On the day before Halloween in 1989, The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! presented an animated adventure titled "Koopa Klaus". The episode starts with Mario and the crew trying to dig a tunnel to HawaiiLand. Due to Toad's terrible navigation, they end up in the North Pole of the Mushroom Kingdom. Before the heroes arrived in the snowy landscape, King Koopa froze Santa's workshop and took Father Christmas hostage. King Koopa hates Christmas for some reason and wants to destroy all the toys Santa will be delivering. Our heroes decide to visit Santa's workshop on suggestion by Toad.  He is obsessed with getting presents. The Princess decides to give Toad his present early in hopes that it calms her servant down. Upon getting his new snowboard, Toad selfishly goes off to play. He never even thanks the Princess for the thoughtful gift.

The joy of Toad and his new snowboard is short lived, because King Koopa spots the crew and decides to attack. Our heroes see that Santa is a captive in King Koopa’s sleigh, and they all decide to save the big guy. Toad agrees to help, but not for Santa’s safety, he wants to save the toys. At one point, a bob-omb hits Toad and knocks him off the snowboard. He is concerned about his new toy, and the Princess scolds him for being selfish and only thinking of himself. Mario and Luigi use some good old platform jumping, some cave chasing, and other assorted video game moves to get Santa away from King Koopa and save the day.

Saint Nick was safe, but Santa’s workshop was still frozen. Toad is beside himself because he fears there will never be any new toys for the little guy. He then feels ok because at least he got a new snowboard, who cares about anyone else. The Princess tells Toad that Christmas is a time to think of others. With the spirit of the season finally coming into focus for Toad, he gives the snowboard to Santa so at least one present will make it for a Christmas delivery. The kindness of Toad’s gift causes the ice to melt, and free Santa’s workshop. Christmas is saved in the Mushroom Kingdom, and as a reward the Mario crew got to spend the evening delivering presents to all the toads, toadettes, and maybe even a few goombas and koopas.

Getting a cool gift is awesome. What we should not forget is that the feeling we get from giving someone a cool gift is what Christmas should be about. We will spend a lot of time in shops, or on the internet, looking for some great gifts. In our searches, there will be something great that catches our heart’s desire. This is not the season to be selfish. The joy of Christmas will be felt when you give someone else their heart’s desire. If your lucky, you will get that gift so someone else can feel the true holiday spirit.

RD

RD Kulik is the Head Editor for SeedSing and the other host of The X Millennial Man Podcast. He is still waiting for a game to feature the rad talking late eighties Link of The Legend of Zelda cartoon series.

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