Ty Watches "Win it All"

I come to you today with yet another movie review and recommendation. Yesterday I watched another one that I have been putting off for a while, and I wish I hadn't. The movie is called "Win It All". It stars Jake Johnson, who also co-wrote the movie, and it is about an addictive gambler who tries to turn his life around but runs into some bad luck. Again, a cliché story, but this movie was so well made.

I think the reason why “Win it All” works is Johnsons' performance is magnetic. He is more known for comedy and being on "New Girl", but giving him a role like this, a little more drama and less comedy, and he shined. I have said it a lot on the site, and I will say it again, I love when actors and musicians take a chance. Johnson did just that and he crushed. He has become somewhat of Joe Swanmberg's muse as well. Swanberg co-wrote the movie with Johnson and he directed as well. Swanmberg is one of these "mumblecore" guys. That genre of movie can be dull and boring, but "Win It All" was not. This movie moved well and transitioned properly. It had comedy and drama. It was "Uncut Gems" very light. "Uncut Gems" is one of my all time favorite movies by the way, and that movie is super intense. It is a relief to watch a movie that deals with gambling that doesn't give me a panic attack. That is "Win It All".

As I was saying, Swanberg and Johnson have a great rapport now. They have done a few movies together, and they are all, at the very least, watchable. None of them are bad. Sure they can be a little blah, but they are fine. With "Win It All" they take it to another level. Johnson is superb. I cannot say enough great things about him in this role. He is the star, he owns the movie, you cannot take your eyes off of him and I was rooting for him to turn his life around. Swanberg does an excellent job of making a more mainstream style movie. There is still some of that "mumblecore" direction in there, but it doesn't take over. The rest of the cast is really good as well. Joe Lo Truglio plays Johnson's brother. He has his act together and all he wants is to help his brother. Truglio is a great comedic actor, and he does a lot of funny stuff in this movie. But his dramatic stuff really hit. He was solid. Aislinn Derbez was the love interest. I had never heard of her before watching this movie. She was outstanding. She was believable. She had a ton of chemistry with Johnson. She was great. Keegan Michael Key played his sponsor. It was nice to see Key not do any comedy. I love his comedic work, but I felt he was kind of falling in a trap of only doing broad comedy. So to see him do a role like this was refreshing. He did a very good job. And they had a bunch of real life poker players in the movie in scenes where they played real games of cards. This added a whole other level to the minimal stress in the movie. It made the games feel real. I found myself really into everything that was happening in this movie. I also really like that it was ninety minutes long.

I will say it again, Johnson was electric and I want to see more stuff like this out of him. And I like high stakes movies that find a way to not take itself so seriously. I also really enjoyed the final scene in the movie. It made me hopeful. If you have 90 minutes free and like redemption style movies, check out "Win It All". It is solid.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "The Long Dumb Road"

I've been watching a bunch of movies that I have wanted to see during the pandemic lately. I'm catching up I guess you could say. Some have been okay and some have been pretty blah. The other day I watched one, one that I have been putting off for about seventeen months now, and I found myself really enjoying it.

The movie is called "The Long Dumb Road". I am a big fan of Jason Mantzoukas. I try to watch everything he is in. I love his guest appearances most. He was great as Adrian Pimento on "Brooklyn 99". He was fantastic as Derek on "The Good Place". He was perfect as Rafi on "The League". His role as Kyle on the criminally underrated "I'm Sorry" was him playing a heightened version of himself and he crushed. Mantzoukas is so great at coming in and stealing every scene he is in on TV shows. He has had some solid movie roles, but the movies are not always the best. He's good in "The Dictator". He kept pace with Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler in "The House". He's decent in "Sleeping With Other People". And I still say "Tick Tock Mr Wick" when referencing him from "John Wick 3". With "The Long Dumb Road" he was given the chance to be a co star.

The movie is a road trip movie that is pretty much just him and Tony Revelori. Mantzoukas was excellent in this movie. So was Revelori. They both did a really, really good job. The movie is a cliché road trip movie, but when you get the chemistry that Mantzoukas and Revelori had, that is when it becomes a good movie. I remember watching it and kind of thinking it was ho hum, but as it got further into the movie, the more I found myself really enjoying it. I liked seeing these two actors play off one another. Revelori is a really solid young actor and he was more than up to the task to keep pace with Mantzoukas. Revelori was very believable as a kid heading out to art school in LA. He played the naive young kid to a T. Mantxoukas arrives in the movie with a bang and he is at a ten the whole time. He has so many different balls in the air. He is always doing something wild and crazy. He is always getting into some kind of wild situations. He is also a drunk and stuck in a big time rut. Only an actor like Mantzoukas could do this role and make it believable. His character did some totally off the wall stuff, but since it is Mantzoukas I was along for the ride. The scene between him and Casey Wilson, his old flame, was classic. When he is in the motel room with the girl he randomly meets at the bar, doing adult things, and pops up when Revelori opens the door and says, "either in or out buddy", I was rolling on the floor laughing. He also shows some depth. When he proposes to a girl he has just met, and she declines it thinking it is a joke, you can see the hurt and awkwardness in his eyes. When he fights with Revelori, you buy his side. When he talks to a driver that picks them up, you can see they get one another.

I was pleasantly surprised by "The Long Dumb Road". Revelori was really good, but Mantzoukas totally steals the show. I could watch him read a phone book and he would find a way to make me laugh. This is a good, short movie. I recommend it purely based on Mantzoukas' performance.

Ty

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

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Florida State Football Needs Deion Sanders

Florida State football is off to a rough start. They looked good in their opening game against Notre Dame though. Things looked like they may be coming back a bit in that game. Then the hail mary happened against Jacksonville State. Then the Wake Forest game happened. And now, with a rough schedule coming up, things look like they may get worse.

With their worst start since the 70's, Mike Norvell doesn't seem to be the long term answer at head coach. I was not a fan of the hiring in the first place. Norvell did a solid job when he was at Memphis and he turned that into a big time job, getting the FSU position. But this team has not been good since Jimbo Fisher left. I felt like they gave up on Willie Taggart too soon, and now Norvell may not make it through the next few weeks, let alone the rest of his contract.

With all this being said I think FSU should go after Deion Sanders hard to be their next head coach. To me this is an absolute homerun hire. This is akin to Nebraska hiring Scott Frost. This is the same as Michigan hiring Jim Harbaugh. Deion was a star player while at FSU, and he has done a very solid job in his two seasons as Jackson State's head coach. But what I like even more about Deion, why I think people at FSU would love to have him as their coach, he is passionate about the game, but even more so about his players. He goes to bat for his players. He talks them up in the media all the time. Michigan actually has a transfer this season from Jackson State, Daylen Baldwin, and he was interviewed recently about playing for both coaches. He was glowing when he talked about Deion. He liked him, Michigan just gave him a better shot at the pros, and he is from Michigan. But he seemed to really like what Deion brought not only as a head coach, but as a grown man. He talked about his passion for everyone on the team. You can see it when Deion does interviews. He is out there talking about how HBCU's need more coverage. That they have legit pros playing at HBCU's. and Deion is out there stumping for the greater good. He seems to love it. Think about having that passion and pairing it with the money and resources FSU has. Deion would thrive.

Sanders also knows the program inside and out. He has gotten the taste for recruiting the past two years. He has a goldmine of recruiting in the state of Florida. Young kids know about Deion and they want to play for Deion. His son was a solid recruit, who had multiple offers from higher D-1 schools, but he chose to play for his dad at JSU. And now with the NIL intact, again, think of the damage he could do as the head coach at FSU. He would get FSU back to getting top recruits. Some of the four and five star kids that are kind of scoffing at FSU because they have seen the poor job Norvell has done are opting for schools like Florida or Miami or Ole Miss or Georgia. I think if FSU gets Deion as the head coach those kids think twice. They keep FSU in their top five of schools. Michigan had success in basketball under John Beilein, but it wasn't until he left and they hired Juwan Howard did they start to get five star kids. In Juwan Howard's third season at Michigan he has the second best recruiting class in the country. That is because kids know him, when they meet him they like him and he played at the school and had a long pro career. Deion could bring that aspect to FSU football.

If Florida State want to be relevant again, if they want to be a perennial top 25 team, if they want to get back to being a contender, the best thing they could now is hire Deion Sanders. He brings instant credibility and he would have that team humming in a year or two.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Doctor Sleep" and Laments the Demise of Original Stories

On our quarantine date night this week my wife picked "Doctor Sleep" for us to watch. For those that may not know what this movie is, it is pretty much a sequel to "The Shining''. "The Shining'', in my opinion, is the scariest movie ever made. It still freaks me out. I can remember seeing it for the first time so vividly and how much it scared me back then. I have not watched it in my adult life because of how scared of it I truly am. So I was nervous watching "Doctor Sleep". But it was my wife’s turn, we made a rule where we cannot veto the other's choice and so we watched.

“Doctor Sleep” was a solid movie. I was scared. Not as scared as when I saw "The Shining", but there were moments when I jumped on the couch. I appreciated the story, how they developed it and the few tweaks they made. I liked how they went about saving the world that was created and how they showed a grown up Danny. The young lady that played Abra was really excellent, and the bad guys were as creepy as ever. And when they went back to the original hotel in the final scene, that was very cool. But I do not necessarily know that a movie like this needed to be made. Again, I thought it was good, but I think it was unnecessary.

I have been saying for a while now how there are not any really original ideas when it comes to the movie business lately. The studios are doing multiple sequels, giving franchises to almost anything, remakes are everywhere and "sequels" to classic movies are all the rage. That is why I get excited when I see a movie like "Sorry to Bother You" or watch a special like "Inside" or see a movie like "Uncut Gems". These are new ideas. These are fresh. These movies stay with you and make you think. "Sorry to Bother You" is one of the biggest mind f's I have ever watched, and I love that movie because of that reason. So I do not know that we really needed a "sequel" to such a classic horror movie. "The Shining" is right up there with "Night of the Living Dead" or "Misery" or "Carrie". These are the classics people think of when they think of horror movies. The biggest bummer, now that we have "Doctor Sleep", is that all of the movies I just mentioned have far inferior companion pieces to the original. I know they did a "Carrie" remake with Chloe Grace-Moretz that wasn't as good as the original. They've tried to do "Night of the Living Dead" a bunch of different ways but none have even come close to the greatness of the original. And now we have "Doctor Sleep". No one was going to be able to live up to what Jack Nicholson did in "The Shining". That was one of the best performances of all time. I know Stephen King may not be a fan, but most everyone else agrees that Nicholson crushed. Shelly Duval was excellent as well, even though she went crazy after making this movie. This may be Kubrick's best work as a director. I like "A Clockwork Orange" more, but his direction of "The Shining" is amazing. I think what makes a movie like "The Shining" so great is the performances. It is who you remember. And I know that the young kid that plays Danny in the original has a very big part, but I did not recall much from him other than the redrum scene and the scene where he is riding his tricycle through the hotel. "The Shining" was all about Duval and Nicholson. They were the stars. Their stories were what the audience cared about most. When they got to the hotel in "Doctor Sleep" my wife sat up and said, "this is what I have been waiting for". When the scene was over I asked what she thought, and she shrugged. I asked why she wasn't as excited and she said that it wasn't as good as what happens in "The Shining".

I do not want it to sound like I am dumping on "Doctor Sleep". I have said multiple times that I thought it was good. It is a solid B- movie. I think my biggest problem is just the lack of original ideas. I get the want from some people. I understand that some people want to see remakes or sequels to classic movies. I don't. Classic movies are classic for a reason. There doesn't need to be ten different versions of the same story. If you tell it right once, then you may only need a second if it is like "The Godfather Part 2"or "The Raid 2". Most movies do not need sequels or remakes. That is my thoughts on this whole new era of remakes or sequels. One classic movie is more than enough. Go watch the original movies and ignore the remakes and sequels.

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Brooklyn 99" Series Finale

Last night "Brooklyn 99" came to a close. I have loved this show from the start. I'm a big Andy Samberg fan, and when he is involved with something, I watch it. He is funny and charming and a very good comedic actor. Add on Mike Schur and I was sold. I also really enjoy Chelsea Peretti, so this show did not have to do much to win me over. Then to get me familiar with actors like Melissa Fumero, Terry Crews, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Lo Truglio and Andre Braugher was a total plus. I now really like these actors, and have followed them since I first saw them on this show.

I was curious how they were going to end the series though. The final season has been very different from the rest of the series. This is due to many things. We have COVID, people being afraid and angry with the police and all these actors have grown up. I have enjoyed the final season, and the finale was a great way to close this all out.

For the finale they did a heist episode. Fans of the show know exactly what I am talking about. These are their best episodes in my opinion. So doing that, and making it a series finale was the absolute correct choice. I was enthralled the whole hour. I hung on every twist and turn that the episode gave us. I was also very happy to see Chelsea Peretti and Jason Mantzoukas and the guy who plays Bill and Fred Armisen all reprise their much loved characters. I also really enjoyed that Captain Holt and Jake and Terry all had these grand plans for the heist, but they were all sidetracked by one another. Holt, Jake and Amy were all leaving the 99, and with Rosa already gone, this was one of their last hurrahs as a group. This made the heist even more fun and funny. Everything they did in this episode was perfect. This is what a show like this should do to wrap everything up. I appreciated and liked that they touched on all the issues in the world that pertained to them on the show, but going out with a straight up goofy and wild episode was the thing to do.

“Brooklyn 99” has always been about jokes and relationships. They do touch on stuff in earlier seasons too, namely the episode where Terry gets racially profiled, but they always come back with a super funny follow up episode. That is what the "Grand Heist" was last night. It was just a blast to watch. They did tug at the heart strings too. Amy and Rosa have a very touching moment where they say I love you to one another. Gina does what she always does, but seems nicer about it. Terry is laughing and joking with everyone. But the ending moment between Holt and Jake was where they got my wife and I. This was great. Holt has always been Jake's father figure and to hear the words he says to him, I'm getting choked up as I write this just thinking about it. It was wonderful and poignant and brilliant and simply perfect.

"Brooklyn 99" is one of the best sitcoms that has been on TV in some time. It gets its due, but I feel like it deserves even more credit. I love this show, and the ending was the best possible way they could have closed it all out. I will miss you "Brooklyn 99". Thankfully I have Hulu so I can continue to watch this series over and over again.

Ty

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

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The Latest Rolling Stone Top 100 Song List is Stupid

As I was strolling the internet today I came across Rolling Stone and they put out a new article ranking the best 500 songs of all time. Rolling Stone does this from time to time. They put out these lists, they get people talking, they get people arguing and they make arbitrary picks for what their writers believe are the best songs or albums or movies or whatever they feel like talking about that day. I will say, I am talking about it on the internet today, so they did pull me in, but I want to talk about how absurd and pointless it is to make lists like this.

I do my top five lists at the end of every year, but I make it very clear that it is my personal opinion. My picks have no reference base for anyone else. I think my picks are solid, but if people disagree with me, that is okay. I truly do not mind. I actually like it because, sometimes, less than I would hope, I get some good recommendations. But Rolling Stone doing these lists are all about getting clicks and getting likes. They cater to a younger audience. Some of the songs on the list I have never heard of, and I listen to a ton of different music. They also leave off very good artists because they are not well known enough for the majority of Rolling Stone's reading audience.

Personally, I do not think songs should be on an "all time" list unless they have been out for at least a decade. Songs need time to sit and grow. Songs on all time lists need to be around for a while before they make a best of all time list. I do think an artist like Lil Nas X is very important, I love how he markets himself and his music, but "Old Town Road" came out two years ago. And the song is very short and a very cliché country song. I bet when Rolling Stone does this list again ten years from now "Old Town Road" will not be on the list. I do think "Truth Hurts" by Lizzo is a tremendous song, but she has better songs. She has also barely been on the scene. Give her time. Hell, her new song with Cardi B, "Rumors", is better than "Truth Hurts". So is "Better in Color" or "Juice" or "Like a Girl". I also do not know that a Solange Knowles song should be on there before Beyonce. Solange is another very talented artist, but her older sister is so much better. Also, we need to retcon everything we know about Kanye, so his songs should not be here. I'm also not a fan of throwing a dozen Taylor Swift songs on the list. She is a fine artist, but come on. She needs to be in the game for a bit longer. I also do not like the fact that they put Coldplay songs on this list. Everyone makes fun of that band. Everyone. They write cheeky, goofy pop songs. Or how is a song like "Wonderwall" in the top 100. Sure, it is a solid song, but not one of the 100 greatest songs of all time. Not even close. Kelly Clarkson is a great artist as well, but "Since You've Been Gone" is the top 90? There are way better break up songs way further down on this list. No LCD Soundsystem song should be in the top 100. This has to have been from the hipster group of writers. And again, I adore LCD Soundsystem. I also do not know what the deal is with Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah", but how that song makes all these lists is so far beyond me. Having MIA's "Paper Planes" in the top 50 must be a joke. No way is "Seven Nation Army" a better song than "When Doves Cry". "Royals" is not even Lorde's best song, and they have that at 30. A song by synth pop star Robyn is in the top 20, and I have never heard it before. No way does "Smells Like Teen Spirit" belong in the top 50, and they have it at five. It is so funny to me that the highest ranked Bob Dylan song is "Like a Rolling Stone". Total promotional pick.

This list is rife with hipster/company people picking what they want their bosses to be happy with. There is no joy or fun in this. It is all very common or ridiculous. There is no middle ground. But again, this is only a handful of people at Rolling Stone picks. This is who they were either told to put on here, or decided they had to have these songs on the list. If I did a top 500 songs of all time list it would greatly differ, but I am not going to do it for a myriad of reasons, number one being how arbitrary making a list like this truly is. This is all about opinion. If they sat down with real musicians, or people that have worked their whole life using science to figure out what are truly the best songs ever, scientifically, maybe I would take it a little more seriously. But this is typical Rolling Stone nonsense.

Read the very long list if you want to, but try not to let it make you too angry. That would be a waste of your time.

Ty

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

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RIP Norm Macdonald

Yesterday I was coming home from a workout when RD texted me. The text read, "Norm Macdonald. That stinks man". I did not know what happened. I had not been on my phone much that day. I was clueless. So I texted back and asked what had happened. He told me that he had passed away from cancer.

I was stunned. This is two people that I have watched and respected that have died in the past two weeks. These both hurt. A lot.

I have been a big time Norm Macdonald fan ever since I was a kid. I loved his role in "Billy Madison". I walk around to this day and still tell people it is October when they ask me what day it is. I also crack up every time I see him in that movie laughing with his buddies after they light the dog poop on fire and he says "this is the best night of my life". As I got older I started to watch "SNL". Norm Macdonald always made me laugh on that show. He did the best Burt Reynolds impression ever. No one will ever come close. It was spot on. But it was his work as the anchor on Weekend Update that really won me over. This was where he shined. He was the funniest anchor they have ever had. Much like his Burt Reynolds impression, no one will ever live up to what he did as the host. I would laugh hardest when he would tell a joke that might not have landed as well as he wanted, and he would just sit on it, then repeat the tag. That was where he shined brightest. He was so quick and smart and such a good improv comedian. He could roll with any punches. The fact that he was never given a real shot at "SNL", that they tried to make him be a comedian that he so clearly did not want to be, that was a shame. He was gold on that show, and they failed to recognize it. I know I'm not the only person that believes this. Norm Macdonald got the shaft, but that led to him doing what he wanted.

Soon after "SNL" he got a starring role in one of my favorite movies, "Dirty Work". I know that the movie is stupid and not great and poorly made, but Macdonald is so goddamn funny in it. He crushes the role. He gets to do his quips and his jokes and he is so charismatic in the movie. This should have led to more starring roles for him. Unfortunately it didn't. But he did have some great recurring roles in other movies and TV shows. He was great on "My Name is Earl" as the strip club owner. My mom and dad enjoy him thoroughly on "The Middle". I have seen him in a few episodes, and he is great. He has popped up in other Adam Sandler movies with very small, but very memorable roles. He had his own TV show for three seasons, and while it was a good show, it did not get the due time to grow and evolve, much like many other things in his career. He and Dave Chapelle starred in the very underrated movie "Screwed". Seriously people, if you want to see a young Macdonald and young Chapelle crush it, watch that movie. After doing a good amount of acting, he went back to stand up, and he was as great as ever. His specials are masterful. He was a genius of a stand up. He knew how to work the crowd and shift so easily from joke to joke. He was a one of a kind comedian.

Upon the news of his death yesterday I saw an outpouring of people talking about how he was " a comedian's favorite comedian". I have heard that about other people, but I actually believe it about Macdonald. He was a master of his craft. He was also excellent on talk shows. He always brought it. There was a clip that was all over the internet yesterday when he was on Conan, and it is so perfect. It shows his genius. It proves that he was the best of the best. And he did this all the time on talk shows. That was his thing. I feel like he is my generation's Dave Letterman. He is unique and different and dry and witty and hilarious and a genius. Just like Letterman. I think the only thing I disagree with him on was his politics. But that is neither here nor there. And who knows who he supported late in his life. But the fact that no one, other than the people he wanted to know, knew that he was sick makes so much sense to me. He never made stuff like this known to the public, and I respect the hell out of that.

This really stinks. RD was right. I am bummed and I wish he were still here. He was so young. Cancer stinks. RIP Norm Macdonald. You will be very, very missed.

Ty

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

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Who Will Be the Next USC Football Coach?

I knew Clay Helton was not going to last past this year unless USC won the title. Well, he only lasted two weeks. USC got absolutely crushed, at home, by Stanford. The Cardinal football team just crushed them early and rode that momentum to an easy two touchdown win. It was a solid win for David Shaw and Stanford. It cost Helton his job. He was not long for USC's head coaching job pretty much from the moment he was hired.

Truth is that Helton was not the first choice, and USC's much praised alumni made that well known. And Helton never did "enough" in the eyes of the school to keep him around. He had a solid record since taking over in 2015 at 46-24. But his best season was in 2017 when they finished 11-3, but got beat in the Cotton Bowl. Every other season was 8-5 or 5-7. He had one ten win season, but he was much more inline with the seven or eight win seasons. Unfortunately that does not cut it at a school like USC. They have national title aspirations. They are a blue blood team. They were once dominant. They used to get the best of the best recruits. Then Pete Carroll left, the school got disciplined and they have not recovered. Lane Kiffin didn't work. Steve Sarkisian didn't work. And now Clay Helton has not worked.

I have seen the names being mentioned, and it looks like USC is going to shoot for the stars. The first name I saw was Luke Fickell. I do not like that guy at all. He is a total asshole. But he has turned Cincinnati into a real playoff contender. They are a very legit top 10 team. They can play. He has squashed the rumors, but every coach mentioned for this job will say they have no interest.

I saw James Franklin was mentioned. He has built Penn State back into a perennial top 20 team. Again, I do not care for Franklin as a person, but he has won everywhere he has coached. He did it at Vanderbilt, but left them a total mess from which they have not recovered. And now he has Penn State back in the national conversation after a very odd season last year. Franklin to USC actually makes a ton of sense to me, but I do not know if he will leave Penn State just yet.

Whenever a major head coaching job opens, or is even talked about possibly being opened, Matt Campbell's name comes up. Campbell has turned Iowa State into a good team, but they seem to fall flat in big time games. Iowa State was supposed to beat Iowa this year. It was their time. Iowa beat them pretty handily. They also lost some odd games last year. Campbell will get his shot eventually, but USC would be trading Helton for a slightly better version of Helton if they hire Campbell.

PJ Fleck is another name I see and this one makes zero sense to me. Fleck did turn Western Michigan into a very good team, but he has only had one good season with Minnesota. He can coach the kids up, but Minnesota is not as dominant as I think they hoped when they hired him a few years back.

Mario Cristobol was mentioned, but I do not see him leaving Oregon any time soon. He is building something good in Eugene. And as it does any time a big job is opened you get the former star coaches or former/current pro coaches.

Bill O'Brien has come up on lists. I'd say no thank you.

Bob Stoops has been out of the game way too long. He is no Mack Brown. I also do not think he wants to come out of retirement.

Tony Elliot, Clemson's offensive coordinator, is on a few lists, but he seems rather comfortable where his is right now.

Of course, Urban Meyer is being mentioned, especially since the Jags got bombarded by the Texans in his first game as a NFL head coach. If Meyer were to leave the Jags for this job, he is no better than Bobby Petrino. In fact that would be worse. Not only would is prove that he couldn't cut it at the highest level, but that he was not prepared to do it at the highest level.

Looking at this list I think the job comes down to three guys, Fickell, Franklin or Campbell. If I were a betting man I bet Franklin leaves PSU for this job. That makes the most sense to me. He is a proven winner, can recruit and would fit it very well in Southern California.

That is how I see this whole USC coaching search ending, but it will take some time, all season long in fact, before they eventually try and lure Franklin away from his current job. And I bet he takes it. It is too good a job not to.

Ty

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

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Better Late than Never on Blind Melon

During the pandemic and my running I have been rediscovering bands, or giving bands I liked, but never gave a real shot, a chance. One such band that I have recently found myself getting into heavily is Blind Melon. Lets discuss.

My older brother Seth has been telling me for years that I need to really listen to Blind Melon. Like most people I know the song "No Rain". I also really enjoyed their take on "Three is the Magic Number". I knew the big hits. But I never really gave them much of a thought outside of those songs. Seth tried and tried for years too. He would give me multiple albums. He would play songs he thought I would like, but it never hit me right at the time. I remember him wanting me to listen to their record called "Soup" so badly that he would play it in my car constantly when he would come home for a visit. Back then, to me, they sounded too jammy. I liked jam bands too, but there was just something in the way they played that felt a little different. I actually lumped them in with Phish, and spoiler alert, I have tried time and again with Phish and I do not like them at all. That was unfair of me to do that.

I have been in a music rut lately, which helped push me towards Blind Melon. I was listening to RTJ, Bo Burnham, Talking Heads, Lorde and Tyler, the Creator a little too much. Those are all great, wonderful, some of my favorite artists of all time, but you need a break every now and then. It makes you appreciate them even more when you go back. So when I was running yesterday I decided I was going to give Blind Melon a real shot. This was their time to shine for me. And I was totally blown away by how much I was vibing and grooving to their music. The singer has this incredibly distinct voice, and you know it is him the moment he opens his mouth to sing the words he wrote. He has long since passed away, a drug overdose I believe, but this dude was so far ahead of his time. Listening to him now, if Blind Melon came out today, they would be headlining folk festivals and touring with big acts. He is a better singer, in my opinion, than someone like Nathaniel Rateliff, who I adore. He has this cool, scratchy, growly voice that is so fun to listen to. I love hearing him sing the songs. The band is top notch. I cannot believe that I ever lumped them into the jam band category. That is not to say that jam bands are not good, they are great, but Blind Melon is so much better. Jam bands tend to meander and try to find a way out when performing a song. That is why the songs clock in at over six minutes for every one.

Blind Melon was, technically speaking, a great band. The guitarist was/is a phenom. I do not know if he is still alive, but I sure hope so. I was listening to some of their early work and the way he plucks an acoustic guitar is virtuosic. When the band would go electric he sounded just as clean, which is a feat that not a lot of very talented musicians can accomplish. The drummer was always on time, had great fills, did some cool solo stuff and fit in nicely. The bassist provided that clean bass tone that I have come to really love in folk/rock music. The band was so well put together and played like the pros they were. It is such a shame that drugs tore this band apart and cost the lead singer his life. They could still be out there doing it, and doing it well. They clearly had the chops. They all knew what they excelled at, and they ran with it. Blind Melon made great music, but there could have been so much more. I think that is what bums me out the most. I think they only made three records with the original crew, but those three records are dynamite.

I am done doubting Seth and his musical taste. He has always been there for me, and now that I am actually listening to Blind Melon, this is another debate that he wins. Blind Melon is great you guys. Go listen to all their other music besides the two hits I mentioned and see for yourself. You will not be disappointed.

Ty

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

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In the Double Cheeseburger wars, Burger King Cannot be Beat

Days when I do a longer run, usually six plus miles, I like to treat myself to some carbs. Better yet, I like to treat myself to disgusting fast food. I feel like I have earned it, especially if it is a trail run where I burned over 1,000 calories. I find it is a treat, I can eat the calories and there is nothing I enjoy more than a double cheeseburger from a fast food place. I have tried them all, at least locally, and I come to you today with who I believe has the best double cheeseburger in all of the fast food game.

Popeye's handily won the spicy chicken sandwich match. McDonald's has the best Diet Coke. Lion's Choice, a Saint Louis mainstay, has the best roast beef and the best fries. Wendy's has the best salad. But Burger King is the unequivocal champ of the double cheeseburger. Hell, they probably run the burger game as far as fast food restaurants go. I don't know if it is the flame grilled taste they get, the size of the burger, the toppings, the smaller bun, or just a mashup of all these things, but Burger King has their burger game on lock. I enjoy their double cheeseburgers more than any other fast food joint. I will find trails nearby a Burger King just so I can go and treat myself. Hell, most of the time I get two of them because they are so goddamn delicious. McDonald's is fine, but the burger patty is far too small, and they put too much ketchup and pickles on their burgers. I feel like a triple cheeseburger from there has less meat than what Burger King gives me. I like McDonald's, but it is a far away second place. Wendy's, which is my daughter's favorite fast food place, is nowhere near as good as Burger King. They suffer from the same plight as McDonald's, except their burgers are a little meatier. I am also not a big fan of the whole square burger schtick they have going on there. Also, Wendy's chicken sandwiches are so much better. I have not been to a Hardee's/Carl's Jr for about ten years, but what I remember most is they put way too much unnecessary extra ingredients on their burgers. I still have not been to Shake Shack, but to me that is more of a restaurant proper than a fast food place. We just got a Freddy's Steakburger in town, but I grew up eating Steak N Shake and their steak burgers, while very good, are far too tiny. As for some other places, we either do not have them in Saint Louis or they are known for other stuff. Taco Bell doesn't have burgers. Lee's and Popeye's are all about the chicken. Pizza places usually do not have a burger, or if they do it is not great, with Cecil Whittaker's being the lone exception.

What makes Burger King the best? First, they have their method, their system, and man does it work. I mentioned the flame grilled taste at the top. I know the burger is not cooked on an open flame, but it sure as hell tastes like it was. It has that unique smoky flavor. The condiments are lightly applied. There isn't an abundance of ketchup and mustard, it is just right. There are only two pickles on the sandwich and they are crinkle cut, which is my favorite. The lettuce is not falling out of the burger. The bun is perfectly small so it does not take away from the meat. And the cheese is gooey perfection. It is the best fast food burger, hands down. I feel like they even do veggie burgers right. Everyone I know that doesn't eat meat seems to like their Impossible Whopper the best. Burger King knows what it is doing and they do it better than anyone else out there.

If you are on the fence about this, if you have put any thought into who has the best fast food burger like I have, go to Burger King and tell me I am wrong. I think you will find it hard to do.

Ty

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

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Nightmares in Little League Baseball

There are so many things I love about being an at home parent. I get to see all the firsts, I get valuable time with my kids, the one on one with each is amazing, my kids do and say things like me, it’s the best job in the world. I’m not kidding. I wouldn’t trade what I do for anything in the world. It’s the most fulfilling and best job I have had, or ever will have. I will do this job as long as I possibly can. Yet there are struggles. There are lots of stresses. Some days I’m so exhausted that I collapse in bed before 10pm and pass out. It’s a great but tough job.

A few weeks back I wrote about one of the stress filled jobs of an at home parent, cleaning the bathrooms. That’s a gross and very involved job. Another thing I have come to realize that’s tough is coaching youth sports, namely my son’s 10u little league baseball team. I coached my daughter in basketball and softball, but she’s 5. It’s more about learning than competing. I also coach my son’s basketball team, and while that’s tough, that’s on me. I love basketball. I’ve played it forever. It’s the best. But I also expect the best, and at 9, my son has a few years before he has to really decide if he wants to play basketball for a long time. He has to grow into his body a bit more. He’s a big kid, but he’s also super awkward. He moves like a new born baby colt. But baseball, little league baseball, coaching that, at the 10u stage is hard.

Baseball is, admittedly, an easy sport. See the ball, hit the ball. Field the grounder, throw the runner out. Throw the ball, catch the ball. It’s real simple. Also, by the 10u stage, real baseball rules are used. You can steal, passed balls are live, you can run on drop third strikes, you can pick players off, it’s all in play. This is the first season for our team with these rules, but we’ve been practicing pretty much all year. Once we were allowed to safely gather as a team, we started working on the new rules that were soon to come. But now that they’re here, our boys have seemed to forget everything. Our catchers jog or walk back to passed balls. The boys do not understand what a lead off is. Hardly anyone swings the bat now that they’re seeing real pitching, no more pitching machine. We get picked off on a regular basis. The kids do not know how to properly slide. Our pitchers don’t even look at base runners. It’s a mess.

This all came to an ugly head at our game last night. I do want to point out that we moved up a division, we were told too after finishing high in our division over the summer, so the competition is much better. This should head to improvement, but that has not happened. We’ve taken a tremendous step back. Last night we had no business being on the field with this other team. We got one hit. We were 10 run ruled. We couldn’t get the ball back to our pitcher on a regular basis. Our fielders simply forgot how to field ground balls or catch a pop fly. The boys spent their time on the bench talking about video games or eating food. They were clueless to the action on the field. And to put the icing on the crap cake, one of our boys broke his fibula “sliding” into third on a steal attempt. He decided much too late that he wanted to slide and he caught his foot awkward on the bag and I had to physically carry him off the field. I feel awful for him. But the awkward slide was the full cause of the break. It was brutal. I hardly ever raise my voice, but I’m hoarse today. I had my head in my hands the whole two hours. I was questioning if the boys wanted to even be out there. I understand they’re 9 and 10, but I am not kidding when I say they had zero interest in the game last night. I’m an assistant, so I cannot even fathom how our head coach feels. He’s been at this longer than I have, but still, this was maddening last night.

What’s next? We are going to practice more. We are going to do all we can as coaches to get these boys more prepared. But I am not overstating how hard and frustrating it is to coach little league baseball. It’s not for the faint of heart.

Ty

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

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Let's Revisit "Tropic Thunder"

About a week ago my wife and I watched "Tropic Thunder" for the first time in years. Let’s discuss.

Right off the bat, this movie is hilarious. I loved it the first time I watched it, I remember watching it several times afterward and loving it and I laughed just as hard watching it this most recent time. It is a very funny, very well written movie. It is filled with jokes. It is like watching an episode of "30 Rock". There are jokes seemingly every thirty seconds to a minute. The cast is stellar and they all do such a good job portraying different types of actors/musicians. Jack Black is awesome, Ben Stiller is perfect, Brandon T Jackson has some of the best lines, Jay Baruchel is great as the young up and comer and Robert Downey Jr is superb. He should've been nominated for an Oscar. Even guys with smaller roles, like Steve Coogan, Bill Hader, Nick Nolte, Tom Cruise, Matthew McConaughey and Danny McBride shine. This movie is filled with great actors and they are all up to the task. The movie holds up.

After watching it, my wife and I had a long talk trying to decide if this movie could be made today. "Tropic Thunder" came out in 2008, thirteen years ago. A lot has changed since then. We have gone through some shit as a country. There have been some major things that have happened, and the world is not a better place. We are currently living in a pandemic, which hasn't happened for 100 years. The former "administration" is to blame for a lot of it. The new administration is doing their best to try and get back to "normal", but they have their work cut out for them. So when looking back at this movie, and after a few weeks of thought, I do not think this movie would be able to get made today.

I have already said that Robert Downey Jr is exceptional in this movie. He takes on the role of the super committed actor to the next level. He is simply perfect. He is also in black face for most of this movie. Now, they make a very clear joke of this very early on in the movie. They point out that he is such a committed actor that he had his skin dyed for the role. And when shooting the movie, the back and forth between RDJ and Jackson is some of the funniest stuff in the whole movie. It is comedy gold. I do think "Tropic Thunder" does a good job of showing how utterly absurd and crazy some actors can be, but something like black face has been, and always will be, very, very, very wrong. It is disrespectful and not cool. There is also the whole backstory of Stiller's character doing a movie called "Simple Jack". "Simple Jack" is about a mentally handicapped man, and Stiller plays the part for laughs. And it works. Hell, the whole conversation between him and RDJ talking about the movie is one of the funniest things I have ever seen in a movie. But I cringed watching him do the "Simple Jack" stuff. I laughed, but every laugh was met with me or my wife or both of us kind of feeling bad for laughing at the scenes with "Simple Jack". Again, the role is played for laughs, it is in this movie to show how ridiculous some actors take some of their roles, but it is so very offensive. It is wrong. It is tough to watch and you feel bad for laughing after you do. Everything else in the movie is okay. Jackson's backstory of being gay is not offensive at all, and it ends very happily for him. Baruchel is funny the whole time. Jack Black is goofy and silly and awesome. All the stuff with Tom Cruise is very funny. Danny McBride has some great one liners. But if this movie was to be made today they would have to take away two of the biggest jokes in the whole thing. It cannot be done. But that may be a good thing. I am not mad at it at all in fact.

"Tropic Thunder" should stay in the early 2000's. I'm over all the remakes and reboots. "Tropic Thunder" will always be a movie I will laugh at when I watch it, but there is absolutely no way it could, nor should it be made now.

Ty

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

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RIP Michael K. Williams

Yesterday I was checking on the news and I was stunned to see that Michael K Williams had passed away.

I couldn't believe it. He was only 54 years old. He had so much life in front of him. He had so much more work to do. He was such a good person who gave back to people. Why is it that the good people, the people who actually care, have to leave so early? I say again, he was only 54. This is tragic. When I was reading more stories throughout the day I saw that people found him in his apartment around 2pm and he was unresponsive. I still do not know exactly what he died from, but it is a big time bummer.

Like most of the TV watching world I was introduced to Williams as Omar in "The Wire". I personally believe that "The Wire" is the greatest television show ever made. And Omar is the greatest character ever on TV. He was a modern day Robin Hood. He was a bad guy, but he robbed bad guys and gave the money to people in need, after keeping what he wanted. The fact that Omar was gay was never a big deal, and I credit the writers, but more so Williams for that. That was a part of Omar, but it wasn't the biggest or most important part of the character. Omar was so kick ass. I still walk around saying "if you come for the king, you best not miss". I like whistling his little tune that he would when he was about to rob someone. I was devastated when he was killed on the show. It was the worst tv loss I have ever felt. Omar being mindlessly killed by a little kid in a bodega was so much sadder than seeing Walter White go down. Or when anyone on "Lost" died. Or even when Dr. Nick died in "The Simpsons Movie". I did not see when Jimmy Smits died on "NYPD Blue", but I have to imagine Omar's death was as big a deal as that was. All of this is due to how well Williams portrayed him. Williams embodied this role. He became Omar. He was an absolute gem. He was the best person on the best show ever.

It didn't stop there for Williams. I loved his turn on "Community". He was only in three episodes as a professor, but he was funny and smart and I thoroughly enjoyed his time on another great TV show. I never watched "Boardwalk Empire '', but my folks did, and they said he was great as Chalky White. "Inherent Vice" is a weird and long movie, but Williams was so memorable. I read "The Road" and watched the movie, and Williams is as good as Viggo and the kid that plays his son. His small role in "12 Years a Slave" is brutal and mesmerizing. Williams is the only good part in the new "Robocop" movie. That movie is not good at all, but Williams does his best with a pretty rough script. I have not seen "Bessie", but by all accounts Williams is superb. He's got a smaller role in the new "Ghostbusters", and it lets him stretch his comedic chops. He is a main character on the much acclaimed HBO series "The Night Of". He even does the voice in the "NBA 2k" face of the franchise mode and he crushes it. And I bet RD would say that he was awesome in "Lovecraft Country" because he was such a solid and reliable actor. He always seemed to shine.

Outside of acting I will remember Williams activism and his big scar on his face. I guess he got the scar in a bar fight, and the fact that he was able to use it as an actor proves how badass he was as a human being. He was also always trying to help people out anyway he could. He gave back to the community. He was active in politics. He was active in helping people who had less than him. He overcame a drug addiction. He was part of the ACLU. He was discovered by Tupac Shakur. He was a gifted dancer. He was a dude that had some demons, overcame them and made the world a better place.

This one stings. This one hurts. This one isn't fair. Michael Kenneth Williams should still be alive. This stinks. Rest in Peace. You will be very, very missed.

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: It is Time to Repeal and Replace Capitalism

Every Labor Day we revisit the failure of capitalism. Now more than ever the destructive narrative of capitalism is on display with the criminal greed being seen in our corporations and government. 

The post originally appeared on September 7th, 2015.

What do we really celebrate on Labor Day? History says that the day started as a reaction to the Haymarket Massacre in 1886. The deaths in Chicago that day brought to light the struggles of workers nationwide. Demonstrators at Haymarket Square that day were rallying for an eight hour work day. When we go back and look at how the heads of capitalism treated their workers, who were US citizens, it is frightening. The labor movement needed to strike, rally, and demonstrate just so the capital owners would treat the workers like real humans. We celebrate Labor Day because workers needed to demand, and risk their safety, for a humanity that the capital owners were not willing to provide.

Capitalism is anti humanity and it is not allowing us to socially evolve, it is time for a new economic system. The people at the very top of our capitalistic society are large carnivores that get rewarded for anything that they can consume. There is no humanity to the capital owners. We celebrate record stock markets, and forget we have such a small volume of people participating in the market. We complain about welfare queens, without accepting that some of our richest CEOs get their salaries enhanced by government subsidies. The devourers at the top of the economic food chain have made the people below fearful and reverent at the same time. Capitalism is not allowing us to grow as humans, it is keeping us in cages like the animals that the capital owners need to control.

The way capitalism is sold to the general public is through use of code words like freedom and opportunity. In the world of today there is very little opportunity or freedom for the people not at the top of the capitalism food chain. The use of freedom and opportunity have their roots in trying to keep people non-empowered. If you want to go out and start your own business, you do have that freedom. If you have a great idea that can change the world, you have the opportunity to pursue that dream. Our modern capitalistic system does throw up every hurdle imaginable so the current capital owners have a say over your success. The system allows for the commoditization of people who can steal and exploit other people's work. The defenders of capitalism use opportunity and freedom as defenses for these patent trolls. Capitalism does not create ideas, it creates ways to steal great ideas and give them to the carnivores at the top.

The idea of commoditization has reached a truly dangerous level in our society. We have used capitalism to justify putting a price on the our most important human needs. Healthcare is one of our largest, and wealthiest, industries. We all accept that doctors should be well paid because of their skill and necessity. Our ability to get healthcare, through insurance, is directly related to our income. That is insane. Medical care is a necessity for everyone in the world, why should it be a commodity? Why do we not question this? Most doctors are not builders and creators, they are administrators. When you go to the doctor, it is for maintenance or to discuss something out side of the norm. Your income level rarely dictates the maintenance you require. Your income level can directly relate to the need for a doctor when there is something outside of norm. Lower income people have more severe, treatable, medical issues because of how capitalism financially elevates doctors. Basic human needs like healthcare are not a commodity. Capitalism has set a value to our lives, that is anti-humanity.

The ability to communicate has been the greatest tool for social evolution. The printing press created a new world filled with scientific and social advances. The internet is just getting its legs, and changing the entire world for the better. Many of the innovations related to communication were not done in pursuit of economic riches. The internet was created by the government, and nurtured by the social system, to become the tool we use today. The engineers of the world create things that not only maintain society, but allow it to grow. The Wright Brothers looked to the government for support before they looked to the capital owners. Roads, rails, and bridges are designed and built by engineers with government support, not private business support. Why is it that the government has allowed business to commoditize basic needs like communication? The rise of the telecom deregulation was another sacrifice at the idol of capitalism. We have been told that private business can handle our communication better than the government funded engineers who built the network. Our reward is one of the worst communication networks in the developed world. The telecom companies get their money, the CEOs get their large paydays, and the citizens get a subpar product thanks to the tenets of capitalism. The telecom companies do not have any concern for our ability to communicate, their concern is only to gain money. Our government, and our cultural programming, have allowed for basic communication to be another commodity to be bought and sold. Due to capitalism the more wealth you have, the better communication available.

Capitalism is a wall that stops innovation. The ability to create a commodity out of basic social needs is a large problem. Your health is not something that should be paid for. Your voice and ideas are not things that should be granted by a company with no creators. Capitalism exists to give freedom and opportunity to those already established, and make sure the non established have very nearly no options to compete. We deserve the right pursue our dreams, and not be hampered by our inability to pay for health or communication. Everyone deserves freedom and opportunity.

Capitalism is one of the most destructive forces in history. We need to have a discussion on how to replace this carnivorous ideology with one that rewards innovation and creates an evolving society. In the future we will continue to discuss the pitfalls of capitalism, and start to formulate an ideology that will bring about a brighter future. We encourage your dissent and contribution. Your ideas are not a commodity. Come share them with us.

Happy Labor day. Enjoy this day of rest and remember that protesters died for the right to have a reasonable work schedule. Let us use this Labor Day to start a new movement. The old capitalistic ways need to be repealed, the replacement will produce true opportunity. We can find this new way forward together. The only thing we will lose are the cages the capitalists keep society in.

RD Kulik

RD is the creator and Head Editor for SeedSing. 

"Madden 22" is More of the Same

I bought "Madden 22" when it came out two weeks ago. I have played the game once. It took forever to download, I have kids, I have a wife, I have stuff to do and video games usually get the boot first. It has been a bit underwhelming to say the least.

Since buying the game I have read other people talking about some glitches, I have seen some wild videos on the internet of some crazy passes, I have heard and read the criticisms. I am here today to tell you all that this version of "Madden" is no different than any version before. All the stuff is the same. The graphics are the same. The gameplay is the same. Nothing has really changed. That is the biggest bummer for me.

I am not much of a video game person. I stated as much on the pod a week ago. But when I do like a game, I usually tend to buy the new versions of it. I have/had all the "NBA Jam" iterations. I buy "NBA 2k" every year. I used to buy "NBA Street" when that was still a thing. And, of course, I always purchased "NCAA Football", and will when the new version finally comes out. So I was going to get "Madden 22". But the lack of change, the lack of any major changes has me regretting buying it. I miss "NCAA Football", so "Madden" has been my bridge. I bought "Madden 19" right when the pandemic started, and have bought the past two that have come with the pandemic still raging. But none of it has changed. Sure they may have changed some of the schools in the Face of the Franchise thing, and you can do a little bit more as a GM in Dynasty mode, but there are no major changes. Everything is business as usual. That sucks.

What made all the other games I mentioned before fun was the changes. I vividly remember when you could get players with enormous heads in "NBA Jam". That was an amazing update to the game. It may have been small, and some may even say stupid, but I was there for it. It was a neat little change to a near perfect basketball game. When Dynasty mode was added to "NCAA Football", that changed the whole game. I could have a 100 year career with Michigan. It ruled. I also liked the whole aspect of recruiting and vying for players and creating players, it was all fun. "NBA Street" made constant changes to the game, but it all was about making it more fun. I played that game a bunch and it never seemed the same. It was like going to see a band that never plays the same set. It was cool. Even a non sports game I liked, "Crash Bandicoot", made changes and made multiple different games with Crash being the lone constant. A bunch of other big time games have made changes over the years. "Mario Odyssey" is a completely different game than what it was when it first came out. Fighting games like "Tekken", "Mortal Kombat" and "Street Fighter" have made massive changes. My son plays "Fortnite", and that game seems to have new stuff every month. I get the whole point of "if it isn't broke, don't fix it", but there should be something new, something fun to try out. It is a video game, I do not want the same boring stuff over and over and over again. It gets too similar. I also don't like that it cost 60 bucks to play the same version of "Madden 21".

Truth is I would have just stuck with that version had I known what was to come. I'm just bummed at the lack of creativity. I wish it were a little more fun. I wish they made an effort to add or tweak things. That is my biggest problem with "Madden 22".

Ty

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

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Rice is My New Go To Side Dish

Yesterday on a run I was listening to "Doughboys". Every Tuesday they put out their Patreon episodes, and since I have access to them, it is a nice treat. They did one of their feed bags, in which they answer questions submitted by fans and listeners. I typically enjoy these episodes because they are free and loose and fun. It is a delightful hour plus. There are times where a question sits with me and I think about it, and that happened this week.

The question was from a fan overseas and they said that, instead of getting fries, they usually get rice as a side dish with their meal. They mentioned getting rice with chicken nuggets or a hamburger. This divulged into a question between the hosts and engineer on whether they prefer rice or a potato as a side dish. As I was running it seemed like a simple answer. I immediately thought that I would want a potato side dish. But the more they talked, the more I kind of flipped sides, then flipped back, then flipped again. I actually think this is a very good question, and I want to take a deepish dive into why I would now choose rice over a potato. And for those questioning my pick of rice over a potato, since steak is my favorite food, they said that this question only involves fast food places, no sit down/fancy spots, and fries are not included in the potato category. Those are totally out of the question.

So as I have sat with this for a couple days, the easiest answer for rice is how much easier it is to eat. Potato side dishes can be messy. They can be sloppy. They can also be super heavy and throw off the rest of the meal. Rice is much easier to eat, especially with a spoon. It is better for you. Both rice and potatoes are full of carbs, but rice is known as a "slow carb". I eat those regularly now. It is not sloppy unless you make it sloppy. My kids can make a mess of rice, but they are nine and five. An adult should have no problem eating rice clean. And rice is not nearly as heavy as a potato. It can be filling if you eat way too much, but you have to eat a ton of rice for it to fill you up. I also started to imagine both side options with some fast food spots that I really enjoy. The listener mentioned rice with chicken nuggets, and that sounds like a delight. Take some of that sweet and sour sauce and mix it in the rice with the nuggets and you could have a very low rent version of orange chicken. If I get nuggets and a baked potato, or a twice baked potato, or even a scalloped potato, that is too much. It is too heavy. I thought about burgers, mainly the double cheeseburger from Burger King, which is my favorite, and rice sounds so much better. The double cheeseburger is filling enough, so throwing a potato on top of that is far too much food. But if I were to get a side of sticky rice, that seems much more palatable. It seems much better for my insides as well. With the bun, and then add a potato on top of that, that is way too many carbs. The side of rice would be less, and better carbs. I love Popeye's spicy chicken sandwich, and a side of rice would be the perfect cooling down compliment to the heat. A potato wouldn't do much, but the rice would be excellent for quelling the spice. And as far as any chicken dish goes from fast food spots, rice is a much, much better side dish than any potato dish, save for french fries. Even when I thought about sandwich spots, like a Jersey Mike's or Jimmy John's, rice would be way better. I know chips are the sandwich side dish go to, but I think rice would be better, You could have less, it would be much better for you and no one ever needs that high, high amount of carbs. I always thought I was a potato guy. As mentioned before I love a good twice baked potato or a scalloped potato or some kind of potato hot dish. But those always made me feel too full before getting the main dish. I would over eat the potato dish. Rice seems like the better option. It is easier and better for me. I think I am now a rice fan and I like it.

Long story short, rice is a superior side dish to the potato for fast food restaurants. I would love it if America gave us this option. So the next time you just blindly pick a potato as a side dish, think about how much better of a choice rice would be. You won't regret it.

Ty

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

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Ty Listen's to Lizzo's "Rumors"

The other day I finally got around to listening to the new Lizzo Song "Rumors" featuring Cardi B.

This song rules.

Lizzo has been rocketing up the stardom chain for about three years now. And this new song is only going to make her even more famous. She is coming off a ton of Grammy nominations and some wins. "Cause I Love You" was a smash hit that featured a plethora of top singles. Prior to the pandemic she was selling out pretty much every live show within a day or two. I know the show in Saint Louis was moved to a bigger venue due to how fast she sold it out. She was climbing the ranks. This new song further hammers home that she is the queen of pop and rap music at the moment. She is doing it better than anyone out there right now.

“Rumors” is dirty and fun and has a great beat and Lizzo's vocals are a thing of beauty. The way she can switch from rapping to singing is a sight to behold with your ears. She is not equaled by anyone right now. She raps better than Cardi B does on this song, and Cardi B is good. Lizzo is simply better. I love the beat of the song too. It comes in hard. It is stanky, which is a very good thing. And when Lizzo comes in with the first couple of lines, I was hooked. I love the way she says "God damn" in between each lyric in the song. It immediately grabs you. If you are a fan, you want more. If you have never heard her, but like rap music, it will grab you too. And if you like modern pop music, Lizzo is the best in the game. As I said earlier, the way she vacillates between rap and pop singing is so good. She starts the song with some sing songy lyrics, where she intersplices the "God damn" parts, and when the verse hits, she belts it the hell out of the park. She then switches into rap mode and absolutely crushes it. The chorus is very catchy and very fun, with both ladies showcasing their talents. Then Cardi B gets to let loose on her verse, and she crushes. It is a very good rap verse from a rapper I have never really listened to before. I will be checking out some of her other music now. I think what I like most about the song is how much fun the two of them are having. You can tell they had a blast making this song. It comes across so well. When the people making the music are having fun, that is usually the sign of a song that is going to be a big hit. I am kind of surprised it did not come out sooner this summer, it could have owned the charts. But the fact that we are getting new music from Lizzo is great. I would much rather listen to her than a lot of other pop musicians out there right now.

I hope this single means she is working on a new record. That would rule. For the time being though, I will continue to listen to "Rumors". I suggest you do the same.

Ty

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

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Thoughts on the Best Hat for Runners

These last six or so years have taught me a lot about running. I first did it to lose weight. Then I wanted to run some 5k's just to see what those were all about. Then I did a half marathon. Then I did some trail running. I dabbled in triathlons for a bit. I did some bike riding. But I always go back to running. It has replaced basketball as my number one option for a workout. I get the best workouts while running, I feel better, I eat better and I am mentally much better after a run, especially if I am having a crummy day.

One thing I have noticed more recently is how important gear is for runners. From hydration packs to collapsible water bottles to socks and shoes to knee braces to sweat gear and even hats. Hats are what I want to talk about today.

I have always been a hat wearer. Since I was a kid playing little league, a hat adorned my head. The only time I do not wear one while doing something athletic is when I play basketball. When I first got really into running I did not wear a hat. I went with nothing or wore some kind of sweat band. But every summer was a struggle to keep the sweat out of my eyes. I wear glasses, so when I get sweat in my eyes it is a pain, and when I am sweating like I do it is hard to clean my glasses. So when I would sign up for new races, if a hat was an option as some swag, I started to get that. I got a bunch of mesh hats from races that I wore the hell out. I have almost exclusively run with a hat for about two years now. They work better.

This year for our anniversary my wife bought me a good amount of running gear, but the coup de gras was the hat she found. I get all kinds of ads on my phone for running stuff, and one ad for a hat from a company named rnnr kept popping up. I liked the hat and mentioned it a few times in passing. My wife bought me one. She got me the Unicorn hat. It has a yellow and pink brim, a blue sweat catcher in the middle and 2 sided mesh. The bill is also the most flexible bill I have ever seen. This hat is absolutely amazing. I love everything about it. The other hats I got were fine, but this rnnr Unicorn hat is in a class of its own. It is so breathable yet it soaks up all my sweat. I hardly ever get anything in my eyes now. The hat is so flexible that if I need to move it or adjust it in any way, it is so simple and easy. I love that I can move the bill of the hat anyway I need it to be. The hat works as well if I turn it backwards when I run on a cloudy day. It is so easy to wash and hang dry. It is so light that I forget I have it on during my longer runs. It absorbs water when I throw some on my head to cool down. And it looks cool as hell. It is easily the best hat I have ever owned. I'm talking about any hat. It is perfectly crafted for what it needs to do. It looks rad. It feels even better. And I think I will be buying multiples because of how perfect this hat is.

This hat is like a restaurant with a one page menu. They know what they do is good and they keep cranking out nothing but the best. If you are a runner, of any sort, get yourself a rnnr hat. You will love it. But if you are just a collector of cool ass hats, buy one as well. These things are dope as hell. I cannot recommend these hats enough. They rule.

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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Ty Listens to "Solar Power"

Ten days ago Lorde put out her long awaited third album, "Solar Power". I had heard the two singles she released early, I am a fan and like so many others I was pretty excited to listen to the record. I listened the morning it came out, listened again right after that and have gone back here and there in the last week plus to get my ears on it some more.

“Solar Power” is different from Lorde’s first two records. She exploded on the scene with "Pure Heroine" and "Melodrama" is a masterpiece. I was curious to see what direction she would go in with this album, and it is a whole new direction. And I enjoy it. I have seen some people giving it tepid reviews, but I have enjoyed every listen to this point.

The record is very stripped down. It is very acoustic. It is very sleepy in a good way. Putting the record out in late August was perfect because the album has the feeling of the end of summer. Jack Antonoff produced it and the more records I hear that he produces I am finding that I like them. I am not a huge fan of his bands. Fun is okay, Bleachers is fine, but I do not dig the music he plays. His producing for pop stars is top notch though. He has a gift and the ear to produce pop music. I also like how he has the artists kind of go bare bones with the albums he helps them make. Doing with this Lorde could have been a misstep, but both of them found a way to make it work and make it great.

Like I said, the album is slower and way stripped down from her first two. It is a nice change of pace. I love listening to the record when I am cleaning the house or going for a drive. My daughter really enjoys the record. She is growing to like slower, more folky music as she gets older. I love it. I think what I love most about the album is it lets Lorde's vocals totally shine. Her voice is the main, and most important instrument on this record. Lorde is a great singer, with a powerful voice and "Solar Power" really lets that shine. That is not to say that the first two records don't do that, but there is a ton of instruments and music backing her vocals. "Solar Power" is light piano, some drums and acoustic guitars backing Lorde's vocals. It is perfect. I also like how quick the album moves. No song is longer than five minutes, except the closer which is like two songs melded together. The middle of the album meanders for a bit, maybe two songs, but even the meandering works on the record. There is one song where she talks at the end as if she is an announcer in the airport, and I love that song. After the two slower tunes though she rips through three or four songs that are super short, but super good. Those songs are all about the lyrics and Lorde shines through singing the words she wrote. I especially love the song "Dominoes".

I do not get the backlash that this record is receiving from some, but there will always be critics for everything. All I know is I really like the record. Lorde is as reliable a musician as we have right now. When she puts out new music it will be good. It will have people talking. Fans will be delighted and she will make new fans. As I always say, I like when artists take chances, try something new, and that is what Lorde has done with "Solar Power". I really enjoy this record and I definitely recommend you give it a listen.

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

Ty's Preview of the 2021 College Football Season

To close out my 2021 football preview I come to you today with my college football picks and predictions.

I love college football. It is my favorite sport to watch. Even with Michigan being mediocre for a decade plus, I will watch every game every Saturday, plus a ton of other matchups. Where we sit today, the college football season officially kicks off tomorrow at 11am eastern time. I cannot wait to watch. I will go over the big conferences, some group of five schools I like, pick my Heisman winner, playoff teams, championship matchup and winner. Let's get to it.

I will start with the major conference I feel is the weakest, the ACC. Clemson is far and away the team to beat. They have to replace Trevor Lawrence, but the kid that stepped in last year when Lawrence got COVID was great. Clemson is now a team that just reloads. They do not rebuild. They will be a top five team all year and they will run roughshod over the rest of the league. UNC will be a tough out though. They have a great offense led by a very good QB. Their defense is better too. UNC is on the up and up. Florida State will be better. I do want to see how well Mackenzie Milton plays after his two year recovery. Louisville will be explosive offensively. NC State is always tough. Boston College can slow games down with their running game. Miami has a real good QB and a great season opener with Alabama. Virginia and Virginia Tech are formidable. UNC will make it tough, but this conference is all about Clemson. They own the ACC.

The Pac 12 is better than the ACC, but not by much. They are always overrated to begin the season and come crashing to Earth by week two or three. Oregon is the cream of the crop and they should win the league. They have a very tough week two game, at the university of Ohio State, and how they fare in that game will be very telling for them this season. USC has pretty much everyone back from a team that closed out the pandemic shortened season on a higher note. Their coach is under pressure to win and win big though this season. Washington is young, but good and has a very good, very sound defense. Stanford is always a tough opponent. Arizona State has a very good QB and offense, but they have some off the field stuff that needs sorting out. UCLA has a good run game and defense, but Chip Kelly is not the dominant coach he once was. Utah is always good. They are worthy of a perennial top 25 spot. The Pac 12 is better, but this should be Oregon's conference to win. USC, ASU and Washington will be tough hurdles, but Oregon is the best Pac 12 team on paper.

The Big 12 will have one of their last season's with all of its current members. Oklahoma and Texas will be moving to the SEC by 2025. But, while they are still there, Oklahoma is the team to beat. They have one of the best offenses in all of college football. Spencer Rattler is the real deal. Their defense is better, although they will be able to outscore every team in the Big 12. Oklahoma is legit. Texas is overrated, I do not think Steve Sarkisian is their savior and I feel like they will tumble. But if they get their legs under them sooner rather than later, they could be a threat. Baylor is not as dominant as they were in the early 2010's. The fact they are still allowed to field a team is an abomination. Iowa State will most likely be Oklahoma's biggest threat. They have a solid QB, a great run game and a very good defense. They are also very well coached. Oklahoma State is rebuilding. Texas Tech will score in bunches, but give up a ton of points also. And West Virginia is mediocre. Oklahoma is going to bury every other Big 12 team this year. They are totally loaded and they will show as much on the field. I expect big things from Oklahoma this season.

The Big 10, my conference, is going to go through the university of Ohio State yet again. Sure they lost a bunch of critical guys, but just like Clemson and Alabama, the university of Ohio State just reloads. They have a new stud QB, great wideouts, running backs with experience and an incredibly good defense. They are loaded as well. Michigan is going to be a very interesting watch not only for me, but for a ton of people. They have a bunch of returning starters, but almost an entirely new coaching staff. They have a very tough schedule, but good players on both sides of the ball. They have a stable of running backs, but the O line is a mystery. The receivers have speed, and now height, but they have yet to produce any real numbers. And the defense has to pressure the ball and play much better in the secondary. Again, I will watch every game, but it is going to be gut wrenching. Penn State returns a ton of offensive starters. They could look like seasons past on that side of the ball. They have to replace some good defensive players, but they always recruit well. Wisconsin is back, they have a real legitimate QB and they can still run the ball. They also play very sound defense. They will be a problem. Minnesota returns their starting QB and he has weapons. They will be a tough out. Northwestern may have lost a good amount of starters, but this team is up to play anyone at any time. Nebraska has the guys to be a very potent offense. They need to limit turnovers though. They are also not the best on defense. Michigan State is rebuilding, but they can still be nasty, Rutgers is no longer a pushover. Iowa is still really good and really consistent. I think the matchup with Iowa State is going to be a hell of a game. And Indiana is definitely trending up. They return a great QB and some really good wideouts. They will be potent yet again. But all these teams are chasing the university of Ohio State. Until someone beats them, I will continue to pick them to win the Big 10.

The SEC is still as dominant as ever. I have been down on them for the past couple years and I have been wrong. They are the best conference in college football. Alabama lost pretty much everyone from their title team last season, yet here they are as the preseason number one overall team. They are the best at reloading. They have top notch talent all over the field. They have pros. They are playing on a whole other level. Georgia looks to be their biggest threat. They have a good QB, good run game, great O line and a stout defense. Kirby Smart has proven he is the best of the Saban disciples in college football. Florida is back to being a perennial top 25 team. Missouri has some solid playmakers and a new QB. Kentucky is tough. Texas A&M has a legitimate shot at crashing the SEC title game and playoff this season. Auburn returns their QB and looks to be an eight or nine win team. Ole Miss will sling the ball all over the field. And LSU is going to rebound from a tough 2020. The SEC is pretty stacked. They have the most talent in the country. I would not be shocked if they get two teams in the playoffs. But, just like the Big 10, until proven otherwise, I am going with Alabama.

As far as some non power 5 teams I like, Notre Dame is back to being great again, annoyingly. I despise that team, but they can play. Coastal Carolina will be fun. Cincinnati is really, really good. They have some good games early to prove how good they truly are. And Louisiana is going to score lots and lots and lots of points. Boise State will also be good yet again. Cincinnati has the best shot to bust into the playoff. They have the schedule to prove it, and if they go undefeated, they will easily find themselves in the playoff. I do not see any other team outside the power 5 besides Cincinnati that could make any major noise. I also do not have many "upsets" with my conference winners. College football is becoming pretty chalk. I hope the NIL changes all that, but time will tell.

As far as my Heisman pick, I am going with Spencer Rattler from Oklahoma. He is going to put up absolutely insane numbers this year. That kid is going to feast. I think Sam Howell could push and Bryce Young from Alabama will make a ton of noise. But Rattler is too primed to not be the favorite.

I also think a ton of freshmen are going to be thrust into the spotlight this year for a ton of teams. Michigan has a few freshmen that I think will get major playing time. The university of Ohio State will be playing a freshman at QB. I'm sure Clemson has some 5 star studs just waiting to hit the field. Freshmen are getting more and more playing time nowadays, and that will continue.

As for the playoff, this was tricky for me. My two locks are Oklahoma and Alabama. I think they will be 1 and 2 all season long. I was going to pick the university of Ohio State, and I think a win over Oregon will be a major push, but I could see them blowing a game or two (I would love it if one of those was against Michigan). I also think Oregon will choke away two games it has no business losing because that is what they do. USC could sneakily make their way into the conversation, but they have a tough schedule. And UNC will push Clemson real hard this year. With all that though, I already have Alabama and Oklahoma and I am going to add Clemson and Georgia. I think the SEC will get two teams while the Big 10 and Pac 12 are left out. I did want to throw Cincinnati in there, but I despise their coach and their schedule is brutal. I think Alabama will easily handle Georgia and I think Oklahoma will light up Clemson.

That leaves me with Alabama and Oklahoma in the title game and I will take Oklahoma. Spencer Rattler is that good. I also think this will be a sendoff for Lincoln Riley. He will get his ring and head to the pros to test out his coaching ability at the highest level.

Okay, there is my 2021 college football preview. I will check in midway through to see how wrong I am, but this is how I see it one day before the season kicks off. I can't wait. Go Blue

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.