Ty Watches "Glass Onion"

Last night my wife and I watched "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Murder Mystery".

It was incredible. I cannot overstate how wonderful this movie was. I told my wife last night I need to start waiting to do my best of lists until after the new year. This movie is so great that it might be my favorite movie of the year. I still love "Everything Everywhere All At Once" and "Hustle", but "Glass Onion" is on a whole other level. I was in awe the entire watch last night. There is not a moment wasted in this movie. Every actor is absolutely owning their role. The way the story unfolds is magical. This review is going to be spoiler free. I want to let that be known up front. I am doing that because I am so very happy that I knew nothing going in. I only knew the cast and the name of the movie. That is the only info you should go into this viewing experience with. To watch it unfold like I did last night was the absolute best. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

Like I said, the story is masterfully done. The twists and turns and fake outs, it all worked on me. It was all that I needed to see to be satisfied. I loved every little detail the writers put in. Again, nothing was wasted. There are no throw aways or pointless storylines that drag on for zero reason. It was perfect.

This cast is amazing as well. From top to bottom they crush it. I did not think I was going to like Kate Hudson, but I ended up loving her. Her commitment is otherworldly. She has wonderful acting ability when directed properly and given well written material. Dave Bautista continues to surprise me. Much like Hudson, when given good material he really shows up. He did a great job. Leslie Odom Jr is proving himself to be more than a stage star. He commits to his scientist role and never hams it up. This is a solid performance from him. Kathryn Hahn continues to prove why she is one of the best actors working right now. I wanted her to have a bit more to do here, but when she is asked to shine she does that and then some. She is such a good actor. This role makes me even more excited for the "Agatha" show on Disney plus.

The real stars, the ones that shine brightest in this movie are Edward Norton, Daniel Craig and Janelle Monae. They are tremendous. Norton is chewing scenery in the best way possible. He is going for it and he is achieving his goal. I could not believe how much I enjoyed him in this movie. He is a delight. Craig, the only returning actor from the first movie, is back and better than ever. He is sillier and more profane in this movie. He is having a great time and it shows. The accent is on point. The monologues are excellent. The way he unfolds the mystery is amazing. He is at the top of his game here. He really hits a homerun. But the best acting job is Monae far and away. She is simply the best here. She has a lot to do and she does it all so very well. If Craig hits a homerun, Monae is hitting a grand slam. She is perfectly cast. She did her work. She is showing off and it is all done so gracefully. I loved her in this movie. This is a prime role for her and she is going to become an even bigger star off of this role. She is exceptional.

"Glass Onion" has the feel of an older movie. That is a compliment. The music is great. The costumes look like they are from the 50's. The scenery is second to none. I want to go to Greece today. The movie is modern as well. The story of this crew has a very modern feel. The places they stay are very up to date and very high tech. The way they handle COVID is the closest I have seen to real life yet on screen.

Look, I cannot recommend this movie enough. This is a sequel that may be better than the original. The movie is about 2 hours and 15 minutes but it never felt long. I could have watched another 2 hours happily. "Glass Onion" rules. Go watch it now. 

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.

Secret Santa is the Best Way to Give a Gift This Holiday Season

My family celebrates Christmas. In years past we always got gifts for everyone. I would buy my mom and dad something plus my three brothers. When dogs and nieces and nephews entered the fray it was the same. The gifts never felt personal though. I have always tried to make gifts personal, but as my family got bigger and bigger it got tougher. I was resorting to getting gift cards and CD's for everyone. It was simple and easiest. And believe me I understand how inconsequential gift giving can be. That is not the reason for the season, but that is how we have always done it in my family. Then I met my wife and her family did the same. It was all about giving and receiving gifts for the holidays.

As we got older, and it became tougher and tougher to get multiple gifts, we shifted to the Secret Santa route. I fully believe this is the best way to give out gifts. It is about as personal as you can get this time of year. My family did something different this year, a saran wrapped ball and it was a total blast. But my wife's family stuck with the Secret Santa idea.

I was fully bought in on my person. I got a newer family member as well. My wife's cousin got married this year and I got her husband for Secret Santa. I have met him a few times, but I have only gotten to know him better the past couple months. I have spent a little more time with him and had a few conversations. That helped immensely. But what was an even bigger help was communicating with his wife. She and I texted back and forth since Thanksgiving, when I drew his name out of a hat. She gave plenty of wonderful advice and avenues with which to follow on my gift finding adventures. This helped and it made my searching all the more personal. I found out what he likes and was able to get specific gifts that suited his likes and wants. I was able to find obscure things that were in his wheelhouse. It was way more fun shopping for these gifts than just buying a few gift cards or giving out cash. That is so lazy to me. This was like a competition and I was determined to win. But it wasn't just me. My wife got her aunt a very specific gift that was just for her aunt and it was perfect.

The gifts were great. My wife's uncle got a back scratcher attached to a shoehorn, plus an enormous book about champagne. This may sound odd, it was odd to me at the time, but her uncle was stoked. He was so very happy. I was gifted a very specific University of Michigan football ornament and a wonderful Michigan fleece. I was floored when I opened it. It was so great and so perfect for what I like. The gift exchange was great last night. Everyone was so very happy with what they were given. We were all cheering and oohing and aahing while others opened gifts. This approach, this attention to detail, makes for a much more fun experience. We all did our homework. We all took time. We all found specific things for the specific person we drew out of the hat. It was the same for my family whenever we do Secret Santa. Instead of lazy, last second ideas, we all gave out cool stuff. I got a mini Super Nintendo one year. I got my brother a Teddy Roosevelt painting. My other brothers have gotten each other obscure and hard to find records. It is dope.

So if you spend the holidays giving gifts, and you have a bigger family. I definitely recommend going the Secret Santa route, especially if the kids are grown ups. It is the best way to give and receive gifts in my opinion. Happy Holidays everyone.

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.

2022 Top Five - Podcasts

Wrapping up my best of 2022 lists I have podcasts today. As I like to say every year, it would not be fair to put the "X Millenial Man" on this list. It is the best podcast in the game with the two best hosts, and third best when Tina is on. They have the best discussions about all things pop culture and sports. RD also knows his politics. Seriously people, if you don't already listen, go download the show now. It is free everywhere. I do listen to a bunch of other podcasts though. I love comedy and sports pods. I also like some serious topic pods, but I usually pick sports or comedy to vibe out too. It is the best for running too. I am a podcast fan through and through. On to the countdown.

At number 5 I have the "Ear Hustle" episode titled "Karen". This was their season finale. I came to "Ear Hustle" prior to the pandemic. It is about life in and out of prison, mainly San Quentin. A lot of very interesting and thoughtful subjects have been broached on this pod. But this episode was heavy. It started out normal enough, with Earlonne and Nigel going to a women's prison to interview a prisoner. But when the subject of why she was in prison came up the tone totally changed. It went from mellow-ish to super heavy. Karen was talking to the hosts about how she helped a pregnant prisoner give birth. It was cool. But all the time she seemed kind of monotone and disinterested. Then the reason why she was in prison came up. She was drunk driving and had three of her kids in the car. She got into an accident and one of the kids didn't make it. Hearing her tell this story was absolutely heart wrenching. Being a father it was even tougher to listen to. I was a puddle while driving to the trail that day. It was intense. But it was also eye opening. I was taken aback at her talking about her life before and after. It was incredible. "Ear Hustle" has had many great episodes, but this may be their best to date.

At number 4 I have my own personal finding of the podcast "Scott Hasn't Seen". CBB World has been around for a bit now, but I did not become a member until this year. And in doing that I stumbled upon this wonderful podcast. Scott Aukerman and Sprague the Whisperer, played by Shaun Diston, watch movies that Aukerman has never seen. Sometimes they are classics like "Kramer vs Kramer" or they are Sprague's version of classics like "The Mighty Ducks". That is what I love about this pod. Sprague is roughly the same age as me and what he considers great movies are what I used to love. I also love hearing Aukerman talk about his experience watching and what he saw instead when these movies came out. I also love the guests. They let the guests pick the movie and they come on and talk about their love for the movie. It is great and it all comes to a wonderful conclusion when Aukerman tells Sprague whether he liked the movie or not. It is about as close to a rewatch podcast that I will listen to, but done by great comedic minds. I adore this show.

At number 3, speaking of Sprague, I have the rise of Shaun Diston in the podcast realm. I have always been a fan but it seems like he is finally getting his just due. I remember listening to "We Need to Stop Talking TMNT on CBB" and falling in love with Diston's comedy. The Church of Shaun Diston was the first Patreon I ever subscribed to. But now with "Scott Hasn't Seen", his many features on "CBB", whenever he goes on "Doughboys", I always get pumped to hear him go off. I also like that he is getting acting jobs. I saw him in an episode of "Curb" last season and he is a writer on the new "Twisted Metal" show. Diston has more than earned this shine and I cannot wait to see what 2023 has in store for him in the podcast world.

At number 2 I have another CBB World show, "Hey Randy". This is a pod where when I listen to it I laugh and laugh and laugh. Tim Baltz has created a classic character in Randy Snutz. Dan Lippert and Mary Sohn are simply the best playing his friends. Lily Sullivan is a dynamo as Randy Snutz's on again off again girlfriend. The show is nuts and ridiculous and wild and I cannot get enough of it. I have to stop listening sometimes on my runs because I cannot contain my laughter. My favorite part of each ep is Randy's intro. He tells the listener of a dream he had the night before and it is comedy gold. I get amped each time CBB Presents puts on a new "Hey Randy". It is one of the best.

And at number 1 I saw "CBB" live this year. "CBB" went on a month-long tour in August and the moment a St Louis date was announced I bought tickets. I have seen live podcast tapings before, but "CBB" is my favorite podcast of all time. I simply had to go see. I loved that they played a smaller venue like The Pageant also. It made it feel a bit more intimate. I felt comfortable enough to go to an indoor show too and I think it is because this show was "CBB". Boy oh boy was I glad I went. Aukerman did a great job as host, like he always does. He seemed like he was having a good time. Paul F Tompkins was amazing. I have never seen him live before and this was a big deal to me. He played a character I love too, treasure hunter Brock Lovitt. Dan Lippert was there that night and he crushed as Bill Walton. I was in tears at his performance. And Carl Tart, another actor I really enjoy, closed out the show as a singer from the band Cameo. My face hurt from smiling and laughing all night. It was an incredible way to spend 90 minutes at a concert venue. It is a show I won't soon forget.

There you have it, my top 5 podcasts/podcast moments of the year. Enjoy the holiday season everyone and stay safe out there. 

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.

2022 Top Five - Sports

Today I come to you all with my top sports moments of 2022. This has been a good sports year for me as a fan. I have not had much to complain about, but being a true fanatic, I have found stuff here and there. My list is all football and basketball. Well, there is one baseball thing. But those are the sports I watch. I do not watch hockey, soccer, NASCAR or even boxing anymore. I understand that the World Cup just happened, but I didn't watch a second of it. And RD and Tina do all the tennis talk for the site. I just wanted to give you all a heads up. On to the countdown.

At number 5 I have the final season of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. I am not the biggest MLB fan, but being a native St Louisian, and a Cardinals fan, this was a very important sendoff. Pujols came back to play his last year here. Yadi is a lifelong Cardinal, and in my opinion, the greatest catcher of all time. To see them play their final season together where they started was magical. What unfolded was even better. Yadi did his thing. He was consistent. He gunned wannabe base stealers down left and right. He hit his usual .270. He had clutch plays. He was as good as ever. Pujols started off slow but something happened to him after the all star break. He found his power. He started to bomb homeruns. He got to a point where 700 seemed like it was possible. And when he hit that magical number it was euphoric. I was stoked. The kids I coach in baseball were stoked. It was so cool to see the whole city get behind Pujols on his run to 700. The Cardinals won the division and looked like they could make a deep playoff run. The Phillies had other plans though. Even though they choked, seeing Pujols and Yadi finish their careers in St Louis, on a relatively high note, was pretty damn cool. They are two of the best to ever do it and two of the best Cardinals to ever do it. 

At number 4 I have the Cincinnati Bengals going on their incredible playoff run all the way to the Super Bowl. I could not believe what I was seeing while it was going on. Sure, one win seemed like it was possible. But to run through the AFC the way they did, and then beat the Chiefs to make the Super Bowl, it was great. I am not a Bengals fan at all, but my nephew is and my brother has lived in Cincy for a bit now. I was happy for them. I was stoked to see guys like Jamaar Chase and Joe Burrow show up big time in big time games. I like those dudes. And the Bengals did not disappoint in the Super Bowl. They may not have won, but they had a chance. They had an open guy on the final play. They stayed in the whole game. The Rams were bought to win a Super Bowl. The Bengals were built to win one. They are playing great this year. But that run, and all the texts between RD and myself during their run, that was pretty rad. I like the team and I wish them nothing but success in the long run.

At number 3 I have the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals. It was an incredible series. I was rooting for Golden State because of my disdain for the Celtics. But it was cool to see Jayson Tatum, a STL native, play on the biggest stage. And I was certain that the Celtics were going to win after going up 2-1. It seemed inevitable. But then the Warriors woke up and looked amazing. Klay Thompson was coming off two ACL tears and started to look like himself. Draymond Green got back to playing top notch defense. Kevon Looney became a very poor man's Tim Duncan. Jordan Poole was getting points in limited minutes. Andrew Wiggins was locking up Celtic after Celtic. But it was Steph Curry who willed this team to victory. He did not want to be beat and it showed. He scored at will. He hustled on defense. He proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is one of the best to ever play. He earned this title. He was the well deserving MVP. He said this one felt best and it showed. I was in awe of his performance from game four to six. He was on a mission and it was beautiful to watch. This was a great finals and the best team won.

At number 2 I have the Michigan Wolverines football season. The new year started off rough with Georgia crushing Michigan in the CFP. I didn't know what to expect from the team going into this season, but they did not disappoint. They handled their cupcake of a non conference schedule. Then when they got into Big Ten play they opened with a tough win over Maryland. They then went on to crush every opponent until Illinois. They beat Penn State by 28. They put Michigan State into submission. They sacked Indiana QB's eight times. They ran over everyone. Illinois gave them a scare. Michigan did not deserve to win but they found a way. They then went to Columbus and won there for the first time in 22 years. Not only did they win though, they dismantled the university of Ohio State. They ran up and down the field on them. They made CJ Stroud look pedestrian. Blake Corum, the team's heart and soul, was hurt the week before and barely played. It didn't matter. They had the next man up mentality. They used this momentum and throttled Purdue in the Big Ten title game. They have a date with TCU coming up and I am terrified as always. But this team has proven me wrong all year. They have figured out ways to win games. Guys like Mike Morris, Mike Sainristil, Blake Corum, the entirety of the O line, Will Johnson, DJ Turner, Cornelius Johnson, they all deserve this. They have all earned this. I am hopeful as a Michigan fan for the first time in a long time.  I hope it doesn't bite me in the butt, but time will tell. As of now I am a hopeful Wolverines fan.

At number 1 I have a very personal sports moment. My son started playing football this year. Let me rephrase that, he started to play tackle football this year. I was nervous. I told him horror stories. I tried to convince him otherwise. But he was adamant and we relented. It was wonderful. He got better and better everyday as a football player. He was taught the right way to play the game. He seemed happy at practice and at games. He really looked like he was in his element. As the season went on the team continued to get better. They started to win more. They were really beating teams up. And my son lived in the backfield on defense and pancaked would-be tacklers on offense. It was a shock, in a good way, to see him progress the way he did. They won enough to make the fifth grade playoffs and it got even better. They won their first game handily. They had a tough test in the second game, but they ran away with that one as well. The championship was on a very windy and cold day. And they even gave up an early field goal. From there on out they scored 30 unanswered points. They destroyed the team that made it to the finals. They hammered them. And my son was smiling all the way. He loved every second of football. And I loved watching him. I am so glad I didn't coach also. I got to enjoy it from the stands. I am always proud of him and this is another notch in his belt. I was so happy to see them win and to watch him play all year. That is the best a sports dad can ask for.

That is it for sports. Come back tomorrow for my final top five, top five podcasts of the year, tomorrow.

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.

2022 Top Five - Television

Day three of my best of 2022 countdown features tv. TV has been pretty incredible this year. There are a ton of good shows with great writing, excellent casting, wonderful storylines and networks are giving the creators time to figure it all out. TV is in a very good place right now. Let's hope it continues.

Before I get into my top five I have some honorable mentions. "Abbot Elementary" is wonderful. It might be the funniest show on TV right now. All the accolades are more than deserved. Quinta Brunson is a genius. "Righteous Gemstones" had an amazing season with a great story arc from Eric Roberts. John Goodman also took on a bigger role this season and totally nailed it. I cannot wait to see where they go with the next season. "House of the Dragon" was worth the hype as well. I do not care that it had a dark hue, I don't care that the dragons were not fully featured yet and I don't care about internet nerds complaining about nonsensical plot points in a fantasy world with dragons. "House of the Dragon" created a new, unique world in the "GOT" universe. I'm ready for season two. And finally "Bluey". This is the best kids show on TV. It has surpassed "Yo Gabba Gabba" for me. I love the length of episodes, 10 minutes, the storylines, the character arc and the fact that the dad is usually the one home with the kids. It is easy for me to relate. "Bluey" is an achievement. I do, really quickly, want to shout out "Joe Pera Talks With You". I was told by many people to watch this show and I finally started last week. I have already finished the series. It is a perfect Adult Swim show but it also has heart and soul. Joe Pera did something different and it worked. I love this show. Okay, to the countdown.

At number 5 I have season four of "What We Do in the Shadows". This show continues to get better and better. Each episode is funnier than the last. The vampires are even more hilarious than ever. The Laszlo and Colin Robinson storyline all season was beautiful and heartfelt. Also, the way Berry pronounces words, it is a thing of beauty. Nandor had a nice arc with his genie this season. And Nadja had a great arc with her nightclub. Guillermo also got to stretch his legs a bit more and it was a homerun. "WWDITS" is on a hot streak and I do not see it stopping anytime soon. It may be the best comedy on TV.

At number 4 I have "The Bear". I mean, this show is amazing. The way they show food and the world of food was incredible. "The Bear" made me hungrier than any show on any cooking network. But it was the performances and choices this show made all season that put it on my list. Every actor does their job with aplomb. They all have juicy moments and they all succeed, and then some. As for the choices, there is one episode in particular that stands out. They did a 17 minute long ep that is all one shot and it is of the restaurant going down due to not being ready. It is a masterpiece. I have watched it multiple times and I love it even more with each view. "The Bear" is incredible and season two cannot come soon enough.

At number 3, closing out my run of shows on FX, I have the last two seasons of "Atlanta". Now, I think this is the best show on TV, but it isn't number 1 because I liked a few other shows a bit more. But "Atlanta" gave us two seasons and closed out the series to perfection. In season three the show took us overseas and it was a trippy joy ride. We got to see our four main characters go through some crazy situations. Darius saw Tupac get murdered. Paper Boi was in jail and had a crazy drug trip. Van went through all kinds of emotions and bludgeoned a dude with a baguette. And Earn had to deal with all kinds of nonsense being a manager overseas. He also had a crazy cold in the premiere. The final season had them back in Atlanta, but it was still as wild as ever. From the season four premiere, which saw Van and Earn get into some kind of alternate universe where they saw a bunch of exes, to Darius trying to figure out if his whole life was real or in a deprivation tank, it was great. Paper Boi also got a farm and had a conversation with Soulja Boy. Van and Earn reunited. The sushi restaurant was a great ep. And the scavenger hunt that Paper Boi went on was nuts. "Atlanta" had as fulfilling a series finale as a TV show can have. I will always adore this show.

At number 2 I have "The Rehearsal". Nathan Fielder is a genius. He is on a whole other level as a comedian and creator. What he did with "The Rehearsal" would have made Andy Kaufman proud. He showed the best and worst in people. The show started as one thing but ended as a totally different thing. It was a masterclass. I cannot fathom how much work went into making all of these scenarios happen. I am in awe of the work that Fielder has done with this show. I am on pins and needles to see what he does next. But "The Rehearsal" is going to go down in history as an all time great.

And at number 1 I have the final season of "Better Call Saul". As fulfilling and gratifying as the series finale of "Atlanta" was, "BCS" surpassed it. The final season was an achievement. It lets the actors do their thing. They got meaty scenes and everyone brought out their best effort. Rhea Seehorn was phenomenal. It is criminal that she never got an award for her work on this show. And Bob Oednekirk got to do his best oh shucks down on his luck, but totally knows that he is conning people character. Saul Goodman was a big part of "Breaking Bad", but I was skeptical on how they would do a show based on him. Not only did they do it, they made one of the best dramas of all time. As for the series finale, I believe it is the best series finale that has ever been made. It was perfect.

There you have it, my top five shows of 2022. Come back tomorrow for my top five sports moments of the year. 

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.

2022 Top Five - Movies

Today I have my top five movies of 2022. There have been a ton of movies released this year. I have seen a good portion of them. There are some movies I haven't watched yet, but will soon and may have to put some addendums on this piece in the future. I also watch more movies now than ever. When the pandemic started my wife and I started to have quarantine date nights. These nights included ordering dinner from a local restaurant and picking a movie to watch. We turn off our phones and pay attention. It was one of the first things we implemented at the start of the pandemic and we still do it to this day. It kept me sane at the start of COVID. It is one of my favorite things. That being said, let's get to my countdown.

I do want to shout out two movies that just missed the cut for me. "Nope" was great. I loved the imagery. I loved the story. The alien was scary and unique. And the Gordy story line was terrifying. Jordan Peele is an amazing director. I also really enjoyed "Weird". It was a perfect parody movie of a parody singer. I expected a lot from it and it exceeded all of my expectations. Daniel Radcliffe and Evan Rachel Wood were magnetic. They gave award worthy performances. "Weird" is a movie everyone should seek out. Okay, now to the top five.

At number 5 I have "The Northman". This movie is tough to convince people to watch, but when they do, they always come back and tell me they liked it. It is brutal. They speak in Viking tongue from time to time. It is dark and bleak. But the performances are wonderful. Alexander Skaarsgard was electric. The two big fight scenes with him were incredible. Anya Taylor Joy is up to task and crushes her performance. They are a great duo. This movie is violent and gory and the pacing is weird. But it is a movie that is so great when you give in and enjoy the watch. Nicole Kidman plays a villain. The imagery is incredible. "The Northman" is a ride but a worthwhile and fun ride in the end. The final battle scene is one of the coolest things I have ever witnessed in a movie. It is amazing.

At number 4 I have "Prey". This is the best version of "Predator" for me. They tell the best story. The Predator looks cool as hell. The acting is dynamite. I love that they take us back to the 17 or 1800's. I love that it is through the eyes of a Native American tribe. I love that a female is the lead, and the movie's biggest badass. And the fight scenes in this movie are great. When the Predator and a bear fight, that is awesome. When the Predator hunts people down, it is terrifying and enthralling. The fight scene with the lead, her brother and the Predator is dynamite. The fur trapper massacre is fulfilling since they were so evil. "Prey" is a perfect action movie for the modern era.

At number 3 I have "RRR". This movie is nuts and amazing. It is over three hours long. It took me three sittings to finish it. The movie switches from English to Hindi the whole time. The two leads are portrayed as superheroes even though they are regular dudes. There are tons of Bollywood dance scenes that totally rule. Some scenes in this movie are some of the best action scenes I have seen. The opener with one of the leads and a tiger is amazing. When the two leads are fighting the bad guys and one is riding the others shoulders, just wow. The whole back plot of some vicious diseases ravaging a neighborhood, too real. Seeing the war that is depicted was incredible. "RRR" is a movie I never would have watched if not for the urging of friends and people on podcasts raving about it. I'm glad they did and I'm stoked I watched.

At number 2 I have "Hustle". This is as paint by numbers as a sports movie can get and it totally worked on me. Adam Sandler is wonderful in this movie. He can really act when given good material. Add on his love for basketball and this is a perfect movie for him. Queen Latifah is excellent as his wife. She could be put upon and moody, but she never is. She handles her life situation great. Juancho Hernangomez was the perfect choice for Bo Cruz. He is not too big a star, but he knows what it takes to make it to the NBA. The training scenes felt real with him. Ben Foster is a perfect foil. Anthony Edwards was awesome and looked to be having a blast. Robert Duvall is barely in the movie, but he owns his scenes. I love this movie. My son loves this movie. So do his teammates on his basketball team. "Hustle" is a near perfect sports movie.

At number 1 have "Everything Everywhere All at Once". This was an easy pick for me. This movie is an absolute homerun. This movie has it all. This is one of the most emotional movies I have ever watched. This movie made me laugh and cry in equal measures. The performances are second to none. Michelle Yeoh is electric. Ke Huay Quan is a revelation. Stephaine Hsu is truly a dynamo. Jamie Lee Curtis is awesome. This movie is simply the best. The way they do the multiverse stuff is the best use ever on screen. The movie is more about family dynamics as opposed to superhero stuff. It is about immigration, divided family, coming to terms with loved ones and living the best possible life you can, in any universe. "Everything Everywhere All at Once" has moved me in no way any other movie has. It is not only the best movie of this year, I believe it is one of the best movies ever made.

That is it for movies. Come back tomorrow for my top TV shows of 2022. 

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.

2022 Top Five - Music

We have 12 days until the new year. 2023 is upon us. Since we are close to the new year I'm going to spend this week doing my best of lists. I'll do music, movies, tv, podcasts and sports. I will do a top 5 like I do every year as well. Take it or leave it, but these are my top 5 in all the listed categories. Today we will start with music.

Music has been different this year for me. I am getting into a territory where I am stuck. I listen to the same stuff over and over. I like what I like. I need to branch out, and that is a goal for 2023 in music for me, but as of now, I am stuck in my ways. My top 5 this year will be different than in the past, but it is still music based.

At number 5 I have my refound love for bands I listened to 20 years ago and stopped for some unknown reason. I may have let my music snobbery get in the way or moved on to something else, who knows. But this year I have found that I like a good amount of the bands from my past. Franz Ferdinand is back in my life. They are rad. They play cool pop music. I saw them in the "Sparks Brothers" movie and that reinvigorated my want to listen to them. I am dabbling with the band Clutch again. They play older blues songs with a heavier sound. They use lots of reverb and distortion while playing classic tunes. They are great. I also got very much back into The Strokes. They are a good band. They are what The Ramones wished they could have been. The Strokes are a much more talented Ramones. I am happy that I let my snobbish ways go and rediscovered these bands. That makes me happy.

At number 4 I got to see Nas and Wu Tang Clan perform live this summer. Busta Rhymes was there as well. This is the perfect concert for me. I feel like they asked 15 year old Ty what he would want to see live. These 3 artists would have been very high on my list. Wu Tang Clan was great. This is one of the best collections of rappers to ever be assembled. Even without some original members, I still got to see Raekwon, RZA and Inspectah Deck. It rules. Nas was amazing. He crushed the venue. The whole crowd was vibing to him when he stepped on stage. He had this incredible presence. It's a show I won't soon forget. And to see Busta, he showed up at the end, that was the cherry on top. It was a dream. I loved this show. I'm glad I went. Now to the album portion of my list.

At number 3 I have "Dropout Boogie" by The Black Keys. The Black Keys are one of my all time favorite bands. I have been in love with their music since I first heard them in 2001. Their sound is unique to only them. People have tried to replicate it, but they cannot do it as well as The Black Keys. That is why I love "Dropout Boogie" so much. It is a return to form. They are going back to their roots on this album. They are more bluesy and rock forward. The reverb and distortion is back. The album is fast and it flows wonderfully. I really enjoy it. I was a little taken aback when I didn't see it on anyone else's best of lists, but that is neither here nor there. "Dropout Boogie" is like going back in time for me in the best possible way.

At number 2 I have "Cheat Codes" by Danger Mouse and Blackthought. This record rips. It is such a good hip hop album. Danger Mouse is continuing to show that he is the best and most versatile producer in the game. He is at the top of the mountain on this record. The production, the beats, the sound, the extra instruments, it all works and blends so perfectly. He is a master of his craft. Speaking of masters in their craft, Blackthought shreds on this album. His rapping is pitch perfect. Verse for verse he is the best one on the record, and this record has a ton of big time cameos. Artists like Raekwon. Michael Kiwaunka and the last known recording of MF Doom. These are heavy hitters, and they are all great. But Blackthought blows them all out of the water. I have these weird feelings where I don't think Blackthought is good anymore, and then I hear something like this. It makes me feel like a dummy. But then I sit back and enjoy it. Balckthought is an amazing artist and "Cheat Codes" further proves that point.

My number 1 album of the year is "Mr Morale and the Bigsteppers" by Kendrick Lamar. This is a masterpiece. Kendrick further proves why he is the best in the game on this album. This record is deep and introspective and overwhelmingly wonderful. This is like an hour long therapy session and Kendrick bares his soul on the album. I must have listened to this record dozens of times but I still find something new and different that I love with each new listen. This is a work of art. This is a masterclass in recording an album. There are no bad tracks. Everything works. The flow of the album, the tracklisting, it is all perfect. The accolades are very, very well deserved. I got to see him while he toured with this album and that was an amazing experience. Kendrick Lamar is the GOAT. "Mr Morale and the Bigsteppers" further hammers that home.

That is it for music. Come back tomorrow for my top 5 movies of 2022. 

Ty

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

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"MILF Manor" Looks Terrible, and I Will Watch It

So I guess TLC is now just ripping off "30 Rock". I was scrolling through Google news last night and saw a new show that made me audibly guffaw. I then saw that the AV Club made the very same "30 Rock" joke that I just did(I wanted to give them their due credit). Anyway, TLC has a show coming out in January called "MILF Manor".

You read that right.

My wife and I had to immediately watch the trailer after I told her what I had just read. As we clicked on the link, I could not believe what my eyes were seeing. This show looks utterly ridiculous. It is pure nonsense. I swear, the powers that be at TLC are not even trying anymore. They are throwing shit at the wall and seeing what sticks. I mean, this show is going to be insane. The preview shows all these mom's, who are as plastic as it gets, talking about their "extremely high libido". They are saying things that make me cringe. It is crazy. I am sex positive and all about sexual freedom, but that stuff happens behind closed doors. That is not my business, as it should not be. So for these "moms" to be doing it on national tv, it is wild. Then they show silhouettes of young guys. The guys are working out, surfing, hanging out at a pool and these "MILFS" are all for it. They cannot see anything but a shadow mind you. Then the preview says, "with one big twist", and all these "MILFS" faces drop. It is pretty clear that the dudes there are their son's and all these other "MILFS" will be boning down with these ladies' kids. It is too much.

TLC has gone too far. They don't even have original ideas anymore. Seriously, go back and watch the "30 Rock" episode with "MILF Island". It is the same thing. The only difference is the guys on "MILF Island" are eighth graders. That is the joke. It is such a nonsensical plot, and what better a show than "30 Rock" to bring that across. But someone at TLC, some higher up, some person in charge either doesn't know about this or doesn't care. "MILF Manor" is "MILF Island", except it is going to try to take itself seriously. It is going to try to be a dating show. They are going to try and have heartfelt moments. It is going to be a mess.

What makes me most angry at myself, I know I will watch, at the very least, two episodes of this show. I feel like I have to see this insanity to believe it. I want to see how it unfolds. I want to sit on my couch and openly bash the contestants to my wife. It is like a trainwreck that I cannot look away from. I hate myself for knowing this, but it is true. I am not going to lie and say I won't watch this. That isn't true. But this is a bad idea. This is not good television. I understand that reality shows, especially reality dating shows, are cheap. But this is too far. People who compete on shows titled "MILF Manor" do not need their 15 minutes of fame.

I wish I didn't care enough to write a blog about it today, but I haven't stopped thinking about the trailer since we watched it. I am part of the problem. I wish we had more creative people out there making cool and unique stuff. Shows like "The Bear" or "Atlanta" or "Joe Pera Talks With You". But we are talking about TLC here. This is the same channel that has given us "90 Day Fiance" and "Seeking Sister Wife" and "1,000 LB Sisters", all of which I have watched before. TLC is not about "learning" anymore. They are an entertainment channel. TLC is porn for dummies. It is akin to MTV still calling themselves "Music" television. It is just a name now. The name has nothing to do with the content. "MILF Manor" is going to be a tirefire. I do not think it will last a full season. And I am going to watch it. That is the most upsetting thing to me. 

Ty

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

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RIP Mike Leach

College football coach Mike Leach passed away Tuesday at the age of 61. He had a heart condition that seemed to worsen suddenly on Monday and he soon passed.

This is devastating news for his family and Mississippi State football. The football team lost a coach. But his family lost a husband and a father. He was there one minute and suddenly gone forever the next. That is heartbreaking. He was young. He had a ton of life left to live. He had kids to coach. He had a family to raise. He had stuff to do. But he has died. And that is tragic.

Look, I only know him as a football coach, so that is what my piece is going to focus on today. Mike Leach is an innovator. He, for all intents and purposes, created the Air Raid offense that a lot of schools now run. When he fully took over as head coach at Texas Tech he instantly installed this offense. He used it at Kentucky, where he was the offensive coordinator, and it turned Tim Couch into a first overall pick. But this idea, to throw and throw and throw some more, was not really a thing until he took over Texas Tech. He guided some high powered offenses. His QB's would throw for video game numbers. They always had 5,000 plus yards a season and 40 touchdown passes. Wide receivers wanted to play there. That is how he landed a player like Michael Crabtree. The offense worked. Texas Tech was always in a bowl game. But it never got any better than when they reached as high as number 3 in the BCS. The offense was revolutionary, but the defense was never dealt with. That was one area of coaching that never seemed to click with Leach. He did not seem to care about that side of the ball. He put all of his focus on offense and just told other coaches to deal with defense and special teams.

He also put players into bad situations. This is where I began to not be a fan of his. He was tough on players. He went too far. He pushed until players could go no further, and then demeaned them. He called them names. He made punishments harder. He would tell coaches to cut kids if they asked for rest or water. This type of hazing never jived with me. I think it shows nothing but insecurities in the person doing it. They usually have some deep seeded issues, so they take it out on others. That was the feeling I got from Mike Leach. Sure, he was a good interview and older people liked him, but I was never a fan. I don't like when adults demean and torment kids. These kids were put into situations that were bad. Their parents thought that they would be taken care of, but sometimes they weren't. They were made to feel less than. I cannot get on board with that.

This behavior continued at other jobs, but since he was this offensive genius, these other schools didn't seem to care. When he was let go at Texas Tech, for hazing issues and improper punishments, it wasn't long before Washington State hired him. That hire was applauded everywhere. And he turned Washington State into a perennial bowl team. They had big offensive numbers and outscored enough teams to be bowl eligible. But he never beat Washington and was let go after the 2019 season. Mississippi State was quick to snatch him up in 2020. COVID held MSU to only 10 games and they finished 3-7. 2021 was better seeing the Bulldogs finish 7-6. This past season was his best at MSU, finishing 8-4 and beating Ole Miss to close out the regular season. But Leach seemed to be sick all year. He had pneumonia and a long lasting flu. He always had a cough. I think he may have had long COVID. But this did not stop the demeaning. At the end of this season one of the running backs on the team entered the transfer portal and stated that the "coaches do not think I am tough enough". That is not a good look.

But the sudden passing is still rough. It is tragic. It is sad. It seems unfair to happen to someone so young. This one will reverberate for some time now. I'm still kind of in shock. 

Ty

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

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Today is a Good Day for My Awesome Wife to Turn 40

Yesterday I turned 40. Today my wife is doing the same. I love that our birthdays are a day apart. Hell, even our dog has a birthday on the 15th. Three in a row and it has always worked great.

Anyway, my wife is going through the same thing I did yesterday. She is much better at handling life milestones than me. She doesn't dwell on it too much. She uses so much energy focusing on my birthday that I think she may be a bit too tired to celebrate hers. I do everything I can to make it a special day. Massages, ordering or cooking dinner, keeping the kids out of her hair, anything to make her day as stress free as possible.

That is not the point of my blog today. I have sung my wife's praises multiple times on the site, and today will be no different. My wife is the best. I met her fifteen years ago, almost to the day of her birthday. We had our first date in December of 2007. It was the best night of my life. I tried to be all cool and hip and she saw right through me. I knew from that day on that I could be myself around her. She liked me enough to accept a date, and trying to be a little cooler was not working for me. When I relaxed it was great. We watched "The Office". We had dinner. We talked. It was great. There was an instant ease. I felt as comfortable around her as anyone I had ever met. She was easy to talk to and easy to have fun with. That has continued for the past fifteen years. Each new year of our relationship, my love grows deeper and deeper for her. She is my rock. She is the engine that runs our family. She has given me two kids. She was the one who suggested I become a stay at home dad over eight years ago. She works her butt off to provide for us and she continues to kick ass at her job. She is an attentive mom to our kids. She is at every sports game, gymnastics, soccer game and any other activity our kids have that she can make it to. She is an even more attentive wife. She is always there for me. In good and bad times she is there with a smile, joke or words of affirmation. Our little squabbles and "arguments" end so fast because she has become even more forgiving these past fifteen years. I mean, she pulled out all the stops yesterday. She ordered lunch for us. She came to pick-up. She dealt with bath time with our daughter. She was a great dinner date. It was perfect because she is as close to perfection as it gets. She is one of the smartest people I have ever been around. She is quick to help with homework. She will indulge me when I go off on politics and sports. She has a keen sense of how to deal with my nonsense when I think I am being smart. She also happens to be beautiful. I look at pictures of her and am amazed that she was willing to marry me. I am a beast and she is a true beauty. Every year she gets more and more beautiful.

My wife is the absolute best. I want to sing her praises from the hills. I don't have many hills nearby, but I do have a blog and I can do that here. These past fifteen years have been a dream come true for me. I am a better person for meeting and marrying my wife. While 40 may have been weird for me, my wife has not shown any signs that it is affecting her at all. She is a rock. She knows how to handle herself. I love you. Happy Birthday. And here's to 40 more birthdays, and then some. 

Ty

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

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Today is a Good Day to Turn 40

I turned 40 today.

I am not a big birthday person. I never really have been. Birthdays are cool when you're younger. You get to have a party, invite some friends over, go to dinner and get gifts. It is fun. I have a very good memory of a birthday when I was a child. It was 1996. I was turning 14. I had a small group of friends over, we went to Old Country Buffet and then headed back to my house. I wanted to watch the Heisman ceremony that night. Charles Woodson won it. It was great. Then my friends and I watched Michigan basketball beat number 1 Duke. I was ecstatic. I had a blast playing video games and hanging out with my friends after all the good sports news. But that was 14. Birthdays since then have been fine, but nothing too wild. When I turned 18 it was a small gathering and a dinner. 21 brought a snowstorm to Saint Louis. My brothers were all in town so that was cool. But I do not drink and the taste of beer that night turned me off forever. I got my wisdom teeth out right before 25 because I was going to be taken off my folks insurance. I started dating my wife shortly after that and she feels similarly to birthdays as I do. But she also likes to celebrate mine for me. We have done some fun birthday stuff. We went to Memphis when we turned 30. We did that again this past weekend as an early birthday present to both of us. I have gone to a few Grizzlies games on or near my bday. I usually go to dinner with my folks, which I will be doing tonight. At the start of the pandemic my wife did an excellent job of celebrating our birthdays and making it as normal as possible. But this one just has a different feel.

40 is a milestone. It has been a long time. 40 was when I would see all those "over the hill" cards when I was a kid. It feels like getting over a hump. I am already all creaky from running when I wake up, but I felt a little more creaky this morning. My oldest brother texted me and said that I am officially old now. It was in jest and I laughed, but he is also right. Other people I know who have just hit 40 this year warned me about it. I also did not want to leave my 30's. My 30's were great. My wife was actually talking about this this morning. Our son was 1 month away from turning 1 when we turned 30. My wife and I have celebrated our fifth and tenth anniversary, both in Mexico, in our 30's. My daughter was born right before we turned 33. I ran my first marathon at 38. Michigan has been a solid football team, save for 2020, all in my 30's. The Grizzlies are on the come up. Science has been crazy advanced in the last decade. I have found out who my true friends are this past decade. I have grown up emotionally and maturely. I don't do the nonsense that I used to anymore. I have purchased my most recent car on my own. I've made new friends in my 30's. I've done a lot in the past 10 years. I don't feel fully ready to enter a new decade. But I don't have a choice. This is life. We get older everyday. I have, and will, accept it. But it has a weird feel to it. I am just waiting for the shoe to drop and the pains and aches to become commonplace. But I am also optimistic, at least a little. Running will not stop. I see people much older than me still running. My kids are still young enough and we have plenty of time. My folks are still around, as are my brothers and sisters in law. My nieces and nephews are doing cool shit everyday that I get to be involved with. I am back to going to concerts and live comedy shows. I feel better about my anxiety and OCD. 40 is different. 40 is older. But 40 is also great. The older you get the more I appreciate things. This is a bad and good thing.

I just wanted to vent this afternoon. Thanks for listening. And here's to 40. 

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 "I'm Totally Fine"

Over the weekend my wife and I watched the movie "I'm Totally Fine". I heard about this movie while listening to "This is Important". This is the "Workaholics" guys podcast. I enjoy this podcast quite a bit. It is not a rewatch show. The guys get together once a week and just chat about life. They talk about past projects, their lives, Buzz Ball drinks and current projects. One of those current projects is "I'm Totally Fine".

Kyle Newachek and Blake Anderson are in the movie. Kyle Newachek is a producer. Harvey Guillen, who Newachek works with on "What We Do in the Shadows", has a bit part. But the stars of the movie are Jillan Bell, who was a main character on "Workaholics", and Natalie Morales, one of Bell's best friends. The movie has a fairly simple premise. Bell and Morales are best friends, they own a soda company and Morales' character suddenly passes away. Bell is left to grieve and spends a weekend on a getaway all by herself. She shows up at the AirBnb she is staying in and things kind of start to go nuts. Bell and Morales had a party planned on that weekend, but Bell forgot to cancel everything. They show up and she cannot get them to go away or not set up. So Bell is left to a bunch of food and party supplies. After a night of drinking, where she downs a full bottle of champagne, Bell falls asleep by a fire. While asleep, the lights in the house flicker and flutter and it gets windy and loud outside. When she wakes up she is groggy and hung over. She eventually drinks some water and clams down. While waking up someone hands her a coffee. She thanks the person using her best friend's name. She then fully wakes up and realizes she is seeing a person who looks exactly like her deceased friend. She starts to freak out. She believes she is hallucinating. She figures this is all in her head. The person who looks like her friend keeps telling her she is an alien who has come down to Earth to give her 48 final hours with her best friend. The alien has all of her memories and can communicate. Bell goes along with this thinking it is all in her head. But when she really dives in, she goes for it.

This is where the movie really grabbed me. I was hooked. To see the two of them go on adventures, have a party, tell secrets and revelations, it is all so well done. Bell and Morales have tremendous chemistry. You can tell they are friends in real life. Bell controls this whole movie. She is doing some of her best work. She handles this situation with her character in a very relatable way. She crushes it. Morales is so good as this alien. She talks like a typical alien the whole time. And while you think it would wear you down, it never does. She is so believable and does a wonderful job as an alien who is starting to have human emotions. Newachek and Anderson are there, but their parts are so small. This is Bell's movie and she nails it. Morales is there too, but Bell is the star. I loved watching her performance.

I've been thinking about this movie ever since Friday night. I have also thought about what I would do if this situation actually happened to me. If I was given 48 hours with a newly deceased. close friend, what would I do? They ask and answer this question so well in the movie. It is a tough, and deep question, but the way they handle it is tremendous.

I want more and more people to seek this movie out. I like small movies like this. The story is also unique and fresh. This is not a remake or a retelling. This is not a sequel. This is a fresh idea and a fresh movie. Check it out. Seek it out and check it out. It is really wonderful. 

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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I Believe in Coach Prime at Colorado

Deion Sanders is moving from Jackson State to Colorado. I always figured Sanders was going to move on to a different job. I just thought it might be a bigger profile school.

Before I get into that, the job he did at JSU was incredible. In three seasons he had a record of 27-5. JSU went undefeated this season. They blew out almost every opponent. Sanders was able to pull in high profile recruits. "College Gameday" made an appearance at JSU this past season. Sanders was out there beating the drum for HBCU's, and he did a great job of getting them more recognition. I wonder what is going to happen now, with Sanders gone, to HBCU football. Time will tell. There are some big names coaching HBCU football teams, but they don't bring the same weight as Deion does, but they are still well known names. Now, let's talk about Deion taking the Colorado job.

I do not think this has to do with a paycheck. I know there are some rumors about money at JSU, but none of that has been proven. Deion is also already a very, very rich man. He played two sports professionally and played them both very well. He was a better football player, but he had the talent to be exceptional at two sports at the highest level and he was compensated as such. Money is not the issue here.

I think Deion took this job for the challenge. I think he did what he could do as best he could at JSU and he wanted another challenge, a tougher challenge. HBCU football is top notch now, so Deion was ready to try his luck elsewhere. Colorado is in bad shape. They have not had a winning record since 2016. They were bad last year and even worse this year. They won one game. Colorado was a big time player in the 90's, but they have not made a ton of noise since. Even joining the Pac 12 has not raised their level of play.

This is about as tough a challenge as Deion could get. This feels like a semi lateral move. I think Colorado is only a little better than JSU. But Deion is already changing things there. He told the current players to get in line or transfer out. He told them he was going to be bringing his own players over at crucial positions. The way he put the message out there was kind of messed up, but at least he was honest with them up front. And he is already showing his ability to bring over quality players. His son was the best QB in the SWAC last season. He is now a Buffalo. Travis Hunter was the number one overall recruit last season, Deion got him to commit to JSU on signing day and Hunter crushed in his freshman season. He is now a Buffalo. There are other players who have entered the portal and put it out there that they want to play for Deion. If I was a college player I would be tempted to go play for him. He was electric to watch when he played and I love the passion he has for the game. Deion is going to do just fine on the recruiting trail. The stuff that makes this job tough is competition. As I said, Deion will get solid players, top level recruits, but it is going to take time. Colorado is not a job that he will be able to switch in three years. It is going to take time. Colorado is not only very bad, they play tough Pac 12 teams. Travis Hunter should fit in fine at the D-1 level, but who knows about the other kids coming over from JSU. JSU is D-1, but they have not played athletes the caliber that they will see at Colorado. They are going to have to play Oregon. Oregon is very good and has top recruiting classes every year. Oregon State has continued to get better. Utah has won the Pac 12 twice. UCLA and USC have one more Pac 12 season before they bounce. The schedule is going to be hard at first. The weather is going to be a factor. It gets cold and snowy in Colorado. Some kids will have to adjust. The administration better give Deion time. He is going to need, at the very least, three years. I fully believe in him, believe in his recruiting and his excellent coaching. But he needs a long leash. The powers that be need to be patient. It will eventually pay dividends, but he needs time.

All in all I love this hire for Colorado. They had the best coaching hire in college football. Full stop. I also think this challenge is perfect for Deion because he is not afraid of anything. He will succeed. If he gets time. I'm so stoked to watch him coach.

Ty

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

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Baker Mayfield is not Going to Fix the Rams

Before the NFL season started I put the Los Angeles Rams at the top of my rankings. I figured they would be primed to make a run for a repeat. They were coming off a Super Bowl win, they had pretty much everyone back and the coach decided to stick around after flirting with retirement.

Well, things have not gone as planned. The Rams have had a bad season. As of today the Rams are 3-9. They are in last place in the NFC West. They have the second worst record in the NFC, behind only the Bears who sit at 3-10. The only team with a worse record is the Texans, at 1-10-1. The Rams are down.

The bad season isn't all due to the returning players. This team has been injured a ton this year. Cam Akers wanted to be traded, sat out a game and is still around somehow. Jalen Ramsey has not been as dominant. Aaron Donald has been on and off the injured list all season. They miss Von Miller. Cooper Kuup is hurt and regressing. The tight ends have not been there all season. The team is a mess.

Yet the biggest mess is at QB. Matthew Sarfford has taken a tremendous step back and is now hurt. Bryce Perkins has had some run at the position, but he isn't ready yet. John Wolford is trash and he is also hurt. It has gotten so bad that the Rams went out and claimed Baker Mayfield.

I have never been a fan of Mayfield's. I thought the Browns totally reached when they took him first overall in his draft. I was never sold on him in college. He was too small and did not really perform as a superstar in big games. He didn't have that it factor in college that some other star college players do. I know he won the Heisman, but the Heisman is a flawed trophy. I think we all know that. And Mayfield was never the answer with the Browns. Sure they went to the playoffs a few times, but they always came up short. The team tried to build around him, get players that fit his style, but Mayfield never changed his game. He wanted everyone to conform to his style in Cleveland. He thought he was a star because he had a ton of commercials during NFL Sunday's. His head got a bit too big. He even resorted to calling out other teammates and the front office. Again, it was never his fault, it was always someone else.

It got bad enough that the Browns traded him last offseason. They decided to go with Deshaun Watson, who brought a whole new set of problems to the franchise, and Jacoby Brissett. The trade of Mayfield to the Panthers did not garner the return you would think when trading a "star" player. The Panthers got Mayfield and all they had to give up was a 2024 conditional draft pick. The Browns were so eager to rid themselves of Mayfield that they traded him and still owed him 10.5 million dollars.

Mayfield wasn't long for Carolina either. He was not named the starter right away. Instead, Matt Rhule, who was horrendous as the head coach, had Mayfield and Sam Darnold fight it out. And Darnold won. Then he played poorly and they put Mayfield in. He wasn't any better. Mayfield looked slower, was not reading defenses, seemed a little frightened and got benched again. The Panthers just cut him a week ago. They just wanted him out. They did not want him anywhere near the team. He was put on waivers and the only team to put in a claim was the Rams.

That is how rough it is at the QB position for the Rams. They were the single team that claimed him, and now he will probably start in the Thursday night game. And I am sure the Rams will get housed by the Raiders.

Baker Mayfield is not the QB that many "draft experts" claimed he was going to be. He is not a team builder. He is not a team player. He only cares about himself and his endorsements. I would not be surprised at all if he is cut again before this season even ends. At this point, if I were the Rams front office and coaches, I would go with Bryce Perkins for the rest of the season. Try to see what they have in him. This team is not going to repeat. They are not going to even make the playoffs. Taking a chance on Baker Mayfield seems ill advised. Just a thought. 

Ty

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

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DMX Gave Us All a Big Gift with His Version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Last weekend my wife and I went to Memphis. Memphis is our favorite getaway. It is close, there is a ton of cool stuff to do, good food and it is relatively cheap. There are a ton of historical landmarks. On this visit we went to a Grizzlies game, hit up Silky O'Sullivan's, had BBQ and pizza and had a very nice brunch.

In the spirit of the holidays, we did a carriage ride and that is always a good time. We did a longer one this year, an hour, and the driver let us pick the music. He had a bluetooth speaker setup and told us we could play music or have him give us a tour. We have had the tour proper before, so we opted for music. Most of the music being played was Xmas music. My wife loves Xmas music and I find some of it tolerable. There was some hip hop and classic rock in there, but for the most part it was Xmas music.

At one point we listened to DMX, who I have a complicated past with, but I love his music. We did his famous stuff and it was kind of hilarious to listen to this hard core hip hop with a ton of people walking around Beale Street listening to every word. But, like a breath of fresh air, DMX's version of "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" came on.

I had never heard this before. I have heard a ton of hip hop artists do Xmas versions of songs. Run DMC is classic. I have heard a ton of others. But hearing someone like DMX, whose voice was so iconic and unique, do this particular Xmas song was incredible. It was also one of the funniest things I have ever heard. First off, hearing that DMX did this song as a dare essentially is amazing. The fact that someone said it would be funny to hear him do this, and then he did it, that makes me happy. Then, when you hear this version of the song sung by DMX, it is stunning. It is typical DMX. He has that gruff, grinding and hard core edge to his voice. But then the words start to come out of his mouth and it is jarring. When he starts to sing it, hearing him say stuff like, "all of the other reindeer/used to laugh and call him names", or "rudolph the red nosed reindeer/had a very shiny nose/", it is simply amazing. It sounds like one of his songs done by the world's best soundalike. It is all DMX, but there are no swear words. There are no dog barking noises. There is no reference to demean anyone. It is non-existent. It is just DMX doing a clean DMX version of this classic kids Xmas song. I did not stop laughing the whole time. I was literally doubled over when it was playing.

After we left the carriage ride and got back to the Air Bnb, I did a ton of research. I found out a ton about DMX recording this song. I watched videos of him doing this song. I read articles about the recording. I was amazed to see how seriously DMX took this insane situation.

I think this may be my new favorite Xmas song. I have listened to it a ton since we got home. I do not listen to a lot of Xmas music when I am home doing stuff, but this version of this song has shown up on a few of my holiday playlists since Saturday. I implore you all to go check this out. You do not have to be a hip hop fan or a fan of Xmas music to enjoy this whole process. I guarantee you will find something to love about DMX doing this type of song. And you will find something to love about his full process. Just putting this in front of your face or ears will bring the most Grinch like person some kind of joy. Go, go check this out now. I know you will love it.

Ty

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

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The Heisman Trophy Candidates are Half Right and Half Wrong

The Heisman finalists were revealed last night, and spoiler alert, obviously I am making a joke, all four finalists are QB's.

I'm not against QB's or anything, but it just seems like that is the only position that they want to award with the Heisman trophy. I understand that QB's are the "most" important players on the team. I get that they get all the shine. I understand that the fanbases put so much on who the team they root for puts in at QB. That whole scenario played out this year with Michigan. All the talk was about Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy. That was the lead story all offseason. No one talked about who was going to replace Hassan Haskins. They made minimal chatter about replacing some d lineman. They barely mentioned the new offensive lineman, who give the QB all the time to throw the ball. None of that was as big as Cade vs JJ as the starting QB. And I am sure it is the same way with other teams.

Two of the four finalists fully deserve to be in New York. CJ Stroud and Caleb Williams are more than deserving. They have had tremendous seasons. They have both put up video game numbers. They have broken school records. They have been impeccable. Personally I think the award is already wrapped up too. I believe that Caleb Williams is an absolute lock to win the Heisman. He has been really good this year. He has done all he can to win the Heisman. It is not his fault that Utah beat USC twice. He put up big numbers in both games, even being injured in the Pac 12 title game. Williams has been consistently awesome all season long. As has Stroud. He had a few clunkers, Michigan and Northwestern, but even in those games he put up big numbers. He couldn't throw much at Northwestern, so he made up for it by getting a ton of rushing yards. In the Michigan game he went well over 300 yards passing. It was the turnovers and only two TD passes that held him back. He and Williams have been near locks all year to get to New York as Heisman finalists.

The other two QB's that are there, I do not fully understand the logic. Max Duggan is very good. He has had a very good season. He has weapons all over the field. He has put up decent numbers. But he has not been mentioned all year. I have not heard anyone say he should be a Heisman finalist. I watch a ton of sports talk shows and the name Max Duggan has not been mentioned once, until the Heisman finalists were announced. The Heisman finalists are usually touted all season, or at least after three games into the season. Duggan has had a very good year, but not a Heisman finalist type year. And Stetson Bennett, I mean, come on. He wasn't even 1st or 2nd team all SEC. He does not have humongous numbers. He has not done anything that has made me say "WOW" while watching him play this year. If anything he has taken a little step back this season. Bennett is a fine game manager. He does little runs here and there and makes a throw or two a game, but he is not a Heisman guy. The Heisman is not an award for a career. It is a year to year thing. Stetson Bennett should not be there because he has an otherworldly defense and doesn't have to do much as the starting QB. I am baffled by this invite. This is the one that makes no sense to me. I do not get it at all. I was stunned when I saw he was a finalist. It is baffling.

There are so many more deserving players. Blake Corum should be there over Bennett. Hendon Hooker had a far better season in the same conference. He is a better SEC QB than Stetson Bennett. So is Bryce Young. Deuce Vaughn would have been a better candidate than Bennett. I could go on and on and on. At least last season they invited and had some defensive players mentioned as Heisman candidates. This year seems like the Heisman voters just put some QB's names on a wall and picked the ones that they threw darts in. Max Duggan may be deserving, but there is no world where Stetson Bennett should be a Heisman finalist. That is a joke.

Ty

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

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The College Football Playoff Committee Got it Right

The final College Football Playoff rankings were released last night. I was watching to see who Michigan would be playing in the playoff. The Wolverines are one of two undefeated teams in the country, so it wasn't a matter of if they would get in, it was just a matter of who they would play. Honestly, I kind of wanted another the university of Ohio State matchup. I think that would have made for great TV. I think even more people would have tuned in than did a week ago. But it did not happen. And I get it.

What I want to say right off the top, the committee got it right. They picked the four most deserving teams to be in the playoff. The good news for next season is that there will be twelve teams and no one should gripe as much as they do now. But where we stand, where the committee ended up, they got the right teams. Georgia is 1, Michigan 2, TCU 3 and the university of Ohio State 4. Those are the correct teams in the correct order. Georgia and Michigan deserved the top two spots. As previously mentioned, they are the only two undefeated teams in all of division one college football. They both won their conference title. They play in the two toughest conferences in the country. They won most of their games comfortably. They have the most impressive wins. They earned these spots.

I fully believe TCU is a fitting number three. They won almost every game. They had a shot in the Big 12 title game. They were inches away from a lead in overtime. They have impressive wins throughout the season. They remind me a ton of Michigan from last year. No one expected much from TCU, but today they are 12-1 and a very deserving playoff team. I am terrified of this matchup for Michigan. TCU has an elite QB, great athletes all around him and a very good secondary.

The number 4 spot was the only one that was kind of up in the air. I heard some people fighting for the university of Ohio State and others talking about Alabama. I am kind of stunned no one brought up Tennessee. Or Clemson. Hell, I would have looked at 10-3 Utah for a minute. Tennessee has the exact same record as Alabama and a head to head win. I know they got blown out by South Carolina near the end of the season, but they have that identical record. They also beat Alabama. They also held the first number 1 ranking in the first CFP. They have more of a beef than Bama. Clemson plays in a very, very weak conference, and they kind of struggled all year to get to 10 wins. But they won 10 games and their conference title. And they won it big. I think they had the biggest margin of victory of any power 5 team that played in their conference title. Look, I despise Dabo Swinney and Clemson, but they share the same record as Bama and Tennessee. But they have a conference title to add to their resume. And while Utah would have been an extremely long shot to make it, they are the Pac 12 champs and they dismantled USC, who was the darling team at the time of their conference title matchup. It was a foregone conclusion that USC was going to beat Utah and secure their spot in the playoff. Instead they got smoked and it was the second time Utah beat them this year. But in the end, the university of Ohio State was the correct choice. Their record is 11-1. Their lone loss was to the number 2 team in the country. The university of Ohio State beat everyone else on their schedule, and did it with ease. You look at a team like Penn State, who has two losses, they are to the university of Ohio State and Michigan. Both schools whipped them. They beat Notre Dame on opening weekend. They dismantled Iowa. They throttled every team in the Big Ten with the exception being Michigan. And Maryland gave them a run. But looking at all these teams resumes, really breaking them down and looking at schedules, the university of Ohio State is the most deserving. And I loathe that school. I never want to say anything nice about them. But it is undeniable. They deserve that fourth spot. They should be playing the number 1 team in the country. It makes sense. That whole Nick Saban talking tour on Saturday was pure nonsense. The fact that television programs gave him an outlet is laughable. And his statement, "how are they playing today" when asked about TCU and USC, at least those teams were still playing. At least they made it to their conference title games. The playoff is not about name recognition or how many times you have been there before. It is about performance on the field for this season, the 2022 season. And Alabama did not do anything even close enough to earn a spot.

I am not the biggest fan of the college football playoff committee, but they got it right this time. A broken clock is right twice a day. They did the right thing. I am pumped for this playoff too. We have the obvious reason, Michigan. But I am pumped to watch the other game and the championship. December 31st cannot get here soon enough.

Ty

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

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I'm So Ready to Go See "Cocaine Bear"

Bear regretting last saturday night

The other day I was checking out previews for upcoming movies. The impetus for this was checking out a good amount of best of lists and that turned into a deep dive which turned into what I want to see in 2023. I am also a big fan of movies that are released in theaters and on streaming at the same time. Anyway, during this deep dive I came across a bunch of people talking about a movie called “Cocaine Bear”.

I had actually heard the “Workaholics” guys talk about this movie a month or so back on their podcast. But I thought they were making a joke. I had no idea this was a real movie that was actually being made. So when I read what people were saying, I was shocked. Then I came across a two minute preview. I mean, of course I watched it right away, and of course it looks amazing.

The trailer was red band, which is the only way you should watch this trailer, and it was gory and bloody and foul and looks nuts. In said trailer we see the bear ingest the cocaine and madness ensues. The bear is on a murderous rampage. The bear’s face is soaked with blood, as is its fur. The bear is fast. It seemingly needs no sleep. It’s superhero tough. It climbs a tree in a matter of seconds. There is a scene in the trailer that shows it sniffing and choosing random body parts to eat. It’s wild! Then we have the humans involved. This cast is wild. Ray Liotta is in this movie and he looks crazy. I don’t know if it’s his last movie, but if it is, what a way to go. Keri Russell is the lead. I love this new direction she’s gone in post “Felicity”. Alden Ehrenreich and O’Shea Jackson Jr work for Liotta’s character, at least I think. Ehrenreich looks rough and Jackson Jr is missing a hand! Margo Martindale fires a shotgun out of the back of an ambulance. Isaiah Whitlock Jr is playing a cop. Jesse Tyler Ferguson is in this movie. The cast is absolutely incredible, and if the trailer is any indication, they’re giving it their all. They all look to be taking this insane situation seriously.

The thing that got me the most when watching the trailer was the whole “based on a true story” tag. I know that means they are glorifying the whole thing, and they will go over the top. But when you think about it, a bear did, indeed, ingest cocaine and went nuts. The writers took this true story and ran with it. I literally cannot wait to watch this movie. Hell, I might even go to the theater to see it on a big screen. If you haven’t seen the trailer, or even know about this movie, go check it out online right now. 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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Happy Retirement David Shaw

David Shaw has stepped down as the head football coach at Stanford.

Shaw was a great head coach. He followed Jim Harbaugh to San Diego, then to Stanford. When Harbaugh left to take the 49ers head job, Shaw slid right into his spot. It was a seamless transition at the start of his career. Stanford went to three straight BCS Bowl games in Shaw's first three seasons. Two of those bowls were the Rose Bowl. They won one of those Rose Bowl's, defeating Wisconsin. The next two years were a little tougher, but in 2015 the Cardinal were dominant yet again. They won the Pac 12, went to the Rose Bowl again and throttled Iowa. Stanford ended that season as the 3rd ranked team in the country, their highest ranking in 75 years. In 2017 Shaw would become Satnford's all time winningest head coach with a win over Cal.

Things haven't gone as swimmingly as you would hope the last few seasons, but he does still have some signature wins since 2018. Then, like he always seems to do, he walked away without much fanfare. Stanford got beat in their final game of this season, and a few days later, Shaw issued a statement saying he was retiring. He said that he didn't have it in him anymore. That the grind was getting to him. That recruiting was becoming tougher. I fully got all of it when I read his statement. Stanford is a tough, tough job. The academics to get into that school are insane. To do that and play football, it is a full time job. But Shaw had this team at some of its highest highs they will ever reach. He won with two and three star players. He won with kids that were more determined to be doctors and scientists than professional football players. He recruited kids who were valedictorians and salutatorians at their high school. NIL was never going to help Stanford be dominant, but Shaw still coached these kids up and had them ready all the time. The fact that they beat Notre Dame this year shows how great of a coach Shaw was for Stanford. He never backed down, but he also never talked a ton. He let the play do his talking. He coached these kids to always be prepared. Stanford was always disciplined. They never seemed to make stupid plays that killed drives or let teams march down the field. They were a sound, prepared and focused team. Even in the lean years they never let themselves beat them. They played smart football.

I also liked Shaw's attitude and energy on the sidelines. I feel like he understood that this was a game and he never seemed to let it take him over. His facial expression barely changed. He never got too excited at big plays or too upset at missed calls. He always had this calm demeanor. And he never said anything out of pocket during interviews before, during or after the game. David Shaw is the epitome of class. Whenever Michigan had a job opening, and Shaw was on their short list, I always wanted him to take the job. I would have been happy with him as head coach. I believe Stanford fans were very pleased with Shaw, as they should be.

Shaw is an all timer. He is a great college football coach. He understood the assignment and passed it with flying colors. I also love his demeanor. The way he carried himself was excellent. He is the definition of acting like you have been there before. I did not realize that Shaw leaving college football would hit me like this, but that also speaks volumes to the type of coach and person he is. Enjoy retirement David Shaw. You have more than earned it.

Ty

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

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One Right, and Two Wrongs, on College Football Coaching Carousal

The next two days I want to talk about some college coaching changes that have occurred since the regular season ended. Today I want to focus on three new coaches. I got some feeling about all three of these hires, only one of which am I on board with.

The first is the one I like. I think Wisconsin hit an absolute home run when they lured Luke Fickell away from Cincinnati. Fickell has been up and coming for a few seasons now. He turned Cincy into a power. They are the first non power five school to make the playoff. They gave a good fight to Alabama last year. He has gotten solid recruits to commit. He coached some solid first round NFL picks in his time at Cincy. He was just waiting for an opportunity. And it is not like Cincy isn't a power, but Wisconsin is a better job. The facilities are better. It is easier to get higher rated recruits. They have a very historic past. They just needed a coach who can help usher them into this new era of college football. Fickell is the guy to do that. This hire, as a Michigan fan, scares me for the future. Wisconsin is down this season, but they will not be down for long. Fickell is going to get solid players, turn this team around and they will be back to being an upper tier Big Ten team. That is also another reason why I do not mind him leaving Cincy for Wisconsin. Sure, Cincy is joining the Big 12 next year, but the Big 12 is not the Big 10. The Big 10 and SEC will most likely be the only two conferences left in major college football in the next five to seven years. Fickell made the right choice. Wisconsin will be good again very soon.

Now to the other hires I do not like.

Matt Rhule is a big name in college football. He turned Temple around and then did the same thing with Baylor. He parlayed that into an NFL job and failed spectacularly. The Panthers were bad. He was under prepared. He didn't seem to have the edge needed to coach in the NFL. So I get the move back to college for him. He is the leader. He is the boss. He is the CEO. He gets to call the shots. He is also getting paid handsomely. But I just do not see this as big a move as some others do. I remember last year when Jim Harbaugh was flirting with the NFL, again, and Rhule was being mentioned as a possible replacement if he were to leave Michigan. I told anyone who would listen that I did not want that. Rhule is an old school type coach. He plays a boring style of offense. He likes to slow the game down. He wants to control the clock and play tough defense. He is an old school Big 10 coach. I will give him credit for letting his offense run a little more up tempo at Baylor, but that was when he had the athletes to do that. Nebraska has some athletes, but they do not have the type he had at Baylor. They also do not have the players to run Rhule's old school offense or defense. He is going to have to recruit and recruit hard. I do not know how much he will want to do that after being in the NFL for two plus years. Rhule also doesn't seem like the Midwest type. He's from New York. He played at Penn State. He has coached Temple and Baylor. None of that screams Midwest. I just do not think the transition is going to be as smooth as others do. It is going to take time, and as we saw with Scott Frost, Nebraska fans want success now. They do not want to wait. I think if the fanbase is patient it could pay off, but it is going to be two or three years before they are truly competitive under Matt Rhule.

The final hire, the one I despise the most, is Auburn bringin on Hugh Freeze. Freeze comes with a plethora of problems. He has been sanctioned to hell. He has all of his wins from Ole Miss vacated. He had to go back to Liberty to coach, but he was all but forgotten about by a bunch of college football fans. He also ended his Liberty tenure with a whimper. They got beat in their last two games after winning something like seven in a row. He also may be a decent coach, but there are too many off field issues with him. Freeze is a cheater. He has been condemned as a cheater. He got caught. But somehow he failed upwards. Auburn should have just stuck with Cadillac Williams. He did a good job taking over for that blowhard Bryan Harsin. He had that team and fanbase energized. And I understand that Freeze has kept him on staff, but now that he has a taste of head coaching, I cannot imagine Cadillac Williams sticking around too long as an assistant. This hire has me scratching my head more than any other so far. Freeze brings too much baggage and it is only a matter of time before he messes up again. Auburn could have done better.

Time will tell on all these guys, but Luke Fickell to Wisconsin is the only one that makes any immediate sense to me.

Ty

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

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