Tales of My Adventures at an Indiana Pacers Game

I mentioned yesterday that I wanted to talk about the Pacers-76ers game my dad and I took my son to see. That is what I’ll be talking about today.

I love going to NBA games. They’re fun, fast paced, super athletic and they end in just around two hours. I also like watching the NBA live because I believe that pro basketball players are the most athletic professional athletes. I told my son that this is my version of ballet. To see grown men this big do the things they do is amazing. From the footwork to the ball movement to the stops and starts and sudden bursts, it blows my mind. If you ever get to see Joel Embiid play basketball live, do it. He is an amazing athlete. I’ve seen him twice this year and I’ve been absolutely blown away by his skill and how effortless he makes it look. It is wild to see the things he does live and in person.

This is the first time I’ve ventured outside Memphis for a NBA game. I got way back into the NBA within the last 15 years, and started going to live games right before my son was born. Memphis was an easy pick. It was close, they weren’t always good so tickets were cheap and the arena is nice and has bbq nachos. I would go see the Thunder play there because I adopted them as my team when the Sonics moved. After KD left I was looking for a new team and Memphis made sense. So I adopted them and they’re my team. This made the decision to go there for games even easier. But I had already been to a Grizzlies game this season and their tickets are going up again since they’re good. My dad did some research and found that Indianapolis was only eight extra miles in driving distance, and similar tickets were far less expensive. So we got tickets having never been to a game there and took our chances.

It worked out great. The Pacers arena is very nice. It is a little smaller than the FedEx Forum, but that works in their favor. It feels more intimate. You could see everything. I was even able to spot the injured guys in street clothes. You could hear squeaking from the shoes. I could hear plays being called out. They had a mic in the rim so you could hear swishes. The games played during timeouts were fun. I saw a shrimp eating contest at halftime. They also did dunks off trampolines during a timeout. They had puppy races. It was dope. They packed a lot in and I appreciated that. I think they do a little more because the Pacers are mediocre this season and their two best guys were out. They had to find ways to make it more fun. The bathrooms were clean. The team store was two stories. They had escalators or stairs to get to different levels. They had windows where you could see outside within the gym. The floor was great, and that big P they paint with the basketball at center court was a sight to behold. I was into the whole experience at the Pacers arena. I thought they did an excellent job. And with Indiana being such a big basketball state, it all made sense in the end to me.

I walked away very impressed with the whole NBA live game experience in Indianapolis. I say go if you can while they’re still a middling team. It is worth your time.

Ty

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

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The Garage is Must Visit if You Find Yourself in Indianapolis

Last weekend my dad and I took my son to Indianapolis for the weekend. I’ll write about the Pacers game and stadium tomorrow. Today I want to talk about a spot we went to before the game on Saturday.

We left Terre Haute in the morning and made our way to Indy. It’s only about an hour drive so we took our time. We couldn’t check into the hotel until four so we figured we’d get lunch and hang out before then. I was on search duty since my dad was driving, but he had already done his research prior to the trip and had decided we were going to check out this spot called The Garage.

The Garage is not a restaurant, instead it is a collection of restaurants. I was already stoked on this spot from what I saw online. Seeing it in reality was even better. This place was pretty rad. Like I said, there was a wide variety of food to try. There was not one through line. There was not just one cuisine to pick from. When we walked in I saw a full service bar. There were drinks galore. Then I saw a juice bar with açaí bowls. I was then drawn to a slice of pizza I saw. It was enormous. I saw a bunch of other spots after that. There was a burger joint, a sushi place, a greek restaurant, a taco truck like storefront, a poke bar, all kinds of stuff. There was even a barbershop within the confines of this place.

If you’re trying to imagine the size, it was like the first floor of the shopping mall. I kind of took my time and checked some spots out. My dad and son did the same. They took even more time in fact. They settled on a Greek spot. My son had dolmades, pita, hummus and fresh cucumbers and tomatoes. My dad had a very tasty looking gyro. It was stuffed with meat and tzatziki and feta. He said it was great. I leaned into the poke bar. I had been eyeing it since I saw it online. And it totally delivered. I got brown rice, seaweed salad, nori strips, a citrus ponzu sauce and tuna. It was excellent. I have been telling everyone about how good it was. I find myself craving it almost a full week later. I told my wife that this was a meal I’ll think about for awhile. It was that good.

Outside the food this place was pretty cool. The bathrooms were very clean and spread out from the food spots. There were tv’s everywhere. The men’s tournament was on so it was great for me and my kid. I already mentioned the barbershop with people getting haircuts. They had security and people cleaning tables consistently. The space was heated which was nice since it was so cold last weekend. And the people watching was next level. I love people watching and this was one of the best experiences I’ve had while doing it.

If you ever go to Indianapolis and want to check out some cool food, a different spot and some of the best people watching there is on this planet, check out The Garage. It was dope.

Check out the Garage Food Hall

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 Last of Us" Episode 3 "Long, Long Time"

Spoilers for anyone that has not seen the third episode of “The Last of Us”

We have started to watch "Last of Us" in my home. Many people have told us to watch and we are finally doing it. This show is incredible, but my goodness is it depressing and too close to reality. I fully believe something like this could happen, especially after how unprepared we were for COVID. I find myself depressed at times watching it because it feels too real. All that aside, the show is very well done, well written and well acted.

The first two episodes were a great way to get us into this universe, I guess it is based off a video game I have never played, but the third episode was something special. I had heard from the same people telling me and my wife to watch that this was the episode that would get us, both in good and bad ways. I also saw all the headlines when it initially aired and the hype was through the roof for me. The third episode exceeded my own personal hype, and then some.

This was a magical hour of television. I was in awe of what I was watching. I could not believe how they achieved their goal, and then took it even further. When the episode finished I told my wife that it was the best thing I have seen on tv in my entire life. We are two days removed from watching it and my feelings have not changed.

Nick Offerman played this doomsday prepper who wasn't going to leave his home when everything went down. He had a plan and he stuck to it. He had a fence around his property, he set up booby traps, he got what he needed to survive and he was living a quiet life by himself. Four years into everything a man trips and falls into one of his traps. Murray Bartlett, from "The White Lotus" and "Flight of the Conchords", played Frank. He was the person that fell. Bill, Offerman's character, helps him when he realizes he isn't infected, and expects him to leave by that night.

Frank ended up staying for the next 16 years. They fell in love. They had ups and downs like every couple. They showed each other things they had never seen before. They helped each other do things they had never done before. They made friends over the radio, most notably with Joel and Tess, the two main people from the Boston Quarantine Zone. They took care of one another. They exercised together. They painted and kept a garden together. They painted and played piano together. When Bill gets shot, Frank tends to his needs. When Frank grew ill, not infected, that needs to be said when talking about this show, Bill took care of him. They had this wonderful life together in this crazy time that this show and video game created. They found each other and they made it work. They seemed destined to find each other.

I was watching the episode and I couldn't believe how well they were showing true love. This is love. There are going to be fights, squabbles and arguments. Those will be resolved and laughed at later in life. There are going to be times when one partner has to take care of the other. They showed this masterfully in this episode. Couples are going to have their own personal preferences and styles and the way they showed them melding together was tremendous. I have never, in my life, seen a better version of true love portrayed on any medium. This was perfection.

This hour-long episode made me feel things I have never felt while engaged in pop culture. I laughed, I sobbed and I felt like it ended the best way it could have. My wife and I were puddles of emotion when it was over, but we loved what they had done. My wife can cry pretty easily at stuff like this, but it takes a lot to get me. This one got me and held me the entire time. I was consistently wiping tears from my face. My wife went through a ton of tissues. I was moved by this episode. This was perfection.

I do not know that anything will ever live up to what "Last of Us" did with their third episode. Shows like "Breaking Bad", "Better Call Saul", "The Simpsons" and "The Wire" may end up being better overall in the long run, but this episode of "Last of Us" might be the greatest episode of television that will ever exist. Even if you don't want to watch the show, or are a superfan of the video game and don't want to see a tv show about it, watch this episode. This is not in the video game, this is its own separate story and it is a masterclass in tv making history. My wife and I both said, and my dad for that matter as well, that Murray Bartlett and Nick Offerman, and the writers of this episode, should win every single tv award that they possibly can for this. This was a masterpiece and I am so thankful and grateful that I got to see.

What an absolutely wonderful hour of tv. Wow, just wow. My hat is off to you all. Thank you. 

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 Watches the 2023 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

I have watched a ton of college basketball in my life and I think this weekend may be the wildest weekend of men's college basketball I have ever watched. There are always upsets.There is always a 12 or 13 seed that goes further than any of us expected. There is always a blue blood that bows out much sooner than we all predicted. But it feels like this tournament has had all of that, and then some.

The first day of March Madness gave us a 15 over a 2 seed. Princeton took down Arizona. I was a believer in Arizona. I had them going to the title game in most of my brackets. I had them in the final four in every bracket I filled out. Princeton beat them and did it pretty handily considering the background of each team. My brackets were busted on day one.

But that wasn't it. Virginia got bounced by 13 seed Furman on day one. This seems to be Virginia's new MO. They had the one title season, and no one can take that away from them, but the three other tournaments they have been to they have been knocked out by a double digit seed. That was more than enough to make day one crazy.

Day two came even harder. I was travelling with my dad and son, more on that to come this week, and Friday night had some wild outcomes. Florida Atlantic beat Memphis on a last second shot and Penny Hardaway chucked a water bottle. I would have done the exact same thing. That had to be wildly frustrating. Creighton and NC State traded buckets and played a very entertaining game. Oscar Tshibewe had 25 rebounds in Kentucky's win. Xavier had to make a furious comeback against Kennesaw State, and just barely did. Pitt held Iowa State to 41 total points.

Yet the upset to end all upsets came at the hands of Fairleigh Dickinson. I'm so sorry for RD's wife, but Purdue blew that game. FDU's average height is 6'1. Purdue has two 7 footers. One of which is 7'4 Zach Edey. He did his job, but Purdue couldn't hit a three to save their lives. FDU also ran and ran and ran all game long. They also made the plays when they needed to be made. They did the scrappy stuff and for the second time ever, a 16 seed beat a 1 seed, and they deserved the win. Purdue showed up like they were going to win by just walking on the floor. FDU had other ideas and shocked the world.

If that wasn't enough, the weekend gave us games just as wild as the first two days. Princeton came out and cruised over Mizzou. Again, sorry to RD, but those "nerds" did beat Mizzou's ass. They earned the sweet sixteen birth. Creighton also came out and smoked Baylor last night. Creighton looks like a sleeping giant right now. Florida Atlantic ended FDU's run, but it was a good, close game. FDU came out and played well again, FAU just played better. Tennessee beat Duke, and I loved it. Anytime Duke gets beat that is a good day for me as a basketball fan. Kansas State beat up on Kentucky. Maybe Coach Cal isn't the genius some think he is. He is a great recruiter, but his X's and O's need a lot of work. Michigan State came out and dominated the team I was rooting for, Marquette, yesterday. I despise that team and their coach, but they are made for March. Miami continued, for the most part, the downfall of the Big 10. Outside of MSU, the Big 10 has been wildly underwhelming and Miami crushed the Big 10 preseason favorite, Indiana. Penn State gave Texas a game, but in the end, Texas' talent won out. That was a fun game though. Gonzaga actually won a close game against a power five team. I was pulling for the Zags, but I thought they were going to blow it. This time they figured it out. Kansas is not going to repeat as champs. Arkansas played a better game and pulled out a close win. It was a sight to behold after the game too. Their coach went shirtless in the cheering crowd and their star player gave a phenomenal postgame interview. I'm not an Arkansas fan, but it was dope to see them win and how excited they were afterward. And try as they might, Northwestern couldn't knock off UCLA. The Bruins would build a lead, but the Wildcats kept climbing back in it. This game was in doubt with a minute left, but UCLA, namely Tyger Campbell, made their free throws, and may be one of the main favorites going forward.

All in all this weekend was wild and incredible. It helps that Michigan is not in the tourney. I'd be a lot more uptight if they were. This way I get to watch with no real rooting interest. And this weekend gave me some fun basketball to watch. Hopefully the rest of the tournament is half as fun as this past weekend was. But it is going to be a tough act to follow. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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So Long Aaron Rodgers

Being a Packers fan has its ups and downs. Sometimes they will enthrall you and deliver a title, but lately it is a good season ruined by a poor playoff performance. Things are not great.

I have never been a fan of Aaron Rodgers, ask RD, and that has come with a whole new set of problems following this team. Ever since the pandemic I have despised Rodgers even more. He lied about being vaccinated. He has claimed that the "woke mob" is after him. He goes on bs "darkness retreats". I have no problem with hallucinogens, but when Rodgers talks about it it drives me bonkers. And now he has come out and said that he intends to play next season, only he wants to play for the Jets.

That is all well and good. I have wanted the Packers to rid themselves of him for the past few seasons. I want to see what Jordan Love has as a starter. I don't mind if this team is not great for the next few years and piles up draft picks to get better. The rest of the division has gotten much better this off season, albeit on paper, and maybe it is just the Packers turn to be bad. But all of this posturing and whining and stating that he wants to play elsewhere next season, even though he is under contract, I just want this to be done. I want Green Bay to move on. The break up is ready. They need to rid themselves of this 40 year old cancer who showed major decline this past season. I'm done. I'm over it. Time to move on.

I will say, all this talk from Rodgers about where he "expects" to play next season, this has given Green Bay all the leverage. The Jets have made no qualms about wanting Rodgers. They said as much, their current players have been pulling for management to make the trade, other sites are already asking questions if Rodgers is one of the best QB's in the AFC and the market for other free agent QB's has diminished quite a bit. Green Bay doesn't have to do anything. They can sit there and wait for the best deal. If Rodgers says he refuses to play for the Packers, okay, eat his salary and let his punk ass sit. They have other options at QB. They already look to be retooling their offense with some of the moves they have made, or more so, have not made. Allen Lazard is gone. Aaron Jones has restructured his contract. Some O lineman look to be on the move. They are going younger at receiver. And they look like a team that is going to lean on defense for the next couple of years. I'm fine with that and so should the fan base.

If I'm in Green Bay's front office, I am asking for a Matthew Stafford type deal that the Lions got. I want a similar player and a boat load of picks. If they come with Zack Wilson, I'd ask for someone like Breece Hall or Garrett Wilson. So what if the Jets balk? Where else is Rodgers going to go? Who else can come in with a last minute deal that may entice the Packers? The only other team I would even talk to right now would be Baltimore, and that conversation stops instantly if they don't offer Lamar Jackson. Rodgers may think he has leverage, he may think he is playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers, but he screwed himself by revealing the single team he wanted to play for. That squashes almost all other options out there. He has painted himself into a corner, not the Packers. They don't have to make a move unless they are absolutely blown away by what the Jets offer. I would hold out as long as possible. I would wait and wait and wait for the Jets to blink. They have already corronnated this move, yet it hasn't happened yet. I'm sick and tired of this old ass has been, but you better believe I would make him wait and cringe.

The Packers are not the problem here, and they haven't been the problem for a long, long time. I hope when the season starts Rodgers is not there, but I would not do any type of deal unless I am secured for awhile. 

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 "Party Down" Season Three

My wife and I just got caught up on "Party Down". We watched the series when it first premiered and loved it. When they announced this reboot or remake or re imagining or whatever you call it, I was a little skeptical. The main characters on the show have all gone on to have pretty solid careers. They are all working in show business in some form, mostly acting. But when the crew gets back together, good things usually happen. That was what happened with "The Simpsons Movie", and while "Party Down" is no "Simpsons", it is not a bad idea to have the original cast and crew come together.

What I liked so much about the original run of the show was the slow burn comedy style they put forth. Some episodes would go almost all the way to the end before revealing the biggest joke, and it always hit. The writers of this show have an incredible hit rate when it comes to joke writing. But they did not have to hit you over the head with joke after joke after joke. Sometimes that works, "30 Rock", but sometimes I like to wait for it and be stoked when it happens. That is where "Party Down" succeeds.

Luckily they have done the same with the first three episodes of the new season so far. There are jokes, but you really have to wait. The third episode has a great joke that ends the episode, and the wait totally paid off. I was cackling when it landed. And the actors are still doing a bang up job here in the revival, or whatever. Adam Scott is perfect in his role. I cannot picture anyone else playing this character. He is so good at it and crushes when on screen. Ken Marino may be even better, returning as Ron Donald. He is so put upon and pathetic and plays it to perfection. He is the clear comic star here and he is crushing it. Megan Mullaly and Jane Lynch have been on here and there, but when they are on they are great. They have both moved on from the catering company for different reasons, but the writers have found a wonderful way to include them here. Ryan Hansen is still crushing it as the wannabe star who is a little more dopey than he realizes. His journey so far this season has been a joy to watch. Martin Starr hasn't done too much yet, but you can tell it is coming, and the stuff he has had to work with so far he has nailed. Lizzy Caplan didn't come back for this, but the people they got to replace her have been doing very good work. Tyrel Jackson Williams is great as the person trying to be the next viral video star. He is a very funny actor and is doing great work here. And Zoe Chao is excellent as the pretentious chef who makes the craziest food I have ever heard of in my life. We also have Jennifer Garner who is superb and doing some of the best work in her career in my opinion. She is excellent in this role.

The show still has the overall feel of the original, it is just updated to modern times. They have touched on the pandemic and proud boys and superhero movies, among other things, and it has all worked to this point. After we finished the third episode last night I told my wife that I was thrilled it was back on and not much has changed. She agreed and we both said that the third episode made us even excited for what is to come.

"Party Down" was a great, underrated show when it first aired. Now it is back and as good as it was before. I'm stoked and I recommend this show for anyone. It is as well written and acted as any show on TV right 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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Better Never than Late on "Crank"

Over the weekend it was my turn to pick the movie and I picked "Crank". I have just watched a bunch of long and kind of depressing movies lately. I wanted something light, something goofy, something I could just sit down and kind of zone out while I watched. I have also heard a good amount of comedy podcasters I like recommend this movie. The 90 minute run time was more than I needed to pick. So we watched and I have some thoughts.

Right off the bat, this movie made me motion sick. For people who may not know, the plot of "Crank" is a hit man gets shot with poison and he has to keep his heart rate dangerously high to stay alive. Pretty simple. But the way the movie was shot was very chaotic. It opened with the perspective of the hitman waking up and stumbling over to the tv. From the start the movie was choppy. It jumbled up and down. It reminded me of "Cloverfield". I kept trying to refocus my eyes just to watch. There were moments of steady camera work, but a lot of it was very bumpy. I get why they did it, but it makes for a tough watch.

The movie is also very problematic. Female characters are very basic, they use slang terms that are highly offensive, the CGI is not great, it is a big mess. Amy Smart is a solid actor, but she is given very little to do here. She is just his girlfriend. She has nothing else going on. That bummed me out. Jason Statham is fine in action movies like "Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels", or "Snatch". He is even funny in "Spy". "Crank" tries to meld both action and comedy, but it did not work for me. I didn't laugh at all, except for how ridiculous some stuff I saw was. Statham tried to play it straight, but the other actors don't really have comedy chops. The tone did not work for me as a viewer at all. The action was kind of cool, but it could have been done better. Again, this movie came out in 2006 so CGI made big, big strides. A movie like "Jurassic Park" is a great example. They did CGI wonderfully. And it came out 13 years before this movie. The CGI in this one looked bad. It looked like a first time student was given the reins. It was quite the bummer.

I read that this movie took a lot of its influence from "Grand Theft Auto". I have never played that game but I have heard that it is incredibly problematic. I have heard all the bad stories about it before. I do not think it was a good idea to base an entire movie on a problematic video game, but maybe that is just me. And the way this whole story unfolded was simply absurd, and not good absurd. This movie wishes it were "John Wick". I wouldn't be shocked if the people who made "John Wick" were slightly influenced by this movie, but they are much, much, much more talented than the people who made "Crank". And the ending was utterly nuts. I could not believe what I was watching. My wife fell asleep and when I woke her up to go to bed she asked what she missed. I told her and she audibly guffawed. It was nonsense.

I guess a movie like this is not for me. I am starting to realize how problematic movies from the late 90's and the early 2000's are, and it is depressing. And, I hate to harp on this, but the effects were terrible. They were so, so bad. I would not recommend this movie. It is not even bad in a good way. I wish I had picked something else. Oh well, there is always next Sunday. 

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 Predicts the 2023 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament

The men's NCAA tournament field is set. Michigan was rightfully left out. I was bummed to see SLU didn't make it, but figured that would happen after VCU beat them. So I guess I really do not have a team that I am actively rooting for this year. Hopefully that makes watching more enjoyable. We will see.

Today I am going to go through the regions, pick the winner of each, which will give me the Final Four, and pick the title game matchup and winner. I will also do the MVP of the tourney as well. Buckle up everyone, the First Four starts Tuesday and we are full go on Thursday. Enough jabber, let's get to it.

The South Region features the number one overall seed, Alabama. I guess they aren't just a football school anymore. I have a problem with this team because of off court issues. Go look it up, it is disturbing. The on court team, they are great. They could cruise through this region. Hell, they most likely will. I'd love to see SEMO beat them, as I am from Missouri, but that will not happen. Maryland is up and down, but when they are on they are good. Virginia is blah to me. San Diego State is long and athletic. Baylor is two years removed from a title. Mizzou is very fast and can shoot. And Arizona is as solid as it gets. I like Utah State and NC State as my bracket busters in this region. But when I sit back and look at the teams, it is going to come down to Arizona and Bama. Both teams are just too good to mess it up. And because of off court stuff, I'll go with Arizona to win the South Region.

Next we have the East. Purdue is the 1 seed here and they are good. Zach Edey is gigantic and really good. They can shoot the lights out too. And they are solid defensively. Memphis can score in bunches and FAU had, I believe, 30 wins this season. Tennessee is up and down. Duke is on a roll coming into the tourney. Kentucky has a great rebounding team. Kansas State and MSU love to play in the mud. And Marquette has been tremendous all year long. My bracket busters here are FAU, I legitimately think they can beat Purdue in round 2 if they both get there, and Vermont. No one ever likes to play Vermont in the tourney. I see Duke, I loathe that team so much, but they are firing on all cylinders right now, and Marquette getting to the East final and Marquette winning. Marquette is my second Final Four team.

Let's head to the Midwest. Houston is the 1 seed here, and they would have been my easy national title pick if Marcus Sasser didn't get hurt. Missing him is brutal. But, they still play suffocating defense and they can really muddy up their opponents offense. But losing Marcus Sasser is brutal. Iowa is not as good as some writers want you to believe. Miami has had a very good year. Iowa State is much better than their record. Texas A&M may have the best backcourt in the country. And Texas has remained very good despite all the drama with their former coach. My bracket busters here are Penn State, who can shoot and play very good defense, and Drake. You always have to watch out for one or two 12 seeds. Xavier is also having a very good year too. Even with Sasser being out, I'm sticking with Houston here. And I think they will play Xavier in the Elite Eight. Houston's defense is so good and they have been very consistent all season long. The AAC final does nothing to deter me from thinking Houston is the best team in the country. They are Final Four bound yet again.

Finally we have the West Region. Kansas is number one here. They are the defending champs. They have talent all over the floor. They also have veterans. This team is as prepared as any to defend their title. Arkansas and Illinois can give them fits though. UConn is very good and very underrated. Saint Mary's has had a wonderful season. VCU can beat them though. TCU is good. Gonzaga doesn't have the pressure of being undefeated or a number 1 seed. I still don't trust them though. Northwestern is solid. And UCLA is back to being perennially dominant in the Pac 12. The bracket busters here are VCU and the winner of Arizona State and Nevada. Each of those teams could make a surprise run. When looking at this region I like UCLA. Kansas is great, but they have lapses. I'd love to pick UConn, but I think UCLA can tire them out, and they can play bully ball too. I'd love to see Brandon Johns and Zeb Jackson, former Michigan players, make a run with VCU. And I think both Illinois or Arkansas can make a run. But give me the Bruins here.

My Final Four teams are Arizona, Marquette, Houston and UCLA. I've got three number 2 seeds and a 1 seed. Two of my teams are Pac 12 teams. I have zero Big 12 or Big 10 teams in the Final Four. College basketball is wild.

I think of these four teams, Arizona and Houston will meet up in the title game. And, even with the Sasser injury, I'm picking Houston to win it all. I have watched a decent amount of college basketball this year and they have been, by a wide margin, the best and most consistent team all season long. Sasser being out is a bummer, and they will miss him, but basketball is a team sport and Houston has gotten this far as a team. They are not a one man show. They are loaded. And they are an incredible team on the defensive end of the floor. I think that pushes them ahead of all the other teams.

As for the MVP, give me Jarace Walker. He is the second best player on this team and he will be asked to step up big time. I see him doing as such.

Well, I cannot wait for the tourney to start. I will be watching both the NCAA and the NIT this year. I'm going to devour as much tournament basketball as I can. Get the popcorn out. March Madness here we come. 

Ty

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

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

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Let's Talk About the Greatness of De La Soul

I have been going back and listening to a bunch of De La Soul lately. Let’s discuss.

Their music was just added to all streaming services and it has been an absolute breath of fresh air to hear them again. I was a fan of theirs in my younger days. I am lucky enough to have three older brothers who listen to cool music, mostly, and were more than willing to let me hang out with them and listen when I was young. They, along with my dad, really shaped my love for music, and are responsible for my taste in music to this day. I think they would take that as a compliment as well. All three of my brothers listen to hip hop, but my brother closest in age to me guided me the most in my journey. He introduced me to hip hop and has not stopped giving me recommendations since. When I was about 12 or 13 he introduced me to A Tribe Called Quest, who may be my all time favorite hip hop group. My love for Tribe grew from that moment tremendously. I devoured their music. Everything I heard from them blew my mind. Phife Dawg is one of the greatest rappers to ever do it. I was lucky enough to see them perform live on one of their reunion tours before Phife passed away. It was awesome and they were, and still are, awesome.

In listening to Tribe I found out about other groups from their era. I like Black Sheep. Digable Planets is one of the most underrated hip hop groups ever and I may see them live this summer. Queen Latifah is criminally underrated as a rapper. The Pharcyde is dope. I love most of the hip hop from this era. In listening to all these artists I eventually found Native Tongues, which was a collective of these artists. This was the first time I heard anything from De La Soul.

I asked my brother who these other dudes were that were keeping pace and sometimes surpassing Q Tip and Phife. He told me it was a group of three dudes called De La Soul. I immediately started to devour their music. I instantly fell in love. They sounded like Tribe to me, but maybe better as rappers. Q Tip and Phife are otherworldly, but Kelvin Mercer, AKA Posdnuos, David Jolicouer, AKA Truogy the Dove (RIP), and Vincent Mason JR, AKA Pasemaster Mase, are neck and neck. They also had a much better vibe as a group. There was no hiding the fights between Q Tip and Phife Dawg. They were two alphas trying to each run the show. De La Soul never really had that, or at least it never got out of hand. They managed to stick together and make wonderful, classic hip hop for decades. I feel like they don't get the shine that some other contemporaries do. I'm part of the problem here. I could go on and on about Tribe. I cannot do that about De La Soul. What I can do though is vibe out to their music for hours on end. I was listening earlier today and I was so into what I was hearing that my wife had to shake me to tell me to turn it down. She was in a meeting, she works from home on Friday's, and the music was blasting so loud that she couldn't hear her co workers. I was just bobbing head along and cleaning. I was fully immersed in De La's music. They are like the quintessential hip hop group. They are like a vet that a NBA team brings in to help win a title. They are steady. They didn't make bad music. They never sold out. They were ahead of their time. De La Soul was about as solid as it gets not only in hip hop, but in all of music.

De La Soul is one of the greatest groups ever. And now their music is on all streaming platforms. That is a big, big deal. This means a younger group of people will get to experience them for the first time. I hope they are as blown away as I was when I first heard them in the mid 90's. At the very least, with their music now streaming, they will get their due. They will not be underrated anymore. Everyone is going to listen and remember what made them so great and so beloved by their fans. I'm very happy I can listen whenever I want now. In fact, let me go bump some De La right now. 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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Ty Watches "History of the World: Part II"

I'm a Mel Brooks fan so I was stoked to watch "History of the World: Part 2" this week. I have now watched six of the first eight episodes, I will finish it off tonight, and I have some thoughts.

I went back and rewatched "History of the World: Part 1" about a week ago. There is some problematic language and stuff in that movie, as with most stuff from that era of tv and movies, but damn it did it make me laugh. Brooks may be the funniest film maker of all time. There is no other comedy director who has made me laugh as consistently as him. Even his not so good stuff, "Robin Hood: Men in Tights", has its moments. But, I was a little hesitant going into this sequel, so many years later. I also read some stuff recently that said it felt "neutered" and called it a "let down". I have gotten none of that from the first six episodes. I have been laughing very hard at what I have seen so far. It has kept my attention. I have not found myself going to my phone at all while I watch the series. I also like that they have made it a series and not a movie sequel. That was the right move.

Also, when you have Nick Kroll, Ike Barinholtz and Wanda Sykes as the leads, that is top notch comedy for me. I am a fan of all three of these people and really enjoy their other work. The writing staff is full of comedy people that I hear on many podcasts every week. I feel like this new series was made for a comedy fan like myself. The jokes are rapid fire and funny. There are very few sketches that don't make me laugh. And the ones that don't hit as hard with me still work in the flow of the show.

The other actors that they got for this are big time people, Jack Black, Pamela Adlon, Tim Baltz, Dove Cameron, Jay Ellis, Zahn McClarnon, JB Smoove, Tyler James Williams, Johnny Knoxville, his "Jackass" co stars, Mitra Jouhari, James Adomian, Zazie Beetz, Ronny Chieng, Rob Corddry, Colton Dunn, Richard Kind, and so many, many more that I could name.That is a pretty hefty cast list. It has the big names I mentioned, and also some names of people who are about to hit big. Brooks, Barinholtz, Sykes and Kroll really wanted to get some of their friends in this, and their friends are giving wonderful performances.

I am also a fan of the whole sketch thing. I think this keeps my attention even more. Some of the sketches are long running. They evolve from each episode. But I appreciate the fact that they give each sketch about five to six minutes and move on. And the sketches that they shorten are explosions of comedy. There is this commercial bit about statues that is tremendous. It has made me laugh harder than most of the stuff on the show. But it all works for me.

As I said before, this feels like it is a comedic show made for my comedic sensibilities. I feel like they decided to make this show for my generation. I don't know many other 40 year olds that have seen the original "History of the World", but I know a bunch of 40 year olds who like this show. It has the same sensibility as the original, but it is all new sketches. Mel Brooks came on the first episode and said he wouldn't do this if it was just a remake. That was a smart, smart move.

I say ignore the critics and watch this show. Each episode is about 27 minutes long and they are packed with jokes. It is very good and I hope they make more. I am a fan. 

Ty

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

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Happy International Women's Day

In honor of International Women's Day I want to talk about the three most important women in my life. Well, not talk about, but give them the credit they deserve.

First off, my mother in law. I struck gold with my in-laws, especially my mother in law. She is wonderful, funny, and incredibly smart. She has taught me so much about gardening. I had never done it before in my life until I met her. Now I look forward to planting our veggie garden every year with her. She has taught me how to mow my grass, plant bushes and lay grass seed. She is also incredibly handy. I know how to use certain tools, like a saw, that I had never used before. I implore you to come to my house and look at the retaining wall she built and let me help make. It is immaculate. She helps with things around the house that I had never had to fix before. She taught me how to tear out flooring and replace it. She showed me how to insulate my garage and make a cover for it. I know how to take out and install a toilet now because of her. She is a marvel at gardening and updating houses. She is also a masterful cook. I was never a carrot cake guy until I tried hers. Now it is the only carrot cake I will eat. I never had cornbeef and cabbage before, now she has made me a fan. Her sugar cookies, which she ices with a glorious lemon frosting, are my favorite cookies of all time. Above all though, she welcomed me into her family with open arms. I asked her for her blessing to marry her daughter. I have conversations with her like I do with my family. She has never judged me and has always been there for me. My mother in law is an exceptional woman and should be celebrated as such. Love ya.

Next, my mom. I mean, my mom is the best. No mom is better than her. She rules. Full stop. My mom has been there for everything. She was the at home parent when I was a kid. She taught me how to clean and gave me guidance on how important regular cleaning is. She came to every sporting event, and still does with her grandkids. She has humbled me and taught me the right things to do in life. She was my inspiration to do things the right way. She was my movie going buddy for a long while. No one else would go see weird indie movies with me when I was in my early 20's, except my mom. She fed my desire to watch these movies and to spend time with me. She is a tremendous cook as well. Her spaghetti sauce is the best food in the world. She could whip stuff up out of leftovers like no other. She is a stuffed shells master in the kitchen. She also loves harder than anyone I know. She will give love and smiles and hope in the darkest of times. I go to her when I want to feel better and smile. She is a cancer survivor. She has had a heart attack and is even stronger. My mom is the strongest person in the world. She also makes this world a better place. My mom is the best and I love her more than life itself. You are the best mom. Love you.

Finally we have my wife. I have talked about her a lot and I will continue to today. My wife is the best. She is a kickass worker. She provides for our family and then some. She is an excellent planner. She plans trips and school events and our daily calendar. She is the girl scout troop leader. She works her tail off at her job. She has consistently climbed the corporate ladder. She heads committees and plans events. She is a true boss. She is also the smartest person I know. She is so much better at helping the kids with their math homework. She is also much more patient with them. She knows the answer to most questions all of us have in our home. She is our comfort as well. When the kids are sick they look to mom. If I'm having a bad day, she will let me vent. Even if she is having a rough day she will brush it aside and help us out. She is such an excellent healer. She is also hilarious. She can make me laugh at the drop of a hat. I can just look at her and she will make a face that will crack me up. She is also very quick witted and a wizard with words. She is an excellent friend. She will text and talk to anyone who needs an ear. Most of all, she accepts me for who I am, and she has from day one. She has never judged me. Sure we have spats, like all couples, but I think she loves me even more today than she did when we first met. She is the best thing to ever happen to me and I cannot picture my life without her. She has given me 2 wonderful kids and makes me laugh and smile every single day. I love her more than life itself. She is the best.

I love you ladies and you all deserve this day, and every other day for that matter, as a celebration to how great you all are. Happy International Women's Day.

Ty

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

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The Grizzlies are a Mess

The time has come for me to talk about my favorite NBA team, the Memphis Grizzlies. A lot of stuff is going on there lately and it is not good.

First off, since they had an early twelve game win streak, they have been wildly inconsistent. They cannot keep late leads or they fall behind by far too much to make a full comeback. They have also been talking a ton of shit, and lately they cannot back it up. I already mentioned the lack of keeping leads or falling behind, but they have not been as good on defense as of late. They may still rank near the top statistically but the eye test is not passing for me as a fan. They are allowing too many open looks. They are getting back cut too much. They are not offensive rebounding like they did to start the season. They are too busy talking shit to fans and other teams. It is becoming frustrating. Steven Adams is supposedly coming back soon, and that will help immensely. But he will not cure all their woes. Add on the fact that Brandon Clarke tore his ACL and is out for a full year, that makes the return of Adams not as impactful. Clarke was a perfect Swiss Army Knife for this team. He has a great floater. He can rebound and defend multiple positions. He was great at running the floor with the guards. And he brought calmness to this team that needs it a lot more than other teams. Clarke is going to be missed and that really bums me out. Jaren Jackson Jr is having a very good season, and since missing some time to start the season, he has been more available than not. But he fouls too much and sometimes has trouble staying on the court. They are going to need him desperately in the playoffs. They need his excellent rim protection and ability to switch on defense. He needs to stay on the court. Dillon Brooks is as good a perimeter defender as there is in the league but he is starting to get on my nerves. He takes bad shots. He gets too many techs. He talks far too much and is having trouble backing it up. Earlier in the season he was mentioned in trade talks and I did not want him gone. Now I kind of wished they had traded him. I would much rather have a guy like Mikail Bridges or OG Anunoby right now. That would be ideal for me. Luke Kennard has not been shooting the three like I hoped he would when they acquired him. I want David Roddy to play more. Santi Aldama is a fun regular season player, but I do not see him getting real run in the playoffs. Tyus Jones has been exactly what I expected, and that is very good for a reason I'm about to get to. As for Desmond Bane, he has been great and he should get a good deal this offseason. I have no qualms with him.

Right now for the biggest issue this team has going on right now is Ja Morant. Morant is my favorite NBA player. When the Grizzlies got the second pick in his draft I was thrilled. I knew that he was the pick and I couldn't wait until they drafted him. I rated him ahead of Zion Williamson in my pre draft write up. And he has more than lived up to the hype. He is a superstar. He does incredible things that I have never seen on a basketball court. He is outrageously athletic and a total blast to watch play. By all accounts he is a great teammate too. Guys like him and like playing the game with him. He watches film and talks with coaches about stuff they can do to help on the court. As a basketball player he is everything anyone of us, fans, teammates and the Grizzlies front office, could have dreamed of. But his off-court life is becoming troublesome. He is away from the team right now due to an Instagram video that surfaced of him flashing a gun at a nightclub. This is worrisome. It terrifies me. I despise guns and to see something like this, it really irks me. And it was not like it was a hidden phone or someone trying to catch Morant doing something wrong, this was on his own phone on his very own Instagram account. That is troubling. Add on the fact that there is the laser pointer incident in Indianapolis earlier this season and the stories coming out about a possible assault during a pickup game in the summer. And we have the whole Shannon Sharpe thing. When it happens once it is an accident. The fact that this keeps happening, that is the problem. And I have no idea if it is the people he hangs with or him trying to be tough. Either way, things need to change and change in a hurry. Jalen Rose and Dez Bryant have come out recently and spoke to him via TV and Twitter, and what they have said makes all the sense in the world to me, and I hope Morant is listening. I truly do hope he is getting the help he needs like he said he was going to get. I think he needs to get a fairly hefty suspension. I know the Grizzlies never actually suspended him but they did say he was out "indefinitely". The NBA is also currently investigating the multiple accusations. This is going to take some time and will most likely derail the rest of the season and playoffs for the Grizzlies. And that is fine if he gets the help he needs. I have been thinking about this a lot the past couple of days and I want Morant to have a long and successful and rewarding career. I want him to be talked about like people talk about Damian Lillard or Chris Paul. I do not want him to be thought of like I think about Gilbert Arenas or Robert Swift. That would be awful.

As a fan I am disappointed by their play lately and disturbed by the off court stuff with Morant. But if he gets help and the team gets humbled a bit, I'm fine with them throwing in the towel this season and coming back even stronger next year. Above all though I want Ja Morant to be thought of as the great, great basketball player he is. That would be ideal. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"

My wife and I finally watched "Wakanda Forever" this weekend. We love the first "Black Panther" movie. It is one of my personal favorite superhero movies. I think it was different and cool and fun and has the best music of any superhero movie. I am also a big time Chadwick Boseman fan. I saw his movies before and after "Black Panther" all the way up to his final role, of which he was tremendous, in "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom". But we had been putting this one off because we weren't fully ready to see how they would handle his death. Our date nights also got interrupted by real life for the past month. And the movie clocks in at about 2 hours and 40 minutes, so we really needed to be ready for a long night. We got that and took advantage.

Right off the bat, I really enjoyed "Wakanda Forever". I saw some of the less than favorable reviews, there were not many, but those reviews seemed off to me. I thought they did an excellent job of handling Boseman's death. The whole beginning was a fitting tribute to his wonderful job as Black Panther. It made me sad to see the funeral, but it was necessary to move this story along. We had to know what happened in this fictional world. From that point on I thought the writers and filmmakers did a stupendous job of moving the story along. I have my own personal issues with Letitia Wright and where she stands on certain issues, but she can act and she is tremendous as Shuri. I wanted to get mad at her for what she said about COVID and the vaccine mandates, but I eventually got to a point where I was able to separate the art from the artist. She was the right person to be the lead of this franchise moving forward. It makes the most sense. Even before Boseman passed I told my wife that if they move on from him that Shuri would be best. Angela Bassett is in a class all her own. She owns her screen time in this movie. She is more than deserving of her Oscar nomination. She played this role to perfection and I ached for her character. That was how stupendous she was in this movie. In a movie where there is no true lead actor, she was the closest. She was top notch. The little bits we got from Lupita N'yongo and Danai Guerra were also great. They have taken over as these characters and I am invested where they take them from here. N'yongo had the most heartbreaking scene in the movie and my wife and I definitely teared up during the post credit scene. Winston Duke is a delight and M'Baku is one of my favorite characters of all time. I cannot picture anyone else playing that role. Michael B Jordan has one scene in this movie and he is amazing. Kilmonger is my favorite villain of all time and he brings the heat yet again.

As for the new villian, Namor, was pretty damn cool as well. I loved the backstory of why he is doing what he is doing. He is a much cooler Aquaman. I told my wife that one of the things I love about these "Black Panther" movies is how well they tell the audience why the villain is the villain. I got it with Kilmonger and I got it with Namor.

The battle scenes were epic as well. Ryan Coogler knows how to direct a battle scene better than almost anyone else out there right now. And while the movie is long, it never felt that way to me. I was invested in the stories. I wanted to see why they were doing what they were doing. I loved the stuff at MIT and with Ri Ri, who is now Ironheart. I was saddened by what happened to Bassett. The whole montage of Shuri making a suit was awesome. Seeing where N'yango was now was important.

Where "Tar" felt every second of 2 hours and 40 minutes. "Wakanda Forever" was a blast to watch. I definitely recommend checking it out. It is on Disney + if you have that service, and it has to be streaming elsewhere. Watch this movie ASAP. 

Ty

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

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An Ode to a Tomahawk Steak I Recently Ate

During Valentine's Day my wife got me a tomahawk steak. I have seen these on cooking shows a lot and I was intrigued. These steaks are humongous and they have a bone sticking out of them. They are marbled nicely and from what the people on the cooking shows say, they taste great.

This is a Valentine's Day thing in my house. We don’t do big gifts, but my wife does like to make a nice meal. That is my gift, the meal. So when she surprised me with these tomahawk steaks this year I was stoked. We didn't really know how to cook them, but my wife was determined to figure it out. I usually do the steaks and burgers in our house, but as the other part of my gift she makes the meal. My wife also loves to cook and is far better at it than me. What she decided to do was give them a nice sear on a flattop that her mom gave us. This flattop is amazing and I cannot recommend it enough. So she seared them and finished them off in the oven.

When she busted this steak out to serve my eyes nearly bulged out of my head. I could not believe what I was seeing and I was here for it. The steak looked immaculate. My wife went simple with seasoning, salt and pepper, and let the meat do the rest of the heavy lifting. I am usually a strip steak guy, and it is still my personal favorite cut, but this tomahawk cut is right up there. My wife said the same. She is a filet fan but she was singing its praises as we sat down to eat. My son had to try some as well, he loves steak, but my daughter was not interested. All good, more steak for me. I got a full one to myself. When my wife plated it, the bone was hanging off the edge. It also looked like some marrow had cooked out of it. I was super tempted to try it, but I've never had bone marrow before and was hesitant. I think when I do finally try bone marrow I want to get it at a steakhouse, or a restaurant that knows what they are doing. But this steak, my goodness, was tasty. It almost did not even need a knife. It was buttery and so easy to cut. The marbling on it was like eating butter. It did not need a sauce or any jus because my wife got a perfect mid rare cook on it. I would cut a piece, dip it in the, not to be gross, but blood, and chomp down on it. It was a euphoric eating experience for me. I was so happy. I had a smile on my face the entire time. Add on the fact that it came with a lobster tail and creamed spinach, this meal was meant for me. I tried as hard as I could to eat the whole tomahawk steak but it could not be done. This thing was massive. I did overeat and felt very tired afterward, but it was totally worth it. I asked my wife and son if they enjoyed the steak and they both nodded in agreement. In fact, my son and I were just talking about it the other day.

Not finishing a steak usually leads to mediocre leftovers, but not with this tomahawk. When I have leftover steak and try to reheat it I always go over. The tomahawk kept a very solid mid rare temperature and was fantastic with some eggs and coffee the next morning for breakfast. It was the fanciest steak and eggs I have ever had.

If you are a meat lover like myself, and have the means to get one, try one of these tomahawk steaks. The novelty is very cool and all, but these steaks, if cooked properly, are very, very good. As I said above, I would still pick strip steak over any other cut, but tomahawk is now a firm second option. This steak was fantastic. 

Ty

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

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I am All for the New Pitch Clock in Major League Baseball

I was listening to sports radio this morning and they brought up the new pitch rules that they did in the minor leagues last season and are doing during spring training. The new rules state, in some form, that the pitcher has 15 seconds from the time they step on the rubber to pitch the ball. If they don't the batter will be awarded a ball. If runners are on it is a balk. The batter in turn can only take two timeouts for an at bat. There is some other stuff they touched on, but the pitch clock and the fact that the batter cannot take endless timeouts left me intrigued.

I have been pretty vocal about my distaste for major league baseball. It has become incredibly boring. Batters will constantly step in and out of the box, they will adjust batting gloves, they will take timeouts right as the pitcher gets into their windup, they will do pretty much anything to mess up the pitcher. In turn pitchers will stay on the mound for too long of a time before pitching. Pitchers will also ask for a new ball multiple times. Pitchers will do herky jerky things on the mound. Both parties, pitchers and batters, are doing whatever they think they can to throw off their opponent. This has made the MLB unwatchable for me. I see enough walks and bad pitches coaching my son's little league team. I don't want to watch professionals doing the same nonsense, just at a higher level.

The radio guys talking said they did this in the minor leagues last year and it shortened games by 26 minutes. That is awesome. I absolutely love the idea of a shorter baseball game. MLB games have stretched to three plus hours now. I find that if I can make it to the 5th inning at a Cardinals game, I've done enough. I usually leave, as long as everyone else agrees, which they do. With these new rules in place, if they keep them, I'd be willing to go to many more Cardinals games. I used to love going as a kid in part due to the length of the games. They usually lasted a hair under three hours. If the MLB could cut off the 26 minutes that the minor leagues did last year, that means two and a half hour long games. I am so on board with this idea.

I understand that the new rules have already messed with some spring training games, but I could care less. I heard that a spring training game was won on a call where the pitcher took too much time. I love it. It has become a problem and the MLB is trying to fix it. And these players are pros. They will adjust. I don't doubt that for one single second. With each new rule in pro sports the athletes may gripe about it, but they adjust and it becomes a part of the game. This pitching and batting rule makes far too much sense not to keep in the game.

After hearing about this this morning I started to think other sports should enact some new rules to shorten games. I saw that college football was looking into ways to shorten the game. That would be ideal. They could cut out so many reviews and replays. I would love a college football game to be cut from the usual four plus hours to three. Ideally I would love a two hour game, but three hours feels more reasonable. The NBA could also cut out all the reviews at the end of the game. Sports are real life, and stuff happens. Refs screw up, that is human nature. I remember when I first started to watch college football games, they were about three hours long. That is because there were no reviews or extra long replays. You got the call you got and dealt with it. And you got over it if you felt your team was screwed. The NFL could cut down on some stuff too.

I love this new way of thinking with the powers that be in professional sports. Games have become far too long and there is way too much deadtime due to a ton of stuff that would be too easy to cut down on. I'm here for it and I want even more. Keep the rule changes coming, as long as it cuts down on the time. 

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 "M3GAN"

Last night I watched "M3GAN" on Peacock. I really wanted to see this movie. I remember seeing the trailer and trying to get someone to go to the theaters with me to see it. I could not convince anyone I knew. Even after it got solid reviews, no one was interested. So I waited. My wife is on a work trip and my kids were in bed, so last night was my best opportunity.

I absolutely loved this movie. I was on board for everything they did in this movie. I had heard some people compare it to "Chucky" and "Robocop". Those people were 100 percent correct. "M3GAN" is scary, goofy, silly, hilarious at times and does a great job of taking on modern insecurities most people have. When I was texting my wife after watching last night I told her it was the funniest "Black Mirror" episode I have ever seen. And that is as big a compliment as I can give this movie.

For people that may not know, "M3GAN" is about a little girl who loses her parents in a car wreck. She goes to live with her aunt, who is an advanced toy designer, and she creates this doll to play with her. As you can imagine, with modern day technology, the doll becomes sentient and aims to hurt/kill anyone who harms the young girl she has been paired to. This movie does a fantastic job not taking itself too seriously. There were moments where I was cracking up. Anytime Megan sings in the movie it was funny to me. It was also creepy as hell. They did a wonderful job straddling that line. The writers, directors and actors all did a great job being funny without being cheeky, and being scary without jump scares. The movie is also a slow burn when it comes to the full Megan story arc. The writers really take their time to tell the story of this movie. They want to establish these characters. They clearly leave space in there for sequels to be made. Stuff like that makes me happy as a watcher. I want to know these people. One of the reasons I love "Robocop" so much is because they tell his backstory. They do the same in "M3GAN".

Allison Williams excels in this movie. She is believable as this tech genius put in an impossible situation. She is also believable as a person who keeps to herself, who doesn't have time for nonsense and who really wants to help her niece. She also has some hilarious moments in this movie. I enjoyed her acting quite a bit. The young girl, Cady, did a fantastic job as well. She played her horrible situation to perfection. But it was the people behind Megan who made this movie as fun as it was to watch. Megan is such a great idea for a character and they pulled it off so damn well. Anytime she got that desire to harm someone, I was frightened of her. When she would do these horrible acts, it grossed me out. She ripped off an ear and did some terrible things with a power washer. When she starts to become a person unto herself she is as creepy as it gets. The fight scenes are truly amazing as well. And that dance, the dance that took over the country for a bit, was totally worth the hype. It was dope.

I think what I liked most was the take on modern technology and how kids can become addicted. It spoke volumes. It rang almost too true. When Cady doesn't get to see Megan for short bursts, she loses it and that scared me as much as anything else meant to scare me in this movie. I like when people take on modern technology and point out its many foibles.

I loved watching this movie. I knew what I was in for and did not take it too seriously and that is the way to watch. As I stated before, the comparisons to "Chucky" and "Robocop" are perfect. That is the only way to watch a movie like "M3GAN". I definitely recommend it and it is a total blast. The laughs and scares are there and I cannot wait to see where they take it from here. 

Ty

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

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Listens to The Gorillaz "Cracker Island"

The Gorillaz put out a new record last Friday, "Cracker Island". I am a fan and was very excited to hear some new music from them. I have listened to the album from start to finish two full times already and started a third today. Usually when a new album comes out from a band I enjoy I tend to listen to what I consider the hits after one full listen.

The good thing about "Cracker Island" is all the tracks are really, really good. I have not found a song that I want to skip or feel I can just breeze through. I am a Damon Albarn fan as well, and I especially like the work he does with the Gorillaz. This record feels like it is a mix of what made them great when they started in 2001 and what has help them sustain that all the way through to today. From their self titled album, which was all I played when I went to college, to "Demon Days" which showed this band exploring new genres, to "Plastic Beach", which was recorded completely on an iPad to this new one, it has all come together to form something close to a perfect dance pop record.

Like other Gorillaz’s ablum’s, this is not short on big time cameos. Thundercat plays the bass on the opening track and adds some vocals. Thundercat is awesome and anytime he is on a track from an artist I like I get very stoked. Stevie Nicks is on the second track, "Oil". She sounds as great as ever and adds some real rock star vibes. An artist I have never heard of, Adeleye Omotayo, appears on "Silent Running" and I instantly became a fan. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown add a great layer of alternative rock and hip hop on "New Gold". It is currently my favorite track on the album. Bad Bunny, one of the most streamed artists ever, shows up on "Tormenta" and it is the first time I have heard his music and I am dig it. I will be checking out more. The record closes with a feature from Beck, and it is amazing to hear him and Albarn trade vocals back and forth. The music that accompanies the song is really rad too.

The Gorillaz also do songs just the four of them, and there is some very good stuff here. "Tired Influencer" is nice and soft. It has a very cool and calming vibe to it. "Baby Queen" and "Tarantula" are very cool and remind me of old school Gorillaz. And "Skinny Ape" is a very fun very well played song.

Basically, the whole record works on every level. Albarn is a genius and has gotten genius people to work with him on all of their records. I was listening earlier today with my dad and told him that I was never able to get into Blur, try as I might, but I really like Albarn's solo work, but I truly love what he has done with Gorillaz. This whole concept seems odd and pretentious, but it is neither of those things. Instead, this band works. They make great music. Albarn put a gimmick to Gorillaz, maybe to sell the idea, but it has gone beyond any expectations I could have ever had. The gimmick works and does not feel gimmicky at all anymore. I see the videos of the band and I relate the cartoon characters to the music, knowing good and well that it is Albarn and one of the most talented group of musicians I have ever listened to.

"Cracker Island" is an achievement. It is one of the best Gorillaz records to date and one of the better records I have heard in some time. Now excuse me, I am going to listen to the record another time, and then a few more. 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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Up Your Home Coffee Game with a Foamer/Frother

seeems to be missing something

We drink a lot of coffee in my house. I have talked about it from time to time on this very site. I go out with my dad twice a week for coffee, my wife and I usually have, at least, two cups a day when we are home and I enjoy trying out all new kinds that I read about or am given recommendations. We are a coffee family.

Over the holiday my wife asked for a frother, or foamer, if you will. I had very little knowledge of this tool, but I figured it sounded cool after she told me more about it. Well I am here today to tell you all, yell at you all, that you need to get one of these if you do not have one and are a coffee drinker.

This little, fairly inexpensive tool has changed the way I do coffee at home. I love it. It is one of the best kitchen devices I have ever been an owner or co owner of in my life. This foamer rules. I remember the first time I tried it I was highly skeptical. I worked in multiple delis as a kid that had coffee machines. We used a ton of frothers and foamers. We had all the tools. But I was not a coffee drinker back then so it was of no use to me. But that first time, with all the skepticism, it totally changed my world. The way the milk got all foamy and creamy, it was delicious. I usually doctor my coffee. I like it a little bit sweet. I add some kind of sugar replacement, and I fully understand that it is bad for me. But that is the way I take it. So when I poured the milk in a little cup to foam it up, I added some stevia. This made it even better. Besides the foam and creaminess, the milk felt smoother. When I added it to my coffee that day I even tried to do art with it. It wasn't great, but I was having a blast with it. I kept going back after that day. Every morning with my coffee I frothed up some milk with splenda and added it to my morning cup. It was great.

Recently I saw a person online recreating the cold foam from Starbucks. I'm not a Starbucks guy, but I do like the foam they add to the cold brew. This person online put milk, some cream and whatever added flavoring they wanted to recreate the drink. I watched it multiple times and decided I was going to do the same. I got some milk, cream and sugar free salted caramel syrup. I frothed it all up and added it to my homemade cold brew. I have not gone back to Starbucks since to get a cold foam cold brew. I just do it at home now. It tastes nearly identical and it is way, way cheaper. I love it. Lately I skip the milk all together and just froth up some heavy cream with whatever I decide to add to it. It is my absolute favorite way to make coffee for myself now. I buy flavored ground coffee, add it to my reusable K Cup and brew the coffee. While that is working I grab the cream, the frother and get to work. It is amazing. I am fully making my own lattes at home now. I can do whatever the hell I want.

I have been experimenting a ton lately. This morning I brewed myself some toasted coconut flavored coffee and made chocolate foam to add to it. It was as simple as could be. I added a little cream, a squeeze of chocolate syrup and a little splenda. I blended it all up and added it to my brewed coffee. It tasted like a mocha mixed with coconut. It was incredible. The other day I added some cream and honey from my buddy Kirk and blended it and added it to a hazelnut brew I made. It was dynamite and there was no need to add the splenda because the honey was plenty sweet. My folks got me a grab bag of sugar free syrups over the holidays and I used those quickly with heavy cream and the frother. I was making cold foam and regular foam with flavors like salted caramel. cinnamon dolce and hazelnut, and it was all fantastic. Hell, when it was bitterly cold here a month ago I made my kids hot chocolate with homemade whip cream using the frother.

I cannot recommend this kitchen enough. This thing is amazing and helps save a ton of money. I'm sure some diehard coffee people do not like frothers, but I love them. They are an essential tool in my home kitchen now. I adore them. 

Ty

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

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Ty/ Comment

Ty Watches "Tar" and Has Some Thoughts

Yesterday I watched "Tar". I have heard lots of good things about this movie, a lot of people I read and listen to have talked about it and it is on Peacock, which is a streaming service we happen to subscribe to in my house. I knew I needed a good amount of time so I made sure I got everything done before noon so I could watch it all in one sitting. I prepared myself for a long movie and turned it on. What I witnessed next, I have some thoughts on.

First things first, Cate Blanchett is amazing here. She does a masterful job of playing Lydia Tar, who the movie is based on. She truly embodied this character and made it her own. You cannot take your eyes off Blanchett while she is on screen, which is 99 percent of the movie. The way she portrayed this character, the fact that she learned how to conduct and play piano, among other instruments and how she played the more frightening parts really worked. The hype is real and very, very well deserved.

Outside of Blanchette, I do not understand what I watched. This movie is 2 hours and 40 minutes long and I was pretty much confused the entire time. The movie started with a dark screen followed by credits and someone singing in the background. I thought I messed up the stream. I assumed I started it at the end. I paused it twice to check the time. I was instantly confused. Then, as the movie unfolded, I just could not make heads or tails of what I was watching. There were long, long moments of silence. The quiet scenes may have been put in to provide suspense or tension but it just left me wanting more. I came away annoyed at these long, seemingly never ending silent scenes. Then when Blanchett would have a scene partner it felt like it was a monologue off. Blanchett would go on for minutes and then whoever she was talking to would get their turn. The acting was superb, but after three or four scenes of this it just felt tired. I did like the way they mentioned the pandemic and the stuff with cancel culture was great. But I felt like they were trying to make Lydia Tar, sometimes, feel like a victim. From the research I did after I watched the movie, Tar was not the best person.

I think what frustrated me most with this watch was how little extensive knowledge I have of music and composition. I'm sure the people that love this movie know music much better than I do. They are smarter than I am as well. They would go into great detail talking about the writing process and how hard of a job it is to conduct. I did like the conducting scenes, but there were far too few of them in this movie. But even during those scenes, Blanchett would speak in German and there were no subtitles. I had no idea what she was saying. I could not grasp what she was getting at. And then she would talk to other people involved in music and all of that flew right over my head. I love music. I play guitar. I was in a crummy band before I had kids. But when it comes to classical music I am as green as they come. I think "Tar" was made for people who know all this stuff. I think the people involved made it for people who know how to read music, for people who understand the ins and outs of composing music. I do not have that luxury because I never learned how to read anything more than tablature.

So, while Blanchett is magnetic and an absolute delight to watch on screen, "Tar" was not for me. I guess I am not smart enough or I just don't get it. I was utterly confused for the entire screening. I said to my dog at one point, "I have no idea what is going on man". And he is a dog, who unfortunately cannot talk. I would say, if you want to watch this movie, go in knowing as much as possible about classical music or go in and just enjoy Blanchett's mesmerizing performance. Other than that, it is very frustrating. 

Ty

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

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Ty's Second Half NBA Look Back and Look Ahead

The NBA is back tonight. The All Star break is over and teams are ramping up for the playoffs. Each team has anywhere from 20 to 25 games left in the season. This is less than usual, but I like it like that. This is going to be a fun sprint to the finish. With the break being over I want to touch on a few things I was wrong about in my preseason preview and what I am looking forward to as everything gets wrapped up.

I was wrong about Brooklyn, as a lot of other people were. They are a mess and they traded their stars. They needed to do that and the core they have now is fun. The current Nets remind me of the team before they went out star hunting. They should still make the playoffs, but they most likely will not win a round.

I was wrong about the Thunder as well. I figured they were going to tank, and while they are still below .500, they are fun and Shai Gilgeous Alexander is a superstar. That dude is so much fun to watch. I love how well he has adapted to the NBA.

I was also wrong about Toronto. I thought they were going to be a solid 4 or 5 seed in the East. I like the squad and the coach but it has not worked out as they planned I think. This team will be interesting to watch this offseason to see what happens with some of the players. They will still make the playoffs I bet, but they will be an easy out as well.

Now let's talk about the LA teams.

I picked the Clippers to make the Finals. I was nearly certain of this. I assumed they were finally healthy and they have a deep squad. Well, they have shown such little care about the regular season. I do not know how many games Kawhi Leonard and Paul George have played this year, but it isn't much. I feel like they are load managing every other night. That is frustrating. They are still 4th in the West, and should finish right around there, but yeesh are they maddening to watch.

The Lakers are very mediocre. When they have their guys, LeBron and AD, they look good. The problem is, they are barely on the floor together. One of them is always hurt. LeBron is having a great, great year. He looks as good as he always does. But this team is still a mess. They are 13th in the West at 27-32. I saw a Bleacher Report article talking about their "push to playoffs". That should not be the goal with the Lakers. I like the trades they made, and I do think they will sneak into the playoffs, but they will be a round one exit almost assuredly.

The Suns look legit now with KD although they lack depth and everyone on that team is always hurt.

The Grizzlies limped into the all star break, and they seriously miss Steven Adams, but I have faith they are a solid top three team in the West.

The Nuggets look like a very good regular season team and an easy out in the playoffs.

The Mavericks are sloppy and messy and I have zero faith in them. I do not like Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving is an antisemite, flat earther numbskull and they traded away any good defense they had.

The Pelicans started hot but Zion is hurt again and had yet another setback. I will not believe in this team ever until Zion can stay on the court for 40 plus games.

The Bucks and Celtics are the cream of the crop in the whole league. The Celtics seemingly have everything a modern NBA could ask for. As much as I dislike that team, they should be the favorites. They are great.

The Bucks are pretty much fully healthy and are riding a pretty nice win streak. Giannis has a wrist thing but I cannot imagine he will miss too much time. The Bucks defense is elite and the offense seems to be coming along.

The 76ers look like they have figured it out and Joel Embiid is having another MVP type season.

The Cavs are one of the most fun teams to watch in the league. Donovan Mitchell has been everything they could have hoped for and Darius Garland and Evan Mobley get better with every game. Jarrett Allen is a force in the middle and this team plays exceptional defense.

As for a few other teams, the Warriors look sloppy, the Pacers and Jazz have fallen back to Earth, the Wizards are boring and the Spurs, Rockets and Pistons are hoping to get either Victor Webanyama or Scoot Henderson.

What I want to see is this run to the playoffs. Who will get the 8 seed in the West? Will it be Portland or the Lakers? Could it be the Timberwolves? Hell, maybe the Thunder can figure it out. That should be exciting. I am also very interested to watch KD play with the Suns. Putting him together with Devin Booker and Chris Paul could be devastating. They should be the favorites out of the West. I'm personally interested in watching Ja Morant continuing his ascent to superstardom. I want to watch Joel Embiid push for a much deserved MVP. I want to see how the rookie of the year race finishes between Paolo Banchero and Benedict Mathurin. But most of all, what I am looking forward to above all else, is the Finals. If I had to readjust my pick from the preseason right now I'd go with the Suns and Celtics. That would be a solid matchup. 

Ty

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

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