Ty Watches "Bottoms"

Over the weekend I was finally able to see the movie "Bottoms". I remember previews for this and wanting to see it. I remember it getting very good reviews after it was released and wanting to see it even more. I remember hearing possible awards buzz surrounding the movie and wanting to see it the most. But time got away from me. The winter is the busiest time for me as far as coaching and dad duty goes. But, we had a date night, it was my turn to pick the movie and "Bottoms" was streaming on Amazon Prime for free. So we watched.

I loved this movie. I laughed at this more than most comedies that have come out in the past four or five years. The basic plot is, two nerdy, gay high school girls start a fight club to meet their crushes. That is the short version. But there is so much more on screen. First off, this is a high school spoof of a movie. When I looked up the cast, no actor was younger than 20 years old. But this was a situation where you could tell it was done with intention. The creators wanted actors that looked young, but we all know that they are not very young. This made some of the stuff we watched even funnier.

Ayo Edibiri and Rachel Sennott are the leads, and they are perfect. Sennott is the more outgoing, funny and talkative one. But, she will never be confused as a "cool" kid. Edebiri is more soft spoken. She doesn't want any trouble. She just wants to get to college. These two are sensational. When they finally get alone with their crushes, I was stoked, and then devastated for Sennott's character. These two used to be college roommates, and you can tell from their electric chemistry on screen. Sennott really keeps your attention when she talks. And the moments where Edibiri gives a speech, or does a monologue, are pretty powerful. They filled the cast with other actors that I don't really know. The crushes are played by Havana Rose Liu, this is the first thing I've seen her in, and Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford's daughter. They were excellent. Ruby Cruz is the one who kind of gets the whole fight club going. She was funny and had a solid arc. Punkie Johnson plays Edibiri's wild aunt who lives in a trailer. Zamani Wilder, Summer Joy Campbell and Virginia Tucker are members of the fight club, and all three bring some hilarious traits. The football players, namely Nicholas Galitzine and Miles Fowler, are wonderfully goofy. The whole stuff with the QB, Jeff, is riotous. And then we have Marshawn Lynch. What a star-making performance from him. He is hilarious, he pretty much improvised all of his lines, he took this role to make up for the way he reacted to his sister coming out, and he absolutely crushed. They took a chance and they were paid off tremendously by his performance. All of the actors did a wonderful job.

What most impressed me was the writing. This is an absurd movie, but it is absurd in all the best ways. The spoof of the football team's importance landed perfectly. The way teachers and administrators behave was tremendously done. How the main characters arc from nerdom to popularity and back to nerdom paid off. I was overly impressed with how well thought out and how simply insane the movie came across on screen. We need more comedies like this.

"Bottoms" is just as good as "Booksmart" and "Superbad". I actually think I may like it a bit more because of the presence of Ayo Edibiri and how ridiculous it is supposed to be. I definitely recommend watching this movie. It is very funny and very good. 

Ty

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

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NBA All-Star Weekend Needs Some Change

The NBA all star game is starting to look more and more like the pro bowl before they went to flag football. Let’s discuss.

This is the first time in a long time that I can remember not even being interested in the all star game. I used to live for the whole weekend. I always wanted to watch the slam dunk competition. I'd tune in for the three point final. I enjoy the skills competition. I used to even watch the celebrity game to see who was actually skilled at basketball. And the way to close out the weekend was seeing the game with the best the NBA had to offer that season. These dudes used to take it semi seriously. They'd give a little bit of effort. They'd show what they could do against one another. Hell, with the addition of the Elam ending a few years back, that made the last couple of points highly competitive and fun to watch. Go back before the pandemic shut down the season. That all star ending was dramatic and fun to see. Watching LeBron and Giannis go toe to toe, that was amazing. It was cool

The NBA All-Star Game today is just a layup lane and a dunk contest. Oh, and they shoot massive amounts of threes from everywhere on the floor. I saw a clip of Damian Lillard pulling up from halfcourt. No defense was in sight and he heaved it. It went in, but it was so anticlimactic for me. This wasn't a buzzer beater. This wasn't a heat check. Lillard pulled up during an exhibition game because he figured, who cares, no one is trying or really going hard at all. I am all for scoring. I like when the games are 140-135. I do find the theater in that to be quite dramatic and engaging. But that happens when both teams are going all out. They want the win. They are trying on both ends, it just so happens that both teams are scorching from the floor. That was not the case with the clips I've seen from last night's game. Karl Anthony Towns scored 50 points, and he was never truly considered for game MVP. Tyrese Haliburton hit five threes in his first five attempts and decided that was all he was going to shoot. Luka Doncic was doing his usual bull shit that some fans love, I cannot stand it. Anthony Edwards and KAT kept throwing the ball back and forth to one another. It felt forced at times, but also incredibly boring. Looking at the stats makes this even more glaring that no one cares. KAT took 35 shots. In an all star game. KD took 12, eight of which were threes. Steph Curry missed 11 of his 17 shots, thirteen of which were from 3. Anthony Edwards only took three shots during the whole game. Lillard took 26 shots, 23 coming from 3. Bam Adebayo only took two shots, and he was a starter. Paolo Banchero and Scottie Barnes combined for 19 shots. I wanted to see more from them. Jalen Brunson took nine of his twelve shots from 3. Tyrese Maxey only got up five shots. And Jaylen Brown inexplicably took 23 shots. Awful.

It doesn't make much sense to me what they are even doing anymore. Why not more from LeBron? Anthony Edwards is an up and coming star, but he barely got any time. Tyrese Haliburton and Shai Gilgeous Alexander are fun when they run up and down the floor. They didn't do that last night. No big men really do much of anything. It is bad, and getting worse. They did away with the Elam ending too, which makes zero sense to me. All in all, this was about as bad as it could get for the professional league that I think is the best in the country. The east scored over 200 points, but I don't even care this morning. The West had 186, and my thought was, that's it? That should not be the case when these types of numbers are being put up.

It wasn't just the game that didn't interest me. Mac McClung won the dunk contest again. So what? He is a G League lifer and sideshow at this point. Lillard won the 3 point contest again. Great. He's an amazing shooter. The celebrity game is dumb. The nonsense they are doing with the rookies versus sophomores game is wildly idiotic. The whole weekend is a waste for the fans. I fully understand that this is a break for these guys, and they deserve it. But to be this nonchalant and flippant is a major turnoff. I think the NBA may be better off just giving the players a week off in the middle of the season than making a select few play in an all star game. A week off may benefit everyone.

Something has got to change though. This all star game was very, very cringey. 

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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An Ode to the All Stars of "Comedy Bang! Bang!"

Anytime I download my podcasts in my library, every Monday there's a new episode of "CBB". This is my favorite podcast. It wasn't my introduction to this world, but it is the one I've stuck with the longest. Other shows come and go, but "CBB" has always been there. The only Patreon I subscribe to is "CBB World". I'm a big fan.

Whenever I see that the guestlist includes Jason Mantzoukas, I get stoked. I want to listen right away. Jason Mantzoukas is hilarious. He makes me laugh during any podcast appearance, any tv appearance and any movie appearance. The guy is funny, has great comedic timing and knows how to really sell the jokes in any setting. He is a great comic foil for Scott Aukerman. They have a great rapport and it is some of the best podcasting out there. Mantzoukas co-hosts his own podcast, the dynamite "How Did This Get Made", where he is just as funny, and a little crazy. When he appears on  "CBB", he is much calmer and more there to enjoy. That is my favorite version of Jason Mantzoukas.

Then, when I see Andy Daly's name on the list, I get even more pumped to listen. Daly is one of the most underrated comedy actors out there. "Review" is one of the best, and least seen, shows I have ever watched. He is hilarious on "Eastbound and Down". He shows up for little character arcs in shows from time to time and he is the best when he does that. He also has his own little podcast empire with all the characters he has created on "CBB", and those shows are wonderful as well. I enjoy most of the characters he plays, but Dalton Wilcox has to be one of the best. I am also fond of Hot Dog. And then when you pair him and Mantzoukas together on "CBB", I know I'm going to have a good time, and I'm going to be smacking my leg cracking up. Those two, combined with Aukerman make for some of the best comedy podcast listening out there.

Then we have Paul F Tompkins. He is on "CBB" a bunch. He and Aukerman are good, long friends. They have been working together since "Mr Show". They have seen things, done things and seem to have an absolute blast whenever they get together on mic. PFT is one of those performers that I know will make me laugh and will not disappoint. He is, as much as he may not like this, a podcast pro and is amazing at what he does when he is on any podcast. So, when PFT, Andy Daly and Jason Mantzoukas are on separate from each other, it is wildly funny and successful. Put them all on with Aukerman running the show, that is comedy dynamite.

This is what we got this past Monday. All of them were there and all of them were great. Daly and PFT played an abundance of characters the whole time. They were jumping back and forth between the plethora of the people they have done on the show in the past. Mantzoukas and Aukerman were egging them on and continuously adding more and more people for them to play. And like the pros they are, Daly and PFT ran with it and made this one of the best episodes of the best podcast I have ever heard. I was cleaning my house while listening to the episode and I had to stop multiple times due to how hard I was laughing. I was literally cackling walking around the house all morning long. I didn't want the episode to end. I could have listened for hours and hours. It was a perfect episode of "CBB".

I cannot recommend it enough, especially if you are on the fence about the show. This is a perfect starting point for any new fans. These are the best of the best. It is all you could want in an improv comedy show. I have it saved to listen to again, and I cannot wait until they are all back together in the next year or so to do it all over again. This was gold. Check it out. 

Ty

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

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Ty Wants to Play EA Sports College Football 25

Well, after eleven years and seemingly endless roadblocks, NCAA Football from EA Sports is finally coming out this summer. I am beyond excited.

This is the one and only video game that I have ever been really good at, and that I enjoy playing. RD and I used to play this game a ton when we lived together. When my wife and I started dating this was the video game I showed her when she asked if I liked playing video games. I've talked to my son about this game as being the only video game that I have ever truly liked. And the fact that it is coming back has been extra pumped.

I have watched the trailer multiple times already. RD texted me this morning to let me know the news, and I almost didn't believe him at first. As I said, I had heard the rumors. I bought into the rumors. I have been ready ever since the last version came out. When they announced that they were going to stop making the game, I would go on my Xbox and buy the old version to play. I played it a ton at the start of the pandemic because I still had the old version. But it fully went away on my Xbox a few years ago. I tried to search for it in the store to no avail. I heard that you could buy a version of the game, but it was wildly expensive, and you had to have way more computer knowledge than I have ever had in my life. I tried to buy games that the reviewers said were similar, but it was not the real thing. Not even close. So I have been just waiting.

My son will ask me from time to time what video game I would buy if I could buy any game. I have always told him it is NCAA Football. And I was going to wait for it to come back before I bought a new game. I don't care if I have to buy a new system. I hope they have it for Xbox, but if I need to get a Playstation, I'm going to be more than ready to have that talk with the family. If I need to upgrade my Xbox, you better believe that is in the cards.

When I get this game, you better believe I'm going to play it until I'm as good as I used to be. I will sit down and give this video game my attention. I will take my beloved Wolverines and keep them at the top of the college football world. I will jump back into the dynasty version. I'll figure out the transfer portal. I'll do the recruiting. I'll find the plays that work best. I'll make my team a fun run and gun squad. I'll have an attacking and menacing defense. Punts, never heard of them. I will challenge any and all comers. RD can tell you about my prowess with this game. I used to beat his super teams he'd create with Michigan. This is my game. I love it. I'm here for it.

I am so ready, willing and able to play. I am so stoked. I cannot wait. When the next update comes in May I'll be waiting with bated breath. And when the game comes out, I'll be getting it on release day. This is good news and I have never been this ready for a new video game to come out. This is rad. 

Ty

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

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Don't Be a Gatekeeper

I've been gatekeeping my son as far as his fandom goes with sports. If you are not familiar with what I'm talking about, as far as gatekeeping, I find myself giving my son a hard time about which professional sports teams he chooses to root for. He is 12, and has been a pretty big sports fan for about four years now.

My son was always into sports, but recently, after playing competitive sports, he has become even more of a fan. But his favorite teams seem to change yearly. When the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl in 2021, he was a fan. Last season he loved the Eagles. This year he glombed onto the Lions. All of these teams have had a glow up in the past four years. As far as the NBA, he became a Bulls fan when he started watching. They were not the champs, but they were a playoff team. He chose DeMar DeRozan as his favorite player and he has followed him ever since. He does like other teams though. He was a Lakers fan pre pandemic. He is now a Pacers fan since my dad and I took him to a game last year. He likes the Thunder and the Nuggets. Again, all teams that have blown up recently, with the Lakers being the exception. And with the MLB, he was born into a good fan situation being born in Saint Louis. We have the Cardinals. And even though they struggled last year, they are always good. But he also likes Shohei Ohtani, so he is now a Dodgers fan. He likes Atlanta. He finds himself watching the Rays and the Blue Jays during the last baseball season. All of these teams are perennially solid.

When I sit with this on my own, I have let it frustrate me lately. I've been a Michigan Wolverines fan my whole life. That was the first team I truly rooted for, and now I'm a super fan. This past season was amazing. As for the MLB, I'm a Cardinals fan. That is the only STL based team I openly root for. I'm a Packers fan due to my father. And I love the Memphis Grizzlies. These are my teams, and with the exception being the Grizzlies, I was a massive Seattle Supersonics fan as a kid, I have always been a fan of these teams. But if I sit down and look at it, the one team I love the most is Michigan football. I'm fully invested in them. They are my true one and only squad. But that is just me. I know others feel the same about their team.

As adults, we all have certain teams that we root for, and will always root for. So for me to tell my son who he should and shouldn't root for, who do I think I am? I am not allowed to pick his favorite team. I want him to find this out on his own. He doesn't have to root for who I like. He doesn't have to root for his hometown teams. I've always found that you are supposed to root for your hometown team dumb. There is no reason that you have to like a team based on location. That is absurd. Like whoever you want to like. Just as in life. As long as you aren't hurting anyone. I have heard a lot of younger actors that I listen to on podcasts getting in their bag as gatekeeping fans and it has irked me quite a bit. Just because they live in LA doesn't mean we all have to be Clippers or Lakers fans. And if they like those teams, great, but don't force your fandom on me, or judge me for liking Michigan just because I was born and raised in the STL.

I need to let my kid root for who he wants. If he now wants to be a Chiefs fan, more power to him. He is a kid and kids usually gravitate towards a team that wins. I'm sure I did this outside of my Michigan fandom. But I guess what I am trying to really say today, don't judge people based on where they are from and who they root for. Who cares? Sports are entertainment and it is not my place to tell people how they should enjoy watching and cheering for particular teams and players. Just let it go and enjoy being a fan of whatever team you adopted. Don't gatekeep anyone else's fandom but your own. 

Ty

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

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Ty Plays Retro Bowl

My son plays his Nintendo Switch a lot. I’m not much of a gamer, as you all know, but time to time I’ll play the Switch just to pass the time. It can be a good way to turn my brain off for a bit. I’ve mentioned playing MLB The Show before on the site. I play NBA2k a little here and there. We play Mario Kart and Mario Party as a family. The Switch gets used.

Recently though my son has been telling me to play Retro Bowl. He knows I have a lot of love for Tecmo Bowl. I played that game quite a bit when I was a kid. It was either Tecmo Bowl or NBA Jam for me when I was in middle school. But when my son told me Retro Bowl was similar to Tecmo Bowl, I was skeptical. The other day I grabbed the Switch while some reality show was on and I was not feeling The Show. I go through this with games. I get really into them for a few weeks, but when I’m done, I’m done. That is where I am currently with The Show. So I decided to give Retro Bowl a try.

When I turned the game on, it definitely had a similar look to Tecmo Bowl. That made me smile. I was a little turned off when it wouldn’t let me be the Packers right away though. But as I got more into the game, it definitely got more fun. I was getting real Tecmo Bowl vibes. It’s so simple to play. In Retro Bowl I don’t even have to pick a play. It’s not much, but when I play a game wherein I have less decisions to make, that’s a feather in its cap. So, after being given the Arizona Cardinals, I started to play and was instantly in. The passing is so easy. Move the cursor, press a button and hope you don’t throw a pick. When you catch it, that’s when you can make a move or two, but pressing one button. The same goes with the run game. You press one button, the qb hands it off and then it’s up to you to get yards as the running back. As for defense, you don’t have to play. It simulates it all for you. That makes the game go by super quickly. I can finish a game in about eight minutes. That means I can do more than 1/3 of the season in less than an hour. It’s a little more involved than Tecmo Bowl with the weekly stuff you do. You can make players, facilities and your stadium better by spending coins you earn. You can sign and trade players. You get to draft new players yearly. You can make decisions on coaches both during and after the year. And then you go and play more games.

I have found myself enjoying this game a lot. I think about it from time to time during the day after I’ve already played it. It took me five seasons, but I just won my first Retro Bowl. I’ve taken the Cardinals to the top of the Retro Bowl mountain. And now I have to decide if I want to stay or build up a new team.

I recommend this game for sports fans, especially ones my age that once loved Tecmo Bowl. It’s a nice comparison to the OG Nintendo football game. Retro Bowl is a blast. I can’t wait to play it later today.

Ty

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

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Hail to the Chiefs, Again

The Chiefs are back to back Super Bowl champs. They did what was necessary to stay in the game, and eventually, as they have seemed to do the past six years, pulled the game out in the end.

I watched because, of course, I was going to watch. I am a football fan and the Super Bowl marks the end of the football season. My folks joined us, we had a good spread and it was a good time. But the game didn't really kick into gear for a long time. This was a very boring game for three and half quarters. Each team traded punts for a good while. The 49ers made it exciting for a second when they did a wideout pass for a td. That was a good, and much needed play in a very boring first half. Patrick Mahomes was playing tentatively. The 49ers would go on long drives and stall out. Both teams played relatively clean football. There weren't too many penalties. It was a slog. I think it was 10-3 at halftime, and I was getting vibes from the Rams-Patriots Super Bowl a few seasons back that ended with a score of 13-3. This was a defensive struggle.

The halftime show sounded good. I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, but my wife and son said it sounded pretty good. I also read that he had a pretty tight sounding guest appearance list. Anytime Ludacris is on tv rapping, I love that.

Then we got into the second half, which for the majority of the third quarter was playing out like the first half. There were punts galore. Then the Chiefs got a break. It was 10-6 and the Chiefs proceeded to go three and out for what seemed like the millionth time. They punted, but the ball hit a 49er, the returner tried to grab the ball but fumbled, and the Chiefs scooped it up. They scored on the very next play with a very, very well called play. The routes from the receivers were glorious to watch. The 49ers didn't quit. They went right down the field and scored. Jajuan Jennings was playing out of his mind. But the extra point got blocked. The Chiefs only needed a field goal. They drove and got it. The game was getting more exciting. Both teams may have been settling for field goals, but at least they were putting together drives and making this Super Bowl fun to watch. With a little less than two minutes left the 49ers had a three point lead and the Chiefs got the ball. This was a dope drive. Mahomes was finally making plays. He started to play with the energy he usually brings, and it was dope to see. They had it at the 10 with about ten seconds left and tried to get a td. They didn't get it, but Butker hit an easy field goal and we headed to overtime.

The fact that I read today that the 49ers were not aware of the new overtime rules makes this ending even more hilarious to me. The 49ers got the ball and drove it right down the field. It looked like they were going to easily punch it in. But the Chiefs finally pressured Brock Purdy and he showed his flaws. They settled for a field goal and then it was the Chiefs turn. And they took it right down the field. The Chiefs finally ran the offense that worked for them. Mahomes was getting the ball out quick and letting his wideouts do their thing. Isaiah Pachecho was running with power and speed. They got all the way inside the 10 with less than ten seconds left. And they played out the clock so well. That final play was icing on the cake. The way Mecole Hardman came out of his break, and was wide open, that was a thing of beauty. Mahomes easily put it on his numbers and that was that. The Chiefs had repeated.

It was dope. I had no rooting interest other than the fact that I have always been a hater of the 49ers. The Super Bowl may have taken a good long while to get good, but when it got good, it got pretty damn good. Both of these teams went back and forth and it was good to see them put it together near the end of the game. Patrick Mahomes got the MVP, which felt deserved with the way he finished the game. It was good to see and I immediately went to bed after the game was over. The better team won, the halftime show was good and the food was dynamite. All in all, it was a good way to spend the Super Bowl. On to next season. 

Ty

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

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Where are the All Star NBA Dunkers

The NBA dunk contest field is set, and it is not great.

I used to live for the dunk contest. It was my favorite part of NBA all star weekend. This was when Vince Carter would show up and wow the fans. His dunk contest is still the GOAT dunk contest ever. But it started to wane when they gave contestants as much time as they needed to complete a dunk. It was pretty unwatchable back then. They decided to put a time limit on dunks, and that made it much better. This was when we got the Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon contests that were only bested by Vince Carter. Hell, even when Victor Oladipo showed up and did a dunk in the Black Panther mask, it was still pretty dope.

Now the stars are not entering the contest. We are starting to get backup players and G League players. I fully understand why LeBron has never entered. He has nothing to prove. But why don't we have players like Anthony Edwards joining? Where is a guy like Obi Toppin? How come Ja Morant has never been here? Why does Zion Williamson opt out every season? I mean, it is because they don't want to get hurt, but come on. Michael Jordan was in a dunk contest when he was young. Larry Nance wowed the crowd. Julius Erving did some wild dunks. We need some young star players to get in this contest again. That will make it fun.

This season, and no disrespect to these guys, they are better athletes than I could ever dream of being, it is a bunch of no names, minus one guy that I don't think of as a dunker when I watch him play. The biggest name is Jaylen Brown. And he can do some powerful stuff when he decides he wants to. But he is more of a slasher/three point shooter. He has one, maybe 2 highlight dunks in his whole career. He is wildly athletic. He can jump out of the gym. But I don't think he is really going to bring it this season. The Celtics have a real shot to win the finals this year, and he is a very important player for them. They need him to be healthy for the stretch run. I think he will dunk it hard, but I don't expect true fireworks from him. Then we have KJ Martin. He is a fine dunker. He is a fine leaper. He can maybe do some cool stuff. But the guy is a lifelong backup, and he doesn't have the charisma that Nate Robinson had when he was joining dunk contests. I don't think people outside of true NBA fandom really know who KJ Martin is as a player. Hell, I forgot he was in the contest until my 12 year reminded me. Then we have two G League guys. Mac McClung is back to defend his win from last season. McClung at this point is a sideshow. He is never going to be a viable NBA player, but the NBA seems more than happy to roll him out for the dunk contest. He is like those guys that go to driving ranges and wack the ball as far as they can. He is a freakshow. He is someone who comes out to do some dunks and then goes back into his G League hole. And then we have Jacob Toppin. This is, by far, the lesser of the two Toppin's playing professional basketball. I'm sure he is a fine leaper, but who really cares about him being here? I sure as hell don't. I don't even know what team he is currently on and how much run he actually gets game to game.

This is a less than stellar field. I have no real will to watch this season. I hope I'm proven wrong, but probably not. I'm sure the NBA doesn't really care about the contestants, but the fans should. This is a bummer. The whole all star weekend is becoming kind of a drag and kind of pointless. I get that the players need the break, but some changes have got to be made. The NBA is usually pretty great about trying new things out and making it fun and enjoyable. They need to do that with all star weekend sooner rather than later. 

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 "Curb Your Enthusiasm" 14th Season Premiere

The 14th, and final season, of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premiered this past Sunday. My wife and I didn't get to see it until Monday, but all the same, it was awesome.

The thing I like most about this show, what has kept me coming back for each new season, you never really feel like it left. It picks right back up where we left off after last season, and we are in it. That makes me happy to be a fan. They don't have to rehash every storyline from the previous season. They use the main story, add a little detail from other seasons, but all in all, each new season is, and feels, new. Larry David and the writers deduced they were going to keep his new show and Maria Sofia this time around. That is kind of perfect because it helps the viewer understand why David and all his people can continue to live their lavish lives. His show is a hit, he is asked to appear at parties with Maria Sofia and they do, although David is not too thrilled. And then we are thrust into the new season.

This is the last go round, that is what everyone involved with the show keeps telling us, so we are instantly put into uncomfortable situations. Larry goes to Atlanta to appear at a party of a lifelong fan. Before going though they stop off at Auntie Ray's house in Atlanta. Auntie Ray was one of the family members displaced by the hurricane in season five I believe. She and Larry are all lovey dovey with one another until she tries on his glasses. Larry is convinced she bent them and they have a pretty epic screaming match. Leon is there, of course, and he adds his usual hilarity. Maria Sofia and Larry are at it at every step, so all of this just adds to his frustration over the glasses. We then get classic Larry David stuff. He wants to call a party guest by a nickname, but they don't want him to call her that. This irks Larry and he will not rest until he knows why he cannot call her by this name. He won't take pictures with the party guests. Leon eats the birthday cake before it is presented. David feigns interest during conversation. He gets into a fight with the maid at his hotel. He has to wear Auntie Ray's glasses everywhere. Jeff tells him he may not get paid for his appearance because of his attitude at said party. It is all the classic things you have grown to love about the show made better by the three years since it was last on air.

David knows what he is doing because he may be the best writer in comedic television history. He is gruff and mean and angry all the time, but that is what I love about the character. Leon is back and funnier than ever. Jeff and Susie are there to go along with and antagonize. Cheryl and Ted Danson are going to come up most assuredly. I cannot wait to see Vince Vaughn. I have to assume Richard Lewis will make appearances. And now we have Maria Sofia.

I cannot wait to see how they close this all out and I'm going to relish every moment of this final season. If the season premiere is any indication, this is going to be a rock solid season of one of the best comedies of all time on tv. 

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 "Self Reliance"

Before watching "Saltburn" I watched "Self Reliance". I heard a lot about this movie prior to watching it. I'm a Jake Johnson fan, and he has been on a bit of a podcast media tour promoting this movie. All I needed was to hear the plot and I was in.

The long and short of it all, Johnson's character gets asked to be on the dark web's number one reality show where he is being hunted. If he can last for 30 days he wins a million dollars. The catch, he cannot be alone. Ever. If he is with someone else, he cannot be harmed. The people who run the show will not go after him as long as he is with someone. Sounds intense, right? Well, while there are some wild scenes, scenes that made me jump, this is a pretty funny movie too. Johnson said as much during all of his podcast appearances. The movie is also a tight 90 minutes. This has everything I want in a movie. It is all wrapped in a nice little package that is wildly easy to digest. So when I watched, I had pretty high hopes.

The movie hit them all. From start to finish I was in. I am a fan of Johnson, especially when he does stuff that is a change of pace from "New Girl". Here he is a down on his luck dude that wants some more excitement in his life. And when Andy Samberg shows up, playing himself, that is just another feather in the movie's cap. I am a very, very big Samberg fan. And when Johnson decides to take this opportunity, that is when the movie achieves its goal. It is a pretty wild ride from there on out. Johnson tries to tell his family and they do not believe him at all. They think he is losing it. There are moments where I kind of thought he was going through a mental break. Johnson decides to hire an unhoused person, played by Biff Wiff, and they have some nice chemistry with each other. I liked the way they played off one another. Johnson eventually meets up with Anna Kendrick and they form an alliance. The two of them have worked together before, and it shows on screen. I liked watching the two of them in scenes together. I would totally buy them as a couple. But, the whole idea for this movie, the dark web reality hunting show, is always a threat. At any moment I thought that Johnson could get bumped off, and that kept me on edge. Whenever he was alone, even for the brief moments he was, it legitimately scared me. And Johnson played that very well. I truly loved that when it was all going down, he would implore his family members that this was all real, but they still brushed it off, with hilarious results. When he calls his mom at work, that was a pretty wonderfully hilarious scene. When she mispronounces Andy Samberg's name, that was comedy gold. Even as the movie builds to its conclusion, the immediate threat and disbelief from everyone else, it is still there and still freaks me out. Johnson plays all this so well. You could tell this movie was a labor of love. I read that he wrote it during the lockdown when COVID was raging. That shows. But it is not a pandemic movie. That much is clear.

I definitely recommend watching this movie. It has good genre blending and it is a nice, quick watch. I enjoyed the hell out of it, and I think you will too. 

Ty

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

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Ty Watches "Saltburn"

My wife and I sat down and watched "Saltburn" this past weekend. We have seen a bunch of reels on Instagram. We have read the things people have been saying about the movie, while avoiding spoilers. After doing all this research we both decided we had to watch. So we did.

I do not know that I have ever seen a movie this bizarre, and I've seen a bunch of weird movies. I like movies that try something different, something people haven't really seen yet. "Saltburn" takes that and really runs with it. So, my first push to watch this movie came about when I heard that the director also directed "Promising Young Woman". I love that movie. It was one of my favorites. So when a new movie by her was announced, I was intrigued. Then I saw and read all that stuff, so that made me even more in. Again, this is the most bizarre movie I've ever watched. I am very glad that I came into it blind, but holy hell was this a ride. I am going to reveal some things in this blog, but if you haven't seen the movie yet and plan to, stop reading and come back and finish after you watch.

The movie starts out nice and normal. It shows a kid going off to college and trying to make friends. All the while he has his eye on the cool kids. He eventually starts to hang out with them and build relationships. He becomes such good friends with the hot guy, Felix, played by Jacob Elordi, that Felix invites him to stay at their home, Saltburn, for the summer. He agrees and this is where the movie gets truly nuts. Things start to get odd at the halfway point. Ollie, played by Barry Keoghan, has this weird, odd way of interacting with people. He seems shy and coy. He doesn't want to disturb anyone until it is fruitful for him. Felix's sister waits for him one night outside his room. He goes down to her only to turn her away. she does it again and this is the first gross thing that happens. He starts to pleasure her with his fingers and she pushes back, saying it isn't the right time of the month for her. He responds with one of the grossest lines ever muttered, "good thing I'm a vampire". You can use your imagination of what happens next. I had to cover my eyes during this scene. I'm not kink shaming anyone or anything, but that just isn't for me. When Ollie kind of rejects her the next morning, she is mad, but everyone moves on. From there we see Ollie drink bathtub water that Felix has ejaculated in. He also gives hand pleasure to Farley, all the while telling him to "be a good boy". He goes along with the mom and dad, played by Rosamund Pike and Richard E Grant, when they act like everything is okay even when horrible things are happening all around them. He drugs people and kills them when he deems fit. He leaves, but comes back and takes over the home. He does cocaine and dances in the nude. He has no remorse. It is devastating and terrifying.

When the movie was done I was flabbergasted. I didn't know if I liked it or hated it. I couldn't figure out what I was watching and why all these things were happening. I was highly impressed by the acting because the portrayals of everyone made them unlikable. But the thing in this movie's favor, I haven't stopped thinking about it for three straight days. I will be doing something and, pop, a scene in the movie will replay in my head and I will think about it and pour over it. I can't seem to shake this movie. I think the writers, director and actors did an amazing job because this is a movie that I will think about a bunch. I want to say, if you do decide to watch this movie, it is crazy. You will see things that will make you uncomfortable. You will squirm. You will cover your eyes. But you will not be able to shake it from your mind. It will stay with you.

So, would I recommend this movie? Yes, if you are prepared to be uncomfortable. But go in with all the aforementioned warnings. "Saltburn" is a crazy, messed up movie and will rock your brain. That can be good or bad, that is up to you. Watch at your own risk. But I do think this is a solid movie. 

Ty

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

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R.I.P. Carl Weathers

I've watched some good movies and tv shows over the weekend, but starting out the week on my blog, I have to write about the passing of Carl Weathers.

This one hurt as a fan. I have seen and enjoyed a bunch of Weathers' work. I loved "Rocky" and "Rocky 2". I was such a fan. I had never seen a movie up to that point where the hero didn't necessarily win in the end. Rocky learned a lesson. And the person who taught him that lesson was Apollo Creed, portrayed by Weathers. Apollo Creed was my introduction to Carl Weathers the actor. I was instantly hooked.

After seeing the "Rocky" movies that Weathers appeared in, I searched for his other stuff. I love the original "Predator". I didn't appreciate it when I watched it as a teen, but I love it now. He was in the James Brown video "Living in America" playing Apollo Creed. They used this in "Rocky 4", where his character gets punched to death. That was tragic. I have not yet seen "Action Jackson", but that is going to change soon. I now have to see this movie. He was in "The Comebacks", which is an awful movie, but I enjoyed his role. And recently I saw him in "The Mandalorian", where he has a major role. I wonder how they will show his character now?

But where Carl Weathers really came into my consciousness, where I really became a lifelong fan, was "Happy Gilmore". I love this movie with all of my heart. It is one of my all time favorites. I am an avid Adam Sandler fan. I'm unapologetic about my fandom for him. So when he released "Happy Gilmore", of course I watched it on opening day, and a bunch more times since then. And what has always made me come back to it, why I never get tired of it is Weathers' performance as Chubbs. He is my absolute favorite character in that movie. I have never gotten tired of watching him in this movie. I have never grown tired of the movie in general, but Weathers performance as Chubbs is the absolute cherry on top. My only other times watching Weathers was in action or serious roles, usually both combined. Even in "The Mandalorian" he is pretty serious. But in "Happy Gilmore" he is hilarious. He plays the straight man opposite Sandler and he absolutely nails it. He also has a wooden hand due to an alligator biting his hand off. When he reveals this it is one of the funniest moments in movie history for me. He puts his wooden hand up and says, "damn alligator bit my hand off!". Sandler recoils, but Weathers never breaks. He continues to tell Sandler his character's back story. From that moment on in the movie he had me hooked. When he coaches other golfers, his demeanor is so bored and uninspired. It is great. When he takes him to the mini golf course, I love that whole thing. When he grabs him from behind and starts swinging him back and forth and saying "it's all in the hips", that is gold in that movie. Everything Weathers does as Chubbs is perfect. I can watch it over and over again and find new things he does in "Happy Gilmore" that make me smile. This was where my fandom went up another notch. I love him in this movie.

Carl Weathers passing is a true bummer. He still had a bunch of work left to do, but now he is gone. Rest in Peace Carl Weathers. You will be missed. I hope to see you, the alligator and Abraham Lincoln smiling down at me at some point in my life. That would be a dream. 

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 Teddy Bridgewater

It was announced this morning that Teddy Bridgewater retired from the NFL. I bet a lot of you don't know that name, or are saying to yourselves, I remember him.

Teddy Bridgewater never really got a true chance in the NFL due to injury and circumstance. But, he was one of the better high school and college players that we have ever witnessed. The high school he played for, where he is now head coach, named the field after him. As a sophomore he took over the team and led them to a 13-3 record. As a junior he set multiple records, including one game in which he had seven touchdowns. He was named an All American and led his team to a 10-2 record. As a senior he battled through injury, but still led his team to a runner up finish. In his limited play he still went over 2,600 yards and 22 tds. He was an Army All American and was the sixth best prospect in his class. He originally committed to Miami, but opted to play college football at Louisville. He started four games into his freshman season there and never really looked back. He went for over 2,100 yards and 14 tds as a true freshman. He was voted Big East rookie of the year and a second team freshman All American. As a sophomore, Louisville won the Big East, Bridgewater threw for 3,400 yards and 25 tds and Louisville went to a BCS bowl against Florida. He was named the Big East offensive player of the year and was 7th in the country in passer efficiency. Again, he did all of this as a true sophomore playing high level college football. Bridgewater would go on to torch Florida in the Sugar Bowl and win MVP of the game. As a junior he threw for nearly 4,000 yards. He had 31 td passes. He scorched Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl to the tune of 447 passing yards and 3 tds. He was named MVP of that game as well.

Having nothing left to prove, he declared for the draft. He was one of the top prospects in his draft class, behind only Jadaveon Clowney. Many people thought he could be the first overall pick. He was not the first pick though, falling all the way to the end of the first round, being selected 32nd overall by the Minnesota Vikings. Some QBs taken ahead of him are guys like Blake Bortles and Johnny Manziel. I would much rather have had Teddy Bridgewater. Bridgewater ended up starting for the Vikings during his rookie season due to injuries to other QBs. He finished the season throwing for 2,900 plus yards. He was also the fan choice for offensive rookie of the year. Things were looking pretty solid for him. He struggled a bit to start his second NFL season, but eventually found his footing. He ended that season with 3200 yards passing and 14 tds. The Vikings won the division and he was named to the Pro Bowl. They made the playoffs. He was starting to figure it out it seemed.

Then, during a practice entering his third year he tore his ACL in a non contact drill. He also dislocated his knee. He was done for the year before it even started. His injury proved to be much worse than what was originally reported. He had to miss all of the 2017 season to recover. It took 19 months to recover from the catastrophic damage done to his knee. The Vikings declined his option and he was a free agent. Then it was just floating around and no real opportunities given to Bridgewater. In 2018 he spent time with the Jets and Saints. He appeared in garbage time and he started one game when the Saints had wrapped up the 1 seed. He was a full fledged backup at this point. He did start for a bit in 2019 due to injury, but he was never really the guy for the Saints. He was Brees' backup. In the offseason, Bridgewater left the Saints for the Carolina Panthers, getting a pretty good contract. The 2020 season was good for him. He got to play a bunch, he set personal records and looked to be somewhat back. But he was traded next season when the Panthers brought in Sam Darnold. That irked me as a person who wanted Bridgewater to succeed. The Panthers gave up on him for Sam Darnold. That is a true bummer. He caught on with the Broncos, but he was never really given command of the team while there. He got a concussion in week 15 and was done for the year. He then signed with the Dolphins, but they had just drafted Tua. He started later that season but broke his finger on his throwing hand and was done in Miami. He caught on this past season with Detroit and was more known for wearing number 53 during the preseason than anything he did on the field.

Bridgewater is walking away with 15,000 plus passing yards, 87 passing tds, 844 rush yards and 11 rushing tds in his career. He went to the playoffs as a starter only once, and his team was beaten. His career was solid, but not what it could have truly been in the long run. He had everything you could have wanted in a QB. He could make all the throws and run if needed. He was smart, nice and coachable. Injuries killed what could have been a much more memorable stay in the NFL. But he made it. He came back from injury. He stuck it out for almost ten seasons. He was a plug and play guy. I don't want his name to just fade away in the collective memory of football fans. Teddy Bridgewater was dominant in college and had the makings to be dominant in the NFL.

Enjoy retirement and enjoy coaching at your alma mater. You have earned all the good things in life Teddy Bridgewater. Football is going to miss you. 

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 the Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie I Ate for Breakfast

I watch a good amount of cooking videos. They calm me down at the end of the day. I like the soft music they play, the food always looks good and I get a ton of ideas for new recipes while watching. Dessert videos have become my absolute favorite. I have a sweet tooth, I like almost all desserts and most of these videos make the food look extra delicious.

One thing I have seen a lot of lately, but haven't tried yet, is people cooking food in brown butter. It is pretty self explanatory. You put butter in a pan and cook it until it goes from gold to brown. I always think it looks good, but as I said, I have not had it, nor have I made anything with brown butter yet. That changed this morning.

I went out for coffee with my dad, and since I hadn't eaten breakfast, I helped myself to a brown butter chocolate chip cookie. Yep, dessert for breakfast today. I don't see how eating a cookie is any different from eating waffles or pancakes. Anyway, this cookie was divine. It was a big, big cookie too. I got it to go, with my espresso and tonic, the best iced coffee drink in my opinion, and the cookie filled the entire bag. When I took it out it looked different from most cookies. This one was darker. Most chocolate chip cookies have a lighter, closer to whiter color. This one was dark. It was almost caramel colored. I was instantly intrigued. I have seen other cookies this color, but not chocolate chip. And the chips in this cookie were the biggest chips I've seen. They were almost Hershey Kiss size. There were only three or four chips in the cookie, but that was more than enough.

Back to the taste of the cookie.

The first bite was pretty amazing. That is the sign if food will be great, okay or bad, that first bite. And this delivered in flavor. There was salt and sweet, but it was not overly sweet at all. That is a big sign of a solid cookie for me. If the baker does a good job of parsing the ingredients properly, the pastry or cookie or whatever should be dynamite. This baker nailed it. Then there was this nutty flavor. This was totally new to me. I have had a lot of cookies in my life. A lot. This was a whole new world for me. I have to imagine this comes from browning the butter. I don't know where else the nuttiness could have come from. When you combine that brown butter with flour, eggs, sugar and salt, and whatever else they add, that is a wonderful combination of awesome flavors. I enjoyed every last bit of this cookie. I had my dad try it and he was equally impressed. He also appreciated the balance of ingredients. My dad is not a big time sweets guy, so for him to enjoy a cookie this much, that is a big deal. And when we chatted about the cookie, we both came back to the brown butter aspect. This has to be the magical/secret ingredient that really made the sweet sing.

I am a fan and will be using brown butter much more often. I am eager to try it at home now. I think using it in a pasta dish could be a magical addition. If you all have not had brown butter yet, I highly recommend giving it a taste. It is very, very good stuff. 

Ty

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

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Leon Black, The MVP of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"

The final season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm" premieres this Sunday. Everyone involved has said that this is it, and I fully believe them. I don't think this is one of those situations where people say this is the end but then decide to come back for a movie or reunion. This has a real finale feel. I also tend to believe that Larry David is done with this show too, and he doesn't seem like the type to go back on this. So, with that being said, I want to shout out an actor that turned this show from great to classic.

The first couple seasons of this show were great. They laid the groundwork. We got to know who the main characters are, how they act and live day to day. The show was also hilarious. I loved everything with Larry and Cheryl. The stuff with his dad was phenomenal. The stuff with Cheryl's family was great. Getting to know Susie and Jeff really let us into those characters' lives. Seeing how Larry David interacted with the people he used to work with was pretty excellent. The show worked. But, when they decided to do their thing with Hurricane Katrina, and write it into the show in their own way, this is where the show skyrocketed to being one of the best things in television history.

During the season 6 premiere the audience is introduced to the Black's. They are the family whose house was destroyed from the flood and the David's took them into their home. We get to meet the mom, the aunt and the kids right away. But it wasn't until the next day that we were introduced to Leon Black. Leon might be the greatest side character of all time. JB Smoove absolutely knocks this role out of the goddamn park. It feels like Smoove was destined to play this role. He is too perfect here. The whole idea of the show is, with each storyline, they improvise. There are never any true scripts. They get an idea of what each episode will be about, but there are never any written lines. Or at least that is what I have read. This fits right into Smoove's wheelhouse. He is a true comedian and an excellent comedic actor. He improvises so well with David, Susie Essman and Jeff Garlin. It feels like he makes them go up a level. Everytime he and David get into a shouting match I know it is going to be hilarious. When he starts to talk about Leon's past life experiences, it is so, so funny. When he reminisces I cannot control my laughter. I watched an older episode the other night where Leon and David come up with an idea for Leon to be a "house husband". This means he goes and helps his friends get better deals on home improvement projects. It all blows up in their faces, and Smoove is there to play this all for big time laughs. I also love the episode where we see the Black's leave Larry's house, after he and Cheryl split, and Leon walks up, seeing his family leaving. When Larry asks what he is going to do, Leon tells him he is going to go inside and eat his Chinese food, securing his place in Larry's house. Since that moment they have been roommates and friends. They've gone to Paris together. They have their businesses. Leon played a fake doctor for him. He has been his assistant. He talks to him about his lovelife and Larry's could be better. He despises Irma more than Larry I think. They are inseparable, and we are all reaping the rewards of getting to watch them go on this journey as a team.

I cannot wait to see what they do in this final season, but more so for me, I want to see how they wrap Leon's story. That is what I'm here for. I cannot wait. 

Ty

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

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Michigan Football Fans Need to Calm Down

The Michigan football team has seen their head coach leave for the NFL, hired a new head coach, the best possible candidate, and has seen coaches depart to join Jim Harbaugh's staff in LA. This is how it goes when coaches leave. Harbaugh hired these guys, he worked closely with them, they won a national championship and he wants to continue to work with them and see how they do at the highest level. That is the way.

You see this all the time. Nick Saban had to hire new people all the time. Todd Monken left Georgia three years ago for the NFL. Dan Lanning took the Oregon job and brought some Georgia assistants with him. That is two times Kirby Smart had to get new coaches. Deion Sanders brought a bunch of his staff over from Jackson State when he took the Colorado job. This is the norm. But, when I go on Michigan fan pages lately it is going in two areas, the sky is falling or Harbaugh is "screwing the team over". There is no middle ground. There is no complacency. People are mad and frustrated and they are letting it out online.

I have always been a pessimist when it comes to Michigan. It was always the worst case scenario for me. I could not be satisfied with what they did. Until this past season. They won the national title 22 days ago. I am still living on that high. I have seen two national titles in my lifetime, but this most recent one is way, way more satisfying. They did everything I have always wanted them to do. They won all 15 games they played. Most of them weren't close. They were blowing most teams out weekly. It was a dream. This was the first season in forever where I could relax while watching almost every game. I have never been happier to be a Michigan fan. I feel like some people on these message boards have already forgotten this news. They are more obsessed with the transfer haul the university of Ohio State brought in. They want to fight with people online about the ongoing investigation. They want to yell and scream at Harbaugh. They aren't as happy as they should be with the Sherron Moore hire. It hasn't even been a month since they won it all, but if you read the message boards it sounds more like they just went through a rebuilding season. I don't get it.

Harbaugh and these players gave us fans anything and everything we ever wanted but it doesn't seem good enough for some. I fully understand not being satisfied with just one title these past two decades, but can we fans just celebrate a little longer before bitching about every little thing? As for the staffing stuff, Michigan kept the job in house. They hired Moore, who more than earned this job. The university promoted from within. And while losing Jesse Minter and Ben Herbert is tough, they have already replaced Herbert with his assistant, and they have people on staff that they can hire to be the new defensive coordinator. They can also look to an outside hire, possibly someone on the Ravens staff. I also do not believe Harbaugh is going to leave Moore in the cold. I don't think he will shut him out. I definitely think he will help him anyway he can, just like his brother helped him when he needed coordinators. Moore is also currently putting together a staff. We need to give Moore a chance. It seems like a bunch of so-called fans aren't prepared to do this. It is all doom and gloom. Fans are more worried about kids transferring and the coaches that are no longer on the staff. It is always tough when very good coaches leave, but that is a good thing. Coaches in demand means your team is doing something right. If they just stuck around forever I don't think they'd be happy. I don't believe that most coaches who reach the collegiate level want to be assistants forever. I think most want to be head coaches at some point.

I just want it to all calm down. I want people to remember what just happened. They won it all. They haven't done that since 1997. It has been a long, long time. Michigan is relevant again. They are a power. Moore should be given a chance to continue that with the people that he wants to work with. Just relax and enjoy the title and this team. They were incredibly elite. And Moore is going to do just fine. Go Blue. 

Ty

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

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I Guess I Will Do a Super Bowl Preview

The Super Bowl is set. We have the 49ers and the Chiefs.

Now, before I get into it, both of these teams earned their spot in this game. They beat the teams they were facing. The Chiefs went and won on the road and the 49ers came back from a 17 point halftime deficit. They have been two of the better teams in the NFL all year, they both have solid offenses and very good defense, even the Chiefs really played high level d this season. There are stars on both teams, both coaches have been to this game before and this is a rematch from a few years back of a pretty solid game.

Okay, got that all out.

I could not be more bored by this outcome. I'm sick of the Chiefs always being in the Super Bowl. This is like when the Warriors were constantly winning the NBA title, or when the Yankees were the dominant team in the MLB. I am bored of seeing the same team playing in the championship game every season. They won and earned this spot, but I just want some parity. I want change. I have always had a soft spot for the Ravens and I was rooting hard for them to get to the Super Bowl. I don't really care either way about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's relationship, so that doesn't even draw me in as something to latch on to for this game. Mahomes is great, Andy Reid is a good coach and the d has stepped up, but I truly don't care about the Chiefs at all. I'm over their whole aura.

As for the 49ers, I've never been a fan. Even when I was a little kid I did not like the 49ers. I always liked watching Jerry Rice play, but there was no one else, maybe Charles Haley, that really spoke to me as a fan. I do not like this new version of the 49ers at all. I know they have plenty of fans, and I definitely sound like a hater, but I just do not like anyone on this team. Deebo Samuel is a good player, he's very versatile, but he is on social media too much. Brock Purdy is an average, at best, QB. I watched what he did last night, and I was not impressed. I mean, congrats to him for being a starting QB in the NFL, but he's not for me. The next two weeks are going to be relentless with him being the "leader" of this team as well. I'm sure ESPN already has multiple storylines about his "journey" to where he is now. I haven't seen any of it yet, but I'm already done with it. Christian McCaffrey is a very good running back, but he is boring as hell. He is the most milquetoast superstar the NFL has in the league right now. He's a dolt. The defense is full of big name guys that I just cannot get behind. I have so many personal issues with a bunch of different players that I just cannot get past. I cannot stand the coach either. He is a hipster doofus who dresses like he's a skater. We all know he is a mid 40's dad. The jig is up my man.

So when I look at this matchup and think about a preview, I am just overall bored. I could care less. I will be spending more time on Super Bowl Sunday air frying food and having snacks. If you all came here for a preview and prediction, this is about as short as it will get. I think the 49ers are going to win. They should have been beaten twice now, but they have found a way to win. The Chiefs will make it tough. They are playing their best football right now, but I see the 49ers putting it all together in the Super Bowl. The Chiefs haven't really exploded on offense, and while the defense is playing at a high level, they got the Dolphins in freezing cold temps, the Bills missed an easy field goal and the Ravens played like the playoff Ravens. They haven't had to face a multifaceted offense like the 49ers.

There you have it, the 49ers will win the Super Bowl 24-21. Then we will all get to hear about how "great" Brock Purdy is as a QB. Hooray. 

Ty

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

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A Message for a Happy Birthday

My son turns 12 today. I am finding this very hard to believe. I feel like he is still a little kid, a toddler. He very much is not a toddler.

Raising a pre teen can be both rewarding and frustrating. Things are no different in my world. I adore my son. He is my buddy. He is getting into sports more and more everyday. He loves football. He is a basketball fan. He enjoys playing baseball and has started to watch it from time to time. He is becoming, against my better wishes, a Michigan football fan. I know that life and I am trying to steer him towards other teams, which is kind of working. But hey, no better time to be a Michigan Wolverines football fan. I coach him in basketball, and while his listening skills still need to be better, he does things at practice lately where I see he is figuring stuff out on the court. I'm an assistant baseball coach, and his fear of the ball when hitting is all but gone. He may swing at too many pitches if I'm being honest. He is a super bright kid who may not push himself enough in school. He is inherently smart, but he doesn't apply himself all the time. He wants to get his work done so he can goof around with his buddies. I get it, but he is too smart to not push a little more in school. We have given him incentives to work hard, not a great parenting moment, but what are you going to do, and it seems to be working. I thought I caught him watching YouTube on his chromebook the other day, but he was studying. It was a wonderful surprise. And he got every question right on that quiz except for one. Studying did the trick. As much as I love him, we do argue. I feel like this is pretty commonplace for a dad and pre teen son. And our arguments are never over the top crazy. He doesn't want to make his bed or clean his room. I often have to remind him multiple times to do his homework. He pees all over the toilet seat. He doesn't really clean up after himself when he makes a mess. I think he plays too many videogames and doesn't work enough, for my taste, on his athletics. And we bicker like a married couple. But this is all very small in the big picture of things. I have to imagine a bunch of other parents my age with kids my son's age deal with the same stuff. And if that is all I have to gripe about when it comes to my son, I think that is okay. I'm not mad at that at all. I do give him a hard time, probably too hard at times, but it is all coming from a place of love.

I love this kid with every single inch of my heart. He is my first kid. He is who made me a dad. It is due to him that I am a stay at home dad, which is the greatest job a person could ever have. I lost weight and became a runner to keep up with him when I first started staying home with him. He was my introduction to my best bud. Without us being at home dads, we may have never met. That is all due to my son being the social kid that he is. I love watching him play football. He is becoming a better player every year, and the fact that I don't have to coach makes watching so much more rewarding. As I said up top, the kid is figuring things out on the basketball court and has no fear when batting in baseball. He takes multiple challenge courses, and he scores A's and B's. He has worked harder lately. He is a funny and fun kid to be around. He makes me want to be social. He pushes me to get out of my comfort zone in social situations. He is so good at chatting people up, and I envy that quality of my son. My son is the best kid there is on this planet. He may drive me nuts, but every time I think of this day, I smile. I'm also grateful and thankful for him. He started this whole parenting thing for me, and I couldn;t be happier.

Happy birthday bud. I love you so much and cannot wait to celebrate with you. 

Ty

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

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So Long Coach Harbaugh and Thanks for the Title

It is official, Jim Harbaugh is leaving Michigan to become the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. Let’s discuss.

I expected this to happen. I said as much after they won the national championship. He did everything he set out to do in his nine years at Michigan. When he took the job he said he wanted to restore Michigan to a national power. He did that. They won the championship. They have won three straight Big 10 titles. They have been to the playoff for three straight seasons. They have had Heisman finalists. They have had many, many players drafted to the NFL. They have been a winning program pretty much since he took over.

Harbaugh also said that he wanted to make the rivalries feel like actual rivalries again. He did that as well. Michigan went 5-4 versus Michigan State. Michigan has won the last three versus the university of Ohio State. They beat Minnesota on the regular. Iowa can be a thorn in their side, but they have gotten the best of them for the past couple years. They beat Penn State fairly regularly right now. He did that job, making the rivalry games an important thing for the players every year.

He really wanted to return Michigan to a winning program. Save for the 2020 season, he was above .500 every season, culminating with a 15-0 season this past year. That is the most wins in Michigan and in the history of the Big 10 for one year. He won 86 games in his nine years as head coach. That is an average of nine plus wins every season. He won 60 of those games in the Big 10. The Big House became a tough place for visitors to play. He restored the home field advantage Michigan has always loved. And he carved out a new niche as a coach, hiring younger guys with new ideas, and has turned a bunch of them into head coaches and future head coaches. Jesse Minter will be a head coach soon enough. Mike McDonald spent one year in Ann Arbor, and he is now leading the best defense in the NFL. Jedd Fisch just took over the Washington job. And many, many more are going to become head coaches soon, namely Sherrone Moore.

When I wrote about Harbaugh departing for the NFL last week, I said I want Michigan to hire Moore ASAP. All signs seem to be pointing towards Moore getting the job, and he has more than earned it. Coaches are supposed to mentor and help their assistants move on to bigger and better things. That is exactly what Harbaugh did in his time in Ann Arbor.

The thing I love most, outside of the national title of course, Harbaugh put the spotlight on the players. He didn't make himself the face of The University of Michigan football team. Every time there was a post game interview, Harbaugh would say one thing and then grab the player who played the best and have the interviewer interview them. He let his assistant coaches speak on games. He has been an advocate for giving players more power to control their own future. Most high profile coaches think it is all about them. And while that may be the case with Harbaugh behind closed doors, in the open he made sure the players and his coaches got the most shine. Even after they won it all, he let his dad and his players speak. I love that. Coaches may be the CEO and leader, but the players are the ones who perform, and the assistants are the ones calling the plays. They deserve more face time. Harbaugh made a concerted effort to give them their proper shine.

I am not mad or upset or hurt about Harbaugh returning to the NFL. He has an itch that he is going to try and scratch. He wants that Super Bowl ring. He has won the biggest award at every level except in the NFL. He has been to one Super Bowl, but it would not shock me to see him go a few more times. He is a very, very good football coach. He is a maniac as well, and I'm curious to see how that translates to the modern NFL. But Jim Harbaugh is a likeable guy that will bend over backwards for his players. He wants them to achieve. And he did that for Michigan. There is nothing but love from me to Coach Harbaugh. He returned this program to glory. I am stoked to let everyone know I'm a Michigan fan. This is the team I remember from my youth, and they were pretty dominant when I was a kid.

Thank you for everything Jim Harbaugh. Always and forever a Michigan man, and Go Blue.

Ty

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

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Ty Listens to "Penith"

Last week Lil Dicky put out his latest album "Penith". For all intents and purposes it is a soundtrack to his show, which I love also. I have been excited about this album coming out. I mentioned it on the podcast. So, the day it came out, I listened as soon as I could. I went to run at the gym, it was dangerously cold in Saint Louis last week, and turned the record on. I had planned on only doing about four miles that day. But, after turning the record on, I decided to keep going until the record was done. I was so into what I was hearing, I was vibing along and I forgot about my plans and felt good. I ended up doing seven miles that day.

This record is pretty excellent. I have been a fan of Lil Dicky's for a few years now, but he has never really put out a full record. He has songs here and there, he releases them every now and again, but never a full on record. "Penith" is a full on record. There are over twenty songs if you listen to the bonus tracks. What makes this record work so much for me is the space each song puts me in when I listen. I sit back and think about the show and the scene that has each song in it. It lets me reminisce. Again, I love that show, so going back without having to binge it for the millionth time, that is nice. I get to use my imagination. I especially like listening to "Harrison Ave". That song is awesome. It has a very good beat over it, and Lil Dicky's rapping is pretty phenomenal on this track. That episode is also one of the best episodes that I have ever seen on tv. "Brand New", which opens the record, brings me right back to Dave changing things around in his life and career. "Mr McAdams" is pretty fun and a good track. I also really like that episode of "Dave" due to the joke they play on the Met Gala. "Ally's Song" is gut wrenching and sad. And it brings me right back to the heartbreak you feel for Ally. "No Fruits or Vegetables" takes us back to season 1 and the wedding episode. That is where I felt this show got pretty great. This was where I was watching and thought, this has some serious legs. "Hi, I'm Dave" is the theme song to the first season of the show. I would listen to this track on Itunes a ton when it first dropped. To hear it again on this record was pretty cool. The album closes with "We Good", which is one of the more uplifting songs on the album. It also gives us GaTa doing his thing for the first time on the record.

I am loving the album so far. I have listened to it from start to finish three times so far and am not even close to being bored with it or skipping songs. I turn it on and just let myself sit back and listen. I was driving home from the vet today and on the way home my dog and I had a good time dancing to the record. This record is not just a soundtrack either, this is a good hip hop album. Lil Dicky can rap. He has good guest spots, but this record is pretty much all him, with GaTa dropping in here and there. He has good flow and is pretty damn good as a rapper. The beats are pretty solid as well.

I hope he doesn't stop here. I want to hear more music from him. And I hope the tv show comes back as well. But for now, I have "Penith" to listen to until a new Lil Dicky record comes out, and I'm totally fine with that. Check this record out. It is good. 

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.